MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • How does a media house reconcile between the principles of journalism and the need to make money?

    Join the MxMIndia Monday Debate: Are our papers and channels scared of taking on Big Biz?

    The Monday News Debate @MxMIndia

    The news media today is an exciting place – not just because of phenomenal growth but also because of all the questions that this growth throws up. The advent and massive expansion of television and now the explosion of the internet pose new challenges every day to traditional precepts and practices of journalism. The Radia tapes, the Murdoch revelations, the Anna Hazare movement all led to much discussion and even heat within and outside the media.

    Keeping this in mind, MxMIndia announces a new feature – a series of debates (and discussions) on issues which affect, concern or threaten the news media. Some of these will be by invitation but we also invite our readers to participate by suggesting issues that need taking up and contributing to the debates.

    We are starting out with the news media, but will in addition move to areas of marketing, advertising and the media later.

    Here’s how it will go. Each month, we will tackle one issue. So October will be Big Business and the News Media.

    It’s an old problem and one that never seems to go away: how does a media house reconcile between the principles of journalism and the need to make money? In today’s context of paid news and adspace-for-equity deals, is the media frightened to take on big business for fear of losing revenue? Are they not therefore, in the long run, depriving the reader of legitimate news which may well make a difference to their lives? We foresee an exciting discussion in the making. Did someone say slanging match?

     

    If you have a view on Big Business and the New Media, email us at editor@mxmindia.com with the subject line BBNM. On every Monday in the month of October, we’ll carry your views as well as those of commentators whom we invite to write.

     

    MxM News Debates will be coordinated by Ranjona Banerji, senior journalist and Contributing Editor, MxMIndia.

  • Intel Capital invests in Atul Phadnis’s What’s-On-India, along with Sequoia Capital and Nexus VP

    First on MxM: What’s-On-India gets Intel inside

    By A Correspondent

    What’s-On-India, the Indian TV industry’s popular EPG company, has raised funding from a group of investors, including Intel Capital. What’s-On-India’s existing investors – Sequoia Capital and Nexus Venture Partners – also participated in the latest funding round. The investment is aimed at expanding the technology vertical into new and emerging technologies as well as strengthening the company’s owned media portfolio.
    Atul Phadnis, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, What’s-On-India said, “Over the last 3 years, What’s-On-India has made tremendous advances both on the Technology front as well as the Media businesses. We are delighted to have Intel Capital as an investor in this journey given Intel’s focus on smart TV and other technology areas.“
    “Smart TVs, digital set-top boxes and other IPTV devices are transforming the living room and changing the way people consume content. As these new gadgets get embraced, Whats-on-India is well positioned, through their technology and content, to create compelling user experiences,” said Sudheer Kuppam, MD, Asia Pacific, Intel Capital.
    What’s-On-India is India’s premier (and perhaps only) TV guidance company working with all major TV Networks and Operators. The company’s vision is to enable TV content search, discovery and guidance across varied platforms and technologies. What’s-On-India’s Technology vertical runs India’s largest multi-platform, multi-lingual, multi-device Electronic Program Guide (EPG) system that covers more than 550 TV Channels on the source side and powers EPGs into more than 20 million set-top-boxes and devices on the destination end.
    The media vertical of the company runs the “What’s-On-India” channel, that is currently available via cable, satellite and DTH other than on web portals and via widgets and apps on Tablets, Mobile and Smart-TVs.

  • Mohit Sainani, who was head of marketing at Mid-Day, has called it a day. He has now joined Star India.

    Mohit Sainani quits Mid-Day, joins Star India

    By Shubhangi Mehta

    Mr Mohit Sainani who was working as the marketing head, Mid Day for the past four years, has quit and moved to Star India.

    Industry sources confirm that Mr Sainani’s designation at Star has not been decided yet but he will be working closely with Mr Neville Bastawalla, AVP marketing,Star India Pvt Ltd. It may be recalled that Mr Bastawala had joined Star India as Head of Marketing for Star World and Star Movies. He too was previously with Mid-Day as Head of Marketing for a little over three years from where he exited early in December 2010.

    Prior to Mid Day, Mr Sainani had a stint with Compass BPO as a Marketing Manager where he reported into the CEO. Before that he worked with Times of India as Assistant Manager and as Relationship Manager with Citibank NA.

