MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • It will not just highlight stories and social issues affecting India but will also discuss the best possible solutions for social welfare

    Ogilvy unveils campaign for season 3 of Satyamev Jayate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Post two successful seasons, Satyamev Jayate is releasing the main invite campaign for Season 3 captioned, “Satyamev Jayate wapas aa raha hai…Dekhna Zaroor – Mumkin Hai”.

     

    The campaign is a promotion for the show that will begin on Sunday, October 5, 2014. It will not just highlight stories and social issues affecting India but will also discuss the best possible solutions for social welfare and well-being in an individual capacity.

     

    In a lighter vein, the campaign communicates that change can happen in a society. It is not just another campaign for raising awareness about the malpractices happening around us, but also aimed to recreate brand appeal and invite viewers to the show.

     

    Abhijit Avasthi

    Abhijit Avasthi, National Creative Director, Ogilvy India said, “Satyamev Jayate has come to stand for the possibility of positive change and is symbolic of the collective efforts of all Indians in addressing the wrongs that plague our society. This campaign brings that alive in a light and optimistic way.”

     

  • While a section of the sports fraternity is busy developing genuine talent in boxing, badminton, shooting and the likes, a large section of viewers are happy watching sports like popcorn fare, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Shailesh Kapoor:The State Of Our Sport: Asiad, ISL & more

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    In many ways, the 1982 Asian Games (also called Asiad) in New Delhi had a major role to play in India’s television history. They marked the advent of colour broadcasting in India, and also initiated a culture of viewing live sports broadcast, a pleasure unknown to most Indians till that point of time.

     

    The 17th Asiad is currently underway in Incheon, Korea. But you would be excused for not knowing much about them. The Asiad event, which India once gave great importance to, has progressively lost significance over the last two decades. There is little media coverage, and virtually no viewership.

     

    Even the Olympics, which have gained more prominence over the last few years thanks to India’s medal count moving from a zero for many years to a record five in 2012, record scant viewership.

     

    Even if we look at the comfort territory, i.e., cricket, viewership has moved away from Tests and even ODIs, to the IPL. Evidently, we are becoming a country of leagues. With a high-investment property in Indian Super League (ISL) lined up, this trend would further consolidate in the coming year.

     

    But the shift is not from nation-vs-nation sport to sporting leagues. It is fundamentally a shift from sports to sports entertainment. Consumer research in the sports category reveals the insight that watching sport, per se, is not always an entertainment experience. Purists, who follow sports to the last detail, are a handful in number, ranging from less than 15% of the total viewer base for cricket to less than 5% for most other sports.

     

    For everyone else, tuning into a sports channel is primarily an entertainment-seeking activity. You are hoping to be dazzled by some high-octane action, a twist in the tale, some humour and even some song-and-dance. And yes, while you are at it, you will also like a particular team to win.

     

    A purist (and I am one, when it comes to sports) may scoff at the state of affairs, but in what has been a one-sport nation so far, if this is what we need to build any kind of sports awareness, then so be it.

     

    Where that leaves our handful of sporting heroes, who win laurels for us at International meets, is questionable. Saina Nehwal is arguably India’s greatest sportsman in the 2010-14 period. Yet, her awareness and popularity remains abysmal in mass India. Badminton is not an entertaining sport to watch, and to make matters worse, it is considered by many viewers as a fairly easy sport to play (and hence, no big deal in winning top honors in it!).

     

    We are the crossroads of a sporting revolution of some kind. While a section of the sports fraternity is busy developing genuine talent in boxing, badminton, shooting and the likes, a large section of viewers are happy watching sports like popcorn fare.

     

    Only time will decide which of these two directions will we head in. Both of them, however, are a major improvement on being a cricket-crazy one-sport nation.

     

  • The channel will continue to celebrate the everyday lives of Young India while entertaining them with a unique blend of music and musically themed content

    Bindass celebrates seven years with new offering

    By A Correspondent

     

    Celebrating its seventh anniversary, Disney India has announced the launch of a refreshed channel offering – bindass PLAY with a promise to celebrate, inspire and empower the youth of India through one of their core passions – Music.

