MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • The second issue of the North-east's lifestyle magazine 'Good Times' has Arnab Goswami being interviewed

    Good Times with Arnab Goswami

    By A Correspondent

     

    He is one of Assam’s most famous sons, probably the best known Assamese face in the world. Okay, there have been other big names from the state – Bhupen Hazarika being the foremost, but there’s no doubting the fact that Arnab Goswami is undoubtedly the most prominent – not just in the media but from other walks of life as.

     

    Little wonder that he was on the cover of the second issue of Good Times, an all-new lifestyle magazine that is edited by Guwahati-based mediaperson Koushik Hazarika.  Mr Hazarika was until earlier this year Executive Editor and Marketing Manager with Eclectic Publications. His magazine is priced at Rs 40 and Mr Hazarika can be reached at: koushik.h@gmail.com

     

    Sample some questions posed to Mr Goswami:

    Coming to debates, there are a lot of talk shows that are aired in the television channels now. What is the kind of impact that these shows should aim to create with these discussions? It seems like it has happened on TV and then it’s over!

     

    I have often thought about this and I have come to a conclusion that only when the people, who need to be embarrassed and the people, who need to be humiliated are exposed, only then can a change happen…

     

    Personal and professional future in the next 5 years?

    I wouldn’t know about the professional future but yes, I do dream that at sometime in the future, our country will have a channel like BBC or CNN which is going to be broadcast to the world and if such an opportunity arises, I would certainly like to play a role in it. Personally, I hope I get more time to visit my parents who are in Guwahati and to spend time with my family. That would be good enough.

     

    One last thing – regarding the recent open letter by Madhu Kishwar. Any comments?

     

    I have a postal as well as an e-mail address and if anyone wants to reach me, they can write directly to me.

     

  • Zee Alwan will have over 180 hours of original programming monthly with three Arabic series offered exclusively on the free-to-air channel

    Zee launches 2nd Arabic GEC – Zee Alwan

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd announced the launch of its second Arabic channel, Zee Alwan, on September 12, 2012.

     

    Zee Alwan will have over 180 hours of original programming monthly with three Arabic series offered exclusively on the free-to-air channel. The programme roster also includes popular Indian serials that have been dubbed into Arabic, in addition to a range of lifestyle shows including cookery, yoga, and travel – all carefully structured to appeal to Arab audiences.

     

    On the launch of new channel, Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEE) said, “As a part of our global strategy, Zee Alwan is a step towards strengthening our presence in the Middle East. After the success of Zee Aflam, this new channel will help us to further consolidate our share and enhance ZEE’s reach.”

     

    Mukund Cairae, CEO-Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan, said: “Zee Alwan has received overwhelming response from Arab audiences across the Gulf region, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia following its soft launch. With the grand roll-0ut, we are further strengthening the programming of Zee Alwan, with a focus on providing original Arabic content. Zee Alwan’s niche of providing exclusive Arabic series – produced in the Gulf region as well as the dubbed Indian productions – sets a new trend in family television entertainment in the Middle East.”

     

    Mr Cairae added, “With Zee Alwan, we are also creating a new platform for talent collaboration between the Arab world and India. This will benefit the creative community in the region, and add to the historic cultural linkages that have existed between Arabia and India for over several centuries.”

     

    According to a Bengaluru-based media planner, Middle East is a mid-sized market and therefore Indian channels especially South Indian channels which have a huge market there see it as a good investment. “From Bollywood to Indian serials, people are want to watch popular shows and movies there. Therefore, so many Indian channels are available there. A launch of a few more channels with original content will only intensify the market.”

     

    Zee Alwan follows the launch of Zee Aflam, a dedicated 24×7 movie channel beaming Bollywood movies dubbed in Arabic. The two Arabic channels underline Zee’s long-term commitment to the Arab world and to leverage the growing popularity of Bollywood and Indian television content among Arab audiences.

     

    Zee Alwan’s line up of Arabic serials include the hugely popular Hindustani, the first Saudi Arabian musical and comedy with a prominent cast, making its first and exclusive free-to-air channel telecast. Other Arabic serials, also to be telecast exclusively on the channel, include the Khaleeji series Banaat Al Jameaa, depicting the story of life after high school and the advantages and disadvantages that young men and women endure at school and within their families; and the Syrian drama Banat Al Alilah, a tale of a guarded secret shared by an aunt and her niece.

     

    The popular Indian serials that have amassed millions in viewership, and have been dubbed in Arabic for Zee Alwan include: Malekat Jhansi, which narrates the tale of the courageous Rani Laxmi Bai, a name that stands for bravery and heroism; Alwa’ad, following the lives of three sisters from a hill resort who are brought together when their parents pass away; and Lalli, in which the protagonist discovers the positive side of life despite living in poverty.

