MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • Doordarshan has over 18,000 vacancies, which has led to the disintegration of the programming section, say officials at Prasar Bharti

    With 18k vacancies, DD officials blame gaffes on ‘adhocism’

    By Vasudha Venugopal

     

    With a video of a Doordarshan anchor making several gaffes at the Goa film festival going viral on social media, barely two months after another anchor used a roman numeral to address the Chinese President Xi Jinping, the public broadcaster seems to be making news for all the wrong reasons.

     

    But even as media watchers point out that DD anchors have made at least four major mistakes on air in the past five months, officials blame the lapses on the growing dependence on “casual reporters” for reading news and anchoring programmes since vacancies have not been filled in the organisation for the past two decades.

     

    The casual reporters hired on contract are often not trained for more than two hours on basic camera management skills before live coverage of an event. Besides, the channel no longer has a skill test mechanism to train and test anchors and journalists before they go on air, mainly because it is opposed by a section of people who feel it is discriminatory.

     

    Officials say the supervisory programme cadre that has trained professionals looking at last-minute mistakes made by anchors has become almost defunct because vacancies have not been filled.

     

    “With just 10 of the 191 required supervisors working, checking has become difficult. Also, people are watching DD more, so more mistakes are being reported,” said Prasar Bharti CEO Jawahar Sircar.

     

    At the Goa film festival, the anchor referred to state governor Mridula Sinha as the governor of India. The anchor was recalled from covering the closing ceremony because “she couldn’t identify important personalities attending the fest”, said officials.

     

    In September, an anchor pronounced Chinese President Xi Jinping’s name as “Eleven Jinping”. After that, a reporter used names commonly associated with secessionists like Islamabad for Anantnag and Suleiman Hill for Shankaracharya Hill while reporting on the J&K deluge. DD also used a picture of former PM Manmohan Singh instead of Narendra Modi, adding to its string of embarrassments.

     

    DD has over 18,000 vacancies, which has led to the disintegration of the programming section, said officials at Prasar Bharti, adding the channel survives on “adhocism” – by taking people on contractual or casual basis – a far cry from the government’s ambition of elevating DD to the level of the best public broadcasters in the world.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2014, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • "We're working on the nomenclature. Taproot has a very unique culture and we didn't want to destroy that," said Rohit Ohri, Executive Chairman, Dentsu India

    Taproot to get Dentsu identity. Exec Chairman Rohit Ohri eyes PR, Activation & regional creative shops

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rohit Ohri

    In August 2012, Japanese advertising major Dentsu acquired Taproot, the boutique creative agency set up by Agnello Dias and Santosh Padhi. Ever since Aggie and Paddy (as the Taproot co-founders  are called in the industry) have integrated into the Dentsu India system.

     

    They head the Creative Council that the network has set up in India and now jointly do business like the Congress campaign or for NourishCo, the Tata-Pepsi jv.

     

    Now, the Mumbai-based creative agency which has produced some awardwinning advertising since it was set up in early 2009 is all set to sport the Dentsu identity.

    When asked whether it would mean that a Dentsu will be prefixed or suffixed to the name, Mr Rohit Ohri, Executive Chairman, Dentsu India said in an interview to ‘dna of brands’ and MxMIndia: We’re working on the nomenclature. Taproot has a very unique culture and we didn’t want to destroy that.”

    Meanwhile, Mr Ohri also said in the interview that “there are very clearly some holes still left to be filled”. These “holes” are reference to PR and Activation agency, he said. In addition, the appetite for digital shops continues even after the WebChutney acquisition.

     

    And that’s not more. Citing the success of JWT’s success with Hyderabad’s Mindset, Mr Ohri has his eyes and ears open for regional biggies.

