MxMIndia

Category: TV

  • Founder-President of the Cable Operators Federation of India responds to our questions hours before the scheduled sunset hour

    Jaldi 5 with Roop Sharma: All set for digitization!?

    Roop Sharma

    It’s the day of reckoning for the Indian media sector as mandatory digitization is scheduled to happen in the four metros of Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi. While there are various stakeholders, the role of the local cable operators (LCOs) is most critical for the move to be successful. Over the last few weeks, LCOs have been exceedingly vocal on the problems with digitization move. MxMIndia spoke to Roop Sharma, founder and president of the Cable Operators Federation of India on the morning of October 31…

     

    01.   So the sun is finally going to set on analogue transmission in the four metros today?

    Yes, this is what looks like considering the attitude of the government.

    Don’t you think some teething troubles would exist even if there was 100% set-top box installation?

    Firstly, everyone including the Ministry knows that seeding of STBs is not 100%. So many consumers would be having a dark day if analogue is switched off tonight. Secondly, consumer choice has not been asked and fed into the SMS systems of the MSOs. Ministry press release says that this would be done in the next 15 days. I doubt if that is possible to collect and feed the data of about 10 million subs in such a situation. Any way, the Ministry’s job will finish after they give another release patting their own back for a good job done. It damn cares for what the consumers go through. I expect a chaotic situation for another two to three months when people come to terms with what has happened.

    Do you still have reservations about whether it will work?

    I have never suspected working of the technology and always favoured digitalisatioin.  However, I do suspect the intention of the government behind the whole exercise. It appears that it is being pressurized by some external force otherwise government would have remembered its social, economical and political responsibility while implementing a new technology, forcing down the throat of the masses in the name of doing good.

    You check the experience in rest of the world. No government has ever mandated digitization in a private cable TV industry anywhere in the world. In the US, Europe, South Africa, Australia and in many other countries, they digitalized terrestrial television services given free to the masses because it frees lot of spectrum that can be used for new telecom services. While doing this, they ensured that till the last customer is given a digital STB, no analog switch off takes place. Not only this, they offered free STBs to millions or gave a subsidy to buy an STB for each TV set.

    India is not so rich. It could have let analogue exist for the poor masses or provided an alternative, digitizing the free terrestrial services of Doordarshan for them. Don’t forget it is cable TV that made a information and knowledge based society in India and not mobile communications. Real globalisation started with cable TV revolution in India in early nineties.

     

    02.   If the government turns a blind eye to data pilferage to non-digitised subscribers for a few months, LCOs and MSOs should not have any problems?

    Let’s not talk about pilferage of data. Even in the US there is 15% accepted piracy. Has the government stopped pilferage of food grains from its godowns, tax avoidance or corruption in the big industries and politics? However, government should have ensured that every existing customer is enabled to receive digital service and afford the service. Ministry is working like Gestapo as if it is a question of life and death for the nation.

     

    03.   If LCOs don’t get proactive, you’ll lose customers to DTH, as there are some attractive schemes on offer?

    No, this cannot happen. Don’t forget that DTH existed since 2003 in India. If the service was affordable and so good, cable TV would have lost all its connections to it. This has not happened in the last eight years. It will not happen now also. DTH gains are only in cable dark areas or far flung isolated areas. This is the main reason that Ministry is so proactive in making Cable TV more costly than DTH so that consumers are forced to shift to DTH.

    For your information, there is no transparency on DTH in spite of it being a fully digital service. All their content deals are done not based on the actual consumer consumption but lump some deals. Consumers do not get their choice. To get your choice on DTH, you shell out not less than Rs 400 per month. Government is befooling the masses to help a few large media groups who enjoy monopolies in the media markets through their numerous TV channels, This was very evident from the ads given by the government, broadcasters and DTH companies on TV and print media. They had a threatening and scary tone to terrorise the consumers rather than convince them. Otherwise, why should the ads tell the cable TV subscribers to approach DTH operators when the law is made to digitalise cable TV.

    If you ask me, this law will prove a death knell for all small players, both cable operators and broadcasters.

     

    04.   Is there fair clarity on the subscription pack tariff and how much LCOs will earn in the new regime?

    No, there is no clarity so far. Many popular channels are missing from packages offered as well as a-la-carte offerings. Consumers are clueless till now.

     

    05.   As owners of the all-important last mile, your role in this gamechanging move is critical. But there are many who think that cable operators have suddenly started creating obstacles to delay digitization. Why this sudden reluctance?

    We appraised the government what is the true situation on the ground. However, since that was against their mindset, they started ignoring us. In fact, they started having separate meetings with broadcasters and MSOs where cable operators were not made to participate.

    Your critics say that LCOs have realized that their income is going to take a beating… legimately with margins and because digital transmission will require reporting correct subscriber numbers

    It is not a question of dwindling income, what is disturbing to the cable operators is that government has made a law to force LCOs to hand over their years old family business to the big media houses.

