MxMIndia

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  • It's Wednesday, December 4, 2013 and Polling Day in Delhi and Mizoram. If you really want to a clean administration and the right candidate to win, go out and Vote!

    A request from MxMIndia: Please go out and Vote!

    It’s Wednesday, December 4, 2013, and it’s Voting Day in Delhi for 70 Assembly seats (and 40 Assembly seats in Mizoram).

     

    Although there have been announcements of a paid leave in Delhi, given that a large number people – especially in the media – flock to Gurgaon and Noida where there are no elections, it’s business as usual.

     

    There have been concessions given on coming in a few hours late allowing people to vote. We think it’s important to not just give these concessions but also some incentives. Show the indelible ink and get a scoop of ice cream or beer. Or some such.

     

    Do whatever, but vote one must. We keep cribbing about how the corruption. The rising prices. The general decay.

     

    Participating in the polling process is a good way to help make our country a better place to live in. So, go out and cast your vote.

     

    And await the exit poll results from this evening and the final counting on Sunday, December 8.

     

  • The TRAI has asked broadcasters, MSOs and LCOs to to take immediate action or face consequences

    TRAI express concern over ‘tardy’ digitization in Chennai

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India convened a meeting of broadcasters, multi system operators (MSOs) and Cable Operator Associations of Chennai to review the progress of implementation of Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems (DAS) in the Chennai Metropolitan Area.

     

    The deadline for implementation of DAS in the metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai was 1st November 2012. While DAS has been successfully implemented in the metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, the same is not the case in Chennai, a TRAI communiqué notes. It has been reported that TV channels are still being transmitted/ retransmitted in analogue mode/ unencrypted mode in the Chennai Metropolitan Area, by some of the Multi-System Operators/ Cable Operators. The Analogue transmission has to be stopped and complete addressable digitization is to be implemented. The subscriber Management System of the MOSs must have complete details of the subscribers including their choice of chennals/ serv ice opted by them. Unless this is done the full benefit of digitization cannot be extended to all the stakeholders including the subscribers.

     

    The TRAI has directed all the stakeholders to take immediate action for effective implementation of DAS of face consequences.

     

  • Television, which makes epics out of gossip, just about blanked the story out. There are allegations that some newspapers have taken critical stories off their websites, notes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Cagey media and the curious case of the Aston Martin accident

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    The curious case of the Aston Martin accident in Mumbai continues to interest social media even as newspapers and news channels are tiptoeing around it. The reason for this discretion in an otherwise hysterical media is simple: the car belongs to Reliance. Even more, er, terrifying, is the fact that there are allegations that it was being driven by Mukesh Ambani’s son.

     

    Here’s the story so far, according to the cagey media – barring very brave all out coverage by Mumbai Mirror: At 1.30 am on Sunday morning, December 8, a speeding Aston Martin hit two cars on Peddar Road. Both cars suffered damage, the first moving across the divider to hit a bus on the other side. What is curious is that the Aston Martin was apparently followed by two other cars which bundled the driver out and away. There were, according to newspaper reports, no casualties: minor injuries all around. The car, said the police, was registered to Reliance Ports and Infrastructure.

     

    On December 9, a driver presented himself to the police and claimed responsibility. The problem started when the witnesses and victims claimed that the driver they saw was a young man not a portly middle-aged man with a moustache. The company claimed that the car had not been used so was being taken on a customary spin. The “rescue” of the driver by two cars following the Aston Martin was downplayed.

     

    Soon after this, mention of Reliance vanished from the papers and the story vanished too. Television, which makes epics out of gossip, just about blanked the story out. But social media has another more sinister version: various blogs and Twitter accounts claim that two people were killed that night and the deaths are being covered up because the man driving the car was Mukesh Ambani’s son.

     

    There you have it: a classic cover-up, “mistaken” identity or just an ordinary hit and run?

     

    There is no proof so far that anyone was killed. But there is ample proof that the media has not played up the story and there is ample suspicion that the facts don’t match the stories. This is from a Mumbai Mirror story of December 10: “One of the most vital questions that the police are seeking an answer to is that why were two Honda CRVs, with a large security detail, tailing a car driven by a chauffeur and not carrying any Ambani family member. They also want to know why the security personnel whisked the chauffeur away in one of their cars and did not report the matter to cops immediately.

