MxMIndia

Category: MEDIA

  • Ajay Shah of EY (Ernst & Young) list 8 reasons India is an attractive investment destination for media and entertainment

    Achche Din for M&E

     

    By Ajay Shah

     

    India is expected to become the third largest economy in the world by 2030 — after the US and China — and the GDP per capita is expected to grow from $1600 to $4,500 by 2030. As seen globally, an increase in the GDP per capita increases the proportion of the M&E industry’s contribution to the GDP. With a triple fold increase in GDP over the next 15 years, the M&E industry’s contribution to the GDP is expected to increase significantly. But this isn’t all. Here are eight reasons the country will be an attractive destination for M&E investments —

     

    1. Currently, the Indian M&E industry is growing at a CAGR of 13-14 per cent per year which is almost twice that of the global media industry. Despite the faster growth, advertising spends, which drive growth in M&E industry, as a percentage of GDP is 0.4 per cent, which is significantly lower than developed markets (0.7- 1 per cent). Over time, the M&E sector will witness increasing ad spends as a proportion of the GDP

     

    2. With over half a billion people under the age of 25, India is witnessing a rise in disposable incomes. Increasing income levels have also led to increasing spend on M&E, as evident from the fast growth of multiplexes  and the success of various sporting leagues in the last five years

     

    3. Compared to the most developed markets, India is a unique market with traditional media and digital media segments growing simultaneously. Traditional media is expected to continue on the growth trajectory because of the under-penetration of media segments in Tier II and III cities

     

    4. Several government initiatives, like the digitisation of Cable TV, Phase III auctions of FM spectrum and increase in FDI limits, will aid the growth of traditional media

     

    5. India is the second-largest internet market after China, with over 300 million internet users. Additionally, government thrust on the Digital India campaign will significantly increase internet penetration in the next decade, thus expanding the digital media opportunity

     

    6. The mobile subscriber base of 900 million users, sub-$100 smartphones, and one of the lowest data cost globally, is expected to drive a surge in mobile data traffic from 88 TB/Month in 2014, to 1,100 TB/Month by 2019

     

    7. With existing internet penetration lower than 25 per cent, India is already among the Top Five online video markets globally, in terms of viewership, and is expected to be the second largest market by 2017. As internet penetration increases, India will become one of the most important M&E markets

     

    8. Currently, investors are interested in TV distribution, cinema exhibition and digital media sub-segments, and we expect this trend to continue for the next few years

     

    Ajay Shah is Partner and Leader, Deal Advisory, Media and Entertainment at EY (Ernst & Young). Last week, EY released its 12th Media and Entertainment Capital Confidence Barometer

     

  • The duo join Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, AR Rahman and Irrfan as true crossover successes, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Crossover Stars: Priyanka Chopra & Kapil Sharma

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Crossover (definition): The process of achieving success in a different field or style, from the one in which success is already established.

     

    Crossover remains a much-used (and abused) word in the Indian entertainment business. But much talk on the subject has been fringe talk, whereby talent that’s not even successful in their own field has “crossed over” to another field, again to meet with limited or no success. In other cases, successful Indian film actors have crossed over to the West, but not made an impact, being reduced to fringe parts in Hollywood films or TV series.

     

    There have been only four true crossover successes so far. Amitabh Bachchan reinventing himself and taking up KBC at a fairly low point in his film career would be on the top of my list. Shah Rukh Khan is the shining example of the opposite – a TV star who made it big in the films. AR Rahman has crossed over comfortably to world cinema, and even has a fatwa to show. Irrfan has discovered his niche at the world stage, at times in small parts, at times in major ones. There may be several other examples, but how successful they have been can be debated.

     

    With just four case studies over all these decades, we could safely say that the crossovers are not our cup of tea. Until this week. As if to compensate for years of crossover failures, we had two huge success stories this week – Priyanka Chopra crossing over to the West with Quantico going on-air, and Kapil Sharma crossing over to films with the release of Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon.

