MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • Will be available to Virgin Media’s ‘Asian Mela Pack’ subscribers from 8th June

    Viacom18 launches Colors Gujarati in UK

    By Our Staff

     

    Viacom18 Media has launched its regional entertainment channel, Colors Gujarati, in UK. IndiaCast Media Distribution, jointly owned by TV18 and Viacom18, has partnered with Sky and Virgin Media for the channel launch.

     

    Currently, the network offers flagship GEC Colors along with the premium entertainment channel Colors Rishtey and the movie channel Colors Cineplex in UK. The channel will bring the best of Gujarati content all through the week along with movie premieres every Sunday at 7pm.

     

    Said Faisal Mahomed, Director, BT Media and Broadcast: “As a leading provider of media services in the UK, BT Media and Broadcast is at the forefront of broadcast innovation. With a successful partner track record, we’re pleased to continue to help Viacom18 capture larger UK audiences through our cutting-edge technology, and as always, we look forward to supporting Viacom18 with their growth plans – both in the UK and internationally.”

     

    Added Govind Shahi, Executive VP – International Business, IndiaCast: “We have a large Gujarati speaking population in UK and they have made their presence felt in the social and cultural fabric of the country. But currently, there is no single Gujarati channel in UK even though there are various TV channels for Punjabi, Urdu, Bangla and other regional language audiences. The launch of COLORS Gujarati will fulfil this need-gap in the UK. The channel will constitute of best-in-class Gujarati content from our hugely popular India library – including fiction, non-fiction series and movies”. With this launch on both Sky and Virgin, Colors Gujarati will reach out to a vast majority of subscribers who can sample and enjoy quality content in sync with their strong socio-cultural identity.”

     

  • Shailesh Kapoor appraises the first quarter of the fiscal year was hit big time by the Second Wave of the pandemic

    June Diaries: Entertainment in Covid Times

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh KapoorGoing by official numbers at least, the worst of the second Covid wave in India is now behind us. The wave has scarred many families forever, and with a vaccination programme that is struggling to gather momentum, a third wave is not ruled out by experts. But for now, life goes on, and different states are cautiously opening up in phases.

     

    The April-May period has impacted the Indian entertainment business considerably. Those dependent on advertising revenues suffered more, with even digital advertising showing a sharp drop, judging by industry estimates. But it’s the content side that has been impacted across the board.

     

    With Maharashtra announcing a stringent lockdown, Hindi GEC content production was impacted. Unlike last year, channels could travel to states that have less stringent lockdowns and record there, which they indeed did. At one point in early May, about six Hindi GEC shows had their stories set in a resort. This includes the two big hit shows in the category currently: Anupamaa and Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Many others played out of hotels and resorts, but passed them off as homes and kept the story running as normally as they could. Not an easy task, given that almost all shows had a part of their cast unavailable because of a Covid infection.

     

    In the entire months of April and May, there was only one show launch in the Hindi GEC category (Sasural Simar Ka 2 on Colors), an unprecedented low by a wide margin. Regional languages had about four to eight show launches per language over the two months, but that’s lower than their running average too. Under normal circumstances, the IPL cancellation would have been a great opportunity to launch new shows, especially those on the weekend. But then, there would have been no IPL cancellation to begin with, if there was no second wave.

     

    The theatrical business has bled the most over the last 14 months. Theatres will re-open in the coming weeks, though it remains to be seen how many single screens have permanently shut down. The first quarter of this calendar year had seen huge footfalls for the marquee films in Telugu and Tamil languages, and one hopes that sentiment is reflected in the Hindi markets too this summer.

     

    It may seem that all’s well with the streaming category, with more audience locked down at home. But if you notice carefully, the number of launches on the top platforms have reduced. This impact of the constricted content pipeline will continue to be felt over the next six months in both streaming and theatrical sectors.

     

    June has got off to a good start, with a smasher of a show in The Family Man S2. One hopes that it’s a sign of things to come in the coming weeks. The other big event this June is the final of the World Test Championship, where India plays New Zealand from June 18. The event has not been hyped up by the media so far, but wait for another week and you will see it becoming the big distraction from the pandemic, especially if India wins the title.

