MxMIndia

Category: MEDIA

  • Last year, Magna Global had predicted an 8.7% growth for Indian adspends. This was revised mid-year to 7.8%. The growth for 2012-13 based on its estimates, is 7.8 percent

    India ad revenues to grow 11.3% in 2014: Magna Global. 2013 Growth: 7.8%

    By A Correspondent

     

    Indian media companies will see ad revenues growing by +11.3% next year with the internet again leading the growth at +31.4%, according to Magna Global’s annual advertising forecast for the year 2014.

     

    The growth in television adspends will be 10.4%, while that for newspapers will be 8.8%. Magazine adspend growth will 2.3% while OOH will be 12.1% and Radio at 11%. Cinema, given its lower base, will grow at 20%.

     

    Last year, Magna Global had predicted an 8.7% growth for Indian adspends. This was revised mid-year to 7.8%. The growth for 2012-13, although based on its estimates, is 7.8 percent.

     

    The economic environment remained weak throughout 2013 but is still expected to improve in 2014, especially in the developed world which has experienced four years of slow growth and stubborn unemployment, according to a communiqué. In its October 2013 update, the IMF forecast world output (real GDP) to accelerate to +3.6% in 2014. This is marginally below its April forecast (+4.0%) but still stronger than the 2013and 2012 growth (+2.9% and +3.2% respectively). The latest IMF update also confirmed that the Euro markets are finally emerging from recession as of the end of 2013 (+1.0% GDP growth expected in 2014, +1.4% in Germany). The US will accelerate from +1.6% to +2.6%. Meanwhile,the emerging “BRIC”economies will also re-accelerate after experiencing a “soft landing” in 2012-2013: India +5.1% (following +3.8% in 2013), Russia +3.0% (following +1.5% in 2013); Brazil and China’s are expected to grow by +2.5% and +7.3% respectively (on par with 2013).

     

    Venkatesh S

    That level of economic activity is not particularly impressive by historical standards but confidence indices keep improving and we believe advertising spending will reflect and amplify that economic trend says Venkatesh S, EVP, Director Intelligence, Magna Global, India.

     

     

    Look out for our detailed report on the Magna Global numbers on Tuesday, December 10

     

    Caption: India advertising revenue by media category 2012-2014

     

  • The account, which will be handled by Platinum Media in Delhi, was serviced by Mindshare and the estimated media spend is in the range of Rs 30 crore.

    Madison Media wins HomeShop18 Media AOR

    By  A Correspondent

     

    Madison Media Group has been appointed as the media Agency on Record for leading shopping channel  Homeshop18. The account will be handled by Platinum Media in Delhi. The account was previously handled by Mindshare and the estimated media spend is in the range of Rs 30 crore.

     

    Vikrant Khanna

    Commenting on this, Vikrant Khanna, Chief Marketing Officer, HomeShop18 said, “Homeshop18 is proud to be associated with Madison, which is the leading media planning agency in the country. I am confident they will be a strong partner in our journey to become India’s leading virtual commerce player. Having worked with Madison in the past I know that Madison is best equipped to help us  reach our intended audience in the most economical and integrated way.”

     

    Says Basabdatta Chowdhuri, CEO, Platinum Media, “We are delighted with this new win and are confident that we can add strategic value in building the HomeShop18 brand in the country.”

     

    According to a communique, Madison Media has been on an account winning spree, having recently won a host of new businesses including Raymond Apparel, Piramal Healthcare, Epic Channel, McCain Foods, Ruchi Soya, Max India’s corporate account, Café Coffee Day, Radikal Rice and Crompton Greaves.

     

  • Digital promise followed on-ground action won the day for AAP, say branding specialists based in Delhi NCR

    The making of Brand Aam Aadmi Party

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Lloyd Mathias

    Marketing, brand and digital specialists from the national capital region attribute the success of Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party to a well-orchestrated media campaign. “For a party to come in from nowhere and secure around 30 percent voteshare in around one year is phenomenal,” said Lloyd Mathias, senior marketer and Director, GreenBean Ventures. “While the party employed digital media very effectively, a traditional symbol like the ‘Gandhi topi’ which stands for an old world value like social change worked very well for it,” Mr Mathias added.

