Tata Sky launches Actve Wizkids - a unique edutainment service

30 days and the service expands reach and offering

Mumbai, September 14, 2006: Tata Sky Ltd., the joint venture from TATA and STAR, launched its satellite television service on 08 August. Within a month, the service has strengthened its distribution set-up (3200 cities), enhanced its product offering (75 television channels including 7 interactive services) and has transformed the experience of television viewing for millions of viewers across the country. Today, Tata Sky launched its newest interactive service, Actve Wizkids, a first of its kind interactive educational service in the world. The service seeks to enhance a child’s classroom learning through entertaining, yet educational games.

Designed for children from the ages of 3 to 6 years, Actve Wizkids makes learning an enjoyable and entertaining activity for children, through the medium of fun filled games, audio instructions and animated mascots. These games encompass a variety of subjects from Mathematics to English and General Knowledge.

While not all households in India have access to a computer, the penetration of television is very high. Being a television based service, Actve Wizkids presents parents with a more convenient and economical alternative to a computer, to supplement their child’s classroom education in an entertaining way. Since, the games on the service are refreshed daily, it will cut back the need for parents to continually invest in expensive educational CD’s.

Another child centric service available on Tata Sky’s platform is the unique Parental Control service which empowers parents to regulate what their children watch on television. The Parental Control service not only allows an entire channel to be blocked out, but also allows blocking of movies based on parental ratings across channels For example, the parents can block out movies considered unsuitable for children below the age of 15 years. This service reiterates Tata Sky’s commitment to transferring control and convenience into the hands of consumers.

Mr. Vikram Kaushik, Managing Director & CEO, Tata Sky Ltd. said, “We are delighted with the overwhelming response to our service, from the consumers as well as trade. We intend to remain at the forefront of providing our viewers with wider entertainment options. Our Parental Control service and Actve Wizkids service have been designed to enhance entertainment for children, while taking every precautionary step to make television viewing a protected experience for them. This presents one more compelling reason for families to join the Tata Sky platform.”