     

    But keeping nationalism aside, World Test Championship is a great idea, and though the first edition has been curtailed because of the pandemic, it’s great to see it find a logical conclusion, and to see India featuring in the final. One would have liked to see the game being played at a full house at Lord’s, but in these difficult times, an empty stadium at Southampton will do just fine.

     

     

  • To oversee content acquisitions and co-productions for POGO, Cartoon Network and Boomerang

    WarnerMedia appoints new head for kids network

    By Our Staff

     

    WarnerMedia has appointed Melissa Lim as the new head of content acquisitions and co-productions for its Kids Networks in Asia Pacific, which include Pogo, Cartoon Network and Boomerang. She also advises on licensing content to fuel the growing slate of kids and family programming on the regional streaming service HBO Go in Southeast Asia.

     

    Leslie Lee
    Leslie Lee

    She is based in Singapore and reports to Leslie Lee, Head of WarnerMedia Kids APAC.  Said Lee: “Pinpointing and securing the world’s best third-party animation that sit perfectly alongside our originals is no easy task. I know that Melissa’s experience and passion will ensure we provide our fans a complete on-brand entertainment experience. Her role is particularly important at a time when our networks are evolving and expanding viewer demos.”

     

  • Zee5 will exclusively stream new TVF originals and subsequent seasons of iconic shows like Pitchers, Tripling, Humorously Yours, amongst others

    Zee5 partners TVF

    By Our Staff

     

    OTT platform Zee5 has inked a content partnership with leading content creator TVF (The Viral Fever). The partnership includes the launch of originals and subsequently, new seasons of iconic TVF shows on its SVOD platform, along with popular cult favourites that will be accessible to all, on its AVOD platform.

     

    With this, Zee5 will have shows such as Pitchers Season 2, Tripling Season 3, Humorously Yours Season 3, and other titles like Engineering Girls Season 2 and The Aam Aadmi Family Season 4. In addition to the existing seasons of the said shows above, older titles like Permanent Roommates, Tech Conversations with Dad, Awkward Conversations, PA-Gals, Inmates, Weekends, The Insiders, Zeroes will also be accessible on Zee5.

     

    Said Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, Zee5 India: “Our focus for this year is ‘Entertainment Inclusion’, to ensure everybody, irrespective of the demographic and language preference, has access to purposeful entertainment on Zee5. The first step to this has been to further bolster our content offering followed by ensuring we are able to take that content to the right user. Our association with TVF is in that direction. Over 60% of our audience comes from Hindi-speaking markets and TVF caters perfectly to that group. Being a customer-obsessed platform, we are delighted to bring these much-loved and iconic TVF shows to our platform to further enhance our extensive library of purposeful, multilingual, and diverse titles. Going forward, we will continue to satiate viewer’s appetite for entertainment by offering them a robust slate of differentiated stories in the language of their choice and at their fingertips, reinforcing our positing as the Multilingual Storyteller for millions of entertainment seekers.”

     

    Commenting on this, Punit Misra, President, Content & International Markets, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, said, “Consumer obsession is the cornerstone of our content design thinking on Zee5. Our partnership with TVF is driven by that same obsession, as we seek the love and advocacy of both the OTT native youth audience as well as family audiences. Bringing in a mix of iconic shows and characters on one hand, and heart-warming new shows on the other, we hope to truly delight our viewers. We see a convergence of thinking about content design when working with TVF, driven as it is with our belief of the power of the cycle of observation to insight to finally, the creation of great characters and stories that touch our hearts and truly inspire. Our true reward is to have our viewers move from just being consumers of our high-quality content, to becoming cheerleaders and champions for the Zee5 platform.”

     

    Added Arunabh Kumar, Founder, TVF:  “It gives us immense pleasure to join hands with the team at Zee led by Mr Punit Misra. We are always trying to push the boundaries with our characters and stories, and we are confident that with the power of the Zee5 platform, our teams and stories will win the hearts of millions of new viewers across the country and the world over. With this collaboration, we are looking forward to creating real magic, not just bringing the best of TVF on the platform but also creating memorable new seasons and shows that our viewers and fans can thoroughly enjoy.”