    Star India, the leading media and Entertainment Company in India has the highest reach among the country’s broadcasters, beaming to over 140 million people every week across India and over 65 countries across the globe. Its portfolio includes 33 channels in eight languages spanning the household brands Star Plus, Star One, Star Gold, Channel [V], Star Jalsha, Star Pravah, Star World, Star Movies, Star Utsav; along with the joint venture channels Asianet, Asianet Plus, Star Vijay, Suvarna, Star News, ESPN and Star Sports.

    Star India also manages a portfolio of business ventures including DTH operator Tata Sky; cable system Hathway, channel distributor Star Den, news channel operator MCCS, the film production and distribution business Fox Star Studios India and Star CJ Home Shopping.

  • Ormax Media launches research vehicle for television production houses

    TV companies can get on board this research bus

    By A Correspondent

    Ormax Media has launched a research omnibus for production houses making fiction and non-fiction shows on television. The product, called Television Omnibus, will address the consumer research needs of production houses in a cost-effective manner.

    Mr Shailesh Kapoor, CEO, Ormax Media said, Today, many production houses are research-savvy. They have the ability to appreciate consumer feedback on their programmes, as well as act upon it. However, unlike broadcasters, production houses may not be able to afford ongoing large-scale consumer research for all their properties. Television Omnibus is a product that will address their needs in a timely and cost-effective manner.

    Research under Television Omnibus will be conducted across the country using focus group discussions and depth interviews. While several production houses will subscribe to the product, each will have access to the findings of only their programmes. Additionally, production houses can also use Television Omnibus to test new programme concepts, as well as understand consumer trends such as weekend programming, mythological shows, youth channels, emerging trends, etc.

    Mr Kapoor added, Television Omnibus will help production houses pre-empt any drop in ratings of their programmes, by being in constant touch with their consumers. Three production houses have already signed up with us, and we expect another three to four to be on board in the next two months.

    Ormax Media, India’s first research and consulting firm specializing in the media and entertainment industry, works with broadcasters, film producers, radio networks, print publications, media agencies, DTH service providers, etc in the areas of qualitative research, quantitative research and consulting.

     

  • As information and broadcasting minister in 1980-84, Vasant Sathe fought many battles to bring in colour television to the country

    RIP, Vasant Sathe, grand patron of colour TVs in India

    By Pradyuman Maheshwari

     

    Not many amongst mediapersons and marketers may know that former minister and veteran Congress leader Vasant Purshottam Sathe, who passed away last Friday, was the man who fought with a variety of lobbies and brought colour television to India in 1982.

    I still recall the news reports on Sathe in the very early ‘80s where as information and broadcasting minister had a tough time with the black-and-white television lobby. Finally, it was the Asian Games and World Cup Hockey that did the trick. Guess the fact that Rajiv Gandhi was general secretary of the Congress then and was actively involved with the Asiad would’ve also helped.

    Sathe was also instrumental in spreading the Doordarshan network by setting up low power transmitters. This eventually led DD introducing the National Network.  He is reported to have faced opposition to introducing sponsored programmes, but later the pubcaster was receptive to the concept. And how!

    I don’t remember much about this, but I read on a bio on his website that he also helped in clearing the controversies around Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi.

    While it’s true that colour television would’ve eventually entered India even if Vasant Sathe had not intervened, but surely it wouldn’t have happened in 1982.

    1990 possibly.

     

    Photograph: Image of his book cover on vasantsathe.com

     

    **

    My Delhi trip and MxMIndia.com’s code of ethics

     

    Met the awardwinning CEO of an awarding winning channel at the Delhi airport while I was on my way back yesterday. I was in the Capital to meet the MxMIndia team and interview a few possible recruits as also attend a luxury magazine’s awards do. The event was at the Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort which is located some 20 km from Noida in Greater Noida.

    I accepted the offer for a night’s stay because while Jaypee Greens is an excellent place, it is in the back of beyond. Plus I wanted a sneak peek at some of the facilities being created for the F1 next month.

    So how does a junket like this work with your Code of Ethics, the CEO asked me. One, our report on the event will clearly carry the disclosure in the story that we are subjected to the hospitality. And, two, while any degree of hospitality extended would amount to it being a junket, the only reason I accepted it was that I believed that attending the awards would help me understand the high-end luxury content space better as also interact with the people who matter in the business. Which I did. As a bonus, I also met a few senior mediapersons at the do.