     

    Mr Kejriwal’s tryst with the social media started with the Anna Hazare movement. But, according to Rajesh Lalwani, Founder and Principal, Blogworks, while the party may have started out with social networks like Twitter and Facebook, the sentiment could be seen on the ground. “Clearly, Arvind Kejriwal would not have been able to achieve it without social media, but he truly energised the vote,” he said.

     

    Rajesh Lalwani

    According to Mr Lalwani, Aam Aadmi Party’s usage of the social media is what it should be – volunteer-driven as against paid-for and commissioned. “There were people visiting a rally, taking a picture and posting it.” Mr Mathias corroborates the view and believes on the digital media front, Mr Kejriwal & Co have been streets ahead.

     

    From the brand and positioning point of view, Prathap Suthan, Managing Partner, Bang in the Middle, believes he saw the making of a classic brand in the party’s campaign,. “It gave what the audience demanded. Public angst was the platform on which AAP was conceived, built, fostered and now given a public thumbs up. The single-most characteristic that worked for them was honesty, along with humility and hope. If the people wanted democratic retribution and teach conniving politicians a lesson, this was the answer. Even the symbol of the party worked for it. The broom symbolised the cleansing that people ached for.”

     

    What next for Mr Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party? Mr Mathias doesn’t dismiss this as a “flash in the pan”. “The whole of accepting donations online and sending a receipt instantly showcased their transparency and integrity”.

     

    Says Mr Suthan: “I personally feel that the results are stunning. This has been like a dream debut. Congress, I suspect, knew what was coming. They were pretty lacklustre and the muted public reception was definitely underlining Delhi’s anti-incumbency echo. BJP certainly powered their way up, and I think they would be surprised too at the seats they gained in Delhi and the other states.”

     

    Both Messrs Suthan and Mathias believe that it was the anger from the people that Mr Kejriwal and his team were able to address through the communication. Adds Mr Suthan: “My gut tells me that there is a national plank of angst. And it’s been something that’s been gaining momentum. The Delhi showing of AAP is proof of that, and will galvanise the rest of the country into looking at AAP as a viable alternative. Their current stance is neatly poised for pan-India acceptance.”

     

    As for Mr Mathias, it was foolish for people and political parties to not take the Kejriwal phenomenon seriously.

     

     

    Jaldi 5 with Prathap Suthan: The broom symbolized the cleansing that people ached for:

    Q&A with Prathap Suthan, Managing Partner, Bang in the Middle, to comment on the rise and rise of the Aam Aadmi Party and and its brand promise from an advertising person’s point of view

     

    01. From your point of view, what would you think was most noteworthy about the Aam Aadmi Party campaign?

    This has the making of a classic brand. Or it has the necessary ingredients for a brand. Solid differentiation. Many distinct characteristics. But most importantly, it gave what the audience demanded. Perfect wedge, if a need gap study was done. People hated the corruption. They were sick of losing pride. They despised the blatant scams. Plus the Nirbhaya case. Public angst was the platform on which AAP was conceived, built, fostered and now given a public thumbs up. If I get to the core of the part and its campaign, the single most characteristic that worked for them was honesty, along with humility and hope. If the people wanted democratic retribution and teach conniving politicians a lesson, this was the answer. Even the symbol of the party, worked for it. The broom symbolized the cleansing that people ached for.

     

    02. Do you think the brand promise of AAP puts in a lot of responsibility on the party to live up to it?

    Of course. The party is obviously new to the business of politics. But I am sure they knew that, and they would do their best not to fritter the opportunity and the backing they have got from the people. Besides, people would by default give them a wide berth. I also think the people in charge know that, and they are also advised by learned pedigreed people from across strata. I don’t think they would suffer from any shortage of advice or experience. That may not be an obvious weakness.

     

    03. In your view, will this brand promise of AAP be able to make a nationwide impact?

    My gut tells me that there is a national plank of angst. And it’s been something that’s been gaining momentum. The Delhi showing of AAP is proof of that, and will galvanize the rest of the country into looking at AAP as a viable alternative. Their current stance is neatly poised for pan India acceptance. And the fact that volunteers came in from every corner of the country is indicative of the national mood for an alternative school of thought.