     

  • On Thursday, BBC Worldwide confirmed the closure of BBC Entertainment and CBeebies thanks to the digitization delays and the business being unviable thanks to high carriage fees

    Bad news for Bachcha party: CBeebies to shut by Nov-end. So will BBC Entertainment

    By A Correspondent

     

    Parents of tiny tots whose kids won’t eat a morsel without Teletubbies for company may now have some trouble on hand.

     

    By end-November, CBeebies will go off air as will BBC Entertainment. Hey, didn’t we all hear just earlier this week that the channel was to air a special Top Gear show on 50 years of James Bond cars? Yes, we did. But that’s the way it is.

     

    On Thursday, BBC Worldwide confirmed the closure of two of its branded entertainment channels in India. BBC Entertainment and CBeebies are to be withdrawn and will no longer be available beyond the end of November 2012.  BBC World News, however, will remain available in India and continue to grow its distribution in the market.

     

    Said Mark Whitehead, Senior Vice President and General Manager, BBC Worldwide Channels Asia: “The decision to withdraw BBC Entertainment and CBeebies has not been an easy one.  India is a dynamic and fast growing media market but remains uniquely challenging for pay TV channels.  Specifically, delays in digitization and the need for channel operators to pay cable platforms for carriage makes the economics of running channels very challenging at this time.”

     

    Hey, Mr Whitehead Sir, digitization took off in right earnest in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata yesterday. 100% of Delhi is digitized, in Mumbai it is 118% whereas in Kolkata it is 85% and in Chennai it stands at 63%… and all of this information is not MxMIndia, Saar, but from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. So now why this Kolaveri?

     

    Despite this, a statement says, BBC Worldwide remains committed to India, where BBC World News – the BBC’s international news and current affairs television channel – will be available across the market, along with the bbc.com and bbchindi.com websites, BBC Hindi radio and Global India, a new primetime programme produced by BBC Hindi TV which will launch on five ETV channels later this week. Interestingly, the communiqués announcing Global India reached us a few hours before the BBC Entertainment and CBeebies closure was announced.

     

    In addition, BBC Worldwide operates a TV production business, a content syndication business and Lonely Planet in India. The company is also evaluating the potential for a number of digital initiatives which have been successfully developed in other markets. BBC programmes will also continue to be available on other channels in India, both terrestrial and cable, as well as digitally on a YouTube channel.

     

     

  • Star's Content Live initiative has bagged the Aegis Graham Bell Award and News Corporation's GEI Award for encouraging a tapeless environment

    Star India’s Green initiative bags back-to-back awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    Star India has bagged back-to-back awards – the prestigious Aegis Graham Bell Award and News Corporation’s GEI (Global Energy Initiative) Innovator Award – for its green initiative that encouraged a tapeless environment.

     

    STAR India won the award that recognizes Innovation in TV, Broadcast & DTH for sustainability at the Aegis Graham Bell Awards, beating more than 100 nominees across categories. The Aegis Graham Bell Award follows the honour for Content Live by way of News Corporation’s GEI Innovator Award last month.

     

    R. Balu, Head and EVP – Broadcast Technology, Krishnan Kutty Head and EVP – Distribution and Gajendra Tijare Senior Vice President – Broadcast Technology received the award on STAR India’s behalf.

     

    The network’s Content Live service, rolled out in January last year, encourages advertisers to go digital while uploading marketing content, thus reducing carbon footprint. Besides, it also enables reduction in spends on traditional tapes and transportation fuel.

     

    “It’s a double delight for us at STAR and encourages to further work toward reducing carbon footprint,” Sanjay Gupta, COO of Star India, said. “This initiative also forms an integral part of the movement to reduce the same by discouraging the use of tapes.”

     

    With Content Live’s new digital workflow, the team dissolved the need for the 2,245 tapes per week and additional 2,500 from advertisers that STAR was previously receiving. This eliminated 153.3 tonnes of CO2 from transportation per messenger per year. STAR also became the first broadcaster in India to go tapeless and digital.

     

    Going tapeless, in addition to reducing costs, also allowed STAR’s clients remove time inefficiencies. Cost savings were delivered to customers by enabling cut in expenditure on hardware such as tapes, logistics and dubbing.

     

    Besides, tape-based system was also vulnerable to external factors such as custom hold-ups, traffic that can delay the delivery of tapes and thereby delaying the entire process.

     

    Aegis Graham Bell Awards 2012, India’s largest and the only award that recognizes innovations in field of Telecom, Internet, Media and Edutainment (TIME), was held on November 1 in New Delhi. It is an initiative by the Aegis School of Business & Telecom, 21st Convergence India 2013 and supported by the Cellular Operators Association of India. The selection of winners is validated by PwC as knowledge partners.

     

  • SAB has launched Saburbia, a board game which projects the SAB TV brand and thos, and at the same time thrills and entertains players

    SAB expands touchpoint by venturing into board game biz

    By Johnson Napier

     

    Its knack for doing something unusual has always managed to reap huge dividends for the channel. Whether for the new programming ideas that it experiments with on a regular basis or the array of assorted characters that it manages to throw up every now and then, SAB has always gone with the belief that consumers need to be fed with something different to keep them hooked on to the channel.