    Had to trek back to South Delhi for my meetings and finally to the airport.

    However, having been quizzed by the CEO and realising that MxMIndia and I are going to be subjected to some scrutiny on this count, I guess there is need to be even more vigilant in ensuring that we adhere to the Code.

    Aatma chintan, as the BJP calls it.

  • NDTV�s flagship lifestyle channel, NDTV Good Times, completes four entertaining years

    Four years of good times with NDTV

    By A Correspondent

    NDTV Good Times, the flagship channel of NDTV Lifestyle, part of the NDTV Group, has completed four successful years of establishing a niche for itself in the lifestyle genre. It has made a firm place for itself among its target audience of socially upbeat, well travelled, cosmopolitan viewers who live in style, adore fashion, are adventurous about food and travel.

    NDTV Good Times has always presented world-class, aspirational lifestyle programming that advocates living large – giving its viewers affirmative mantras for how to enjoy food, both Highway and Michelin star, find good health through salsa and yoga, fashion on ramps both Indian and global and how to relish travel and luxury from both far and near. The line-up of shows has covered every aspect of the lifestyle genre to portray and cater to an increasingly global India.The programming has offered fresh, original content while constantly working with new, engaging out-of-the-box formats.

    The channel has announced plans to launch a series of new shows in the coming quarter, and also a new series called Yoga Sutra. Adding to that, The Kingfisher Calendar Hunt comes back for a new season, hotter than before and at a surprising new location.

    Ms Smeeta Chakrabarti, Chief Executive Officer, NDTV Lifestyle said, We always strive to offer something unique and exciting to our viewers and we shall continue to do so in the coming years. I thank our viewers for their continuous support.

    Ms Shibani Sharma Khanna, Channel Head, NDTV Good Times added, As India’s first lifestyle channel turns four, the bar has been raised higher. Audiences will see more energy, variety and zest along with new formats and genres.

    In these four years, NDTV Good Times has won several awards recognizing its unique programming with shows like Highway On My Plate, No Big Deal and Making of the Kingfisher Calendar, and was judged as the ‘Best Fashion & Lifestyle Channel’ at the ITA (Indian Television Academy) Awards for the last two consecutive years.

  • Fast company, any takers?

    Over the last few months, social activist Anna Hazare has become a household name. , and his feat has surpassed many notions mass movements.[didnt understand] Few young people would have encountered a mass uprising of this dimension, and the sentiment that Mr Hazare sparked has inspired many sections of society to make a difference. The rebellion encompasses men and women from all classes and social strata, and that is what makes this popular movement different.

     

    As Mr Hazare’s fast ran into the next day and the next, media houses kept notching up higher TRPs with every passing hour. Such events are news organizations dream come true, as they keep their platter full for days on end. Ramlila Maidan was filled with Mr Hazare’s supporters, militating for a strong Lokpal Bill, and media houses enjoyed a bullish viewership.

     

    But not everyone is convinced about the media’s activism and its role in the issue. The media has been repeatedly accused of sensationalism and blowing the issue out of proportion. It is blamed for supporting a popular movement, even without knowing what consequence it (the Bill) will lead to.

     

    Speaking on media’s role in the recent Anna’s fight against corruption Anupama Maitra, Lecturer at Calcutta University, said I have serious reservations about the role of media in general, and the Anna hype is no exception. There is a lot of money behind it and it is motivation enough to blow issues out of proportion.

     

    Apart from watching the media’s action from the monetary perspective, some also differ with its role ideologically. According to Aatrayee Ghosh, MPhil student at JNU, The whole issue is an overhyped mass craze that is demanding the destruction of its own democracy and its institutions; and the major role played in building this hype is by the media.

     

    However, not all is lost for the media, as some sections of society still feel that it has played a pioneering role in recent times. Sahil Mullick, Advocate, Bombay High Court, said, Alas; India as a country is acting critical, conversational[?] and ignorant on a common issue. Thanks to a relatively more pro-active and less commercial approach of the media, 121 crore people of my country know there is something going on.

  • Media Rights for UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League 2012-15 announced in Asia; Astro, Ten Sports and S Media awarded exclusive rights

    UEFA media rights announced

    By A Correspondent

    UEFA has announced the award of 2012-15 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League media rights to various territories in Asia.

