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  • Docs+ is a new weekly series on the channel which will showcase powerful documentaries on global issues

    NDTV Profit to spotlight social & environmental issues

    By A Correspondent

     

    NDTV Profit’s Docs + is back with a new documentary featuring ‘Earth Focus’. The documentary is produced by Raisa Scriabine and will aim to put a human face on pressing environmental issues in South Asia.

     

    Speaking on why there is a need to have such shows, the spokesperson for the channel said: “It is important to raise awareness on vital subjects that focus on key social or environmental issues in India, like child marriage, farmer suicides, water privatization, sustainable agriculture, female foeticide and trafficking of women.”

     

    ‘Earth Focus’ will investigate the relationship between human consumption and sustainable production methods in various regions of India, including Ladakh and the Sunderbans in Bangladesh. With soaring food prices, a growing population and changing climate, modern food production has to be commercially viable and involve sound environmental practices.

     

    Docs+ is a new weekly series on the channel which will showcase powerful documentaries on global issues. The channel is expecting a good response from viewers as it feels that such issues are in the limelight now and people are ready to learn about them.

     

    The show will go on air on August 11 at 10pm and will be repeated at 5pm on Sundays.

     

  • National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was set up in March, 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005

    Protect identity of children, MIB tells broadcasters

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has issued a directive to all TV channels regarding protection of identity of children in need of care and protection and juveniles in conflict with law.

     

    National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was set up in March, 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, with the mandate to ensure that all laws, policies, programmes, and administrative mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Any person contravening these provisions is “liable to penalties, as prescribed under the provisions of Section 21 (2) of the said Act”.

     

    The Commission has recommended that necessary directives/set of protocols be issued to the entire print and electronic media to refrain from publishing the names, pictures, home address, school address and other parameters of their identity of such children who need to be reported upon by media on account of certain circumstances. As such disclosures only tend to affect the social and mental health of children in their crucial stage of development.

     

    All news & current affairs TV channels are required to abide by the provisions of the Cable Television Networks Rules 1994 and Rule 6(1)(l) which state that no programme should be carried in the cable service which denigrates children. The channels are already required to carry the programmes involving children with due care, maturity and sensitivity.

     

    Any violation may entail stringent action as per the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, and the terms and conditions of uplinking and downlinking guidelines.

     

  • BMB India is the advertising unit of Madison World, a diversified communication group

    BMB wins 2 Hamilton brands – Treo And Milton

    By A Correspondent

     

    BMB India, a 50:50 JV between Trevor Beattie’s BMB and Madison World has won the Hamilton account. Prabha Prabhu, CEO, BMB India said: “We pitched for one, but won 2 brands of Hamilton Houseware P Ltd – Milton and Treo. In June, when I had the creative team in place with Raj Nair as the creative head, I decided to contact our old client Hamilton. We made a Strategy and Creative presentation for the brand Treo Glassware. Work for the 2 brands will start immediately since both the brands become very active during the festive season. I am glad to be associated with Milton once again.” Both Milton and Treo are the flagship brands of Hamilton Houseware Pvt Ltd.

     

    This win comes hot on the heels of the recent account win of Leapfrog Holidays. BMB India is the advertising unit of Madison World, a diversified communication group with 22 units across 9 specialized functions of Advertising, Media, PR, Out-of-Home, Rural, Retail, Entertainment, Mobile, Events and Sports; employing over 900 communication professionals across cities in India, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

     

     

  • bindass®, India's leading youth brand, is all set to introduce the 9th season of Beg Borrow Steal

    Bindass to unveil Season 9 of Beg Borrow Steal

    By A Correspondent

     

    Finding your way through an unknown destination is difficult, but if you are in a foreign country and the language is alien, it gets even tougher? Ever wondered, what would it be like to be stranded in an unknown international land, with no clue on the language and with absolutely no money in your pockets! Sounds’ terrifying isn’t it?

     

    And yet, Aaliyah, is all set to do precisely the same thing in the brand new season of Beg Borrow Steal – The Thai Way!

     

    bindass(R), India’s leading youth brand, is all set to introduce the 9th season of Beg Borrow Steal which witness Aaliyah dodging through the floating market, Chinese Temple and Thai villages.

