MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • Led by Editor-in-Chief Navika Kumar, the channel will air seven primetime shows

    Times Now Navbharat HD will launch on Aug 1

    By Our Staff

     

    Times Network has announced its foray with its Hindi News Channel, Times Now Navbharat in HD on August 1, 2021.  As announced earlier,  Navika Kumar will be Editor-in-Chief and air seven primetime shows hosted by anchors including Sushant Sinha, Padmaja Joshi, Ankit Tyagi and Meenakshi Kandwal. These include Rashtravad at 5pm, Log Tantra at 6pm, Dhakad Exclusive at 7pm, Sawal Public Ka at 8pm, News Ki PaathShala at 9pm and Opinion India at 10 pm.

     

    MK Anand

    Commenting on the launch, MK Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network said: “We have dominated the English news category with our flagship brand, Times Now, ever since we came into the space. We are now thrilled to mark our debut into Indian language News with our maiden Hindi news channel. We believe News has the power to transform and create impact for a better society. With Times Now Navbharat, we are pioneering disruption with a powerful proposition centred on the core promise of bringing news that will drive change, where we follow a Content philosophy that puts Social Impact and not Ratings at the centre. I am confident Times Now Navbharat will contribute to further improve the Hindi News broadcast space which is already served by some of the best Media brands.”

     

    The the network has planned a marketing campaign across Hindi Speaking Markets. Conceptualised by McCann Worldgroup India, the channel will unveil its brand film with the brand manifesto written by awardwinning lyricist and McCann CEO & CCO Prasoon Joshi. The network’s outdoor promotion spans over 400 sites across 19 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Patna, Jaipur, Dehradun, Indore, Punjab, Raipur and Varanasi. The network also plans to splash its print ads across leading Hindi and English dailies of the country.

     

    Meanwhile, the channel has announced the roping in of leading advertisers like Kent RO System, Century Ply, Radico Khaitan, Vedanta, Medibuddy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Darwin Platform Group of Companies, Mylab Discovery Solutions, Meghdoot Herbal, Kirloskar Brothers amongst others.

     

     

  • The launch is close on the heels of its foray in the Tamil Nadu market with the launch of 'ABP Nadu'

    ABP Network launches ‘ABP Desam’ in Telugu

    By Our Staff

     

    ABP Network has announced its entry into the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana market with the launch of new digital platform, ‘ABP Desam’.  The launch is close on the heels of its foray in the Tamil Nadu market with the launch of ‘ABP Nadu’

     

    The tagline of the channel is ‘Mana vartalu, mana oori bhashalo!’ which translates to ‘Our news, in our town’s language!’

     

    Said Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP Network on the launch: “Regional language is a very crucial growth driver for digital news platforms. Recently, we had launched a digital platform for Tamil audiences and now we are further strengthening our digital portfolio with ABP Desam. I’m confident that this Telugu news platform will provide access to high calibre, diverse digital news content to the people of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and also bring a bevy of growth opportunities to our network.”

     

  • The Uttar Pradesh CM was accompanied by India TV Editor-In-Chief and Chairman Rajat Sharma

    Rs 10 lakh financial aid to family of scribes who died of Covid-19

    By Our Staff

     

    Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday provided financial aid to the families of journalists who lost their lives due to the coronavirus pandemic. The CM was accompanied bt India TV Editor-In-Chief and Chairman Rajat Sharma. The families of scribes were offered a cheque of Rs 10 lakh each.

     

    Addressing the event, Sharma paid tributes to those who lost their lives due to the coronavirus pandemic and expressed sympathy with the families of the deceased. Said he: “TV, print, digital journalists not only covered news during Covid lockdown, but they also worked as a bridge between the government and the common people suffering from the deadly diseases. I am proud to say that people from the media fraternity faced the challenge bravely without hesitation.”

