MxMIndia

Category: MEDIA

  • RAM has released its first set of findings basis sweeps in nine cities. The findings have been arrived at, based on Universe Establishment Study and Panel based Respondent data collected during May-August 2011.

    RAM releases the first 9 cities sweeps

    RAM has released its first set of findings basis sweeps in nine cities. The findings have been arrived at, based on Universe Establishment Study and Panel based Respondent data collected during May-August 2011. These nine additional cities are Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Nagpur and Pune.

     

    For the last 4 years, RAM operated out of the four Indian metros – Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.

     

    As per RAM, This initiative will help the Radio industry – Broadcasters & Media Planning Agencies, to assess the impact that Radio medium is having on Audiences in towns other than the major Metros.

     

    RAM communiqué states that given the favorable response from across the industry, RAM will continue to undertake the next sweeps during February-March 2012.

     

    To quote LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM Media Research, “Our commitment to take RAM beyond the  four metros has fructified. This time, the RAM roll out is much wider and deeper. These 9 cities will throw light to Advertisers the interaction Radio is bringing to their Consumers and also help Broadcasters fine tune their basket of programming to these Audiences. This will help propel higher commercial viability for the Industry at large. As always, we will work very closely with the Industry to help them understand the dynamics of this very high potential communication and brand building medium from these markets as well. Like in 4 RAM metros earlier, we believe that in these 9 metros too, RAM’s entry will boost the Radio advertising investments.”

     

    The study offers trends about Radio listenership or consumption behaviour between the different cities. Some highlights are:

     

    • The universe size of the newly added 9 markets is an impressive 50% of the existing 4 RAM markets (Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai).
    • Southern markets observe higher FM penetration as compared to northern markets.
    • On an average, there is 95% FM universe has been reached in a week across all the markets.
      • Chennai and Jaipur observe 100% weekly reach.
    • Time spent listening among the 9 new markets is comparatively more than the existing 4 metro markets. Markets like Nagpur and Jaipur observe 28.29 (hh:mm) and 24.05 (hh:mm) time spent on a weekly basis.
    • Indore and Lucknow observe least OOH listening among the new RAM markets.
    • Majority of the new markets have heavy composition from male audiences whereas existing Mumbai and Kolkata market witness substantial composition from female audiences.
    • Listenership in Northern cities like Delhi and Jaipur are skewed towards higher SECs. Market like Nagpur and Kanpur are skewed towards lower SECs.
    • Morning time band observes highest listenership contribution across the day. Indore market observes highest listenership contribution from Mid Morning time band

    Listenership contribution on Saturday and Sunday are higher for the new markets whereas in the existing markets Saturday observes least contribution

  • Popular radio jockey is rated as the most popular by an Ormax study

    Red FM’s Malishka is RJ No 1 in in Mumbai!

    By A Correspondent

     

    Radio Jockey Malishka is found to be Mumbai’s most popular RJ for the second year in a row, according to an Ormax Media study. The Red FM 93.5 RJ Network the most preferred radio station in India has an immense listener base in Mumbai. This is evident by a recent study conducted by media research firm Ormax Media that pronounced RJ Malishka as the most popular Radio Jockey in Mumbai for the second time in a row. Undoubtedly RED FM’s RJ Malishka is an unmatched talent in the radio industry!

    The study by Ormax Media was conducted in the month of September amongst 600 radio listeners in Mumbai and Delhi in the age group of 15-44 yrs, SEC ABC. From across the radio stations in Mumbai, Red FM RJs Malishka, Mantra and Rishi Kapoor emerged as instant favorites amongst listeners!

    Commenting on this much celebrated achievement, Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP Projects & Programming, RED FM 93.5 Network said, “Red FM’s leading Morning Show RJ – Malishka has been rated number one in Mumbai by Ormax Media for the second year in a row. This just proves that despite various researches that happen across mediums and the claims by respective radio stations of being number one, we still continue to win the best recognition and awards across categories and hence undoubtedly make us the most awarded radio station in the country.”

    ‘Morning No1’ with Malishka is designed to be exciting, energizing, stimulating, light-hearted and at the same time thought provoking, notes a Red FM communiqué.