     

    As the shows goes international for the first time, Nikhil Gandhi, Executive Director, Youth Channels – Media networks Disney UTV said: “BBS has been an absolute hit with the audiences, which is what has prompted us to come back with the 9th season. Our aim is to always offer our viewers with something new so that we keep evolving the seasons and this time we are back with yet another twist.”

     

    Commenting on the new season of Beg Borrow Steal, Aaliyah said: “What’s interesting about Beg Borrow Steal is that every season this show comes up with new challenges and new destinations. With an international destination, I am expecting the journey to be far more difficult and challenging.”

     

  • The Nirvana Digital YouTube Content Creators Network eyes a market share of the 800 million unique user visits to YouTube each month

    Now, a YouTube ‘Content Creators Network’ for India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nirvana Digital, a leading creator and distributor of audio and video content across Internet and mobile platforms, has launched a “YouTube Content Creators Network” that will start the creation of original content as well as the distribution of produced video content from the Indian market across YouTube channels.

     

    Through this network, Nirvana Digital aims to capitalise on the exploding power of YouTube, which at current estimations is around 800 million monthly unique user visits across the globe, and a staggering 30 million inIndiaitself.

     

    Nirvana Digital’s new YouTube Content Creators Network provides an opportunity ranging from individuals to large organisations. The network will enable them to upload content for immediate distribution, monetization and direction of traffic.

     

    The potential for “talent” to tap into YouTube inIndiais immense as YouTube is emerging as the first global TV station. It has committed $100 million to 96 new video channels and has recruited topHollywoodtalent to produce content.

     

    Nirvana Digital specialises in the distribution of movies, music videos, documentaries, web shows, news, gossip, and has already established itself as the distributor of top quality Bollywood and mainstream content.

     

    In the words of Pinakin Thakkar, Founder, Nirvana Digital: “The digital platform is large enough globally for video creators to still have their fame and recognition, and we are here to help creators and content owners push content to a global audience while earning immediate revenue from their videos.”

     

    He added: “YouTube, which delivers one out of every three online videos viewed (according to ComScore), has become an increasingly important distribution channel for content creators, established media companies and advertisers. As the demand for quality digital content grows across the world, Nirvana Digital is keen to create brands out of video creators inIndia, monetize them anddrive traffic to them from its existing networkof millions of views.”

     

    Nirvana Digital will also help independent video producers capitalise on the YouTube revolution to create content which receives direct feedback from audiences across the world. The model brings together different individuals, gives them support and infrastructure to collaborate and build audiences around their content across various distribution channels. Towards this end, Nirvana Digital provides their own specialized web video studio at Peddar road in South Mumbai with green screens, high end cameras (Canon 5D MKII) and lighting facilities. They also have a dedicated team who to help with the technical aspect of encoding, uploading and promoting videos, as well as animators for videos that may benefit with CGI.

     

  • And the best news is that star athletes like Mary, Saina, Vijay and others will inspire a whole lot of young Indians to take up athletics very seriously

    Anil Thakraney: Indian media wins Gold @ Olympics 2012

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I am forever taking potshots at our media on all sorts of issues. Most of the criticism is well deserved, of course! 🙂 But there comes a time when one needs to applaud them for good work done. Must say I am extremely happy with the glorious coverage of the London Olympics. And it’s been an outstanding show across the media, in particular on the news channels and in the daily press. This is important for the nation’s sporting future, because the excessive attention to cricket leaves the rest of the sportsmen and women languishing on the sidelines. Thanks to all the excitement in the media, this is no longer the case. Mary Kom, relatively unknown till yesterday, is a household name today, she’s on the lips of every bachcha bachcha.

     

    The argument usually put forth is that the reason our media pays so much attention to one game is because India is a cricket crazy country. And the media is supposed to cater to the tastes of the masses. This theory has been blown to smithereens by the Olympics. We Indians happily consumed all the coverage, we passionately backed the contestants, so it’s clear that the media can take the lead on issues and influence viewer behaviour. And I must add here that I don’t recall this kind of hectic coverage during the Beijing Olympics, so it is refreshing to see things have changed.

     

    And the best news is that star athletes like Mary, Saina, Vijay and others will inspire a whole lot of young Indians to take up athletics very seriously. This will lead to a better score-card for India in the future tournaments. And the media hype will put pressure on the various state governments to honour and support athletes from their respective regions. It’s high time this happened.

