MxMIndia

Category: MEDIA

  • Brain Hunt-2012 is a roller-coaster ride with 16 mind boggling activities presented in a wonderfully crafted activity workbook

    Dainik Bhaskar Group Launches ‘The Brain Hunt 2012’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dainik Bhaskar Group,India’s largest newspaper group, believes in offering its readers ‘smart engagement’ that aim to fill the void of originality and innovation. This is exemplified by the activities under Bhaskar Champs Club (BCC); a club that provide a platform for students to enrich their knowledge, practical wisdom, creativity and showcase their talents.

     

    The club has been instituted for school students to develop reading habits in ‘Gen-Next’ and boost future readership. The Bhaskar Champs Club has more than 1 lakh members acrossIndia.

     

    In 2012, BCC intends to showcase another mind- engaging activity, ‘The Brain Hunt 2012’, the fourth initiative in a row. ‘Bhaskar Champs Club’, ‘Brain Hunt 2012- The quest for wonder kidz’. The initiative was started with the successful Scrapbook Activity in 2010, which had 9 winners in 3 classifications – class 1-4, 5-8 and 9-12, who were awarded by Aamir Khan, was followed with Junior Picasso (National Level Painting Competition), which led to creation of a desk top calendar from the winning 24 entries in 2011. The same was released by Ms Ambika Soni atDelhi. The year also saw BCC’s ‘Junior Editor-2011’ being recognized by ‘The India Book of Record’ as the Largest Newspaper-making Competition with more than 68,000 student participants which culminated with an evening for the winners with Army Chief Gen

    VK Singh

     

    Mr. Vinay Maheshwari, Vice-President- Sales & Market Development, Dainik Bhaskar, said: “Brain Hunt-2012 is our initiative to hunt for visionary brains. It is a true roller-coaster ride with 16 mind boggling activities presented in a wonderfully crafted activity workbook available pan-India from January 11. Themes and activities in the workbook will test true strength of a student’s creativity and innovation.”

     

    Mr. Maheshwari concluded: “Brain Hunt 2012 will enable students to ‘Imagine

    a Whole New World’, ‘Experiment with the facts’, ‘Visualize the unseen’ and Think

    Unlike!!!’, around which the whole idea has evolved”. The activity starts in January 2012 and will be completed by March 2012.

     

    Dainik Bhaskar Group isIndia’s Largest Newspaper Group and has a strong presence in newspapers, radio, event marketing, printing, short code, Digital, services andMobileapplication.

     

  • As a part of this arrangement, Reebok has designed a customized range of DID dance gear and will retail it in nearly 100 outlets across the country

    DID announces tie-up with Reebok

    By A Correspondent

     

    After nearly three months of anxiety and sleepless nights, the aspirants of Dance India Dance’s ‘Sunehri Taqdeer ki Topi’ have left the gruelling audition process behind.

    All those hours of sweating and stretching will be now rewarded with a chance to be on the coveted stage as a part of Dance India Dance’s (DID) Adbhut 18 and dazzle the viewers with breathtaking performances.

     

    The Masters, Remo D’Souza, Geeta Kapoor and Terence Lewis announced the names of Adbhut 18 inDelhi, who have secured their places in ‘Remo Ke Rangeeley’, ‘Geeta Ki Gang’ and ‘Terence Ki Toli’.

     

    Mr. Ashish Golwalkar, Non Fiction Head, Zee TV said: “This is a momentous occasion for us. After weeks of contemplation and deliberation, we have finally chosen our ‘Adbhut 18’contestants. The contestants were handpicked on the basis of their skill, innovative presentation, versatility and ‘never give up’ attitude. Zee, as a channel, takes immense pride in the fact that dance has boomed in popularity inIndiabecause of a show like Dance India Dance.”

     

    This moment is also significant as DID has announced its tie-up with sportswear giant Reebok. Over the years, Dance India Dance has become a trend setter in the genre. Continuing with the tradition of exploring differentiated marketing on DID; this season the channel has ventured into unexplored territory – a revenue sharing and licensing deal with Reebok.

     

    Regarding the licensing and merchandising deal with Reebok, Mr Akash Chawla, Head-Marketing, National Channels, ZEEL said: “DID stands for great quality of dancing and extreme rigor. DID has always been a progressive brand which has been an aspiration to many. Taking this forward, this season we have ventured into a licensing contract with Reebok. This is a first at Zee TV that a costume range will be unveiled. As a part of this arrangement, Reebok has designed a customized range of DID dance gear and will retail it in nearly 100 outlets across the country. This will help us to extend our brands into new product categories, and will also help increase the popularity of the brand.”

