MxMIndia

Author: mxm_india

  • Ranjona Banerji reviews nightly news and the morning papers in Freaking News

    When Arnab struggled, sputtered

    Ranjona Banerji

    It was quite painful to watch Arnab Goswami on Monday night, struggling with his own clear convictions about Team Anna. There was the winning candidate from Hisar, Kuldeep Bishnoi, making it clear that his victory had nothing to do with the anti-Congress campaign led by Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi. He won because of his father and the groundwork done by him. The Congress said Bhajan Lal’s son, supported in this election by the BJP, was never a contender. Further, he wanted to know what Team Anna would have done if Ajay Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal had won — given the years of corruption charges against him and his family. There was no adequate answer from Medha Patkar, who was representing Team Anna on the panel. Vinod Mehta, editor of Outlook, wanted to know what Patkar was doing with Team Anna in the first place. And Arati Jerath, political editor of Crest, pointed out that the bigger story, than Team Anna’s role in the Hisar by-election, was the various losses suffered by the Congress.

     

    **

    The Times of India indeed led with the Congress’s 0-4 showing in four by-elections, as did the Hindu. Although each loss had its own specific reasons, the portents cannot be good for the struggling alliance in power at the Centre. Oddly, Hindustan Times carried the election results below the fold in Mumbai and as an adjunct story to its lead about the right to recall in Delhi.

    The Telegraph, Calcutta, interestingly and oddly, had Shah Rukh Khan as a half-page lead on the front page. The Deccan Chronicle in Hyderabad focused on the ongoing battle for AP launched by Jaganmohan Reddy. The TRS winning the by-poll was also prominent.

     

    **

    In spite of all the spankings which Indian news channels get, it is also necessary to thank them — particularly CNN-IBN and NDTV for focusing on less dramatic but equally important news like children dying in UP hospitals, child labour, female foeticide and so on. The documentary features which they run need some more focus than the anchor-generated hysteria.

    **

    At last, the Indian media has picked up on the ‘Occupy’ movement, especially since it has spread across the world. However, Syria remains low on the radar.

    **

    To end, let’s go back to the end of Goswami’s show on Times Now, where once again he was baffled by Gujarat policeman Sanjeev Bhatt, who obviously got bail, got out of jail and was then kidnapped by television. Bhatt openly accused the Narendra Modi government of not just the riots but also a hand in the death of Haren Pandya and various other intimidatory tactics. Goswami and the Gujarat government spokesperson Jainarayan Vyas, both sputtered, obviously unprepared for this odd kind of candour. Makes for good viewing.

  • The coverage of the Telangana unrest in Andhra Pradesh by the media has come under criticism for a variety of reasons

    Media under scanner for Telangana coverage

    By Viru Desai

    The coverage of the unrest in the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh by the print and audio visual media, the vernacular media in particular, has come under the scanner for a number of reasons. Being an emotive issue, Telangana has become an explosive subject for the media in AP since the time the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the regional outfit headed by headed by K.Chandrasekhar Rao, came into being and is currently leading the movement for gaining statehood for the region. The oft-repeated complaint of Telangana activists, including the TRS, is that the statehood movement is not getting the due it deserves in the Telugu media because it is owned by media barons from Coastal Andhra. However, the perceived bias of these media organisations needs to be debated in detail.

    Just as every section of society in Andhra Pradesh is currently divided on regional lines — from the polity to the most mundane of organisations — so also is the media in Andhra Pradesh. With the vibrant media scene in Andhra Pradesh commanding an approximate readership (Telugu) of between seven and eight million, the Telangana issue has taken centrestage. The issue has also generated a lot of interest in TV channels. It can be said that the media too has not been untouched by the vitiated atmosphere of uncertainty and mistrust sweeping the state.

    The ownership and staffing pattern in the Telugu media is a mixed bag. Of late, a lot of professionals hailing from Telangana have joined Telugu media organisations, while the proprietors mainly belong to Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. This has, however, not clouded the news selection and editorial coverage of the contentious Telangana issue in the Telugu media.

