MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • The channel has launched a series of hard-hitting, issue-based films to reiterate its repositioning

    Times Now unveils campaign focusing on new positioning

    By A Correspondent

     

    Times Now has always believed in taking a tough stand against issues that affects the nation. Raising the voice for ‘Positive Provocation’ and asking ‘The Right Questions’ that lead to action has always been the core of the channel’s philosophy. With the conviction to shape a better tomorrow, the channel further strengthened its core philosophy of through a sharp-focused positioning – Action Begins Here. The channel has launched a series of hard-hitting, issue-based films to reiterate its repositioning.

     

    M K Anand

    MK Anand, CEO & Managing Director, Times Television Network said, “’Action Begins Here’ truly articulates what Times Now stands for, it explains what we are really doing. As india’s leading News brand, we are well aware of the power our voice has in society. And we constructively use that power to give voice to issues that affect our nation and raise the right questions that lead to Action. Action that leads to concrete solutions, to change for a better India. The re-positioning will be reflected in the overall brand communication coupledwith intense & engaging content.”

     

    Arnab Goswami

    Arnab Goswami, Editor-in-chief, Times Now said, “Times Now has been the popular choice for more than 7 years as the number 1 channel. We have changed news delivery from deadpan to passionate; from uninvolved to journalism that steps forward to fight for the citizen. Action Begins Here is a campaign that reflects this new age journalism, and showcases our fundamental strength of direct reporting to viewers across the globe.”

     

    The channel has launched a 360 degree marketing plan that includes extensive Print, OOH, Cinema, Digital and Cross-Channel Promotions. The creatives are extremely insightful and thought provoking.

     

  • This move helps Big Magic to gradually fortify its space in the comedy genre in India with original differentiated content

    Big Magic now available on Tata Sky

    By A Correspondent

     

    We don’t normally carry news on channels expanding their distribution footprint or inking deals with Direct-To-Home (DTH) operators. But given its recent rise in its viewership and the changes expected to be ushered in by the BARC-administered audience measurement system, this announcement could have a bearing on the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) landscape, albeit in the second tier of GECs. The news: Big Magic has strengthened its distribution with leading  DTH player, Tata Sky. The channel will be available from February 1 on Tata Sky channel 138 for subscribers across the country. This move helps Big Magic to gradually fortify its space in the comedy genre in India with original differentiated content.

     

    This announcement enables Tata Sky to offer its viewers a differentiated content around comedy with Big Magic’s programming mix targeted to a relevant and discerning audience base across relevant markets. The channel’s original programming mix includes a comical line up of hilarious sitcoms, a side splitting historical comedy; laugh out loud weekend specials, festive specials and comedy blockbuster films.

     

    Paolo Agostinelli, Chief Content and Business Development Officer, Tata Sky said, “For Tata Sky, catering to consumers across age groups with the growing preference towards comedy, Big Magic as a channel would be a rather unique offer suiting the needs of our customers across the country. We will finally showcase the range of offerings from BIG MAGIC on our platform.”

     

    Lavneesh Gupta

    Speaking on the occasion, Reliance Broadcast Network COO Lavneesh Gupta said, “We are happy to announce our availability on Tata Sky, which allows the channel to immediately grow its reach across the geography. We are confident of our product with differentiated comedy content and designed as per audience needs for the entire family. Strengthening our distribution spectrum is a strategic move towards focusing on growing the channel with additional new content that is expected soon.”

     

  • Zee HD League is aimed at giving an enriched viewing experience to the affluential viewers

    Zee rolls out HD League for the affluential

    By A Correspondent

     

    ZEE has announced the launch of network’s new brand identity – Zee HD League.

     

    Zee HD League is a complete bouquet with the best of Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters, cutting-edge entertainment and best-in-class sporting action. A comprehensive 360 degree marketing campaign across affluential touch-points such as airports and multiplexes along with special emphasis on digital is being rolled out to promote the Zee HD League. As part of the HD campaign – Zee TV HD will showcase the World Television Premiere of the critically acclaimed and award-winning movie The Lunchbox on Sunday, 8th February.

