MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • Brings up `new line-up of shows to enthrall audiences this new year’

    Colors Kannada announces ‘feast’ for Ugadi

    Colors Kannada has announced a feast of entertainment for Ugadi (April 9) by way of a lineup of new shows that will mark the celebration with daily episodes, starting from Ugadi itself.

    Said Prashanth Nayak, Business Head of Colors Kannada: “This year, we celebrate this Ugadi with a theme Hosa Bannada Shubharambha (A new beginning of bonding) and we give this to our audiences. We feel very blessed that audiences of Colors Kannada across the state have always supported us with love and affection. As part of our continued bonding with our audiences, we are coming up with the launch of fresh contents. We take this pride to be part of bringing our audiences’ emotions on screen and we term this as the most perfect way to celebrate Ugadi with us.”

    Speaking about Colors Kannada’s plans, Sushma Rajesh, Cluster Head at Viacom18, added: “As a brand, Colors Kannada has always been a pioneer in bringing shows that resonate with our audiences’ emotions. We consistently present unique storylines that celebrate family bonding and values of nativity. This is evident in the fact that shows launched on Colors Kannada’s unique stories have already travelled across the country. We are confident that the new year will bring a whole new level of connection with our audience. We wish everyone a very Happy Ugadi with our exciting new lineup of shows.

  • Called ‘Indian Tigers & Tigresses’, it’s billed as the largest ever football talent hunt for Under-14 girls and boys

    News9 launches U-14 football talent hunt

    TV9 Network’s English news brand News9 has announced the launch of ‘Indian Tigers & Tigresses’, billed as the largest-ever football talent hunt aimed at girls and boys below 14 years of age.

    The occasion witnessed the participation of stalwarts of German football including Kay Dammholz, Head of International Media at the German Football Association (DFB), Peter Leible from Bundesliga, Gerhard Riedl, CEO of Riespo in Austria, Julia Farr of Borussia Dortmund in Asia, Anselm Küchle from the International Football Institute in Germany, Philip Klöckl, CEO of Strykerlabs in Austria, and Valentina Putz, also from Strykerlabs.

    Commenting on the initiative, Barun Das, MD and CEO of TV9 Network said: “The News9 ‘Indian Tigers & Tigresses’ initiative is a matter of great pride for us, as it takes football in a whole new direction in India. We envision a future where Indian footballers are given opportunities to be in the global spotlight akin to any of the major footballing nations in the West. This is also one of the pillars that need to be leveraged in India’s ascendancy in the global head table. That starts by giving these players a level playing field, by making football a serious career option for these talented youngsters, and training them to be world-class players from a young age. This is not just about finding out what you are good at – it is about opening doors and lighting up thousands of dreams”.

    The talent hunt will run April through July and will be amplified across TV9 Network platforms reaching an approximate audience of over 220 crore viewers nationwide. Moreover, TV9 Digital, which has over 100 million unique users, will promote the initiative across all its multi-lingual platforms including its YouTube channels.

    “As we embark on this ground-breaking initiative, we stand at the crossroads of innovation and opportunity. Together, with our esteemed partners and the vibrant talent pool of India, we are poised to redefine the future of soccer,” said Peter Leible, Senior Advisor, Bundesliga.

    Registration for the talent hunt will begin shortly, with European football scouts set to evaluate the entries. Selected candidates will undergo scouting at various venues across India by the end of June.

  • Anjana Om Kashyap’s show ‘Rajtilak’ will journey across 100 cities

    Aaj Tak takes the helicopter route for elections coverage

    What we are set to witness is the mother-of-all-elections. And for Hindi news television leaders Aaj Tak, even the sky is not the limit as far as the coverage goes. Star anchor-editor Anjana Om Kashyap will take the helicopter route for a special show titled ‘Rajtilak’. Kashyap will journey across 100 cities in India and to remote parts of the country.