     

    In the last seven years, bindass has been defining youth entertainment by celebrating their hopes, dreams and aspirations and has been gratified with an overwhelming response and the loyalty of its fans. In keeping with this theme, bindass is now creating yet another immersive experience with bindass PLAY. The channel will continue to celebrate the everyday lives of Young India while entertaining them with a unique blend of music and musically themed content.

     

    “At bindass, we celebrate every passion of Young India through entertainment that is reflective of their interests and they love us for it.  From pioneering concepts to unique initiatives, we have helped shape their thoughts and actions over the years. The vision for bindass play is to celebrate moments, to entertain and to inspire. And like all good friends, to understand them and offer them the power of choice through interactivity that is both meaningful and personal,” said Vijay Subramaniam, Vice President – Content and Communications, Media Networks, Disney India.

     

    Nikhil Gandhi

    “Over the last seven years, we have been immensely successful in offering our associates unique engagement opportunities to address one of the largest sections of the audience today. With the launch of bindass PLAY, we are presenting them with another promise that we believe will scale new heights of popularity amongst our audiences, while staying true to the promise of bindass,” said Nikhil Gandhi, Vice President – Revenue, Media Networks, Disney India.

     

    While the underlying theme will be music, bindass PLAY will showcase distinct programming that will continue to bring the bindass experience with elements that revolve around music. Empowering fans to choose their brand of music, fans can select and dedicate any song of their choice from the popular social networking platforms. The channel through music will encourage them to celebrate their feelings while inspiring them to express themselves with their choice of song. In addition to these, the channel will focus on presenting music that is in tune with their moods and desires mapped through the day through different bands. bindass PLAY will soon launch musically themed vignette series and short form storytelling to further deepen the engagement with its audiences.

     

  • The focus will be on creating hope and positivity, and showcasing how Satyamev Jayate has truly become a brand of the people

    SMJ to take ‘Change is possible’ tack in third season

    By A Correspondent

     

    Game-changing television series Satyamev Jayate is returning for a third season on Star Plus and key channels of Star Network. After influencing change at an individual, societal and policy level in the first two seasons, the show is returning with the core theme ‘Mumkin Hai’ or ‘Change is Possible’. The focus will be on creating hope and positivity, and showcasing how Satyamev Jayate has truly become a brand of the people.

     

    Uday Shankar

    Talking about the new season, Uday Shankar, CEO, Star India said, “We began Satyamev Jayate to build awareness around urgent social issues. But it’s now gone way beyond that and has emerged as the best showcase of the role media can and should play in driving change in the country. I am particularly proud that Satyamev Jayate has also become the most powerful platform to inspire individuals and groups and acknowledge the extraordinary contribution that seemingly ordinary people are making to our country. For us at Star India, it has given purpose to why we exist.”

     

    Aamir Khan, Producer and Host of the show added, “Ninety per cent of my time this entire year has been spent on Satyamev Jayate, and it is with great anticipation that I look forward to the new season. We have an unusual mix of topics, and some really moving and inspirational first person accounts. Importantly, the major new aspect of our show is what I am really looking forward to, and that is the live response of the audience. Hope is the key word for me and it is with great hope that I look forward to the show’s launch on 5th October.”

     

    Satyamev Jayate has created awareness on several issues, portraying success stories in a bid to encourage more people among us to take actionable steps toward positive change. The entire campaign for the new season has been divided in two phases focusing on the change already inspired by the show and how change is possible when all of us take active interest and act responsibly.

     

    The big innovation in the show this season is live show called “Mumkin Hai” wherein Aamir Khan will be interacting with viewers live through phone calls and social media interactions. This was based on feedback from viewers that they wished to interact and have their voice hear and their opinion registered. The live show will air right after the main episode and will be telecast each week from a different city in India.

     

    Satyamev Jayate launches on 5th October, Sunday mornings at 11 am. This season will have six episodes in total. The show will be aired in five languages (Hindi, English, Marathi, Tamil and Malayalam) across eight channels (Star Plus, Star Utsav, Star Pravah, Star World, Star Vijay, Asianet, ETV Telegu and Doordarshan).

