MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • Year-long association to strengthen women empowerment initiatives

    Colors joins hands with SheThePeople.TV

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hindi general entertainment channel Coors announced its association with digital storytelling platform for women, SheThePeople.TV. Both media conglomerates have been working towards women empowerment with SheThePeople.TV, led by acclaimed journalist Shaili Chopra, focusing on building a digital ecosystem for women achievers in the country. As a part of this year-long association, Colors and SheThePeople.TV will collectively push for a stronger dialogue on gender challenges and a better and stronger representation of women in entertainment.

     

    Raj Nayak

    Commenting on the association, Raj Nayak, CEO – COLORS said, “At Colors, 65% of our employee base comprises women, and they form the backbone of the organisation furthering our business goals. Through our shows like Udann, Shakti and Devanshi amongst many others, we have always tried to put the quintessential Indian woman and her many strengths in the spotlight to transform them into effective influencers. We believe that in today’s day and age it is critical to be a driver of change, and a digital platform like SheThePeople.TV is the perfect platform for us to take this initiative further. We look forward to a nation of absolute equality and hope to contribute positively towards achieving this.”

     

    Shaili Chopra, Founder of SheThePeople.TV said it was an important shift to note that large platforms with tremendous viewership were sensitizing themselves to championing women and contributing to the idea of gender equality. “Entertainment plays the biggest role in influencing minds in our country and to have Colors take a lead in the effort to transform projection of women on screens is a step in the right direction. We at SheThePeople, as India’s largest digital media platform for women stories believe, we are at the cusp of some real change.”

     

  • Shailesh Kapoor's much-read view on the gamechanging shows of the year kicks off our Lookback 2016 series

    Top 5 “Gamechangers” on Hindi GECs in 2016

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    This Top 5 yearender piece has been a regular feature on this column since 2013. (Links to previous articles: 2015, 2014, 2013). However, there has been one important change since 2015. The word “gamechanger” seemed too liberal to use for the 2015 list, and needed the quotation marks around it to qualify the liberal usage. I had secretly hoped at that time that this qualifier won’t be required at the end of 2016. But no such luck.

     

    It has been a fairly uninspiring year on the content front, and hence game-changers continues to be a liberal word to use. That being qualified, here’s the list of the five Hindi GEC shows that stood out this year, for the impact they managed to have on the category:

    5.  Diya Aur Baati Hum

    The Star Plus show features in this list for one specific reason – Star Plus’ bold move to end the show this year. Diya Aur Baati Hum wrapped up on September 10, after a five-year run that saw a glorious period of at least three years. Like many other shows, the channel could have dragged this one for another 2-3 years, even more. It would have understandably been a tough call to take. But wisdom prevailed. Colors’ Balika Vadhu also ended this year, after an eight-year run. Hope there’s a trend being set here, slowly but surely.

     

    4.  Kumkum Bhagya

    Kumkum Bhagya finished two years in April (though it seems like it has been on-air for ages). Through the year, the show single-handedly kept Zee TV afloat, even as the channel struggled to retain its No. 3 spot in the second half of the year. There’s a certain storytelling style that Balaji Telefilms has mastered, and Kumkum Bhagya’s consistent performance is yet another outcome of that.

     

    3. Naagin & Naagin 2

    Naagin had topped this list at the end of 2015. The first season ended on a high in June, and the second season has worked equally well since its October launch. Treated like a true sequel, with characters and story being taken forward 25 years from where the first season ended, Naagin 2 continued to rely upon the tropes that worked for the first season – dramatic storytelling, glamorous cast, deft special effects (at least by Indian television standards) and most importantly, a sense of urgency and pace that’s unmatched in the category by far.

     

    2. Shakti

    This post-IPL launch on Colors had one of the more intriguing campaigns in recent times, playing on a “sach” that would eventually be revealed several weeks later. With a eunuch (kinnar) as its lead protagonist, Shakti managed to create differentiation with social relevance. That, combined with smart storytelling that made the most of every dramatic moment, ensured that Shakti quickly rose to the top of the GEC fiction charts, in turn helping Colors usurp Star Plus at the No. 1 position, especially with Naagin also on-air.

     

    Will Shakti have an extended run over 2017-18? Only time will tell. But in a year of lacklustre weekday fiction launches, Shakti stood out as a genuine exception.