     

    The array of lifestyle shows on Zee Alwan include celebrated Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s Konooz Khanaa that highlights the finer delicacies in Indian cuisine;Yoga for You¸ a health and fitness show which introduces the ancient Indian practice of Yoga and the health benefits that one can attain by practising it regularly; and Full Circle, a travel show that takes viewers to the Far East and the Pacific, illustrating various lifestyles and cultures.

     

    All the programmes respect the sensitivities of Arab audiences, especially women. Zee Alwan also has several Arab female anchors to present the shows, provide recaps on earlier episodes, and present vignettes from upcoming episodes. The channel is transmitted from Dubai with an operational office in Saudi Arabia.

     

  • MxMIndia gets the chieftains of Multi Screen Media to dwell on the UFC gameplan and what more to expect from Sony Six

    Sony Six all set for the fight!

     

     

    By Johnson Napier

     

    If all had gone as planned, then Sony Six, the much-hyped sports channel from Multi Screen Media, would have been the toast of sport-loving viewers in India by now. The single biggest property that was scheduled to be relayed on the channel – the IPL, was supposed to be the booster with which the channel was supposed to be flagged off in India. But that was not to be and Six was forced to launch itself in a manner that was meek by nature.

     

    A few months into its journey and with cricket taking a minor backseat for the network, the channel is back in action with a big-ticketing property to boast. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization has partnered with Sony Six to popularise the sport in India. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and with offices in London, England, Toronto, Canada and Beijing, China, UFC programming is broadcast in over 150 countries and territories, to nearly one billion homes worldwide and is available in 20 different languages. It is known to produce more than 30 live events annually and is the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world.

     

    While the physical sport phenomena is not new to India – made famous by WWE on Ten Sports and properties like Bellator on BIG CBS Prime – UFC seeks to change all that is associated with Mixed Martial Arts (the format on which UFC is modelled around) and get in viewers to take a liking to the sport. It is the ‘real’ fights that will attract the viewers, say the promoters, and not ‘fake’ action that gets thrown across to them.

     

    The partnership will kick off in India with the production of an all-Indian edition of the Ultimate Fighter, the UFC’s long-running reality TV show where 16 of the most talented unsigned martial artists compete for a contract with the UFC. The schedule for the same will kick off around Diwali. The actual show will be telecast in India in 2013.

     

    On the sidelines of the launch, MxMIndia’s Johnson Napier got the chieftains of Multi Screen Media, CEO Man Jit Singh and COO NP Singh and also UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, to dwell on the gameplan for UFC in India and also what to expect from the channel Sony Six in the immediate future.

     

    We are aiming at being the No 2 sport in India after cricket: Lorenzo

     

    Lorenzzo Ferttita

    What would be your immediate operational plans for UFC in India?

    The immediate focus would be to work with Sony Six and ensure that the sport is on the right track in terms of attaining a foothold in India. In October we would be launching a massive ad campaign around UFC that would include mediums like print, radio, outdoor etc. We would also be looking at social media in a big way. A lot of our marketing activity would be focussed online on the youth in the 18-34 age bracket where the attempt would be to make them more aware of UFC and get them to be a part of our database. These would be largely centred on large metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, etc.

     

    The only other popular sport related to what UFC attempts to do in India is WWE. What are your plans to combat the popularity of WWE and get viewers accustomed to your sport?

    WWE is very different from UFC. The thing about WWE is that it is fake while UFC is real. While WWE has a large fan base but once we enter the market we expect our TG to migrate from there and become regular viewers of UFC. We follow what WWE does and we know that they have a large fan base here but we hope to attain a large market share with UFC.

     

    Sony Six has assured that UFC will draw in more viewership numbers compared to a popular market like the US. What is your assessment of the ratings that you wish to draw from India?

    I really cannot say much on that but we are relying on Sony’s expertise in the market to get us the viewership numbers. Obviously we know that we are going to be very successful here and we know that fighting dominates the sport scene and we are aiming at being the No 2 sport in India after cricket. We feel it is going to be a very successful business for us as it is very big in terms of the market.

     

    Did you scan the market for other potential buyers for your property? What was the motive behind shortlisting Sony Six for UFC?

    We spoke to every other sporting network in India and we shortlisted Sony Six because firstly, we share a pretty good relationship with Manjit Singh and we also like the fact that they broadcast the IPL, which has a huge following in India. So we liked having that connection. UFC is an important event for us. We didn’t want it to be on a general entertainment channel because the way our marketing and positioning is that we are a sport; we didn’t want to be on any other channel.

     

    Where do you plan to head next in your bid to expand in the Asia Pacific market?

