MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • Turner remains fully committed to future investments and long-term participation in Indiaand will continue to explore expansion opportunities in this key priority market for Turner, Mr Jain added

    This is a carefully considered business decision: Siddharth Jain

    It wasn’t an easy day at office for Siddharth Jain, Managing Director- South Asia at Turner International India Private Limited. Mr Jain, who had assumed his current role in November last year, took time off to respond to MxMIndia’s questions in an emailed interaction.

     

    What exactly happened… there were promos running for forthcoming shows and then this announcement of pulling down curtains?

    This is a carefully considered business decision based on performance of the channel. We invested substantially and put all possible resources behind Imagine TV throughout. As in any other business, the investments were directly linked to reaching a certain performance benchmark. However, in the two years, Imagine did not grow or perform as per expectations and as a result, Turner made the carefully-considered decision to cease operations of the channel.

     

    Did you consider selling the channel (a la 9X)?

    We worked incredibly hard to exhaust all options to avoid cessation of business operations.

     

    This is the second GEC from the Turner stable that has failed. But your other channels are doing well, with Pogo hitting an all-time high recently. Will Turner try its hand at another GEC or is it quits for now?

    Absolutely. Turner remains fully committed to future investments and long-term participation in India. Having been pioneers in the Indian M&E space in international news and kids’ entertainment, Turner currently operates some of the strongest media brands in India. POGO is indeed doing very well, being the Number one channel in the kids’ TV genre for the last six months (as per TAM). Turner will continue to be leaders in the media and entertainment industry and to explore expansion opportunities in this key priority market for Turner.

     

    What happens to the team and staff of Imagine? Anyone being retained or moved to other businesses?

    Turner will retain some employees for a transition period and some others are being offered permanent roles within other Turner channels to fill current vacancies.

     

    For the other Imagine employees getting impacted, Turner has set up an HR outplacement service which will provide advice on how to write a better CV, interviewing techniques and other job hunting skills. We will also introduce the employees to recruitment consultants, HR professionals from other media organizations and facilitate their new job search. Our focus is to ensure the closure is executed in a fair and appropriate manner for all of them and in full compliance with all legal requirements, employment terms and company policies. We will use our best endeavours to make this as smooth a transition as possible for them.

     

    The integration exercise that Turner carried out in May 2011 didn’t seem go down well with a few key personnel exiting the company eventually. In hindsight, was that what triggered the channel’s downfall?

    The two are not related in any way. Integration really helped in getting better operational efficiencies between Imagine and our other networks. While exits happened in the last one year, if you look across the industry it is in the normal course of any GEC. There is not one person or one department that was responsible but a number of factors that led to the channel not delivering consistent ratings that were required to sustain the business and continued investment.

     

    Why wasn’t there a suitable replacement to Sameer Nair post his exit?

    We are not in a position to comment on Mr Nair.

     

    Are there any plans for your library of programming? And what happens to the programmes signed up?

    As of today, we cease all business operations of Imagine TV. The closure is a complicated process as we are ensuring fulfillment of all our business commitments to advertisers, distributors, production houses and other partners.

     

    As you look back, do you think it was an unwise decision to buy Imagine from NDTV? And would it have been better for you to have launched an all-new channel so that it doesn’t come with the baggage of an unsuccessful channel?

    The acquisition of Imagine was a wholly appropriate, strategic and extensively-considered decision.

     

  • Turner Network has announced the shutting down of Imagine TV's operations

    Sad! Turner shuts Imagine TV

    Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. (Turner) today announced the decision to cease business operations of its Hindi general entertainment channel ‘Imagine TV’, together with its international feed ‘Imagine Dil Se’.

     

    A communique from Turner Network signed by Siddharth Jain, Managing Director, South Asia, said Imagine TV has “not performed and grown as per expectations”. “While some programmes delivered satisfactory ratings, overall the channel was unable to achieve the ratings consistency needed to sustain the business and support continued investment. As a result, Turner made the carefully considered decision to cease operations of the channel.”

     

    “We are grateful to the Imagine team, which includes some of the most talented and creative people in the Indian media industry. We will use our best endeavors to make this as smooth a transition as possible for them, ” he continues.

     

    ” The company remains committed to future investments and long-term participation in India. As one of the largest global media companies operating in India, Turner has enjoyed a successful track record in delivering high-quality, compelling and entertaining content to our local audiences over the course of three decades. We currently operate some of the strongest media brands in India, including HBO, CNN, Cartoon Network, POGO, WB, TCM and Boomerang. We will continue to be leaders in the media and entertainment industry and to explore expansion opportunities in this important market.

     

    *Please stand by for more *

     

  • It was Terrible Thursday for the team as Turner Broadcasting announced closure of Imagine's business operations

    So why did Turner stop Imagine(ing)?