     

    And this is what Nimisha Pandey, Head Hindi Originals, Zee5 India, said in a statement: “We are excited to team up with TVF, the creators who put streaming content on the map in this country. Their stories inspire an instant connect as their slice-of-life shows closely mirror the viewers’ lives, with charming ensemble of characters having relatable quirks brought alive by some very talented actors. The iconic TVF shows finding a home on Zee5 is just the beginning, and together we will be bringing our viewers shows that will surely win their hearts and put a smile on their faces. With new seasons of all-time favourites such as ‘Pitchers S2’, ‘Tripling S3’, ‘Humorously Yours S3’, ‘Aam Aadmi Family S4’, and ‘Engineering Girls S2’ along with some new shows for viewers to look forward to through the year!”

     

  • The matches will be aired live on Sony Ten 2 channels in India and livestreamed on SonyLIV, SPN’s OTT streaming platform

    Sony Pictures acquires rights for 2021 Meiji Yasuda J1 League

    By Our Staff

     

    Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive television and digital rights for the twenty-ninth season of Meiji Yasuda J1 League (the Japan Professional Football League) till December 2021.The broadcast territories will include India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The matches will be aired live on Sony Ten 2 channels in India and live streamed on SonyLIV, SPN’s OTT streaming platform.

     

    Notes a communique: “The league has been home to some of the most exciting players from across Europe such as Diego Forlan, Lukas Podolski, Hulk, Jorginho and Andreas Iniesta among others.”

     

    Football Fans can now watch exciting action from 2021 Meiji Yasuda J1 League every week LIVE on SONY TEN 2 channels.

     

  • It is rumoured that Goswami who has been off-air from early April is scheduled to be back at primetime next week or the week after

    Republic announces global expansion, Arnab Goswami to be back on air wef June 21

    By Our Staff [updated]

     

    Republic Media Network made some growth announcements on Wednesday, with expansion plans across the digital and broadcast space for audiences in India and abroad.

     

    Simultaneously, going live with its game-changer #RepublicIsTheNews brand campaign, the network announced a 600% digital growth and increase in traffic. Meanwhile, like Zee group chairman Subhash Chandra did with WION a few years, Republic Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has announced R. Global. Over 120 journalists have been engaged for the effort.

     

    Meanwhile, it has been announced that Goswami who has been off-air from early April is scheduled to be back at primetime from Monday, June 21, at 9pm.

     

    Dear Viewers, #Arnab has really missed you. Let the countdown to #Arnab LIVE at 9pm on Monday begin! He can’t wait to be back being with you. #ArnabIsBack pic.twitter.com/lMG9TnPkI3

    — Republic (@republic) June 18, 2021


     

  • The tagline is #ThankYouForBeingDabangg!

    Cartoon Network salutes police force

    By Our Staff

     

    Cartoon Network has launched a social media campaign to honour the relentless work of India’s supercops during the ongoing challenge of Covid-19. The campaign was launched alongside the channel’s latest Bollywood-inspired action-comedy ‘Dabangg – The Animated Series’.

     

    Said Abhishek Dutta, South Asia Network Head for Cartoon Network and POGO: “#ThankYouForBeingDabangg was launched to collectively pause and appreciate the constant endeavour of the police force during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was heartening to see responses pouring in from every corner of the country, in various ways and in multiple languages, like Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and more. It brings us immense joy to have created this movement and saluting our fearless heroes.”

    very touching. We promise to continue being Dabangg for all of you!”

     

  • He will also take charge of the international business for the network

    Kishan Cheranda to now head distribution at Republic

    By Our Staff

     

    Kishan Cheranda
    Kishan Cheranda

    Republic Media Network has announced the appointment of Kishan Cheranda for taking charge of the distribution and international business for the network. Cheranda has worked with Warner Media, Ten Sports, Zee, Viacom & MEN. His previous role was with Turner International (Warner Media) as Head of Distribution.