     

    In its latest twist to offering something new to its consumers, SAB has ventured into an untapped avenue by announcing the launch of a new board game. Named Saburbia, the board game is an advergame which projects the SAB TV brand and its ethos, and at the same time is directed towards providing thrill and entertainment to its users. The game makes the player an active member of a city called Saburbia, thereby giving him a chance to interact with his favourite characters like Jetha, Daya, Taarak Mehta, Gadha Prasad, Baujee, Mukundi, Indumati, Bhavesh, Bakula, Gopi, Gulgule and Chandramukhi Chautala through a series of tasks and unpredictable circumstances. The motive of the game is to find the perfect neighbour who becomes the Mayor of the city.

     

    The motive of the game, according to a statement issued by the channel, is to give SAB TV an alternate touch-point with its audiences, over and above the conventional media like TV, Print, OOH and online. Moreover, it also is to give people a chance to get to know more about the other shows on the channel. The over-arching belief is to get the viewer interested in all the shows of the channel, thus increasing viewership and building the brand.

     

    SAB TV has joined hands with Pegasus International (which is a major Indian toy and board game maker, operating with the brand name ‘Toy Kraft’) for the manufacturing and distribution of the game Saburbia.com.

     

    Elaborating on the thought-process and objective of the new venture, Anooj Kapoor, EVP and Business Head of SAB TV said: “The new initiative is the brainchild of our Marketing team. The idea was two-fold: one, to continuously engage consumers in fresh touchpoints and secondly, to increase the viewership of 15-24 age group audience on our channel – also the most active TG on Facebook for us.”

     

    Adding further, he said: “Over the past few years we have managed to create a certain salience for SAB in the consumers’ minds and a very strong brand image…this is on the back of SAB having a limited reach and budget but we are able to innovatively reach consumers in places where they are least expected. For eg, today we have 18 publications where we have cartoon strips of our shows appearing every day…so that is one such endeavour where you surprise the consumer by creating a fresh touchpoint and the surprise element manages to create an impact. Similar has been our approach with Saburbia.”

     

    Sharing his thoughts on venturing into an untapped domain, Mr Kapoor added, “Suburbia could be tagged as a gaming initiative from our end; and gaming in two forms – board game and online gaming. The idea was that whether one is a SAB consumer or whether you come to buy a board game one would be intrigued by seeing a game which has television characters even if you have never sampled the channel. And if you see that differentiation amongst other board games you may be attracted to it and therefore go and be a part of the brand experience by playing the game and become a convert or at least sample the product.”

     

    The channel would be engaging in appropriate promotional activity in order to attract consumers to the new board game. Said Mr Kapoor, “We would be engaging in two-fold promotional activity: one is print ads that we keep doing time to time and secondly, we have shot a few ads on our own channel which again inform and educate our consumers to try out the new product.”

     

    According to Mr Kapoor, what SAB is looking to achieve with this venture is increase viewership and also refresh and retain brand salience in the consumers’ minds. “We expect to roll out 5000 board games to begin with. And if we go by the assumption that there are 3-4 people per family then we can expect our consumer base to increase by that much amount. It’s difficult to predict right now what is the percentage base of audience that we expect to attract but it will be substantial to say the least. In fact, based on the response that Saburbia draws from the market and its sale from the shelves we would consider rolling out new games in the future.”

     

    As for SAB the channel, there is a lot of action that is lined up in the coming days. It would begin by the launch of Jini & Juju that takes off from Monday, November 5. “That will be followed by the Season 2 launch of Gutur Gu and Malegaon ka Chintu, two silent comedies on the channel. Those will go on air two weeks from now,” reiterated Mr Kapoor.

     

  • Effective implementation of digitization is among the immediate challenges for the new minister

    MxM Mondays: Expectations from Manish Tewari, the new I&B Minister

     

    It’s a week since Manish Tewari took charge as I&B Minister… just two days before the sunset date of Phase I of digitization. The foremost challenge he faces is overseeing and implementing the digitization process. While the digitization numbers as posted by the MIB look impressive, it remains to be seen if the challenging ground realities are met. Another task at hand would be to let the broadcast industry flourish.

     

    MxMIndia spoke to industry captains about their expectations from the new I&B Minister.

     

    Ravi Dhariwal

    Ravi Dhariwal, CEO – Publishing, BCCL

    I just wish that the new minister on board would help media industry in India grow and become more relevant – whether it is print or television. The minister should create an enabling environment where we, as a media fraternity, can serve the country in best traditions.

     

     

     

    Man Jit Singh, President, Indian Broadcasting Foundation and CEO, Multi Screen Media

    Man Jit Singh

    I have a three-pronged expectation list from the minister. I believe he has the same priorities as us when it comes to the process of digitization. We hope that the digitization process is smooth and continuous for him. And the second phase is also rolled out soon. I expect the new minister to support us in making sure there are no pirated signals or disruptive systems.