     

    Remembering the times when hospitals were full and there were no beds available, Sharma said: “During times when people feared stepping even near the premises of a hospital, our journalists went inside several hospitals and reported the second wave of the pandemic.” Speaking upon the vaccination policy for journalists, Sharma said he called up CM Adityanath to press for the vaccination of journalists. “As NBA president, I approached UP CM Yogi Adityanath for vaccination of journalists and their families, he assured me of all help and within a few days, a vaccination drive was organised in Noida. I thank Yogiji on behalf of all the media fraternity,” Sharma added.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, the Uttar Pradesh CM said: “It was on the initiative of Rajat Sharmaji that vaccination drives for journalists were organised in Noida and Lucknow. Over 25 thousand journalists were vaccinated during the drive.”

     

  • The 70-second brand film showcases extraordinary realities of South Asia

    Zee5 Global celebrates South Asia in its new campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Zee5 Global has launched its global brand campaign “Welcome to South Asia: Stories from our world”. The campaign gives a 360-degree ringside view into stories from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The 70 second campaign video was ideated and visualised by WYP Worldwide.

     

    Said Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, Zee5 Global: “What we’ve done at Zee5 is quite unparalleled. We’ve taken the largest library of Indian content across languages and added in the largest library of Pakistani shows and Originals as also Bangladeshi Originals, and we are taking this across the entire globe. With a staggering 130,000 hours of content, Zee5 is today the only platform to bring the extraordinary realities of South Asia alive through even more extraordinary stories in a single destination, and that makes it the foremost platform for South Asian stories globally. It is this new South Asia narrative that we looked for the campaign to convey, and it captures that perfectly through visually stunning depictions of the music, cinematography, drama and more that make up the daily lives of people in South Asia.”

     

    Added Amit Akali, CCO and Co-Founder, Wondrlab: “Very rarely do we get to create a campaign that literally the world will see. What makes Zee5 stand apart for the international target audience is that it’s truly a reflection of our region – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and has unique content and stories from our part of the world. All around the world, people are embracing content from outside of their geography, in fact, hungry for it. And because content is only a reflection of our reality, we have some truly unique stories to share. We wanted to bring out this uniqueness of the region, and does that of Zee5, with the aim of being the custodian of content from this part of the world. Which Zee5 truly is – if you see the bank of content from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, it’s unparalleled.”

     

  • Will be responsible for the brand’s media duties, strategic brand positioning and advocacy

    Elite Marque wins PR mandate for Blaupunkt TV

    By Our Staff

     

    Elite Marque Public Relations has bagged the PR mandate of Blaupunkt TV India, the German-based audio equipment manufacturers. With this mandate, the agency will be responsible for the brand’s media duties, strategic brand positioning and advocacy, influencer engagement activities and reputation management in India.

     

    Said Avneet Marwah, CEO – SPPL, Blaupunkt licensee in India: “We are super thrilled to this strategic brand communication partnership with an experienced team composed of young creative minds of Elite Marque. The consumer tech sector is booming in India and along with the increasing user engagement, it is important to build awareness and the brand’s positioning amongst the audience. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration ahead. With Elite Marque, we believe that we would not only intensify our brand’s enhancement but also streamline our communication with the consumers, stakeholders, employees, and media.”

     

    Speaking on the announcement of the strategic agreement, Rajat Grover, Founder and CEO, Elite Marque Public Relations added: “The opportunity to work for a consumer-tech giant is an important milestone and an exciting opportunity for us. Therefore, we are elated to have Blaupunkt TV as our new client. We look forward to create meaningful brand strategies, craft powerful stories that connect with the target audience, deliver end-to-end solutions and strengthen SPPL’s & Blaupunkt’s presence in India”.

     

  • To adapt British mystery drama series 'Guilt' for India

    Applause Entertainment joins hands with BBC Studios

    By Our Staff

     

    Aditya Birla Group’s Applause Entertainment in association with BBC Studios India will produce the British mystery thriller ‘Guilt’. The Indian version of Guilt, which is yet to be titled, will be directed by Shaad Ali with Jaideep Ahlawat and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub playing the lead roles.

