MUMBAI: Global views of the United States have improved markedly over the last year while views of many countries have become more negative, according to the latest BBC World Service poll across 28 countries. For the first time since the BBC started tracking in 2005, views of the United States‘ influence in the world are now more positive than negative on average.

The survey, conducted by GlobeScan/PIPA among more than 29,000 adults, asked respondents to say whether they considered the influence of different countries in the world to be mostly positive or mostly negative. It found that the United States is viewed positively on balance in 20 of 28 countries, with an average of 46 per cent now saying it has a mostly positive influence in the world, while 34 per cent say it has a negative influence.

Compared to a year earlier, negative ratings of the United States have dropped a striking nine points on average across the countries surveyed both years, while positive ratings are up a more modest four points. Ratings of the influence of many other countries, meanwhile, have declined over the past year. On average, positive ratings of the United Kingdom and Japan are down three points, Canada down six points, and the European Union down four points. Ratings of the United Kingdom‘s influence in the world declined significantly in 11 countries and rose in only three.

Germany is the most favourably viewed nation (an average of 59% positive), followed by Japan (53%), the United Kingdom (52%), Canada (51%), and France (49%). The European Union is viewed positively by 53 per cent. In contrast, Iran is the least favourably viewed nation (15%), followed by Pakistan (16%), North Korea (17%), Israel (19%), and Russia (30%).

While it is not among the most favourably viewed nations, the improvement in the ratings of the United States means it has now overtaken China in terms of positive perceptions. Fifteen countries view China favourably on balance, with an average of 41 per cent feeling it has a mostly positive influence in the world and 38 per cent feeling its influence is mostly negative.

Iran attracts mostly negative views in all countries polled except Mexico and Pakistan-on average, 56 per cent rate it negatively. Views of Iran in China and Russia have deteriorated-positive views have dropped 11 points among the Chinese people (30%) while negative views of Iran have jumped up
13 points among Russians (to 45%).

The BBC World Service Poll has been tracking opinions about country influence in the world since 2005. The latest results are based on 29,977 in-home or telephone interviews conducted across a total of 28 countries by the international polling firm GlobeScan, together with the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland.
GlobeScan coordinated fieldwork between 30 November 2009 and 16 February 2010.

GlobeScan Chairman Doug Miller comments: "People around the world today view the United States more positively than at any time since the second Iraq war. While still well below that of countries like Germany and the UK, the global standing of the US is clearly on the rise again."

Steven Kull, director of PIPA, comments, "While China‘s image is stuck in neutral, America has motored past it in the global soft-power competition.

"After a year, it appears the ‘Obama effect‘ is real. Its influence on people‘s views worldwide, though, is to soften the negative aspects of the United States‘ image, while positive aspects are not yet coming into strong focus."

India

Worldwide, views of India lean only modestly to the positive, barely edging out views of China. Among 27 countries polled, 15 are positive about India‘s influence in world affairs, ten are negative and two are divided. On average, among 27 countries, 36 per cent are positive and 31 per cent negative about India‘s influence. A high 33 per cent do not provide an answer or are neutral.

Among the tracking countries negative views have dropped by four points, but positive views have also dropped by two points, suggesting little net gain.

While views of India were fairly negative in Europe in 2009 there has been something of a warming trend. Among the French, positive views have grown by nine points (now 38%, up from 29%). Germans‘ favourable perceptions have increased by ten points (now 32%, up from 22%). Among Portuguese, negative attitudes have fallen by 11 points (now 35%, down from 46%). But in all three cases, views are still predominantly negative. Italians‘ unfavourable views have fallen by nine points (now 34%, down from 43%), shifting them from a divided view in 2009 to leaning positive in 2010.

There has been a distinct cooling with its counterpart, China. While in 2009 views were divided there, Chinese favourable views have fallen by 15 points, so that negative views (47%) now strongly outweigh positive ones (29%).
China together with Pakistan (48% have negative views) have the most negative views of India, followed by Germany (46%).

However positive views are up in its other large neighbour, Indonesia (now 50%, from 38%). Filipinos have also warmed a bit with negative feelings decreasing by eight points (45%, down from 53%), but they still largely outweigh positive feelings (28%).

