MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • So prevalent is paid content, that it's almost taken for granted. But does that mean it's good, or ethical? MxMIndia asks industrywallahs what they think

    MxM Monday: Paid news – yes or no?

     

    By Ananya Saha

     

    Mediaah! Are disclaimers enough to pass off paid content?

    Readers expect the content in the newspaper to be published based on the decision of the editor, and not an advertiser paying for it, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari. Read more…

     

    Paid content such as Medianet has gained much ground. Despite flak from different quarters, it appears that buyers are still willing to pay for space that resembled news and features. And readers may never know the difference. More media houses have begun indulging in paid content, but surely that does not make it right?

     

    We ask industry folks to weigh in with their views.

     

    Arun Anant, CEO, The Hindu Group of Publications

    People may not know that some newspapers carry paid-for articles, and some people do not care either. That does not make it right. If an article is paid for by an advertiser, it should be made clear that there is an interested party that has paid for it.

     

     

    Ranjona Banerji in ‘Freaking News’
     

    :: Medianet mars an otherwise trendsetting paper

    :: Not too late for TOI to correct practices

     

    Santosh Desai, MD, Future Brands

    Globally, it has become a phenomenon where sponsors pay for news. There needs to exist a clear difference between journalism and an act of promotion. If not kept separate, the line of demarcation will blur between the two. However, what is more dangerous is that when news is influenced by a transaction. Many do not care about Page 3, so if you have paid for it, it does not matter. The issue arises about hard news, when you do not know who has paid for it. MediaNet in itself not a wrong thing as long as you are announcing it who is paying for it. For instance, if you are reporting about a policy being announced and you do know which political party or a corporate house has paid for it. What is a much bigger issue is the corporate ownership of the media houses. There has to be a divide between news and advertisement: and how do you tell it? How do you divide ownership and journalism: and do you – that is more serious threat than MediaNet, in my opinion. The bigger point is about trusting the ‘news’.

     

    Bharat Kapadia, Chairman, Whatuwant Solutions, and Founder at ideas@bharatkapadia.com

    Using Medianet is completely unethical – whether readers do not seem to notice it or whether they do not care. There are two parts to it: the publisher and the readers. The publisher has been doing it for a much longer time than visible, especially at the time of elections. The readers, unless told, would not know which news is being paid and which is not. When, it all began, Bombay Times used to mention with a small symbol that it is paid news. Now even that is gone. People buy or consume news media trusting for a fair perspective. Now, if this perspective can be influenced, it is definitely not fair.

     

    Anamika Mehta, COO, Lodestar UM

    My personal point of view is, for a newspaper or any other medium, there are different and more questions about paid content. It happens globally in various forms but of course, it is not a good practice. A lot of brands and advertisers have jumped on this wagon, yes, but as a responsible media one should know where to draw the line. If one considers Page 3, where you can pay to get featured, it is all for entertainment. So one does not seem to mind. The moment it starts entering news or motivate political, business or economic sentiment, then it is a problem.

     

    One can see that business pages also carry small snippets or news that might sway the reader into investing in a particular stock, or to create impact. Some of the brands do MediaNet for promotion. However, a line needs to be drawn. The reader should not be misled, and motivated information should be kept under check.

     

     

  • The Times of India intends to celebrate its 175 years with a year-long programme of activities (and launches)

    TOI celebrates ‘dodransbicentennial’; to launch TV channels & radio stations

    By A Correspondent

     

    This year, The Times of India celebrates 175 years of existence (dodransbicentennial is the word). To celebrate and mark the occasion, the year for Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd began with film awards event TOIFA. And the celebrations will continue through the year.

     

    To kickstart the journey, Vineet Jain, MD addressed all the employees of BCCL and TTN through the Live Video Streaming on Monday, April 22, 2013, simultaneously in 13 offices around the country. Ravi Dhariwal, CEO-Publishing, BCCL and Shrijeet Mishra, COO, BCCL joined Mr Jain on the scope of the year-long programme.

     

    While addressing the employees, Mr Jain said that the group will be launching more television channels and radio stations soon. The television channels would be in the genre of general entertainment and regional channels. Mr Jain also shared the history of the group with the employees.