     

  • When a reputed journalist writes a book, you can be assured of authenticity of material, and particularly so in Meenal's case, I have known her to be a journalist of high integrity

    Anil Thakraney: Death in Mumbai, an excellent first effort

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Just finished reading Meenal Baghel’s ‘Death in Mumbai’. And must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Apart from the fascinating subject itself… the sensational murder of television executive Neeraj Grover and the subsequent nefarious deeds by the killer and his partner, model/actress Maria Susairaj… what interested me is that the author is a journalist and former colleague.

     

    When a reputed journalist writes a book, you can be assured of authenticity of material, and particularly so in Meenal’s case, I have known her to be a journalist of high integrity.

     

    I must say the writing is sharp and the style captivating. You simply cannot put the book down. What the author has been able to do very effectively is to bring out the motivations and compulsions of the three participants in the sordid drama. After reading the book, one has a clearer idea of what drove the three to that extremely lethal point, from where there was no possibility of return to innocence.

     

    And Meenal’s done her research, she’s done the leg work, she’s journeyed into their past and studied their behavioural patterns over a period of time.

     

    The section I most enjoyed reading is where the author paints a colourful picture of the very showy and the very wannabe Oshiwara area of Mumbai. The desperation to make it into the showbiz, and the sexual price many young people have to pay in the process. The most hilarious chapter is on the TV queen Ekta Kapoor and her mother, some recounts of the two leave you in splits, the tragedy notwithstanding.

     

    All in all, a great first effort from Meenal. The only disappointment (for me) was not being able to get a clear point of view from the main accused, the navy officer Emile Jerome. Since he was the man who executed the heinous crime, his voice is key to the story. I suppose the author would have found access to the man extremely difficult, and therefore one can’t really blame her.

     

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    PS: Must read: Facebook has announced a $5 billion initial public offering. And here’s what Mark Zuckerberg says to investors. His long message gives you an idea of how razor sharp and cunning the man is when it comes to capitalizing on human interaction in the virtual world.

     

    Link: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2012/02/zuck-letter/

     

     

  • Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor speaks about Food Food,India’s first Hindi 24-hour food lifestyle channel which has recently completed one year

    ‘Food Food is a lifestyle channel themed around food’

    FoodFood,India’s first Hindi 24-hour food lifestyle channel, launched by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor in association with Malaysian based company – Astro, has completed a year.

     

    The channel caters to food lovers inIndiain the SEC A B, Metros and mini metros market.  Company officials state that the channel has produced an average rating of 11 GRPs in the year gone by, and promises to cover a lot of ground this year.

     

    At the time of launch – January 2011- the food lifestyle channel had got Madhuri Dixit on board as the life ambassador. While the central programming is centred on food, special attention has been paid on bringing the lifestyle elements too in the shows. Shows like   Ladies First, Firangi Tadka, Mummy Ka Magic, Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen, Turban Tadka, Secret Recipe, Tea Time with Rakesh Sethi, and Food Food Maha Challenge are some of the shows aired on the channel.

     

    The channel is available on both analog as well as digital platforms panIndia. Outside ofIndia, it is currently being telecast in theMiddle East countries. It was brought to UAE by Etisalat, a telecom operator and TV service provider inMiddle East. The Middle East is an important market for a food channel, primarily becauseAbu DhabiandDubaiare popular destinations for expat Indians.

     

    “It has truly been a memorable year for all of us at Food Food. Going forward, we plan to enhance our presence across the world, appealing to the expat Indian population,”  says Sanjeev Kapoor, celebrity chef and one of the promoters of Food Food.

     

    The popular chef spoke to MxMIndia’s Rishi Vora on Food Food’s journey so far and the plans ahead. Excerpts:

     

    How has the journey been so far?

    The journey so far has been very good. In a sense, it has been like a dream because not many people believe that a 24-hour channel dedicated to food and lifestyle can work in this country. But the response has been fantastic. In terms of viewership, we are three to four times higher than the channels that have been around for years.

     

    Has the market for a food lifestyle channel evolved in the past one year?

    There was always a huge market to explore through food, which has remained marginalised for too long. The food gamut is endless and offers a huge opportunity for growth. Food covers a vast sphere, from travel to entertainment to culture and even kids. Almost every aspect of media lends itself to some aspect of food, be it game shows, travelogs, lifestyle features, talk shows, or even soaps.