     

    04. Or do you think AAP will need fresh positioning?

    Sure enough, there is a lot of handwork for them if they have spin this out of Delhi and take it across. Finding the right people, committed, faultless people etc isn’t easy. But I suppose people would take their Delhi show as something that can be duplicated across the country.

     

    05. In terms of pre-election communication, any comments on how AAP fared vis-à-vis BJP and Congress?

    Sure the pre election hyperbole was about forming the Govt. While the hung scenario might get pushed into a re-election, that might actually work in their favor. I personally feel that the results are stunning. I don’t really think they expected these kind of numbers. This has been like a dream debut. Congress, I suspect, knew what was coming. They were pretty lacklustre and the muted public reception was definitely underlining Delhi’s anti-incumbency echo. BJP certainly powered their way up, and I think they would be surprised too at the seats they gained in Delhi and the other states.

     
  • Other than Mumbai and Delhi, the male and female sporting stars will also visit Lucknow

    Sony Six and TNA bring in wrestling champs Kurt Angle & Gail Kim to India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sony Six and TNA have announced that two of their global wrestling champions Kurt Angle and Gail Kim will conduct a variety of events to engage with audiences. Kurt Angle, the Olympic Gold Medalist and multiple time TNA World Heavyweight Champion along leading female wrestling superstar Gail Kim are in India on a promotional tour that will see them visit Mumbai, Lucknow and Delhi from December 9 to 13. The announcement was made in Mumbai in the present of Multi Screen Media bosses Man Jit Singh and NP Singh.

     

    “Kurt is a wrestling superstar who not only garners critical following but is also a personality that attracts a huge fan base globally. With Kurt and Gail on TNA, fans will get to meet them up close and personal duringtheir visit to India,” said Prasana Krishnan, Business Head, Sony Six. Setting a different pace to the stars visit, SIX and TNA have taken an unconventional route to the tour by featuring the city of Lucknow as one of the pit stop.

     

    Said TNA President Dixie Carter: “We have been so pleased with the overwhelmingly enthusiastic response fans in India have shown TNA, and we cannot wait to bring Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle and reigning Knockouts Champion Gail Kim for our first press tour.

     

  • Aditya Swamy, EVP and Business Head, MTV India on the 'Rock the Vote' campaign and how he hopes to drive home the point that it's 'cool' to vote and sport the indelible ink marker

    Jaldi 5 with Aditya Swamy: Making voting cool with Rock the Vote campaign

    If Sunday’s Assembly elections results have already rocked the nation with the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party as a potent force, youth channel MTV has unveiled a campaign asking young voters to register with the Election Commission and vote on Polling Day. MTV has partnered with 21-year-old non-profit organisation Rock The Vote for the initiative. Speaking to MxMIndia, Aditya Swamy, EVP and Business Head, MTV India spoke on the ‘Hero Rock the Vote’ campaign and how he hopes to drive home the point that it’s ‘cool’ to vote and sport the indelible ink marker

     

    01. And we thought at least on MTV, we could have things beyond elections. Politics and voting sure is in the air for you guys too?!

    Clearly, voting is the flavor of the season. Everyone is doing a voting campaign, especially the news guys. And they are talking to the electorate as a whole. But some interesting facts were thrown up from the Election Commission saying that 12 crore first-time voters this time. And that’s more than the number of votes the leading party got last time. And if they are all young people, then why not have a call to action that is only talking to young people in their language.

     

    So when we scoped out the environment we figured that internationally MTV works with the US-based organization Rock the Vote. Their sole objective is to make it a fun election campaign. It’s not calling it a youth parliament, it’s not calling people to debate on the Top 5 issues of the country and looking for ways to change them.

     

    It deals with issues that touch the youth everyday in their lives. It’s simple things like ice-cream has become expensive so you and your girlfriend can’t have two ice-creams, you have to share one. Your bike…you don’t go for a joy rides anymore, you go from Point A to Point B…because petrol has become expensive. It’s about talking about issues that are relevant to young people and talking in their voice with their ambassadors.