     

    Foram Ruparel, 25, who was driving the Audi that was first hit by the Aston Martin, said she had a good view of the man driving that car. “I could see in the rear-view mirror the car was moving at a high speed, weaving left and right. And then, in a flash, it hit my car. I had a decent look at driver’s face. He was a young man,” she said.

     

    Foram said the driver of the Aston Martin tried to flee, but the car stalled a little distance ahead. “In seconds, there was a swarm of security men around the car and they bundled the driver into one of the SUVs and sped off,” she said.”

     

    There are also allegations that some newspapers have taken critical stories off their websites. There are some who claim that the same Aston Martin Rapide, which apparently costs Rs 4 crore, was seen at the party held by the Ambanis for Sachin Tendulkar. The fact is, Reliance has not denied owning the car. The questions being raised have to do with the driver.

     

    So far, this much is certain: the deaths have not been corroborated even by the witnesses who have been quite belligerent. And the media has definitely not been as diligent as it needs to have been. Has pressure been put on the media here to downplay the story? The evidence points that way… The enormous influence of the Ambanis and Reliance notwithstanding, some independent thought and action here would be most welcome. And all kudos to Mumbai Mirror for sticking to its guns.

     

  • Extracts from GroupM's observationson how technology and technology companies will impact our business

    Impact of tech & techcos on consumer & advertiser behaviour: GroupM report

     

    Presenting extracts from GroupM’s observations of the impact of technology and technology companies on consumer and advertiser behaviour. This is a preview of the final report, which, complete with media investment data from around the world, will be published in the early part of 2014:

     

    This year twenty five years have passed since March 1989 when Sir Tim Berners-Lee, a Fellow at CERN, wrote a paper that proposed connecting ‘…the hypertext idea and connecting it to the transmission control protocol and domain name system ideas…’ The quote finishes ‘…ta da.’

     

    The ‘ta da’ became the World Wide Web. The rest, as they say, is history.To be clear the web created at CERN is not the web of today. For the first time tablet sales exceed PC sales and the sales of smartphones exceed both comfortably. Few of the next billion online users will use a PC-like object as the principal method of access. Additionally much of today’s digital experience is driven by the app universe in which the wire frame of the web is largely invisible. To paraphrase an Oldsmobile commercial of similar vintage, ‘This is not your father’s internet’.

     

    By some means of access or another it is estimated that one third of the world’s population is online. In August Mark Zuckerberg announced the foundation of Internet.org, a partnership between Facebook, Nokia, Samsung, Qualcomm, Ericsson, Opera and MediaTek to close that gap at a faster rate than the current annual growth rate of 9%.

     

    AdvertIsIng Was Broadcast

    Advertising as we understood it in 1989, and for at least another decade, was a function of the broadcast age. From the mid-1950s and the mass penetration of television and peaks in print circulation to the middle of the last decade when broadband became pervasive first to the PC and now to mobile devices advertisers had a reliable supply of large and mostly attentive audiences. Screen based entertainment with the exception of video games, was, in broad terms, a passive activity that became a key driver of popular culture and conversation. In this environment,marketers had few challenges in capturing the attention of audiences, which is not to say their efforts always provoked the desired action.

     

    In the broadcast age the short history of marketing from packaged goods to politicians was characterized by applying maximum pressure to as many people that funds and optimization allow, and pursuing share of voice which is hoped to translate over time to share of mind, wallet and,  ultimately, loyalty. The targeting of advertising used context, day-parts and geography as proxies for audiences, that everyone knew to be only modestly accurate.

     

    Advertisers have always built reach through the aggregation of audiences from multiple channels but this is far harder to do amid the precipitous decline in the reach of non-live individual units.

     

    The challenge is magnified by extreme fragmentation, ad avoidance (albeit often overstated); adblindness (often understated); time shifting; multi-tasking; active screen time and the increasing adoption of over-the-top and often ad-free or ad-light media.

     

    Less attention, fragmented audiences and even more fragmented channels create financial pressure on advertisers to deliver effectively in more places and on more platforms with little additional available resource.