     

    After the advent of satellite television in India, food and lifestyle shows did not grab much attention initially from advertisers. But things have undergone major changes now with the growing demand for food-related shows. Advertisers have started spending a substantial part of their budget on food and lifestyle shows.

     

    What particular time-band is considered to be prime time for the channel?

    At Food Food we defied the concept of prime time through research and market study. While other channels have their original programming in the evening, our channel has its original programming in the afternoon. This helped us catch the interest of our target audience.

     

    What is your core TG?  And do you find traction from small towns and cities?

    Food Food is a channel for the middle class Indians in urban towns and cities. The core audience is the average Indian belonging to SEC AB in metros, mini metros and the top towns.

     

    How big is the market for a dedicated food channel in India?

    Food, today, is not a mere consumable; it’s not just a hunger-driver. It is rapidly acquiring a lifestyle halo. As prosperity invades Indian households, food is coming out from the kitchens and well into our entire lives. Today food is not only being devoured, it is being relished; it is becoming integral to our lifestyle aspirations. In an introduction to one of her books, Nigella Lawson wrote: “the kitchen is not a place you escape from, but the place you escape to”. Indeed, food, today, has become experimental; it has gone cosmopolitan; it has discovered fusion.

     

    Being a 24-hour food channel, what are the challenges you face in the business?

    There are certain business challenges which will always be there. As a specialty channel with mass approach, we are a new category. Food Food is not only a food channel, it’s a lifestyle channel themed around food. Food on TV is no longer just about stand and stir cookery shows. The viewer has changed. He demands richer content, more innovative programming, even in the realm of food.

     

    In GRP terms, how well has the channel done?

    Our viewership is three times higher than some channels that have been around for years.

     

    How has been the response from advertisers?

    The food genre today is what news and GECs were a few years back. This speciality genre is not only a natural fit with consumers (given the love we Indians have for food), it also allows a high degree of interactivity and entertainment. Both of which the consumer seeks from the media. It took some time for the advertisers to understand the potential of food and food lifestyle platforms. But today, advertisers are more than willing to spend on this category.

     

    Distribution wise, what is the reach of the channel? Is the channel operational on all DTH platforms?

    The channel is available in both analog and digital formats. With 360 degrees of food available across multimedia platforms like TV, web, mobile, food is all set to become the new entertainment. Food Food is not just a food channel, we are here to provide Indian viewers their very own Khushi ki Recipe!

     

    How has been the growth of the channel revenue wise?

    This is a specialty genre and we have very unique programming. It would not be fair to gauge this genre with revenue. But looking at the response, I can surely say that our advertisers and viewers are very happy with us. So in that way we definitely see tremendous opportunity and growth in the future.

     

    How do you see the channel grow say in another year’s time?

    We have expanded beyond HSM markets such as Kolkata, South Indiaand so on. We’ve gone international.  We’re already available in Middle East. This year, we also plan to expand further internationally. Keeping alive our promise of 360 degree entertainment, we will continue to offer exciting repertoire of food-related products to keep the family entertained and engrossed.

     

  • After a multi-agency pitch, CarTrade.com has decided to partner with Salt Brand Solutions; the account size is pegged to be between Rs6-8 crore

    CarTrade to take a creative ride with Salt Brand Solutions

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    Salt Brand Solutions have registered their first win of the year by walking away with the creative business of CarTrade.com. Agency sources close to the development have confirmed the news to MxMIndia.

     

    The win is a result of a multi-agency pitch. There wasn’t any incumbent on the account. The account size of the same is estimated to be Rs6-8 crore.

     

    CarTrade.com was launched in October 2006 by Akshay Shankar and Nick Silderhuis. The website was founded to provide more transparency to the Indian car and bike market, so that vehicle buyers and sellers are able to close better and more informed deals, in a more efficient way.

     

    CarTrade.com isIndia’s largest online vehicle market, where buyers and sellers of used and new vehicles can meet and deal. It caters to buyers and sellers of new cars, used cars, new bikes and used bikes. It is a comprehensive vehicle platform, offering finance, insurance and other such services, too. In 2009, CarTrade.com was acquired by MotorExchange.in, a solution for business buyers and sellers of vehicles.

     

    Salt Brand Solutions is an agency, founded by Mahesh Chauhan and Minakshi Achan, advertising stalwarts, that offers holistic brand solutions.