     

    Chopra’s achievement is towering in its impact, and has been written about earlier in this column too. The show is now on-air and early reviews are a mix of positivity and skepticism. But even in the not-so-positive reviews, Chopra has been hailed as an accomplished actor and her casting has been described as a big strength of the show. Her international acting career could be on the verge of acquiring very long legs.

     

    Sharma’s success is very different in nature. Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon became the highest Bollywood opener for a debutant ever. It also registered higher weekend collections than many recent films featuring young stars. Importantly, the film achieved this by converting theatre non-goers to theatre-goers. Television is often seen as an “inferior” medium to films because it’s “free”. But when Sharma’s fans from television thronged the multiplexes to watch him on the big screen, that argument went out of the window.

     

    If Sharma sticks to clean family comedies and chooses his scripts carefully, he could have a huge film career ahead of him. Family comedy is the most popular genre in Bollywood, and one that’s hugely under-served too, with very few releases in the genre over the last 4-5 years.

     

    The future will determine the true degree of the crossover success achieved by Priyanka Chopra and Kapil Sharma, but my list has extended from four to six. And it looks a very powerful one too: Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, AR Rahman, Irrfan, Priyanka Chopra and Kapil Sharma.

     

     

     

  • People on social media told me that the media never responds when a Hindu is attacked and only responded to Dadri because the victim was a Muslim, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Is the Indian media anti-Hindu?

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Bashing the media is a wonderful pastime, isn’t it? Even I do it, you can argue, twice a week on MxM. But blaming the media when society behaves in a despicable manner or beating up the media… well, that’s another story altogether. Fashionable (if a little old and idiotic) in some circles as it is to accuse the media in India of running some agenda set by the Vatican, the media is the messenger. It may be intrusive, annoying, inconvenient, but that is what it is.

     

    In Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, after a man was lynched and killed by a mob ostensibly for eating beef, the media faced some of the flak. People on social media told me that the media never responds when a Hindu is attacked (never, please note) and only responded to Dadri because the victim was a Muslim. Others, some journalists even, accused the media of “never” responding in case someone’s hands are cut off (the implication being that the perpetrator would be a Muslim following Sharia law). The media (this from journalists too) also did not condemn the Charlie Hedbo killers since they were Muslim and approved of the ban on Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses since the book upset Muslims.

     

    You can see therefore that media bashing, even within the media, can take on ludicrous and nonsensical proportions. I do recall a case of a teacher’s hands being chopped off in Kerala being extensively covered and condemned. As it happens, we do not have Sharia law in India. As for Charlie Hebdo, what can one say? To my obviously biased mind, there seemed to be global shock and opprobrium. If those Indian journalists who blame the media for “appeasing Muslims” feel so strongly about this, they should carry the Charlie Hebdo cartoons in their own publications rather than bleat on about liberals in the media. So also when it comes to Salman Rushdie and the fatwa against him, although India banned Satanic Verses, there was plenty of support for him. Also, it is unclear to me why exactly the Vatican would want the media companies it owns to be nice to Muslims. Or perhaps these are those media organisations which are owned by Saudi Arabia.

     

    (I have a complaint here though. Where was the total condemnation of the cruel and inhuman punishment meted out by Saudi Arabia to blogger Rauf Badawi by these same sanctimonious journalists? Instead, we had breathless coverage of the prime minister’s meeting with the Saudis… I rest my case.)

     

    It’s easy thought to turn the tables on such brainless and frankly tainted media criticism, even when it is from within the media. What happened in Dadri? A temple priest says he was forced into announcing that Mohammed Akhlak’s family had stored beef in their house and the family was eating it. An angry mob stormed into the house, beat Akhlak to death and injured his son, who is now in hospital. The UP government in some odd wisdom sent the meat in the house to a forensic lab (it turned out not to be beef).

     

    Politicians of all hues descended on Dadri. First they made the right noises of sympathy, blah blah. Then they took off on their set paths of finger-pointing and defensiveness. Members of the media, which also arrived in Dadri, were beaten up and blamed for only focusing on the victims and not on those who had been falsely accused, according to their families. So are we to look for media solidarity from these genius in-media critics? Or do they perhaps toe the Central government line and approve of this sort of media bashing?

