MxMIndia

Category: THE ANCHOR

  • Talented people are self-assured and positive that visibility through good work only, can win them fame and money and perks are the next obvious that will follow, says Sandeep Bomble

    The Anchor: Sandeep Bomble on four ways agencies can attract top talent

    By Sandeep Bomble, founder, Palasa

     

    1. Money! The obvious five letter word that is expected to shoot up once the above question is fired. Let us first dig and understand the working of an advertising industry. Innovation is the crux of any agency. One must know that every department, be it creative, media, client servicing should possess the ability to compete with latest innovative ideas and ways to explore. But at the same time, a lot of them prefer sticking to the age old methods or ways of going about, and not take the risk of capitalizing energy, money or time by going off the track. And sadly a talent hits a dead end, driving it off. It is here, where a fine bait to attract a great talent lies.

     

    2. Of course, there can be zillion ways to source talents but, personally I believe, there is only one way an agency can hook a ‘great talent’ in their team and that is ‘The agency has to go Gutsy!’ An agency that has the courage to go bold and brazen in their thoughts and actions, is like a charged magnetic field. It automatically attracts to it unexceptionally talented people. A great talent is hungry and is constantly on a lookout for an agency which is in the position to explore ideas. They believe the agency will do justice to their ideas and will churn out the best from the deepest crevices of their mind. The gutsy agencies act as catalyst to the effervescing minds of ever-fangled talented guns who are ready to venture into a territory that will facilitate their ideas and take them to a next level altogether.

     

    3. Money is certainly an important part when you look to feed yourself but it is very subjective in this case. It is surprising but true that a great talent will least care about money and not look at it as their first priority. And if one delves deeper into the psychology of these people, one understands the logic behind their motive of not being money minded. They are confident of what shall follow next, once they find their base to breed their creative energies. They are self-assured and positive that visibility through good work only, can win them fame, that’ll get them noticed in the industry. Money and perks are the next obvious that will follow. When a talent believes in agencies good work and ability to take forward the idea, he/ she won’t be bound by any limitations then. Their minds are free to explore realms unexplored. They soar high to think big and different. And an agency should know that investing in a great talent is any day much viable option than having hundred workers with lack of talent.

     

    4. Today, it’s a pitiful state that a lot of agencies are simply satisfied with their cash registers ringing and look at work through business perspective and are not inclined towards exploring newer ideas; they play ‘safe’. With every passing day one can only hope that an agency dares to hone its powerful magnetic field. We are an industry that has courage to defy the conventional and passion to take a leap of faith in ideas we believe in. And what more can a great talent want than to truly, madly, deeply be in love with an agency that harbours such a principle.

     

    “Great Talent Will Never Ask For Money”

     

    Sandeep Bomble is founder, Palasa

     

  • Video automatically increases engagement by keeping the user busy, while advertising and other messaging can be shown non-intrusive to the user experience, says Upen Rai

    The Anchor: Upen Rai on 5 reasons why online videos are important for marketers

    By Upen Rai

     

    1. Video gets undivided attention

    Web pages are full of hyperlinks, images, advertisements, and so on which distract the user. When a video plays, the user is fixated on the audio and video with undivided attention. What better medium to get your message across to the user?

     

    2. Video is ubiquitous 

    The web is full of conflicting standards and making things work across device form factors and browser quirks can be frustrating. Video playback is ubiquitous and works equally well on all device form factors – so it is easy for online marketers to ensure that their message gets conveyed like it was meant to be!

     

    3. Video increases engagement

    Ever since web analytics were measured, website owners have struggled to keep bounce rates low and engage the user with interesting content. Video automatically increases engagement by keeping the user busy, while advertising and other messaging can be shown non-intrusive to the user experience.

     

    4. Video enables a higher call to action

    With the right mix of audio and compelling visuals, it is easier for brands to create a call to action and on the online medium, even lead a user into then completing a task. Video raises emotional connect with the brand and eases the user into completing actions like supporting a cause, liking a brand’s social media page, sharing the message with more users, and so on.