     

    The biggest platform for Rock the Vote is using music and humour. All communication is very tongue-in-cheek. One of our ambassadors we have selected is YoYou Honey Singh, the music star. He’ll reach out to the youth through music videos and music anthem. The effort is to talk the youth in their voice, with things that interest them, and not make it preachy.

     

    We are not saying log onto the MTV and register. We are not saying become a fan on MTV Facebook page. We don’t have to build our audience through this. All we are saying is: ‘Go Press the Button’. It is – ‘Dabao na Button’ …that’s the tag line for the whole campaign. As we build the campaign we’ll say… Log on to electioncommission.com. A lot of people think we are doing this to build our brand, to increase our Facebook fans, to add Youtube views, to boost viewership to the channel. But that’s not it. We don’t believe it doing it just on TV. We start with the first leg on TV. And then we have 200 college campuses that have tied in with an MTV programme currently where we have campus ambassadors. So we will actually go down to campuses and engage with them. And the fun part is, at the end of it, we hold a mega concert for which there are going to be no tickets. All you need is the voting ink on your finger. And that’s how you get entry.

     

    When is the concert?

    After the elections, a couple of days after the elections. We have worked this campaign out in multiple phases. It has a bunch of promos on air, there are several kind of creatives, we’ll have a lot of user generated videos, we have nice set of animation videos made by some young kids, we have college contact programme, we have the music video and the song, we have a mega concert.

     

    02. Do you think this campaign will be able to address the real issues as to why people don’t go out to vote?

    Of course yes! Like I was in Delhi last week and I was able to drive from Gurgaon to the airport in less than half an hour. When I asked the cab driver why the roads were empty, he said it was because of elections. Voting is essentially considered a holiday, so most people take off on short breaks. I think as it becomes more and more cool to vote… that’s the change we want to bring about. We want to make voting a cool thing to do. So an Arnab Goswami asking the youth to vote versus Honey Singh urging them will be different. So that’s what we are trying to tap.

     

    Our second ambassador is Rannvijay, the most followed celebrity on Indian television. Now on the Roadies audition (which will be aired in January), the first questions being asked of participants is – ‘Do you Vote?’. So we have woven it into our content as well. The idea is to make voting cool. Why do you think we are calling it – Rock the Vote…because its with music..it’s with concert… it’s with cool stuff.

     

    03. Are you also looking at reaching smaller towns?

    Yes. These 100 colleges are spread over 25 cities. The idea is spread to the interiors. I’ll take him Honey to Jabalpur, to Kanpur.

     

     

    Essentially the HSM markets?

    If I take him to Kerala or Karnataka, the language becomes an issue. Rannvijay connects with a crowd that speaks in Punjabi. If I take him to Chennai, and he speaks in Hindi, he’ll will be a loser there.

     

    So you are not looking at South?

    If we find some interesting people, who want to be a part of the campaign, we would love to go South. If there is a cricket icon like Rahul Dravid who wants to talk to masses in Kannada, I would love to do it in Karnataka as well. But right now, we are largely at the Hindi belt.

     

    How else are you promoting your campaign, besides television?

    We are looking at Twitter in a large way. Twitter has come in as a strategic partner. We don’t have a press partner. I don’t think young people read newspapers that much. I would rather have Twitter as a partner. And Twitter is a partner with MTV Rock the Vote in US as well. So through Twitter, we hope to engage the urban youth.

     

    04. Don’t you think it will be good to have the youth as consumers of news so that they understand the real issues?

    Before, young people just wanted to fight the system, fight their parents, be very cynical. Now the attitude is: I will go get drunk, I will go party, I’ll go for a concert, I’ll have a girlfriend, but I’ll also go plant trees, I’ll also use eco-friendly bags and I’ll vote. There is a thing if I am not being responsible about the world around me, I’m not been cool anymore. Some of the lines we have used is : “I can’t picture myself sleeping with a non-voter.” “If you don’t do politics, politics will do you.” “Waiting in line to vote is a welcome respite from waiting in line for gas”.

     

    We’ve had campaigns like these in the past like Jaago Re of Tata Tea. As a campaign it was feel good. What is it that you’ll think will actually get people to get down to come and vote and not take Voting Day as just another holiday?