     

    I’m not holding my breath on this one.

     

  • This strategic multi-year deal will give Sony PIX access to Universal’s latest movie releases

    MSM inks a multi-year deal with NBCUniversal

    By A Correspondent

     

    Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. (MSM), which owns and operates the Sony network of television channels India announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with NBCUniversal International Distribution. As a result of this agreement, Sony PIX (a part of the MSM Network) will now have access to Universal Pictures’ new U.S. theatrical releases, in addition to numerous other beloved titles from the studio’s vast film catalogue.

     

    NBC Universal has had a landmark year with Universal Pictures breaking records for the industry’s highest-grossing year ever for a studio at the domestic, international and worldwide box offices; enjoying the biggest year of all time for any studio in 43 international markets; and is the first studio ever to have three films (Minions, Jurassic World, Fast & Furious 7) each cross over the $ 1 billion mark in the worldwide box office in a single year. The studio also recently passed the $ 5.53 billion mark at the worldwide box office, breaking the record for highest-grossing year – ever – for a studio in industry history. The current worldwide total to date is an unprecedented $6.38 billion.

     

    This strategic multi-year deal will give Sony PIX access to Universal’s latest movie releases such as Fast & Furious 7, Jurassic World, Ted 2, Pitch Perfect 2 and Illumination Entertainment’s Minions, as well as the first installment in the studio’s various blockbuster franchises such as Jurassic Park, The Mummy, The Fast & Furious, The Hulk and Despicable Me. Sony PIX will also be able to provide their viewers with access to other hit films from the studio such as Gladiator, the first three films in the Rambo franchise, King Kong, Schindler’s List, Ted, Notting Hill, amongst others.

     

    NP Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Multi Screen Media (MSM) said, “We are extremely pleased to announce this deal with NBCUniversal. We always strive to get top quality content for our viewers. With access to Universal’s movie titles, we have put ourselves in a position to get the best movies that Hollywood has to offer. I am confident that with this deal, viewer needs will be well-met and their enhanced movie experience will steadily increase viewer loyalty to Sony PIX – our English movie channel.”

     

    Belinda Menendez, President, NBCUniversal International Distribution & Networks said, “With one of the world’s fastest growing major economies, we see tremendous growth potential in India and this deal reinforces how important this market is to NBCUniversal. Further, we have always had a wonderful relationship with MSM/Sony PIX and are thrilled to partner with them to expand our reach in India and bring Universal’s new blockbuster hits and beloved library titles to their viewers in India.”

     

  • Will accelerate brand advertiser education and engagement in India

    Twitter hires Sonali Malaviya as Head of Business Marketing

    By A Correspondent

     

    Twitter has appointed Sonali Malaviya as Country Business Marketing Head for India as part of Twitter’s Global Business Marketing team (GBM). She will be based at the Twitter office in Delhi and report to Frederique Covington, International Marketing Director based in Singapore. Sonali will be responsible for marketing and messaging that helps businesses understand and embrace Twitter’s advertising solutions in India. She will set the vision for business marketing strategy, segmentation, and events. In her role, she will create and evolve the Twitter story to win the hearts and minds of advertisers and agencies, while resonating across the broader advertising spectrum.

     

    Frederique Covington, International Marketing Director, Twitter said, “India is one of our key growth markets for Twitter in Asia Pacific and we are committed to delivering more value to the local advertising community through real-time marketing solutions. We are excited to have Sonali join the Twitter flock and to further educate and engage with brand advertisers and agencies in India through her vast experience and expertise.”

     

    Sonali Malaviya, Country Marketing Head , Twitter India, said, “Twitter is the place for discovering what’s happening in your world right now, sharing your interests with others, and expressing your thoughts and opinions. As an individual, those are traits that I identify with and it’s truly amazing to have the opportunity to live my passion at Twitter. I’m thrilled to be joining a supercharged team and contribute my media agency experience to Twitter at this exciting time of digital transformation for brands in India.”