     

    The new I&B minister, as we know, supports self-regulation. As broadcasters, we believe self-regulation, and we look for his continuous support.

     

    The last and the most important thing is the issue of Price Control that was put in place in 2003. There was meant to be a sunset date for the price control, which has not happened till date. It has been too long that broadcasters have been following it. Now, it is the time that market forces decide the price.

     

    KVL Narayan Rao, President, News Broadcasters Association and Executive Vice-Chairman, NDTV Group

    KVL Narayan Rao

    I would not go so far as to call it expectation but a belief that he will continue to take forward the good policies that previous I&B minister, Ms Ambika Soni, had initiated. There are three things that Mr Manish Tewari should aim at: digitization being the first one. He should uphold the price for carriage fees and support self-regulation. He should support the industry from the perspective of unreasonable levels of taxation – whether it is direct or indirect service tax. We hope that the next Bill that he presents talks about these issues.

     

    Mr Tewari is a democrat, and will probably look at the whole picture and then make decisions.

     

    Ashok Mansukhani

    Ashok Mansukhani, President, MSO Alliance

    Basically, three things: the first thing – the first phase of digitization needs his personal interest to stabilize it. It requires political direction to put it on the right path, especially since the process of digitization has to happen through state governments. I don’t think the minister should leave it to bureaucracy alone.

     

    The second thing is that the second phase of digitization is too near the first stage, which is March. And, I think, at this moment it is a mirage to think that we can achieve that target on 31st March because the stabilization of the first phase of digitization is not dependent on a press note. It is the dependent on the acceptance of digitization by the consumer. Now the consumer is at least a month away from understanding what digitization means, what it will cost him and what the benefits are. This is a learning process and the process will take some time, and therefore, I think phase two – even though everyone will say it is non-negotiable – in my view, it will have to be pushed back by six months.

     

    The third step is that Mr Manish Tewari needs to very carefully look at the fact that you cannot regulate a multimedia delivery that India has in the form of cable, DTH, mobile TV and IPTV through the Cable Act. The Cable Act is fine as far as cable is concerned. We need to work towards an Electronic Media Management Act. Basically, this Act would function on the basis of self-regulation but which has a safety net of autonomous public authority that Supreme Court asked in 1992 for the Cricket Judgement in which SC had said that airwaves are neither private property nor government property but it is public property. And public property is best protected by an autonomous authority. In 1992, only cable and broadcasters were present but in 2012 you have four technologies and who knows if fifth one will come through 4G.

     

    The way I would like to see it that the last thing the Minister needs to do is that everybody somehow managed to do Phase I of digitization without getting any incentive from the government. But I think that what happened in the last week or first 10 days to the run up to sunset date was the sudden realisation that the much-beloved Census figures itself showed that 50% of people in India are poor. If that is so and in any case MSOs were giving a subsidy of nearly Rs 1000, Rs 500 is also proving too much for this really poor class. Someway has to be found to lower the burden on slum areas as much as possible. And one way to do it is what TRAI had wanted to do in 2010, which is to say that if you are a digital infrastructure provider, you will be treated on equal footing as other infrastructure providers and given a tax holiday for seven years so that whatever you invest now, you are able to then recover it in form of low taxes over the next seven years. Also, there has to be some form of set top subsidy scheme, which is not just borne by cable but is also borne by broadcasters in form of lower prices and government in the form of duty reduction.

     

    If digitization be his main objective, then apart from that he has to ensure that everybody is kept on a level-playing field. He made some statements in the beginning about it but he is silent in the last four days. So, I think that I am really looking for is more sane and more stable approach to digitization and a level-playing field, which is technology-proof for the future.

     

    Roop Sharma

    Roop Sharma, President, Cable Operators Federation of India

    We expect him to treat all stakeholders in the digitization process equally. He should understand the realities. The new minister should work in tandem with the ground realities of digitization. Mr Manish Tewari should listen to all stakeholders, and take into consideration the problem and hiccups that each state and stakeholder is undergoing in this process.

     

  • Keertan Adyanthaya, MD – FOX International Channels, talks to MxM India about digitization, localized shows, and more…

    Jaldi 5 with Keertan Adyanthaya on Fox Traveller’s first anniv

    On October 30, Fox Traveller completed a year in India, billing itself as India’s number 1 Travel and Lifestyle channel. An HD channel and clutter-breaking content such as ‘What’s With Indian Men’, ‘Twist of Taste’ ‘Freaky Traveller’, ‘It Happens Only in India’ and ‘Life Mein Ek Baar’ making the channels focus on locally made productions very high. MxMIndia interviewed Keertan Adyanthaya, MD- FOX International Channels, on the channel’s first anniversary and its plans for the year ahead.

     

    01 How would you see the travel and lifestyle genre changing in the recent past? Where do you see it heading to in India?