     

  • Undergoes rebranding and emerges with a young, edgy look and a blockbuster movie library

    See it all – Zee Studio’s new brand new ideology

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee Studio has unveiled its brand new ideology ‘See it all’ for its viewers. The channel revealed it’s all new look with a newer library of movie collection that offers a range of genres including action, comedy and animation. Zee Studio has successfully transitioned over to this new identity encompassing a sleek and edgy packaging and is all geared up to bring the best of Hollywood to its Indian audience.

     

    Anurag Bedi

    Speaking about the new brand strategy, Anurag Bedi, Executive Vice President & Business Head, Zee Studio and Zee  Café said: “Our study reflected that with vast globalization, the reach and perception of Hollywood movies has changed over a decade in our country. English cinema is not limited to a certain niche elite class anymore. The younger generation has a lot of exposure to western entertainment and that has led to massive change in consumption patterns. Thereby, with Zee Studio refreshed look we aim to give the viewer what he is looking for. Additionally, the research revealed that today’s tech savvy young generation who is major chunk of our viewer base expects greater quality content and a high definition experience from television channels. Hence the effort to renew Zee Studio’s look and content is a landmark moment for our business and brand.”

     

    Throwing light on an extensive marketing plan specially designed for the refresh, Sharlton Menezes, Head Marketing, Zee Studio and Zee Café stated, “As part of our 360 degree communication plan, we detailed out a multi-media, multi-touch point campaign to ensure that the refresh delivers the brand promise of See it all. We wish to create channel ‘Experiences’ to drive home the message, generate excitement and push viewers to get a taste of Zee Studio. Larger than life movies, big stars and famous characters are the most tangible strengths of Hollywood, which will be leveraged to endorse the channel’s refreshed imagery.”

     

    See it All reflects Zee Studio’s brand new philosophy. Tapping the potential to engage with the discerning youth via a multi-layered engagement platform, this campaign will be present at over 30 trade media agencies across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

     

  • It is the first segmented channel in Indian television

    Epic gears for a significant India launch

    By A Correspondent

     

    The EPIC Channel, India’s first genre specific Hindi entertainment channel, is all set to make a breakthrough in the Indian media landscape. The Epic Channel is gearing up to showcase interesting content based on Indian history, folklore and mythology, in a uniquely contemporary format. It is the first segmented channel in Indian television.

     

    The Epic Channel identified fragmentation of audiences as a huge opportunity for differentiated and genre specific content. Effectively integrating India’s rich heritage with the current consumption patterns, The Epic Channel is creating unique and original content within the Indian history, folklore and mythology genre, using a very contemporary story telling format.

     

    Mukesh Ambani, Anand Mahindra and Rohit Khattar are promoters of the company. Mr. Mahindra, Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra says, “The landscape of Hindi entertainment is undergoing a dramatic transformation. In order to appeal to a far more evolved audience, and to sustain their engagement, there is definitely a need for a revolution in the broadcast space. We have all been entertained with the history and mythology of India through books and grandparents’ stories. These stories will now come to life and can be enjoyed on television in a contemporary manner.”

     

    Mahesh Samat, Founder and Managing Director, EPIC Television Network Pvt. Ltd, adds “The EPIC Channel has generated much excitement and anticipation and we are ready to deliver what we have promised. The EPIC Channel’s arrival on Indian television marks a new beginning in the experience of TV viewing. The ‘segmented’ content will allow viewers to choose and consume genre-specific content of their liking. Our vision is to create a brand in television that will translate our vibrant past into entertainment with the objective of creating new IPs, strong characters and new heroes that strike a chord with mass audiences.”

     

    The EPIC Channel will have action, drama, comedy, supernatural and narrative non-fiction content, set against Indian history and mythology. The stories will be innovative with high production quality and a distinct look & feel that will appeal to both men and women. Most of the content is shot at real locations with HD cameras. The programming line-up has a mix of fiction shows, narrative non-fiction shows, short form content as well as films at launch.