     

    By Team MxMIndia

     

    Just when the Hindi general entertainment space was getting interesting with the top 3-4 players all coming within sneezing distance of each other in the numbers game, the industry was jolted by news of the closure of Imagine, which given its pedigree, was launched with much fanfare not many moons ago. From shock to sadness and even rage (at least on the social media) admirers and naysayers were seen on an overdrive trying to piece the chain of events that had led to the downfall of the channel that was seeing red for some time now.

     

    This was in stark contrast to the kind of emotions that were flying thick and fast exactly a year ago, when Turner General Entertainment was merged into its parent company Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. The emotions then were almost similar to what the channel heads were going through when they flagged off the channel more than four years ago, making it one of the most loud and admirable launches of the time. While anticipation and expectations were riding high on the faces of each and every member of the team at launch, the same was the scenario during the merger exercise last year as the company was probably taking a last shot in reviving the fortunes of the network to see themselves battle against the competent lot at the top. But all that was not to be as tribes from the world of media and outside woke up to the news of the channel shutting down yesterday.

     

    Siddharth Jain

    Replying to questions put forth by MxM India (read interview),  Siddharth Jain, Managing Director- South Asia, Turner International India Private Limited put it out right and straight as he said: “This is a carefully considered business decision based on performance of the channel. We invested substantially and put all possible resources behind Imagine TV throughout. As in any other business, the investments were directly linked to reaching a certain performance benchmark. However, in the two years Imagine did not grow or perform as per expectations and as a result, Turner made the carefully-considered decision to cease operations of the channel.”

     

    Mr Jain is probably being modest in quoting that the channel did not perform as per expectations in the past two years, but the writing was on the wall in the first three months of 2011 itself, when the channel failed to get the viewers and advertisers excited with its most expensive property that cost the company in excess of Rs50 crore to produce. ‘Zor ka Jhatka’, hosted by Shah Rukh Khan, failed to get the desired ratings and didn’t do much to push the channel in the top league as was expected. In fact, in an interaction with the media before the show went live, an exuberant Sameer Nair had vouched that the show along with a few others would catapult Imagine among the top 3 in the Hindi GEC space. Wishful as he was, that was not to be. Its failure forced the thinktank at Turner to come up with steps to plug the loopholes, even if it meant changing its course altogether.

     

    Sameer Nair

    Thus in April 2011, Turner announced the merger of Turner General Entertainment into its parent company Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. This was followed by the formation of a special committee comprising various Turner officials such as Monica Tata and others along with officials from Turner General Entertainment Network including Sameer Nair and Harsh Rohatgi with the intention of charting out a long-term course for the channel. This move was even vindicated by Steve Marcopoto, President, Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific (TBSAP), who went on to explain the need for such a proposal, which was to assess its performance and chart a long-term course for Imagine. But just when the merger was announced, Sameer Nair did the unthinkable by announcing his decision to exit the company.

     

    In an interaction with MxMIndia Editor-at-Large Anil Thakraney, Sameer Nair was quite upfront about the reason for his decision to move on: “I was used to operating independently. After Turner took over, one had to integrate into the Turner system. And this made me just a department head. And so I left.”

     

    Expressing concern towards the chain of events that led to the closure of the channel he said, “I am quite shocked and disappointed to hear that they’ve decided to shut the channel down. They (Turner) seemed to be quite gung ho about Imagine, and I thought they were going full steam ahead. There is a lot of investment and a number of jobs at stake.”

     

    Mr Nair’s exit from Imagine was followed by a few other key exits and the network’s failure to find a suitable replacement. Even attempts to vow the audiences by launching a slew of reality and mythological shows didn’t do much for the channel as it still figured in the #6/7 slot amongst its peers in the space.

     

    In fact, even as recently as 2-3 months ago, the channel was going all out with its promotional activities as it announced the launch of new shows. But that too has been brought to a halt as Mr Jain explained: “We cease all business operations of Imagine TV. The closure is a complicated process as we are ensuring fulfillment of all our business commitments to advertisers, distributors, production houses and other partners.”

     

    The news came as a rude shock to producers, some of whom were in the midst of production schedule (see story: Rude Shock for Producers & Performers). Rajan Shahi who had launched ‘Jamuna Paar’ on Imagine just a little over a month ago, refused to comment on it saying “it would be too premature”. Other producers like Siddharth Tewary, the Sagars who had ‘Chandragupta Maurya’ and ‘Dwarkadheesh’ aired during primetime were incommunicado as they grappled with the sudden turn of events.

     

    JD Majethia

    JD Majethia who had launched two shows, ‘Jassuben Jayantilal Ki Joint Family’ and ‘Ek Packet Umeed’ four years ago said: “It’s sad and shocking. It was a channel which with the entry of Vikas Behl at the helm of things looked poised for bigger things, a turnaround but that was not to be. It’s a huge setback for producers and for those who work on a per day basis. A daily show means a minimum of 100 people associated with it in various capacities and with Imagine closing down, it spells doom for them. All that talent and labour goes down the drain. It’s a loss of about Rs200 crores worth of yearly business for Imagine and the industry on the whole.”