In the USA negative views are down by eight points (now 18%, from 26%) and a robust 55% say they have positive views of India. South Korea is the only country with a larger percentage (56%) saying that they see India having a positive influence.

Ghanaians views have had a sharp downturn with positive views decreasing by
24 points (now 33%, from 57%). Australians have also cooled with positive views dropping from 53 to 44 per cent. But in both cases positive views continue to prevail.

In Central America, unfavourable perceptions have increased by nine points (42%, up from 33%) and is the dominant position.

MUMBAI: Primesite, Mudra MAX‘s out-of-home (OOH) solutions unit executed a mega OOH campaign for Hindustan Times (one of India‘s largest daily newspaper). The campaign ‘Speak up for a better Mumbai‘ was formulated to urge Mumbaikars to participate & address issues faced by them encompassing the city & their locality as well as explore their vision for a better Mumbai.

As HT required to bring an optimistic change to the city of Mumbai, the challenge for Primesite was to communicate Hindustan Times as a perfect channel that always puts Mumbai First, hears Mumbai‘s voice and takes largest initiative in capturing the issues and solutions that the city faces everyday. To do so, Primesite executed a resourceful campaign which read "Show us What Mumbai can be" where it gave an opportunity for Mumbaikars to send in their ideas and Join HT in putting Mumbai First.

In this endeavour, HT met more than 10,000 Mumbaikars where they received humungous responses, addressing the various issues faced by them in the city. These issues were then intensely raised through the medium of OOH.

The campaign commenced on 7th April‘10 across Mumbai & Navi Mumbai. As Outdoor medium plays a critical role in communicating the message to the people and also soliciting response from non-readers, the campaign was carried out at key junctions & arterial roads. A judicious mix of bus shelters, billboards, gantries etc were used to create the desired impact & penetrate the residential pockets / circulatory areas. For frequency building, bus back panels across Mumbai were implemented to reinforce the brand‘s central message.

Commenting on the campaign, Mandeep Malhotra, Senior Vice President said, "We feel proud to be associated with Hindustan Times in reinforcing the thought of making Mumbai a better place to live in. I also appreciate HT for providing an unique opportunity to the citizens of Mumbai to give voice to their concerns, talk about the problems they face in the city and thus help in putting Mumbai First."

Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Salil Sadanandan, Business head (West & South), HT Media Ltd. said, "Mumbai has spoken. This has been one of Hindustan Times‘ largest initiatives to build a better Mumbai and the response has been overwhelming. While we continue extensive coverage of the issues under the section called "Mumbai First" in our newspaper, the ultimate aim is to table the issues to the concerned Govt bodies & civic authorities, for their attention, suggestions & actions in a conclave planned in June."

MUMBAI: UTV World Movies, the pioneering movie channel brings to you an admired and controversial blockbuster, the movie of the Month for April 2010 ? ?The Accused?-The movie starring Kelly McGills and Jodie Foster won Foster her first Oscar and established her as one of the most acclaimed performers in Hollywood.

The Accused is based on the controversial rape-themed drama at Mill which is located along the highways of Washington. A young woman Sarah is brutally gangraped in a bar. The community and the legal system is unsympathetic to her plight as Sarah was not a ? nice girl?- but a loose woman who dressed provocatively, did drugs and basically asked for the rape! Sarah is a fighter- with her attorney Kathryn she takes on a detailed legal fight the mindset and the patriarchal prejudices.

A thriller story based on drama and justice "The Accused" will still keep your heart heavy after viewing.

Speaking about the movie, Manasi Sapre, Programming Head, UTV World Movies says ? Highly controversial for its graphic rape scene- the film delivers a powerful message in a brutal way. The mindset of ? she was asking for it by being provocative ? is still present today when it comes to sexual violence against women. The Accused exposes the hypocracy and double standards when it comes to women?s rights. A tight drama with outstanding performance by Jodie Foster ? The Accused is not everyone?s cup of tea.

Tune in to ?The Accused? on April 25th ?2010 at 8:30 PM only on channel UTV World Movies.