    If voting becomes a fashion, having a tick, the colour on your hand has to be a cool thing. Looking the number of people who posted their picture on Facebook – “I voted, have you?” It has to become the coolest tattoo in town is the ink on your finger. Every young person today, boy or girl, wants to have a tattoo. Tattoo means rebel, no tattoo means mainstream. We had an office party on Wednesday. Thursday was voting day in Delhi. Lot of people flew back to Delhi just to vote. And some of them couldn’t. And you should have seen the thing on Facebook, Shit man, I missed the voting. Ink your pink…that was one of the things. If you have not inked you are not cool. We are talking about things that young people are.

     

    05. Are you going to sync this with Roadies?

    Right from Barney wearing Rock the Vote T-shirt. For us, Roadies has been a great huge place to partnership. One, that’s the audience we are talking to. Two, it is a great partnership with a hero who is in Roadies, and thirdly, we are using Rannvijay as a very powerful face of the entire campaign, and he is the face of Roadies as well.

     

    And you’ve got Hero which is a Roadies sponsor to back Rock the Vote too?

    We’ve got Hero as our partner. We’ve also got Karbon Mobile. Hero has been associated with us for long time. It is interesting to have Indian brand talking Rock the Vote. They genuinely want to involve the youth to make a better India. Otherwise why would it go and sponsor hockey, when everybody is supporting cricket. Hockey is India’s national sports. Also, Hero’s huge network with their dealership huge is a good way to take the campaign to the masses.

     

  • Having completed two years, Helios is now transitioning to the next level with revenue management extending beyond traditional space-selling. Business Director Bala Iyengar has been elevated as Chief Operating Officer.

    Helios Media expands, elevates Bala Iyengar as COO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bala Iyengar

    Helios Media, the speciality services company for the broadcast sector recently completed two years in operations, already carving a niche within the industry as a revenue maximization catalyst. With MTunes HD, Channel X, FoodFood, Fashion TV as the properties it services, Helios is now transitioning to the next level. Business Director Bala Iyengar has been elevated as Chief Operating Officer.

     

    “As we move forward, our focus will be on getting into deeper partnerships with relevant platform creators to enhance the solutions we offer our clients. A TV channel is not just for TVCs anymore, and we will work with them in the overall revenue management space, going beyond traditional commercial inventory. In addition to inventory sales, we have enhanced our teams to include talent in the areas of content syndication, custom events, celebrity management and strategic digital initiatives, said Divya Radhakrishnan, Founder & Managing Director of Helios Media.

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    “To take this scale of operations forward, it’s only natural that Bala steps up to take charge of our complete offering and provide seamless service to our clients,” Ms Radhakrishnan added.

     

    Commenting further on his elevated role and plans ahead, Mr Iyengar said: “We will shape ourselves to be the go-to destination for advertisers seeking innovative ways to connect with audiences, and for channels seeking breakthrough strategies to boost revenue.”

     

  • Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd has announced the key appointment of Lavneesh Gupta as Chief Operating Officer for its television business. He will report to CEO, Tarun Katial

    RBNL appoints Lavneesh Gupta as COO for TV biz

    By A Correspondent

     

    Lavneesh Gupta

    Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd (RBNL) has announced the key appointment of Lavneesh Gupta as Chief Operating Officer for its television business. Mr Gupta will be responsible for building on consumer insights to create robust content and marketing strategies and drive channel performance, as per a communiqué. He will report to Tarun Katial, CEO of Reliance Broadcast Network.

     

    Commenting on his appointment, Mr Katial said, “Lavneesh’s vast experience and in-depth market understanding makes him an asset to the organization. We are happy to have him on board and are confident of him leading the television business through the next growth phase.”

     

    On his appointment at Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd, Mr Gupta said, “RBNL is among India’s most vibrantly growing organizations and I am excited about my new role here. The company has an exceptional potential for growth and I look forward to working with the team at RBNL to make this vision a reality.”

     

    An engineering graduate from IIT-BHU, Varanasi, and a postgraduate in management from SP Jain Institute Management and later trained at the Asian Institute of Management, Manila, Mr Gupta has worked across leading brands in the BFSI industry ranging from Standard Chartered Bank, ABN AMRO and Tata AIG to Max Life and IndusInd Bank.