     

    With more than 15 years’ of experience in the marketing industry, Sonali previously worked at GroupM, leading a portfolio of diverse market-shaping brands like Make in India, GlaxoSmithKline, Yum Restaurants among others. She led with platform-neutral business-oriented solutions and digital-first content, impacting business positively.  Prior to joining GroupM, Sonali worked at PHD in Dubai, and at Roy Morgan Research in Australia, providing syndicated and customized consumer and shopper insights to support brand growth.

     

  • Mitra has 16 years of experience and has worked at MAA Bozell, Euro RSCG, and Universal McCann

    MEC appoints Debarghya Mitra as Head, Bangalore

    By A Correspondent

     

    Debarghya Mitra

    MEC has announced the appointment of Debarghya Mitra as head of their Bangalore office. Mitra will report to T Gangadhar, MD, MEC.

     

    Mitra has 16 years of experience and has worked at MAA Bozell, Euro RSCG, and Universal McCann. In his last stint, he was heading Madison’s Platinum Crest, the unit that manages ITC Foods and other ITC businesses based in South India. Mitra has also managed clients such as Tata Tea, TVS, Intel, Levi’s, to name a few.

     

    Speaking of the appointment, Gangadhar, said, “With his extensive experience of managing large advertisers, Deb’s track record is formidable. We are blessed with a fantastic roster of clients in Bangalore and there is no better candidate than Deb to take stewardship of them”.

     

    Mitra added, “Among the big agencies, MEC is the fastest growing and is now the largest agency in Bangalore. I am excited with the agency’s digital focus and integrated media approach. Hopefully, I will be able to use my experience to take things to the next level”.

     

  • Two TVCs urge buyers to not postpone their dreams as there is always a good bargain on OLX

    OLX unveils first ever buyer campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    The reasons to buy used goods are innumerable. But what prompts a buyer to stop pondering, and actually click the buy button? OLX’s first-ever buyer-focused campaign depicts OLX-ers buying all kinds of used products at affordable prices, enabling them to fulfill their most cherished dreams. OLX has released two television ads ‘Start-up nahi, Start Ab’ and ‘Friends ke saath life set kar’ illustrating this.

     

    Said Amarjit Singh Batra, CEO, OLX India, “OLX is synonymous with selling in India. Even people who have not used OLX associate us with ‘Bech De’. But we are also the most vibrant and liquid platform in the country for buyers. We have 70 per cent unique content on OLX implying that 70 per cent of the products listed on our platform will be found only on OLX, and no other platform. In addition to this, 100 per cent of the ad content on OLX is user-generated, and 90 per cent of the users coming to OLX are posting in consumer-to-consumer (C2C) categories, ensuring superior quality of listings. These reasons make OLX the most valuable marketplace for a buyer.”

     

    “There are millions of satisfied buyers on OLX who are using OLX to fulfill their unique buying needs. Users are coming on OLX everyday to buy all kinds of things that are making their dreams and aspirations possible. That is the inspiration behind this campaign,” Batra added.

     

    Conceived by Lowe Lintas, the first TVC (Start-Up) depicts the story of two young entrepreneurs who while sitting in a college canteen are busy calculating their business investments. While one of them is listing out the requirements, the other is using a calculator to come up with the total amount. When he lands on an initial investment amount, his heart sinks on the thought of waiting for a year to gather funds. This is when the other partner urges him to stop worrying and logs on to the OLX mobile App to buy used goods. Both of them happily agree and buy goods that they require to start their business. A humorous touch in the last scene depicts them professionally dressed in their new office when another idea strikes! And this time instead of the calculator the guy picks up his smartphone to log on to the OLX mobile app.

     

    The second TVC opens with a ‘just married’ couple who enters their new but unfurnished home to be surprised by their common group of friends, who are trying to help the couple set up their home. They ask the couple that where will they sit or how the couple will entertain them when they visit them! This adds to the humor making the couple feel less burdened by the sweet gesture of their friends. The TVC plays on the emotional attachment between friends who look out for each other when families do not support. Since this is the first marriage in the group and the respective families have not supported it, the friends are trying to cheer up the couple by buying furniture for their house on OLX mobile App.