    I think we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg as far as the genre is concerned. There’s so much more to experience and invite people to immerse in.

     

    02 The channel has a lot of localized shows like ‘What’s With Indian Men’, ‘It Happens Only in India’, ‘Life Mein Ek Baar’, etc. Given that high-profile presenters would obviously increasing your programming costs, how is easy is it to get advertisers to buy in such content?

    We believe that it’s the tone and tenor of the show that really matters and that’s why we have always looked for celebrities who can seamlessly integrate into the fabric of the show. Advertisers look for various things when it comes to sponsorships – Channel, Relevance of the programme concept, Marketing & Communication Plan, Show entitlements, Talent associated with the show etc etc.

     

    03 Do you see digitization impacting a niche channel like Fox Traveller?

    Digitization will have a huge impact on many aspects of the TV channel business.

    o Until now, subscription was a B2B-led vertical, we will now need to re-calibrate our thinking to it being a B2C vertical.

    o Channel communication was strongly dependent on show-led marketing. This will need to change to a marketing strategy where we ask people to subscribe to the channel

    o Co-marketing with MSO / DTH platforms will gain even more importance

     

    04 Given that there exist opportunities for channels like ‘Fox Traveller’ to get picked ‘a la carte’ post-digitization, are you looking at adding on more content that will attract people to subscribe to the channel?

    We are always on a quest to bring innovative, differentiated content that will help us engage better with our audiences. That’s an on-going process. There will not be any change or further bolstering on that front.

    05. Any new shows and activities that we can hope to see on the channel in the immediate future?

    There’s David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway coming up this week and next month, we start What’s with Indian Women?, which is a sequel to our popular show ‘What’s with Indian Men?’ that was aired last May.

    Interviewed by Meghna Sharma

     

  • Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) has announced its foray into Australia with the launch of the Big Magic International television channel

    Big Magic goes to Australia

    By A Correspondent

     

    Continuing its aggressive expansion and growth strategy in the international market, India’s Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) has announced its foray into Australia with the launch of Big Magic International television channel. This marks the company’s foray into the critical APAC market with a growing South Asian Diaspora, following close on heels to its successful launches in the markets of Canada and the United States.

     

    Designed to offer audiences a phenomenal blend of variety entertainment, infotainment, and business news from the libraries of the Reliance Broadcast Network and Bloomberg TV India, Big Magic International AUSTRALIA promises to uphold the legacy of the Channel both in India and overseas. The channel’s offerings are customised to suit the entertainment demands of the sizeable South Asian Diaspora in Australia. Konnec TV, Australia’s fastest growing DTH Company that specialises in distributing multicultural television channels is partnering RBNL to distribute the channel across the length and breadth of the vast country.

     

    Tarun Katial

    The channel will be added to the basic pack, which is currently priced at AUD 39.55 at a fixed fee. The programming on Big Magic International will ensure varied appeal with an eclectic mix of daily sitcoms, socio-mytho programs, crime shows, dramas, and religious shows handpicked from BIG MAGIC India. The Channel will also showcase popular televised award shows created by the RBNL’s intellectual property vertical. These would include offerings such as India’s Sexiest Bachelor, India’s Glam Diva, I Love Style, BIG Hindustan Rising Star Awards, BIG Hindustani Music Awards, BIG Bangla Music Awards and more.  Delivering to its promise of offering varied entertainment the Channel will feature stand-up comedies, cultural quiz shows and more that will appeal across age groups.

     

    The South Asian population in Australia is approximately 4 lakh and makes for 2 per cent of the population of the country, making it the second largest non European group in Australia. Ensuring reach to maximum households, Big Magic International has mapped the entire market to ensure optimal reach amongst relevant audiences.

     

    Speaking on the announcement, Tarun Katial, CEO, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd. said, “After establishing our presence in Canada and the United States, we are happy to take Big Magic International to Australia as the country’s only variety entertainment channel that offers fresh and relevant programming. We’ve been able to understand the market well and have made the move in line with our international expansion and growth strategy. We are certain that the channel will grow into a popular entertainment offering and resonate well with audiences and marketers there.”

     

  • Nickelodeon has joined hands with Mexus Education to launch edutainment toys under 'Nick Explore', and the channel will also launch toys under 'Nick Sports' & 'Nick Action' soon

    Nickelodeon launches edutainment toys

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nickelodeon India has a diverse portfolio in the kid’s consumer market with its popular toons and is now set to introduce its own sub brands in the Indian market – Nick Explore, Nick Sports and Nick Action. The first edition from this kitty is ‘Nick Explore’ in association with Mexus Education, one of the leading providers of hands-on educational toys for kids.