     

  • Adspends in India grew 7.8% in 2013 though the Dec 2012 forecast was 8.7%, an estimate revised to 7.8% in June this year

    India ad rev to grow 11.3% in 2014:Magna Global

     

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Indian media companies will see ad revenues growing by 11.3% next year with the internet again leading the growth at 31.4%, according to Magna Global’s annual advertising forecast for the year 2014.

     

    The growth in television adspends will be 10.4%, while that for newspapers will be 8.8%. Magazine adspend growth will be 2.3% while OOH will be 12.1% and Radio at 11%. Cinema, given its lower base, will grow at 20%.

     

    Last December, Magna Global had predicted an 8.7% growth for Indian adspends. This was revised in June this year to 7.8%. The growth for 2012-13, although based on its current estimates, is 7.8 percent. Magna Global is the strategic media unit of global media agency conglomerate IPG Mediabrands. IPG Mediabrands is headed by Shashi Sinha in India.

     

    The economic environment remained weak throughout 2013 but is still expected to improve in 2014, especially in the developed world which has experienced four years of slow growth and stubborn unemployment, according to the IPG Mediabrands firm. As per the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook projections, India should re-accelerate at 5.1% following 3.8% in 2013. “That level of economic activity is not particularly impressive by historical standards but confidence indices keep improving and we believe advertising spending will reflect and amplify that economic trend,” said Venkatesh S, EVP, Director Intelligence, Magna Global, India.

     

    Venkatesh added that the growth estimates of 7.8 per cent for 2012-13 are end-2013 estimates and he does not foresee any extreme changes.

     

     

    Mobile share to total internet in adspends is 7.9%: Venkatesh S, EVP, Magna GlobalQ&A with Venkatesh S, EVP, Director Intelligence, Magna Global, India

     

    The annual forecast made in December 2012 had your annual year-on-year growth forecast for India pegged at 8.7%. In June this year, it was revised to 7.8% which has been maintained in your year-ahead report. Since we haven’t yet closed December, do you think this growth of Jan-Dec 2013 will stay at 7.8%?

    These are end-2013 estimates and we don’t foresee any extreme change in growth rates

     

    Any noteworthy changes in your estimate made in Dec 2012 and June 2013 to what it is now?

    Newspaper and Magazine growth rates have been revised downwards compared to December forecast and the growth rates are pretty the same as it was in June 2013.

     

    By your estimates now, will India be among the Top 10 markets five years from now? In December 2012, your report said India would be among the Top 10 markets in the year 2017. That was not the case when the mid-2013 numbers. What is the status as of now?

    Following a significant slowdown and given the current market environment, long-term forecast was revised downwards and is not in a hurry to be part of the Top 10 anytime soon. Currently India is the 13th largest advertising market and is forecast to retain its position in 2018.

     

    How does Indian adspend compare with our neighbours, BRIC countries and internationally?

    The adspend/capita in APAC varies significantly from $558 in Australia to $2 in Pakistan. While India adspend/capita is $5, its BRIC peers are way above – China $29, Russia $67 and Brazil is on par with the global average of $84. India is slightly in the high growth potential zone.

     

    Internet doesn’t seem to be growing at a significant pace – it continues to hover around 30-odd percent. Comments?

    India has been growing at a phenomenal rate compared to the global average (+15.5%) and also within APAC (+22.4%). Having said this, mobile internet is promising and will overtake desktop internet. However lots of questions need to be answered to see this medium unfold its potential.

     

    What would you say is the contribution of mobile as against the whole of the internet.

    Mobile share to total internet is 7.9%.

     

    And how does this compare with developed economies and BRIC countries?

    While BRIC countries are averaging 9%, developed economy is 15%

     

    Last December, you had predicted a 4.2 percent growth in the magazine sector. That is now 2.3 percent. Do you think there is a trend out there and we could magazines degrow even further?

    A small base of loyalty is a major deterrent for magazine publishers and advertisers, though language magazines still hold ground locally. Staying relevant to digital audience and retaining revenue streams is a challenge.

     

    Given an election year, shouldn’t we have seen a greater growth for newspapers?

