MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • Broadcast Initiatives Limited has ambitions plans for the newspaper which will launch with a Mumbai edition and some satellite editions this week

    Marathi daily ‘Mi Marathi Live’ to launch on Feb 27

    By A Correspondent

     

    At the Worli office of Broadcast Initiatives Limited, the office is buzzing with activity. For, come Friday, February 27, the state gets yet another Marathi daily newspaper. To be called Mi Marathi Live, Broadcast Initiatives will launch the paper in Mumbai with satellite editions from Thane, Kalyan Dombivali, Navi Mumbai and Vasai-Virar. There are aggressive plans for expansion and the publishers are sparing no efforts to ensure it’s a big bang launch. A 250-odd member team of which half are in editorial across the state.

     

    Supriya Kanase

    So what’s the paper going to be like, we asked Supriya Kanase, CEO of Broadcast Initiatives, which also runs Live India and Mi Marathi news channels as well as Hindi daily Prajatantra Live and Live India newsmagazine.“We already have a presence in the electronic media and we believe that there is scope for creating a synergy between the electronic and print teams.”

    Ms Kanase asserts that the news media group has no political agenda and the only allegiance is to the common man. “Then man and woman on the street will be be able to identify their aspirations with our paper. It will cater to every strata of society and all members of the family.”

    Mi Marathi was a GEC when Ms Kanase’s team took charge.”We first started with six bulletins a day and we have now convered it to a 24×7 news channel. We are doing very well and from the ratings point of view, we have marched ahead of some of the existing leaders. In the meantime, Live India is also growing well.”

    People are keen to know more about the promoters of the venture, we submitted. Since you have been independent in your news coverage, what is it that drives your company to get into the media, we asked Ms Kanase.  “Everybody comes to do business. But along with our business goals, we have a strong value system and ethics. Our objective is to bring people together. When you bring people together, you always have your goals. Our only agenda is to publish a paper which pleases the common man.”

    The group has retained well-known editors Kumar Ketkar, Bharat Kumar Raut and Nikhil Wagle as consultants to the news channel. Some of these stalwarts have a reputation of having strong views on certain political groups and are known to contest editorial interference, we said. How will you ensure that your business interests do not clash with the editorial freedom that you want to give your newsrooms, we quizzed the CEO. Ms Kanase was matter-of-fact: “The media business and our core activities are separate.  If there is some negative news which is of interest to the people, I cannot sideline it. I will not let news get impacted by my business interests, otherwise I will never be able to erect a strong media business. If we operate in the way some other media companies do, then how will we be different.  Our agenda is to stand out from the rest and reflect the needs and wishes of people.”

    Your statements are quite idealistic, we told her. Not many media-owners express these sentiments these days, we said. “We have grown in business, but we have always kept the welfare and values of society in the forefront and in balance. If we have to grow, we have to grow with this vision in mind. If we had only business in mind, we would not have converted the GEC channel to news. Today, Mi Marathi is doing well, enjoys a good reputation. We have been very balanced, with no bias whatsoever!”

     

  • The agreement anchors TNA with a major media company in the world's largest wrestling market outside of the United States

    Sony SIX to air TNA content until 2022

    By A Correspondent

     

    TNA Wrestling and Sony SIX have signed a long-term deal that will make Sony SIX the exclusive telecaster for all TNA content until 2022. The agreement anchors TNA with a major media company in the world’s largest wrestling market outside of the United States.

     

    The partnership also includes a commitment to the discovery and development of talent from the Indian subcontinent to join the TNA roster, following in the footsteps of Mahabali Shera – who last year became TNA’s first ever Indian-born superstar.

     

    Sony Six Business Head Prasana Krishna said: “We are extremely thrilled to extend our partnership with TNA. India historically boasts of a rich heritage in wresting and we believe, that through this initiative, we will be taking another step forward in reaching out to our audiences across India.

     

    “The introduction of Shera and more Indian talents will only bolster our special televised capsule of action sports, which will feature the best of action and combat sports. We at Sony SIX look forward to building on this fascinating sport.”

     

    TNA President Dixie Carter added: “India has an incredible cultural heritage with wrestling and we are thrilled to continue this amazing partnership with Sony SIX for years to come.