     

    Shayondeep Pal, Executive Creative Director, Lowe Lintas said, “So far, OLX has focused on getting people to sell on the site. While we go about that objective, there is also the other end of the spectrum – the buyers, whom we address for the first time through this campaign. The fact is that today’s generation is very smart and practical when it comes to making life choices. Whether it is going ahead with an unconventional wedding or starting their own business, we used this ‘practicality’ aspect to blend in the brand message of how buying on OLX enables the youth to kick start their pursuits. The signoff line ‘Kal kare so aaj kare, OLX pe khareed kar’ captures this spirit of the youth.”

     

  • Conceptualized and created by full-service digital agency BC Web Wise, the video goes on to reveal that the high-end ASUS Zenfones will now be made in India

    Asus celebrates ‘Make in India’ feat on Facebook page

    By A Correspondent

     

    ASUS India recently unveiled a video titled ‘Incredible Made in India’ on its Facebook page that takes a look at the historic feats that have distinguished the nation in the global arena.

     

    Conceptualized and created by full-service digital agency BC Web Wise, the video goes on to reveal that the high-end ASUS Zenfones will now be made in India.

     

    ASUS India shared the video with press and on social media on Friday, 02nd October as it announced its local manufacturing plans, starting with the Zenfone 2 Laser, at a facility based in Sricity, Andhra Pradesh. Inspired by the brand’s tagline ‘In Search of Incredible,’ the core idea behind the video was to sensitize audiences and instill a sense of pride in all things ‘Incredible Made in India’.

     

    The sand art video showcases several historic exploits and inventions by Indian individuals and institutions right from the invention of zero, or building the world’s largest railway network, to the most economical Mars mission, and even Sachin’s 100 centuries in ODI cricket. It closes by adjoining ASUS India’s announcement to manufacture the Zenfone range in India.

     

    The use of sand art was done to creatively emphasize the ‘incredible’ nature of India’s accomplishments through history while projecting its readiness as a manufacturing hub.

     

    The video has already garnered more than 176,000 likes on ASUS India’s Facebook page.

     

  • Rolls out a new TV ad campaign to gather momentum for the promotional property

    ShopClues unveils ‘Biggest Thank You Sale’ campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    On successfully recording 1 crore customers, ShopClues has announced the ‘Biggest Thank You Sale’ campaign. The promotional property from ShopClues will be live between 5th and 10thOctober, 2015 and will offer decent deals as well as Clues Bucks worth Rs. 1,00,000 for existing customers. To generate excitement and awareness around the sale, ShopClues has also launched a new TV ad campaign. Conceptualised and created by Enormous Brands, Mumbai, the TVC invites buyers to make the best of this phenomenal shopping extravaganza.

     

    As a part of the initiative, existing customers will receive free credit in the form of Clues Bucks between Rs 50 to Rs 1,00,00 which they can use to purchase anything on the website. In addition, the marketplace has put together incredible deals and discounts across a large assortment of products, from categories as varied as personal care products, stationary, consumer electronics and much more for the six-day period. ShopClues has also entered into alliances with top brands so that customers can enjoy a variety of benefits including gift vouchers worth Rs 250 on Naturals products, 40 per cent cashback on orders with TinyOwl and up to Rs 4,000 off on travel bookings with the Yatra app.

     

    Speaking on the sale and the TV ad campaign, Radhika Aggarwal, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer, ShopClues.co said, “We at ShopClues are thrilled at registering 1 crore customers. Through the ‘Biggest Thank You Sale’, we want each one of those 1 crore shoppers to revel in the celebration with us! The new TVC rolled out by ShopClues endeavours to create a buzz around this sale so that customers can make the best of the deals and discounts on offer.”

     

    The TV ad film starts by elucidating how bleak the world would be if people were charged money for a simple “Thank You” when they were given any help or shown some support. The viewer is then reminded that since ShopClues is highly grateful for the constant loyalty, support and patronage of its 1 crore customers, it is in no mood to save and has therefore announced this mega sale. The ad film reiterates ShopClues’ celebratory mode and its desire to share the joy with its customers.