     

    In a signed full-page editorial, editor Jaideep Bose writes: “Like India, The Times of India too is a mass of niches, and like India, we’ve become adept at managing and marrying contradictions. This big-tent philosophy opens us up to all kinds of criticism. We have been accused of being “hard” and “soft” on the same government; of being “too negative” and “too positive ” in our coverage; of being obsessed with cricket, crime and cinema — and yet being preoccupied with politics. (We have also been accused of being “too commercial”, but how many of our readers know that several companies and governments have stopped advertising with us because we wrote something they didn’t want us to, or we didn’t write something they wanted us to. Our refusal to bend to their will has cost us hundreds of crores.)”

     

    Meanwhile, a TVC starring actor Ranbir Kapoor drives home the message of the celebrations. The emphasis is clearly on attracting the youth. In fact the footnote of a front-page ad created by Taproot states that: “As we complete 175 years, we don’t just look back at what we have achieved but also look ahead at what we hope to do. We aim to begin an intensive year-long programme of initiatives to mobilise the youth and make changes at the grassroot level. And we prepare to not just write, but shape the story of a better, more powerful India.”

     

  • Based out of Mumbai, Mr Mulchandani will lead and drive finance-related strategy and operations for Times Television Network.

    Jagdish Mulchandani appointed CFO at Times Television Network

    By A Correspondent

     

    Times Television Network (TTN) has announced the appointment of Jagdish Mulchandani as Chief Financial Officer, with effect from April 2, 2013. Based out of Mumbai, Mr Mulchandani will lead and drive finance-related strategy and operations for Times Television Network. In addition, he will also oversee the functions of Distribution, Traffic and Administration of the all the Times Television Network channels – ET Now, Movies Now, Times Now and Zoom.

     

    Mr Mulchandani has over 20 years of robust experience across various sectors, including distribution, finance, accounts and business transformation among others. Prior to joining TTN, he was associated with MediaPro (a Star – Zee joint venture) as Chief Financial Officer. He has also worked with Star Den, Star India and Star Middle East. In his new role, he will leverage his distribution experience with Times Television Network having now adopted its own penetration and distribution team and its domestic subscription business now with MSM Discovery Pvt. Ltd.

     

    Speaking on the announcement, Sunil Lulla, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Times Television Network said, “Jagdish comes on board at the opportune time to help steer and grow Times Television Network’s value proposition. Armed with a vast experience across various industries including the Media & Entertainment domain in India and overseas, Jagdish is a key member of Times Television Network’s leadership team. Apart from Finance, his experience with Distribution will be an asset for our business in this new era of TV Broadcasting. I am sure he will add great value to the profitable growth of our channels and our business.”

     

    Commenting on his new role, Mr Mulchandani said, “I am very happy to be part of India’s finest media group, with such high repute. Times Television Network has strong brands, leaders in their respective categories, and the business is on a strong growth path.  In this new phase of growth for the network, I look forward to working with some highly motivated individuals and adding value to the business. Apart from my Finance and Strategy skills, I look forward to adding muscle to Times Television Network’s Distribution function.”

     

    Mr Mulchandani will be reporting into Avinash Kaul, Chief Executive Officer, ET Now, Times Now and Zoom.

     

     

  • Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd. (RBNL) has announced the consolidation and strengthening of functions within its radio business, 92.7 Big FM, through strategic elevations across key positions

    Big FM announces leadership changes

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd. (RBNL) has announced the consolidation and strengthening of functions within its radio business, 92.7 Big FM, through strategic elevations across key positions.

     

    Ashwin Padmanabhan

    Ashwin Padmanabhan takes over as Business Head from being Business Head for West and South; while Nitin Jain takes over as National Sales Head, at Big FM. Mr Jain will now oversee the national sales function as he leads the team from the front. Shalini Dureja has been appointed as Vice-President, Head Impact Sales West & South. In her new role, she will service key clients, sell key innovations and intellectual properties, while maximising revenues. Kiran Thangarajan gets promoted to Cluster Head, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

     

    Charanjeet Arora moves to the position of Regional Business Head – North 2, which includes the regions of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan. Sanjeev Sharma joined 92.7 BIG FM in 2010 as the Regional Head (Govt. Business) based in Chandigarh growing quickly through the hierarchy to his current role as National Head – Government Business, where he will be responsible for revenue generation for both the radio and television businesses.

     

    Tarun Katial

    Tarun Katial, CEO, Reliance Broadcast Network said, “We have always been immensely proud of the quality of our workforce. It is they who help create ever-growing value for our customers while driving profitable growth for the company. As the radio business continues to dominate key markets across India, we feel the need to streamline business divisions to derive maximum value within us. We are confident that these moves will help us transform into a more holistic radio business and see us achieving better growth in the near future.”