     

    The Nick Explore range of hands-on-learning toys and instructive games exposes kids to the fundamentals of science & technology thus increasing their imagination and analytical skills. These edutainment toys are targeted at 8 years and above, with 24 different models and priced from Rs. 199 to 2499. Nick Explore includes toys like rocking chairs, quad bikes, 360 degree cannons, walking robots, retro planes, earthquake meters and many more. The components in all the toys are interchangeable, re-usable and comes with infinite possibilities of making new models and machines. The range will be available at Hamleys, Landmark, Reliance Time Out, Shoppers Stop, Beanstalk and several toy stores across the country.

     

    ‘Nick Explore’ promises to be fun while it encourages active play & high engagement value amongst children. The toys give kids an opportunity to develop a constructive mindset, increase creativity, logical thinking and are DIY (Do-It-Yourself) too; so children get an opportunity to engineer the toy themselves, right from scratch!

     

    Speaking on the launch of Nickelodeon’s sub brands, Sandeep Dahiya, Sr. Vice President – Consumer Products & Communications, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd said, “This collaboration marks our entry into a new domain – both from a brand as well as a category perspective. The ‘Nick Explore’ range of kits, developed by Mexus Education, will help unlock the creative potential in older kids, while exposing them to basics of science in a manner that’s fun and interactive.”

     

    Rohit Jain, Managing Director – Mexus Education added, “We are delighted to launch our latest innovative designer toys as Nick Explore. This is in continuation with our efforts of making learning enjoyable for kids. Nick Explore series will give a new dimension to the way kids perceive toys and studies by delivering the rare mix of analytical skills and creativity. Now kids can make new designs everyday and experiment with their ideas to make real machines and life size models with world class quality components in Nick Explore products.”

     

    Nickelodeon’s association with Mexus Education will include a 360-degree marketing promotion that will include on-air promotion, on-ground activities, digital and radio that will help in consumer engagement. The new product range will be promoted through various social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter as well as on the Nick India website. There will also be contests and retail promotions planned around the range.

     

  • Nickelodeon's first theatrical release, Keymon & Nani In Space Adventure, will be in cinemas across four cities on November 9

    Nickelodeon’s Keymon Ache to hit big screen

    By A Correspondent

     

    Keymon Ache, Nickelodeon India’s local, non-mythological production that was launched in India last year, is soon slated to make its theatrical debut. After capturing the hearts & minds of kids on television, he will now make his debut on the silver screen with his movie – Keymon Ache & Nani in Space Adventure – A Viacom18 Motion Pictures Release. Set to release on November 9th this year, the movie will trace the adventures of Keymon along with his buddy Rohan. Produced in association with DQ Entertainment International, the movie will see a four-city theatrical release across Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and Bangalore in leading multiplexes.

     

    National Award winner Usha Uthup has lent her voice to the catchy songs in the film and the background music for the show has been composed by popular music director Sandesh Shandiliya.

     

    Speaking about Keymon’s Bollywood debut, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, EVP and Business Head, Sonic and Nickelodeon India said, “Taking Keymon Ache’s popularity a step further, Nickelodeon is taking his entertainment quotient to the silver screen. We hope to connect with our audience and reach out to them wherever they are through multiple touch points, thus tangibilizing and creating awareness for Keymon Ache. Nickelodeon will ensure kids and parents enjoy their Diwali holidays at the movies.”
    Keymon & Nani in Space Adventure will see Keymon with his buddy Rohan jetting off to Goa to meet his Nani, a fierce lady who knows karate and many languages. The character design of ‘Nani’ is inspired from Usha Uthup herself! A relaxing trip turns into an adventurous one as Keymon, Rohan and Nani encounter some unexpected enemies. What follows is a series of extraordinary events with Keymon & Rohan having to rescue Nani and have an alien adventure of a lifetime!

     

    Taking the brand a step further, Keymon Ache will be supported with an extensive merchandise launch, starting November 2012. The channel will launch the 1st ever Keymon Ache consumer products range for kids 4years+, that will include apparel, footwear, puzzles and DVDs. Keymon footwear is being launched in association with Wiesner Worldwide Kreations, ranged between Rs 199 and Rs 1099. To create further excitement for Keymon fans, Reliance Footprints and Maya Gitanjali will run a retail-based contest called ‘Star with the Super Star’. Winners of the contest get an opportunity to catch the premiere of the movie with Keymon Ache!

     

    Adds Sandeep Dahiya, Sr. Vice President – Consumer Products & Communications, Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd., “Keymon Ache has been a frontrunner ever since it was launched on Nickelodeon and it’s only natural that we extend his presence beyond television. The launch of ‘Keymon Ache’ merchandise will further strengthen our existing product lines around ‘Dora the Explorer’, ‘SpongeBob SqaurePants’ & ‘Ninja Hattori’, which has an existing presence in over 50 categories in India.”

     

    On ground, the channel has partnered with ‘Gelato’, where a Keymon Special Black Currant flavour will be available across all Gelato outlets in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune. Kids can also participate in a simple contest being held at these outlets and stand a chance to win Nickelodeon merchandise, which will be handed to them by Keymon himself! On the digital space, a customized Keymon microsite will keep Gen Y glued through games and movie videos. After the fantastic response received for the game ‘Keymon goes fishing’ last year, the channel is introducing 2 new Keymon games on the microsite www.keymon.in. A contest on Nickelodeon’s Facebook fanpage (www.facebook.com/nickindia) will give kids a chance to win movie tickets with their nani’s along with goodie bags!