     

    Sunil Buch, Chief Business Officer, ZEEL says, “With close to a 40 per cent increase in the sales of flat-panel TVs coupled with an aggressive push by DTH and Digital Cable players, HD channels continue to gain consumer traction. Zee HD League is aimed at giving an enriched viewing experience to the affluential viewers. Our approach will be two pronged – Adding width in terms of new HD channels and depth by looking at HD exclusive offerings from each of our channels.”

     

    Ashish Sehgal, Chief Sales Officer, ZEEL said, “There is a clear opportunity for advertisers to sharply target the elusive affluent audience segment. HD subscribers have a high skew towards the premium 25+, SEC AB in 6 metros and are growing at a whopping 50% per annum. By adopting a network approach, we will further strengthen our monetization strategy by offering advertisers a suite of advertising options across multiple genres.”

     

  • The channel is also available on leading cable operators like DEN, Siti Cable, Hathway and InCable to name a few

    Tata Sky adds MAX 2 to its bouquet

    By A Correspondent

     

    Multi Screen Media’s second Hindi movie channel – ‘MAX 2’, will now be available on Tata Sky. The channel will reach out to millions of households across the country further to its association with Tata Sky thereby expanding its viewer base via the DTH platform.

     

    Besides Tata Sky, MAX 2 is available on other DTH platforms comprising Videocon d2h, Airtel, Dish TV and Reliance Digital TV. The channel is also available on leading cable operators like DEN, Siti Cable, Hathway and InCable to name a few.

     

    Speaking on the association with Tata Sky, Neeraj Vyas, Sr. EVP & Business Head, MAX & MAX2 said, “We are pleased to announce the availability of MAX 2 on India’s leading DTH platform – Tata SKY which widens the channel’s reach. We have received numerous requests from Tata Sky viewers for showcasing MAX 2 and are convinced that our association will help us reach out to a larger audience. We are sure the subscribers will love the channel and will enjoy savoring the timeless films of Indian cinema.”

     

  • Presenting RAM numbers for Week -​ that's January 11-17, 2015​​

    RAM ratings for Week ​​3

    Presenting RAM numbers for Week​ 3 of 2015… that January 11 to 17, 2015​.

     

    Like in the case of TAM, these numbers are not provided by RAM, but we source it from one of the subscribers. We advise advertisers and media agencies to make their buying decisions after validating the numbers with authorised data.

     

  • The BJP rep's accusation that Arnab Goswami has taken money from lobbies in a discussion on Sec 377 is unacceptable, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Down with Meenakshi Lekhi!

    YouTube screengrab of BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi on Newshour on Times Now on Thursday, December 12

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    I have been both an admirer and a very harsh critic of Times Now’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in these columns. But now I come as an admirer. His equanimity in dealing with an appalling personal comment on the News Hour debate on Thursday night is truly commendable. The BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi accused Goswami of taking money from interested lobbies in a discussion on political reactions to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalises homosexuality.

     

    While Lekhi is free to have her personal opinions about homosexuality and morality, she perhaps found herself cornered in this discussion. Her stand was that the whole fuss about the Supreme Court recriminalising homosexuality was “much ado about nothing” – although the media and many sections of Indian society are up in arms. The media has sided with human rights, dignity and the rights of the LGBT community. These may not be the same views as the conservative part of society, which Lekhi’s party represents. But to accuse Goswami and the media of being paid to stand up for Constitutional freedom is unacceptable.

     

    It is to Goswami’s great credit that after a somewhat menacing exchange with Lekhi, he continued with the show. However, by then the atmosphere had changed and it was a very subdued and hurried end to what had until then been a lively discussion.

     

    Casual conversation nowadays often refers to “paid media”, thanks mainly to the media itself discussing it. But that does not give licence to people to point fingers at someone’s personal integrity without proof on national television. The idea itself is ludicrous: that the LGBT community will have paid everyone from the media to lawyers to politicians to speak out against a clear attack on human rights. If indeed the LGBT community could do that much, then Section 377 might have been struck down long ago by legislation.