     

    Veteran producer Dheeraj Kumar of Creative Eye Productions said: “It was an overnight decision but it could have been done a bit smoothly. I am hopeful that Turner with its huge umbrella of channels would give us a chance of providing content to them. I am optimistic.”

     

    Programming propaganda

    Ever the one to influence viewers and attract the attention of the advertisers too, content was one of the biggest setbacks for the channel, going by the buzz emanating from experts. While the start for the Imagine was glorious, as it did manage to attract sizeable channel share (see chart below) and even break into the 150+ GRP mark at some point, it was an experience that was shortlived. The maximum channel share that the channel attained was 8.5 in H2 2009.

     

    Source: TAM Media Research / TG: CS 4+ yrs / Market: HSM / Period: H1 (Jan-Jun) & H2 (Jul-Dec) 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 till April 7, 2012

     

    Mohit Joshi
    Divya Radhakrishnan
    Karthik Lakshminarayan
    Pankaj Krishna

    Explaining the implications, Mohit Joshi, Managing Director, MPG said, “The General Entertainment domain is very competitive and each channel is constantly improving content and production. The viewer has many options today and hence has become more ruthless with the channel choice. In spite of a great start, Imagine lost it mid-way. In an attempt to gain viewership and numbers, it resorted to telecasting shows like Rakhi Ka Swayamvar, Rakhi Ka Insaaf and so on. Though these shows could have given a short-term boost in numbers, in the long run, viewers didn’t find the content appealing enough. Also these shows dented the channel image by giving it a ‘sleazy’ tag – which is not acceptable in the GEC domain.”

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan, Founder, Helios Media, said, “GEC is a highly competitive segment and the cost of running a GEC is very high. Imagine had reached a level of stagnation especially in the last six months, however shutting down was not expected.”

     

    Karthik Lakshminarayan, COO, Crest, said: “Imagine had the brand heritage of NDTV and Turner. I think it was sheer bad luck that they eluded that one show which could give them success like Kyunki did for Star, Saat Phere did for Zee, Ballika Vadhu for Colors and Bade Acche Lagte Hain is doing now for Sony. For a GEC to break even it takes 4-5 years so one needs to stay invested for a long period to see the returns, hence the move is a surprise.” In fact, he has a surprising statement to make: “Their overnight decision has caught us unawares and our media plan needs a quick revision. We had spots to go on air on the channel as we talk. I think now those spots are up for grabs and may the best player win.”

     

    Blame customer pull, not distribution!

    There are primarily two ways of impacting Channel Trials – namely Consumer Pull led by content affinity, and Broadcaster Push led by Distribution initiatives, explains Mr Pankaj Krishna, Founder and Managing Director, Chrome Data Analytics & Media (see Analysis: How Imagine lost due to consumer pull, not distribution. “Going by Chrome OTS numbers (Opportunity To See – percentage of households that have access to a channel) – Imagine TV has clearly been in the league of the top GECs with an OTS of 95% across HSM.”

     

    According to Mr Krishna, “consumer pull clubbed with Strategic Distribution Planning has a huge impact on the overall performance of a channel”. “Over the years, Imagine lost out on factors contributing to the former.”

     

    Staff shocked

    It was Terrible Thursday for the staff at Imagine. They had no clue of the closure, even as they had faced yet another week of dismal ratings from TAM. Said Jain on the fate of the staff: “Turner will retain some employees for a transition period and some others are being offered permanent roles within other Turner channels to fill current vacancies. For the other Imagine employees getting impacted, Turner has set up an HR outplacement service which will provide advice on how to write a better CV, interviewing techniques and other job hunting skills. We will also introduce the employees to recruitment consultants, HR professionals from other media organizations and facilitate their new job search. Our focus is to ensure the closure is executed in a fair and appropriate manner for all of them and in full compliance with all legal requirements, employment terms and company policies. We will use our best endeavours to make this as smooth a transition as possible for them.”

     

    There has been much dismay in the brodcast fraternity too. Colors CEO Raj Nayak in fact made a clarion call to the industry via Twitter: “To all my friends in the TV business. Let’s try & accommodate our friends from Imagine wherever we have vacancies in our system.”

     

    Way ahead

    The move does spell a warning for other broadcast majors to sit up and take notice. Let’s not forget examples of a few channels that had to shut shop midway including Star One, Zee Next, 9x and Real for lack of vision and programming blunder.

     

    Ashish Pherwani

    As Ashish Pherwani of E&Y writes in his analysis for MxMIndia (when is it right for a channel to pull the plug): “Over the last decade or so, most unsuccessful channels which have tried ‘overhauls’ and ‘makeovers’ that have failed to achieve their objectives within six to eight months, have eventually shut down their operations.” According to him, for a channel to succeed, “the only asset it has is viewership. Channels which operate without a robust management team, a unique market position, and a defined target audience, won’t be able to garner sustained and loyal viewership. If channel management is able to make these three aspects fit seamlessly together, chances are the channel will succeed as a business, else, it would make business sense to pull the plug!”