     

    5. Anybody can make online videos

    Whether it is a large corporate or a small group of non-profit volunteers, a compelling brand message is easy to create, produce and distribute in the online space. It is the best way for viral marketing and to gather more eyeballs.

     

    Upen Rai is Director, Times Internet Ltd

     

  • The older and better established a FMCG brand becomes, the lesser and lesser must it rely on TV, says Ruby Bana

    The Anchor: Ruby Bana on 6 reasons FMCGs need to look beyond TV

    By Ruby Bana

     

    For years I hear again and again from FMCG clients that 90 per cent of our budget goes into TV first, we need to handle that well. Sure we DO! TVCs are what helps us stay in place (unless a brand is a new entrant). TVCs help us maintain SOV, and hence market share by helping remind consumers close to purchase that we are still there. But TV is such a passive medium and consumers are becoming active. They are educated, demanding and skeptical…. So to complete our communication we need to look beyond TVCs

     

    1. Tell the whole story: Nothing does it better than magazines.

     

    2. Immerse the consumers in the brand experience: Nothing does that better than the events.

     

    3. Interact and engage them: Nothing does that better than online website or social networking and consumer forums.

     

    4. Win credibility: Nothing does that better than Socially Responsible Marketing.

     

    5. Become local: Nothing does it better than newspaper or radio.

     

    6. Become part of lifestyle: Nothing does it better than ambient media.

     

    All of these add competitive advantage to our brands and help us get noticed, remembered and enrich our interaction with our consumers. The older and better established a FMCG brand becomes, the lesser and lesser must it rely on TV. It’s a fundamental truth… the strategies/tactics that get us to the top are not necessarily those that keep us there OR help us evolve to the next level.

     

    Ruby Bana is Chief Strategy Officer, Madison

     

  • Service, Relationships, Brand Experience, Distribution and Visibility that marketers need to focus on, says Jagdeep Kapoor

    The Anchor: Jagdeep Kapoor on 5 things brands often forget & fail to create an impact

    By Jagdeep Kapoor

     

    1. Service: Brands may be good products.  However, good products may not be good brands.  This is because, without the element of ‘Service’ a brand is incomplete.

     

    2. Relationship: My Brand mantra is ‘Sambandh Nahi Toh Sab Bandh’. Relationship with your customer and consumer is essential for a brand to grow and develop. Transaction might get sales, but it is relationships that build brands and businesses.

     

    3. Brand Experience: The brand experience in terms of quality of the product or the pleasant interaction with the brand will be remembered.  A consumer always remembers a pleasant brand experience leading to repeats.

     

    4. Visibility: Invisible brands die.  Many years ago in my book 24 Brand Mantras, I had written “Joh Dikhta Hai, Woh Bikhta Hai”.  Visibility whether in the media or at the trade level is important for the growth of brands.

     

    5. Distribution: My brand mantra is “Distribute or Perish”.  Without availability and distribution, whether online or offline, brands cannot survive. With distribution, brands will thrive.

     

    Jagdeep Kapoor is Chairman & Managing Director at Samsika Marketing Consultants

     

  • Emerging technologies are playing a big role in bringing about this shift from traditional TV (latent viewing) to active TV (active viewing), says Anil Garg

    The Anchor: Anil Garg on 10 reasons why specialty channels are the need of the hour

    By Anil Garg

     

    The television landscape in India has seen a paradigm shift in the last few years.  From a plethora of channels offering General Entertainment, News including Business & Market News, Music, Movies, Kids, Sports and so on, one is seeing the emergence of newer specialized genres such as Infotainment, Food, “Classroom” Education, Science and Technology, Specialty Sports (e.g. Golf), Home Shopping and Travel.  There are dozens of reasons for this (be it advances in technologies, affordability, availability, changing lifestyles and such) here are TEN reasons why specialty content will not only survive but thrive in the coming years:

     

    1. Consumer Awareness and Demand

    India, like most other countries, is fast realising that audiences are increasingly discerning especially with multiple TV households in Tier I, II and even III cities across all SEC groups.  Look at how Discovery has diversified from a single channel to Discovery Science and Discovery Turbo; or for that matter NatGeo. Infotainment content is entertaining and educative. Today people increasingly want to learn and know more about the world they live in. For instance, one would never stop a child watching a clip on the “Blue pottery of Jaipur” as opposed to watching cartoons on a kid’s channel.

     

    2. The Nature of Specialized Content

    Specialised content such as a cookery show or a travel show does not need to be in a 30 minute format, so typical of traditional television. Specialised content can be “snacky”; a five minute show on the “Fishing Nets of Kerala” or “48 hours in Cairo” can ignite the angst and aspiration in the mind of viewers who have or would love to experience this. Such content can be informative, educative and yet entertaining. Also such content appeals across all age groups four-adult. Plus, it is non-controversial as in there is no rape or murder or such.

     

    3. Passion

    People who want specialized content are passionate about it. So are the viewers! Take for instance Food or Travel. Specialised content has to be produced by people serious about the domain. As more and more people choose to work in their field of interest, so will they choose to talk about it in more and more creative ways. Likewise, an ever increasing consumer base aware about the affordable availability of such content will tune into what they are passionate about.

     

    4. Forever Content

    Most specialized content is forever in that it does not age. A show on the Taj Mahal or the Pushkar Mela is timeless. Unlike most soaps, reality shows or sporting events, most infotainment content is ageless and can be watched again and again for generations. We still love to watch a clip on what Mumbai looked like in the 50’s even though it is black and white; this will be the case even fifty years hence!

     

    5. Technology including New Media

    Affordable technology makes it possible to offer thousands of channels to viewers.  Technology trends, be it the downward cost of increasingly powerful Cameras, inexpensive video editing Software, dramatically reducing Storage cost, affordable and increased Bandwidth, ever increasing Connectivity, Interactive and Mobile devices and increasing use of innovative Applications – all this makes it possible for a specialized channels to stream to their audiences, anytime, everywhere. As rich content moves from Beta tapes to digital video formats, from huge physical libraries to compact server scale storage in a box, growing a business around this new realisation that the concept of space has changed will help new age entrepreneurs build organisations and brand architectures with specialized content.

     

    6. Portable Content

    The very nature of specialised content is interesting. There is a growing need and demand for on the move infotainment and on demand infotainment (e.g. what to see and do inSingapore), as opposed to a two-three hour movie. As consumer attention spans get shorter, information they seek has to be at their finger tips “here and now”.  Thanks to technology, this is made possible. Specialised content is easy to port for on-demand viewing.

     

    7. Going Digital – Growth of Television and the Net

    As India moves to digitization with the possibility of a 500-1000 channels though fibre and cable to the home, multiple TV households, increased Internet bandwidth and technologies such as 3 and 4G for the masses, affordable yet powerful handheld devices, access to specialized content will be easier and affordable for consumers.  Also for aggregators and distributors of such content, it will be imperative to reach out to every single viewer with a rich and varied offering.

     

    8. Education

    As the Indian population comes to grips with evolving technologies, the nature of content, applications and their usage will explode. From ten years ago when not many people used an ATM machine or a cell phone, the scenario is changing rapidly and dramatically. As people learn how to use a phone for purposes other than talking, to using the net for purposes other than checking emails or making a railway booking, we will see people searching for informative content and entertainment.

     

    9. Targeted appeal

    For advertisers, sponsors and the like, specialized channels offer a focused, targeted audience. Also, technology is fast reducing the costs for reaching out to the customer and getting a better handle of behavioural and psychometric testing – e.g. social media and viral.