    Speaking on this occasion, Rahul Shaw (CEO – TV & Radio, TVTN) said: “Rajtilak’ prioritises raw, unfiltered opinions and perspectives of citizens. As the most trusted news brand of the country, the citizens expect no less from AajTak. AajTak’s Helicopter shot in the final match of Indian politics will revolutionise the coverage, guaranteeing unprecedented reach and engagement with democracy in live action.”

    Added Sandeep Seksaria (Managing Director, LTK Industries) added: “LTK Group is proud and pleased to be associated with TV Today Network, India Today Group for this unique initiative Aaj Tak ka Helicopter Shot – ‘Rajtilak’. The communication objective of our brand Macho Hint and the Aaj Tak initiative matches perfectly well to be at the centre of the nation’s socio-political conversation. The idea of reaching out to the people across the nation aerially and bring to them the pulse of the nation is quite remarkable and Macho Hint is thrilled to be an honoured partner in this initiative.”

    Said Shashi Sinha, CEO of IPG Mediabrands India: “We are delighted to partner with Macho Hint of LTK Industries and Aaj Tak in this unique and innovative programme, Rajtilak Helicopter Shot.”

  • 64 teams from over 2000 schools are set to compete

    Sony Liv to air Siddhartha Basu’s ‘Quizzer Of The Year’

    Remember Siddhartha Basu doing Quiz Time on Doordarshan in the mid-1980s? And various other shows like: Spectrum, The India Quez, The Beanstalk Quiz Summitt, Mastermind India, University Challenge, India’s Child Genius and of course Kaun Banega Crorepati.

    Basu and wife Anita Kaul Basu are now streaming Quizzer Of The Year (QOTY), a nationwide challenge on Sony Liv.

    It started from April 15 with zonal rounds hosted by seasoned quizmasters Joy Bhattacharjya and Col Vembu Shankar. Winning teams will advance to the quarterfinals, semi-finals, finals hosted by Basu, with the ultimate winner being crowned the Quizzer Of The Year.

  • Proposed by MD & CEO Punit Goenka

    Zee Entertainment streamlines org structure

    The Board of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd has approved the streamlined organisation structure proposed by the MD and CEO Punit Goenka. The objective is to nurture collaboration and leverage synergies amongst the core business segments which include Broadcast, Digital, Movies and Music.

    The composition of the new structure approved by the Board is as follows:

    • Punit Goenka, MD & CEO will assume direct charge of the critical business verticals including the Domestic Broadcast Business. The following leaders will report directly into the MD & CEO:
      • Siju Prabhakaran, who has led the South cluster of channels, will take additional responsibility of the West cluster, further fortifying the performance in the mentioned markets.
      • Samrat Ghosh, who has led the East cluster of channels, will take additional responsibility of North & Premium cluster.
      • Ruchir Tiwari will continue to lead the Hindi Movies cluster, with a focus on quality entertainment.
      • Vishnu Shankar will continue to lead &TV and the FTA segment.
      • Ashish Sehgal will be responsible for Integrated Advertisement Sales for the Broadcast and Digital business. In this enhanced role, for the digital business revenue, Sehgal will also report into Amit Goenka (for the Broadcast business revenue he will continue to report into Goenka).

    Meanwhile, Amit Goenka will continue to lead the digital business for the company, taking direct charge of original content (including movies). He will assume additional charge of the international broadcast business, enterprise technology and broadcast operations and engineering, leveraging synergies between the business segments to drive higher growth. In this role, he will continue to report into the MD & CEO.

    • Leveraging his domain expertise and understanding of content production, strategy, movies acquisition and syndication, Umesh Bansal will lead the movies business for the company. In this role, he will report into the MD & CEO.
    • Anurag Bedi will continue to lead the music business and enhance the vertical’s contribution to the Company’s bottom-line. He will continue to report into the MD & CEO.

    All Corporate Functions will continue to report into the MD & CEO. The new structure is effective immediately.

    Said R Gopalan, Chairman, Zee said: “The Board has reviewed and approved the lean organisation structure proposed by the MD & CEO, which aims at streamlining the organisation and improving efficiencies across the business. The strong and capable set of leaders identified for each core business segment in the lateral structure, are highly reflective of the Company’s deep bench strength and ensure that the Company remains well-positioned for the future. We are confident that a lean team under the leadership of Punit, will enable the Company to achieve its set goals and priorities for the future, further generating higher value for the shareholders.”