    To make a dispassionate observation, right from the largest selling Telugu daily, Eenadu, to Andhra Jyothi, Sakshi, (all owned by Seemandhra media houses), Vaartha and Surya, every Telugu publication is giving wide coverage to the Telangana movement. Day after day sees the ‘Sakala Janula Samme’ (general strike) which has continued for over 23 days and the RTC strike, getting wide coverage in the pages of these dailies. The myriad bandhs, rasta rokos and other forms of protest too have cornered a lot of space in these dailies.

    On the audio visual media front, the most popular TV channels, TV9, ETV (owned by the Eenadu group), Sakshi channel (owned by the Sakshi group), ABN Andhra Jyothi, NTV and TV5 are devoting a lot of prime time in the news section to the Telangana stir. On the other side of the line, the channels identified with the pro-statehood movement such as Zee 24, HMTV and T News are going overboard by highlighting the event.

    One interesting sidelight, though, is that the print media is refraining from examining the issue critically. Normal life has been affected substantially with public transport totally paralysed since the launch of the RTC bus strike, schools and colleges shut down since a month, medical services hit, increasing power cuts due to the coal miners joining the strike and so on. There is no sphere of public life that has not been affected adversely. Yet there are hardly any sharp reports that are bringing the agony of the common man to the fore. It is the poor and the lower middle classes who are at the receiving end. Whether it is the aggressive postures or even threats of the T-activists to some media houses, for this stance is the question.

    The writer is a media practitioner and commentator based in Hyderabad.

  • The new year will see a merger of Outlook Profit with Outlook Business to become one magazine.

    Outlook to merge Profit, Business titles

    By Akash Raha

    Outlook Profit is soon to merge with Outlook Business and become one magazine. The merger is planned for January 2012, and has been confirmed by Indranil Roy, President, Outlook Group.

     

    Mr Roy told MXM India, “We realized that it is difficult to sustain a standalone equity magazine in such volatile stock markets. At the same time we saw a great opportunity to add more of finance, markets and investing in a business magazine. Therefore after a lot of deliberation we decided to merge Outlook Profit with Outlook Business.”

     

    He further said that the group would aim to put the readers’ choice first in the building of the magazine. When asked what this merger will mean to Outlook Business, he said, “Outlook Business will become a more holistic business magazine. We are currently working on adding other new elements into the magazine.”

  • Prannoy Roy and team ably led by Barkha Dutt were in their element and handled proceedings with aplomb.

    NDTV’s Indian of the Year awarded, in style

    By Rahul Kishore

    It’s always nice to be a part of the annual NDTV Indian of the Year event and this year was no different.

    Prannoy Roy and team ably led by Barkha Dutt were in their element and handled proceedings with aplomb. That they managed to get all the awardwinners barring Narayan Murthy was proof of their leadership position in the news domain.

    Dr Roy started by a small speech which essentially targetted his own fraternity, the media.He said that the media should not be above the law and stricter rules needed to be framed to handle defamation. These laws should be framed by the judiciary and not the government.It did not find favour with his friends in media but he would still back it.

    Now onto the awards. Dev Anand at 88 and Rahul Dravid at 35 were honoured with lifetime achievement. This was followed by the World Cup winning squad, save Harbhajan and Sachin. Dhoni spoke quite well. When Gavaskar was asked what was the essential difference between the team in 1983 and this one, he said his was better looking! Brought the house down.

    The following award was presented to Pranab Mukherjee and this was followed by one to Nandan Nilenkani.The main award was ‘Indian of the Year’ and it predictably went to Anna Hazare.  Alok Kejriwal received it on his behalf as Anna was on a maun vrat. He answered questions by scribbling on a pad. The afternoon was not without its theatrics with Kejriwal doing a ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ as well as an ‘Inquilab Zindabad’.Quite dramatic!

    What the crowd waits for is Bollywood and they were not disappointed.Shankar Ehsan Loy got an award as well as the team of Zindagi na milegi dobara. Shankar managed to sing as well.Farhan in fact was quite a sport and managed to shake a leg with Barkha Dutt.