     

  • At the recent conference, Battle of the Story, organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce, media veterans talked about freedom vs responsibility of media, new technology and the way forward

    Battle of the Story: Casting critical eye on Media

    By Ananya Saha

     

    The media is playing more important role in our society today. As social and traditional media continue to permeate our lives, industry veterans recently got together at a conference organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce to discuss the role of media, convergence, new media, and new technology. As Rajiv Mundhra, President, ICC, pointed out, “New media has become a tool for social change.”

     

    The panel comprising of Jawhar Sircar, CEO, Prasar Bharati; Subhash Chandra, Chairman, ZEE and Essel Group; Sunil Lulla, MD and CEO, Times Television Network; Anuradha Prasad, Chairperson, BAG Films and Media Ltd; Anshuman Tewari, Chief of National Bureau, Dainik Jagran talked about how media only portrays reality as shaped by people. While agreeing that in the “heat-of-the-moment”, the news channels do forget their responsibility towards the nation and compromise national security such as the 26/11, according to Mr Chandra, the Indian media has acted responsibly. He further said, “There are people who are history-sheeters and are running news channels. This is a cause of concern.

     

    Sunil Lulla

    Concurring, Mr Lulla said, “With the mushrooming of news channels, it was the broadcasters themselves who got together to say that we need to set standards. Since that idea got criticized by journalists, we asked the journalists to form the guidelines under the committee headed by Late Justice Verma. NBSA was thus formed. And with the passing years, the guidebook is only getting thicker.” He further said, “We are all for responsible content. For instance, no other business carries 72 messages in a day giving information of redressal authorities.” The panel coherently agreed that they were united in the cause of bringing responsible content to its audience.

     

    Mr Sircar said, “It is important that the media takes note of what it is doing. If the fourth estate caves in, we will see an eruption of public angst, which will defy the constitution.”

     

    Uday Kumar Varma

    Uday Kumar Varma, Secretary, MIB, talked about how technology is enabling advances in the broadcast sector. He spoke about the three challenges that the sector is facing, “Digitization is the best thing to happen to the broadcasting sector in the last 20 years. And the first challenge is that all digitization is aimed at, is achieved.” He said that till digitization sees complete transparency, issue of carriage fees is not solved, and till revenue sharing is equitable, the process of digitization cannot be called complete. The second challenge, according to him is the question of monopolies. He said, “There have been certain developments that have disturbed the equilibrium. Problems that arise because of lack of policy have to be addressed. Cross-media regulation, which can be horizontal or vertical, has to be addressed as well.”

     

    The third and the last challenge he shared was about the TV rating system. He said, “the current rating system is far from satisfactory. The bottomline features of a television rating system should be put in place.”

     

  • The campaign developed by Lowe Lintas is based on the proposition that the SX4 Super Turbo Diesel is the car for men who are passionate about driving

    ‘Men are back’ at Maruti Suzuki

    By A Correspondent

     

    Maruti Suzuki SX4 known for its positioning as a car for the ‘man’. This time, the task of communication was to further strengthen this positioning and launch the new version of the SX4 which is equipped with the Super Turbo Diesel engine and a host of new features. The objective was also to reinforce the performance credentials of the SX4.

     

    The new campaign developed by Lowe Lintas is based on the proposition that SX4 is the car for men who are passionate about driving. It is based on the insight that almost every boy grows up playing with cars. They always dream of driving their cars really fast and aggressively. The TVC establishes that SX4 is a car that lets you live your passion for driving. The TVC depicts a young boy’s passion for speed and thrill of driving a car, which is eventually fulfilled when he gets to drive the all new SX4.

     

    Sanjeev Handa, General Manager, Marketing, MSIL, said, “The new SX4 has attractive new exterior looks, plush interiors, and exciting features like the touch screen audio cum navigation system & power folding ORVM’s. It comes with power packed performance and a Super Turbo Diesel engine. The latest TVC demonstrates our absolute commitment towards our positioning, which has let us stand distinctly apart in the segment. The production quality adds sheen to our statement and puts the TVC in a league of its own.”

     

    Shot at an airstrip in Bangalore, the car shots were captured with hi-tech camera equipment and an international crew.