     

    They are doing this by:

    # Aggregating ever more fractured audiences in an effort to recreate simultaneous and time-specific reach by matching time spent with media with the funds allocated

     

    # Leveraging more engagement from the premium reach they do invest in by activating against media properties in ways similar to sponsorship – this may not save money in the short term but might hedge against diminishing effectiveness

     

    # Rebalancing investments to increase the volume and value of owned assets (content and utilities) earning an organic dividend by successfully executing in the new stream or feed based marketing forms like Facebook and Twitter

     

    # Redefining audiences and realigning their planning around revenue events or proxies for them by applying better, faster, data to increase the precision of targeting and the value of outcomes

     

    All these strategies have two things in common. All require expertise in digital marketing and require deep data skills and both the ability and desire to leverage the creative application of technology to increase audience engagement. They also require proof that engagement pays as well as the old-fashioned, less surgical approach to advertising.

     

    Aggregation of audiences and Allocation of Budgets

    Mary Meeker, a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, has long been a leading commentator on the digital economy. She has been a consistent and persistent observer of the apparent disconnect between time spent with media and the allocation of marketing investment by channel.Her expectation is that eventually the eyeballs and the advertiser dollars reach parity. To a degree Ms Meeker’s view is coming true: the usage-to-spend ratio on online display, desktop and mobile, is increasingly proportionate to user time allocation. The falsehood inherent in this is that time spent is not an accurate proxy for utility nor the allocation of advertising dollars. Search is the highest utility activity but hardly the greatest consumer of time. Further, much online time is spent on activities in which advertising is either not permitted or is simply inappropriate.

     

    Ms Meeker also believes technology to be a catalyst of wholesale industrial disruption. This is certainly true of media. Around the world broadcast audiences are not so much in decline: rather, they are fragmenting at speed. Hours spent with traditional broadcast channels are in decline, yet linear TV hours as a whole are stable and total video consumption is rising. Last year we discussed in some detail the redistribution of long-form programing via full episode players and over-the-top TV including Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, and the rise of YouTube and its global analogs. The growth of these channels continues and accelerates as the penetration of tablets, which outsold PCs in 2013, and video-capable smartphones become favored video consumption devices. 25% of YouTube’s views are to mobile devices, yet the idea of the  best available screen persists.

     

    As last year however a comparison with television offers useful perspective. According to Nielsen’s September US Q3 2013 Cross Platform Report 7% of all viewing is now online; the top quintile of internet video and streaming video users consume 25% of their video minutes online; and the second quintile 13%. These quintiles represent 23% of the US population. Incidentally the top quintile of all TV users is also the heaviest-consuming group of online video. The lean-back TV experience is very much alive, and often enhanced by a second screen, as we explored in this report last year. We now spend over a third of our waking time interacting with screens.

     

    Video usage is geographically inconsistent. Television supply is restricted in many markets and as we commented last year we expect to see viewing minutes by screen and by delivery mechanism vary significantly by market. Share of online tends to be higher where one finds ample bandwidth,device penetration and sensible ad loadings.

     

    The search for practical metrics between and across channels continues. Thus far, despite the progress made on viewability and cross-channel rating currencies the industry remains far from aligned. Nielsen OCR is a huge step forward but it requires all the owners of inventory to agree on the metric as a common and comparable currency.

     

    Click here to download complete report

     

     

  • Rahul Kishore has been elevated to National Head of Sales at Mogae with responsibilities towards Mobile and DTH as Neha Nehra will take charge as DTH Sales Head

    Rahul Kishore elevated to National Head of Sales at Mogae for Mobile & DTH

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rahul Kishore
    Neha Nehra

    Santa has brought in some elevating news this Christmas.

     

    At Sandeep Goyal’s Mogae Media, Rahul Kishore has been elevated to National Head of Sales with responsibilities towards the Mobile and DTH businesses. Meanwhile, Neha Nehra – currently with Mogae as AGM – Media Sales – will take charge as DTH Sales Head.

     

    These appointments have taken effect already. Mr Kishore was last with VivaKi India from where he joined Mogae in March last year as Senior VP, Priority Projects. Ms Nehra has been Mogae since 2011 before which she was Infosys.

     

  • Thirteen ways you can beat the hangover after a busy, spirited new year's eve… hic, hic, hurray!

    And finally: 13 Ways to Beat the New Year Eve’s Hangover!

