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Media & Entertainment
Synchronized Web presence for National Geographic Channel, FOX History & Entertainment & Star TV |
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| With a viewership of more than 100 million, National Geographic Channel (NGC) & FOX History & Entertainment broadcast span across the globe, in varied time zones. Acknowledging the power of the Internet, they discerned the need for its online presence. The aim was to display program schedules online and allow viewers to experience NGC explorations on the web. The websites had to be customized across different time zones and countries. The NGC India Web site was launched in 2002, and that of FOX History & Entertainment in 2008. Providing high-quality services on consistent basis, Icreon gained appreciation from the team and subsequently, the responsibility increased to not only manage their websites but also provide social media optimization services. |
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| Customer
Profile |
About NGC: In September 1997, the world's first National Geographic Channel was launched in Europe and Australia. National Geographic Channel Asia was launched soon after, in 1998 and has built a loyal and devoted following. The word spread quickly and now the Channel has grown to be available in over 133 countries and is viewed in more than 100 million homes, in 21 languages.
About FH&E: FH&E is India's only television channel purely dedicated to history, bringing the power and passion of the past to life. FH&E is committed to presenting a perspective of the world through the eyes of Indians with the channel managed and programmed locally to ensure a fresh and relevant on-air presentation. Fox History & Entertainment replaced The History Channel India in November 2008 becoming the first Fox Network branded channel available in India after the agreement between A&E and Star TV ended in November 21, 2008.
StarTV: It is an Asian TV service News Corporation, with its headquarters in HongKong. Their service has more than 300 million viewers in 53 countries and is watched by approximately 120 million viewers every day. Today STAR Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts over 60 services in 13 languages. Shows include entertainment, sports, movies, music, news and documentaries. |
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| Business
Requirement |
| The Channels wanted to launch a turnkey project to accomplish its goal of a global web presence. The operation required a very large & full-time dedicated team of professionals. In addition, they wanted the entire development and maintenance of their websites and microsites to be handled by Icreon. This also extended to designing and developing various mailers, newsletters etc for promoting the programs based on their business needs. |
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| Empowering Channels’ Online Presence |
Benefits
- Consistent and high-end web design matching global standards
- In-sync event & operations management for their websites
- Comprehensive online coverage & promotions for their events
- Website traffic analysis and monitoring for consistent performance
- High-end graphic and Micro-Site designs
- Interactive online games and contests
- Social Media Optimization through Facebook & You Tube
NGC teamed with Icreon in early 2002 with only the India Website development project. Over the years, we have hosted several of their websites in several countries. Some of the websites managed for NGC were:
Currently, Icreon manages the following websites for NGC:
The growing faith of the NGC team on Icreon has led to other successful ventures that we are currently managing for NGC. Icreon is responsible for the design, development and maintenance of websites for various channels owned and managed by NGC. These include websites for Fox History & Entertainment - www.foxhistory.com.
However, managing these websites is only a part of the entire responsibility. It extends to being the ever-present technical resource for all online activity, i.e. providing solutions to the global network of their teams, along with research & development in new technologies are part of the services provided by Icreon to the Channels.
The biggest challenge in being a part of this operation is working within global timelines. The Channels plan their online promotions and activities on a global level. It is our responsibility to deliver within specified timelines, in-sync with the teams worldwide.
Our comprehensive web activities package for the channels involves:
- Online program database and telecast schedule maintenance
- Content schedule implementation for regional websites
- Page construction for all content
- Online event implementation (contests, polls, etc.)
- Promotional activities and Internet Marketing campaigns (e-Newsletters, online AV's, advertisement banners, floater ads etc.)
- Implementation and monitoring of Google Adsense on NGC websites
- Application development for key processes (Banner Management System, Global Resource Management System, Administration consoles)
- Design and development of micro-sites
- Implementation of interactive features
- Web hosting and database maintenance
- Hosting and maintenance of NGC’s mail servers
- Web server & website maintenance
- Development of flash based interactive games
- Implementation and monitoring of the Urchin site analysis system and Google Analytics
- Offline mirror site maintenance
- Offline Image banking
The websites maintained and managed by Icreon were setup and run on the Microsoft .net Framework. In league with technological changes, the website was upgraded to various versions, and is now currently running on version 3.5. In addition, SQL Server 2005 is being used for database management for all NGC Websites. A majority of the front-end uses SSI pages with extensive use of JavaScript. Interactive features are developed using a combination of JavaScript and ActionScript (Flash).