    1. The Kapil Sharma Show

    He had ruled the weekends for more than two years before parting ways with Colors. Yet, when he made a comeback with The Kapil Sharma Show on Sony in April this year, there was much scepticism about how the show would fare. There would be format fatigue after all, and Comedy Nights With Kapil didn’t exactly end on a high on Colors.

     

    But those fears, as it turned out, were unfounded. The Kapil Sharma Show grew from strength to strength during the year, acquiring the same cult status, if not even higher, that the predecessor show on Colors enjoyed. That Kapil Sharma did not have a feature film distraction during this year helped. As did the superbly conceived and performed character of Dr Mashoor Gulati.

     

    The Kapil Sharma Show took Sony to the No. 3 spot by the last quarter of the year. And unless Sharma messes it up with another feature film roadblock, 2017 is set to be a big year for this show.

     

  • The big non-fiction highlight of the new year is going to be the sudden influx of shows in the singing reality genre, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Shailesh Kapoor: Get Ready For A Deluge Of Singing Reality Shows

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    It’s an interesting new year for Hindi GECs. In an extended period when new fiction shows are failing to make a mark, the focus, temporarily at least, has shifted to non-fiction content. An immensely successful first season of Super Dancer ended on Sony last month. The Kapil Sharma Show (‘non-fiction’ that’s somewhere between non-scripted and scripted) is doing very well for the channel too, establishing Sony as a clear No 3 over the last few weeks.

     

    Season 10 of Colors’ Bigg Boss may not be a ratings blockbuster, but it has managed to sustain well over the last few weeks. In a bold and experimental move, commoners were used as a differentiating element this season. And the move has worked alright. The commoners are headlining the show, and this could set the template for Bigg Boss over the new few seasons. After all, it’s an option that’s a lot more commercially lucrative than a celebs-only show.

     

    But the big non-fiction highlight of the new year is going to be the sudden influx of shows in the singing reality genre. There are as many as five such shows around, at various stages, from promotions to post-launch.

     

    The second season of The Voice India launched on &TV early December. Indian Idol made a solid comeback on December 24, with the original jury helming the show this time. The show has opened to very encouraging ratings. The presence of SonuNiigam adds significantly to the franchise’s credibility. While a drop in ratings post the audition episodes is par for the course, the show is set to have a good run over the next quarter.

     

    This weekend, Star Plus will launch Dil Hai Hindustani, a singing reality show featuring NRI and foreign participants singing Bollywood songs. It’s an interesting differentiator, though it’s difficult to say how engaging the content can be, if centered only around this promotional premise. This weekend should tell us more.

     

    Colors is promoting the International format Rising Star, based on live audience voting, heavily. Zee TV will be banking on its pedigree show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa as a trump card to win back the No. 3 position. The show is currently in its auditions phase.

     

    That leaves only Sab TV and Life OK out as Hindi GECs that are currently not engaged in singing reality content. Sab TV doesn’t dwell much into non-fiction anyway, and Life OK is in a reboot phase with fiction being the focus currently.

     

    So, five singing reality shows will be on-air at the same time, a few weeks from now. All on the weekends, some head-on against each other in the same slot too. Even though they come with their individual strengths and differentiators, it wouldn’t take much to guess that some of these will outshine the others.

     

    Singing reality has been a genre that has gone through its fair share of fatigue in the 2000-2010 period. Multiple seasons of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and Indian Idol were punctuated by several other attempts, many of which never even entered a second season. Unlike dance reality, which is a visual genre, singing reality tends to get technical and low on entertainment. The average viewer cannot distinguish good singing from average or bad singing, especially when these shows reach their gala stages. The inspirational backstories and the jury banter then take over as key hooks.

     

    Indian Idol’s strong opening suggests that the fatigue factor has eased out a bit. By March, we will know who the winners and the losers of this unique five-way battle are.

     

  • The awards will be compered by the host of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon

    Viacom18 to showcase Golden Globe Awards across its channels

     

     

    The best from the American TV and Film industry will compete for the most coveted awards in the business at the Golden Globe Awards this weekend.The awards will be compered by the host of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon.

     

    Commenting on the simulcast of Golden Globe Awards, Hashim D’Souza, Programming Head – English Entertainment, Viacom18 said: “We are thrilled to kickstart this year with one of the most prestigious awards, airing simultaneously across all our English Entertainment channels. This ecstatic mix of lauded TV shows, movies and music, makes the Golden Globe Awards so exciting that we take immense pleasure in bringing this to our viewers, year on year.”