    Bet you’ve got some mega plans to ring in the New Year….Drinks, dance, DJs,   friends, awesome food… Of course every bit is deserved, well-earned. For 2013 kept us on our toes right through overflowing with news, events, happenings, gossip, rumours. So just to keep the spirits flowing, here are 13 ways keep at bay those nasty headaches, wooziness, nausea, and head from rolling all over.

     

    1. Swear by H20: Drink gallons of water right through because alcohol dehyradates badly.

     

    2. Exercise: Flex your muscles a bit towards evening to be in top form and trigger the good hormones.

     

    3. Chomp a banana: Or any other fruit with high potassium to replace lost electrolytes.

     

    4. Knock down fruit juices: Alternate alcohol with fruit juices (ideally fresh) to restore vitamins and other nutrients.

     

    5. Grab a soda: Essentially to relieve dehydration.

     

    6. Get high on cheese: This is the best time to have fatty food to buffer the stomach lining.

     

    7. Dig on greasy Potatoes: This will keep you steady on your feet

     

    8. Pop in a Vitamin C: Some say it provides additional arsenal to battle it out.

     

    9. Wolf down a Meal: Never, never go empty stomach for the big night.

     

    10. Pop-out for fresh air breaks… nothing like that (and avoid the cigarette. Also, if you must: do not inhale)

     

    11. Some deep breathing will do you well.

     

    12. Go easy: Consider it the best antidote, er, advice

     

    13.  Lastly, as the French, Spanish and Japanese would say respectively: Jouir, disfrutar, tanoshimu, in other words, Enjoy. All will be well!!!!!

     

    Happy 2014.

     

  • Taurus Annual Forecast 2014

    Year 2014 at a glance

    Whether you are a businessman or a professional you are likely to experience a lot of change this year, some of it good, some bad. If you are a businessman and have to take a loan, take it before April. Keep away from the courts or any kind of litigation like the plague, and try to settle disputes out of court. Being ambitious may be good, but Ganesha advises you to be practical while setting your annual goals, because if you set the bar too high you may not be able to achieve it, something that can be very depressing. During the initial stages of the year, you may face some domestic problems, which could lead you to seek solace in spirituality. Travel is on the cards, but if you wish to buy property or a new vehicle, take it only if you can afford to pay cash down, avoid EMIs. Your family members shall hold you in high regard, and they shall approach you to resolve their disputes.

     

    Taurus Business 2014

    Ganesha advises you to take in more staff if you wish to streamline the work in your business, especially in the higher echelons, as they can take some responsibility off your shoulders and you can then focus more intensely on working out the intricacies of your vision for the year. You are sure to make steady progress, it may even be more than you expected. One tricky area shall be earnings; while your income shall be good, you may find yourself wondering where it has all been disappearing, so you may need to keep a tight leash on it. You need to completely cut out superfluous expenses, and cut down on even some necessary, but not imperative, expenses. You are likely to get new business, but you may not be in a mood to take too many risks. However, if you see that you can take on new work without increasing overheads or other operating expenses you may take it up.

     

    Taurus Career 2014

    Though the period between March and May may be slightly dicey for you, overall the scenario looks good from your career angle. You are likely to be offered more lucrative opportunities, predicts Ganesha and endeavours to assuage your misgivings by assuring you that even if it takes you some time to adjust yourself to the new circumstances, you shall manage it if you stay positive and believe in your abilities. The new job shall be be far more challenging and entail more responsibilities, so brace up for them. You should try to be on pally terms with your co-workers and interact with them as much as possible. Be practical, and work on improving your skills. A lot of official travel is on the cards. Ganesha advises you to banish the thoughts of trying to get a job in a foreign country.

     

    Taurus Finance 2014

    Your financial circumstances are likely to pose some serious concerns especially during the first half of the year, foretells Ganesha. In the second half of the year, though, you shall feel more comfortable and secure as far as your finances are concerned as money shall start flowing in from various sources and liquidity shall increase. The best strategy for you to pursue would be to eschew frivolous expenses in the first half, but later you may spend more freely, but not irresponsibly. If you wish to invest your surplus money, the latter half of the year is good, as it is for buying or selling of other precious possessions. Make sure you have enough balance in your bank account throughout the year to take care of unforeseen contingencies. The year is not suitable for buying a new vehicle.