     

    Turner may probably pay heed to Pherwani’s suggestions if it ever were to take another swipe at launching a Hindi general enterainment cahnnel  channel. Going by its past track record where it teamed up with Alva Brothers to launch Real and proceeded by acquiring Imagine from NDTV, chances are that the network may already be on the prowl hunting for its next prospect. Until then, the network seems content to bask in the laurels of its sister channels that have been showing good growth in the genres they operate in.

     

    Written by Johnson Napier with inputs from Anil Thakraney, Ashish Pherwani, Pankaj Krishna, Kshama Rao, Tuhina Anand and Robin Thomas

     

  • Pankaj Krishna, founder and MD, Chrome Data Analytics & Media, on how Imagine lost due to consumer pull, not distribution initiatives

    Analysis: Pankaj Krishna on how Imagine lost due to consumer pull, not distribution

    By Pankaj Krishna

     

    There are primarily two ways of impacting Channel Trials – namely Consumer Pull led by content affinity, and Broadcaster Push led by Distribution initiatives.

     

    Going by Chrome OTS numbers (Opportunity To See – percentage of households that have access to a channel) – Imagine TV has clearly been in the league of the top GECs with an OTS of 95% across HSM.

     

     

    Further, as per Chrome DPi – The General Entertainment Channel ATC (Availability To Trials Conversion) stands at 60%, while imagine stood far behind at 40% (along with Sahara One…) – clearly indicating Brand Affinity concerns.

     

    The quality of distribution indicates similar trends – Despite being a 65 GRP channel – the overall PCS of Imagine (availability across the Top 3 Distribution Slots) stood at 86%, not radically behind Star Plus @ 98% and Zee, Sony, Life OK and Colors @ 90%.. Mostly channels with weekly GRPs scores ranging from 200 – 300!

     

     

    Consumer pull clubbed with Strategic Distribution Planning has a huge impact on the overall performance of a Channel – over the years Imagine lost out on factors contributing to the former.

     

    Pankaj Krishna has 12 years’ experience in the media space and brings with him a rare combination of knowledge and skills that span across brand management, advertising sales, distribution, media buying, research, events and on-air presentation and strategy. He is entrepreneurial spirit, Founder and Business head of Chrome Data Analytics & Media. With an unprecedented industry acceptance, Chrome is the largest and only Distribution Audit specialist in India. www.chromedm.com

  • Producers and performers were shocked by the Turner decision to pull the curtains down on Imagine

    Rude shock for producers and performers

    By Kshama Rao

     

    Producers woke up to a rude shock on Thursday  to the news of Imagine shutting shop. If IPL wasn’t enough, then the closing down of a TV channel meant further doom for the producers.

     

    JD Majethia

    Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific Inc. (Turner) dashed off a letter that to the producers and the media about Imagine being wound up with immediate effect, so much so that shootings had to be abruptly cancelled on Thursday as the TV giant didn’t want the channel to spend on even one day of shooting!

     

    While the industry is still reeling from the news, the worst affected are the producers whose shows were running on the channel. Rajan Shahi, who had launched Jamuna Paar on Imagine just a little over a month ago, refused to comment: “It would be too premature”. Other producers like Siddharth Tewary, the Sagars who had Chandragupta Maurya and Dwarkadheesh running on primetime were incommunicado as they grappled with the sudden turn of events.

     

    JD Majethia had launched two shows, Jassuben Jayantilal Ki Joint Family and Ek Packet Umeed four years ago (on January 21, 2008) when former Star TV honcho Sameer Nair had spearheaded NDTV Imagine amidst much fanfare. He said: “It’s sad and shocking. It was a channel, which with the entry of Vivek Behl at the helm of things, looked poised for bigger things, a turnaround but that was not to be. It’s a huge setback for producers and for those who work on a per day basis. A daily show means a minimum of 100 people associated with it in various capacities and with Imagine closing down, it spells doom for them. All that talent and labour goes down the drain. It’s a loss of about Rs200 crore worth of yearly business for Imagine and the industry on the whole.”

     

    Mr Majethia said that it was the channel’s “unclear philosophy” that did it in. When they started out, the mantra they had adopted was positive, light hearted, happy programming but then Colors launched with its emphasis on “high drama” and Imagine started floundering. The channel lost its focus, couldn’t make shows that could connect with the masses and hence lost the plot. “But as I said, things had begun to look up with the entry of Vivek,” he added.

     

    Another producer, on the condition of anonymity, who had worked for Imagine said it was the haphazard way of doing things and not following a clear brief that cut the Imagine story short.