     

    While the Golden Globe Awards have previously aired five times on Vh1, this is the second consecutive year of its simulcast on Colors Infinity and Comedy Central.

     

  • Muralidhar comes with experience of nearly 33 years in print and television broadcasting

    BTVi appoints Muralidhar Swaminathan as Channel Director

     

     

    BTVi has appointed Muralidhar Swaminathan as the Channel Director. A senior financial news journalist, Swaminathan comes with experience of nearly 33 years in print and television broadcasting.

     

    Welcoming Swaminathan on board, Siddharth Zarabi, Executive Editor, BTVi, said, “BTVi has gone from strength to strength and I am delighted that such a high calibre professional, a veteran of the industry, is joining the team. Murali’s vast experience and leadership acumen are a value addition to the BTVi ethos. His truly integrated and cohesive leadership skills will drive us to even greater heights in the years to come.”

     

    Sharing his thoughts on his new leadership role, Swaminathan, said, “I am delighted to be a part of BTVi. I am excited and looking forward to partnering with the talented, young leadership team to deliver the company’s vision and invigorate growth.”

     

  • She has been one of the most visible and controversial faces of Indian news television

    Barkha Dutt quits NDTV. Will we miss her?

     

    Barkha Dutt, Consulting Editor at NDTV 24×7 and one of the most visible faces of news television in India, has decided to move on from the channel. “In 1995, BarkhaDutt joined NDTV straight out of college, and now, after 21 wonderful years together, Barkha has requested that she would like to explore some new opportunities, pursue other interests and work on her own ventures,” noted a statement on the channel’s website, adding: “In all her years with NDTV, she has been hugely productive and has grown with the organisation, becoming an acclaimed, award-winning journalist of repute across India and many parts of the world. We are certain that Barkha will go from strength to strength and NDTV wishes her all the very best.”

     

    And this is what Dutt put out in the social media:

    “A new year means that new beginnings beckon. After a great two decades at NDTV I will be moving on to explore new opportunities, diversify my interests and build my own multi media content and events company as well as special projects. It’s been an eventful and super ride at NDTV with an Emmy Nomination among the multiple awards capping a wonderful journey. I am especially proud of We The People the last episode of which I hosted today – at sixteen years it’s the longest running show on Indian TV. But am hugely excited about the many adventures that await me. And I now count on everyone’s best wishes for my next new and wonderful innings. Excited 🤗 wish me luck !!”

    In January 2016, Dutt and former Indian Express editor-in-chief Shekhar Gupta had announced a venture titled ‘The Print’. The entity has held some live discussions so far, but the activities have been limited thus far.

    So will we miss Barkha Dutt on NDTV?

    Dutt, a recipient of the Padma Shri, has been one of the Indian news television’s most visible faces. But she has also been controversial for her style of news gathering around the Mumbai terror strike in 2008 and the action she initiated against a blogger who was very critical of her around that time. The real low in her career was the publicly available conversation that she had with communications honcho NiiraRadia, where she was seen to be compromising the influence she wielded as a senior journalist to help the lobbyist achieve her goals. Her employers – NDTV Ltd – appeared to have backed her given that she continued to be employed with it and featured on its primetime bulletins. Recently, she had a spat with the then editor-in-chief of Times Now ArnabGoswami, though on this one, she did get the support of those who had rubbished her claims of honesty in the Radia tapes case.

    Back to the question we asked ourselves? Will we miss her on NDTV 24×7? Yes, we will. And the only way we won’t miss her as much is if see more of Prannoy Roy at primetime. The others – Vikram Chandra, Sonia Singh, Vishnu Som – are good, but they are at least three notches lower than Barkha. Okay, make it five.

    They are good anchors, but just about that. Dr Roy is good with these, and possibly Nidhi Razdan.

    So NDTV 24×7 will miss her. Although stocks were a shade down on Monday’s trading on the Bombay Stock Exchange, one shouldn’t anticipate the markets to crash the way they could have if Times Now was listed when Arnab Goswami quit.

    Also, one can be sure that Barkha Dutt will be back soon. It was a bit of a surprise that she move on weeks before the crucial UP and Punjab elections, but if not a channel, she will make a digital appearance soon.