     

  • Virgo Annual Forecast 2014

    Year 2014 at a glance

    For the major part of the year, you shall find yourself doing a tight-rope act, trying to balance your personal obligations with your professional responsibilities, foretells Ganesha. Though the balance may tilt slightly towards the professional side, you shall make sure that your family doesn’t miss you. There may be times when you may feel depressed due to the fact that your hard work may not be generating expected rewards and recognition. Be patient, advises Ganesha, as this is just a passing phase. In monetary matters, the stars are in your favour in the first half of the year, during which Ganesha advises you to set aside a portion of your earnings for emergencies that are likely to occur in the second half of the year. You may experience some ups and downs on the home front this year, so you need to stay calm and try no to let petty things turn into full-blown conflicts. Some travel is on the cards too.

     

    Virgo Business 2014

    Jupiter will be in your favour in the first few months of 2014, which means your business prospects are good. Sales shall increase and so shall margins, and the targets that you may have set last year, are likely to be fulfilled in the early stages of this year. You may have some foreign trips lined up, but they are not likely to be very productive. There is no need to lose heart, though, and there is no need to cancel other foreign trips, as they are bound to benefit you in the long run. There will be times during the year when you may feel that things are just not moving ahead. But it may not be actually that bad a situation. Consider recruiting young and talented staff, suggests Ganesha. Also, avoid taking risks.

     

    Virgo Career 2014

    Ganesha predicts that the chances of changing jobs are bright during the first half of the year, but not in the latter half, so if you happen to be thinking on those lines, you need to pull up your socks and get things moving. Take the initiative, be a go-getter, but for some reason if things don’t work out till July, then you better wait out the year, because if you go ahead and change post-July, with the stars not favouring it, you may find it difficult to adjust in the new atmosphere. Besides, finding another job too may become difficult for another year or so. Saturn transiting through the 3rd House from your Sign may pose obstacles even in your present job, and promotions or increments may get delayed. However, your superiors shall be happy with your work, and they are likely to give you due importance. There are chances of you even winning an award for your outstanding performance.

     

    Virgo Finance 2014

    Ganesha advises you to be extra careful about financial matters this year. In the first half of the year, your income will be satisfactory and in the latter half expenses shall mount alarmingly. Proper planning, thoughtful allocation of resources and your savings may help you cover the contingencies that are likely to occur in the second half. Avoid big expenses, such as buying a car or a house, during the year ahead. Also be careful of people who might want take advantage of your sound financial condition in the first half of the year. Avoid lending money, especially to people who are not really close to you and you are not sure whether they will return it in time. All in all, this year shall be pretty comfortable for you on the financial front, because apart from your own income you shall also get support from your family.

     

  • Scorpio Annual Forecast 2014

    Year 2014 at a glance

    Ganesha foretells that the transit of Jupiter bodes well for you this year, particularly for your career progress. The time is good for applying for a new job, as your chances of getting one are bright. If you get a lucrative job offer, just grab it. You will work hard, but the benefits you expect may not come immediately. Ganesha advises you to continue slogging, and your rewards will come in due course of time. This year you will be very stable, disciplined and organised. Once in a while, though, you may feel like let your hair down, but that’s perfectly alright. Slight delays in meeting your deadlines are expected, but it’s nothing to be too concerned about. Businessman may nurture expansion plans, but must avoid unnecessary expenses. On the personal front, in the initial stages of the year, you may have some serious disagreements with your spouse, but things shall get better  after March 2014. There is a danger, however, that you may get embroiled in litigation, so stay clear of anything remotely illegal.

    Scorpio Business 2014

    Business this year is set to grow, but the pace may not be as fast as you would have liked. Ganesha says it will be slow because Saturn is transiting through your Sign and aspecting the 10th House from your Sign. Travel is in store for you, but avoid foreign trips because nothing much will come of it. Domestic travel, though, will be very beneficial. Be patient and keep working hard, and by the end of the year you will see that you have made considerable progress. This year is auspicious for entering new partnerships or starting new projects.