     

    After a successful 1st season of Keymon Ache, Nickelodeon launched season 2 on October 29th this year. The show had premiered in May 2011 and is India’s first local, non-mythological contemporary show. The show enjoys huge fan following not only in India but also across the globe. From what was just a funny dude on TV, Keymon went on to ruling kids’ hearts, achieving a 1.11 TVR in its first week of launch. Within a year, Keymon Ache had made its presence felt in the print, online and outdoor media, making it the biggest multiplatform summer launch in the category in 2011.

     

    Keymon’s debut on the 70mm screen has the ingredients of a masala blockbuster for the whole family – magic, comedy and action!

     

  • Mandatory digitization will hopefully herald an era when choice, not compulsion will decide what is watched, writes Paritosh Joshi

    Paritosh Joshi: Who is Nilam?

    By Paritosh Joshi

    May be the name doesn’t ring a bell when you read this but before the day is over, it is reasonably certain you will know Nilam. For instance, you will know Nilam isn’t a ‘Who’ but a ‘What’. Nilam is the cyclonic storm brewing off the coast of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh that is expected to cross the coast later today.

     

    This morning, I did a quick scan of the major Hindi and English channels to see what they were covering as lead stories on their 6 o’clock bulletins. Barring DD News, either they were on a non-network slot (think Slim Swift, Baba AvtarParmatma, Arthro Go or something similar) or, more ironically, Hurricane Sandy. While it is hard to debate the significance of Sandy given that it has impacted the crucial Eastern Seaboard of the world’s sole superpower and an area of interest to many Indians given that they have friends and relatives residing there, it seems like terrible editing if the terror lurking in our own neighbourhood is ignored in so cavalier a fashion.

     

    Here is why Sandy is, in a ghoulish way, a better story to run than Nilam. Dramatic footage of capsized yachts lying on highways, Manhattan’s Times Square under knee deep water, uprooted trees against the backdrop of the White House and the Capitol: racy stuff compared to the Indian Meteorology Department’s satellite imagery of a grey blotch on a grey background that is Cyclonic Storm Nilam.

     

    Our television news genre has an unfortunate reputation for tabloid and sleaze. Perhaps, news is the only genre where the (older) audience actually remembers the days of Luku Sanyal, Dolly Thakore and Preet K. S. Bedi with a wistful air. When news was delivered in measured tones, not harangue and cacophony. We also remember, with much warmth, the arrival of TWTW*, a path-breaking discontinuity that brought colourful, exciting images from around the world to our generally drab screens. A kinder, gentler era.

     

    After the genre started getting private participation with the advent of satellite TV, a few things changed for the better. For one, the Government, and by implication, the party or coalition in power was no longer seen exclusively through a hagiographic lens and was routinely subject to searching questions and even scathing criticism. For another, stories were better edited with anchoring and on-site reportage alternating on the screen to keep the audience interested. Finally, the typical story duration was shorter and pithier, avoiding prolix rambling that often characterized the Sarkari predecessor’s presentation. Channels were few but were fronted by editors and anchors of distinction and authority.

     

    Unfortunately, the idyllic period was also ephemeral. It wasn’t long before an assortment of unsavoury arrivistes with bags of money and dubious agendas saw the endless opportunities that the genre presented. All it needed was a licence from the Ministry and a transponder on a satellite and you could be well on your way. Threat, extortion, blackmail- it was suddenly possible to turn all manner of villainy into a broadcast business.

     

    The swelling ranks of participants in the news genre revealed a fault line – on one side were the serious players with long-term interests in delivering honest and fair journalism to the consumer, on the other, the cads and bounders with nary a scruple. A slide began that continues, and even accelerates unto this day.

     

    The analog cable plant had serious capacity constraints. A typical headend would offer a 550 MHz capacity with room for barely 50 channels. It was only a matter of time before platform operators discovered the lucrative, carriage fee opportunity. Most news channels were free-to-air and only earned advertising revenue. This could only be secured if the ratings and distribution reports picked them up. Clearly, ratings could only come if basic availability had first been ensured. In droves, then, news channels became willing victims of the menace.

     

    If carriage fee was not a nightmare enough, TRAI’s ever growing laundry list of regulations seemed designed exclusively to injunct broadcasters in ever more onerous ways even as platform operators were at almost complete liberty to run amok. The television news business model was under mortal attack.

     

    What could it do but pull out all stops as it battled back from the corner? The rapid rise of tabloid sensationalism and unglorified sleaze should, in this context, be read as more something to be pitied than censured.

     

    Why is it that we seem to be in a news cul–de–sac while more developed countries produce a wide range of high quality news outlets?