    From an Asia point of view, our next stop is going to be Macau in greater China. Beyond that the focus is going to be in taking the live event to other major capitals like Shanghai, Taipei, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. So these are our next priority markets for Asia. We would be taking these events to these markets by 2013.

     

    Hope to see Sony Six among the top-3 players in India soon: Man Jit singh

     

    Man Jit singh

    Why the decision to invest behind a physical sport that is yet to find a foothold in this country?

    Our strategy is to target young India. What we have gathered is that young India is interested in new fast-pace sports and UFC is the epitome of a fast-pace sport. We have great expectations that over time we will be able to build the UFC brand and also build the audience for UFC. One has to remember that it is the fastest growing sport in the world today. In Brazil, where the sport was launched some time ago it has become a hugely successful show now. According to me, Brazil and India are similar by nature and we feel we will be able to attain a similar success in India too.

     

    What is the USP that UFC will offer its users compared to what is already being aired by properties like WWE, etc?

    It’s too premature to comment but you could take a look at the models of other fight sports that are around like WWE – it is the second-most watched sport in India after cricket. We expect to much exceed something like that because it is a real sport; it’s about real fight, there’s no pretence in what you will see the contestants doing. That’s what I feel is the core differentiator for us.

     

    A large percentage of the TG that you plan to target is transfixed around WWE. How do you plan to convert them to like your product?

    The TG for our show is youth that fall under the 18-34 year-old bracket. I feel once they get older they will migrate from make-belief to the real thing. It would be a natural progression that we hope to see happening in this space. We are already of the opinion that we have a natural base of fans that will migrate to us.

     

    Would it be okay if children below 14 take a liking to your sport? There is a tendency for them to go overboard in terms of aping stunts, etc?

    I do not see any issue with children below 14 years coming to our channel to watch the show. I have been to events where they have children even in the audience who are avid fans of the sport. Remember that it is a sport; it’s like you asking if children like to watch boxing, if they like to then why not?

     

    Did you engage in any research exercise before you finalised on bringing in a fighting sport in India?

    We had carried out research studies in the market last year where the focus was on finding out the interest levels among viewers on fight sports and the pride that our people have on the sportspersons in India. We can tell that wrestling is going to be a big thing in India because the athletes are performing well on the international platform. Also, Indians like seeing Indians do well internationally. That we feel was a natural fit for us. Our real expectations are that UFC be a very successful sport in India.

     

    Have you managed to arouse the curiosity levels of marketers for this property?

    We haven’t yet started out on advertising, sponsorships and stuff like that. We are waiting till around Diwali time to get this sport established, to get the channel fully established on all platforms and then we will go and talk to the advertisers. It will be a premium priced product though. It will be available on all platforms by October.

     

    What are the other big-ticket properties to expect from Sony Six?

    We are looking at properties like basketball, soccer, fight sports of all kinds, tennis, cycling etc.

     

    What is the gameplan you have for Sony Six in the coming one year?

    We hope to see Sony Six be among the top 3 sports channels in the country.

     

    Sony Six will become the home for new sports in India: NP Singh

     

    NP Singh

    What promise does an event like UFC hold for Sony Six in India?

    Traditionally, fight sports have always been popular in India. Through UFC the attempt is to get real fight sport made available on Indian television, which the youth too will be able to connect with. It would a good example for the youth to look up to a real sport like UFC and inspire them to face real life challenges. UFC holds a lot of promise for Sony Six and for the youth of the country.

     

    What’s the next step for UFC in India?

    The journey has just begun. We would be showcasing a lot of the UFC Talent hunt everyday on Sony Six. Getting the local talent to come and register for the ultimate fight will start soon.

     

    The buzz is that you plan to tap in the viewership from IPL and convert them to watch UFC. Do you think the attempt will fetch you high viewership for UFC?

    UFC in the US attracts a viewership of 20 million whereas for the last season of IPL the number was 163 million. So that’s the size that we are talking about. We hope to better the numbers that a big market like the US throws up for UFC. We have just launched our channel a few months ago but it is already being beamed across 30 million homes. Also, we have still not completed our distribution but by the time we are done it will be in double those homes. One should understand that our country has a high percentage of youth and of late they have started taking a liking to other sports like football, F1 etc. We believe that Sony Six will become the home for new sports in India. I am much more confident that we will manage to engage the youth much more than any other sports channel in India.

     

    Does India need a sport like UFC in the first place?

    Through UFC, we hope to establish Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in the Indian market which I am sure will benefit everyone concerned.

     

    Sony Six was launched a few months ago but is yet to see traction in terms of viewers and properties. Your comments?

    We are first trying to establish the channel and within that the sport has to be established. Our efforts are on. UFC is one big step in that direction.

     

    The UFC deal seems to be heavy on investment. Would you be going all out to promote the event in India?