     

     

    Scorpio Career 2014

    Your professional charts appear to be going north. Ganesha says the year shall be favourable, but don’t expect overnight results. Be patient because a promotion or a hefty increment is bound to come by the end of the year. You shall be in a powerful position, but try not to be too dominating, or it could spoil your equations with your colleagues. You need to treat them as your equals and give them enough respect – if that’s what you want in return. Later in the year, your relationship with your seniors will dramatically improve. Your work environment shall be very inspirational, and you are likely to work harder, and deal with obstacles in an optimistic way. Though it will be difficult to balance your personal and professional lives, with some tact you should be able to manage them well.

     

    Scorpio Finance 2014

    On the financial front, this year is likely to be favourable for you, foresees Ganesha, at least in the initial stages. With North Node’s entry in the 12th House from your Sign, you may face some financial constraints later but a lot shall depend on how judiciously you manage things. Your financial fortunes may fluctuate a bit, but on the whole you shall be comfortable, especially as a salary hike and increasing profits in business are on the cards. Foreign trips may not be very successful, so try to avoid them. This year is auspicious for investments, even on the stock market, given that you play it safe. You may not trust anyone in money matters, and that’s the way it should be. But you will have to place your trust in your family members.

     

  • Sagittarius Annual Forecast 2014

    Year 2014 at a glance

    The initial part of the year ahead does not appear to be very auspicious for you on some vital fronts because of Saturn and North Node’s conjunction in the 12th House from your Sign. Your health, particularly, is likely to cause some very anxious moments. Other negative things portended include litigation and financial losses. So Ganesha advises you to be very careful on these fronts. From the second quarter, though, the stars shall start shining down on you favourably. Your self-esteem is likely to increase as you will focus on improving your health and expanding your knowledge base. You shall also realise the importance of money and shall begin to start saving instead of blowing up your hard-earned money.

     

    Sagittarius Business 2014

    A good year is in store for businessmen. Though you are likely to face financial problems, Ganesha assures you that your business shall go from strength to strength. Both solo and partnership businesses are likely to do well. Your ambitiousness shall drive you do work very hard. Life shall be very hectic and demanding. You shall have to remain very alert, but since your business sense is very sharp, you will cope up very well. Short-term partnerships for specific goals are likely. You need to keep an eye on finances, don’t spend money like water. Invest the surplus funds in your business, you’ll get more mileage from it. You may be hiring new staff, but do their background checks thoroughly.

     

    Sagittarius Career 2014

    You are likely to face tough challenges in your professional life, foresees Ganesha. Stress stemming from work pressure is only going to increase through the course of the year, but so shall your focus, and all in all you will be able to cope up with the rising pressure admirably. Your efficiency and bright ideas shall get due recognition from both peers and superiors, and you will get enough opportunities to showcase your creativity. Though your hard work may begin to fetch rewards, don’t take things for granted. You will have to work even harder in this cut-throat competitive marketplace, and if you don’t, the consequences could be grave. Ganesha advises you to be careful of people trying to undermining your efforts, and try to maintain cordial  terms with your superiors.

     

    Sagittarius Finance 2014

    Ganesha foresees that finances may pose a problem this year, because of Saturn’s transit through the 12th House from your Sign. This transit indicates that your expenses are going to hit a high. Besides, your income is not likely to increase, making these matters more difficult for you to handle. Control your spend-thrift ways, otherwise you may find yourself in hot water. You will realise the importance of setting something aside for the rainy day and may repent some of the expensive things you may have bought recently. If you have joint accounts, the balance in it may increase in the first half of the year, and even more in the latter half.

     

  • Pisces Annual Forecast 2014

    Year 2014 at a glance

    Ganesha foretells that there are favourable events lined up for you this year in various areas, such as  education, children and even on the financial front. But issues related to joint finances, inheritance and health are likely to pose a few tricky challenges. Don’t get swayed by emotions while taking decisions in any area of life, especially during the first half of the year. Use your intellect and deductive posers. Some differences within the family are likely because of Ketu’s transit through the 2nd House of Finances and Family. You may not be able to find ready solutions to these problems, so it would be best for you to take things as they come without trying to have your way each and every time, and as time passes by, they shall get resolved on their own. Finances may also cause some concern, but that’s nothing to worry about, and you’ll find a way out.