     

  • MxM India spoke to veteran journalist Madhu Trehan, NewsLaundry.com, a website that attempts to critque the media

    Madhu Trehan & Co to show journos the mirror with Newslaundry.com

    By Shruti Pushkarna

     

    With the ‘want to turn the mirror’ on themselves, the latest offering from the world of news is the launch of a website called Newslaundry.com. With their unique and explicit tagline, ‘Newslaundry – sab ki dhulai’, the agenda is set from the very beginning. A website which will work as the media’s watchdog.

     

    The site was launched on February 6 and is the brainchild of one of the pioneers of modern-day news journalism in the country: Madhu Trehan. Ms Trehan founded Newstrack, a video news offering, and newsmagazine India Today.

     

    The website has been launched with a four-member team and a few others on board. Abhinandan Sekhri, one of the founding partners told MxMIndia: “Newslaundry founders are Madhu Trehan, Prashant Sareen, Roopak Kapoor and Abhinandan Sekhri. We have three in-house writers, other than the founders. We have video editors, production people and directors.”

     

    So why did Ms Trehan start this? What did she have in mind before she launched Newslaundry? We have the answer from the lady herself. Madhu Trehan told MxMIndia: “It evolved between my partners – Abhinandan Sehkri, Prashant Sareen and Roopak Kapoor. I have always enjoyed creating a product that doesn’t exist. That happened when I started India Today. The leading magazine at that time was The Illustrated Weekly, which belonged to a dated post colonial time. Newstrack was developed because there was no television news other than Doordarshan. Newslaundry is a product which is not a clone of any other website in the world. The nature of it creates a new space.”

    So, could she not have done a similar media analysis show on mainstream television instead of doing it online? Ms Trehan was candid in her reply when she said: “It is because we did a media analysis that showed a channel is a losing proposition, so we chose to go online.”

     

    However, Mr Abhinandan Sekhri indicated that they did try and go the television way at first: “We did try. We mentioned such a show to various TV channels but they were not ready to put it on their own channel. Also we have so many ideas and so many shows we want to make, and no channel will give us that kind of time. Besides, this is the future. The new irreverent generation consumes media online through mobile devices. Sooner than you think, more people will be consuming media in the online space than conventional TV/magazine. Time will tell which ones work better than others but one thing is for sure – there has to be a change in how we tell our contemporary political and social narratives. News has to be more than it is right now.”

     

    On whether there is space for such a media website, Sevanti Ninan, Editor, The Hoot, commented: “Yes, there is. There is so much media and so little media watch. There is room for more entrants in this space.”

     

    Ms Ninan echoed Mr Sekhri’s views on how no television channel is open to self-criticism. “Where is the mainstream TV channel which is willing to carry criticism of itself and its peers?”

    Even though slowinternet speeds could be hurdle in an uninterrupted visual experience online, Ms Ninan is sure that the site will ‘click’ with viewers. She said: “Journalists love gossip. I think Newslaundry.com will click with them, particularly on account of the interviews with media biggies. What Barkha Dutt or Karan Thapar or Vinod Mehta say will give them something to gossip about. The interviews are a strong point.”

     

    Ms Trehan believes the website will work because “it answers a need that is not fulfilled yet.” In fact Ms Trehan seemed confident of the differentiating factors that NewsLaundry brings to the table. She said: “The difference is that we are combining all of today’s technologies. We have text articles called Criticles. We have what we call Washboards; these are a combination of text, videos and links. We have TV shows webcast. We have cartoons. You cannot do all that on a TV channel. We have the freedom to be far more irreverent. Mainstream TV does not make journalists or journalism accountable. That’s what we aim to do. We ourselves are open to being accountable.”

     

    On being asked on the revenue channels for the website, Ms Trehan replied that they expect revenues from the usual places. As for now, there are partnerships on with Google (and YouTube). Mr Sekhri added: “Advertising is the obvious immediate way, but in future, this space is going to change dramatically with podcasts and apps. And if anyone wants to put it on air on their channel, we’re more than happy to. We think stuff like this should be on TV too. Being able to take a dig at yourself is a sign of self-confidence which news channels need to have. And if anyone wants to pay us coz they think we deserve it, write in your cheques. Online is the future.”