     

    “As is evident through this long-term deal with Sony SIX, the powerful introduction of Mahabali Shera, and our continued pledge to find and develop Indian talent, together we are committed to growing legions of TNA fans across the Indian subcontinent.”

     

  • Expectedly, Star India has hiked World Cup 2015 ad rates after India's performance

    Star twinkles as India shines

     

    By Ravi Teja Sharma & Ratna Bhushan

     

    Star India, official broadcaster of the ongoing cricket World Cup, has lost no time in hiking ad rates for the tournament even further, riding on the two big wins India recorded and all-time high television viewership of the India-Pakistan match. Rates have shot up by almost 25-30% over the past two days, and are in the range of Rs 18 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for a 10-second ad spot, up from close to Rs 12 lakh, said two media buyers requesting anonymity.

     

    Sam Balsara, chairman and managing director at media buying group Madison World said it was usual for broadcasters to up rates on highly watched shows. “India’s performance has been unexpectedly good so far. So its natural to hike rates for any broadcaster,” he said. Media planners say rates may peak that of the last World Cup which India won.

     

    Anita Nayyar

    “The India show gives India more muscle to stick to its rates. Even if advertisers think the rates are too steep, they don’t have a choice,” said a marketing head of a top foods firm. “When the World Cup started, there was scepticism. In the last two matches India has done phenomenally well giving a lot of philip to the tournament. With viewership increasing, Star is increasing rates,” said Anita Nayyar, CEO of Havas Media, India and South Asia. She said there are clients who are waiting for quarters, semi-finals and finals to advertise as they know that people will watch these games irrespective of the Indian cricket team’s presence in the stages.

     

    Media buying firms say now even unconventional advertisers are looking to buy one-off spots, even at a premium, with India almost certain to reach the final league stages. Without specifying the rates, a Star India spokesperson said: “The pricing for the remaining matches is dynamic and depends on the inventory left. Most brands are interested in buying spots for a group of matches, therefore single game spots are sold at a premium.”

     

    Star claims it has over 100 advertisers on the tournament. “The final stage matches will definitely get Star a higher rate. With India doing well, they will get their desired rates for these few matches,” says Vinit Karnik, national director, sports and live events, at GroupM ESP.

     

    The India-Pakistan World Cup thriller on February 15 was watched by 288 million people in India – the most watched event in the country since the last World Cup final, according to data provided by World Cup Star India. In comparison, on the opening day of the World Cup, the Australia-England match was viewed by over 100 million people. The match, which India won convincingly by 76 runs, got a rating of 14.8 TVR among male viewers.

     

    With Star launching commentary on its regional channels, about 76% of the total viewership during the match came from regional and Hindi while the rest came from English, said Star. The India-Pakistan match had also created history on the digital front with Star India’s digital platforms garnering over 25 million views, the highest in the world for a single game.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

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

    All Rights Reserved, Licensed to republish

     

  • Toonami has a significant presence is Asia Pacific across 14 countries

    It’s ‘Toonami’ from Turner India!

    By A Correspondent

     

    Turner International India announced the expansion of its industry leading kids’ entertainment portfolio with the launch of Toonami, a channel dedicated to bringing high-octane animated action to kids, superhero fans and their families across the country.

     

    Toonami has a significant presence is Asia Pacific across 14 countries including Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. In India, Toonami complements Turner’s kids’ entertainment portfolio of genre leading channels – Cartoon Network and POGO. The channel is being distributed by Taj Television and is available on the country’s leading digital cable platforms across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore.

     

    Commenting on the launch Siddharth Jain, Managing Director, South Asia, Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. said, “It is a real proud moment for Turner to bring in a channel like Toonami to our young Indian audiences – we now offer a robust entertainment experience for all ages and interests. A highly successful international brand, it will meet the growing demand for premium quality action-adventure and superhero content.”

     

    Siddharth Jain

    Toonami, which is based on the hit programming block of the same name on Cartoon Network in the US, is a 24-hour English action and anime destination designed for viewers seeking a full tilt, rollercoaster ride of adventure, quips, drama and a whole lot more. The channel is set to be the ultimate destination for the action-and-adventure enthusiasts in every family. Toonami is a dream come true for superhero fans featuring franchises such as Batman, Superman, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Justice League, Inazuma Eleven Go, Dragon Ball Z and many more!