    I enjoyed it thoroughly. What were the shortcomings? Well no mention of a jury or selection process and somewhat not as glamorous as last year, but it was a classy event as only NDTV can do.On to next year…

    Rahul Kishore is Senior Vice-President, Vivaki Exchange

     

    Additional reporting by MxM India correspondent:

    NDTV announced the much awaited ‘Indian of the Year Award 2011’ in a star studded ceremony held in Delhi. Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal were declared as NDTV Indian of The Year 2011 for their exceptional contribution towards the society in the past year.

    Evergreen actor Dev Anand and Cricketer Rahul Dravid were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards. M.S. Dhoni received the Indian Heroes Award with several of his team mates.

     

    Dr Prannoy Roy, Chaiman, NDTV in his opening address spoke about the eventful year gone by being a transformational year for the country. “The Indian media today is the most fearless around the world. As part of the media, we are proud to be country’s fourth pillar. I feel it’s imperative now to have strong and effective defamation laws in the country.” He also added “Media cannot be above the law.”

    Arvind Kejriwal on being felicitated as the Indian of the Year 2011 said, “I would like to dedicate this award to Anna Hazare and people of this country since I believe that every Indian is truly an Indian of the Year.”

    Anna Hazare also extended his gratitude by thanking NDTV on being awarded with the title of the Indian of the Year by writing a message on a paper. He wrote, “If the Government fails to pass the bill then I will be forced to launch the agitation movement again.”(Since Anna Hazare is currently on the ‘Maun Vrat’ in his village – the channel connected with him live through a videoconferencing).

    Also, receiving the Lifetime Achievement award, Rahul Dravid said ‘I am grateful to NDTV for this honour. I would like to thank all my fans for their love and support.’

  • Every corporate has the right to decide where it parks its monies. But in Sahara’s case, the F1 investment seems a bit out of character. Almost like a ‘wannabe’ decision, so to speak.

    Anil Thakraney: No Sahara for hockey

    Must say I am quite confused why the Sahara Group would want to invest in Formula 1, an extremely niche, up market, Page 3 sport. Sahara, at least to my mind, has always had the image of being the aam aadmi’s organization, and their association with Indian cricket for all these years is par for course. And suddenly, out of the blue, they tie up with Mallya’s UB Group, and invest a whopping $100 million in the F1 team.

    Yes, every corporate has the right to decide where it parks its monies. And I can understand Mallya’s interest in F1, not just as an extension of his own flamboyant, high profile personality, but because of all the booze brands he owns. However, in Sahara’s case, the F1 investment seems a bit out of character. Almost like a ‘wannabe’ decision, so to speak. How much value they’ll eventually get out of the association remains to be seen. And am not sure if Sahara will acquire the image they probably desire.

    But the real pity is this: One sport that’s crying out for serious investment in India is hockey. Not only is it our national game, it’s a sport that connects with the masses. It may be dying because of little support from the corporate sector and the sports associations (the players have to demand meager prize monies when they win big tournaments!) but it’s still the aam aadmi sport. And this is where a company like Sahara ought to have shown interest. Not just for noble reasons, but also because they can own hockey, promote it, and make it their own. And capitalize on it once the popularity grows again. In any case hockey, in terms of branding, connects well with Sahara’s image. (By the way, I am aware the group has pitched in with prize monies on occasion for the hockey players but it’s not the same thing as owning the sport.)

    The hard truth is this: US$100 million may have been invested. But F1 in India will always be perceived as a UB Group event.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Must read. An open letter to Barkha Dutt by a blogger. Good points on why social media needs to be taken seriously.

     

    Link: http://marchingonthesand.wordpress.com/2011/10/16/open-letter-to-barkha-dutt/

  • I want to put a ding in the universe: Steve Jobs

    Steve Jobs“We lost one of the most influential thinkers, creators and entrepreneurs of all time. Steve Jobs was simply the greatest CEO of his generation,” Rupert Murdoch expressed in his tribute to Steve Jobs.

     

    Jobs is gone – but examples of his genius would continue to be around us in form of  Apple’s innumerable gadgets, and also his words – which inspired many for more than last 25 years, and would continue to do so…always.