     

    I have, even before this, suggested examining the Ofcom’s ‘Fit and Proper’ test as a model for examining whether a particular entity should be permitted to receive, or continue to bear, a broadcast licence in the news genre. I am not suggesting the establishment of a government regulator for broadcast. A ‘Fit and Proper’ test for India can and should correctly be developed and administered by the News Broadcasters’ Association (NBA) in cooperation with the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA). The government’s licensing bodies should work with NBA and NBSA in ensuring that every new aspirant is subjected to the test and even legacy broadcasters are subject to a re-evaluation at specified intervals.

     

    In the meanwhile, midnight tonight will herald a very special dawn for India’s television industry- the arrival of mandatory digitisation in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. It is possible that the government may yet develop cold feet at the penultimate moment but that will only postpone, not cancel, the inevitable. This watershed is very good news indeed for the news genre. Once the cable plant goes from deficient to surplus capacity and passive viewers transform into active, demanding consumers, the single biggest cost challenge to the genre will begin to abate. Hopefully, we will enter an era when choice and not compulsion will decide what is watched and the ball will be squarely back in the news producers’ and editors’ courts.

     

    Paritosh Joshi has been a marketer, a mediaperson and a key officebearer on industry bodies. He is developing an independent media advisory practice. He can reached via his Twitter handle @paritoshZero

     

  • Sony Six is the exclusive NBA broadcast partner in India and plans to engage more fans through live games, original programming and events

    NBA, MSM ink deal for Sony Six

    By A Correspondent

     

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Multi Screen Media (MSM) today announced a new multiyear television partnership that makes Sony Six the NBA’s exclusive broadcast partner in India.

     

    The comprehensive partnership will include live NBA games, original programming, and a joint commitment to host grassroots basketball events on the ground. The two companies will create customized local programming and will focus on engaging Indian youth by bringing together talent from the NBA, Sony Entertainment and Bollywood.

     

    Man Jit singh

    “We are thrilled to associate with the NBA as its exclusive broadcast partner in India,” said Man Jit Singh, CEO, Multi Screen Media. “The NBA is the largest professional basketball league in the world and we at SONY SIX plan to tap into the youth segment that already has a passion and love for the game and grow new fans. Our channels’ focus on India’s youth fits very well with the audience that wants to watch basketball.”

     

    “Sony Six has a great track record of engaging Indian youth through sports and entertainment which makes them an ideal partner to bring high-quality NBA broadcasts to our fans,” said Matt Brabants, Senior Vice President, International Media Distribution. “Through live games, increased local programming and comprehensive league recaps we will deliver more ways for fans in India to experience the NBA than ever before.”

     

    Sony Six will air live NBA games each week on Thursday, Friday and Sunday with replays in prime-time. The Sunday game will be the “Game of the Week” featuring the NBA game airing at noon or 1:00 pm ET in the U.S. In total, fans in India will have access to 72 NBA regular season games, up to 18 NBA Playoff games, the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, the NBA Finals and NBA All-Star events including the All-Star Game, All-Star Saturday Night, and the Rising Stars competition.

     

    The NBA and MSM first announced a partnership during the 2010-11 NBA season. This announcement represents a substantial expansion of the NBA’s previous partnership with MSM.

     

  • Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif star in an ad for two new sensuous variants of Lux soap – Peach and Cream & Strawberry and Cream – in their first ever endorsement together

    SRK, Katrina team up for Lux ad

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif star together for the first time come together in an ad campaign for best-selling beauty soap bar, Lux. They will endorse two new sensuous variants, Lux Peach and Cream & Lux Strawberry and Cream.

     

    In 2005, Shah Rukh Khan came onto the brand to feature in a memorable TVC with Hema Malini, Sridevi, Juhi Chawla and Kareena Kapoor. This time, the product he endorses has a fragrance created by world renowned perfumer Didier Gaffet. Inspired by the perfume Kenzo Flower and keeping in mind the sensory preferences of Indian women; this Master Perfumer has created a fragrance that’ll make Indian woman feel elegant and polished. In Shah Rukh Khan’s own words, “The fragrance of Lux reminds me of being happy and being in love.”

     

    Shah Rukh Khan and Katrnina Kaif’s sizzling chemistry can be seen radiating through the campaign, which has been shot and directed by French director Juan Delcan. The Sufi-inspired music score is by Gulzar and sung by Sonu Niigaam. Katrina has been styled by leading Bollywood fashion designer Rocky S.

     

    At the shoot, Shah Rukh Khan also said, “I’m happy to be associated with Lux yet again! The fragrance of Lux will captivate you just as it has made me ‘Bekaboo’. The fragrance of Lux that stands for love and sensuality brings out the lover in me.”

     

    Katrina Kaif added, “Lux for me is a very special and iconic brand; it symbolizes beauty. When I think of Lux, I think of fun and spontaneity. Lux embodies a type of a woman rather than just soap and of course the fragrance that embodies sensuality. Lux’s amazing fragrance makes the whole experience of bathing fun!”