     

  • A campaign initiated to enable the viewers to see beyond the apparent

    NewsX unveils new campaign to highlight core positioning

    By A Correspondent

     

    Having repositioned itself to bridge the differences between augmented and ground reality of every story, NewsX has unveiled a new campaign advocating the same. The campaign will take the brand values to the next level and will be aided by the launch of a new campaign that will promote the channel’s philosophy at large. With the theme ‘See Beyond…’, the campaign will be a continuation of ‘News. Not Noise’, the defining value of the English news channel.

     

    Speaking on the launch of this campaign, Kartikeya Sharma, Managing Director, iTV Network, said, “NewsX is evolving. We are overwhelmed with NewsX success in such a short span of time. We are glad about our acceptance among the viewers. This campaign is a conscious effort to emphasize on facts, not on opinions, devoid of hysteria and sensationalism. This brand campaign will help the brand stand out as a catalyst of fair and unmolded news broadcaster.”

     

    Savvy Dilip, Group CMO, iTV Network, said, “We are delighted to introduce this brand campaign and continue our rich legacy of delivering quality news. This brand campaign will be promoted through 360O platforms comprised of on air, print, outdoor, digital and social media along with interactive viewers engagement activities. We are also optimistic about adding considerable value to all our stakeholders through this brand repositioning.”

     

  • The Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada and Oriya of the Viacom18 stable will drop the ETV and rebranded with the Colors prefix

    Viacom18 adds Colors to Regionals

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    A day before the auspicious festival of Holi set in, Viacom18 made announcement that reflects the plans the entertainment network has for its regionals: it has announced the rebranding of five ETV-prefixed regional general entertainment channels in Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Bengali and Oriya. These will now be prefixed with Colors which has been until now the preserve of the Hindi GEC alone.

     

    The ETC GECs are owned by Prism TV Private Limited and are a part of the Viacom18 networks which has operations in the Hindi entertainment, youth, children, English entertainment and regional clusters.

     

    Sudhanshu Vats

    On making the regional foray, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. said, “59 per cent of the country converses in regional languages as their primary language of choice. Today regional TV channels command the second largest viewership in India. The expansion fuels our growth strategy in building the Colors franchise, a brand that has become the cultural touchstone for millions of Indians across the world. The move will help us foray into key regional markets as we nurture and monetise the bouquet across platforms.”

     

    All of it is subject to regulatory approvals. Viacom Inc. through its subsidiary Nick Asia will acquire a 50 per cent interest in the five regional general entertainment channels, while TV18 will continue to own the remaining 50 per cent.

     

    On the communication approach to socialise the rebranding, he indicated that the “revelation of the new brand identity of each of the five regional channels has been staggered across a period of two months starting March 3, 2015. It is scheduled to coincide with regional festivals that mark new beginnings. 360-degree marketing and communication campaigns encompassing TV, cinema, cable, on-ground, radio, outdoor as well as digital platforms, customised to individual regional markets, will amplify the change.” Colors Marathi, for instance, will take on the rebranded avatar from March 22 given that it coincides with Gudi Padwa.

     

    Campaigns for each regional brand will leverage the distinct fervour of the corresponding state or region through region specific events and / or on-ground activations involving popular local influencers. Each high-decibel campaign will run for approximately four to five weeks. According to the grapevine, an approximate amount of Rs 50-60 crore will be sent on the marketing and activation offensive to unveil the rebranding. An additional expense will also be incurred on programming initiatives that will coincide with the blitz.

     

    Meanwhile, Mr Vats told MxMIndia that the network is keen to grow each of the clusters, though he did not reveal when more channels would be launched in each of the five clusters.

     

    A senior media planner MxMIndia spoke with told us on conditions of anonymity, that the Colors branding was a logical way to go for the regional channels. It’s a win-win for all, because Colors is already an established franchise and will have a positive rub-off given the Hindi GEC enjoys leadership status and is ranked second in the entertainment space.

