Disney are probably the last children’s based entertainment company that would be seen as ‘setting a good example’, but yesterday it was The Walt Disney Co. that revealed their plans to become the first ‘major media company’ to impose a ban on commercials for ‘junk food’, with the proposed movement extending to all of the company’s range of fully-owned TV channels, radio stations, and websites as a means of removing temptation of unhealthy eating from children’s programming.

In an announcement in New York City (USA), First Lady and keen anti-obesity campaigner Michelle Obama declared Disney’s plans to be a ‘game changer’ that rival networks (such as Nickelodeon and Cartoon Networks) should look at and follow.

She said of the news: “Just a few years ago if you had told me or any other mom or dad in America that our kids wouldn’t see a single ad for junk food while they watched their favourite cartoons on a major TV network, we wouldn’t have believed you.”

Launched under Disney’s ‘Magic Healthy Living’ campaign, the company will ban any adverts on their networks that do not meet their ‘nutritional standards’ with main culprits such as fast food and candy not the only items on the red menu. Under criteria such as sugar, sodium, and calorie (maximum 600 ‘per meal’) rates, with fairly innocent items such as Capri Sun juice pouches and select cereals (with over 10g of sugar) amongst the items being targeted.

In addition, Disney will be working with the likes of Burger King, and Coca-Cola (and potentially McDonalds) in creating ‘healthy’ food adverts as the norm, while the company’s own line of theme parks (Walt Disney Parks & Resorts) in America (two sites) will see to it that 85% of all food produced and sold in the park is of new ‘Mickey Check’ nutritional standards (from an initial internal proposal from 2006, which added that only ‘special occasion’ foods such as cake would make up the remaining 15%).

However there is a key catch to the new rules – with Disney’s decision not to implement the changes until 2015 taking a lot of the feel of urgency away from the situation.

The company added that the changes will feature on their websites as well as commercial-powered networks Disney XD, ABC (children’s block), and Radio Disney, and that while the move (which will potentially see them block advertisers for their ‘menu’ as a whole even if they are showcasing a healthy product in their advert), may have a short-term hit on their income, but that it should be made up in the future when the companies adjust their food featured to match ‘approved standards’.

Tufts School of Medicine’s Aviva Must, the chairwoman for the ‘Department of Public Health and Community Medicine’ added: “There seems to be limited taste for government regulation. So I think a large company like Disney taking a stand and putting in a policy with teeth is a good step.”

Another product earmarked was Oscar Mayer’s Lunchables (28% of recommended daily sodium), but Kraft (owners of the product) claimed that the ban was a good thin, adding that they are not frequent marketers towards children, as nutrition policy director noted that the most severe ‘junk foods’ will be gone from Disney airwaves for good, and adding: “Disney’s announcement really puts a lot of pressure on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network and other media to do the same.”

Disney CEO Bob Iger added of the new ‘Mickey Check’ process: “The emotional connection kids have to our characters and stories gives us a unique opportunity to continue to inspire and encourage them to lead healthier lives.”

In a strange turn of events, could Disney, a company with a long-standing reputation for squeezing as much money as possible out of its target market, end up becoming a surprising torchbearer for ‘positive lifestyle’ in the USA? Or will most of its audience just have ‘killjoy’ as a mark against the channel…

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Do you have difficulties in cooking? Or having a hard time in using your kitchen utensils? Well, here’s the best solution for your problems. New prototypes of kitchen gadgets that helps you cook your food perfectly have arrived, and they are all state-of-the-art and very practical. Cooking gadgets that can be controlled through the use of your smartphone – some are even programmable.

Here are the top 8 kitchen gadgets that will elevate our system of cooking to a whole new level.

Palate Home Smart Grill

Wearable technologies have been one of the center attractions in these mega developments of lifestyles and trends. Smart glasses are amongst of many technologies that erupted in our present day.

Many giant companies have spent time, money and effort to make virtual eye glasses more than a reality. 2015 is the years were all these wearable eye glasses are to be produced and demonstrated for a public use. These companies joined the CES to promote their own version of Smart eye glasses and this included Google, Sony, Toshiba and Microsoft.

The following are a comparison of the features and designs of the Smart Glasses developed.

Dish Network has signed a multi-year deal with Scripps Networks Interactive for the streaming rights to live and on-demand content from channels such as DIY Network, the Food Network, HGTV, and the Travel Channel.

The Dish over-the-top TV service which is due to launch later this year will offer around 20-30 channels for $30 per month. The service will be aimed at cord cutters who are becoming increasingly frustrated at high pay-TV bills for cable and satellite TV.

The content will add nicely to the already signed deals that Dish Network has secured. They signed a deal back in March with Disney owned ABC and ESPN for live and on-demand streaming, and they secured the rights to A+E Networks channels such as Lifetime, History, Crime & Investigation and Military History.

The news was revealed in a Dish press release where DISH president and CEO, Joseph P. Clayton said, “DISH is delighted to add Scripps Networks’ award-winning lifestyle content to our growing library of sports, family, educational and entertainment options that will create a redefined video experience for a new type of consumer. This wide-ranging agreement gives DISH customers dynamic access to Scripps Networks programming today and tomorrow.”