     

    Mr. Sajid Shamim, Brand Director, Reebok said: “At Reebok, we have always focused our efforts on creating products that bring elements of life, sport and style together. Through this association with ‘Dance India Dance’, we are celebrating fitness through the medium of dance, which at its core is fun and enjoyable. The Dance India Dance collection has taken its inspiration from the various forms of dance. Comprising of graphic t-shirts in vibrant and bright colours, this collection celebrates the spirit of dance.”

     

    The Reebok and Dance India Dance Apparel Collection brings together dance and fashion with daily wear, value-added design elements. Graphic T-shirts and hoodies for men, with ‘Born to Dance’ and ‘Live Love Dance’ written in bright neon colours have specially been made keeping in mind dance enthusiasts across the country. The women’s has a ‘DID – Born to Dance’ racer back and flick pant for all the hardcore dancers. Graphic t-shirts complete the “Fit for the street” Dance Inspired Streetwear collection.

     

    Both Zee and Reebok feel that this synergy between dance lovers and sports lovers will surely work wonders for both the brands.

  • History TV18 is the first international channel to launch in Gujarati

    Saaru chhe! History channel now in Gujarati

    By A Correspondent

     

    History TV18,India’s number one factual entertainment channel, announced the launch of its Gujarati feed. The viewers ofGujaratwill now be able to watch their favourite channel in their preferred language – Gujarati.

     

    History TV18 is the first international channel to launch in Gujarati. With this launch, it is also the only factual entertainment channel to be available in seven languages – Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi and English. All the programmes and the fixed program chart (FPC) schedule will remain identical in all the language feeds.

     

    Viewers using digital platforms will be able to choose their preferred language through their remote controls.

     

    Speaking on the launch, Ajay Chacko, President, A+E Networks I TV18 said: “Our objective is to grow the genre and make it a relatively mainstream alternative for viewers in the near future. With this objective in mind, we intend to make the channel available in every Indian language possible and entertain audiences all acrossIndia.”

     

    Sudheer KG, V P Programming, A+E Networks | TV18 JV said: “As Indian audiences mature and seek out more international content in their own languages, there is no better time than now to launch our Gujarati feed. The incredible level of aspirations of people speaking that language and a large youth population make it all the more appealing and lucrative. We have taken care to ensure that the translation retains a certain local flavour, making the channel more accessible and relatable.”

     

    Gujarat is an important market for factual entertainment after Mumbai andDelhias it contributes as much as 7 per cent to the genre in 1 Mn+ towns. Ever since its launch History TV18 has been a strong player inGujaratwith the highest viewership in 0.1-1Mn market cluster and also highest time spent per viewer in 1Mn+ market cluster. Through this initiative the channel hopes to strengthen its position even more.

     

    History TV18 emerged as the number 1 channel in 6 metros in factual entertainment within months of its launch. The channel has in the process expanded the genre by 55 per cent, drawing in the highest time spent per viewer in the genre. It is the first in a bouquet of factual entertainment channels to be launched by A+E Networks I TV18.

     

  • The report has captured the gender and the age profiling of the remote in-charge for different one-hour slots, from 7pm to 11pm, on both weekdays and weekends.

    Who controls the remote? Ormax Media study released

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ormax Media has released a report on understanding the remote control dynamics in single TV households inIndiacalled ‘And The Remote Goes To…’

     

    This large scale syndicated study was conducted across 7 cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Indore, Lucknow, Jalandhar and Hyderabad – and with 5,547 regular prime time television viewers as respondents.

     

    The study aimed to answer the question that has obsessed the television industry: “Who controls the remote at different times?” The report has captured the gender and the age profiling of the remote in-charge for different one-hour slots, from 7pm to 11pm, on both weekdays and weekends. It has also captured the differences in the profile of the remote in-charge by markets, SEC and family size.

     

    Speaking about the study, Shailesh Kapoor, CEO, Ormax Media said: “One of the limitations of television ratings is that they don’t tell us who the decision maker is. Marketing is about talking to decision makers and influencers, not the actual consumers. In television, this reality is even more pertinent, given the nature of TV viewing inIndia– single TV households where the entire family watches TV together. In such a scenario, whom should you be talking to? A man or a woman or

    both? The youth, the newly married, the middle-aged, or all of them? What is the best time and day to attract each of these segments? This study has answered several such relevant but under-rated questions.”