    Malaysia and Brunei: Pay television operator Astro has been awarded exclusive media rights for the 2012-15 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. Football fans in Malaysia and Brunei will be able to see live at least six UEFA Champions League and at least four UEFA Europa League matches per matchweek, as well as highlights and delayed match coverage for both competitions each week. Astro will exploit the rights across its Astro SuperSport pay platform throughout the territories. UEFA would like to thank long-time partner, incumbent UEFA Champions League rights holder ESPN Star Sports for its valued contribution to the competition.

    Indian Subcontinent: Ten Sports, operated by Taj TV, has renewed its exclusive rights for the 2012-15 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. Ten Sports will broadcast live at least four matches per matchweek, as well as delayed coverage and highlights for both club competitions. Live and delayed broadcasts of the matches will be available on Ten Sports and Ten Action+, with highlights being broadcast on Ten Sports. Ten Sports has acquired the rights across all broadcast platforms which shall enable it to reach significant audiences throughout India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

    Myanmar: S Media has been granted all rights to the 2012-15 UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. S Media will broadcast live at least six matches per matchweek on its pay television channels, as well as highlights and delayed coverage, in respect of both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

    All rights have been granted on a platform-neutral basis, so all broadcast partners will exploit the rights via television, internet and mobile.

    Commenting on the award of these media rights in Asia, UEFA said:

    “The media rights sales process is successfully continuing in Asia, reflecting the growing interest for UEFA’s club football competitions in the region. UEFA is happy to announce these deals as they will enable football fans throughout the respective territories to enjoy increased levels of match choice and coverage of both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League”

    Meanwhile, Ten Sports has been signed as the national broadcast partner for the I-League 2011-2012 season by IMG Reliance.

    Known for its global coverage of football, cricket and motor sport, Ten Sports’ portfolio of channels includes Ten Sports, Ten Cricket, Ten Action+. For the 2011-2012 I-League season Ten Sports, will broadcast 75 league games live on Ten Action+.

    Speaking on the initiative a spokesperson from IMG Reliance, commented, “We are happy to confirm Ten Sports as the National Broadcaster for the 2011-12 season of I-League as part of our ongoing efforts to develop the following of the sport in India. We are committed to pursuing various initiatives as part of our strategic plan to enhance the level of competition as also harness the domestic football talent in the country. Ten Sports shares our vision for the sport in India and we are delighted to partner with them in bringing football into the homes of fans across the nation.”

    Mr Atul Pande, CEO, Ten Sports, said, “We are delighted to be associated with IMG Reliance, to telecast the I-League , India’s premier’s football tournament.”  He further added, “We are committed to bringing the   best sports action to our viewers, and this new agreement with the IMG Reliance reaffirms our commitment to grow the sports business and consolidate our position as the leading sports broadcaster. Zee and Ten have been supporters of Indian football for many years and we continue committed to our vision of enhancing and adding value to the sport “

    AIFF General Secretary Mr Kushal Das expressed great satisfaction to have Ten Action+ as  the national broadcast partner of the I-League for 2011-12. He added “Ten Action + is a niche football channel and I am sure the visibility and on air promotional activities of the channel will go a long way in enhancing the profile of the I-League . Our partners IMG RIL deserve all credit for forging this significant partnership.”

    The I-League kicks off on October 22, 2011 and runs until the end of April 2012. Fourteen teams participate in the League which comprises 182 matches across 26 rounds. Started in 2007, the I-League replaced the National Football League, which ran for 11 seasons. The winner of the I-League qualifies for the AFC Champions League qualifying round.

  • Meet Robbie and Stephen Keszey, brothers who run America’s largest venomous snake farm.

    Brothers are Discovery’s new stars

    By A Correspondent

    Robbie and Stephen Keszey are brothers who run one of the most unique family businesses – working with wild and dangerous animals deep in the swamps of Florida. They run America’s largest venomous snake farm, which is home to hundreds of the meanest gators and crocs one could ever see. Together, they are the stars of Discovery Channel’s new series Swamp Brothers, which is airing every night at 10pm.