     

     

    Here are a few compiled by the MXM team:

    1. Some people are not used to an environment, where excellence is expected.

     

    2. It’s more fun to be a pirate than to join the navy.

     

    3. Do you want to spend rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?

     

    4. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.

     

    5. I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.

     

    6. You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.

     

    7. We think the Mac will sell zillions, but we didn’t build the Mac for anybody else. We built it for ourselves…We just wanted to build the best thing we could build.

     

    8. I have looked myself in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

     

    9. I mean, some people say, ‘Oh, God, if [Jobs] got run over by a bus, Apple would be in trouble.’ And, you know, I think it wouldn’t be a party, but there are really capable people at Apple. My job is to make the whole executive team good enough to be successors, so that’s what I try to do.

     

    10. I’ll always stay connected with Apple. I hope that throughout my life I’ll sort of have the thread of my life and the thread of Apple weave in and out of each other, like a tapestry. There may be a few years when I’m not there, but I’ll always come back.

     

    Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me…Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful…that’s what matters to me.

  • Life's not a box of chocolates: Cadbury is out to prove that Celebrations need not always be festive

    Cadbury’s Diwali message with a twist

     

    By Ravi Balakrishnan

     

    [youtube width=”350″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl2xsSJbE3M[/youtube]

    Cup of coffee in hand, grim determination on her face an elderly woman struggles to turn on a decade old computer and struggles even harder to get online, spilling coffee over the keyboard. All the while a voiceover from her son intones about how busy he’s become, leaving him no time to ‘waste’ hanging out with friends (and, by implication, his mother), and why bother anyway when they can stay in touch via phone, chat and social networking? It seems like a fairly standard tearjerker for a HelpAge India style NGO. Except it is actually for Cadbury’s Celebrations; a range of chocolates specifically designed for gifting through the festive season.

     

    Celebrations’ previous ads have always been, well, celebratory. For instance, a sister shows up unexpectedly for Raksha Bandhan. And Diwali is a noisy backdrop to the commercial in which a young man bonds with the neighbourhood grouch. In ‘Lonely Maa’ though, there are none of these happy endings; no sudden ring of the doorbell with the son showing up, pack of Celebrations in tow. A courageous tack to take even if it is a bit of a downer.

     

    However, according to both marketer and agency, the new ad does not mark a radical departure from the central brand thought or strategy. The ad still ties into the line ‘Iss Diwali Aap Kisse Khush Karenge?’ (Who will you make happy this Diwali?). This time around, though, there’s a definite call to action, to provoke people into stepping out of the digital space. Says a company source, “We wanted to get people to physically meet the ones they want to make happy. There were many creative renditions, but we chose this one since quite often, our parents and elder relatives are not comfortable with the digital medium. The medium too does not convey emotion all that well.”

     

    Younger tech savvy consumers who spend large parts of their lives online were the main target audience. As a result, the commercial is an online exclusive and won’t be seen on television. Lonely Maa was seeded on the brand’s Facebook page, with links to YouTube. Says Mr Raj Nair, national creative director, Contract, who also stepped behind the camera to shoot the film, “It’s criticising the online medium while being on it. That’s hitting people a lot harder and driving the point home.” In its fifth day online, the commercial had garnered 14,112 views at the time of going to print. Both Contract and Cadbury are counting on the ad going viral. If marketer and agency are to be believed, it is particularly popular with the NRI audience who are unfortunately not the immediate target for the brand.

     

    The few comments on YouTube are full of presumably negligent children lamenting the error of their ways and promising to be home for Diwali. And that’s as per plan according to the company source: “While the mother in the ad is struggling, she still has a positive attitude. Unless we made it a bit provocative, the response to the call for action wouldn’t have been there.”

     

     

    For something built around the insight of technology as an alienating force, ‘Lonely Maa’ does evoke an early Nokia ad featuring a similarly lonely mother sifting through photos of her son. Mr Nair says he doesn’t recall the Nokia commercial at all but adds: “I leave it to people to draw their own inferences. This is a bigger thought: telling people to go and meet each other (preferably with a box of Celebrations). The non-technology aspect distinguishes it.” Apart from the commercial, Cadbury Celebrations also has a special Facebook linked programme lined up, to fly people home from Mumbai to Delhi in time for Diwali. So, to all the Lonely Maas out there; be careful what you wish for.