     

    The report is available to broadcasters, media agencies and advertisers for a one-time subscription cost of Rs40,000. Mr Kapoor said: “This study was done to share useful data across the industry. Hence, we have priced it in a way that the entire television and media fraternity, including the smaller channels and advertisers, can use it for better understanding of their audiences.”

     

    Ormax Media isIndia’s first and only research and consulting firm specializing in the media & entertainment industry. It is also the owner of 19 proprietary research products that are being used widely across the media industry. Setup in 2008 by Vispy Doctor and Shailesh Kapoor, the company partners with 81 leading media brands, including Star India, Viacom 18, Multi Screen Media, Zee Network, Viacom 18, Times Television, Disney, Yash Raj Films, Group M, Radio City, Eros and many others.

     

  • The gala evening in Ranchi had approximately 40,000 passionate music lovers, besides 4,000 army officials, experience a thrilling performance.

    Asha Bhosle, Babul Supriyo enthral at Prabhat Khabar event

    By A Correspondent

     

    Jharkhand’s number one Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar organized musical evening “Sur Sandhya” on January 8, featuring queen of melody and versatile singer Asha Bhosle along with acclaimed playback singer Babul Supriyo.

     

    The gala evening, which was organized at Birsa Munda Football Stadium, Morabadi Ranchi, had approximately 40,000 passionate music lovers, besides 4,000 army officials experience a thrilling performance during the open-air programme.

     

    The dignitaries attending the event included the deputy chief minister, chief justice, senior army officers, ministers and IAS officials.

     

    The golden-voiced singer sang many of her best scores which left audiences and dignitaries spellbound. As the dusk fell, the audience were completely wrapped in the singer’s sensational tunes. Bhosle was ably accompanied by an all-charged up Babul Supriyo, known for his unique voice, who entertained with his famous scores.

     

  • Colors, MTV and Big Boss are the most watched on Zenga TV, pioneer in mobile TV.

    Mobile TV breaks viewership records in 2011

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zenga TV, a pioneer in mobile TV, on January 9, announced that live and video on demand mobile TV has set new viewership records in 2011. Zenga TV achieved 421 million video views across different channels compared to less than 150 million video views in 2010.

     

    Top 10 Mobile TV Live channels on Zenga TV Top 10 Video on Demand content on Zenga TV
    1. Colors 1. Big Boss
    2. MTV 2. Big Boss Uncut
    3. UTV movies 3. Roadies
    4. AajTak 4. Uttaran
    5. UTV Bindaas 5. Splits Vile
    6. NDTV Good Times 6. Khatron ke khiladi
    7. CNN IBN 7. Stunt Mania
    8. Headlines Today 8. FTV La finnesse
    9. 9xm 9. Bakwas band kar of 9XM
    10. E24 10. Pankaj Avasti

     

    Shabiir Momiin, CEO, Zenga TV, said, “The phenomenal following that Zenga TV content, ranging from mobile TV, video on demand and even the latest launch Web TV, has garnered is truly inspiring. I would like to congratulate our channel and content partners and advertisers for showing faith in this new platform and encouraging our growth for a truly rewarding partnership. To thank our loyal viewers who have made this success possible, I would like to promise them even more compelling content and service in 2012. I would also like to extend my special thanks to content partners, especially Viacom 18, for their support.”

     

    Highlighting the ingredients for success, Vikramjiet Roy, Director, Zenga TV, said, “Our focus on delivering the best quality streaming and optimal content presentation and pricing was the key to this growth in viewership. The Zenga TV team worked non-stop to make sure that a glitch free service was constantly delivered and I thank them for this unrelenting effort.”

     

    Zenga TV is one of the leading providers of TV services for live TV channels, other entertainment, reality shows and news content optimized for viewing on mobile and web screens. Zenga also delivered the Live IPL in 2010 on YouTube, which was again the first time for IPL on web. Zenga holds the exclusive rights to Viacom 18 channels like Colors and MTV which has a strong following in India. Zenga has done many live, unique and exclusive events like Sunburn from Goa and Crunch for MTV which was a Live 24 x 7 reality shows on web and mobile.

     

  • Continues to dominate the genre for the fourth consecutive year.