     

    But logic is not part of this argument. The fact is that the Congress, unlike its normal pusillanimous self these days, came out strongly against Section 377. The BJP has obfuscated the issue. Lekhi herself first said that she was happy that Section 377 was not struck down. And then she came up with this “much ado about nothing” line, a blatant misuse of Shakespeare if any. Instead of being feted on news television the way it normally is these days, Lekhi found herself under attack. A mention of the RSS – the mother organisation from which the BJP draws its moral strength and raison d’etre – and Lekhi saw red.

     

    It is possible that Goswami will be the larger person and let Lekhi’s comments go. But they are no less reprehensible for all that and represent an attack on media integrity as a whole. In my view, Goswami should not let it go. Legal action is a possible recourse for him since Lekhi’s remarks can be seen as defamation. But the media and the BJP need to relook at the suitability of Lekhi as a spokesperson. Much as television in India has challenged all norms of civilised behaviour, this one crossed the line.

     

    **

     

    The English media has been, as is evident, ranged against the Supreme Court after this judgment and came out in full support of the LGBT community. Newspaper coverage, from front pages to editorials, has spoken in one voice. So has news television. This is most welcome. Although there is likely to be a backlash from conservative and religious voices – letters to the editor already suggest as much – the media has not flinched. Indeed religious leaders of all colours have been made to explain themselves on TV, much to their discomfiture. Interviews with parents of gay children have given us the human picture of the families and support structures affected by this judgment. The grandmother on Barkha Dutt’s show on NDTV is most memorable, bringing tears to everyone’s eyes. Rahul Eeshwar – who often represents the right wing voice on TV especially on religious matters – was shot down when he tried to present his bogus science on Times Now on Wednesday night. Vikram Seth’s interview to Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN’s Devil’s Advocate presented the pain of the Indian homosexual in erudite terms.

     

    **

     

    Social media as ever was at the vanguard of the anger against the Supreme Court and Twitter certainly offers a quick idea of how the wind is blowing – even if it is limited socially and economically. For the most part, apart from some absurd tweets which said Sonia Gandhi was against Section 377 because all homosexuals are Christian, the rabid side of Twitter was less apparent.

     

  • IPL's 6th edition saw much interest in matters off the field. Presenting a list of IPL's most forgettables

    10 Things about the IPL we never want to see (or hear) again

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Now that the Indian Premier League is over… no, no, I’m not making a forecast to make N Srinivasan’s life even more miserable, I mean this edition of the IPL. Where were we? Right, now that IPL 2013 is over (and who knows what lies in the future), we at MxM and some random members of the general public – like our sons-in-law and nephews – have compiled a list of things we never want to see or hear again.

     

    1 The Jumping Jhapak or Jhampang or Dhumping Dhapang song

    What were the words exactly? Never understood a word but I somehow objected to Sameer Kocchar and that other man making kissie faces at us. On the other hand, during that pathetic opening ceremony in Kolkata, the Jumping song was the highlight of a lacklustre and long evening. Of course, that was only the first time we heard it. And I watched the opening ceremony on Sony Six HD. Which means there no commercial breaks. Which means that every time SET Max went to an ad break, we had to hear the Jumping song. Which means that by the end of the evening, we were sick of Jumping, Shah Rukh Khan, Pitbull, Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif.

     

    2 Bad Cheerleader Outfits:

    Why do they have to look like they’ve been outfitted by Maganlal Dresswalla of the 1970s? Nothing seems to fit, the lycra or spandex looks cheap and the bizarre attempts to protect “modesty” backfire. Anyway, if Padukone and Kaif could prance around in the costumes they wore for the opening ceremony, why should these cheerleaders be dressed so badly?

     

    3 A Studio full of Clueless Girls:

    We’re all for gender equality. But what is the point of these women who know nothing about cricket and are more concerned with speaking in incomprehensible accents than saying anything substantial. Every year, this attempt by Sony to glamorise the Extraaa Innings studio gets worse and worse. It’s reached a stage where you almost start missing Mandira Bedi and that’s saying something. I have nothing against these ladies in this edition, but one dressed like she had used upholstery fabric and baroque household artefacts to ornament herself and the other looked like her dress was so tight that she could hardly breathe.