     

    Veteran producer Dheeraj Kumar of Creative Eye Productions however played down the whole thing. His show Sawaare Sabke Sapne Preeto which was launched a year back was going strong and he said: “Just like how you get surprises in life, this too was a surprise for us. I wouldn’t call it a shock. I guess these things happen. You think, Turner wouldn’t have thought before taking this decision. Yes, it was overnight and could have done a bit smoothly with advance intimation but it’s alright, I have no complaints as we have had a good creative collaboration with them. Personally, I am not worried about my workers because we are a big production company and they would be absorbed in some or the other project. I am hopeful that Turner with its huge umbrella of channels would give us a chance of providing content to them. I am optimistic.”

     

    Aasiya Qazi, an actress who made a debut with Ekta Kapoor’s Bandini which ran for over a year and followed it with Deeya and Tony Singh’s Dharam Patni that was pulled off air in January is “shocked”. “It was the channel that gave me a chance to start in this industry. It gave me two shows, so yes, I am definitely shocked. I don’t know what happened and whoever I have spoken to are equally clueless. I didn’t even know why Dharam Patni was pulled off air abruptly a couple of months back. I feel sad for the artistes and the crew of the new shows like Jamuna Paar that had gone on air a couple of months ago. It’s demoralising for them,” she says.

     

    Vishal Karwal, who plays the title role of Dwarkadheesh in the Sagars’ ambitious mythological on Lord Krishna, is both “happy and sad. I was happy because I wanted to come back to Mumbai. I have been shooting inBarodafor the show from Mondays to Fridays and it had begun to get to me. I was in talks with the producers to let me go to Mumbai. I am sad for the workers whose bread and butter depend on these daily shows. They don’t earn more than Rs10-15,000 a month where as for actors like us, we can still survive.”

     

    He terms the sudden development as “unprofessional and devoid of professional ethics. The channel hasn’t been doing well for a while now and even the new channel Life OK overtook it in the numbers game.”

     

    Sources in the industry said the producers whose shows were largely affected won’t comment on this considering their dues are yet to be cleared. Worst hit are the Sagars whose two shows, both mythologicals and lavish productions, Dwarkadheesh and Chandragupta Maurya and others like Shahi who had barely launched a new show with a massive set.

     

    A source said: “One wrong word in the media and they run the risk of not getting their dues. They have already been hit badly so any press statement could jeopardise their equation with the channel.”

     

    So it’s wait and watch for now.

     

    Kshama Rao is a senior journalist tracking the television trade for over 15 years.

  • ETV Marathi and Star Majha come on board as telecast and news partners respectively

    92.7 BIG FM returns with the second edition of BIG Marathi music awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network Limited’s intellectual property vertical BIG Live and its radio arm 92.7 BIG FM, the Golden Mikes’ Broadcaster of the Year, have announced the second edition of BIG Marathi Music Awards 2012 – the biggest celebration of regional music for the Marathi music industry.

     

    After the phenomenal success last year, the second edition of BIG Marathi Music Awards promises to be bigger, better and more glamorous this year. ETV Marathi will once again be the official telecast partner and STAR Majha has come on board as the news partner. A special one hour segment of the ceremony will be aired on STAR Majha.

     

    BIG Marathi Music Awards 2012 is a unique platform conceptualized to recognize, applaud, and honour the extraordinary talent from the Marathi music industry who have significantly contributed to the music industry. These awards will have nominations across a wide range of categories and will also pay tribute to legendary artists of the Marathi music fraternity who have contributed to growing the industry and inspiring talented young singers and musicians to excel.

     

    The esteemed list of jury members include classical vocalist Arati Ankalikar, Ravindra Sathye and Sudesh Bhosle. The jury, along with the public, will select the winners.

     

    A judicious mix of media including 92.7 BIG FM, OOH media and the social media will be pressed into service to promote this property. The Facebook page which will be specially created for this property will allow the online users to browse through the page, explore links, and upload videos or files in related categories and above all a special voting application to vote for their favorite nominee of the awards. In addition to all this promotion an SMS push for the event will reach out to 10 lakhs consumers directly.

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network Limited is a multi-media entertainment conglomerate with play across radio, television, intellectual properties and out of home. It is part of the Reliance Group and specializes in creating and executing integrated media solutions for brands.

     

  • Mr. Kilambi has over 13 years of Marketing and Operations experience in the Media and FMCG industries

    Sriram Kilambi joins BloombergUTV as President

    By A Correspondent

     

    BloombergUTV, India’s premier business news channel announced the appointment of Mr Sriram Kilambi as the President of the channel with effect from April 16. Mr. Kilambi, an IIM-Bangalore alumnus, in his last assignment was Senior Vice-President and National Marketing Head for Radio Mirchi, the FM station of Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL). Mr. Kilambi has over 13 years of Marketing and Operations experience in the Media and FMCG industries.

     

    Mr. Harsha Subramaniam, Executive Producer, Bloomberg Television, welcoming Mr. Sriram Kilambi on-board, said: “Sriram is a terrific professional with a strong background in building brands across various platforms. We are excited to have him on board as BloombergUTV gears up to the next level of growth.”