    Times Now tops English news channel genre once again

    By A Correspondent

     

    Times Now,India’s No.1 English news channel maintained its stronghold on the English news genre for the fourth consecutive year. The channel has yet again reinforced its leadership position, dominating the genre with its unmatched news, views and analysis.

     

    Times Now lead the genre with a channel share of 33 per cent (TAM: All India 1mn+; CS Male AB 25+ years; All day, 24 hrs; 2011 data till week 53), whereas CNN-IBN and NDTV 24×7 garnered 28 per cent and 19 per cent respectively.

     

    The channel continues to provide sharp, precise and comprehensive news. With a viewership of 2.3 million, Times Now has emerged as the trusted voice of the people.

     

    Enjoying prime time viewership, Times Now garnered a channel share of 34 per cent (Prime Time: 19.00 – 23.30; TAM: All India 1mn+; CS Male 25+ AB; All days, 24 hours; Week 1 to Week 53 ’11) as against CNN-IBN and NDTV 24X7 with 30 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

     

    The Newshour anchored by Arnab Goswami is the most watched English news show. Garnering a share of 42 per cent with the genre (All India 1mn+; CS Male 25+ AB; Week 1 to Week 53 ’11), The Newshour enjoyed an immense viewership as against 28 per cent and 17 per cent by CNN-IBN and NDTV 24×7 respectively.

     

    By capturing pertinent news like the uninterrupted live coverage of the Anna Hazare movement or breaking the story on the infant deaths inWest Bengalor even bringing a bird’s eye view of the action during the Parliament’s winter session, the channel has been relentless in highlighting issues and debating key developments that impact the nation at large.

     

    Times Now has set itself apart as a strong news brand that delivers relevant, insightful and an unbiased reportage of news inIndiaand around the world.

     

    Times Television Network informs and entertains over 100 million urban affluent audiences acrossIndiawith ET Now, Movies Now, Times Now, & zoOm. The network is available in 21 other countries across the globe. Times Television Network is part ofIndia’s largest media conglomerate, The Times Group.

     

  • The awards will salute the business leaders whose relentless pursuit of excellence fuelledIndia’s journey to the forefront of the world economy

    NDTV Profit Business Leadership Awards to honour India Inc

    By A Correspondent

     

    NDTV is all set to honour India Inc at the seventh NDTV Profit Business Leadership Awards. The awards will salute the business leaders whose relentless pursuit of excellence has fuelledIndia’s journey to the forefront of the world economy.

     

    Announcing the seventh edition of the awards, Manvi Dhillon, Managing Editor of NDTV Profit said, “2011 was an extremely challenging year for corporate India. Despite the global headwinds and the domestic challenges, India Inc stood steady. The evidence lies in the fact thatIndiais still one of the fastest growing economies in the world. We, at NDTV, are proud to announce the seventh edition of the NDTV Profit Business Leadership Awards to recognize and honour the most resilient and the strongest business leaders of this year.”

     

    The Award ceremony will be a high powered event with the crème de la crème of corporateIndiaattending it and will be graced by Union Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee as Chief Guest in Mumbai on January 7, 2012.

     

    Partnering NDTV for the awards, Kanakia Group’s Rasesh Kanakia, Chairman and Managing Director, said, “2011 was a year of economic challenges; some of them being of the kind that could wither the roots of any business house, as market volatility (affected by global economic slowdown) led to uncertainties, thus slowing down growth plans. Consumers became tougher to appease, investors became conservative in taking decisions and business houses got more aggressive to sustain their growth. All in all, it was a year where success got elusive, but Indian Business has shown the character and the courage to have sustained well. Having been a witness to such a strong show of character, it only makes us proud to associate with NDTV Profit in honouring some of these extraordinary business leaders..”

     

    The jury for the NDTV Profit Business Leadership Awards this year comprised leading names from the industry and the business world such as Naina Lal Kidwai, Group General Manager and Country Head, HSBC India; T N Ninan, Chairman and Editorial Director, Business Standard; Kalpana Morparia, CEO, J P Morgan, India; Shanti Ekambaram, Group Head Wholesale Banking, Kotak Mahindra Bank;  Zia Mody, Senior Partner, AZB & Partners; Prannoy Roy, Chairman, NDTV; Dorab Sopariwala, Editorial Advisor, NDTV; Manvi Dhillon, Managing Editor, NDTV Profit.