     

  • The overall packaging, with enhanced HD and sports bouquet will encourage viewers in the metros and larger cities to subscribe to new offerings from, Dish TV

    Dish TV announces new HD feature for North India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dish TV has introduced an all-new package for its new and existing customers in North India. Special variant of these packages are also available for its customers in South India.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Salil Kapoor, Chief Operating Officer, Dish TV said, “The initial response to the new packaging for this festive season has been overwhelming for Dish TV. As Asia’s largest DTH operator, we have always focused on offering premium and exclusive packages with a value proposition offering for both new and existing customers. Dish TV has always been at the forefront for being pioneers and introducing a host of customer- centric products and services.  Our new packaging with an enhanced focus on HD is in response to our consumers viewing habits making quality entertainment more accessible and economical.”

     

    In High Definition, Dish TV now has maximum content, 36 HD channels, making it highest in the country. The growth of the High Definition category over the past year together with rising sales of flat panel TV’s has added a new dimension to the superior HD viewing experience. The overall packaging, with enhanced HD and sports bouquet will further encourage viewers in the metros and larger cities to subscribe to new offerings from, Dish TV.

     

    With the addition of 2 sports HD channels Star sports HD 1 and Star sports HD 2, Dish TV has a complete offering & mix of entertainment, music, news and regional language channels (for its viewers).

     

  • The report documents important specifics of the month of August including presence of each category and brands in cinema

    Interactive TV releases Cinema Audit & Monitoring report

    By A Correspondent

     

    Interactive Television, a unit of WPP, in collaboration with IPSOS-MEDIA CT released the CAM report August 2014 (Detailed trends and tracker for the movie Singham Returns). CAM report by Interactive Television is an initiative seeking to capture and present the trends and developments in the Indian Cinema advertising industry. The report documents important specifics of the month of August including presence of each category and brands in cinema, brand recall, placement and distribution strategy of each brand and traces the developments in the Indian cinema advertising.

     

    CAM report August 2014 captures that Food and Beverage continues to be the top category present in almost all the screens in cinema advertising in the last one year & has emerged as a biggest spender on this medium followed by Beauty & Personal Care and Apparel.

     

    Ajay Mehta, CEO- Interactive Television Pvt. Ltd says, “CAM completed 12 rounds of audit with ‘Singham Returns’. With this month’s CAM report, 298 brands were active on cinema out of which 55 are new brand entrants. On an average, 120 new brands are associating with cinema every month and looking at it as a useful medium to advertise. In the coming months, we are expecting to see rise in number of brands advertising on cinema because of big releases like Happy New Year, PeeKay expected to generate higher footfalls.”

     

    Key highlights of the report include cinema is India’s greatest passion and has been enchanting audiences for almost a century now. The core objective of CAM report is ‘to understand the potential of cinema as a medium of advertising, track how is it moving over time.’ The Report examined advertising investments in Indian multiplexes or theatres and offers a comprehensive overview of where the money is flowing in cinema advertising. Chocon continues to be the top advertised brand on screen with presence in 3/4th of the screens and the ads are being played in all premier slots. The brand continues to be most recalled brand followed by 7up. Also the difference between the top brand recalled and the others is quite high.

     

    The report also highlights that 55 new brands were screened, out of which Parle Marie & Tropicana were present on more than 100 screens. Parle Marie with highest slots balanced their ads for ‘Before Movie’ and ‘During Interval’ equally.

     

    CAM reporting is done on a monthly basis and monitoring is done with big releases in that particular month.

     

  • The decision was closed following a competitive pitch by a few selectively invited agencies, vying for the account

    DDB Mudra appointed creative agency for Sony Max & Max2

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hindi movie channels Sony MAX and MAX2 have roped in DDB Mudra as their new creative agency. The decision was closed following a competitive pitch by a few selectively invited agencies, vying for the account.

     

    DDB Mudra will handle the creative duties for the brands MAX & MAX2 which were previously handled by J Walter Thompson. Both MAX & MAX2 have always built distinctive brand imagery for themselves to stand out in a highly cluttered industry and have sustained their leadership position through their effective and high on recall brand communication.