     

  • The role will be in addition to his responsibility as CEO of IBN Network

    Avinash Kaul appointed President of A+E Networks|TV18

    By A Correspondent

     

    Avinash Kaul

    AETN18 board of directors have appointed Avinash Kaul as President of A+E Networks|TV18. Kaul will be responsible for the day-to-day operational, strategic and financial management of the joint-venture. The role will be in addition to his responsibility as CEO of IBN Network.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, AP Parigi, Group CEO, Network18 said, “As A+E Networks | TV18 enters a new phase of growth, I’m confident that Avinash is the right person to lead the company forward. He has a proven ability to create strategic clarity, ensure disciplined execution, and deliver results. We believe that his passion for innovation will help ensure that the venture will continue its stellar growth trajectory.”

     

    Sean Cohan, Executive Vice President, International, A+E Networks added, “Avinash brings vast media expertise, foresight and knowledge of the Indian market to the venture. Under his leadership, we are well-positioned to realize our shared vision of strong and vibrant entertainment services in India.”

     

    With a career spanning over 16 years, Kaul has rich experience in a variety of roles in sales, marketing and general management across genres like News and Entertainment, Movie and Lifestyle in India. Prior to this, Kaul held the position of CEO – TV Division of BCCL, managing Times Now, ET Now and zoOm. He has also worked in leadership and various capacities in networks like Star, NDTV Media and Discovery Networks, among others.

     

  • With only five-and-a-half measurable days as per the TAM measurement cyle, newly launched flagship Hindi GEC &TV from the Zee Entertainment stable has opened at 90612 GVTs

    &TV opens with 90612 GVTs

    The numbers are out. &TV has opened at 90162 GVTs in the first week of its launch.

     

    With only five-and-a-half measurable days as per the TAM measurement cyle, newly launched flagship Hindi GEC &TV from the Zee Entertainment stable has opened at 90612 GVTs. The launch happened with roadblocks across the Zee network of channels as well as very visible outdoor and print campaign.

     

    Detailed ratings of the various shows including Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘India Poochega – Sabse Shaana Kaun?’ are awaited

     

  • The WPP and Nielsen co-owned TAM and joint industry body-run BARC have been in discussion for a stake sale of the television audience measurement business of TAM

    Exclusive! BARC in talks to buy TAM?

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Entertainment television is all about twists and turn in the fictional serials. Cricket, as you would’ve heard several times over, is a game of glorious uncertainties. So why then should there be surprise over the possibility of BARC buying up TAM.

    Okay, let’s cut the tease. Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has indeed been in discussions to buy the television audience measurement business of TAM, the firm jointly owned by WPP’s Kantar Media Research and Nielsen. And, yes, it’s March 12 today, not April 1.

    According to reasonably reliable sources, there have been a detailed dialogue between the joint industry body-managed BARC and TAM owners Kantar and Nielsen. The talks haven’t concluded yet and the mid-point formula that was suggested by a WPP representative has been reportedly rejected by BARC bosses.

    Both BARC and TAM were unavailable for comment, but from what one learns, BARC was seriously considering the buy.

    So why gobble up TAM when the audience research measurement activity of the measurement body was under question? Well, even as doubts were being raised, there is no denying that broadcasters, advertisers and media agency use TAM as the currency for their buying decisions. Also, as industry analyst told us, TAM comes with a ready 12,000-odd panel, established processes and teams and archival data.

    And from TAM’s point of view, why sell out to BARC? Given that all stakeholders have contributed to the BARC kitty, it’s evident that sooner or later all TAM subscribers will exit the system or want to renegotiate. Given this, it’s best to sell the existing well-oiled measurement machinery to BARC which would find it of use, said the analyst we spoke to earlier.

    TAM has already made it known to subscribers (and the media) that it will continue operations even as there is a significant number (in billings at least) of subscribers who have said they would like to unsubscribe. If TAM continues to exist, there will be several comparisons made with the new measurement system, and those subscribers who may be rated poorly by the BARC system vis-a-vis TAM may quote the latter. This could even lead to advertisers questioning the BARC data and hence cause a confusion in the marketplace.