     

  • Higher SME digital engagement results in 49 per cent more profit than their offline-only counterparts

    Ecommerce sector powering India’s SME growth, notes Snapdeal & KPMG study

    By A Correspondent

     

    Snapdeal released a first-of-its-kind study in partnership with KPMG titled ‘Impact of Ecommerce on SMEs in India’. The study examines the macro-impact of e-commerce sector on growth of SMEs in India and identifies remaining gaps in the eco system needed to be plugged to facilitate adoption of e-commerce by SMEs.

     

    The report compares the e-commerce led growth trajectory of SMEs in India vis-à-vis other emerging and developed economies. Additionally, it outlines different roles that various participants like the government, industry bodies and ecommerce companies themselves can play in making the SME ecosystem more robust.

     

    Speaking at the release of the report, Kunal Bahl, Co-founder and CEO, Snapdeal said, “At Snapdeal, we are working towards building the most impactful digital commerce ecosystem in the country and SMEs form the foundation of this ecosystem in many ways. With over 200,000 sellers operating on our platform, we felt the need to conduct a systematic unbiased study to identify opportunities and challenges to further accelerate the growth of the sector. We have taken a number of initiatives like seller training programs, seller financing program- Capital Assist and Snapdeal Seller Advisor Program, with an aim of creating life changing experiences for over one million sellers in the next three years. This study has given us deeper insights into what more we can do to enable small businesses become more successful online.”

     

    Richard Rekhy, CEO, KPMG India said, “The fast paced growth of the e-commerce industry in India represents an unprecedented opportunity for SMEs. We hope that the findings of this report will assist policymakers, industry bodies and e-commerce companies to strengthen the support ecosystem, which enables SMEs to ride the e-commerce growth wave successfully.”

     

    This report is the first in a series of initiatives that Snapdeal has undertaken for creating an ecosystem for MSMEs and leveraging ecommerce for their growth.

     

  • This collaboration between two of the most respected brands in Indian media and sports will provide a powerful portfolio of sports rights and the leading collection of digital sports assets in India

    ESPN to return partnering Sony

    By A Correspondent

     

    Multi Screen Media (MSM) and ESPN have come together in a long-term agreement to serve sports fans in India and across the Indian subcontinent. Through the collaboration they will bring new offerings to Indian sports fans including new SONY ESPN sports channels and a new multisport website and app. This collaboration between two of the most respected brands in Indian media and sports will provide a powerful portfolio of sports rights and the leading collection of digital sports assets in India.

     

    MSM’s existing Sony KIX sports channel will be rebranded SONY ESPN and the two companies will launch other new channels in the coming months. Along with SONY SIX, all the channels will deliver a powerful sports lineup to sports fans.

     

    In collaboration with MSM, ESPN will launch a co-branded localized multisport website and app, which will provide coverage of cricket, football, tennis, the NBA, badminton, field hockey and more. MSM’s SONY LIV will also benefit from the collaboration, increasing its current sports offerings significantly. ESPNcricinfo will continue to deliver comprehensive coverage and will complement and cross-promote the new digital properties and sports channels.

     

    Among the new co-branded multisport website, sonyliv.com and espncricinfo.com, sports fan will receive sports content from across categories, geographies and time zones.

     

    There will be a robust social media presence for the new co-branded media platforms and, an online programming guide for television.

     

    Components of the collaboration require regulatory approvals, for which the process is currently underway.

     

    NP Singh

    NP Singh, CEO, Multi Screen Media (MSM) said: “Our partnership with ESPN is just what the sports aficionado has been waiting for. Stylized, insightful sports content presented by the best sportscasters in the business. For consumers in India and the subcontinent, sports television viewing will change dramatically since they will soon have access not only to more content but also the widest array of sports lineup, ever available.”

     

    “MSM’s association with ESPN is holistic and embraces both television and digital formats. Not only are we about to set the frontiers in sports content and distribution but we will most likely set the trends as well. Going further, both companies will also explore collaboration on the development of other original sports programs.”