     

    Yes, the London Olympics has been Indian media’s shining hour. A pat on the back to all the editors, reporters and studio heads. And I sincerely hope I get a chance to write more such happy posts in the future. Even I get tired of cribbing constantly, haha.

     

    ***

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjTLhW0c5cM[/youtube]

    PS: Louis Vuitton pays a rich, touching tribute to the great Muhammad Ali. This is the fash brand’s first ever campaign. The ad recites a lilting speech made by the legendary boxer inside the ring. Superb script, concept and direction.

     

     

     

     

  • Presenting the fourth edition of MxM Buzzer where the focus is on news channels.

    Buzzer # 4 | Quiz on News Channels

    We are back with the fourth edition of MxMIndia’s media quiz that happens every Friday. Our quizmaster is Sorbojeet Chatterjee, Vice President – Marketing at Neo Sports. To enter this quiz, simply email the answers with your personal details (Name, email id and telephone number) and a five-word descriptor for Cannes Lions at editor@mxmindia.com with Buzzer#4 in the subject. Standard contest rules apply (see box below).

    There will be 3 prizes for Buzzer #4. First Prize: Rs 1001, and 2 Second Prizes of Rs 250.

    If there’s a tie, the best descriptor for Cannes Lions will get the prize (note: tie-breaker question will change every week).
    Last date for sending entries: Thursday, August 16.

     Suhel Seth, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Vir Sanghvi and Jeetendra were shareholders in this news channel for a brief period. Which channel?
     On which news channel would you find the popular weekend programmes – Total Recall and The Foodie?
     A chartered accountant by profession, he is also the brother-in-law of CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat. Identify the icon?

     This gentleman is a former Director General of Doordarshan. Identify his famous daughter?
     BAG films is owned by Anurradha Prasad and Rajiv Shukla and they operate the news channel News 24. What does the acronym BAG stand for?
     Which news channel was launched with the tagline ‘Sharp News for Sharp People’?
     The launch episode of Satyamev Jayate on female foeticide featured 2 journalists narrating their experience of doing a sting operation on doctors in Jaipur. Which news channel had done this sting operation?
     With which newspaper did NDTV tie up to launch an English language local news channel?
     Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, recently joined a news network as a correspondent. Which network?

     Identify the news reporter interviewing General Cariappa on Doordarshan? Today she is interviewed on a daily basis on English news channels?

    Winner of Buzzer # 3 is Ms Ritika Misra  (Tel No xxxxx 57×63) who works with DDB Mudra Max. Ms Misra wins a Prize of Rs 1001 (yes, for the second consective week!). The second prize winner is Ms Natasha Dhingra of Aidem (xxxxx 96×29) who wins the Second Prize of Rs 501. Congratulations, Ms Misra and Ms Dhingra. Please await our mail, send us your coordinates and we will wire/ courier/ deposit the prize… asap!

     

    Answers to Buzzer # 3

    1. Facebook, 2. Orkut, 3. The Accidental Billionaires, 4. CNN, 5. Zynga (Named after Mark Pincus’ pet bulldog Zinga), 6. Tumblr, 7. First video uploaded on YouTube, 8. Facebook Revolution, 9. Shorty Awards, 10. Twitter
    1. The families and employees of MxMIndia Private Limited and its associates are not eligible to win prizes.
    2. You can send as many entries as you would like. There is no entry fee.
    3. In case of more than one all-correct entry, the Tie-Breaker will be the decider.
    4. The decision of the Quizmaster and/or the MxMIndia editor will be final.
    5. If the winner is not reachable by phone/email, the next best entry will be awarded the prize.
    6. By sending your entry, it is assumed that you are in agreement with the rules.
    7. Last Date for sending entries for Buzzer # 4 is August 16, 2012.
  • Aegis Group plc ("Aegis") announced that it has acquired Communicate 2, a performance marketing and search agency inIndia. MxM spoke to Ashish Bhasin, Chairman India & CEO South East Asia, Aegis Media on his views…

    ‘By 2015, we want to be the top 3 player in every single sphere we operate in’

    What led you to shortlist Communicate2 as the partner of choice?