    As reported on MxMIndia earlier, the ghost of the Indian Readership Survey has raised anxiety levels in the industry. For, MRUC and RSCI, the bodies running IRS are jointly run and owned by various stakeholders in the industry. And despite it being an industry association, print players are up in arms against the new IRS.

    BARC, meanwhile, is said to be only in the discussion with the television audience measurement business of TAM. Other divisions such as the Strategy or S Group which offers advisory service on measurement, AdEx India, RAM for radio audience measurement, Eikona for measurement of earned media and PR activity and TAM Sports, which offers special analysis of sports ROI will not be part of the deal if it goes through.

    So where do things stand now? At the time of writing, the talks have been suspended. But as the date approaches for the launch of the system, and the stakes for both BARC and TAM grow higher, the deal could well be inked. Like on television, be ready for the climax.

     

  • He will report into Siddharth Jain, Turner's Senior Vice President and Managing Director for South Asia

    Turner names new head for English entertainment portfolio

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rohit Bhandari
    Siddharth Jain

    Turner International India has announced the appointment of Rohit Bhandari as Senior Director and Network Head for its English entertainment portfolio that includes leading channels HBO and WB in South Asia.

     

    Bhandari will report into Siddharth Jain, Turner’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director for South Asia. Commenting on the appointment Jain said, “We’re really pleased to have Rohit on board in this key position as we continue to grow our leadership in the English entertainment genre. With his well-established expertise and industry experience, I am confident he will help us build upon our success in the India and South Asia region.”

     

    In this role, Bhandari will be responsible for the growth strategy, planning and execution of all network functions including content acquisition, communications, marketing and brand building.

     

    Bhandari’s appointment is effective immediately and he will be based at Turner’s office in Mumbai. He has over two decades of experience in television and advertising including overseeing business operations for AXN and Animax in India, as well as advertising sales in both India and Singapore. He previously led the media and entertainment vertical at Sahara India Capsac Limited.

     

  • I hope the early success of &TV encourages more GEC launches, writes Shailesh Kapoor, adding: Sound business models can ensure good profitability at even 80-120 GRP levels.

    Shailesh Kapoor: Hindi GECs: There’s Space For More… &More

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    March 2 saw the launch of &TV, the second mainstream GEC from the Zee stable (not counting the highly differentiated Zindagi and the rerun-based Zee Anmol). The first ratings yesterday confirmed that the channel has managed to make its presence felt within its first week. It launched at 42 GRPs, making it one of the best channel launches in the last decade, close on the heels of Colors, Life OK and Imagine.

     

    The ratings universe has widened since 2008. &TV’s 42 GRPs would easily have been 55+ in a pre-LC1 environment, in which other GECs mentioned above launched. Also, the ratings are based on five-and-a-half days of content, which means a natural growth next week is expected anyway. We should see the channel comfortably crossing the 50-mark next week, and with a sizeable reach potential still untapped, it may be looking at the century over the next quarter.

     

    What interested me even more was to see if &TV got its initial numbers from other GECs or if it could grow the category. The top six GECs lost only 21 GRPs this week combined, which &TV got exactly half its viewership by growing the category. Its early days yet, but one could safely assume that in a more stable state, at least 30% of &TV’s ratings would be category growth, which could mean that channel would have managed to grow the already dominant Hindi GEC category by 3-5% by the time it crosses the 100 GRP mark.

     

    Yet, there has been persistent talk around there being no space available for one more Hindi GEC. Every time someone comes up with the idea of launching a new Hindi GEC, promoters or investors treat the thought with immense skepticism.

     

    It’s not a surprising response, however. You won’t expect most investors to be core GEC viewers themselves, and from the outside, it would indeed seem that all the GECs are essentially dishing out similar programming. I have voiced my concerns regarding lack of innovation on the GECs over the last two years, but lack of variety has never been an issue. The consumers see genres and sub-genres in what the non-viewers can just pass off as “daily soaps” or “saas-bahu serials”.

     

    Identifying strategic need gaps in the Hindi GEC space can be a tough ask today. But tapping the right genres and creating new sub-genres within them can indeed push the category viewership ahead. The size of investment may also be a deterrent, but for someone with deep pockets, a well-planned GEC business has a far lower risk than, say, a news or a niche channel today.