     

    10. Business Sense

    Businesses understand the reasons above.  Channels like a GEC, Movies, or Sports are very expensive to setup and operate; in India we have seen many such channels go down.  For the cost of a single show on a channel in these traditional genres, it is possible to setup and operate a specialized channel and also to make it profitable. Ten years ago not many people thought that a channel like Discovery made any business sense! Also, specialized infotainment channels have multiple revenue streams; the touch-points for consumers sourcing information of interest are multiple.  The same content can be sampled on TV, researched in print and enabled/fulfilled via the web as an example – all thanks to technology.

     

    In a nutshell, emerging technologies are playing a big role in bringing about this shift from traditional TV (latent viewing) to active TV (active viewing).  For instance in a specialized genre such as Travel, television can provide excellent programming backed up by a supporting interactive mechanism either through a website or an interactive mobile gadget which can create lead generation for travel booking, with applications that can provide ‘here and now’ information while at home or office or on the go. This increases the opportunity base and revenue potential for all possible trade partners – traditional travel operators, tourism boards, hotels and airlines, fleet operators and more – with the help of emerging new media technologies which help link up all possible interactions.

     

    As all trends point to specialized content, such content will become the trend!

     

    Anil Garg is Chairman & Managing Director, Explore Travel Channel

     

  • News anchoring is all about credibility. The more you establish your substance, the more the viewer will notice your style, says Mahrukh Inayet

    The Anchor: Mahrukh Inayet on 5 reasons why anchoring is more about substance than style

    By Mahrukh Inayet

     

    1. News always comes first

    Viewers want the news first. Rest, very little matters. Your style has little bearing on the viewer nor does it alter the impact of news on the viewer. Facts are sacrosanct. Information rules. It needs no garnishing.

     

    2. The new age viewer

    Today’s viewer is a global citizen. Aware, informed, educated and opinionated. More importantly, s/he is consistently running against time. They get their news and boom – they are out. Your personality might make them stop, but it is the news that will make them stay.

     

    3. Credibility

    News anchoring is all about credibility. The more you establish your substance, the more the viewer will notice your style. But remember, substance comes first. Think about it – most well known TV faces have been around for years. In theUS, the average age for prime time anchors is 60. Larry King, Peter Jennings, Dan Rather – the list is endless.

     

    4. Journalism v/s Style

    News does not come in fancy packages. It’s hard hitting and raw. Floods, drought, bomb blasts, terror strike, petrol prices – can you even imagine viewers bothering with anything but the information.

     

    5. News, not the newsreader

    In broadcast journalism school you are taught to conduct yourself in a manner that takes attention away from you and highlights what you are presenting. News anchors only disseminate the news – they are the medium, not the message

     

    Mahrukh Inayet is Former Senior Editor, Times Now

     

  • Cheer loud and clear for your country. Make lots of noise and have lots of fun. You are in the Mecca of advertising and this is your time, says Sneha Iype Varma

    The Anchor: Sneha Iype Varma on 5 things to do when at Cannes

     

    By Sneha Iype Varma

     

    1. Soak it in

    This year Cannes is promising to be full of very exciting talks. Some very prominent names include Ridley Scott (Film Director) , Zaha Hadid ( renowned architect), Bill Clinton and Dan Weiden. Some interesting sessions such as The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – can your idea change the world , Global India – Talk by Shekhar Kapur and Balki/Jeff Goodby Saatchi new directors showcase/John Hegarty and Dan Weiden… among the several other very interesting sessions by Google, P&G and the rest. Soak it in and come back feeling rejuvenated!

     

    2. Party party party!

    Attend all the happening parties and connect with the world. Shots beach party, Cannesutra India party – all the award functions followed by each party. Meet associates from across the world and exchange ideas and, of course, just hang loose and have fun. Go to the Gutter bar everyday and tank up till the wee hours!