    Communicate2 is one of the largest and oldest firms in the area of search & performance marketing in India. Vivek Bhargava, as you’d know, is considered to be the guru of search inIndia. He is also one of the guys to be Google-certified and has been in this business since 1997 – a time when the internet and search was in its absolute infancy. In our view, nobody else managed the quality and scale of the business that he has built up, and therefore he was a preferred partner of choice.

     

    The other important reason for choosing Communicate2 was chemistry – Aegis Media has a certain vision and value outlook which is very close to our heart and Communicate2 seemed to have gelled very well with those attributes. There was a lot of comfort on both sides. So these were some of the key reasons for us to choose Communicate2.

     

    Will you be laying enhanced emphasis on Search with the current acquisition…

    The focus is on search because it is one of the fastest growing parts of our business. Clearly, Communiacte2 is the biggest player in the space and now with iProspect and Communicate2 together, we are straight away the number one player of search in India. So that’s how it is placed as of now.

     

    How long has it been since you have been pursuing Communicate2? Did you scan the market for other potential candidates?

    We were working with them about 4-5 years ago, but nothing more came out of that deal. This recent move has been in the works for a few months. Also, we did scan the market as anybody else would and we did have a few names that we shortlisted and we narrowed down to Communicate2.

     

    The deal seems heavy on the investments front. Would you share with us the monetary plans you engaged in towards snapping the agency?

    An agency that is the oldest and has a workforce of more than 130 people is not going to sell out cheap. I cannot disclose the amounts behind the deal, but I can say that it has been fairly priced.

     

    The market has been abuzz with news of big communication houses buying out specialist digital agencies in the recent past. What would you infer of this trend that everybody is taking a liking to?

    I cannot comment about others, but there is a clear strategy that Aegis Media believes in and that is by 2015, we want to be the top three player in every single sphere that we operate in – be it out-of-home, search or digital. As part of our strategy to be in the top 3, the best way of getting there was by partnering with Communicate2 because their expertise, their client base and their search professionals coupled with the iProspect tools and knowledge would be an unbeatable combination.

     

    In an acquisition it is very important that you have to see how the acquisition fits with the plans of your company. So the task of integration becomes key, which is why the quality and type of people and the chemistry become important. So companies that are blindly going out and buying companies will fall flat on their face, but those who are able to acquire and integrate companies and have a great bond with the partners will be successful in the long run.

     

    Globally, digital contributes more than 35 per cent for Aegis Media. What is it that you anticipate from the Indian market post the acquisition of Communicate2?

    We are looking at being the clear No 1. Globally, iProspect is the world’s largest search network, and in India we now become No 1 with this venture. But we want to be No 1 by a long distance. We want to be double the size of the No 2 guy in a few years.

     

    What are the immediate changes that will be seen on ground?

    There is a new office that we are in the process of doing up in Mumbai; their staff will be moving into that new place soon. Likewise the Delhi team too would be amalgamated in our office. With this the entire Aegis Media clients will have benefits from Communicate2 and vice-versa.

     

    As for people, Vivek will be the MD of the new venture. He already has a management team. Of course, as growth happens we will keep recruiting more people. All other aspects remain the same.

     

    The announcement comes just weeks after Dentsu acquired a stake in Aegis Media. Has this deal been inspired from that takeover…

    These things do not happen overnight; it has been ongoing much before that. The two are not related.

     

    Future plans from Aegis Media…

    As I said, we will be the top 3 player in every space that we operate in. In some instances we will do that organically, in others we will do that inorganically – provided we get a good partner. We are not on the lookout as of now but if any new opportunity does come up we will not be turning a blind eye to that.

     

  • Communicate 2, a performance marketing and search agency inIndia, has been acquired by Aegis Group plc ("Aegis"). MxM spoke to Vivek Bhargava, Managing Director Communicate 2 about the acquistion…

    ‘It was a meeting of the best minds of the world’

    The buzz was that you were being hounded by most big communication players in the market for a takeover and now you’ve finally given in to Aegis Media. How would you describe the takeover journey?

    We had the opportunity to talk to every single large player and we found that the way the market is growing, there is going to be a lot of technology components required in it and iProspect globally has the best technology in the world. Also, we are a very dominant agency as far as search and performance marketing is concerned inIndiawhile iProspect was the world’s largest search company, so it was a meeting of the best minds of the world. The digital market inIndiahas matured to the level where clients are looking for the best in the world and we felt that with the expertise that iProspect had to offer, it was a perfect solution to offer to our partners. And we endeavour to take decisions for our partners as much as it helps us.