     

    4 Media Hypocrisy:

    Yes, yes, I know this is wishful thinking. But first the media goes gaga over everything IPL and how wonderful it is. And then when something goes wrong, all the journalists say they always knew it. Bull. If you “always” knew, why didn’t you say something before?

     

    5 Uncomfortable Looking Board Members and Sponsors at Post-Match Presentation Ceremonies:

    They look like they don’t want to be there and we don’t want them to be there so why are they there?

     

    6 Owner People Who Have Not Paid Their Staff Salaries and Are in Other Financial Imbroglios:

     Yes, it is disturbing to watch Vijay Mallya and the Roys of Sahara prancing around in this giant extravaganza. Yes, Sahara may or may not be there any more, but still.

     

    7 Owner People in General:

    We’re just bored of them, no? They look less glamorous than they did before and this dugout business has lost its novelty.

     

    8 Spot-fixing:

    Why can’t we get self-righteous, eh? It’s not just bringing disrepute to cricket; it’s cheating us, the viewing public and you, the cricket fan.

     

    9 No More Hysterical Confusion:

    Someone to understand the differences between spot-fixing, betting and living a lavish lifestyle. The three may be connected and they just as easily may not.

     

    10. No More Rahul Mehra, Sanjay Jha and Boria Majumdar in News Channel Discussions:

    … for a while at least. Please.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator based in Mumbai. She is also Contributing Editor, MxMIndia. She can be reached via Twitter at @ranjona. The views here are her own

     

  • The brand film captures the self-inflicted split created in one’s personal life by their extreme affiliation to the digital world

    SAB TV unveils #DigitalDividesSABUnites campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    SAB TV has launched a brand new film as part of its #DigitalDividesSABUnites campaign. The brand film shows a very existing phenomenon faced and witnessed by families today, that of the digital world encroaching their personal lives but there is always some common thread that gets the family together.

     

    The satirical film shows a joint family living together but everyone is busy on some gadget or the other. In spite of all the family members being together there’s no conversation, everyone is focused on chatting on their phones, playing games, surfing the net, listening to music, etc. The film features the father of the family singing a song and narrating the grievance through it, at the end even after the commotion, everyone is still glued on to their device. This is when, he mentions latest update and character from SAB shows and everyone joins in to comment over it.

     

    Anooj Kapoor

    Commenting on the launch of the new film, Anooj Kapoor Senior EVP and Business Head, SAB TV said, “Our film takes a light hearted dig at how the virtual world is beginning to overpower the real world which we inhabit. The fact that virtual world has made us individualistic and introverted in nicely contrasted with how SAB continues to makes us extroverted and re-enthuses us to bond with our family through fun and entertainment”.

     

  • It's going to be a chaotic year for entertainment content regulation and censorship, notes Shailesh Kapoor

    Shailesh Kapoor: The AIB & MSG controversies: Symptoms of a Larger Malice?

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    The mass resignation at the Censor Board, after the film MSG was cleared by the appellate tribunal in a hurry, set the tone for what was to follow. There was a bizarre little news on the word “Bombay” being beeped out in a music video. And now, the AIB controversy over the Ranveer-Arjun ‘roast’ has firmly set the agenda for 2015 – it’s going to be a chaotic year for entertainment content regulation and censorship.

     

    The AIB controversy, eventually leading to the comedy group pulling off the videos off their YouTube channel, has triggered off a lot of discussion, especially on the social media. The slant of most opinions expressed is around the idea of freedom of speech. A few who have spoken against AIB have centered their argument on the extreme use of profanity in the videos.

     

    Unfortunately, most such opinions come across as rants, which serve little purpose in the real world, because in reality, the subject of regulation, censorship and moral policing is far more complex than how it’s often positioned in the media.

     

    The central piece of this complexity is the structure of the regulatory mechanism, where separate laws or guidelines control different media. The film certification board (CBFC) has been liberal in granting ‘A’ certificates to a wide range of films that have pushed the envelope on language, graphic violence and adult video content. But the same content has to be censored again for home video and satellite, since those are technically different media.