     

    Mr. Kilambi, speaking about his new assignment as President BloombergUTV said: “I am quite excited to be on-board. The channel has made its mark in business news reporting and has seen excellent growth. It is a privilege to be able to work with the amazing team here and I am looking forward to being a part of a wonderful future.”

     

    Mr. Kilambi has earlier worked with Coca Cola India for seven years in various capacities and was instrumental in initiating and implementing key strategic plans for brands like ‘Coca-Cola’, ‘Kinley’ & ‘Georgia’. He also won two awards at the ‘2004 Coca-Cola Worldwide Marketing Awards’ for ‘Best Integrated Marketing Communications Program’ and ‘Consumer Insight with Greatest Business Impact’.

     

    Mr. Kilambi, 35, did his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University before joining IIM-Bangalore for his post-graduation.

     

    BloombergUTV, India’s premier Business news channel is a strategic partnership between Bloomberg L.P., the global leader in business information, and the promoters (founders) of UTV,India’s leading integrated media and entertainment enterprise. With an enviable squad of Indian journalists, power of over 2500 professionals across the globe and a network of 145 bureaus, BloombergUTV is a product of local news gathering, production and distribution expertise combined with world class financial news capabilities and global reach. The channel is positioned as an enabler that cuts out the terminology and presents the honest truth.

     

  • Aidem commands domain expertise in the regional GEC space and Odisha media is the next big thing now, feels Alok Rakshit

    Aidem Ventures to handle sales for Lakshyya Entertainment’s Odia GEC

    By A Correspondent

     

    After Mi Marathi, Aidem Ventures has won yet another regional account to handle their India sales – Lakshyya Entertaiment, Dreams Daru Bramha Productions’ first and exclusive 24X7 Odia Satellite GEC. It is the only FTA channel in the Odia GEC genre since its launch in September 2010.

     

    Commenting on the collaboration, Alok Rakshit, Head, Regional & Entertainment Business – Aidem Ventures, said: “Media agencies have, over the years, realized the importance of regional channels in focused targeting. Regional channels have now become a crucial element of media plans, not just because of the cost advantage they provide, but also because of their regional focus. Aidem commands domain expertise in the regional GEC space and Odisha media is the next big thing now. Moreover, Lakshyya Entertainment is a single source of contemporary entertainment reflecting the local flavor of Odisha. Our team is very well equipped to enhance the advertising potential of the channel and change the face of the market.”

     

    “Aidem has a strong foothold in the Media Sales space. Its eminent team of young and motivated professionals commands great trust among Indian advertisers. Lakshyya Entertainment is growing at a scorching pace since its launch. We are positive that Aidem will take it to greater lengths,” said Rudra Pratap Mohanty, Director, Dreams Daru BramhaProductions.

     

    The channel share of Odia GECs stood at 12.78 per cent in 2011 (TAM, C&S 4+, Odisha). The overall GRPs have also gone up considerably. TV spends in Odisha have increased more than 5 times over the past 4 years. This is a big leap for a predominantly print-dominated market. The Odia television market’s advertising revenues were pegged at Rs70 Crores in 2011 and are poised to grow further (IRS Q3 2011).

     

    Dreams Daru Bramha Productions is a collaboration of Darubramha Productions and Dreams Digital Network. Daru Bramha Productions is one of the largest music label (Odiacontent) and Film Production company of Odisha whereas Dreams Digital Network is a film studio house, having the state- of- art Editing Studios.

     

    Aidem Ventures isIndia’s leading independent Media Consulting, Marketing and Advertising Sales Company. Aidem is a professional marketing services firm currently managed by Vikas Khanchandani, an experienced industry professional, along with a team of over 100+ trained professionals located across all major media markets in India.

     

  • While the average TVR for the first sixteen matches stood at 3.65 per cent, the ratings for the same number of matches during IPL4 were at a TVR of 4 per cent

    First 16 matches of IPL5 score 3.65 TVR

    By A Correspondent

     

    The ratings for the first sixteen matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season five are out. As per TAM Sports, CS 4+ years, All India, IPL5 continues to deliver lower ratings as compared to the previous seasons. While the average TVR for the first 16 matches stood at 3.65 per cent, the ratings for the same number of matches during IPL4 were at a TVR of 4 per cent.

     

    The inaugural season (IPL1) continues to remain the highest viewed with a TVR of a whopping 5.08 per cent. Although these are still initial stages, what remains to be seen is whether the ratings show any improvement as the tournament progresses. Interestingly, while the cumulative reach has been increasing every IPL season, the cumulative reach for the first sixteen matches in season five showed a reverse trend with a marginal decline as compared to the cumulative reach it had in IPL4.

     

    According to Mr Ajay Rao, Vice President, Dentsu, these numbers are not surprising because they were expected to be lower than the previous seasons. He was also of the view that the GECs will not be impacted by IPL as most of the GECs have their own loyal viewers. “I don’t find the ratings surprising at all, these numbers were as per expectations. The opening ceremony itself was a damp squib which could perhaps be a sign of things to come. Once the initial glam is over, IPL5 could witness further decline in viewership. However, I don’t think GEC’s have much to worry about this season because over the years they have developed their own loyal viewers. Perhaps the challenge now for GECs is to not just focus on their loyal viewers but, find ways how to garner new viewers.”