     

    Robbie is a veteran of the 1980s metal scene who is passionate about all things scaly, and Stephen is a former New York City bartender, more accustomed to hailing a cab than handling a snake. Robbie and Stephen run Glades Herp Farms, Florida’s largest reptile sanctuary and exotic reptile dealership. Their farm also houses Florida’s International Teaching Zoo, which is full of rare species from around the globe and brings in a constant stream of new and different animals each month. In each episode of the show, the brothers put themselves on the line to protect the most unusual of creatures – from pythons and alligators to wildcats and bears.

     

    As a child, older brother Robbie loved two things: music and wildlife. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles to play bass in a rock band, living a life of excess on the Sunset Strip. Eventually realizing that his true passion was for wildlife and reptiles, Robbie moved to Florida and Glades Herp Farm, bringing with him his rock ‘n’ roll attitude and a penchant for living on the edge. Today, Robbie is a skilled expert in all herpetofauna – especially crocodilians and venomous snakes. His goal is to one day take what he’s learned on the farm and open his very own teaching zoo, where he can continue to teach people to conserve and respect animals.

     

    Robbie’s younger brother Stephen is a pure city boy at heart who headed straight to the Big Apple after graduating from university. During his 14 years in New York City, Stephen held his dream job as a bartender, where drinking, telling jokes and flirting with girls were all in a day’s work. When Robbie asked Stephen to help him expand the business, Stephen initially was not thrilled to leave the big city life, especially to spend all his time around dangerous animals. Overly cautious by nature, Stephen concedes that where reptiles are concerned, he always bows to the expertise of his brother.

     

    From pythons to rogue bobcats, the brothers make it their business to track these beasts down, capture them and return them to a safe environment – without losing life or limb in the process.

     

    ROBBIE KESZEY – The Herp Expert

    Partner at Glades Herp Farm, former bassplayer & rock ‘n’ roll band assistant Robbie Keszey has been interested in reptiles and wildlife since he was a kid. Robbie’s #1 goal is to teach people to respect and conserve animals through captive breeding. He is a professional skilled expert in all herps, especially crocodilians and venomous snakes. But it was Robbie’s other passion – music — that drove him to move to Los Angeles after high school to play bass in a rock band. While in L.A., Robbie served as personal assistant to C.C. Deville, of the glam rock band Poison. After traveling the world, Robbie found his way back to his first real love – wildlife and reptiles. He moved to Florida to work at Glades Herp Farm, bringing with him his rock ‘n’ roll attitude and a penchant for living on the edge. A Florida Gators fan, Robbie lives in Bushnell, Florida with his wife, Michelle and their kids, and they hope to one day own a teaching zoo of their own.

     

    STEPHEN KESZEY – The City Slicker

    Assistant at Glades Herp Farm, former New York City bartender Stephen Keszey is a pure city boy at heart who

     

    prefers the chirping of urban crickets (car alarms) to actual crickets. After graduating from The Ohio State University, Stephen moved to New York City, where he lived for more than 14 years. During his time in the Big Apple, he had a variety of jobs, including a stint working in music publicity — but Stephen’s love was bartending. When their mother became ill, Stephen left New York City for Florida to help out, and found himself also helping his older brother, Robbie, at Glades Herp Farm. Although Stephen is overly cautious and extremely fearful of getting hurt, he has gained some knowledge, and concedes that there is only one aspect in his life where he bows to the expertise of his brother without question, and that is where reptiles are concerned.

  • Ranjona Banerji's review nightly news on TV and the fare in the morning papers

    Freaking News | When newspapers twisted facts to suit themselves

    By Ranjona Banerji

    This weekend was dedicated to – surprisingly, not Mahatma Gandhi – but to the poor people of India. Of course this was a matter very close to Gandhi’s heart and perhaps more important to a commemoration of his 142th birth anniversary than cursory lip service paid to his legacy, as has become our wont.

    So TV channels and newspapers discussed the Planning Commission and its inexplicably odd expenditure cut-off of Rs 32 a day being above the poverty line in cities and Rs 26 a day in villages. As TV anchors, activists and the general public fretted and fumed, some analysts – in print and on screen — tried to explain it all statistically and economically to us idiots. Little of that was fully comprehensible and regardless of the contempt for a middle class which has only recently woken up to social issues, it goes without saying that the Planning Commission’s figures seem to be absurd.