     

    Sameer-Nair
    Sameer-Nair

    Said Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment: “Guilt is a wonderful addition to the prolific partnership we have with BBC Studios. Backed by our common intent to deliver the most clutter breaking and sought-after stories to the Indian audiences, we have successfully experimented with global formats, interpreting them to suit the Indian cultural context. As an account of altering moralities in the face of adversity, Guilt cements itself as yet another splendid thriller that is sure to find resonance amongst viewers. The show is being directed by Shaad Ali and stars a fantastic ensemble of actors who will raise the stakes of an already delightfully twisted tale.”

     

    Sameer Gogate,
    Sameer Gogate

    Added Sameer Gogate, General Manager – BBC Studios India: “This series is a leap ahead in our steady and growing partnership with Applause and our shared vision of bringing genre-bending premium content to Indian audiences. We are looking forward to another exciting journey of mounting a show that brings in the essence of realism in fiction, coupled with a stellar star cast and director who will light up the screens with their performances.”

     

  • Dedicate latest track 'Taazi Saans, Taazi Soch' to the young in India

    MTV partners with Center fresh

    By Our Staff

     

    Center fresh chewing gum and mints has announced its collaboration with MTV to release a track ‘Taazi Saans, Taazi Soch’ dedicated to the young in the context of the ongoing health care issues across the country.  This initiative was co-conceptualised by Perfetti Van Melle India Pvt Ltd and Wavemaker India in partnership with MTV India.

     

    Speaking about Center fresh’s Collaboration with MTV, Rohit Kapoor – Director Marketing, Perfetti Van Melle India said: “Center fresh has always kept freshness at the center of its core philosophy. With this initiative, we wanted to spotlight the power of a fresh perspective within the fold of our communication. The younger generation has always been our core TG and we have continued to draw upon instances from their life in our brand assets.  This year, we decided to salute the resolve, dedication and fresh perspective that the country’s youth demonstrated during the second wave. The partnership with MTV was an obvious one given the platform’s strong youth consumer base and Krsna’s lyrics and rendition have helped tie this tribute with the brand’s philosophy in a seamless manner.”

     

  • On offer: one new non-fiction and four fiction shows

    Colors Bangla launches new content lineup

    By Our Staff

     

    Colors Bangla, the Viacom18 channel, may not be numero uno in the stack of Bangla channels as per BARC data, but has its eyes set on that slot. It has just announced a line-up of five new shows including one musical reality show and four fictional dramas all of which will premier this month (August) and the next.

     

    The channel has roped in the leading lights from the Bengali entertainment trade including prominent producers like Nispal Singh Rane (Surinder Films), Snehasish Chakraborty (Blues Production) and Shashi Sumeet. The non-fiction show will be produced by Raj Chakraborty.  The offensive includes actors like Papia Adhikari, Debolina Dutta, Anjana Basu and Sudipa Basu on the small screen. Music mavens like Jeet Ganguly and Anupam Roy have been lined up for the title tracks for the shows.

     

    Sagnik Ghosh

    Speaking on the launch, Sagnik Ghosh, Business Head, Colors Bangla (who has had a successful stint at Star India and Axis Bank amongst others) said: “We at Colors Bangla have always endeavoured to bring to our viewer’s quality and entertaining content and now we are all set for the launch of the first tranche of our content line up. Through our characters & stories we want to alleviate the anxiety & adversities that the Bengali society and our core viewers are facing today. Our shows will encourage people to dream and aspire and provide our existing as well as new viewers with superior quality content and an enhanced viewing experience. “

     

     

  • Launches 7 new shows

    Zee Marathi unveils new look

    By Our Staff

     

    Zee Marathi has announced its new positioning with the tagline ‘Navya natyanchya bandhu gaathi… Mi Marathi, Zee Marathi’ on its 22nd anniversary. The channel unveiled its new look along with the tagline as also seven new shows.

     

    Nilesh Mayekar
    Nilesh Mayekar

    Speaking about the new positioning, Nilesh Mayekar, Business Head, Zee Marathi said: “Zee Marathi has been setting new benchmarks in the industry from the past two decades. With a new Zee Marathi, we are creating a new world of entertainment for our viewers across the nation – offering a diverse range of characters and unconventional stories that will spark a new conversation in society.”