     

     

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2011, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

    Image: Grab from TVC on YouTube

  • YouTube links to the MxMIndiaTV channel and a special playlist on the World Magazine Congress videos.

    All the World Magazine Congress videos

    David Hill, President & CEO, International Publishing Services, IDG, USA and the new FIPP Chairman


    On becoming the new FIPP Chairman [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLtfwVV8jYQ[/youtube]
    On the outgoing FIPP Chairman, Aroon Purie [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD7YFZdY89M[/youtube]
    On the future of magazines [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3iQuijzoY8[/youtube]
    On the future agenda of FIPP as he takes on as Chairman [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQiqMJPPW_Q[/youtube]

     

    Tarun Rai, CEO, Wordwide Media, India and new President, Association of Indian Magazines


    On his AIM Presidency and things on top of his agenda [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhPNt1g3SXU[/youtube]
    On the attempt to change the mindset of advertisers and media buyers [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfANp6vxVQ0[/youtube]
    On launching Good Food [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKPL01uKuDA[/youtube]
    On the prospects of Indian mags becoming international brands [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gdT17SBAtk[/youtube]
    On take aways from WMC [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrNFqocrqNU[/youtube]
    On the potential for mags in India [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLEfoXF1fjk[/youtube]

     

     

    Chris Llewellyn, President & CEO, FIPP, UK


    On the upcoming FIPP events [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAWNhbrXZ5o[/youtube]
    On the magazine market, Indian market [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rgYpWMJhjU[/youtube]
    Magazine business model might change, but the medium isn’t going anywhere [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCMEvZtioqc[/youtube]
    On take aways from WMC [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtgers8eSAw[/youtube]
    On the feedback from delegates on the congress and the Indian experience [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCEmmKmPrdI[/youtube]

     


    Pradeep Gupta, Chairman & MD, Cybermedia and the outgoing AIM President

     

    On his journey as AIM President [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xAaeDwh0Pk[/youtube]
    Suggestions on focus points for AIM in the future [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTiINmiMEhQ[/youtube]
    On the PRB recommendations [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0PjQmZjBqg[/youtube]
    On take aways from WMC [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RxZq6ShZso[/youtube]
    On the need to look at a brand approach and multiple media [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucck–hZd5c[/youtube]

     

    Vikram Sakhuja, CEO, Group M, South Asia


    On the falling share of AdEx [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSS2j9PQMkU[/youtube]
    On the engagement study [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhdD-vPnStY[/youtube]
    On the future of magazines [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXx1uUtjPz8[/youtube]
    Philip Thomas, CEO, Cannes Lions, UK


    On what advertisers want from magazine media [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i_qUImjYB8[/youtube]
    On the future of magazines [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoX1M6kN9SE[/youtube]

     

    Tomas Ernberg, Managing Director, Volvo Auto India


    On what advertisers want from magazines [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyYQZEWhdGM[/youtube]

     

     Juan Senor, UK Director, Innovation Media Consulting
    On the theme of the congress- 360 degree [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_s-VFGfO5E[/youtube]
    On the future of print- no medium ever dies [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oepk4aS1uZA[/youtube]
    On the Indian magazine market and future prospects for print [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSYNEZB57KA[/youtube]
    On the need to focus on the content [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdkYu4ZAOdY[/youtube] 

     

    Kalli Purie, Chief Operating Officer, India Today Group Digital
    On having WMC in India [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOsMAe4x5i0[/youtube]
    On the theme of the congress- 360 degree [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpPeL1grthY[/youtube]

     

     

    James Tye, CEO, Dennis Publishing, UK
    On choosing the right app for your publication [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYyVQBfbk0o[/youtube]

     

     

    Voxpop@ World Magazine Congress Day 1
    On expectations from WMC and experience in India [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuT6DwoMFMg[/youtube]

     