     

    See ‘dna of brands’ at: http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=13&edcode=820009&eddate=2014-12-01

     

    Don’t miss the Rohit Ohri interview on MxMIndia tomorrow

     

  • Jha will be based at the Corporate Office of SITI Cable, Noida

    Bibhash Jha appointed Head – Content & Carriage at SITI Cable

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bibhash Jha has been appointed as Head-Content & Carriage of SITI Cable Network Ltd., an Essel Group Company. SITI Cable with its pan India presence in 100+ cities and 4.6 million digital subscriber base is the fastest growing Multi System Operator (MSO) in the country. Jha has been entrusted with the job of providing a fillip to the growth momentum of SITI Cable. SITI Cable is taking giant strides in this exciting phase of digitization and Jha will play an instrumental role in this leap from Analog to absolute Digitization.

     

    Jha has over 20 years of distribution work experience with 15 years at Star Sports India Ltd., where he played an instrumental role in the transition of ESPN channel to Star Sports India. In 2007, he played a key role in the launch of new sports channel Star Cricket. Under his ambit, a separate vertical of MSO business was created which was profitable in its very first year of operation. He was also responsible for the distribution of sports channel for STAR on pan India basis.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, VD Wadhwa, Executive Director & CEO said, “We are delighted to have Bibhash Jha on board. With his rich experience of broadcasting & distribution business, he brings to us a competitive edge in strategizing business and accomplishing organizational goals”.

     

    Jha will be based at the Corporate Office of SITI Cable, Noida.

     

  • Titled 'Bal Gopal Kare Dhamaal', the show will explore the equation between the common man and young Krishna in a modern-day setting.

    Raman Kumar to direct Big Magic show

    By A Correspondent

     

    Veteran television director Raman Kumar is set to direct a show for Big Magic, the Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) channel, which has positioned itself as a one-stop destination for humour. Titled ‘Bal Gopal Kare Dhamaal’, the show will explore the equation between the common man and young Krishna in a modern-day setting. It will air from December 22 at 8.30pm, Monday through Friday.

     

    Well-known TV actor Satyajit Sharma plays the lead. Talking about his role, Satyajit said that this will be the first time that he will feature in a comic role. “The depiction is so close to life that I could not resist the offer.” The young Krishna or Bal Gopal will be played by Meet Mukhi.

     

    Commenting on the new show’s launch and how Bal Gopal is going to be different from other similar fare on young Krishna, Uditanshu Mehta, creative director, Big Magic, said that the unique relationship between god and the common man is going to draw the viewers. “It will decode a multitude of issues through a friendly lens of satire and humour.”

     

    The channel will launch ‘Bal Gopal’ with a 360-degree multiple media marketing plan, that will include television, radio and on-ground activity. Big Magic, which has established itself in the Hindi heartland, is now working on increasing its viewers in other regions including Maharashtra.

     

  • Allen Sollywill be their second mandate from the Aditya Birla Group after Louis Philippe

    Allen Solly appoints Jack in the Box Worldwide as Digital AOR

    By A Correspondent

     

    Jack in the Box Worldwide, the digital agency brandof The 120 Media Collective, has bagged the digital duties for Allen Solly, making it the second mandate from the Aditya Birla Group after Louis Philippe.

     

    The mandate includes all digital duties including multi-platform content creation, content marketing, digital campaign creation, media planning and buying, social media, search engine optimization and analytics, search engine marketing, for Allen Solly and its associated sub-brands, Solly Jeans, Solly Sport and Allen Solly Junior.

     

    Commenting on this development, Sooraj Bhatt, Chief Executive Officer, Allen Solly, said, “Allen Solly’s excited to be partnering with Jack in the Box for our digital mandate after going through an ardent process of shortlisting the best agencies in the digital domain. We chose JITB for their superb editorial content creation abilities, creative supremacy and great credentials. We’re looking forward to doing some great work together and taking Allen Solly to greater heights”.

     

    Roopak Saluja, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, The 120 Media Collective, said, “There’s no greater validation of the value we add to a client’s business than to be awarded an additional mandate from the same company (we seem to be making a habit of it).  After three years of running all things digital for Louis Philippe, it’s a matter of great pride for Jack in the Box to be given responsibility for Allen Solly, thereby deepening our commitment to Madura Garments and the Aditya Birla Group.”