With using the .Net framework, the applications built provides visually stunning user experience, seamless and secure communication, and the ability to model a range of business processes. With it, we could easily build applications which can be effortlessly used across softwares, services and devices. Further, it is a secure multi-language development platform, having cutting edge web application development capabilities. Using ASP.NET Ajax enabled web developers to create more efficient, more interactive and highly personalized experiences that work across all of the most popular browsers.
Some of the sub-projects/micro-sites that we have accomplished for NGC include:
- Noah’s Flood – Online coverage of the series to be shown on NGC
- Africa - Complete online coverage of this series
- Inca Mummies - An extensive micro-site on the Inca mummies and the series of the same name
- Shape of Life - Complete online coverage of this series
- Mission Everest – Complete online coverage of this contest conducted in India
- Mission Mars – Complete online coverage of this contest
- NGC – Geo Genius – An interactive online game developed by Icreon
- Secrets Unveiled & Secret Chambers Revealed – Complete online coverage of program schedules
- Mission Udaan & Mission Navy – Complete contest coverage of the reality show program and development of an interactive flash based game for Mission Udaan
- World’s Deadliest Animal – Complete online coverage of this series
- NGC Moment Awards – Complete contest information and registration of entries by mobile & still cameras made available
- Mumbai Terror Attacks – Complete coverage of the series
- Young Visionary – Complete online information and registration for the contest website
- NGC Guide - Provides sales and sponsorship based information for NGC
Some of the sub-projects/micro-sites that we have accomplished for FH&E include:
- Paul Merton – Complete coverage of the series
- 80 wonders of the world - Complete coverage of the series
- Tudors - Complete coverage of the series
- My City My history - Complete online coverage of this contest conducted in India
In addition to above, we have developed few exciting and dynamic micro-sites for Star World – a popular U.S. entertainment programming broadcast to Asia. These include:
- Desperate Housewives
- Lost
- Heroes
- Prison House
Extending Social Media Support
Icreon also offered to the channels the service of optimizing Social Media to enhance their web presence, and enable them to feel the pulse of the public by opening a gateway to bi-directional way of communication. Consequently, Icreon:
Handles Facebook Fan pages for Nat Geo (India) and Fox History & Entertainment. These include updating schedules and promotion pages daily on facebook and implementation of live feed from facebook on their respective websites.
 
Created a Facebook Application for NGC which allows users to browse through the TV schedule for the coming month and set reminders for their favorite programs. These can be shared with friends and family members as well. Further, this application will be extended to disseminate information about various contest and polls being run by NGC. The concept is being replicated for the FH&E channel.
Developed newsletters to help the channels connect with the current member base and bring them to the SM pages
 
Manages content on the NGC YouTube page, which is also shared on FB
Created FB contest pages [2] for FH&E
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| Technologies used
in developing this application are: |
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| Summary |
We believe in long-lasting relationships with our clients and NGC is a perfect example! Over the years, we have grown as a company, and for NGC, our services have only improved. As Mr. Jayant Shah, VP Media, for NGC puts it – “The diversity and creativity that the developers at Icreon possess has been an ongoing asset. In closing, our Team would like to entrust Icreon for the expert development and project fulfillment we have experienced thus far, we look forward to many years of ongoing partnership."
Managing operations across websites catering to a diverse time zone, we enable NGC & FHE to meet its requirements of turnkey and high-end web presence at par with global web standards. In addition, with the tool of social media optimization at their hands they have been empowered to reach their audiences faster and in the most cost effective manner. |
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"We are extremely pleased with the
efforts of Icreon in relation to the development of our
family of marketing products. Icreon has demonstrated a special
‘commitment to our client’ with exceptional communication
and attention throughout the project…” |
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SIBBELINK
Vertical - Social Networking
Platform - Linux/PHP |
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QUALITY
PROCESSES
(Web Page) |
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ENGAGEMENT
MODELS
(Web
Page) |
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CASE
STUDIES
(Web
Page) |
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