    In 2012, the category saw a lower single digit growth rate. Our estimate for 2013 including political advertising is 6.0% and 8.7% in 2014.

     

     

     

  • Star India will not just be the 'Official Team Sponsor' but also have the rights to to display a commercial logo on the team clothing of the Senior Men's Cricket Team, the Under-19 Men's Cricket Team, the Men's A-Team and the Women's Team.

    Star completes full control on India cricket by turning Team Sponsor till March 2017

    By A Correspondent

     

    If it’s Cricket, it’s Star. Watch out for its familiar ogo across cricket as Star India extends its broadcast, internet and mobile rights-owner status for July 2012 – March 2018 to the ground.

     

    Star India has bagged the bid for the Team Sponsorship Rights for various cricketing events including the Senior Men’s Cricket Team title and logo sponsorship rights from 2014 to 2017 at the price of Rs 1.92 crore a match. This is a sharp drop from Rs 3.34 crore that Sahara India is paying as well as the Rs 2 crore that Star India is currently paying for the title and logo sponsorship.

     

    The base price was recently revised to Rs 1.5 crore from Rs 2.5 crore, and the Star bid was Rs 0.42 crore higher.

     

    The Team Sponsorship Rights cover BCCI Events, ICC Events and ACC Events, for the period January 1 2014 to March 31, 2017. The rights include the right to be called the ‘Official Team Sponsor’  and to display a commercial logo on the team clothing of the Senior Men’s Cricket Team, the Under-19 Men’s Cricket Team, the Men’s A-Team and the Women’s Team.

     

    The decision was taken at a meeting of the BCCI’s Marketing Committee yesterday (December 9). The tender document, which was available from November 11, 2013, was picked up by seven prospective bidders (Bharti Airtel, Games Unlimited, Multi Screen Media, Sahara India, Star India, UB Group, World Sport Group). Bids were accepted until 3 pm on Dec 9 at which time the bids were opened and evaluated. Two bidders – Star India Pvt Ltd and Sahara India Financial Corporation – were in the fray. Although Sahara’s bid was higher, it was found to be ineligible.

     

    “Star is the Title Sponsor for BCCI international and domestic matches for the period October 2013 to March 31, 2014, as well as the Holder of the Broadcast, Internet and Mobile Rights of cricket in India, for the period July 2012 – March 2018. Star has a deep understanding of the game of cricket, and what it means to the nation. We are pleased to extend our association with them,” Sanjay Patel, Honorary Secretary, BCCI, said.

     

    “Star is delighted to become the Official Sponsor of the Indian cricket team. It’s a team of brilliant talent and we are proud to be associated with them. This is further endorsement of Star’s deep commitment to Indian cricket and Indian Sports in general,” added Uday Shankar, CEO, Star India, said.

     

    Sanjay Gupta

    Star India COO Sanjay Gupta has indicated that the sponsorship will be used to promote any of his brands – be it the sports channels or even entertainment offerings like Star Plus and Life OK.

     

    Meanwhile, there have been murmurs that the BCCI decision to award the rights to Star India may be contested. Sahara India is peeved that it was not informed that it was ineligible for the bid given its ongoing litigation with the Board on the IPL team disqualification. The Sahara bid was higher than that of Star at Rs 2.35 crore per match.

     

  • We bring you front page of the newspapers on the morning after the historic Assembly election results on Sunday, December 8

    AAP appeal! This is how Page 1s of leading dailies looked today

    Every major news event merits a special display by newspapers, as we saw on the morning after the historic Assembly election results on Sunday, December 8. Here are some of the frontpages, in random order.

     

    The Times Of India

    Hindustan Times

    The Economic Times

    The Hindu

    Dainik Jagran

    Dainik Bhaskar

    dna

    Mid-Day

    Lokmat

    Sakal

    NBT

    Mumbai Mirror

    Deccan Chronicle

    Mathrubhumi

    Inquilab

    Dinamalar

    Ei Samay
  • According to the latest findings of the Ormax Characters India Loves research, Jodha from Zee TV's daily fiction show Jodha-Akbar has emerged as the most popular fiction character on Indian television

    Zee TV’s Jodha is most popular fiction character on telly: Ormax

    By A Correspondent

     

    According to the latest findings (November 2013) of the Ormax Characters India Loves research, Jodha from Zee TV’s daily fiction show Jodha-Akbar has emerged as the most popular fiction character on Indian television.