     

    Vikas Khanchandani

    Said Vikas Khanchandani, Group CEO at Republic Network: “We are delighted to have Kishan join the Republic team as we scale up our operations both in India and globally. The market is growing and simultaneously changing at a very rapid pace. I am confident that Kishan with his vast experience and capabilities will be able to build and grow the network both on broadcast as well as across online platforms. We wish him all the very best.”

     

    Added Cheranda: “I am extremely delighted to be part of a successful & a genre leader such as Republic. It’s a wonderful opportunity to be part of an organisation driven by strong leadership & innovative thinking. I am hopeful of adding value to propel its growth and scale newer heights together.”

     

    It may be recalled that the Republic Media Network incharge for distribution and international business Priya Mukherjee was elevated to Chief Operating Officer last year.

     

     

  • Reality show gears up for first season

    Sony brings Shark Tank to India

    By Our Staff

     

    Sony Pictures Networks India has acquired the rights for the Indian adaptation of the globally successful business reality format – Shark Tank, which will be aired on Sony Entertainment Television.

     

    Said Danish Khan, Business Head – Sony Entertainment Television, Digital Business & StudioNEXT: “We are delighted to bring the globally renowned business reality show Shark Tank to India, and this is the perfect time to launch Shark Tank India. Last few years have seen the emergence of an exciting entrepreneurial ecosystem in India. Innovative business ideas, risk taking appetite and a funding infrastructure is getting built – Shark Tank India will further accentuate, encourage and strengthen this outlook by providing a platform for entrepreneurs or aspirants to showcase their ideas directly to the potential investors (Sharks) and make it big.

     

  • KBC, Bigg Boss, Indian Idol, Khatron Ke Khiladi, Shark Tank and more… get set for an interesting, and somewhat unpredictable 2021-22 on the Hindi reality shows front, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    The Reality Show Wave is Back!

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh KapoorWe missed it in 2020. Because of the pandemic, the lockdown and all the collateral damage that came along, 2020 saw a disruption in the now-familiar annual cycle of non-scripted (reality) shows on Hindi GECs. While reality shows stay on air through the year, it’s the period around June when the action begins to heat up. Channels understandably don’t want their big-ticket non-fiction launches to be drowned in the IPL din. To that extent, July is a good month to spring into action: well after the IPL and well in time for the festive season. Last year, this cycle seemed scattered. But it’s back in 2021.

     

    The usual routine of singing and dance reality shows has been in place anyway. Indian Idol was shaping up to be a memorable season, but its extension during the lockdown has taken a bit of sheen away from it, especially with the change in the jury. But that doesn’t take away from how strong the Indian Idol brand has become in India over the last decade, with each season being arguably better than the one before.

     

    Khatron Ke Khiladi, one of the top-rated shows in the category, is coming with a new season from July 17. The franchise has been a standout one in India, having gained audience acceptance with each passing year, and emerging from its niche proposition of being a show for the youth and the kids to being a family entertainer.

     

    Bigg Boss had a low-key season, and will be hoping for resurgence in 2021-22. A lingering problem with the show is its ageing host. While Salman Khan continues to remain hugely popular among the masses, he’s clearly past his peak popularity phase that was triggered by Dabangg in 2010, and lasted about 5-6 years. His recent films have not done too well, and in the 2020-21 season, even his anchoring on the show seemed a bit jaded, as if he’s bored himself doing the same gig for many years now. A replacement is imminent. The question is one of timing.

     

    KBC, one of my personal favorites, had a misfired season in 2020. The show just didn’t take off, and while it tried to pitch itself around the idea of ‘hope’ in a disease-stricken world, the messaging seemed less organic and more orchestrated. At its core, KBC is not a show about hope, but one about knowledge. And when you are struggling to stay healthy and retain your livelihood, do you really care about knowledge? The next season, whenever it launches, must find a more organic and yet relevant point of connect with its audience.