    Added Goenka: “In line with our approach towards maintaining a sharp focus on profitability, the new structure encompasses a more resilient team for the organisation to ensure agility and collaboration. Through this restructuring exercise, our aim has been to build an independent and enterprising team led by an experienced set of leaders to drive the company forward. I look forward to working closely with the teams to chart robust growth and achieve our strategic priorities for the Company.”

  • Envisions future of excellence in journalism

    Zee News onboards Rahul Sinha as Managing Editor

    Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) has onboarded journalist Rahul Sinha as theManaging Editor of Zee News.

    Said Abhay Ojha, CEO of Zee Media Corporation Limited, expressed his enthusiasm for Sinha’s return. He said: “Rahul Sinha’s appointment as Managing Editor heralds a new chapter of excellence for Zee News. His wealth of experience and proven track record in the industry will undoubtedly elevate our editorial standards and strengthen our position as a trusted news source. With Rahul at the helm, we are confident that Zee News will continue to uphold the highest principles of journalism.”

  • The channel readies to celebrate the passionate fandom of Shin-chan

    Sony Yay! to air Shin-chan

    Sony Yay!, the the kids’ entertainment television channel from Sony Pictures (Culvert Max), is now home to the popular Shin-chan show.

    Said Leena Lele Dutta – Business Head Sony Yay!: “Sony Yay! has been consistently working towards building its rich ecosystem of #Happyverse. With its endearing characters that have created connect across the globe, we are excited to welcome Shin-chan to the Sony Yay! Family. We are confident that Shin chan’s charm and mischief will resonate with our viewers.”

    Added Maiko Sumida- Head of Animation Sales and Development, International Business Department, TV Asahi: “We are excited to partner with Sony Yay! And look forward to the comprehensive 360-degree footprint generation for Shin-chan. We look forward to further growing the Shin-chan brand in India through this collaboration.”

    It may be noted that while Super Hungama will continue to air Shin-chan episodes Sony Yay! will air the newer episodes. It’s set to start in mid-May.

  • To inspire voter empowerment

    ABP News launches campaign for elections

    ABP News has launched a campaign ‘Jeetna Aapka Zaroori Hai’ aimed at reinforcing the significance of the nation’s voters in shaping the course of democracy – the power of the people.

    Said Avinash Pandey, CEO of ABP Network: “Democracy thrives on the power of the people, by the people and for the people. Elections serve as a grand celebration of this fundamental principle, where each vote holds the potential to shape India’s destiny. Through our ‘Jeetna Aapka Zaroori Hai’ initiative, ABP News is steadfastly committed to reminding every Indian that their vote, their choice, constitutes the true victory to be achieved in this election above all else. We are rallying the nation to exercise their invaluable franchise and amplify their voices through the ballot.”

  • For a "mega growth journey ahead"

    Republic expands top deck

    Republic Media Network has expanded its top management team. Objective: “solidifying” its position for a “mega growth journey ahead”.

    Here are the higlights:

    • Arun Rawat takes over as the Nation Head for Republic Bharat
    • Satabadi Sharma Pathak takes over as the Head of Republic Kannada
    • Purnasha Sharraf takes over as the National Head of Republic Bangla
    • Abhinav Sharma takes over as the Head of Republic TV
    • Sanjukta Kapoor takes a leadership role in Business Branded Content
    • Joy Michael Dsouza takes a leadership role in Government Business

    Commenting on the appointments, Hersh Bhandari, CEO (Broadcast Business) of Republic Media Network said: “I am delighted today and wish the leaders all the very best on their new roles. We know they’re going to deliver exceptionally and take Republic Media Network to heights yet to be reached in Indian media. What’s particularly satisfying to me today is that Republic cultivates talent and unleashes them in positions of top decision-making. At a time that the Network is on the brink of a mega wave of expansion, we are confident that this team will shoulder the business objectives with passion, aggression, and innovation.”