     

    3. The grand Prix and some art anyone?

    Go toMonaco. Monacois very close to Nice and Cannes. It’s a must since you are travelling all the way there. Especially if you are a car enthusiast. It’s a very small town and densely populated. It hosts the Monaco Grand prix and is an extremely popular place for the rich and famous. Of course, all of the French Riviera is and that’s where you will be, so may as well soak it in a bit. If you aren’t inclined and are the more arty sort – please go to Eze. It’s a small quaint artists’ village and you can spend hours just window shopping or shopping all the way up to a stunning view from atop the hill. Truly worth it. If you have an international driving license, it might even be worth it to drive yourself and some friends around.

     

    4. Food! Glorious Food!

    By the third day most of us Indians crave spicy food and some hot (as in garam) food. The bland fish and the hard baguettes become a bit boring! So go looking for a good Indian/ Pakistani / Chinese or Thai joint and load the chilli sauce on anything half edible. If you find a half decent place, recommend it to fellow Indian delegates and you will soon be worshipped and become a hero of sorts. Keep looking or better still think up ideas to open shop there sometime!

     

    5. Why are you here?

    Watch all the shortlists. That’s what you’re in Cannes for, remember! That’s also why the jury toils endlessly, so please go get a good glimpse of work that scores. The shortlists play across categories and you must catch all the film categories to understand where we stand in the global mix. That’s when the final award night makes more sense. Cheer loud and clear for your country. Make lots of noise and have lots of fun. You are in the Mecca of advertising and this is your time! Have a great trip and bon voyage!

     

    Sneha Iype Varma is the Executive Producer/ Partner at Nirvana Films. She is also on the jury of the Film Craft category at Cannes 2012.

     

  • In the age of hyper-competition, it is important to be the first and the only one to offer great content /movies to the viewers, says Amogh Dusad

    The Anchor: 5 ways to keep audiences coming back to your channel

    By Amogh Dusad

     

    Extensive variety in offerings

    India remains largely a single TV market. Therefore, a channel should offer an array of genres and appeal to all members of the family. Variety also ensures that viewers find the channel fresh and vibrant.

     

    Extending beyond the TV screen

    Gone are the days when television channels just aired promos and expected to keep viewers glued. The need of the hour is to create brand extension programs. It is also important to be a part of local festivals and important historic days which make the viewers feel closer to the channel – for example Christmas or Independence Day

     

    Exclusive content – premieres

    In the age of hyper-competition, it is important to be the first and the only one to offer great content /movies. Television premieres make the viewers look forward to channel announcements and promotions along with making the channel an exciting destination.

     

    Enjoyable viewing experience

    Watching a channel must be enjoyable for it viewers, otherwise they will simply move onto another channel. Therefore, it is essential that the content is showcased in a viewer friendly style to enhance viewing experience.

     

    Engaging the viewer – starting conversations

    A channel has to interact with its viewers to keep them glued to the channel. A consumer today is constantly bombarded with one-way conversations through print, outdoor, radio, and television but how much of it really resonates in their mind! One must engage with the viewers and remain in constant dialogue with them. Digital is great medium to create conversations.

     

    Amogh Dusad is Programming Head, PIX

     

  • To gain the maximum out of the pointers, a proper road map needs to be charted out that will help build the talent's brand persona, says Indranil Das Blah

    The Anchor: Indranil Das Blah on 5 essentials in talent mgmt

    Indranil Das Blah

    By Indranil Das Blah

     

    Create a Brand

    It’s crucial to create and maintain distinguishing individual brand images while managing talent. On that basis, we plan and execute a plan that will help project that brand and communicate a certain persona/image. There may be times when certain attributes maybe similar but the job of an effective brand custodian is to find that one USP that helps create that distinction and makes the individual stand tall in a crowd.

     

    Identify the Appeal

    Appeal is another very important factor to be kept in mind while managing talent. The idea is to find out not just what TG he or she appeals to but also to find out what makes them so appealing. You can work to create brand that works on the marketable appeal.