     

    I was pleasantly surprised by Sony’s recent announcement on Shark Tank India. One wouldn’t associate a show like Shark Tank with the word “mass” or “GEC” in an Indian context. I’m very curious to see how Sony manages to achieve the balance between the format and the wider audience the show would aim to win over. We have seen how Star has struggled with the MasterChef on this count year after year, and seem to have given up that idea altogether now. Let’s hope Sony has some imaginative ideas up its sleeve for the ‘Indianization’ of Shark Tank.

     

    But the best announcement related to reality shows in recent weeks has been the return of the Got Talent format in India. Colors discontinued it a few years ago, and replaced it with homegrown versions that lacked the zing of the original. The globally-successful format has now changed hands, and Sony will be bringing it back soon. When done well, it can be a crackerjack. Even at its best, the Colors show didn’t touch more than 60-70% of the format’s full potential. So, there’s a lot of room for growth here.

     

    There’s also the small matter of when and how Kapil Sharma will return on the television, and though his show is largely scripted, it does fall under the simplistic ‘reality show’ definition in India by exclusion, because it’s not a daily soap!

     

    So, get set for an interesting, and somewhat unpredictable, 2021-22 on the Hindi reality shows front.

     

     

  • Will be showcased on Discovery Channel and Discovery Kids

    Discovery and Byju’s roll out Season 4 of school quiz

    By Our Staff

     

    Discovery India and Byju’s, the app that offers education, has announced its fourth season of the school quiz ‘Discovery School Super League’. With its latest campaign thought, ‘Aao Milkar le khushi ki Udaan’, the top team from each state will qualify for the TV round to be showcased on Discovery Channel and Discovery Kids. Nine winning students along with their respective principal/teacher will be eligible for an all-expenses paid trip to NASA.

     

    Said Atit Mehta, Marketing Head, Byju’s: “This initiative is an attempt to give students a unique opportunity to dive deeper into every subject while honing their general knowledge. Combining technology and creativity, we’re bringing students immersive ways to stay engaged whilst learning thereby making the application a wholesome destination for acquiring knowledge and ensuring every student gets a chance to participate in the quiz hassle free. Discovery School Super League began as a means to contribute to the development of young minds, letting them compete in a healthy way. With students from across 30000 schools participating in the quiz, season 4 will bring double the excitement, fun and learning.”

     

    Added Shaun Nanjappa Chendira, Head of Advertising Sales- South Asia, Discovery Inc: “Discovery School Super League continues to be one of the most awaited events in the School calendar given the scale of the platform and opportunities it provides for students to shine at a national level. In fact, with schools being closed due to the pandemic, the eagerness from student community to participate in quiz has increased. We at Discovery believe that learning can be made fun through innovative and engaging formats and Discovery School Super League becoming India’s biggest and highly appreciated quiz competition serves as a testament to our belief.”

     

  • MTV India, Voot, Jio will air the tournament for three years

    Viacom18 bags rights for LaLiga

    By Our Staff

     

    Viacom18 Media has bagged rights for Spanish Football League LaLiga exclusively to the Indian subcontinent for the next three years. Enabled and supported by Rise Worldwide, LaLiga will air exclusively on MTV in India, along with select national and regional network channels and live-streamed on Voot and Jio platforms. The 2021 event kicks off on August 13.

     

    Speaking about LaLiga on MTV, Anshul Ailawadi, Business Head – Youth, Music and English Entertainment said, “We at MTV have always known that football enjoys a groundswell of support amongst young-at-heart Indians. The LaLiga in particular, is a cultural phenomenon all over the World. When the folks from RISE Worldwide introduced us to LaLiga team, we realised that this was a partnership waiting to happen – the vision was common, the vibes were good, and we quickly put pen to paper.”

     

    On the association with Viacom18, Oscar Mayo, Executive Director, LaLiga said: “We are excited to partner with Viacom18 (MTV India) and further bolster the LaLiga fandom to an ever-growing football fan base in India. Having set one of the highest standards of football globally and India gaining tremendous momentum, we are confident that we will reach and engage with the youthful audience that MTV as a destination appeals to.”