     

    Commenting on this change Vaishali Sharma, VP Marketing & Communications, MAX & MAX2 said, “With the ever changing business environment, it is important to continuously reinvent and innovate as a market leader. We are happy to have DDB Mudra as our new agency on board and look forward to working with them. We are confident that they will provide us with a fresh perspective for our campaigns and will enable us to scale new heights.”

     

    Rajiv Sabnis

    Rajiv Sabnis, Executive Director & President, DDB Mudra Group said “If Bollywood and cricket are like religion in India, then MAX is the temple at which Indian viewers pay obeisance. MAX is the original Bollywood movie channel. Through its exciting and interesting bouquet of Hindi movies, it has enthralled Bollywood fans across India. Add to that the mega entertainment of IPL. You can’t ask for better. The DDB Mudra mandate is to take this obsession with Bollywood and cricket to the next level.”

     

  • India's first 'segmented' channel intends to launch by the year end

    Helios Media assigned the revenue mandate of EPIC

    By A Correspondent

     

    The EPIC Channel has assigned the revenue monetization duties to Helios Media. With a clear focus to create unique and original content within the Indian history, folklore and mythology genre, in a very contemporary story telling format, The EPIC Channel is the first ‘segmented’ channel in Indian television. The EPIC Channel will be launched by the end of this year.

     

    Speaking on the appointment, Mahesh Samat, Founder and Managing Director, EPIC Television Networks Pvt. Ltd, said “The EPIC Channel is on the anvil of revolutionizing the way television is being consumed in our country. The ‘segmented’ content will allow viewers to choose and consume genre-specific content of their liking. This therefore becomes an ideal destination for brands to reach out to the appropriate TG. Helios Media has the understanding of the space and the skill to position brands in the right environment. I am certain that this partnership will add value to an unconventional brand like ours that is creating a new category altogether.”

     

    The EPIC Channel will have action, drama, comedy, and thrills set against the backdrop of Indian history and mythology. The programming line-up will be a mix of fiction and narrative non-fiction shows, short form content, as well as period films. An original style of storytelling with high production quality, the EPIC channel will have a look and feel that is distinct and appealing to both men and women.

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    Divya Radhakrishnan, MD of Helios Media said “At Helios Media, it’s ingrained in our DNA to look Beyond Obvious and See More. We always swim against the tide and have created success stories of the channels we have been assigned to. It’s our honour to partner with this new leap in broadcast history that will be written by the EPIC Channel”

     

    Launched in 2011, Helios Media has been providing broadcasters with critical expertise in the areas of revenue management and several allied business solutions. Helios Media currently manages monetisation mandates of MTunes HD, Channel X, FoodFood, Sanjeev Kapoor’s Khazana, Fashion TV and Life Mantra.

     

  • Rajshri's short form content to be available on the New MSN

    Rajshri Entertainment to partner New MSN in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rajshri Entertainment has announced its collaboration with New MSN, Microsoft Corp.’s information and entertainment network. Short form digital entertainment and special interest content, produced and aggregated by Rajshri Entertainment, will be showcased on the New MSN in a comprehensive and powerful way across the web and application experience. The New MSN is comprehensive and broad, bringing content from the most well-respected and influential media sources together in one place.

     

    Rajshri Entertainment is a digital entertainment powerhouse, which produces content across multiple genres and languages. These branded channels range from lifestyle to e-news and from kids to devotional. All content produced is in high definition. The partnership will ensure the content reaches a wider audience, across the globe.

     

    Speaking about the association, Inderpal Singh, General Manager, Content Alliances, Rajshri Entertainment Private Limited, said, “We are excited to partner with MSN for their new entertainment service. We are producing over 150 minutes of original video content on a daily basis including entertainment news, food shows, health and wellness, devotional amongst others. Our videos have generated billions of views on leading digital platforms worldwide. We are confident that the new MSN video service will help us reach a wider audience in India and overseas.”

     

    “Built from the ground up, the new MSN combines comprehensive content from the world’s leading media outlets with powerful tools to help you do more,” said Sanjay Trehan, Executive Producer, MSN India. He added, “We’re excited to continue our relationship with Rajshri Entertainment & continue to inspire people to discover new things about themselves and the world around them.”