     

    After a rigorous screening process and discussion amongst the eminent jury members they have determined the winners in categories that include Automobile (Four Wheelers and Two Wheelers), Aviation, Banking (Public and Private), Consumer Durables, Consumer Product Goods, Engineering, Hospitality, Infrastructure and Insurance Life, Corporate Social Responsibility and Inclusion and Diversity Award.

     

  • A revered name in the world of Indian music, Amit Saigal revolutionized the world of rock and his death has sent shock waves among musicians and fans.

    Rock Street Journal founder Amit Saigal no more

    By Akash Raha

     

    Amit Saigal, Founder and Editor of Rock Street Journal (RSJ) passed away on January 5, 2012 in Goa. According to reports, he was drowned.

     

    Mr Saigal was a rock lover and an artist himself. He was a part of a band called ‘Impact’ in his early days.

     

    Mr Saigal, along with Shena Gamat Saigal, started RSJ, a monthly magazine that covers the rock music circuit inIndiaand South Asia in 1993 atAllahabad. He printed the first edition of RSJ at his own expenses inAllahabadand distributed approximately 2,500 copies for free as the magazine hardly had any buyers then.

     

    But the magazine soon caught the attention of rock lovers and started getting rave reviews. Ever since then, the magazine remains a favourite with rock lovers. Over the years, the magazine has helped to build immense support for rock musicians inIndiaandSouth Asia.

     

    The magazine is now published fromDelhi. The RSJ group also hosts the Great India Rock Festival, which gives new and budding rock talents a platform to perform.

     

    Amit Saigal, through his publication and concerts, revolutionized the rock scene in India. Mr Saigal’s untimely demise comes as a shock to one and all.

     

  • Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC), a public joint stock company based in UAE, provides media content across various platforms including television, publishing, radio, digital and so on

    Radio Mirchi to enter Abu Dhabi as ENIL ties up with ADMC

    By A Correspondent

     

    Entertainment Network (India) Ltd has informed BSE that the company intends to enter into strategic business arrangement with Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC), a public joint stock company based inAbu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates.

     

    ADMC is a multi-platform media organisation and is inter-alia in the business of providing media content across various platforms including television, publishing, radio, digital and so on. ADMC owns multiple radio frequencies which broadcast across the UAE.

     

    As part of business arrangement, the company shall provide limited advisory services to ADMC for launch of a radio station in the UAE. The company will also grant a conditional license to ADMC for use of its Brand ‘Radio Mirchi(R)‘.

     

    Some of the other radio stations run by ADMC are Quran Kareem, an institution for more than 30 years, broadcasts both live and recorded recitals of the Holy Quran; Emarat FM, a pioneering Khaleej radio station that attracts listeners from the UAE and the Gulf with its interactive and entertaining programs that combine entertainment, songs, music, news and live shows; Abu Dhabi FM, the oldest Arabic radio station in the Gulf; Star FM, which targets bilingual, expat Arabs in the 15-35 year age range who have had some exposure to Western musical tastes and culture; and Abu Dhabi Classic FM, the first Western classical music radio station in the Gulf.

     

  • The channels have an exciting line-up of Disney’s best loved, award-winning programs and interactive contests with more than 5000 prizes up for grabs

    Mega New Year celebrations on Disney channels

    By A Correspondent

     

    Disney Television Network, the number 1 entertainment destination for kids and their families, is set to celebrate the New Year with its varied programming. Disney channel will end 2011 with the award winning Disney classic movie UP on December 31 at 11 am.

     

    UP is a heart-warming comedy adventure about a 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds ofSouth America, along with an overly optimistic 8-year-old wilderness explorer named Russell. The movie won the Academy Awards for the Best Animated Feature and the Best Original Score and the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2010.

     

    In his very first voice acting role, renowned Bollywood actor Anupam Kher has voiced the lead character Carl in Hindi. Commenting on his role, Anupam Kher said: “What makes this movie exciting is that it’s a fantasy film with believable characters. Carl can be from any part of the world or country. He is an ordinary man who fulfills an extraordinary promise and that truly makes him special.”

     

    Families can “kick-off” 2012 with the uber-cool soccer star David Beckham in conversation with famous Disney duo, brothers Phineas and Ferb on “Take Two with Phineas and Ferb” on January 1. The show is a series of fun interviews where the brothers talk to celebs like David Beckham. They have many more exciting ones already in the pipeline for the New Year.