    As a network we have never stopped short of making investments in every new initiative that we take. Likewise would be the case with Sony Six and with UFC. Anything that we as a network do we do it big. UFC will too be in the big league for us. For one, we are positioning ourselves differently by calling ourselves a sports entertainment channel. Entertainment is in our DNA so everything and anything that we do will be garnished with a lot of entertainment.

     

  • Tintin – Sony Pix has planned a 360-degree – marketing and advertising – campaign around The Secret of the Unicorn on the 16th of this month

    PIX goes all out for Tintin premiere

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    With numerous English movie channels trying their best to catch as many eyeballs as possible, merely showing the best and the latest movies won’t fulfil the agenda.

     

    Sony Pix which will showcase Tintin – The Secret of the Unicorn on the 16th of this month is going all out to make sure the audiences don’t miss out on the opportunity. The channel has planned a 360 degree – marketing and advertising – campaign around it.

     

    Speaking about the importance of a 360 degree campaign, Himmat Butalia, marketing head of the channel says, “In today’s day and age message ‘muddling’ can often prove to be a challenge for marketers. There are many similarities between rival brands and even channels, which can often lead to confusion in the minds of consumers. Our endeavour has always been to create a clear distinction between us and competition through interesting and unique touch points. A 360 degree campaign aids in escalating a campaign’s scale and spreading one message through many mediums such as print, television, radio, outdoor, BTL, on ground activation or digital.”

     

    The channel is using a number of mediums to create the right balance for the campaign around the film. It will focus not only on quantity but also quality of messages through the mediums like print, digital, television, radio, BTL or OOH. The outdoor creatives have been kept simple with key messages such as adventure, courage & mystery to connect with the audiences. Apart from hoardings, bus panels & bus shelters in key markets and Metro Station branding in Delhi. In terms of Below The Line activations, the channel has tied up with major malls as well as upped their presence in retail stores such as Spencers and Crossword across the country.

     

    In addition to this, Pix has also initiated two unique on ground activities for this film – Comic Con 2012 in Bangalore & an inter-college treasure hunt in tune with the theme of the film. “Comic Con has been a great success in directly creating touch points with fans of TINTIN as well as young movie buffs. The inter college treasure hunt held in Mumbai with over a dozen colleges participating. This initiative is a first of its kind in not just connecting with younger audiences but also in creating an extension of the premise of The Adventures of Tintin – The Secret of the Unicorn,” explains Mr Butalia.

     

    The digital space is also being utilized by the channel – through various social media engagements like Tintin games and advertising on sites like Yahoo, Google, YouTube. The channel believes that the new media is clearly the most potent weapon in every marketer’s arsenal today. “We recognized the scope of the digital space a couple of years back. And since then our digital presence and social media groups have grown by leaps and bounds. India has witnessed a significant traction towards social networking in the past to start conversations but today it has also become as significant tool for people to run their businesses. Unlike other mediums the digital space requires minimal investment. The number of connections and viewers reached through the online medium is the highest compared to all mediums since you can reach millions of people through one single post or advertisement. Another important attribute of using this medium is its quick turnover time. Websites and social media has minimized time lapse between a brand’s communication and its consumer’s response. At the moment, I would place digital mediums right on top of the marketing pecking order,” adds Mr Butalia.

     

    According to Mr Butalia, in his career so far, he has learnt one major lesson through various marketing activities – power of simplicity. “It’s something I learnt, that a simple yet effective touch point can do wonders for a brand.”

     

  • Broadcasters to observe half-a-minute switch-offs to get viewers to switch to digital transmission with set-top devices.

    TVs in 4 metros to go blank for 2 mins to stress need for viewers to go digital

    By Himanshi Dhawan

     

    Your TV set will go blank for two minutes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In a strategy to persuade viewers to shift to digital systems, all broadcasters will switch off transmission simultaneously at 7:58 pm, 8:58 pm and 9:58 pm for the next three days.

     

    All channels will stop programming to show a 30-second advertisement in Hindi and English informing viewers to change to digital set top boxes before October 31. The advertisement ends with the warning “Go digital or go blank” in English and “Set top box lagaye ya TV bhool jaye” in Hindi.

     

    The blackout has been planned for the four metros: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, where the first phase of digitization is expected to kick in from November 1. The move to phase out analogue addressable systems and shift to digital has been mooted by the information and broadcasting ministry. The deadline for shifting to digital was June 30 but it could not be met due to a several reasons, including a lack of set top boxes and other procedural problems.

     

    The number of TV households in India is estimated to be around 147 million. The cable industry has grown from 0.4 million cable homes in January 1992 to an estimated 94 million cable TV homes in 2011 with more than 800 registered channels. Of these around 160 are pay channels.