    SRK dancing to Chhamak Chhallo [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTxOmOwhVjw[/youtube]


     

    Pre-event: Mitrajit Bhattacharya, CEO, Chitralekha
    On the upcoming WMC [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4wq2LulVWc[/youtube]
    On the prospects of business transactions on the sidelines of the 38th FIPP World Magazine Congress [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMgjob9NwfU[/youtube]

     

    Pre-event: Ashish Bagga, CEO, India Today Group
    On hosting World Magazine Congress & AdAsia, two broad format events in the same month [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7zC5_yLkbs[/youtube]

  • TAM data Top 10 programmes on HGEC – Wk 42’11

    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System

    TG: CS 4+ yrs

    Market: Hindi Speaking Market

    Period: Wk 42: Oct 9 to Oct 15, 2011

     

     

    About TAM Media Research

    TAM is a joint venture between Nielsen Company & Kantar Media Research. Besides measuring TV Viewership, TAM also monitors Advertising Expenditure of Television, Print & Radio through its division AdEx India. Since 2004, it extended its presence in the PR Measurement & Analysis space for Corporate/Marketing Clients by setting up a separate division Eikona PR Measurement.

    In 2007, the joint venture introduced RAM (Radio Audio Measurement) service to track Radio Listenership for the Indian Radio Broadcast Industry. In year 2009, TAM launched a division, called TAM Sports that specializes in monitoring Sports Sponsorship ROI.

    TAM Media Research’s objective is to fuel media insights that will drive the growth of the Indian Media Industry.

  • Ranjona Banerji reviews nightly news and the morning papers in Freaking News

    English channels slipped on Kejriwal attack

    By Ranjona Banerji

    Tuesday evening demonstrated just how far Indian television has to go when it comes to simple reporting. Around 6 pm, Arvind Kejriwal, key member of Team Anna, has a slipper thrown at him at a rally in Lucknow. The English news channels had to borrow the feed from others, fair enough. But instead of concentrating on what exactly happened – there was evident confusion at the site – they promptly started asking other members of Team Anna for their views. The Team members were as clueless as the poor viewers, since we were not told exactly what was going on. Switching to Hindi channels was a major relief since they decided on reporting first and comment later.

    Of course, it was not till the morning papers arrived that we had a clear picture. The who, what, why was set down in print and the comment was minimal. Also, having teased us with running text about cracks in Team Anna, the channels got carried away by the slipper-throwing and forgot all about that.

    **

     

    BS Yeddyurappa got the full scorn of the media as he rushed from hospital to hospital to avoid stepping into a prison cell. This is hardly surprising and it is interesting to see eminent panellists openly laughing at the antics of our high-up-theres. Either the channels have got tired of our permanently outraged usual “experts” or someone in the dial-an-expert department is looking for variety. I never heard Mohandas Pai say a word in the Times Now discussion on the former Karnataka chief minister’s health problems but he laughed constantly. Renuka Choudhury was her usual acerbic self.

    **

     

    The Occupy Wall Street movement is now getting good coverage in Indian newspapers and the business and corporate community in India is also responding. Of course that could be fear that they will feel a similar backlash. Ever ones to take responsibility, several felt that graft was a bigger problem that corporate greed in India. Yeah sure.

     

    **

     

    Publicity for the upcoming Formula 1 race in Delhi is one full swing and newspapers and TV channels tripped over themselves to show us exactly the same stuff as “exclusive”. Let’s watch a bit to see if F1 will overtake cricket in this country.

     

    **

     

     

    Brand Equity on Wednesday carried an interesting article on the new Levis (Go forth) and Nokia (Epic Dramas) ads, which look at the problems of being young with an edgy feel to them.

    **

     

    The news that the Maharashtra state Election Commission will be tracking paid news for the upcoming elections might serve a warning to media houses that they are being watched. Which in this instance is not a bad thing.

  • There are hundreds of brands on Facebook at any given moment vying for your target group’s attention, even as Mark Zuckerberg introduces changes every few weeks.