     

  • The biggest thought leadership platform will see the confluence of India's Brightest Minds~

    ET Now to host 2nd India Economic Conclave in New Delhi

    By A Correspondent

     

    In the backdrop of India’s new-found confidence, ET NOW is back with the second edition of India Economic Conclave aptly themed – ‘India: The Giant Awakens.’ The event will be held on December 06 at the Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi from 11 am onwards.The Conclave will bring together captains of Indian industry, policy makers, institutional investors and civil society leaders. The deliberations will pave the way for a constructive dialogue on how the Government and Industry can seize India’s unique moment in history.

     

    Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will inaugurate the event and deliver the keynote address.Key ministers including Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Industry Minister NirmalaSitharaman and Power Minister Piyush Goyal will be addressing the day-long conclave.​

     

    MK Anand, Managing Director and CEO, Times Television Network said,“The domestic and global sentiment over India’s economy has undergone a sea change, which gives us confidence for new beginnings. As a catalyst of positive change, ET NOW feels that this is the opportune time to bring together various stake holders to deliberate and agree on ways so that the potential of the nation can be realized.”

    R.Sridharan, Managing Editor, ET NOW said, “Buoyed by​ the success of the first edition of India Economic Conclave, we are delighted to bring it back bigger and with a far more optimistic outlook.

     

    ​The conclave theme aptly captures the prevailing mood in the economy and we believe this unique thought leadership platform will provide breakthrough ideas and solutions for both the Govt and Industry.”

     

  • Damon Johnson brings with him over two decades of valuable industry experience

    Damon Johnson appointed SVP – Business Development at YuppTV

    By A Correspondent

     

    Damon S Johnson

    YuppTV has announced the appointment of Damon S Johnson as Senior Vice President – Business Development. As part of his new role, Damon will – lead the development of distribution partnerships and explore, and build new content and entertainment options for the burgeoning over-the-top (OTT) internet TV market.

     

    Damon Johnson brings with him over two decades of valuable industry experience having worked in the industry’s leading organizations as an executive responsible for building digital businesses. Most recently, Damon Johnson was at PlayStation where he led Sony’s efforts to build an OTT entertainment platform. As an early believer in OTT, he joined PlayStation to establish the Media and Entertainment group where he successfully led a team that negotiated with Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Redbox Instant by Verizon, HBOGO, EPIX, Disney, ESPN, DirecTV, DISH, NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL to build the industry’s leading OTT platform on PS4, PS3, VITA and VITA TV. Prior to PlayStation, he was responsible for building the digital media division for Fox Sports in Latin America.

     

    Uday Reddy, Founder and CEO, YuppTV said, “At YuppTV we have built the Number One South Asian language subscription service delivered via the internet, mobile phones and now connected TV devices (OTT).  In order to further this growth and open new markets, we have brought Damon Johnson on board to lead our distribution partnership development and leverage our industry-leading OTT platform to explore and build new content and entertainment options. We are pleased to have someone who brings years of experience, hands on approach, and creativity, to the team. We welcome Johnson to the YuppTV family.”

     

  • Hero MotoCorp, the world's No. 1 two-wheeler manufacturer by volumes, has roped in Tiger Woods as its brand ambassador in a four-year deal pegged at Rs 200 crore, making it the most expensive celebrity endorsement yet for an Indian company

    Hero signs up Tiger Woods as brand ambassador at Rs 200cr

    By Chanchal Pal Chauhan

     

    Hero MotoCorp, the world’s No 1 two-wheeler manufacturer by volumes, has roped in Tiger Woods as its brand ambassador in a four-year deal pegged at Rs 200 crore, making it the most expensive celebrity endorsement yet for an Indian company.

     

    “Tiger Woods is one of the biggest global icons and not just a sports celebrity. His appeal cuts across geographies, nationalities, age and gender and therefore, he is the best brand fit to be our ‘Global Corporate Partner’ as we go global,” Pawan Munjal, Hero chief told ET in an exclusive chat on Tuesday. “We have lined up exciting campaigns to build on the core values of Hero in our global markets and Tiger is going to play an integral role in these initiatives. Our campaign with him will be on multiple platforms – print, electronic, digital, social and outdoor.”