     

  • …Says Neeraj Vyas, SVP and Business Head, on the launch of Sony Rox

    With Rox, we will bring alive sound & video…

     

    By Santosh Jangid

     

    A quick chat with Neeraj Vyas, Senior EVP and Business Head – Hindi Movies & Music Cluster, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) soon after he unveiled the channel to the media. Excerpts from the interview:

     

    How will Sony Rox be different from the others?

    The main differentiator is that we will more than anything else bring alive sound and video quality as we have a partnership with Dolby. Dolby has a very stringent benchmarks that you need to comply with and we are very proud to say that we have adhered to all those benchmarks and we are actually merging the workflow of Dolby with Sony and the output that you see is a result of that. So it’s a huge step up for the whole music industry. That’s the first differentiator. The day-parting is another differentiator, the fact that we have deals with all the music labels is another differentiation. You pick up any channel, you will not find that. All the specials that we are doing – the Gigs in your town or School of Rocks which tells you about small things about music. We are also looking at doing interviews with musicians, we will also be doing music reviews. So a lot happening in the next six-eight months.

     

    ‘Mix for SD households, Rox for HD’

     

    Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) launched its second Hindi music channel Sony Rox HD which will cater to young music enthusiasts.  The channel showcases new Hindi film music in high definition visual format of 1080i resolution and enhanced by Dolby Audio. Served through a day-parted playout with unique programming initiatives, the tagline of the channel is ‘Music Melody Madhoshi’. Some of the specials on Sony Rox HD include Rox School of Music which educate the audience about the A to Z of making music, Rox Recommends which showcases the coolest hits every week, Gigs in your Town which unroll musical events around you and Rox Original Artist of the Month where there will be a new indie artist every month on the channel.

     

    Speaking about the launch, NP Singh, CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) said,“There were 15 channels when we ventured into the music genre five years back. We wanted to create the most music-centered destination on Indian television and Sony Mix went beyond our expectations on that count. Building on this gratifying experience, we decided to launch Sony Rox HD. And now, with this launch, we are geared to take a leadership position in the broadcast of music entertainment by curating an incredible experience for music lovers. While Mix will cater to SD (Standard Definition) households, Rox HD shall set itself as the premium contemporary music channel for youth in HD (High Definition) households.”

     

    Added Pankaj Kedia, Senior Director, Emerging Markets, Dolby Laboratories  on the association with Sony Rox: “Great sound is essential for a complete cinematic entertainment experience and Dolby is excited to work with Sony Rox HD to unveil a dynamic audio experience for consumers.”

     

    Why a new channel when you already have one in Sony Mix?

    That would have disturbed the existing existence of Sony Mix. Sony Mix caters to a large section of people between the age group of 14 to 40 years whereas this is clearly for the youth in the age group of 14 to 25 years. You cannot dilute what a brand stands for and you have to only add to that. Mix has its own status, it’s a GEC kind of a channel and it caters to a large segment of the audience.

     

    Tell us more about the association with Dolby?

    It’s an understanding of two companies which adhere to quality so its more a marketing relationship where both the brands will benefit from the quality standards that each of us share with each other.

     

    What would be the promotion strategy for the channel?

    Luckily we are a network of 22 channels so we don’t have to look beyond that. The promos are already airing on the channels. We have a very large digital presence and we are the first ones to go live on Facebook for a channel launch. I don’t think anybody has done it. We are launching the channel live across all our network channel’s Facebook pages. So digital is taken care of. We have twitter handle where we get feedback, also on print. Outdoor is something we don’t do because it doesn’t  really work beyond a point. The strength of our network is our biggest platform.

     

    On a personal level, how important is music to you?

    Music is the only thing I live for. It ticks me like nothing else does. I start my day with music and I end my day with music. People normally watch TV before going to sleep, I listen to music.

     

  • Ropes in Suniel Shetty and other fitness trainers such as Mickey Mehta, YasimKarachiwala, Ramona Braganza, Shivoham and others to share their fitness secrets

    SonyLIV unveils health & wellness content platform, LIV FIT

     

     

    SonyLIV has announced the launch of LIV FIT, a health and wellness segment on its OTT platform. From Suniel Shetty and his team of trainers to Mickey Mehta, Nawaz Modi Singhania, Yasim Karachiwala, Ramona Braganza and Satya, the attempt will be to ensure enhanced engagement with viewers that is also likely to augment and sustain their interest in meeting their diet and exercise goals.