     

    There are a large number of channels which are transmitted as free channels. The rollout for digitization has been slow but industry experts say this is likely to pick up pace. In the four metros about 50,000 set top boxes are being seeded every week with Mumbai showing maximum progress. There are about 10-12 million TV homes in the four metros of which over 50% have been digitized so far.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • It's new, it's clean and it’s meant for the full family… Colors announces that from October 7, Season 6 of 'Bigg Boss' will air at 9pm daily and be truly family-friendly as India's Got Talent will unearth unknown treasures of the country starting September 22

    Colors launches ‘alag’ ‘Bigg Boss 6’, celebrates country’s ‘hunar’ with ‘India’s Got Talent’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Colors CEO Raj Nayak with Bigg Boss 6 host Salman Khan

    It was an action-packed weekend for leading Hindi GEC Colors. It launched ‘India’s Got Talent’ on Friday and on Sunday, its flagship reality show ‘Bigg Boss Season 6’.

     

    This year, the channel is set to erase all that Bigg Boss has earned a reputation for all these years: a popular show, but one that’s not quite meant for family viewing.

     

    ‘Alag Che’ or ‘It’s different’ is how it is being promoted to underscore the shift in content and treatment. For one, it will be aired at a full family-friendly (and hence ratings-friendly) time slot of 9pm on all seven days of the week. Then there’s raging Bollywood star Salman Khan in his inimitable style and two houseguests a parrot and a goldfish.

     

    While Bigg Boss kicks off on October 7, India’s Got Talent will start next week – on  September 22, to be precise. Bigg Boss is produced by Endemol India and India’s Got Talent by Fremantle Media.

     

    Raj Nayak, CEO – Colors said, “If Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa is Dancing with the Stars, Bigg Boss is Camping with the Stars. Every season we bring something innovative to the show and to add, to the twist this season, we have opened the doors of the Bigg Boss house to ‘aam aadmi’. With India’s Got Talent starting next week, we are quite excited about our line-up of programming.”

     

    Manisha Sharma, Weekend Programming Head, Colors added, “This season, Bigg Boss will be the perfect mix of emotion, drama, fun and entertainment. However, what won’t be changing is the fact that the contestants will be devoid of what we consider normal in everyday life. India’s Got Talent is a celebration of the diverse talent that India has to offer and we are proud to present another exciting season. This time, the platform will set a new benchmark in presentation and talent; we have in fact crossed all boundaries and have stepped outside of the studio to present some real edgy and engaging action from the spot.”

     

    India’s Got Talent turns four this season and will four and not three but four jury members on the panel – veteran actor Kirron Kher, celebrated director Karan Johar, dance diva Malaika Arora Khan and the versatile choreographer cum director turned actor Farah Khan. The show will air every Saturday and Sunday at 10 pm and will be emceed by Manish Paul and Cyrus Sahukar.

     

    Mr Nayak revealed that while Maruti Suzuki is the presenting sponsor of India’s Got Talent, discussions are on with sponsors for Bigg Boss which has seen a 20 percent increase in advertising rates.

     

  • Hungama Digital Media Entertainment and ITC's Vivel Face Wash have unveiled a new TVC called 'MOBISur – Sitaron Ki Talaash with Shankar Mahadevan' to look for India's first digital talent hunt

    Vivel launches ‘digital talent hunt’ with Hungama

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hungama Digital Media Entertainment along with ITC’s personal care brand, Vivel Face Wash, has unveiled a new television commercial called ‘MOBISur – Sitaron Ki Talaash with Shankar Mahadevan’ to look for India’s first digital talent hunt, which will give millions of Indians an opportunity to become a singing star.

     

    This talent hunt enables participation from anywhere in the country; all that a participant requires is a mobile phone or an internet connection. This property empowers the participants to break the queue and forego travelling to the nearest city for an audition. The winners of the contest will get an opportunity to record an album with Shankar Mahadevan which will be released by T Series and Hungama. The winners will also receive Rs 5 lakh rupees.

     

    Developed by Meridian Communications, the TVC features well-known Indian musician Shankar Mahadevan encouraging aspiring singers, who don’t get enough time out of their busy schedules, to showcase their talent through this platform. The TVC also features the ‘Ghar baithe baithe famous singer bano’ concept that highlights the various ways to participate in the contest so that the aspirants can live their musical dreams.

     

    The contest has already received a phenomenal response since its launch with over 4,50,000 call-ins on IVR and more than  6,00,000 entries on the website in just 40 days.

     

    The TVC is currently on air across various music and other GEC channels. The latest TVC can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FonHDegCo9A.