     

    Word of mouth

    Even if a talent is considered to be a good brand and has a desirable appeal, the word of mouth around him/her is what makes or breaks a talent. It’s important to protect the talent’s image from negative perception – be it via the media or via industry whispers. And as a brand custodian, our role also includes an advisory aspect where we share our inputs with our talent to ensure that they help us protect them from the negative backlash and make them a formidable entity in the business.

     

    Image building road map

    To gain the maximum out of the aforementioned pointers, a proper road map needs to be charted out that will help build the talent’s brand persona. The core thought needs to filter down through various audience touch points – be it endorsements, public appearances, media interactions, films and so on to create the desired consumer and audience mindset and thereby attain the goals you set out to achieve with your talent.

     

    Visibility

    Visibility is a very key aspect of managing talent and building their brand. We need to ensure that we expose talent to the various touch points and create a strong, positive buzz around them. More the visibility, better the quality, more is top of mind recall. Recall is what changes the game for talent as it helps them consistently build and enhance their positioning in a competitive environment.

     

    Indranil Das Blah is the COO at KWAN Entertainment and Marketing Solutions

     

     

  • Yes, for media and marketing professionals of all hues, the Cannes Lions is a must-attend. Start saving up for next year, writes A N Chorrea

    The Anchor: 7 reasons why Cannes Lions is a must-attend!

    By A N Chorrea

     

    Okay so you haven’t made it to Cannes, but perhaps you ought to have. My suggestion, just as you have those SIPs from the various financial institutions, starting a recurring deposit account to fund your trip to Cannes 2013. If your agency/company/funds do not allow you to get there, take a weeks’ break, and head there. Don’t see enough reason still? Read this:

     

    1. Yes, it’s expensive getting there. From India, a minimum of Rs 2 lakh if you don’t want to stay in a five star and carry food from back home for the week. So theplas or those packs of ready-to-eat food? Or you buy a loaf of bread every other day , some butter and assorted meats/wafers to keep you through. However, it’s worth every rupee spent.

    2. The sessions thus far have been exhilarating. R Balki and Shekhar Kapur were super ambassadors for the country with their plainspeak. Soon, China and India will sweep Cannes Lions!

    3. We haven’t done too well in the awards tally, but there has been a gold, and a couple of silvers and bronzes. And some of the big ‘uns are still too be announced.

    4. Digital is the way of life at Cannes Lions. Streaming sessions if you don’t want to be watching it live, Tweets. Though not as many of YouTube videos and no live webcast, but it’s clear that Digital is the way to go. Those who want to be on top of technology and how it’s going to be used in marketing and advertising, ought to have been at the Lions.

    5. Europe is going through a mess, but there seems to be no sign of that although there were planeloads of people from the Americas and Asia.

    6. Cannes is the perfect place for a week-long event. And some of the people are there for nearly a fortnight. Locals may crib about the weather, but those from smouldering Delhi and sweltering (and now wet) Mumbai can enjoy.

    7. Most of the big boys are at Cannes. Note: most, not all. Purrfect networking ground. That’s good reason why one must be there.

     

    A N Chorrea is a seasoned media industrypeson who writes under a pseudonym

     

  • Over a period of time IRS as a product has evolved and is must for the media planning, says Jwalant Swaroop

    The Anchor: Jwalant Swaroop on 7 reasons why IRS is a valuable tool for measuring readership

    By Jwalant Swaroop

     

    Whether we like it or not, we cannot help but accept IRS as the currency for readership measurement. I do not think that we have an option.  In fact, I find IRS most valuable tool for its robustness and brilliant consistency. Over a period of time IRS as a product has evolved and is must for the media planning.

     

    1. IRS is the industry’s most acceptable currency. For the benefit of the professionals joining the industry now, let me share that there were times when we had NRS and IRS the two conflicting readership surveys. Now that the merger of both is official, IRS has emerged as the most acceptable currency.