     

    Adding some interactive fun and learning for the young ones will be an exciting contest inspired by Disney Junior’s popular interactive show, “Jake and The Neverland Pirates”. The show features comic and host Cyrus Broacha as the voice of “Sharky” along with musician Sid Coutto as the voice of “Bones”. The talented duo is also seen on the show with an entertaining live-action routine which has been locally produced inIndia.

     

    Beginning January 1, young viewers can brush up their counting skills every Monday to Friday by tuning into “Disney Junior Jake Contest” from 11 am to 12.30 pm and win more than 1000 cool prizes including Jake’s special Doubloon memorabilia, tee shirts, bandanas and DVDs.

     

    Disney’s action, adventure and comedy destination for boys, Disney XD will be revving up the content pipeline in the New Year starting with Disney classic blockbuster ‘The Lion King’ on January 1, 2011 at 12. A brand new fun-filled show about a creative and quirky hero – “Scaredy Squirrel”, inspired by the popular book series by Melanie Watt will start on Disney XD on January 9, 2011.

     

    In the new year, the channel will create a strong destination for Marvel-branded characters and stories with the launch of Spider-man on weekdays. While the excitement on popular show “Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil” is already on the upswing with a spectacular contest where fans can win over 100 cool prizes every day, including skateboards, Playstations, camping sets, snorkeling sets and Ipods.

     

    Hungama TV will ring in the New Year with new episodes of popular show “Guzura”, which follows the chubby little dinosaur and his misadventures as he interacts with humans and other animals.

     

    The channel will also feature exiting contests with over 1000 goodies waiting to be bagged by Hungama fans.

     

  • New Year events in Delhi may get jeopardized due to issuance of legal notices by PPL to defaulting hotels and pubs for not securing licenses for public performances

    Pay up or face the music, PPL tells major hotels & pubs

    By A Correspondent

     

    The city may fall short of venues to welcome the New Year this time as the Phonographic Performance Ltd. (PPL) has served notices to many well-known hotels and pubs. These legal notices have been issued to venues that have not paid the requisite music license fee to play music at their year-end events. PPL plans to initiate strict legal action against defaulters in case the license fee is paid ahead of their planned events. The following hotels have been given interim injunction by the Delhi High Court: Radisson Blu Hotel, Paschim Vihar, Hype at Shangri-La Hotel, QBA, Sheraton Hotel, Hilton Hotel, Double Tree Hilton, ChalChitra, Crowne Plaza, Wyndham Hotel, Club Sirocco, Nautica, Play Lounge Bar, 3 Stories, The Glassy Junction, Hang Out, Club Headquarters, Pritampura. PPL has issued notices to all prominent places which have failed to pay music license fee across the country.

     

    Vipul Pradhan, CEO, PPL said: “New Year parties attract people promising them a good time through a combination of entertainment, food and beverage. A significant component of the sum charged from the customers is for music. Therefore, the music companies whose sound recording is regularly used have a right towards claiming their due because their product is also getting consumed.”

     

    Any performance of Indian or even international music, in public places or commercial establishments such as hotels & resorts, restaurants, bars, pubs, discotheques, cruise liners, cinema halls, shops, offices, and so on, rendered without first having obtained a licence from PPL constitutes an infringement of Copyright under the Copyright Act,  1957. Under the statutory sanction of section 35 in the Indian Copyright Act, playing commercial music in public without paying the requisite license fee is an offence liable to contempt of court. Section 35 grants exclusivity to PPL to issue licenses to hotels/ pubs for playing music during the events in their respective premises. The tariff for the same is calculated on the basis of the number of hours the music is to be played and the number of people expected to attend the event.

     

    “Musical nights and customized New year events rake in huge revenues for organizers. A year ending event cannot be imagined without music! Yet, when it comes to paying for the commercial use of music, the event organizers chose to evade the license fee,” said Mr. Sowmya Chowdhury, Country Head, PPL.

     

    Mr Avinash D’Souza, National Sales Manager, PPL feels: “Music labels have complete authority over the sound recordings and using them without a proper license can bring the events & parties to a standstill. People should also act proactively and check with their chosen properties to avoid a last minute inconvenience or embarrassment. To prevent such situations, this year we have expanded our operations to a National Campaign in all major cities.”

     

    Every year pubs/ hotels target revenues with customized New Year packages but are reluctant to pay a nominal license fee (which varies depending on the number of hours for which the music is played) to PPL. Thus, flouting the norms and eating into the royalties of the music labels. DJs, too, need to abide by PPL guidelines if they continue to play music without paying the license fees.