     

  • According to an International Cricket Council (ICC) communiqué, this is international cricket's biggest-ever global broadcast agreement

    Star bags ICC broadcast for 2015-23 for India, Mid-East

    By A Correspondent

     

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday announced jointly awarding audio-visual rights for ICC Events from 2015 to 2023 to Star India and Star Middle East.

     

    The decision was made by the ICC Business Corporation (IBC) Board, ICC’s commercial arm, during a meeting at the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Sunday. The decision followed a robust tender, bidding and evaluation process, which started in July 2014. During the process, which involved two rounds of bidding, the ICC received 17 competitive bids from various broadcasters across different territories for its audio-visual rights.

     

    While the final value of the rights fee agreed will not be disclosed, it is significantly in excess of the ICC’s previous commercial deals, notes the release. In 2006, the rights were sold to ESPN-Star reportedly for $1.1 billion. The figure for the 2015-2023 rights is rumoured to be in the region of $2 billion. The current cycle has seen ESPN Star Sports hold the audio-visual rights until the contract expires at the end of next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

     

    Included in the new eight-year period are 18 ICC tournaments*, including two ICC Cricket World Cups (2019 and 2023), two ICC Champions Trophy tournaments (2017 and 2021) and two ICC World Twenty20 tournaments (2016 and 2020).

     

    Commenting on the decision to name Star India and Star Middle East as its successful bidders, ICC Chairman N  Srinivasan said: “We are delighted that our partnership with the Star group has extended to the next cycle of ICC Events. This illustrates the strong relationship we have built in the current cycle and the value we have delivered since 2007.  This commitment for the next eight years will ensure greater stability for ICC Members as well as increased funding for developing and established countries. Emerging nations will have access to the largest funding resource in the history of the game and the Board has fully endorsed this framework as the best means of safeguarding the future of the sport.

     

    Uday Shankar

    Uday Shankar, CEO, Star India, said: “We are delighted and honoured to extend our partnership with ICC. This is a tribute to Star’s commitment and ICC’s trust in our ability to take the great game of cricket to the next level. Star will constantly attempt to reinvent the viewer experience to make cricket bigger and bigger.”

     

    Giles Clarke, Chairman of IBC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee, said: “This innovative and exciting partnership will underpin the long-term financial health of the global game and provide real stability for all our Members. It will help the ICC and our Members to grow participation in areas such as the women’s game where there have been great strides made as well as supporting the emerging nations. This deal benefits all ICC Members and will allow them to improve their competitiveness and public interest in a targeted and sustainable way.

     

    “This is a momentous day for world cricket which highlights the great commercial attractiveness of our sport and the ever increasing levels of interest in our outstanding world-class events.

     

    “The partnership will also guarantee increased promotion and marketing of the game in key markets across the globe.”

     

    ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “This agreement guarantees more money for all our Members, thereby underpinning the growth and development of the game.

     

    “Star has been an excellent partner for the ICC during the current rights cycle, promoting and supporting ICC Events and cricket in general in the sub-continent, and I am pleased that we now have a chance to build on that success over the next eight years on a global level.”

     

    ICC Events 2015-2023

    *The following ICC Events are included in the audio-visual rights packages:

     

    ICC major global events:

    ICC World Twenty20 2016 – India

    ICC Champions Trophy 2017 – England and Wales
    ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 – England and Wales
    ICC World Twenty20 2020 – Australia
    ICC Champions Trophy 2021 – India
    ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – India

     

    ICC qualifying events:

    ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015 – Ireland and Scotland
    ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 – Bangladesh
    ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2019 – TBC
    ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2022 – Zimbabwe

     

    Other ICC events:

    ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016 – Bangladesh
    ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 – England and Wales
    ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2018 – New Zealand
    ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018 – West Indies
    ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 – South Africa
    ICC Women’s World Cup 2021 – New Zealand
    ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 – West Indies
    ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2022 – South Africa

     

    The agreement with Star India and Star Middle East does not include host broadcast production rights, which the ICC has decided to reserve along with a host of other rights. The sales process for ICC’s reserved rights will be announced in due course.