     

    2. IRS is a technically sound product which encapsulates expectations of all the stake holders.

     

    3. Given the sample size IRS captures the readership trends having geographical and demographic details with precision.

     

    4. Despite the fact that it is largely industry funded, IRS has a neutral stance delivering value to clients and agencies equally.

     

    5. The product linkage data in IRS is significant for understanding the market size and set directions to brand and media owners.

     

    6. IRS can also be leveraged for setting directions for the content team to develop content for building attractiveness in the target readership which the media owners desires to build.

     

    7. Since the IRS results are out every quarter, it builds the excitement.

     

    Jwalant Swaroop is COO-Publishing, Lokmat Media Pvt Ltd

     

  • Unless Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Bengalsee the DAS in their own interest, Mrs Soni and her two key satraps won't make progress beyond impotent bluster, says Rohit Bansal

    The Anchor: Rohit Bansal on 5 must-dos for the sun to rise on Digitization on Nov 1

    By Rohit Bansal

     

    1. Govt and Ambika Soni must stay

    To state the obvious, for The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2011 to kick in the mandatory switchover of the existing analogue cable TV networks to Digital Addressable System (DAS) in the four metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, the government must survive.

     

    Even if that’s a given, the minister Mrs Ambika Soni mustn’t be allowed to meander into party work. If she does, a new minister will take his or her own to time settle down, and pernicious lobbies for a status quo will have an upper hand.

     

    2. Ambika Soni and her babus get three states into action

    Though Shastri Bhavan bears the mantle of implementing the Act, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has no boots on the ground. So, unless Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu andBengalsee the DAS in their own interest, Mrs Soni, Uday Varma and Rajeev Takru, her two key satraps, won’t make progress beyond impotent bluster.

     

    3. There’s deeper monitoring and a few scalps on the lamp post

    Albeit coming late, TRAI regulations on Tariff & Interconnection would have had enough time since April 30 to sink in. The Quality of Service Regulations and the Consumer Complaint Redressal Regulations would have existed since May 14, requiring every Broadcaster and MSO to publish its Reference Interconnect Offer within 30 days of issue of the regulation, and the stipulated 30 days for negotiations between Broadcasters and MSOs, and thereafter, the MSOs and LCOs to arrive at agreements for us ordinary Joes would have been exhausted many times over. No one could then cite lack of time for fuzziness over the terms and conditions for installing Set Top Boxes and the prices of channels on an a-la-carte as well as on a bouquet basis. Also, every MSO or its linked Cable Operator would have no excuse for failing to put a Consumer Complaint Redressal System consisting of a complaint centre with toll free consumer care number, web based complaint monitoring system, as well as appoint or designate one or more nodal officers and publish consumer’s charter for DAS.

     

    Thus Verma and Takru have their tasks cut out. Implementation is their dharma, the concerned states their believers.

     

    4. ISRO delivers the promised launch

    For any stick that Takru and Varma may hold, the cable operator is wily enough to dodge them. What she can’t is if Indian Space Research Organisation’s much-delayed GSAT-7 multi-band satellite, carrying payloads in UHF [ultra-high frequency], S-band, C-band and Ku-band, leaves the ground and starts doing some work. It would then be left to Doordarshan’s Tripurari Sharan to show his mettle and put together a free-to-air DTH platform of 200+ channels on GSAT-7. If Sharan can swing that, the cablewalla will embrace DAS with a measure of fear if not conviction.

     

    5. The DTH Gorilla Begins to Maraud

    These folks have sat on their backsides sleeping over the opportunity that “DAS Confusion” presents to them. If only they can get cable operators to become LMOs and leverage some Rs6,000crore residing in their war chests, the pure-play cablewalla will see more in digitization than what the long-arm of the regulation can ever achieve by scaring him.

     

    Rohit Bansal is CEO & Co-Founder, Hammurabi & Solomon Consulting