     

    The audience may be the same, but the context of viewing, not the audience or the content, seems to be dictating what can be seen on a TV at home. The same TV channel, when streamed over the Internet, can still screen only the content that has passed the TV guidelines. But the ‘uncensored’ version of the same content is available on the Internet anyway.

     

    Then we have cases of Hollywood filmmakers refusing to release their films in India with censor cuts, and the anti-smoking warning to distract the audience every time a character smokes on screen, sometimes for less than a second!

     

    In this trigger-happy environment, where everyone has a view and all guidelines comes with their bagful of loopholes, we see ad hoc decisions being taken by all sides. TV channels are known to blur cleavage shots in foreign content, the kinds of which would be routine in a U/A censored Hindi movie. In the subtitles, there is a mass sanitisation of the language, and even words like beef are removed. No one wants to face the wrath of the moral police or a government body. After all, channels have been pulled off air for violating these vaguely-defined norms.

     

    This week, I figured that there is another set of guidelines for stage performances. Apparently, you can’t perform anything impromptu, because you need to submit a script for approval. It also turns out that there is no staff to read the script, but if there’s a controversy later, they do have a staff to match the script vis-à-vis the actual content, and pick holes.

     

    Essentially, if the AIB Roast had not made it to YouTube, all would have fine. Yet, the regulatory concern is about the stage show part of it, not the internet broadcast.  Internet remains the elephant in the room no one wants to address.

     

    As technology permeates our vast country, the prevailing confusion will continue to multiply. We may be in for a lot more randomness in the coming months and years. Like always, the entertainment industry tends to be at the receiving end, often the soft targets of the moral police for quick publicity. But there’s little doubt in my mind that our ambiguous regulatory norms fuel this moral police.

     

    There are no easy answers, except to say that what’s required is an overhaul, not a tweak. And no, this is not a discussion on ‘freedom of speech’, but one on ‘freedom from obsolescence’.

     

  • India's dismal performance in the recently concluded tri-nation series Down Under has left advertisers uncertain

    Weekend blues: Less than 10 days to go & Star Sports doesn’t have lead sponsor for the World Cup!

    By John Sarkar

     

    India’s dismal performance in the recently concluded tri-nation series Down Under has left advertisers uncertain. With less than 10 days left for the ICC Cricket World Cup, Star Sports, which will broadcast the tournament, has not yet found a lead sponsor.

     

    With 90% of TV viewers in the country having watched the previous edition of the World Cup, advertisers expected that the flagship tournament of ODI cricket would garner millions of eyeballs. But India’s poor form, lack of star players, the waning appeal of ODIs, non-primetime telecast and the impending IPL has made advertisers play safe. They would rather prefer to sit on the fence and wait for the right moment.

     

    “We will look at it match by match. Depending on India’s performance, we will decide whether to buy on-air advertising slots or not. We don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket. The IPL starts right after the World Cup and the return on investment for it doesn’t depend on a single team’s performance, like it does on India’s in the World Cup,” said a senior executive with one of the world’s largest FMCG firms.

     

    According to people familiar with the matter, most on-ground sponsors (commercial partners) of the World Cup, such as PepsiCo India and Hyundai India, have not yet bought on-air advertising spots. When contacted, spokespersons from PepsiCo India and Hyundai India declined to comment.

     

    However, a Star Sports spokesperson said that on-ground sponsors too have plans which include on-air, digital, activations, screenings, though he refused to divulge any names.

     

    Lead sponsorship for all feeds and languages is being offered at around Rs 60 crore, the associate sponsorship for over Rs 40 crore for all feeds and over Rs 20 crore each for English and Hindi feeds, and about Rs 10 crore for HD feed.

     

    “We already have confirmations for over 80% of our inventory for the opening match of India vs Pakistan, with many more confirmations to be closed over the next 10 days. Considering the response, we might have to drop at least 20 to 30 spots in the very first match. We are almost sold out for the top 13 games (all India plus knockout games) and are in the process of closing the balance,” said the Star Sports spokesperson.