     

    Credits:

    Meridian Communications Pvt Ltd

    Creative: Anurag Khandelwal, Satish deSa

    Account Management: Mohit Ahuja, Abhishek Nand

    Production House:

    Jack in the Box

    Director: Myles

    Producer: Ashlesha Bangia

     

  • The BIG CBS Network is readying to launch its latest home-grown property, India's Prime Icon, which will be dual-cast across its targeted channels – BIG CBS Prime and Bloomberg TV India.

    BIG CBS Prime, Bloomberg TV to simulcast India’s Prime Icon

    By A Correspondent

     

    The BIG CBS Network is readying to launch its latest home grown property India’s Prime Icon which will be dual-cast across its targeted channels – BIG CBS PRIME and Bloomberg TV India. The show aims to get Indians choose their icons – successful and celebrated personalities who inspire and influence them the most! The USP of the property is that it allows people to choose their icons from across all sectors of life, be it sports, entertainment, business, politics or social welfare.

     

    With BIG CBS Prime and Bloomberg TV India, both targeting premium audiences, the show has been designed to ensure it meets the entertainment requirements of the upwardly mobile males, seeking this quality content. India’s Prime Icon will bring forth the lifestyle of Indian society’s elite personalities and evaluate them basis qualities which will make them the prime icons of the country.

     

    Speaking of the show, Anand Chakravarthy, Business Head, BIG CBS Networks said, “Our country boasts of some of the most influential men and women who are an inspiration, role model and icons for the people. India’s Prime Icon is a new concept, which has not been explored in the past and which indicates at an opportunity to connect with audiences. Both BIG CBS Prime and Bloomberg India are premium channels, making them perfect platforms to reach out to the right audience mix, both for this show as well as for marketers.”

     

    The show is designed to give audiences a peek about the life stories of some of India’s most distinguished men and women. Seagram’s 100 Pipers collaborates in this initiative. Bikram Basu, VP-Marketing, Pernod Ricard India,commented on this association, “Seagram’s 100 Pipers stands for True Legends. Our association with BIG CBS Prime’s India’s Prime Icon show reiterates our common values, and brings our brand closer to India’s true icons.”

     

    Recommendations for India’s Prime Icons will come from none other than the audiences themselves, through a voting system, and will see prominent personalities – from across business tycoons, sports personalities, entertainers, Bollywood celebs etc. making it to the list. Following this, an eminent jury will qualify the entries and shortlist the top 20 icons. The 20 icons will be revealed on the Channel each evening during prime time and a voting window will be kept open for 24 hours so that viewers can vote for their favourite icons, which decided the Top 10 icons.

     

    The Top 10 icons will then battle it out to the coveted title of India’s Prime Icon, with each episode unveiling one icon showcasing never heard before stories of their lives, style statements, achievements, sex appeal, philanthropy popularity and more…

     

    To ensure optimal reach, BIG CBS Networks has planned an extensive marketing campaign for the show. The network will engage audiences on multiple touch points ranging radio, television, out of home media and social media.

     

  • Raj Nayak, CEO, Colors on how Season 6 of Bigg Boss will offer clean, wholesome family entertainment without shedding the voyeurism

    Jaldi 5 with Raj Nayak: No sex, no violence, no Pakistani in Bigg Boss 6…

    Raj Nayak

    Okay, we’ve cheated. We went out to ask just five questions, but ended up with several interjections, so the Jaldi 5 is a rapidfire 10. Or thereabouts.

    Raj Nayak, CEO, Colors is one of the best minds in the broadcast business.  MxMIndia caught up with him soon after a presser with actor and Bigg Boss host Salman Khan and Endemol India CEO, Deepak Dhar. Mr Nayak was candid when he admitted to MxMIndia that the show was a dampener last year. Guess for the honesty in answering some tricky questions, Mr Nayak deserves to win this critical round.

     

    01. A ‘paarivaarik’ Bigg Boss? Why junk the USP of catering to the voyeuristic Indian?

    Over the last few seasons, we Bigg Boss became very predictable. Even participants who’ve previous Bigg Boss shows think they need to behave in the same way. Tasks in the house have been very predictive. While the vouyerism is the soul of the show, it has also alienated a lot of audiences. We believe that it is a cult programme, no doubt about it. It is one of the biggest programmes for Colors. Among all the reality shows that we do, it is the most expensive show. There are 59-62 cameras at work. It is an amazing experience.

     

    Over the last six months whatever we have done on Colors, we have done differently. We scaled up Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. We did not make it just a dance show, but dance and humour. A show like Bigg Boss has a huge cult following. Then we have Salman Khan whose popularity transcends from 7- to 70-yr-olds, he appeals to everybody. Whether it is classes or masses, he is a superstar. Not to leverage his brand appeal would be stupid. This was the thought process then. We thought, let’s convert the show, flip it on and do it on a positive note. Some of the things we have learnt – what we can do, what we can’t do. So we have tinkered with the format a little bit.