     

    The company did not share the financial details of the deal, but analysts pegged it at about Rs 200 crore.

     

    While Hero MotoCorp has always had popular Indian stars from the fields of sports and cinema as its brand ambassadors, this is the first time the company has signed up a top global sporting icon, a move that fits well with the company’s global expansion plans.

     

    Woods, who has won 14 major golf championships, said, “It allows me to be involved with the world of two-wheelers and the vision of Pawan and Hero MotoCorp. We have a shared vision… for me, any collaboration and partnership has to be something that’s important to me. I greatly appreciate Hero sponsoring the Hero World Challenge that benefits my foundation, and my new role will greatly expand our worldwide relationship.”

     

    In mid-September, Hero had announced a separate four-year deal with the Tiger Woods Foundation to become the title sponsor of the Hero World Challenge, a PGA Tour event. This year’s event starts on Thursday at the Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida, with 18 top golfers competing in the $3.5 million event.

     

    It was at Mr Munjal’s invitation that Woods first came to India in February this year. Hero also supports its brand ambassadors and top golfers Anirban Lahiri, Shiv Kapur, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Daniel Chopra and Sharmila Nicollet.

     

    Mr Munjal, a sports enthusiast, is responsible for the company’s association with various sports for more than two decades. A keen golfer, he is the past chairman of the Asian PGA Tour Board of Directors and the past president of Professional Golfers Association of India (PGAI). The company also hosts the annual Hero Indian Open Golf tournament, which sees participation from international marquee players.

     

    Outside India, Hero’s products sell in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Turkey, Egypt, Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Congo and Angola.

     

    Last week, the company commenced retail sales of its bikes in Colombia, which is among the three top two-wheeler markets in Latin America. Hero is also building a manufacturing plant in Villa Ricca in the Cauca province near Cali.

     

    Hero is also building a manufacturing plant in Bangladesh through a joint venture partnership with the Nitol Niloy group. Through its local distributor partners, Hero has also established assembly units in Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda that would go on-stream in next few months.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2014, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Seminar to be addressed by advertising, media & marketing leaders on Wednesday, December 10, 2-6pm, Mumbai

    IAA to host seminar on ‘Changing Gender Frames’

    By A Correspondent

     

    The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) is organising a seminar on the broad theme of “Changing Gender Frames” on 10th December at the Mayfair Rooms, Mumbai. The event is being held in association with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Laadli a well-known NGO and the Advertising Council of India (ACI).

     

    A specially commissioned research study, the IAA-Hansa Research on “Portrayal of Women in Indian Advertising” would be formally released at the event.

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy
    Monica Tata

    Srinivasan K Swamy, President, IAA India Chapter & Vice President – Development, Asia Pacific, IAA and Chairman & Managing Director, R K SWAMY HANSA Group said, “This is yet another initiative which clearly underlines our commitment to the philosophy that what is good, is good for business. We wish to apply scientific temper along with good intentions and promote the cause of gender equality.”

     

    Added Monica Tata, Managing Director HBO India Pvt. Ltd. and Chairperson of “Changing Gender Frames”: “I am delighted to steer an initiative that is very close to my heart. Following on from the seminar we organized last year against Violence on Women, this shows our sustained commitment to being a truly responsible industry body and making a meaningful difference in the fields of marketing advertising and the media.”

     

    The seminar will be addressed by senior marketers, advertising leaders and other renowned experts from the industry.

     

  • The top highlights of the evening included PM's Modi's heartful recollection of his experiences with Aap Ki Adalat

    ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ puts up mega show on eve of 21st anniversary

    By A Correspondent

     

    Aap Ki Adalat celebrated completion of 21 years by hosting one of the biggest gatherings ever witnessed in recent times. In a dazzling event organized by India TV at Pragati Maidan, the attendee list sported names like President Pranab Mukherjee, PM Narendra Modi, Union ministers including Arun Jaitley, Smriti Irani, Venkaiah Naidu, Suresh Prabhu, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Prakash Javadekar, Ram Vilas Paswan, Dharmendra Pradhan, Rajyavardhan Rathore and Najma Heptullah. BJP President Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and former LS Speaker P A Sangma and BJP Chief Amit Shah also attended the event. Chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Vasundhara Raje Scindia, and Harish Rawat too made it to the event.