     

    Market experts say not everyone is sitting on the fence though. Many first-time World Cup sponsors, including Nestle, Marico, Yepme, Paytm and Raymonds, have signed up. A lot of advertisers are eyeing digital feeds that allow online streaming and is more affordable than TV ads. But media buying experts said on the condition of anonymity that a significant amount of total ad inventory is still sitting idle.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Twitter India is planning to capitalise on the upcoming Cricket World Cup, luring in users and brands to boost its ad revenue

    Twitter India eyes bigger ad revenues as WCup fever peaks

    By Krithika Krishnamurthy & Evelyn Fok

     

    Twitter India is planning to capitalise on the upcoming Cricket World Cup, luring in users and brands to boost its ad revenue. A report that Twitter has prepared and shared with us shows that 89% of 2,650 Indian users surveyed are cricket fans. “It’s a big year with Cricket World Cup and IPL. We will see brands making more and more use of big moments when the conversations are on Twitter,” said Parminder Singh, Twitter’s managing director for India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

     

    In the lead up to the event, India’s cricket board and Nike Cricket have co-unveiled the Team India Jersey on Twitter, while Star Sports started an #OwnTheJersey hashtag trend. This comes at a time when Twitter is ramping up in India to capitalise on a fast expanding internet base. It acquired marketing company Zipdial earlier this month, and appointed a business head for India, Taranjeet Singh. According to media reports, Twitter also plans to open a research and design centre here. The online advertising market in India is projected to reach Rs 3,575 crore by March 2015, an expansion of 30% over last year, according to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India. Twitter is eager to ride on this wave. In the quarter ended September 2014, $121 million, or 34%, of Twitter’s revenue came from international markets. “And obviously India is a big contributor to that,” said Singh.

     

    There were 60 million tweets sent out during the national elections last year, with company insiders terming it as “Twitter elections”. Twitter also worked with Indian Space Research Organisation to send out tweets on Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter Mission. Research firm eMarketer pegs Twitter’s Indian base at about 22 million, making it one of the seven-year-old company’s fastest growing markets. Twitter India receives 85% of its revenues from mobile, said Singh. He said the business strategy is to drive a brand’s engagements – meaning when users respond, share, or highlight a tweet – not impressions. In India, engagement rates are 2-3%, and reached as high as 11% for Audi’s A3 campaign last September.

     

    “What happens in India is reflected on Twitter, no matter which cultural activity you look at – sports, arts, politics, or entertainment,” said Mr Singh. “Twitter is now really woven into the cultural fabric of this nation.”

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

    All Rights Reserved, Licensed to republish

     

  • The cricketing legend teams up with Aaj Tak & Headlines Today to cheer for India, this World Cup

    Sachin makes his presence felt at Cricket World Cup 2015

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sachin Tendulkar, the cricketing legend is back, exclusively on Aaj Tak and Headlines Today all through the World Cup 2015 coverage.

     

    Commenting on Sachin’s association, Aroon Purie, Chairperson and Editor in Chief, India Today Group, said “He is the master who redefined the sport for the world’s most passionate Cricketing nation. A World Cup without him is nothing but unimaginable. His presence on the shows will help fill the void in cricket since his last match. It is an honour for the group to have the legend himself on our channels.”

     

    Commenting on his association, Sachin Tendulkar said “The shows that I will be doing on Aaj Tak and Headlines Today are quite impressive and interesting. This is the first time that I am doing something of this sort and it will be a completely new experience for me. What makes this all the more special, is the fact that, I will get to share my experience of the last 6 world cups with the youngsters, cricketers and budding talent. Obviously World Cup 2015 is going to be a lot more competitive and important. The rules having changed, and with 20 -20 changing the norm in cricket, new and innovative batting styles are coming to the fore. We have discussed these and more in the programmes and am really excited that we could do so many shows of this kind. Most importantly, I would like to wish the very best to Team India to win the world cup. Along with the Aaj Tak and Headlines Today teams, the whole nation is with Team India.”

     

    For the first time Sachin will also interact with the audience directly on the shows and take questions. The legend, who has given 25 years of his life to cricket, is taking care of his team but from a different pitch. His presence will ensure that the World Cup 2015 will only be bigger, better and more inspiring.