     

  • Last year, Hindi GEC genre fell 6.5% while Hindi news grew 10%… just some of the highlights of TAM Media's 'Impatient Generation' report

    What TV viewers watched in 2011

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Digital viewing of television grew a phenomenal 63 per cent in 2011, indicating the shape of things to come in 2012 and forthcoming years. This and various other results are part of TAM Media Research’s third annual report on television viewing patterns inIndia.

     

    Titled ‘Impatient Generation’, the report was launched by Union sports and youth affairs minister Ajay Maken at the Indian Merchant Chamber’s ‘Fusion 2012’ conference. Ms. Bhavna Doshi, President, Indian Merchant Chamber and Mr LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM, were also present on the occasion.

     

    “We conduct such a study every year. The study, ‘Impatient Generation 2011’, is a quick, reader-friendly compilation of TV viewing trends in 2011. It gives a patient update of the impatient world of audiences consuming TV content. This annual feature attempts to update all advertisers, marketers and other stakeholders on how to reach out to their target groups,” said Mr Krishnan.

     

    Here are some of the highlights of the report:

     

    The TV Viewing Universe

    • C&S at All India level is currently 126 million Households, Digital Households (42 mn) have grown at 63 per cent.
    • C&S and Digital grew by 5 per cent and 61 per cent respectively in TAM reported markets.

     

    Viewing trends in key genres

     

     

    • Hindi General Entertainment Channels (GECs)
      1. Viewership of Hindi GECs genre has seen a 6.5 per cent dip.
      2. Viewership share of Hindi GECs is 38 per cent of all TV viewing and Top 6 GECs account for 90 per cent of the audience shares gained by the genre.
      3. In 2011, Hindi GEC genre has shown a consistent growth in 1-hour special fiction episodes during Prime Time on Weekends.
      4. Delhi, Maharashtra, UP & Gujarat have been the Top performing markets for Hindi GECs genre across years and the viewership returns from Metros have seen a slight drop.

     

    • Hindi Movie Channels
      1. Hindi movie genre holds about 15 per cent of total TV viewing.
      2. Number of unique movies aired in 2011 has decreased by 10 per cent.
      3. Both airtime and viewership of South-dubbed movies has seen a clear growth in 2011.

     

    • Hindi General News
      1. Share of Hindi News genre has witnessed a 10 per cent growth in 2011 after decreasing in 2010.
      2. Returns from News Bulletins has witnessed an appreciable increase while viewing proportion from telecast of Review/Reports has witnessed a decline across years.

     

    • English Entertainment
      1. Overall GRPs have increased by almost 50 per cent with Reach & Time spent contributing to the gain.
      2. Digital penetration increasing in key Metro markets has led to greater access for the channels.
      3. The growth in Consumption led by Time Spent is showing a 15-20 per cent increase.

     

    • Kids Channels
      1. The overall genre with 18 per cent share seems to be on a growth path with new channel launches in 2011. Today, 14 channels constitute the genre.
      2. The Reach levels for 10-14 years age band has improved in 2011.
      3. With the increase in number of channels, Kids genre witnessed a continuous increase in viewership share since 2008.
      4. Homes with Kids are faster in adopting to Digital TV platforms with growth rate touching almost 60 per cent in 2011.

     

    • Sports Genre
      1. Sports genre witnessed 200 million unique viewers in year 2011.
      2. There has been 18 per cent rise in Sports content on TV during 2011.
      3. Live sports coverage continued to garner over 50 per cent of the viewing for any sports content.
      4. 2011 saw 35 per cent growth in advertising volumes, but 70 per cent of volumes continued to be garnered by cricket.

     

    Launch_of_Impatient_Generation_by_Mr.Ajay_Maken, Hon’ble Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Ms. Bhavna Doshi, President, Indian Merchant Chamber and Mr. LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM Media Research

     

    Viewing trends in select regional markets


    • Tamil Nadu
      1. Digital penetration increased by 17 per cent in Tamil Nadu market.
      2. Increase in viewership is because time spent levels increased by 3 per cent in Tamil Nadu market.
      3. Tamil GECs, Music and Sports also witnessed increase in viewership.

     

    • Andhra Pradesh
      1. Digital penetration has just touched 8 per cent in AP market.
      2. While overall Time Spent on TV is high (over 3 hours daily), its growth is just 1 per cent over 2010.