    Pisces Business 2014

    Ganesha predicts that on the business front, the first half of the year is likely to be more favourable for you than the second half. So you would do well to schedule all major activities and projects before July to reap the maximum profits, but make sure you don’t blow them up recklessly; save them for the tricky second half of the year in which the going may not be so good. You may not see eye to eye with your partners regarding financial matters, as they may be spending more than you would have liked, but no drastic changes in your partnership agreements are foreseen. After August you may have to hire someone in a higher position to take some responsibility off your shoulders. Since business may be slow in the second half of the year, you may need to lay more stress on the promotional and marketing fronts.

     

    Pisces Career 2014

    The first half of the year is more favourable for you than the second half, foretells Ganesha. You shall not only thoroughly enjoy your work, especially if you are fresh out of college, but shall also share a very cordial relationship with your colleagues. Even though the second half of the year may not be as good as you would have wanted it to be, you need to put it down to experience and accept that it is a part and parcel of your growing up as a professional. So be sincere and work hard even when you feel the chips are down. For more experienced professionals who may be on the lookout for a better job opportunity, hold your guns till April-May, once transiting Jupiter reaches closer to the last degrees of Cancer. If the new job involves relocation, try to avoid it as the year ahead is not conducive to it.

     

    Pisces Finance 2014

    On the financial front, the most important thing this year is going to be proper planning, because Ketu (South Node) is transiting through Aries that rules your House of finance. At times you may run short on resources, so you shall have to stick to spending only on the bare necessities of life. You may not be able to buy all the goodies you wanted to buy. Ganesha advises you to budget your financial resources judiciously, and avoid unplanned expenditure. Things are only likely to get worse in the second half of the year, and you could find yourself in a situation where you may have to borrow money, but make sure no one exploits your situation. Long-term bonds are good for investments, while joint assets and inheritances may pose problems.

     

  • Capricorn Annual Forecast 2014

    Year 2014 at a glance

    Being too preoccupied on the professional front may leave you with little or no time for your personal life this year, predicts Ganesha. There shall be a sense of disconnect with your family members and frequently you shall find that you are not on the same page as them. However, you may expect some remarkable changes on both fronts, even though you may not be able to balance both. You shall become very ambitious professionally, and shall be in a tearing rush to climb to the top. Ganesha advises you to go slow. Also, try to squeeze out some time for your near and dear ones. Joint assets and inheritances are issues that will need to be tackled. Pay more attention, also, to children and see how their academic performance improves. You may realise that you have distanced your friends too, including some of your best well-wishers, which is not such a happy state of affairs, so go out and try to make up for it.

     

    Capricorn Business 2014

    Ganesha foretells that your business fortunes are likely to fluctuate this year. Either your business will boom with North Node’s entry in Libra, or you may feel confounded by circumstances. But no matter how trying the situation may be, don’t worry too much and keep up the good work as by and large things will work out in your favour. At times you are bound to feel down in the dumps, but you will have to pull yourself together by sheer determination. If you are planning to enter new partnerships, carefully read the fine print so that you don’t get taken for a ride. This year Ganesha advises you to carry on business with your regular clients, instead of trying to build new ones, as they may not be altogether reliable. The period from the first week of March to the first week of July is a phase during which you should avoid taking any major decisions, as they may need to be altered later.

     

    Capricorn Career 2014

    Things may not be entirely match your likings this year, predicts Ganesha. You may feel frustrated that your labours are not fetching the deserved rewards. Besides, North Node’s transit through the 10th House from your Sign cautions you against getting into disagreements with your seniors. The second and third quarters particularly will really test your patience, and chances are you shall start looking out for better prospects, and may readily accept another job if one does come along your way. Even in your present job, be assertive enough so that your bosses may accede to your demands. However, don’t expect to get what was promised to you during appraisals. Ganesha advises you to put it down to experience and scoot when you get another job.

     

    Capricorn Finance 2014

    Expect an extremely fortunate year on the financial front as money may flow in from various sources. However, don’t expect it to come in flooding, rather it shall flow in smooth, slow and steady. This doesn’t mean you can let your guard down at work; no, you shall have to keep slogging hard. Your investments may fetch a decent price later in the year. Buying new shares and stocks is not likely to benefit you, so avoid it. Though as a rule you don’t spend too much on shopping, when you do go on a spree, you tend to go for the top-end stuff, branded and high-brow. By and large you shall not recklessly blow up your money this year, but you may not be able to avoid expenses related to entertaining friends or guests.