     

    Ormax Characters India Loves (Ormax CIL) research is conducted in 19 Hindi-speaking markets in India, covering a monthly sample size of more than 3,000 respondents in the 15-44 years age group. Since the start of Ormax CIL in August 2009, Jodha is only the fifth character to have taken the top position, the other four being Anandi (Balika Vadhu), Suhaana (Sasural Genda Phool), Jethalal (Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah) and Ram Kapoor (Bade Achhe Lagte Hain). Jodha is the first Zee TV character to have taken the top position.

     

    Anurag Bakhshi

    Speaking about the findings, Anurag Bakhshi, Insights Head – Television, Ormax Media, said: “Jodha’s popularity is a result of her unique portrayal of a historical character whose aspirations are relevant to the young audience of today’s evolving India. Her popularity is particularly strong in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab markets.”

     

    According to the November 2013 Ormax CIL Report, the Top 5 fiction characters on television are Jodha, Sandhya (Diya Aur Baati Hum), Jethalal (Taarak Mehta…), Anandi (Balika Vadhu) and Mahadev. Kapil Sharma (Comedy Nights With Kapil) is by far the most popular non-fiction character on television.

     

  • The Minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, V Narayanasamy, on Tuesday said the country "is going down" because of the ballyhoo about corruption created by media "which itself is corrupt"

    Media is corrupt… govt will rein in if media doesn’t self-regulate, says PMO minister V Narayanasamy

    By Vikas Dhoot

     

    Minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office, V Narayanasamy, on Tuesday said the country “is going down” because of the ballyhoo about corruption created by media “which itself is corrupt”, the CBI which has “no corporate knowledge” but hounds even honest industrialists, and the judiciary which gets swayed by media trials and doesn’t want public perceptions to go against it.

     

    Issuing a terse warning to media houses, Mr Narayanasamy said that media currently enjoys self-regulation, but the government would be compelled to rein it in, if status quo continues. “If self-regulation isn’t followed, some kind of regulation will be brought by the government. We will take a call ultimately,” he said.

     

    The junior minister in Dr Manmohan Singh’s office said corporate India was the worst affected due to the current situation of interrogations, trial and punishment by the news media and the lack of understanding about technical issues among those “passing judgements and decisions.”

     

    “Even honest and upright people from corporate houses that invested money are being harassed, not by the government but by the system,” Mr Narayanasamy said, referring to India’s “vibrant” media and online platforms like Facebook and Twitter, where “all information and disinformation” can be put up.

     

    “The corporate houses are the worst affected, even honest and sincere corporate houses are being framed. Because the people who are sitting for the purpose of deciding the matter, I don’t want to name them, they have no corporate knowledge and they are giving the decision… the judgment,” the minister said at a conference on governance, moral leadership and transparency held in the Capital on Tuesday.

     

    Though he didn’t directly name the Comptroller Auditor General’s office, which has been slammed by several Cabinet ministers for wrecking investor sentiment and economic growth, Narayanasamy challenged the auditor’s loss calculations on the 2G spectrum scam.

     

    “As many as 122 circles have been auctioned (for spectrum) – the government got only 20,000 crore. But the whole world was saying it is 1.76 lakh crore. Who is to be blamed? he asked.

     

    “If I say something about the judiciary, then I will be hauled up for contempt. Someone can file a petition against me,” the minister added as a virtual disclaimer.

     

    “Unfortunately, people who have nothing to do with administration, who have not seen the public, who are not elected, who are not in the bureaucracy or corporate houses – are taking a view on crime. Ultimately, the result is the country is going down,” he lamented. Turning the scanner on the news media, the minister said media is not corruption-free, as is evident from the scourge of sting operations and paid news. “No media house follows the self regulation. They come to the streets to fight against the government that our rights are being taken away,” the minister said, reminding news organisations that their duty is to give people a correct picture of what is happening and not engage in media trials.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

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