MUMBAI: This long summer vacation, children don?t need to rack their brains as to what they should do, just tune into Radio City 91.1FM and get an opportunity to be a part of the Prithvi Summertime Festival. This time, in its 20th year, the Prithvi Summertime Festival is bigger, better and more structured than before and Radio City 91.1FM India?s first and leading FM radio brand is its exclusive Radio partner to reach out to Mumbai?s bachcha party. Radio City gives listeners a chance to earn their ticket to the Summertime festival while avoiding the long queues by just sitting back at home listening to Radio City 91.1FM and answering simple questions around the plays asked on air.

The festival kicks off from April 17 till June 6 and is filled with workshops, poetry readings, plays and film screenings, promising an exciting and busy summer ahead for children. Lucky listeners of Radio City will get an opportunity to be a part of the workshops at discounted rates and also avail of free passes to watch the most entertaining plays showcased at Prithvi theatre, through various on air activities and contests.

The workshops are based on an array of themes ranging from sci-poetry, shadow puppetry, poster making and clay art to practicum based on contemporary theatre craft, speech and diction and performing English theatre in Indian Traditions and lot more to make your boring summer vacations more exciting.

Summertime workshops have expanded to encompass a wide variety of activities to unleash the creativity of young Mumbaikars, aged between 6-16 years. With 45 workshops and 19 productions coming together and as if taking a cue, the children?s plays too have started incorporating different forms of puppetry and animation.

Radio City through this partnership provides children an opportunity to explore and understand theatre, thus inculcating a culture and a habit to appreciate theatre from a young age. It provides young as well as older children a good platform to awaken their creative instincts.

So tune into Radio City 91.1FM to earn your ticket to Summertime festival.

MUMBAI: Tune-in to Movie of the month ?Taken? on 24th April at 9pm on STAR Movies! The movie starring Liam Neeson, features a former spy who relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been forced into the slave trade.

Seventeen year-old Kim is the pride and joy of her father Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson). Bryan is a retired agent who left the Secret Service to be near Kim in California. Kim lives with her mother Lenore and her wealthy stepfather Stuart. Kim manages to convince her reluctant father to allow her to travel to Paris with her friend Amanda. When the girls arrive in Paris they share a cab with a stranger named Peter, and Amanda lets it slip that they are alone in Paris. Using this information an Albanese gang of human traffickers kidnaps the girls. Kim barely has time to call her father and give him information. ?Taken? is the gripping story of Bryan Mills who then travels to Paris to search for his daughter and her friend and rescue them from the kidnappers.

Don?t miss Movie of the Month ?Taken? on 24th April at 9pm only on STAR Movies!

MUMBAI: Last week you saw Annie being humiliated as the entire school received her sext message. Dixon met his dream girl, Sasha and sparks immediately began to fly, though he failed to reveal his true age. Liam, fed up with the lies between Naomi and Annie, retreated to his garage to work on a mysterious project. The gang joined Teddy on his father‘s yacht for an afternoon of ocean-filled drama. Things got steamy when Adrianna confided in Teddy, resulting in Adrianna and Navid finally spending the night together. Liam finally found a way to get revenge on Jen and reveal the truth to Naomi about their night together at prom.

This week, Naomi learns that her test scores may not be high enough for her to be accepted into CU. Devastated, Naomi devises a plan to be tutored by Richard, the son of the school‘s dean of admissions, but quickly realizes she would much rather be studying Jamie, a CU student. Dixon‘s girlfriend, Sasha becomes suspicious about his age and does a little detective work to learn the truth, leaving Dixon devastated. Navid and Adrianna double date with Teddy but Adrianna‘s growing feelings towards Teddy make for an awkward situation. Later, Navid‘s world is turned upside down when Adrianna reveals that she needs time alone, but turns to Teddy for attention. Jen continues to manipulate Naomi and manages to convince Naomi to lend her a large amount of cash. Jasper rescues Annie from a bad date and the two forge a bond that will be hard to break.

Catch Ep.5 and 6 of 90210 season 2, Friday and Saturday (23th and 24th April) at 10pm only on STAR World!