     

    So no voyeurism, no sex and violence?

    The voyeurism will be there. That cannot go. It is the soul of the show. The casting will ensure that all houseguest are achievers. There will be no negativity. Earlier we had people who were newsmakers but they always had something negative. But this year, not one person who goes into the house will be negative. Even if there is voyeurism, there will be a lot of fun element in the show. Even voyuerism will be in acceptable norms.

     

    And clearly no sex and violence. We want the whole family to watch the show. One can have a good show without having sex or without having violence. Jhalak Dhikla Jaa is good example. That will give you a good indicator of the slotting.

     

    But someone like Sanath Jaisurya didn’t do very well?

    Yes but what it did was to bring out the wow factor of the show.

     

    Any Pakistani?

    No, we won’t. We think there is enough talent in this country at this moment and the casting team thought they have enough people they can cast from within the country at this moment.

     

    02. What are your expectations from ratings? Last year was a dampener and the bar has been rasied much now…

    Yes, last year was a dampener. There is no doubt about it. But the way we are looking it is that we want Bigg Boss 6 to be the most successful season that Bigg Boss has ever had. We have dissected the show from the first to the last frame and you will very many new elements this time. We genuinely believe that it has the potential to become blockbuster. As for the bar, it will always keep raising. You can’t keep looking at the scoreboard because it is different matches and genres. Within the genres, ground and match that we are in, we are sure that we will put on a bloody good show.

     

    Sur-Kshetra didn’t do well in ratings last week?

    Yes, last week setting the foundation. We hadn’t have Ashaji then.  The show actually started this week. Last week, the show was setting foundation of how the auditions happened in Pakistan and India. I am a firm believer that the show will pick up with every passing week.

     

    03. Sony pushed KBC to the weekend slot. How will Bigg Boss affect your fiction slot?

    We shifted Khatron ka Khiladi to weekend. We did Jhalak Dhiklaa Ja on weekend. We don’t have a fixed policy. But we felt Bigg Boss is a big show, it is bloody expensive show. And if you have to amortize the cost, you have to run it seven days a week.

     

    04. Who are your sponsors? Are reality shows value for money?

    We are in discussion with sponsors.

     

    Vodafone?

    With Vodafone as well and many other players

     

    The ticket price has gone up substantially this year because we are scaling up the show in many different ways. Hopefully, we will have enough sponsors to achieve our targeted figure.

     

    See, value for money means different things to different people. But let me put it this way: most reality shows do not make money. While there may be exceptions to the rule,  on a reality show, you normally recover about 70 percent of your investment. There may be some reality shows on which you make 100 percent. But you need to have reality shows for the intangible value they bring to the brand, and to the channel.

     

    Last year, in-show placements had become a little too much?

    Exactly. Those are the things which we have taken into account. One of the things is that not only Bigg Boss, but also other shows like Jhalak Dhikla Jaa and India’s Got Talent we are very conscious that at the end of the day we have to give value to our advertisers but I think we can do it far more creatively, we can be subtle about it which probably will give more credibility and give more bang for the buck.

     

    05. What next? The Yuvraj Singh show?

    If all goes well, we should have it either at the end of October or first week of November.

     

    We are looking at one or two more show formats.

     

    Reality or fiction?

    Can be either. But we are looking at some more interesting stuff. It may be big or small. You must have noticed that in last six months, we keep reinventing, experimenting with new things. Like Manmohan Singh said, ‘We are not afraid to take risks and we have courage to do so.’

     

  • Do frequent changes in standings impact Hindi GECs? Quick takes from a few media agency pros & marketers

    Does anyone care about GEC GRPs see-sawing?

     

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    The battle of the Hindi general entertainment channels has intensified in the past few months. With most of them showing new seasons of popular shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati, Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, Dance India Dance etc, the competition has not only increased between the channels but also viewers – who wants to watch what?

     

    If the TAM ratings of the past few weeks are studied, it becomes very clear that there is no sure-shot contender for the numero uno position. The weekend which saw the first episode of KBC on Sony made the channel numero uno for the weekend slot. However, overall ratings for week 36 saw Zee in the top slot. Week 35, saw Star Plus in the top place whereas for week 33, it was Zee at number one position.

     

    The yo-yoing has been going on for sometime now, so who gets affected by this – channels, media planners or advertisers? Or don’t the weekly ratings matter much? MxMIndia spoke to a few media planners/buyers and advertisers to get their perspective on it and to find a few answers.