     

    Source : TAM Sports, Period : First 16 matches of all IPL Seasons, TG : CS4+, Market : All India, Channel : MAX

     * In IPL 1 one match (47th) was abandoned due to rain, * In IPL 2 two matches (7th & 13th)were abandoned due to rain, * In IPL 4 one match (20th) was abandoned due to rain

     

  • Sony is asked by the I&B Ministry to push Dirty Picture airing to after 11.30pm

    Despite 59 cuts, Sony asked to push Dirty Picture airing to after 11pm

    By Kshama Rao

     

    Until late on Saturday, Multi Screen Media channels Sony Entertainment Ltd and Sony Max showed several promos of the award winning Vidya Balan starrer, The Dirty Picture, which was to be screened on the channel on Sunday at noon and 8 pm.

     

    However, at the appointed time, the channel was running a repeat telecast of its crime shows. Minutes stretched and soon a scroller ran across the channel citing “unavoidable reasons” for not showing the film.

     

    The unavoidable reasons, as we learnt later, was a directive issued to the channel by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry for deferring the telecast of the film. The ministry was in consultation with the Central Board of Film Certification which had given the film a U/A after “59 cuts”.

     

    Pankaja Thakur, CEO, CBFC said: “We didn’t ask Sony to not show the film. We only advised them to ensure there was Parental Guidance. We, at CBFC, have nothing to do with the telecast timings, it’s the prerogative of the broadcasters. Our job ends with certifying the film. As it is made out to be, it’s not an overnight decision the ministry or CBFC took. We have been in talks with the channel for a long time now regarding the timings, we were not happy that they were showing the film at 12 and 8 pm. We had already received complaints and four days back, a case was filed against the film’s telecast and the Nagpur Bench of the High Court passed an order asking the I &B Ministry to look into the matter.”

     

    “According to the Programme Code of the I & B Ministry, a U/A film means you need to have parental guidance, otherwise where is the difference between a U and a U/A film? All that the channel needed to ensure was tell its viewers that the film needed parental supervision. But I guess the decision of just doing away with the telecast was taken by them,” she added.

     

    To the channel’s credit, they had begun showing the promos, accompanied by the U/A symbol. But we guess, the common man is not aware enough to understand its implications. “Yes, it’s true, most viewers are not aware enough about what U, A or U/A means.”

     

    Ms Thakur added that the television industry runs on “self-regulation: “They follow certain Standards and Practices which their body of broadcasters have framed. There have been so many cases where despite a U/A certificate, channels have aired films without ensuring there is parental guidance. Films like Murder 2, Ragini MMS, Haunted, which are not conducive viewing for children have been shown on TV. Is that ethical? It’s high time channels and the film industry stop thinking about the losses they will incur or the money they will make. The common man has to be adequately represented in the bodies governing censorship. A dialogue has begun in that direction. And by the way, 59 cuts amounted to just six minutes. It’s time the film and TV industry stopped thinking only about the losses incurred.”

    Tanuj Garg, CEO, Balaji Motion Pictures, the producer of the film, messaged: “It is unfortunate that even after a valid U/A certificate from the CBFC and all the cuts being in place, the telecast was stopped. We have not seen this happen to any other film with this certificate and are pained by the victimization given that this is among the most celebrated and loved films in recent times. I’m not sure how Vidya (Balan), Niharika (Khan for best costumes) and Vikram (Gaikwad for best make up) would feel about collecting their National Awards!”

     

    A leading industry person who has brokered many deals for channels and film-makers said: “Why should the government pre-empt as it did in this case? Once you give a certificate, let the audience decide if they want to watch it or switch off their TV sets. The minute these films don’t generated adequate ratings, the channels would stop buying these films! What happened with The Dirty Picture is unfair.”

     

    An adult film on a General Entertainment Channel also means losses in sponsorship deals and viewership. An industry insider said: “Sony had already caused problems with the consummation scene in Bade Achche Lagte Hain, they got a rap from viewers as the show ratings have dipped badly in the recent weeks and now with this, they were pushing the envelope too far. As it is, all channels have been forced to run a scroller that says viewers who find any objectionable content, could alert the Broadcasting Content Complaint Council or IBF.”

     

    Meanwhile, the Twitterati is abuzz with voices of protest coming from the film industry. Filmmaker Karan Johar tweeted: “A national-award winning film cannot have a national telecast? This is not an irony but simple and plain hypocrisy! If the censorship is not a final authority, then what is? Complicated and blurred lines defeat the core of democracy.”

     

    Actor-producer-director, Farhan Akhtar tweeted: “Has the telecast of The Dirty Picture actually been stopped? I’ll believe it when I don’t see it…shame!”