     

    • Karnataka
      1. Kannada GECs, News are primarily on a growth track in viewership.
      2. While serials provided almost 3 times ROI, the growth in viewing for this genre has continued to be excellent with an average of almost 20 per cent in 2011.

     

    • Kerala
      1. Fall in Time Spent by 6 per cent has resulted in overall TV viewing coming down in 2011 but the introduction of new channels has resulted in a growth in viewing again the last few weeks of 2011.
      2. Malayalam GECs dominate with a lion share of 50 per cent with news, movies and music following.
      3. Malayalam Kids Content pick viewing with launch of New channel – Kochu TV.

     

    • West Bengal
      1. Viewership of Bangla regional has witnessed a steady and fast growth from 5 per cent share in the year 2000 to 43 per cent as of 2011, eating into Hindi channels’ share.

    There has been a growth in ratings for regional movies and events as compared to Hindi movies and events.

     

    • Maharashtra
      1. Although total TV viewing remained steady, viewership of Marathi yegional has seen a growth over last year.
      2. The growth is seen maximum on Digital TV platforms (31 per cent), as compared to Analog set of viewers (13 per cent).
      3. Unlike 2010, the Marathi GEC genre had prioritized the airtime mostly for the higher ROI generating contents like fiction, movies and reality shows.
      4. Chat shows/ Interviews (on Marathi news channels) now constitute about 12 per cent of airtime, contributing about 14 per cent of total viewership.

     

    According to Mr Krishnan, the study provides a useful perspective to TV broadcasters and production houses of the where, when and how TV audiences are changing in their tastes and preferences, what content they are rejecting or accepting. “The dynamics that shape an average Indian household viewer’s relationship with TV each day starting from morning to evening is another block that this TAM feature attempts to throw light on,” he said.

     

    MxMIndia will bring you more viewership trends over the next week.

     

  • Comedy Central, a serious contender in the English entertainment channels, has taken the No 3 position in the category in week 1

    It’s comedy time in English entertainment!

    By Rishi Vora

     

    English entertainment channels now have one more serious contender, which has already left an impact at its launch. Comedy Central, from the Viacom 18 stable, has taken the No 3 position in the category in week 1, with 14 per cent market share. It may be noted that Comedy Central is Viacom 18’s sixth channel.

     

    Comedy Central was launched in theUSinitially, and post 2006, extended its presence to other countries. InIndia, it has been launched in seven cities -Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata,Hyderabad,Bangalore, Pune and Ahmedabad, reaching 20 million households across analog, digital cable and DTH.

     

    It is said that the Indian version will have localised content apart from the international library of shows.

     

    Now that the channel is at a reasonable position, the challenge is to keep the momentum going and, slowly but surely, be the No 1 player in the genre. Yes, there are established players, such as Star World and AXN, but Senior VP and General Manager of English Entertainment channels, Viacom 18, Ferzad Palia is of the opinion that Comedy Central has a differentiated offering. It is the first 24-hour comedy channel in English which catersSECAB+ audience.

     

    On why there was a need of a comedy channel in the English entertainment category, Palia explained: “Comedy Central comes as a light hearted channel in an environment which is so much stressed and depressed; something which came up very strongly in our research.”

     

    He added: “Also, the audience which we’re catering to are not on the lookout for crime and drama. And the pattern of the TG which we’ve observed is seen to be non-decisive in a way, where there is not much clarity on what the viewer wants to watch. But, with Comedy Central he knows he is going to get light-hearted humour – all the more reason for him to stick around with the channel.”

     

    With the English speaking population on the rise, consumption of English content too will rise. It is said that 8 per cent of the total population understands English and a subset of that percentage can converse in English. Because English channels reach out to the premium audiences, there are advertisers and brands that look to advertise on English entertainment channels, and Comedy Central is already on the ball as far as tapping advertisers is concerned. It has already got Volkswagen on-board, and a few more premium advertisers will follow.

     

    Apart from advertising, the channel is looking to add to the revenue via subscription, events and merchandise. “We are catering to an audience which no advertiser can afford to ignore. They’re a bunch of aspiring people, very discerning and those who enjoy quality programming. And this audience looks at English entertainment as the only form of entertainment on TV, apart from sports and movies.”

     

    Though the channel seems to have carved out a niche within a niche segment (launching a comedy channel in the English entertainment category), Palia disagrees: “Comedy cuts across gender and age. So in that sense, it isn’t very niche.”