     

    Credits

    Creative: Amer Jaleel, Shriram Iyer, Shayondeep Pal, Mohit Arora, Mustafa Rangwala, Manzoor Alam, Ira Gupta, Nisheeth Srivastava, Ipshita Bose

    Planning: Anurag Prasad, Ketaki Chand

    Business: Naveen Gaur, Syed Amjad Ali, Sonia Upadhyaya, Aayushi Agarwal

    Producer: Story-Tellers

    Director: Arun Gopalan

     

  • The audio visual commercial, titled 'Fino ki Kahani Kanhaiya ki Zubaani', has been created by Climb Media

    Fino PayTech takes animation route for its maiden brand campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Fino PayTech Limited, the company that enables financial inclusion, has launched its first ever television commercial. The commercial, which is running on-air currently, talks of how the company has brought the benefits of access to banking services to the doorsteps of the poor. This has been done through an animation film, which uses characters like Fino Man, Kanhaiya and Bandhu.

     

    “As the pioneers in the space of financial inclusion, it is has been an eventful journey so far for Fino PayTech. As we push for greater inclusive growth, we believe it is important for all the stakeholders to know what is happening and what is possible in this space. The story we are trying to communicate is not merely about a product or a company. It actually tells you about the ills of informal credit channels prevalent across the country to the advantages of access to formal banking services that can change the financial landscape in rural and unbanked India. The Fino bandhu is not merely an agent of the company but a catalyst for social change,” said Shweta Aprameya, Vice-President, Fino PayTech Limited.

     

    The audio-visual commercial, titled Fino ki Kahani Kanhaiya ki Zubaani, has been created by Climb Media.

     

    Kireet Khurana, Creative producer of Climb Media said, “The fascinating success story of Fino PayTech and its impact on the entire country is something that was entreating to be told. We are happy and privileged to have been given this opportunity to weave an emotionally connecting story with FINO’s empowering cause and achievements in the financial inclusion domain, bringing it to the fore. Animation has been created in a way to convey the message in a simple yet effective manner.”

     

    The commercial is on air till May 5, 2013 and will be telecast across channels such as CNBC-TV 18, NDTV 24×7, Aaj Tak, Dilli Aaj Tak and Tez.

     

  • Sports content provider Ten Sports has announced that it has acquired broadcast rights for Tour De France till 2016 for the Indian subcontinent

    Ten Sports extends ‘Tour De France’ for another 4 years

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sports content provider Ten Sports has announced that it has acquired broadcast rights for Tour De France till 2016 for the Indian subcontinent. Ten Sports will be the exclusive rights holder in the Indian subcontinent with the exception of rights being shared with the pan-regional broadcaster Eurosport in Sri Lanka.

     

    Commenting on the acquisition, Atul Pande, CEO, Ten Sports said, “We are proud to be associated with an event as esteemed as Tour De France, especially at a time when it is having its 100th edition in 2013. This long-term relationship with Tour De France will bring in much delight to our viewers who crave high-adrenaline bicycle racing.”

     

    The 2013 Tour de France, the 100th edition of the race, is scheduled to start on June 29 in Corsica, in the city of Porto-Vecchio. The island will host the first three stages. Corsica is the only Metropolitan department which the Tour has never passed through and the organizers wanted to combine the 100th edition of the Tour with the Tour’s first ever visit to Corsica.

     

     

  • The day-long event on April 30 will include a host of investment experts who will answer queries from investors all over India

    Moneycontrol.com holds Master Your Money, an online investor event

    By A Correspondent

     

    Moneycontrol.com has launched an online investor camp starting April 30. The day-long event will include a host of investment experts who will answer queries from investors all over India.

     

    Master Your Money brings an opportunity to investors in India to go online and connect with leading experts, and get answers to their investment queries online. It provides a resource to millions of investors currently confronted by falling stock markets, high rates of inflation, skyrocketing real estate prices and the exploding value of gold.

     

    Master Your Money is open to all kinds of investors, from buyers of fixed deposits, government bonds and insurance, HNI stock and mutual fund investors, individual traders and corporate finance professionals. The online event covers stocks, bonds, insurance, gold and real estate.

     

    “As a national portal dedicated to serving investors in India, we conceptualized Master Your Money to provide financial knowledge to the entire community of Indian investors,” said Joyson Thomas, CEO, moneycontrol.com.

     

    More details are available at http://www.moneycontrol.com/master_your_money/.

     

  • Vivek Modi will be heading the North cluster of Radio Mirchi, and Sarvmeet Oberoi has been appointed as the new Head of IPR (Sponsorship)

    Radio Mirchi too announces new appointments

    By A Correspondent

     

    Entertainment Network (India) Limited (ENIL) has announced key appointments to its senior management team.