     

    The three Khans of Bollywood – Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir, were joined by other stars from Bollywood including Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgun, Hema Malini, Anupam Kher, Sonakshi  and Shatrughan Sinha and Rani Mukerji.

     

    The top highlights of the evening included PM’s Modi’s heartful recollection of his experiences with Aap Ki Adalat and when the three Khans attempted to put Rajat Sharma behind the dock to grill him.

     

    PM Narendra Modi talking on what makes Aap Ki Adalat distinct observed, “In the 21 years of this show, nobody has been forced to reply. Rajat knows the art of extracting a reply through his sweet questioning. Another big quality of Rajat is that he uses his tongue sparingly in his show, but he uses his heart to the fullest. A clever mind works behind this.”

     

    Rajat Sharma
    Ritu Dhawan

    Rajat Sharma, Chairman and Editor-in-chief, India TV said, “I am short of words to express how overwhelmed & humbled I feel right now. Over the last two decades I was simply focusing my doing my job right, I never expected the amount of affection and respect showered upon me by all including country’s topmost Icons.”

     

    Speaking on the grand success of the mega event, Ritu Dhawan, MD & CEO, India TV observed, “When we first thought of marking the occasion, we always knew that this is going to an industry benchmark, however I have no doubt now that our expectations have been hugely exceeded. This has been a truly superlative success & people will remember this for a very long time.”

     

  • The primetime anchor was part of the start-up team of the channel

    Senior Editor Rupali Mehra moves on from Times Now

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rupali Mehra

    Primetime news anchor and Senior Editor of Times Now, Rupali Mehra has resigned after more than nine years with the channel. Rupali Mehra was part of the core startup team handpicked by Times Now’s Editor-in-Chief, Arnab Goswami.

     

    In her near-decade stint with Times Now, which has consistently topped the ratings as India’s No. 1 English news channel, Rupali Mehra held several senior editorial positions. She’s been a regular face on the channel’s daily prime time news and the 9 pm news report on weekends.

     

    Confirming the development Rupali Mehra said, “A small team of us started Times Now with literally a paper and pen and lot of ideas. I feel proud to have seen the channel take shape and grow into an independent, fearless entity that has changed the face of television news in India. With the channel now running on its own steam, it is time for me to take up a fresh challenge.”

     

    Prior to joining the start up team at Times Now, Rupali worked with several leading media companies like NDTV and Reuters. She was also one of the early movers into the digital content space having worked with an American telecommunications company in setting up community news portals in India in 1999.

     

  • He looks forward to some great opportunities and help raise the creative bar on our key clients

    FCB Ulka appoints Tushar Pal as Creative Director

    By A Correspondent

     

    Tushar Pal

    Tushar Pal has joined FCB Ulka as Creative Director. Tushar has over 12 years of experience in mainline advertising. He started his career at Euro RSCG (now Havas), and thereafter has had successful stints at Mudra, Leo Burnett, Rediffusion Y&R and Ogilvy.

     

    Over the years, he has worked on brands like Onida, Godrej, Future Group, HDFC Bank, Sony Entertainment Network, Sony Max, Zandu, Times Group, Air India, McDonald’s, LG and Vodafone to name a few.

     

    Commenting on his appointment, Tushar said “I’m very excited to work on FCB Ulka’s vast portfolio of clients. I look forward to some great opportunities and help raise the creative bar on our key clients.”

     

    Haresh (Harry) Moorjani, Executive Creative Director, FCB Ulka said, “We are happy to have Tushar on board. He brings with him diverse experience on a varied set of brands. We look forward to him adding value to an important set of accounts he is aligned to.”