     

    The channel, in next few weeks, will see a full-blown marketing campaign covering, print, outdoor, radio, Internet. The channel was launched with a TV campaign which ran across network channels. Social Media will be one big thrust for the channel as far as marketing is concerned.

     

    Though the market looks a bit crowded with players like Star World, AXN, FX, Fox Crime, Big CBS channels – Spark, Prime, Love and BBC Entertainment, it will be interesting to see how the genre grows and which channels emerge on the top.

     

  • In Freaking News, Ranjona Banerji reviews the fare on primetime news and in the papers

    SIT’s report makes for exciting TV but bad journalism

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    The Special Investigation Team as appointed by the Supreme Court to look at the involvement of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in the Gujarat riots of 2002, particularly with reference to the Gulbarg society case has submitted its report. The report is still in sealed cover. But television spent half of last week going to town over the “clean chit” given to Modi and promptly a number of TV debates were held.

     

    The BJP, quite relieved to get a break from the behaviour of its ministers in Karnataka, sent out its publicity army in full force. TimesNow insisted that it had exclusive “leaks” from the sealed report while every other channel had their “sources” who told them what was in it.

     

    Newspapers, however, were forced to be more circumspect, although Times of India did initially blow up this “clean chit” – ironically on the same day that it headlined the slamming of Modi by the Gujarat High Court over his government’s inaction during the riots.

     

    By Friday morning, newspapers decided to wait for the actual report even as beleaguered BJP spokesperson Nirmala Seetharaman was begging channels to wait for the report. Some like Swapan Dasgupta and Yatin Oza were happy to jump the gun and blame secularists, the Congress, Muslims, activists and other wicked people for blaming Modi.

     

    Much as all this makes for exciting television, it also makes for bad journalism. One can understand our desire for tamasha but one can hope that at least we have some facts before we start jumping to conclusions.

     

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    It was interesting to hear Chief Election Commissioner Y Quereshi telling NDTV how hard the commission has worked to encourage higher voter interest during these UP elections. For some reason, after that the discussion became about low voter interest in Mumbai with lyricist Javed Akhtar and columnist Sandeep Desai holding forth. Quereshi did point out that Allahabad’s track record was worse than Mumbai’s.

     

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    The arrival of Comedy Central on our televisions has meant the welcome addition of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart to our homes. It is well worth watching at 11.30 every night as the comedian takes on American and world politicians and politics, among other things. No one is spared, which is wonderful.

     

    Of course, I understand that all Indian people and things are sacrosanct and far above humour and satire and must never be so sullied but still, kudos to Cyrus Broacha and The Week that Wasn’t on CNN-IBN.

     

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    While on satire, Europe has to sometimes win the day for its devil-may-care attitude. The clip about Rafael Nadal and the power of Spanish athletes – implying drug use – on the satirical programme Les Guignols, shown on the French + Canal channel has Spain up in arms. Legal action will be taken says Spain, as this is one more in a series of allegations by various French sportspersons and media that Spanish sportspersons take performance-enhancing substances. The clip, available on YouTube, is very wicked!

     

  • In Freaking News, Ranjona Banerji reviews the fare on primetime news and in the papers

    Expect the same old, same old this Valentine Day

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Television is the favourite whipping boy of most media commentators and, for the most part, not only is it justified but it also great fun. (Is it also a coincidence that most media commentators have a print background?) But this Sunday’s newspapers were so dull that TV seemed to be a brutal relentless machine working its poor journalists to the bone with its constant hunger for more and more news and therefore deserving of much sympathy. I get five newspapers on a Sunday and finished the lot in an hour.

     

    Most Sunday papers run on a weekly cycle, which means there is ample time to plan and execute. But instead of fresh ideas and stories, we got the same old, same old. It is amply clear that the cutting of newsgathering resources and the desire to replace all talent with an army of sub-editors and, yes, boys and girls has led to a lack of imagination in newsrooms. Is there any point hoping that this is a temporary trend?

     

    Valentine’s Day, which is tomorrow, therefore threatens to bore us to tears as we read about real and manufactured love, as we did last year and the year before.

     

    We are constantly told in the media that we have to appeal to young audiences but I refuse to believe that every 20-year-old in the country is a dimwit who has no chance of recalling the same claptrap which was fed to him or her last year.