     

    Producer-director Kushan Nandy tweeted: “In this country, a minister can watch porn in the Parliament, but won’t allow us to watch a 56-cut censored film at home!”

     

    Meanwhile, the film was sold to Sony by Balaji as part of a bouquet deal for Rs 9 crore…and with sponsorship losses and a dent to its image in the competitive GEC market, Sony would need to do a lot to build a pretty picture.

     

  • Digital Pay TV penetration of TV homes in India will grow from less than 20% in 2011 to 50% by 2016, and 61% by 2020, a new report by Media Partners Asia (MPA) indicates

    Digitization to up Pay TV penetration by 150% in 5 years, says MPA report

    By A Correspondent

     

    Digital Pay TV penetration of TV homes in India will grow from less than 20% in 2011 to 50% by 2016, and 61% by 2020, a new report by Media Partners Asia (MPA) indicates. The key demand drivers will come from cable operators, six commercial DTH platforms, and DD Direct, the government-owned DTH platform. A gradual consolidation of last-mile local cable operators will become inevitable, leading to a shift in industry profits and value to centralized distribution platforms and broadcasters, the report observes.

     

    Commenting on the findings, MPA executive director Vivek Couto said:

    “India’s digitization timetable implies a three-year transition to full digital TV (DTV) conversion. This is ambitious though we believe DTV transition will occur but over a longer time frame. The industry will remain capital-intensive until 2017 at the earliest, due to the capEx requirements associated with digitalization. This will lead to more M&A and fund-raising activity in both primary and secondary markets. The sector’s improved transparency, scale and operating leverage will attract large domestic and international strategic players, who will play a key role in M&A activity. Our biggest concerns include: cable execution and capitalization, as MSOs transition from a B2B to B2C model; DTH satellite capacity; and the extent of regulation in the broadcast ecosystem. While digitalization is the result of policy progress, this has not been the case for investment and taxation policies.”

     

    The report, entitled Asia Pacific Pay TV & Broadband Markets 2012, measures consumption and revenue generation across pay-TV and broadband industries in 16 Asian markets, including India, which the remains the key pay-TV market for Asia in the future.

     

    MPA projections indicate that Pay TV industry subscription fees will grow at an 11% CAGR between 2011-16, driven by increased volume over DTH and digital cable. Total Pay subscribers are expected to reach 172 million by 2016, and 199 million by 2020. MPA projections measure Pay penetration after accounting for households that opt for multiple services. Using this definition, MPA estimates that Pay penetration will grow from 79% to 89% between 2011 and 2020.

     

  • Unveils new positioning 'Apna Pradesh Apna Magic'

    BIG Magic completes a year

    By A Correspondent

     

    BIG MAGIC, India’s first variety entertainment channel for the core Hindi heartland from the Reliance Broadcast Network stable, featuring locally relevant entertainment recently celebrated its first anniversary, with a new brand new positioning – Apna Pradesh Apna Magic.

     

    The new positioning is intended to further build BIG MAGIC as the very own channel of the Hindi Heartland. BIG MAGIC has made great strides in the last year, living up to its promise of offering the heartland the entertainment of their choice. With an excellent assortment of local programs, BIG Magic has surpassed entrenched players to grow its audience base phenomenally.

     

    Apna Pradhesh, Apna Magic brings the channel closer to the people of the heartland as it translates into their very own channel for their very own region – truly local and a reflection of the people’s taste preferences and entertainment requirements.

     

    Conceptualized by the in-house team, Apna Pradesh, Apna Magic will be communicated to audiences through a multi-media campaign with a heavy use of radio – 92.7 BIG FM, outdoor, television, print and social media.

     

    Researching and understanding the pulse of the region and audience preferences, the channel has successfully launched a series of local shows like BIG Bal Kalakaar, BIG Memsaab, Hasya Panchayat and newly launched shows Hum Hai Bajrangi, Police Files and Mele ka Big Star. These shows created on the basis of local insights have all been produced in the Hindi Heartland reflecting the culture, language, entertainment and ethos of the region.

     

    The channel has been instrumental in tapping local talent and giving them the right platform. The Channel has not only provided a wholesome mix of entertainment to the local populace, but also acted as a forum to address various social concerns, issues faced by them.

     

    The channel’s well tailored programming, when coupled with the extensive marketing initiative offers a most effective platform for both national and local brands. With Apna Pradesh, Apna Magic, the channel will continue to create magic in the regional entertainment space giving both audiences and customers a truly unique experience.

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network Limited is a multi-media entertainment conglomerate with play across radio, television, intellectual properties and out of home. It is part of the Reliance Group and specializes in creating and executing integrated media solutions for brands. It houses the following verticals: 92.7 BIG FM, BIG CBS- a joint venture with CBS Studios International which has launched four channels, BIG CBS Prime, BIG CBS Love, BIG CBS Spark and Spark Punjabi. Added to this robust bouquet, the Company also distributes Bloomberg UTV, India’s premier business news channel.