     

    The rise-and-fall stories of 9X and Imagine have often been used as an example of how a GEC business is high on risk. But there have been the success stories in Colors and Life OK too, the former a lot more significant than the latter. I hope the early success of &TV encourages more GEC launches. Sound business models can ensure good profitability at even 80-120 GRP levels.

     

  • DDB Mudra West has crafted a three staged campaign called 'India Ka Tyohaar'

    DDB Mudra wins creative mandate for Sony MAX and Pepsi IPL 2015

    By A Correspondent

     

    DDB Mudra West has recently won the creative account of Pepsi IPL 2015. The agency handles the creative mandate for Sony MAX further to which it got the Pepsi IPL 2015 account.

     

    In order to rejuvenate the cricket viewers’ interest for Pepsi IPL 2015 and prepare them for a different level of excitement, Sony MAX and DDB Mudra West have crafted a three staged campaign called ‘India Ka Tyohaar.’

     

    India is a land of festivals and cricket is a multicultural religion uniting every Indian. Just like every religion, cricket also has its festival – the Indian Premier League. Based on this thought, the idea for this year’s Pepsi IPL 2015 campaign – India Ka Tyohar talks about the tournament as a festival which not only unites India but also brings together cricket players from across the world, uniting as clubs, battling for the winning cup of Pepsi IPL 2015.

     

    The first phase of the campaign that kick-started on Feb 24, 2015 included teasers showcasing people from various walks of life gearing up for ‘India Ka Tyohaar’. Spun around one of the key messages of Pepsi IPL 2015; erasing differences (social classes, occupation etc.) between people, the three teasers have a fun-filled tonality to them.

     

    The recently released second phase of the campaign is the Pepsi IPL 2015 anthem. Penned by Sonal Dabral and his team at DDB Mudra West, the anthem is composed by the music artist brothers Salim-Suleiman. The anthem will further be followed by three more creatives around the theme of the anthem ‘Isme hai dilon ka pyaar, yeh hai India ka tyohar’.

     

    The TVCs will go on air closer to the tournament’s start and will continue through the event marking the third phase of the campaign. The campaign would be spread across electronic, print and digital mediums.

     

    Neeraj Vyas

    Commenting on giving the creative mandate to DDB Mudra West, Neeraj Vyas, Senior EVP & Business Head, MAX, said, “For Pepsi IPL 2015, we wanted to have a campaign that brings people together in celebrating a much loved sport like cricket. DDB Mudra West has the talent, creativity and expertise to deliver a promising campaign such as ‘India ka Tyohaar’ which invites people to partake in this fun and festivity by putting aside their differences. We believe the agency will help make the Pepsi IPL 2015 a national rage and strengthen the emotional affinity towards the tournament.”

     

     

    Rajiv Sabnis

    Quoting on the account win, Rajiv Sabnis, President, DDB Mudra West said, “It’s a great feeling to partner the biggest sporting campaign of India- the Pepsi IPL 2015. The focus is back on celebrating the sport, limited overs cricket, and celebrating the enormous fan-following that it has not just in India but around the world. Cricket unifies, it brings joy, it infuses optimism and it even rejuvenates the economy. Cricket has the power to bring Indians together as one nation and one people.  “India ka Tyohaar” is Sony MAX and Sony Six’s initiative to celebrate Pepsi IPL 2015 as the largest, unifying festival of India.”

     

    Sonal Dabral
    Sonal Dabral

    Quoting on the campaign, Sonal Dabral, CCO and Chairman, DDB Mudra Group said, “If Cricket is a religion in India, Pepsi IPL 2015 is its only true festival. Unlike any other sporting event in the world, it’s a microcosm of the passion, fervour and madness that envelops our country whenever cricket is played, uniting hearts and minds in its wake. And unlike any other festival in India, this is one festival that every Indian celebrates. It’s got the colours of Holi, the festivity of Diwali, the brotherhood of Eid and the joy of Christmas. What else can you call it but one amazing ‘India Ka Tyohaar’? It’s been a privilege and an honour to create this big idea for Pepsi IPL 2015. Here’s to Sony! Here’s to India Ka Tyohaar!”