     

    * * *

     

    Can someone in The Times of India please get a promotion quick for wonderful stories to promote the boss’s daughter, so we can stop reading stories about Trishla Jain’s exhibition? The subject seems to have been stretched to the absolute limit.

     

    * * *

     

    TV and print seem to have taken quite opposing views on the army chief and his battle over his date of birth. TV was all for General VK Singh and put the government in the dock – and any studio guests who said otherwise were immediately put in the “unpatriotic” category.

     

    In newspapers however, commentators were more balanced and the dangers of the army chief’s actions were discussed. Now that the Supreme Court has rapped the army chief and the government on the knuckles, a more sober approach is being taken. Well, sort of – some sections of the media have now decided that the army chief must resign to protect his honour.

     

    This obsession with other people’s honour is a new media phenomenon andIndia’s star cricketers are its usual victims.

     

  • Celebrity love gurus, special sitcom marathons, music, channels have something special lined up for their viewers this Valentine's Day

    Television channels on Valentine mode

    By a Correspondent

     

    It’s Valentines Day today – a day celebrated by many, abhorred by some and perhaps overlooked by others. And some of the television channels, too, have tweaked their content to suit the Valentine mood.

     

    Zee Cafe

    Zee Cafe will broadcast back-to-back episodes of the popular romantic sitcom ‘Better with You’ from 1:30pm to 5pm on February 14. In addition to this, Zee Cafe has designed an application for Valentine’s Day called ‘Which Is Your Cafe Couple’ where users answer questions about their favourite song, ideal date and so on and based on their answers the app shows them which ‘Cafe Couple’ they’re most like. The result then shows up on the users’ wall with a link to the Cafe fan page and app.

     

    zoOm

    Bollywood celebrities Kareena and Imran will play Love Gurus for fans on zoOm. Katrina Kaif will give a style makeover to a lucky fan. Not only that, celebrities like Ritiesh-Genelia, Prateik-Amy Jackson will be a part of the four day lineup to celebrate the Valentine week on zoOm. The channel has lined up many other activities such as a Bollywood celebrity stylist giving tips for the perfect ‘Valentine’s Day Look’. zoOm has also put together a special music selection for Valentine’s Day.

     

    Big CBS Love

    Big CBS Love will broadcast a special series on romance, love and relationships from February 14 to February 17 from 10am to 10 called “Valentine’s Week Special – Crazy in Love”.

     

  • The 40 pages colour tabloid with cover price of Rs12 is first of its kind in Jharkhand and will be available in all the 4423 Panchayats in 24 districts.

    Prabhat Khabar launches rural tabloid Panchayatnama

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mahatma Gandhi once said: “the soul ofIndialives in its villages”. In fact, he termed them ‘small republics’ and advocated for ‘a village-based political formation’ and the creation of Gram Swaraj. But in time, the essence of villages was lost in rapid urbanization.

     

    Where once almost 70 per cent of population resided in villages which also were our biggest contributor in terms of agriculture and agro-based products, now seems to have gone far away somewhere.

     

    In fact, now a day, even media, for commercial reasons or otherwise, don’t portray the real picture of villages. To bring development and growth to villages of Jharkhand, the leading Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar has launched its fortnightly tabloid ‘Panchayatnama’.

     

    The newspapers was inaugurated by Union Rural Development, Shri Jairam Ramesh in the presence of Shri Primal Nathwani , MP Rajya Sabha , Shri Hemant Soren, Dy. CM, Jharkhand and Ex-Chief Minister Shri Babulal Marandi at ATI Ranchi.

     

    The tabloid will cover and feature Panchayat-oriented news, information and issues such as empowerment to Panchayat people, monitoring and analyzing their development work, information about and reviewal of  government schemes for Panchayat, incorporation of better people in Panchayat for the post of Mukhiya and other Panchayat seats.

     

    The 40 pages colour tabloid with cover price of Rs12 is first of its kind in Jharkhand and will be available in all the 4423 Panchayats in 24 districts.

     

    The tabloid has promised to deliver news with credibility and already 15,000 copies have been booked. It’s a step to revive the identity of ruralIndiaand initiate development programs.

     

    The newspaper targets rural readers like farmers, NGOs, Panchayat members, Gram Sabha, government departments in rural areas and Zilla Parishad.