     

    According to Anita Nayyar, CEO, India and Southeast Asia, Havas Media, in the GEC space there are four top channels – Star Plus, Sony, Zee and Colors – and their ratings keep fluctuating among themselves, which isn’t a recent phenomenon. “One week, one channel is peaking so the other week it’s another channel’s chance. Also, there isn’t much difference between their GRPs; it’s a matter of only a few numbers that they fall short of each other in the race. Therefore, it’s nothing alarming even for the clients who follow the GRPs to the T. However, we do keep in mind the trends and what gets the eyeballs to the channel. For instance, KBC taking Sony to number slot was expected. One needs to keep such issues in mind and plan accordingly.”

     

    Agreeing with Ms Nayyar, Hiren Pandit, managing partner, GroupM adds that one needs to keep in mind what is the programming mix of different channels. With KBC opening with 6.1 TVR, Sony was bound to reach the top slot. Therefore, one needs to track the new big shows coming up and how they’ll fare rather than worrying about channel shares which keeps see-sawing because of these shows. As for advertisers, they too focus more on shows and its performance rather than channels. Hence, such yo-yoing shouldn’t bother anyone unless it’s a drastic one.

     

    “I don’t think anyone takes these weekly GRPs of GECs into account; therefore, such weekly see-sawing shouldn’t matter. If one looks at various channels, you’ll see that most of them have reality shows or special episodes or Grand finale etc as their strategy to drive channel GRPs especially on the weekend. Hence, a media planner or buyer doesn’t get affected by it as most of the deals are separate for these (channel driver) reality shows and separate for rest of channel (regular) programs. And to advertisers what matters is the consistent deliveries through regular shows and not these few spike on select shows,” adds Neelkamal Sharma, COO – Buying, Madison Group.

     

    However, the advertisers feel a little different as GECs which have a vast reach in the country are seen by the advertisers as the best way to reach out to their audiences and brands spend millions to use the visibility given by these channels.

     

    Kamal Nandi, vice-president (sales & marketing) of Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing explains that as a brand, for them the two things that matter the most are efficiency and effectiveness. “Therefore, as advertisers on these GECs, we do look at cost and ratings points as the two most critical evaluating parameters. Hence, such fluctuations do effect our decisions as we monitor them closely.”

     

    Similarly, Mayank Shah, Group Product Manager, Parle Products says, “The content of every show on every channel varies. Despite the fluctuations, there are certain properties that continue to be at the top. These shows provide great opportunities for advertisers. However, strategies keep changing. So we do keep these fluctuations in our mind and alter the strategy as and when required. Advertising strategies are based on the kind of viewership a channel has. If a product matches with the channel’s target group, then advertisers will continue to advertise on that channel because the reach is effective. Also, there are various aspects to consider while choosing channels. Hence, the positioning is an important criteria, but not the sole criteria.”

     

    Hence, one thing is clear, that weekly ratings of GECs might not be considered as the sole criteria by planners or advertisers as much a monthly or the performance of the show in general. But they do matter when it comes to brands spending on GECs to reach their desired audience.

     

  • September 24 is the new last date set by the TRAI for receiving comments on the draft regulation of Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels (Amendment) Regulation, 2012

    TRAI extends last date for comments on ad duration rules

    By A Correspondent

     

    On the request of stakeholders, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the last date for receipt of comments on the draft regulation of Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels (Amendment) Regulation, 2012 to September 24, 2012.

     

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released a draft regulation on Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels(Amendment) Regulation, 2012 on 27.08.2012 for which comments of the stakeholders were sought by September 11, 2012. TRAI’s notification in May 2012 sought to limit the duration of television advertisements to 12 minutes per hour. The move was criticized heavily by broadcasters, who rely heavily on revenues from advertisements.

     

    In June 2012, however, Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) had stayed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) notification to limit the duration of ads to 12 minutes per hour.

     

  • Kareena Kapoor's 'Heroine' is being promoted on the sets of the long-running police detective serial CID, in an episode which will be aired on September 21.

    Kareena Kapoor calls CID for help!

    By A Correspondent

     

    Today Bollywood stars are a common sight on the small screen as they make “appearances” on other shows. The latest to join the bandwagon is Kareena Kapoor.

     

    The gorgeous heroine has shot for a special episode of CID on Sony Entertainment Television, where she will play herself, an actress. The plot revolves around an obsessed fan, who threatens Kareena to the extent that she considers leaving her career in films and actually marrying him. In the episode, while promoting one of her films, she discovers that her life is in danger and she solicits help from the CID bureau headed by ACP Pradyuman.

     

    When asked about her experience working with ACP Pradyuman (Shivaji Satam) and his team, she said, “CID is one of the biggest shows running on Indian television. I am happy and delighted to work with such talented people who are running the show successfully for over 15 years. I thoroughly enjoyed myself while acting with the CID team and wish them all the very best as they continue to entertain their viewers.“

     

    The special episode airs this Friday, September 21, coinciding with the release date of the actor’s new film Heroine as well as her birthday. It was shot at Fun Republic Cinemas in Andheri West.