    The Anchor: 6 reasons why ‘Likes’ aren’t a good indicator of Facebook popularity

    By Rohini Kapur

    The Facebook rat race has begun, and everyone’s racing to beat competing brands by gathering as many ‘Likes’ as possible. So while the fight for market share and the next bestselling product rages on, marketers are doing their best to win the Facebook battle. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of brands on Facebook at any given moment vying for your target group’s attention, even as Mark Zuckerberg introduces changes every few weeks. Meanwhile, as Indian users become more discerning online, the number of ‘Likes’ (or fans) on your page has can be quite misleading. The top six reasons your page ‘Likes’ don’t really indicate how many people really like your Facebook page:

    #1 ‘Likes’ (or fans, as they were called earlier) are there to win goodies: Let’s face it– most Indians are constantly on the look-out for freebies. From stickers to sunglasses, MP3 players to mobile phones, they will do anything for a chance to win something cool. They may not be interested in your brand or your updates– they are just there to impress their new girl with the free BlackBerry.

    #2 ‘Likes’ does not mean engagement: One reason brand managers love the online space is because a user can “engage” or “interact” directly with the brand. Sadly, that’s not always the case. A large number of fans does not always lead to a highly engaged audience. So if you’ve got 1 lakh fans but only 15 comments and 50 likes in response to your updates, it’s time to wonder whether the remaining 95,935 people really bother reading your updates at all.

    #3 They like your brand or product, but not your page: Some of the most loved international and Indian brands have just as good pages with updated content, a distinct voice, and a vibrant community. But then there are those with thousands of ‘Likes’ that have run-of-the-mill content, generic updates and somewhat relevant information from time-to-time. The question is– are those people still on the page because they like your brand or because they like your page? There is a small but significant difference here– a consumer may joined your community based on a wonderful experience he had with your product, but is not enjoying the brand story on Facebook.

    #4 A fan has forgotten about your page: Very often, a user ‘Likes’ a page because he likes what he sees, but he joins other pages and gets busy with things such as his real life, friends’ kids’ photos and viral videos. As a result, his engagement with the page drops, the page’s Edgerank falls, and the page updates tend to disappear unless the user scrolls all the way down his news feed. If he doesn’t see you updates, do he still like your page?

    #5: ‘Likes’ could be lurkers, haters or wannabes: A number of fans on brand pages just want to know what people are saying about the brand, product or service, especially before buying high value products like cars. They want to know product features, new collections, prices, and how the brand responds to complaints about poor service. Similarly, a number of fans are there just to complain. And then there are the wannabes that you are almost everywhere– you see them ‘liking’ every post, competing with others to be the first to comment or advising others. They aren’t really there because they love your page, they are there for timepass on Facebook.

    #6: They ‘liked’ your ad, your welcome/ landing tab or the Mallika Sherawat picture you posted: As a reflex action, users have begun seeking the ‘like’ button (or a thumbs up, star etc) online when they see something that amuses, enthralls or captivates them. Pressing the ‘Like’ button on your page could be due to a variety of reasons– the very cool ad they saw on Facebook, the Facebook widget on your website, an attractive landing tab or a hot picture of their favourite actress.

    Rohini Kapur works in social media and web strategy and runs a fashion blog.

  • GRP & Channel shares of HGECs- Wk 42 2011

    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System

    TG: CS 4+ yrs

    Market: HSM

    Period: Wk 41: Oct 2 to Oct 8, 2011

    Period: Wk 42: Oct 9 to Oct 15, 2011

     

     
    About TAM Media Research

    TAM is a joint venture between Nielsen Company & Kantar Media Research. Besides measuring TV Viewership, TAM also monitors Advertising Expenditure of Television, Print & Radio through its division AdEx India. Since 2004, it extended its presence in the PR Measurement & Analysis space for Corporate/Marketing Clients by setting up a separate division Eikona PR Measurement.

    In 2007, the joint venture introduced RAM (Radio Audio Measurement) service to track Radio Listenership for the Indian Radio Broadcast Industry. In year 2009, TAM launched a division, called TAM Sports that specializes in monitoring Sports Sponsorship ROI.

    TAM Media Research’s objective is to fuel media insights that will drive the growth of the Indian Media Industry.