     

    Said Uday Sodhi, EVP and Head – Digital Business, Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt Ltd: “With a keen understanding on the health situation and the need for it and health and wellness having emerged as  the most sought-after subjects for content consumption in India, we at SonyLIV decided to introduce  LIV FIT, to fill the gap with content that comes from the most reliable sources.With the best of health and fitness gurus on board, we are certain that LIV FIT will be a great hit with our users and will make a tangible impact on their lives.”

     

  • The channel is part of a growing bouquet of offerings from the Indian media and entertainment conglomerate Viacom18, a joint-venture between Viacom Inc. and India-based TV18 network

    Rishtey Cineplex takes off in the US with Amagi

    By A Correspondent

     

    Amagi announced that Viacom18 has launched Rishtey Cineplex in the United States, using its Cloudport-managed services. Rishtey Cineplex is a Hindi movie channel that airs Bollywood movies, along with Hindi-dubbed South Indian movies. The channel is part of a growing bouquet of offerings from the Indian media and entertainment conglomerate Viacom18, a joint-venture between Viacom Inc. and India-based TV18 network.

     

    “Indian films are a powerful and popular medium of entertainment globally,” said Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO at Viacom18. “Launching Rishtey Cineplex helps us ride the wave of inherent relationship between the expatriate Indian population and the sense of cultural inclusivity that our films evoke. Associating with Amagi, we are enhancing our footprint across the U.S. market, cementing the same home connection our network has built for viewers here.”

     

    “Adopting new age technology and giving our viewers a heightened viewing experience have always been key focus areas of our organization,” added Raj Nayak, CEO, Hindi Mass Entertainment at Viacom18. “With the help of Amagi’s state-of-the-art technology, Rishtey Cineplex’s enviable movie library will come alive for all of our viewers residing in the U.S. It will also help in streamlining the broadcast operations workflow, thereby increasing efficiency.”

     

    “When we decided to launch the channel in the US market, we were looking for a partner who could provide us an efficient delivery of our channel at significantly lower costs compared to traditional methods,” said Anuj Gandhi, Group CEO, IndiaCast, a Viacom18 and TV18 venture that manages distribution and monetisation for the group’s channels.

     

    “Viacom18, with its wide array of Bollywood content, is an exciting network to watch out for in the U.S. market. Amagi is proud to be their managed services partner of choice,” added KA Srinivasan, Co-founder at Amagi. “Through CLOUDPORT, we have been able to automate most of the key workflows, making the entire broadcast operations simple yet sophisticated — at a fraction of cost of traditional broadcast models.”

     

  • Tanna will be based out of Mumbai and will report to Karan Bajaj, SVP and GM-South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific

    Discovery appoints Vikram Tanna as VP Ad Sales & Biz Head of Reg Clusters, S Asia

    By A Correspondent

     

    In line with its ambition to expand and accelerate growth in India through new investment and leadership, Discovery Networks has appointed VikramTanna as Vice President, Head of Advertising Sales and Business Head of Regional Clusters, South Asia. The current product suite has 11 content channels in the factual and lifestyle genres. Tanna takes over from KaramjitDua who moves into a new role as head of new businessand mergers and acquisitions in line with Discovery’s focus on inorganicgrowth opportunities in both linear and channel business with immediate effect.

     

    Tanna will be based out of Mumbai and will report to Karan Bajaj, SVP and GM-South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific.

     

    Said Bajaj on the appointment: “India is a high-priority market for us and we have very aggressive growth ambitions here aswe look to future-proof our business and build a broader product eco-system. I am thrilled to have someone of the calibre of VikramTanna joining our team. He bringsthe relevant product and revenue experience and strategic planning ability that will be integral to our efforts in re-defining our ad sales, improving workflow and growing our business nationally and across regional clusters.”

     

    Tanna joins from Star India where was the Senior Vice President leading Product & Revenue strategy for three of the major channel clusters- Hindi Movies & Music and HSM Regional Channels (West Bengal &Maharashtra).

     

  • The success of commoners in Season 10 could well see the standout reality show be not driven by celebs, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    An ‘Uncommon’ Bigg Boss Season

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    For a decade, now, Bigg Boss has been the standout reality show in the Indian TV space, especially for its differentiation. Almost every other non-fiction show we have seen in India is about “talent” of some kind or the other, dominated by singing, dancing and comedy. Also, all such shows are aired on the weekend. Bigg Boss, when on air (about 15-16 weeks every year), has at least seven hours of original content every week, twice more than any other non-fiction show and more than any fiction show too.