     

    Commenting on the journey of the channel and its new look, Amit Shah, Cluster Head – North, West & Premium Channels, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd added: “With its rich legacy of 22 years, Zee Marathi has built an affinity and captured the hearts of consumer segments across generations. Our sharp customer centric approach has enabled us to consistently craft new and engaging storylines featuring progressive themes. This right mix of content has resonated with our viewers across the urban and rural regions, making Zee Marathi a household name across Maharashtra. With its new look and positioning, the channel brings a perfect blend of fresh and renowned faces to our viewers’ screens which will definitely keep our audience engaged. The vibrant packaging will further help us in winning new consumers and forming a deep bond with them in line with our brand promise of Navya natyanchya bandhu gaathi – me Marathi, Zee Marathi.

     

  • Appoints Azim Lalani as President Revenue

    TV9 Digital reinforces leadership team

    By Our Staff

     

    As part of its expansion plans, TV9 Digital has brought on board Azim Lalani as President-Revenue. Lalani will be responsible for building and driving direct revenue streams.

     

    Welcoming Lalani to the TV9 family, Raktim Das, Chief Growth Officer (Digital & Broadcasting), TV9 Network said: “After stamping our supremacy in News Broadcasting, we are now a force to reckon with in India’s growing digital media landscape. We are now the country’s fastest-growing digital News Platform, crossing 100 mn unique users in record time. Most of our platforms are already No.1 News websites in their respective markets, just like the Television Channels.  We are aggressively pursuing ambitious growth objectives and Azim’s appointment is a step in this direction. He has straddled both branded content and display revenue functions, and will bring in his unique experience to the table.”

     

    Speaking on his new assignment, Lalani added: “I am excited to be part of the TV9 family as it embraces new benchmarks. I see huge opportunity for growth as TV9 Digital surges ahead with its aggressive plans. I look forward to contributing to TV9 Digital’s growth story”

     

  • On Sony Entertainment Television of course

    KBC Season 13 to start on Aug 23

    By Our Staff

     

    The 13th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati is to start on August 23 on Sony Entertainment Television. Produced by StudioNext, and hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.

     

    Said Ashish Golwalkar, Head – Content, Sony Entertainment Television and Digital Business: “For a show like KBC that has followed a certain creative pattern, it was time for us to break the mold and approach it differently. While digital auditions replaced the regular audition process, it didn’t deter the volume of entries. In fact, the ease of digital audition encouraged a lot more aspirants, based in the remotest areas possible to participate. We are happy with the spiritedness of each contestant, and we are hopeful that they fulfil their KBC journey.  Furthermore, while we did introduce AR (Augmented reality) in the previous seasons, this year, the use of AR is far more superior and immersive. From refurbishing the entire set with the play of lights to the graphical elements and LED panels, India is the only country to host the format with inclusion of such refined technological detailing. With distinct modifications to the game this season, we look forward to a rewarding gameplay and promise an enhanced viewing experience to the audience.”

     

  • Will use its platform to drive engagement and increase revenue growth

    Asianet News Media & Entertainment partners with Taboola

    By Our Staff

     

    Taboola, a global leader in powering recommendations for the open web,  has announced an exclusive partnership with Asianet News Media & Entertainment Private Limited. Under the partnership, Asianet News will use Taboola to maximise traffic, and increase audience engagement and monetization.

     

    Said Samarth Sharma, Chief Business Officer, Asianet News Media and Entertainment: “Under our partnership with Taboola, we aim to leverage their platform to increase audience engagement, product experience and revenue. We are confident that this partnership will help us better engage with our readers across all languages more effectively and scale.”

     

    Added Adam Singolda, CEO and founder, Taboola: “We are excited to bring content recommendations, discovery and insights to Asianet’s large readership. Our technology and their scale unlocks new ways for readers to engage, while giving Asianet insights that can inform effective editorial decisions.”