     

    Russell Wolff, Executive Vice-president and Managing Director, ESPN international added: “ESPN’s focus around the world is simple:  to serve sports fans. This exciting, long-term collaboration between ESPN and MSM will serve Indian sports fans with exceptional products, content and coverage through the combined strengths and expertise of our two companies, which each have a strong heritage of leadership and innovation in India.  We are very excited to be working with Sony, one of the leading television channels in India, on the opportunities that lie ahead.”

     

    MSM’s current sports rights portfolio in India includes the UEFA Euro 2016, top European football leagues (including La Liga, The FA Cup and Serie A), the NBA, the NFL, the IRB Rugby World Cup, UFC, TNA Wrestling, NASCAR and more.

     

    ESPN will add to that by delivering more than 1000 hours of programming per year from its portfolio of sports rights, original programming and studio programs.  Live sports content in the deal includes major U.S. college football (including the College Football Playoff and comprehensive coverage of the college football bowl season); major U.S. college basketball (including the March Madness® NCAA Championship Tournaments); NCAA college sport championships from baseball, softball, lacrosse, soccer; Boxing (including Premier Boxing Champions and ESPN’s Big Fights Library); X Games; ESPN Films Emmy-Award Winning 30 For 30 documentaries and more.

     

  • Appoints Senior Team Members to lead the Marketing, Programming and Sales & Distribution function

    Reliance Broadcast strengthens top deck

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network Limited has announced the appointment of Manoj Lalwani as Network Chief Marketing Officer, RBNL; Renuka Iyer as Network Sales & Distribution Head, RBNL; Bimal Unnikrishnan as Creative Director, BIG Magic and Amita Srivastava as National Head – Account Planning, RBNL.

     

    Lalwani in his role will spearhead the overall marketing function of the network (including television and radio), while Ms. Iyer will be responsible for Network Sales & Distribution. Both will report into Ashwin Padmanabhan, Chief Operating Officer, Reliance Broadcast Network Limited. Strengthening the programming team, Unnikrishnan will oversee content creation for BIG Magic. Amita Srivastava in her new role will be responsible for account planning for the network.

     

    Tarun Katial

    Talking about the new appointments, Tarun Katial, Chief Executive Officer, Reliance Broadcast Network Limited said, “We are happy to have Renuka, Amita, Manoj and Bimal on board who bring with them a wealth of experience and immense knowledge in their respective domains. Together, we aim to create differentiated and unique offerings for our discerning audience. I am sure that the team will add to existing talent pool and will successfully drive the growth story of the group.”

     

    With over 14 years of experience in marketing, Manoj Lalwani has been associated with prestigious brands like Mother Dairy, Cargill India, United Biscuits, VLCC Health Care, amongst others. Prior to joining Reliance Broadcast Network Limited, he held a leadership position as Vice President – Sales and Marketing, South Asia, VLCC Health Care for almost a year.

     

    Spearheading the sales function in leadership positions across digital and traditional platforms for close to 15+ years, Renuka Iyer has been associated with brands such as Zee News, Digital Radio Broadcasting Limited and Homeland Networks (USA). She worked with Zee News for 10 years where she was Senior Vice President (Sales) and with Digital Radio Broadcasting Limited as National Sales Head before moving to Reliance Broadcast Network Limited.

     

    Bimal Unnikrishnan has been an integral part of the television industry with an experience of 20 years. Bimal was Senior Creative Director and a key member of the Dance India Dance Franchise. Prior to joining Reliance Broadcast Network Limited, Bimal worked with BIG Productions as Head of Non-Fiction, UTV as Senior Creative Director, Miditech and also ran his own production house for over 3 years.

     

    With an experience of over 17 years in strategic media planning, Amita Srivastava has managed communication solutions for market leaders across segments, from cosmetics and auto to finance and hospitality amongst others. Prior to joining Reliance Broadcast Network Limited, Srivastava was the Vice President at ZenithOptimedia, heading the Mumbai branch.