     

    Vivek Modi will now be heading the North cluster of Radio Mirchi. He replaces Sachin Tagra as the Cluster Head for the Northern region. Mr Modi joined Radio Mirchi as a Cluster Head – East in 2011 and has played an important role in driving the growth of the brand in the region. Prior to Radio Mirchi, he headed the Marketing Communications team Vodafone Kolkata. In his new role, Mr Modi will now be responsible for driving Mirchi’s growth in its target region.

     

    In another development, Radio Mirchi has appointed Sarvmeet Oberoi as the new Head of IPR (Sponsorship). Mr Oberoi has been associated with Radio Mirchi for over 7 years in a variety of roles across sales and strategy functions. He broke new grounds in the digital space with the launch of Mirchi Mobile – a service enabling listeners in a particular location to listen to Radio Mirchi broadcast of another location of their choice, using the mobile platform. Going forward, Mr Oberoi will be responsible for the growth of Intellectual Properties.

     

    Announcing the new appointments, Sujata Bhatt, EVP, HR & Marketing, said, “Vivek and Sarvee are seasoned professionals and will add lot of value in their new roles. We wish both of them the very best.”

     

  • Our editorial offices are closed tomorrow, May 1 on account of Labour Day/Maharashtra Day/Gujarat Day

    Holiday tomorrow (it’s Labour/Maharashtra/Gujarat Day)

    Our editorial offices are closed tomorrow, May 1 on account of Labour Day/Maharashtra Day/Gujarat Day.

     

    As always, on both days, we will receive your news alerts and requests for ads and business. Email these to: editor@mxmindia.com  (editorial) and alokk@mxmindia.com (business).

     

    Greetings!

    See you on Thursday, May 2.

     

  • White Print, English lifestyle magazine in Braille, aims to be the monthly dose of leisure reading for the visually impaired community of the county

    Lifestyle content in Braille via ‘White Print’

    By Ananya Saha

     

    Upasana Makati

    India is home to 12 million visually impaired people of which 56 lakh are literate. While we do have loads of literature to read, the literate visually impaired people have to depend on audio books, screen-reading software or radio for entertainment. This is the thought that motivated 24-year-old Upasana Makati to launch White Print, an English lifestyle magazine in Braille. The first issue will debut in May.

     

    A graduate in Mass Communication, Ms Makati wanted to do something on her own. The home-grown initiative was born to cater to the needs of the visually impaired community and be a source of information and entertainment at the same time. Printed at the National Association for the Blind (NAB) in Mumbai, the monthly magazine will consist of 64 pages and will feature stories about common man, review of audio books, gadgets, travel and hospitality and food related columns. It also comprises information pertaining to politics, art and culture from across the globe.

     

    “When one thinks of visually impaired people, we think that their lifestyle must be totally different. But in reality it is not so. When I thought of this magazine, I did a lot of research. It took me eight months to get the title, so I spoke to a lot of visually impaired people. It was very clear that they want such content, but did not have access to it. White Print is an effort to provide the visually impaired community a companion while they are on the go or sitting by the coffee table on a Sunday afternoon. A magazine that is a source of information and entertainment was long over due and we hope we are able to make a difference in even a small way,” Ms Makati stated.

     

    Currently, Ms Makati’s team of friends is contributing the articles but the magazine invites young authors to write short stories for it. The articles once received are converted in Braille format at NAB. Priced at Rs 30, the magazine will be circulated throughout the country but will be subscription-driven. NAB will also manage the distribution of the magazine. “The cost of the magazine is less than half of the production of the magazine. I am depending on advertisers, which I hope grow, for revenues. Though very low and subsidized, we also have to pay NAB for its services,” informed Ms Makati who is the founder and publisher of the magazine.

     

    The magazine cannot carry the conventional printed advertising. Hence, it does text-heavy advertisements. “We just carried a five-page descriptive advertorial of Raymond’s Spring-Summer collection,” she said, adding, “Grand Hyatt Goa has shared one recipe with us. Since I am a first in this space, a lot of advertisers are enthusiastic about this product. But yes, it is also a challenge getting them on board.” Ms Makati makes it clear that it is not a charity that she is doing, and expects the revenues to grow.

     

    White Print has tied up with Radio City for promotions, apart from making individual calls and sending mailers to their database of visually impaired people. The magazine’s first print run will be 500 copies.