     

    The Bigg Boss brand has huge traction in the online community and among the advertisers. It provides for product placements and integrations in a way that’s natural to the format. It also has immense talk value, fueling organic press coverage around it.

     

    Yet, the ratings have not been easy to come by. Colors, who have aired nine of the 10 seasons, have tried every possible slot. But there’s an evident upper limit to how much a show that is essentially metro-skewed and not exactly family-inclusive can deliver. The format has seen its own share of innovations over the years in the attempt to boost the ratings. While some of these have helped, the larger picture is that Bigg Boss has acquired the status of a “cult niche show” over time, with a relatively small but diehard fan base.

     

    This season, which culminates on Sunday, January 29, saw a bold attempt by the channel and the producers (Endemol Shine) to disrupt the format more significantly than ever before. The season featured commoners (called ‘Indiawaale’) along with celebrities. This well-thought decision (call-for-entries promos broke a year ago at the end of Season 9) was a brave gamble to play. If they lost even a part of a niche loyal audience base, it would have meant an abrupt spiral downwards.

     

    But that didn’t happen. The season started weak, and hovered around the rating levels of Season 9, which itself was not a high scorer, in the same 10.30pm slot, which faces a challenge given the abrupt drop in TV viewership in India 11pm onwards.

     

    But somewhere in the middle of this season, the numbers began to look up. The one week when host Salman Khan said he will not blame the audiences if they changed the channel during the show, because the way a particular housemate (one Priyanka Jagga) was conducting herself was repulsive, was ironically the start of the minor but significant upswing. Over the last month, the show has settled at a rating level that’s about 20% higher than Season 9.

     

    The presence of commoners did not provide the pull factor initially. But as the season progressed, some of them emerged stronger and more watchable than the celebrities in the house. The raw passion to give it their all seemed to be the point of difference. Over the last three-four seasons, celebrities in the show have played the guessing game, trying to out-think the producers on their next move. There has been too much “this will show on the cameras” talk, which can confuse, even disillusion, viewers.

     

    But most commoners did not bring any of that baggage, of maintain or nurturing an image, with them. Over the first six weeks of the show, Bani Judge (popular as VJ Bani) was the most popular housemate on the show on Ormax Characters India Loves. In the second half of the show, Manu Punjabi took that position from her briefly, before it passed on to another commoner, ManveerGurjar.

     

    This shift in popularity balance coincided with the increase in ratings. There is high chance that Gurjar could win this season, though Bani and he are close contenders for the title. But irrespective of whether he wins or finishes second best, he, along with Punjabi, have set the template for the show for the coming years. They have given the makers the confidence that it can be a show driven by the commoners. Some celebrities may be needed, at least for the next few years, but over time, it can even be a commoners-only show.

     

    This helps the production cost significantly. It also makes running the show easier, with celebrities, some of them merely so, bringing their own share of problems with them. And if these benefits come with additional ratings, it’s a masterstroke.

     

    Will Season 11 push the envelope even further? We will know in due course of time.

     

  • The mandate that encompasses the franchise’s channels Nick, Sonic, Nick Junior and Nick HD+ has been won after a tightly contested multi-agency pitch

    Starcom India wins Nickelodeon India’s media mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Starcom India has been entrusted with the media planning and buying mandate of kid’s television franchise Nickelodeon, a part of Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd. The mandate that encompasses the franchise’s channels Nick, Sonic, Nick Junior & Nick HD+ has been won after a tightly contested multi-agency pitch.

     

    Said Mallikarjun Das, Group CEO, Starcom India: “The Indian television broadcast segment is set for exponential growth and entertainment tailored for kids and young adults, is going to be a big beneficiary of that. Nickelodeon is an established, highly reputed entertainment brand and having them on our roster is a matter of great prestige for us. The broadcast firm is innovating its strategy across platforms, so that kids and teenagers get the perfect multi-platform experience. It is important to understand that Nickelodeon’s content is increasingly being watched not just by its core target audience, but also adults and entire families.  We will devise for Nickelodeon a media strategy and plan, designed to help them achieve maximum exposure and eyeballs.This win further adds tempo to a great year where we have won significant businesses and consolidated operations.”