    The imminent fall of the government continued to be a matter of discussion, especially for the BJP as the UPA scrambled to convince everyone that the dissent within them was normal and all was hunky-dory. But the BJP itself appeared to be a house divided with much speculation over Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s perceived snub to both the party headquarters as well as to party stalwart LK Advani.

    **

    Weekends on TV are usually news-free as news channels fill their space with car, food and Bollywood shows. We also occasionally get interviews with artists and writers. Presumably, this satisfies our need for culture, both popular and otherwise.

    International news channels however manage to slip in a bit of news as well, with the Eurozone crisis, the unrest in Libya, Syria and Yemen, the US economy and the US fight with Pakistan sharing space.

    **

    The fun quotient for the end-of-the-week as far as Indian newspapers were concerned was the release of readership figures for the quarter by the Indian Readership Survey. Every newspaper managed to twist the figures to suit themselves and this means that readers of multiple papers would have been in a state of happy confusion. In Mumbai for instance, both Hindustan Times and DNA claimed the number two spot, while the Times of India claimed number 1 for itself and number 2 for its free tabloid Mumbai Mirror. The figures support Mirror as 2 and Hindustan Times as 3, but then given that Mirror comes free with Times of India which has a huge lead over the others, this leads to a few questions. It also effectively puts DNA at either 3 (if you discount Mirror) or a distant 4. Mid-Day also saw a readership increase, bucking its own trend over the last couple of quarters.

    In Delhi, both Times and Hindustan Times claimed a rise in readership and the number 1 spot – or so it seemed to me. Across the country, this chest-thumping continued. I’m guessing readers know what they read and that advertisers will be suitably impressed – the whole point of this operation.

    **

    Am I the only one tired of every newspaper and news channels calling itself “your paper” and “your channel”? I “own” so many newspapers and channels now that am considering getting an investment consultant to cope!

  • The new entrant on the Bollywood block is going international with celebrity chat show Up Close and Personal with PZ.

    UTV Stars cracks deal with Pakistan for PZ show

    By Dhara Salla

     

    UTV Stars is going international within just the first month of its launch, with its celebrity chat show, Up Close and Personal with PZ. Confirming this, Mr Nikhil Gandhi, Business Head, UTV Stars, said, “We are in syndication and have already cracked the deal with Pakistan, and the show will be aired there after the season ends in India. We are also in talks with the UK and US. There are many revenue streams attached to this show. It has upgraded the face value of the overall channel. The show is also available on YouTube. We are in talks with two service providers for the audio clips of the show and of course in-flight entertainment, video on demand, and many such revenue streams.”

    He added, “My team is working towards it and everything should be in place within the next two weeks for this show. We are fairly new but we believe that we have set a benchmark in this genre.”

    There are about 10 brands already associated with this show like Tanishq, Honda, Reliance and Maruti to name a few.

  • Sunday MiD DAY gives readers a “Double Vaat” experience for Bigg Boss 5 promotion.

    Double masthead for Bigg Boss innovation

    By A Correspondent

    SundayMiD DAYon October 2 had two mastheads, one each on the front page and the back page, each delivering Vodafone presents Bigg Boss 5’s theme of “Double Vaat”.

    Bigg Boss 5 which is being telecast on Colors, part of the Viacom18 group, is hosted by Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt, two actors known for their fun and personas, enhancing the concept of ‘Double Vaat’ even further. To make its readers experience the theme, SundayMiD DAYhas devised an innovation of designing the masthead and impact jacket for Viacom18 on the front page and on the back page of SundayMiD DAY. So a reader will be able to read SundayMiD DAYin a regular manner on the front page as well as in an upside-down manner on the back page, creating some confusion and giving them the experience of ‘Double Vaat’.

    Mr Manajit Ghoshal, MD & CEOMiD DAYInfomedia Limited said, “MiD DAYbelieves in delivering the best to all its readers and clients. Innovations like these help us send clutter-free messages to our readers and it adds great value to the proposition that the advertiser wants to communicate. For all such innovations carried out across years, we have won many accolades and appreciated by one and all across the globe.”

    Mr Rajesh Iyer, Director-Marketing, Colors, said “Bigg Boss is Colors’ flagship show, and this season, with the theme being Double Vaat, this innovative association with MiD DAY will be really fruitful for us. Providing readers with the newspaper in reversible format is bound to create curiosity among them.”