OMNI Television Announces Official Canadian Broadcast Partnership of IIFA 2011
TORONTO, Feb. 14 /CNW/ – OMNI Television announced today that, as the Official Canadian Broadcast Partner of the
International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) 2011, it will broadcast
unprecedented coverage of the three-day long weekend and awards
celebration to Canadians when it makes its North American debut in
Ontario this June.
“Our partnership with the International Indian Film Academy is a natural
fit for OMNI Television, to build upon our already well established
South Asian entertainment and news,” commented Alain Strati, Vice President, OMNI Station Group, Specialty
and Development. “With the addition of new shows and specials to our already strong
Bollywood programming lineup, our viewers will have access to more
exclusive, Canadian-produced, South Asian content leading up to and
beyond this world class event.”
IIFA 2011 is a celebration of Indian Cinema, consisting of fun-filled
activities, that brings the fans close to their favourite stars. OMNI
Television is the only all access pass, with extensive coverage of the
star studded fashion show, IIFA Rocks; must-see film festival
highlights; and the highly anticipated IIFA Awards Ceremony. One of
the biggest nights in entertainment, the live-to-tape special broadcast
of the IIFA Awards on OMNI will showcase the best in Indian Cinema,
giving viewers behind-the-scenes access to their favourite stars, show
stopping fashion, and breathtaking performances.
“We are happy to partner with OMNI Television as our Official Canadian
Broadcast Partner of IIFA 2011. IIFA has a reach that goes well beyond
international borders. For the Indian Cinema fans in Canada, we find
that OMNI, with its entertainment focus and large television base is a
natural choice to spread the IIFA magic,” commented Sabbas Joseph,
Director – Wizcraft International Ent. & IIFA.
OMNI Television will deliver a vast array of South Asian entertainment
leading up to the special coverage of the IIFA Weekend and Awards, from
locally produced South Asian news in all markets, to IIFA themed Indian
blockbuster hits on Bollywood Freetime Movies, to daily and weekly coverage of the IIFA celebrations on Bollywood Blvd., including a pre-awards special from IIFA’s unique green carpet at the
Awards Ceremony. OMNI is also launching a new four part series, Best of the IIFAs, which will showcase the best moments in IIFA history. Starting in
March, a new entertainment series, Bollywood’s Best Top 10, starring Canadian actress, Lisa Ray, will celebrate the very best of
Indian cinema – past and present.
The coverage of the IIFA 2011 celebrations will continue well beyond the
event as OMNI will bring Canadians even more programming, including: an
in-depth look back at all the highlights from the IIFA Weekend and
Awards in Toronto, a celebration of Bollywood’s top stars; and
favourite moments from the Award show and Green Carpet. These
specials will compliment OMNI News: South Asian Edition in English on OMNI.2 in Ontario; OMNI in Calgary and Edmonton; as well
as OMNI News: Punjabi Edition in language on OMNI in B.C., Bollywood Freetime Movies and South Asian entertainment magazine shows. Additional South Asian
programmes on OMNI Television are also offered in Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu,
Tamil, Bengali, Sinhalese, and English. For more information visit www.rogersmediatv.ca.
About IIFA
Conceptualized and produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt.
Ltd. and supported by the key members of the Indian film fraternity,
IIFA is the most appreciated South Asian film academy. Also, the IIFA
Awards is India’s biggest media event. With a viewership of almost 600
million, it is among the world’s most-watched annual entertainment
events.
From a one night celebration in 2000 at the Millennium Dome, London, the
last ten years have seen the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA)
movement grow into a cine-packed weekend of film-festivals, workshops,
exhibitions, film-showcases, global business forums and sporting
events, all of which climax into the highlight of the IIFA Weekend and
Awards.
About OMNI
OMNI™ is a free, over-the-air multilingual/multicultural television system
committed to reflecting Canada’s diversity by delivering an array of
ethnocultural programming, serving multiple language communities. With
five television stations — in BC; Alberta (Calgary and Edmonton) and
Ontario (OMNI.1 and OMNI.2) – OMNI has a combined reach to 16.5 million
households in major market areas. In addition to weeknight newscasts
and weekly community magazine programs, OMNI is also home to well-known International series and films, including
Bollywood Movies, Asian Cinema, Italian and Portuguese telenovelas. OMNI Television is a part of Rogers Broadcasting Limited., a division of Rogers
Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI and NYSE: RCI) which is a diversified
Canadian communications and media company. For more information visit www.OMNItv.ca