  • Two Types of News Media: A Tale of Two Indias?

    Two Types of News Media: A Tale of Two Indias?

    Shailesh KapoorThe divide between linear TV and digital (OTT/ streaming) in India is well established now. IPL perhaps is the easiest way to explain it. Both in terms of viewership and revenue, linear and digital are in the 40-60% share bracket. This near-equal split aptly tells the story of two media.

    But in examples like the IPL, the story is primarily about audience size and monetisation, but never about the content. Because the content is essentially the same, barring some paraphernalia. This is also true for catch-up television, where digital may be generating 20-30% of audience size, but the content is again the same.

    But there’s one category where the divide is fundamental in nature, and extends to content: News. It’s election season, and news is the genre of the season, apart from the IPL. Till a few weeks ago, this election was being called a no-contest. But no election is, even if many feel the result is a foregone conclusion. Things have heated up, and not always in a good way. We are still another five weeks away from the results, and we can expect more fireworks, to use a mild word.

    If you watch news on TV channels (or their YouTube feeds/ channels), you will see a certain kind of coverage. But if you follow the elections in digital media, including YouTube, you will see something very different. It’s a tale of two Indias, so to speak.

    Last week, PM Modi made a highly controversial speech in Rajasthan, where he specifically singled out a religious community, and quite uncharitably so. The way this story has shaped up in linear TV news channels and digital media is remarkably different. The digital coverage is more analytical and evidence-based in nature, while that on TV is more dramatic and confrontational. Of course, it also means very different political stances on the speech, in the two media.

    And that’s true for all political news, in general, today. It’s not just the content, but even the tone, tenor, and treatment are poles apart. This segmentation of the news genre is compelling, but also tricky, because it means that the nature of the media is deciding the discourse!

    Digital news is nowhere close to linear TV news on monetisation. Almost all of it is free, and YouTube monetisation is hard to come by, unless you have big numbers. Some digital news platforms do not take advertising to make the larger point about free media. Relying on subscriber support can be hard, especially in a category where there are too many options available. But it’s a fundamental stance these platforms have taken.

    Hence, unlike the IPL, the share of viewership or monetisation is not in the 40-60% range, but closer to 20-80% or even 10-90%. If the content was the same, digital news would have been on the fringes, battling irrelevance. But because of the content contrast, it manages to breathe. At least for the moment.

  • To continue the legacy of 10 years of Timeless Films

    Sony Max 2 completes a decade…

    Sony Max 2, the Hindi movie channel from Culvert Max, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

    Said Neeraj Vyas, Business Head, Hindi Movie Channels: “We are humbled and honoured to mark 10 years of Sony Max 2, a channel that has become a cherished part of audiences’ lives.  The last decade has been a remarkable journey of showcasing the golden era of Hindi cinema, and we are committed to continuing our legacy of showcasing the very best of rich Hindi cinema.”

  • To launch ‘Bloomberg Learning’

    Bloomberg Media, Emeritus sign partnership

    Emeritus, the company offering professional education courses and certifications, has partnered with Bloomberg Media, provider of business and financial news content to publishers and broadcasters to launch  ‘Bloomberg Learning’,  a portfolio of courses for global professionals looking to upskill.

    Said Ashwin Damera, Co-Founder and CEO, Emeritus: “Bloomberg Media is a powerhouse, which serves modern leaders with insight, expert analysis, and inspiration from 2,700+ of the best minds in business and finance journalism. We are thrilled to work with Bloomberg to launch this compelling portfolio of professional education courses around the world, and deepen the connections business leaders need to thrive through learning.”

    Added Nick Sallon, Chief Partnerships Officer at Bloomberg Media: “Professionals worldwide trust Bloomberg to deliver quality news, context, and applicable tools and information. With Bloomberg Learning, participants will be able to build their credentials by leaning on our brand. With Emeritus’ deep expertise in course design and development, we’re excited to offer small private online courses with hands-on learning and grow a deeper relationship with new consumers.”