Speaking for Scripps, chairman, president and CEO, Kenneth W. Lowe said, “This agreement demonstrates the consistent strength and popularity of our portfolio of brands, and enables even more people to enjoy DIY Network and Cooking Channel in addition to our existing offering on DISH.”

He continued, “We are committed to making our lifestyle content available to consumers wherever and whenever they want it. This first-of-its-kind OTT deal for Scripps Networks Interactive enables us to reach even more people through DISH’s innovative services.”

The announcement follows on from the news that Sony has decided to enter the online streaming market with it’s own cloud based TV service, and has nabbed the rights to 20 Viacom channels including Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon.

Enhancing a platform that was already in circulation, Verizon have ensured that the use of mobile TV will be truly mobile on their service from now on, after announcing an update to their service which sees subscribers able to use the app on mobile networks.

Previously limited to Verizon subscribers only through their home network, the telecommunications company have confirmed that ‘FiOS’, an on-demand TV and film app through Android and iOS-based portable devices, will now offer viewers the chance to watch on the go with other signals.

FiOS TV’s ‘director of consumer video services’ Maitreyi Krishnaswamy summarised: “The FiOS Mobile App has a wide variety of content choice for all ages and interests, from the do-it-yourselfer to the moviegoer, and this is just the beginning. Close collaboration with content and software partners, allows us to deliver a seamless customer experience, which will become even better as the content choices grow over time.”

Aside from the minor but vital tweak, Verizon FiOS will remain pretty much the same for its users, but those same subscribers might be asking why it couldn’t have been done sooner…

Regardless of the timing, Verizon will naturally have been pleased with the roll-out, as their press release in full on the matter read:

“– FiOS TV Customers Can Now Watch TV Shows and Movies on Mobile Devices While Away From Home

– Enhanced FiOS Mobile App Offers Live TV and Video on Demand on iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire, and Android Tablets and Smartphones

NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The new commuter check list: Keys. Check! Wallet or purse. Check! And now, the enhanced FiOS Mobile App, which enables Verizon FiOS TV customers to watch live linear content as well as video on demand while away from home.

To support the Borderless Lifestyle – anytime, anywhere access to what customers want – The FiOS Mobile App offers access to popular television shows and movies via select iOS and Android mobile devices and tablets, and Kindle Fire, with more content choice to be added later this year.

“The FiOS Mobile App has a wide variety of content choice for all ages and interests, from the do-it-yourselfer to the moviegoer, and this is just the beginning,” said Maitreyi Krishnaswamy, director of FiOS TV’s consumer video services. “Close collaboration with content and software partners, allows us to deliver a seamless customer experience, which will become even better as the content choices grow over time.”

Starting today, customers can watch up to nine popular live TV channels, depending upon their current FiOS TV package, via the iPad and select Android tablets and phones. In addition, the app is now available on the iPhone and Kindle Fire tablets.

Channels available with this initial rollout, out of the home include BBC America, BBC World News, EPIX, NFL Network (tablet only) including “Thursday Night Football,” Tennis Channel and networks from Scripps Networks Interactive including Food Network and Travel Channel.

FiOS TV customers have been able to use their mobile devices and tablets to watch up to 76 live linear channels at home. Now, FiOS customers in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., can use their tablets and mobile phones to also watch local news and weather at home on the local affiliates of ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and Spanish-language channels such as UniMas and Univision.

For movie lovers, the FiOS Mobile App offers on-demand content including more than 45,000 Flex View titles. Customers can now access thousands of free and subscription-on-demand content from brands like HBO, Cinemax, Starz, Encore, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel and more.

 

One FiOS Entertainment App for Everything From Live TV to On Demand

The new enhanced FiOS Mobile App also condenses existing apps and incorporates functionality from FiOS Mobile Remote and Verizon Media Manager into one single FiOS TV entertainment destination. The unified app provides a simple and elegant user-friendly experience that enables easy content discovery and video viewing.

The app has numerous easy-to use functions including TV listings, My Bookmarks, My Library, On Demand, DVR, Settings and Help.

In addition, the FiOS Mobile App offers parental controls, so parents can decide what content they want their children to access.

FiOS TV offers a broad collection of programming on TV, with more than 520 all-digital channels including up to 142 HD channels and 19,000 monthly video-on-demand titles. FiOS also provides next-generation interactive services including an advanced interactive media guide; social networking, news and entertainment widgets; remote DVR management via broadband or cell phone; and more.

For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit www.verizon.com/newscenter and http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog.

Note: Verizon FiOS TV subscription required and only available on select devices. In-home live TV streaming requires Internet and TV subscription and use of FiOS router. Remote control functionality requires use of FiOS router and HD Set Top Box. Subscription to premium movie channels or highest-tiered TV package required to access certain channels. NFL Network streaming only available on tablets. Flex View service usage and content availability restrictions apply. Wireless data charges may apply.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 100 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries. A Dow 30 company with nearly $116 billion in 2012 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 180,900. For more information, visit about.verizon.com.

VERIZON’S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts and other information are available at Verizon’s online News Center at newscenter.verizon.com. The news releases are available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit newscenter.verizon.com/corporate/feeds.”

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