MUMBAI: Star International has appointed M K Srinivasan as senior vice president - North America to spearhead the growth of Star in the US and Canada.

He will be reporting to Star EVP- International Business Rajan Singh.

According to a statement, Srinivasan will be tasked with "changing the game" yet again to facilitate the growth of Star?s business. To accomplish this goal, he will be working closely with Singh.

Star Network CEO Uday Shankar said, "The phenomenal success of the international business in the last couple of years has firmly etched Star network as the undisputed leader in international markets. The appointment of M K Srinivasan in the US will help complement the executive team that is already in place, and help with taking the business to new heights."

Singh added, "Srinivasan?s years of experience in the US marketplace will help cultivate new relationships and strengthen existing ones, leading to a positive impact on the overall business. I am looking forward to the new challenges and opportunities that we will be pursuing aggressively."

With almost 25 years of experience in the South Asian market in the US and Canada, Srinivasan has worked closely with most of the major television channels, and is well connected with the media and community across North America.

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT)?s Sony Movie Channel and AXN Movies have launched exclusively in Canada on Hollywood Suite as part of Hollywood Suite?s four HD movie channels.

Effective today, Hollywood Suite?s Hollywood Festival channel is now Sony Movie Channel and Hollywood Storm is now AXN Movies. Sony Movie Channel is SPT?s movie network created specifically for the Hollywood movie fan, while AXN Movies delivers high octane movies.

Sony Movie Channel will feature such award-winning films as A Few Good Men, Stand By Me, From Here To Eternity, Gandhi, Five Easy Pieces, This is Spinal Tap, and The Big Chill.

With access to Sony Pictures? vast library of feature films, Sony Movie Channel offers a variety of programming selected from more than 3,500 Sony Pictures movies. Sony Movie Channel is also available in the US and UK.

AXN Movies, the first all-movie network from AXN, will feature films such as Taxi Driver, Predator, Blade, From Dusk Till Dawn, Aliens, The Punisher, Shaun Of The Dead and The Silence of the Lambs.

Already the exclusive home of WarnerFilms and MGM Channel in Canada, Hollywood Suite broadcasts four channels with over 450 commercial-free HD movies per month, uncut and unedited, and offers over 250 movies per month on demand, on-line and on mobile - all for one low monthly price. Hollywood Suite is available across Canada exclusively through Canadian television service providers Bell SatelliteTV, Bell Fibe TV, EastLink, TELUS Optik TV, SaskTel, MTS, Westman Communications and Access Communications and NorthwesTel.

MUMBAI: Canada will be the Mipcom 2012 Country of Honour, Mipcom has announced. Organised by Reed Midem, the television trade event will take place in Cannes from 8-11 October.

As part of the tribute to the Canadian television, film and digital industries, Mipcom, in partnership with the Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada, will organise a dedicated Focus on Canada featuring a programme of high-level conference speakers, screening showcases, Canadian talent, and business matchmaking events.

The Focus on Canada will run throughout MIPJunior (Oct. 6-7) and MIipcom (Oct. 8-11) and will highlight Canadian excellence in international co-productions and across all media, as well as celebrating Canadian world-class scripted dramas, animation, documentaries, films, experimental and digital media.

The Focus will also provide an opportunity to update international decision makers on federal and provincial financing and funding incentives; the broadcast, cable and satellite distribution market; and location scouting in Canada.

Reed Midem director television division Laurine Garaude said, "With more than 228 Canadian companies present at MIPCOM, including a wide range of independent producers and major television and film studios, and encompassing both English and French-language productions, Canada has been one of the most inspiring and active global players in the television industry for as long as we can remember.

"The Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada play a pivotal role in supporting the Canadian television, film and digital industries and that role is once again confirmed by their support for the Focus on Canada initiative."

CMF president, CEO Valerie Creighton said, "The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is thrilled to partner with Reed Midem and Telefilm Canada to feature great Canadian talent and productions at Mipcom 2012. The quality Canadian television and digital media projects that the CMF supports have generated $2.3 billion CAD in production activity across Canada since 2010. International audiences and partners are paramount to position Canada as a leader in today?s competitive global digital environment. This partnership is an opportunity to showcase the best of Canada and to share our achievements with the world."

MUMBAI: Canada?s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium has announced its commitment to delivering Canadians the best Summer Games experience ever. The Consortium is bringing viewers more than 5,500 hours of coverage - the equivalent of more than 229 days of content or close to two thirds of a year - during the 17 days of London Olympic 2012, more than any other Games.

The Consortium?s plan includes 2,000+ hours of television coverage in 11 different languages and 3,500+ hours of digital coverage.

Additionally, the Consortium has confirmed the schedules for its conventional and dedicated sport channels which range between 15 - 22 hours of coverage per day. This plan ensures Canadians have as many options as possible to watch their favourite events.

Television: In total, more than 2,000 hours will be broadcast on Consortium television stations:

- English coverage on CTV, TSN, Sportsnet, and OLN - 1,114 hours

- French coverage on RDS and V - 704 hours

- Multi-lingual coverage on OMNI.1, OMNI.2, and ATN - 223 hours

- Languages include Bangla, Cantonese, Hindi, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Punjabi, Tamil, and Urdu

Digital: More than 3,500 hours of coverage will be available online and on mobile devices at CTVOlympics.ca and RDSolympiques.ca:

- Live streaming of coverage from CTV, RDS, TSN, Sportsnet, and V - 1,431 hours

- Live streaming of events from various Olympic venues - 2,100 hours

Canada?s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium president Adam Ashton said, "We are committed to bringing Canadians a robust Olympic Games experience, whether on television or digital platforms. With 26 sports, plus a sizeable time difference and so many people on the go during the Summer, it is important to provide Canadians with a choice on how, when, and where they want to consume London 2012 content."

In addition, 10 Rogers Radio stations will provide listeners with Olympic Games coverage, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, a daily hour-long highlights show, and updates three times an hour everyday during the Games.