     

    What is your view on big communication players showing sudden interest in digital in India?

    Digital marketing inIndiahas now arrived. More promoters and senior management people now believe that digital is a very critical part of their marketing endeavour. So they are spending a lot of time around the medium. About 3-4 years ago we were talking about digital being the future and today digital is now considered as present. Earlier digital used to attract a small budget from marketers, but now they position it as their first priority and question whether they need conventional media or not.Mobilehas given digital three times the reach of television. So I believe digital is going to be the dominant medium in the future.

     

    What is the value that you’d be leveraging from this partnership?

    Globally if you see, there are clients like GM, Nokia, Philips and others who have operations in 60-70 countries and they are aligned with Aegis Media. I see tremendous opportunities there. As for us, we are a 140-people agency which makes us the largest digital agency in the country. So with the clients we have and with the kind of team we have in the enterprise sector, I see it as a perfect marriage of the two. I see tremendous value in the venture.

     

    How have clients responded to this move of yours?

    I had spoken to clients even before this venture and they seemed pretty positive about it. Also there is no change as such in the team and talent, so there was a comfort level there. Generally they are happy with the merger.

     

    Do you see the gap between digital and advertising being bridged?

    If you ask me the demarcation between digital and conventional media will probably go away. This is going to be an advertising agency and digital is going to be an integral part of the advertising medium, probably the largest. Demarcation is something that we have created for ourselves but it is about giving out advertising solutions.

     

  • The winner of the ads I don't understand category came in this morning papers (and not on television oddly enough) with Blackberry saying an asterisk had something to do with action

    Ranjona Banerji: When ads hit a miss

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    This time I think Airtel has hit a miss: the “what’s mine is yours or what’s yours is mine or what’s mine is mine song” makes you reach for the mute button on your remote. I suppose all good things have to come to an end and Airtel did pretty well with its earlier songs about friendship and sharing. It is testament to good advertising that while I do not actually remember the songs, I do remember them as being listenable.

     

    The grouchy old man as in Ranbir Kapoor for Tata Docomo has outrun its usefulness and is starting to grate. Sooner rather than later, their own customers are going to start thinking about how they’ve kept waiting on the phone, how the service slows down at the wrong time usually and the difficulty of trying to get a human on the line when you have a complaint…

     

    Most people are now feeling the same way about Anushka Sharma, especially her of the Reliance 3G ad. Most feel that she’s too nasty. I feel the worst she can be accused of is grossly exaggerating Reliance’s service. I know it’s a script but perhaps Reliance (or its ad agency) might remember that people are not quite that stupid all the time. Speaking of which, why doesn’t that boyfriend just switch to the same service and end her smart-aleckyness? Maybe he likes her just the way she is? He seems to be a tolerant chap with a sense of humour. Or perhaps his service doesn’t have goons masquerading as bill collectors?

     

    Car buyers although must be quite silly because the “caaaaaaaaar” ad is back. Nissan Sunny is it? I have only one question: whhhhhhyyyyyy? But then I remember the brand so maybe the brand has won but then if I ever buy a car it won’t be this one for sure because I don’t want to sound like a prime twit as I say, “Driver, caaaaaaaaaar le ke aana” to a lift full of strangers. At the very least, I would know the name of my own driver.

     

    If I had to buy a car, it would be a Renault Fluence not because I like it or I know anything about cars but just so I could shut up my show-offy upstart host with his horrible American accent and his skin-crawl-worthy bragging about his things.

     

    The winner of the ads I don’t understand category came in this morning papers (and not on television oddly enough) with Blackberry saying an asterisk had something to do with action. I’m not a Blackberry boy (or girl) and I have some other idea about the usefulness of asterisks, so I was at a complete loss. The ad ran over two pages but more space does not always aid comprehension.

     

    Finally, I now firmly believe that the most irritating song of all is the inspirational one from Hero MotoCorp. All this hysterical urging of India to go has led to all the Indians coming back empty-handed from the Olympics. Trying to make money and tempting fate at the same time? All that you get is bad Karma!

     

  • MxMIndia spoke to Manish Paul, the anchor of Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, to find out what makes one the most sought after host…

    I’ll never give up anchoring: Manish Paul

    A show without a good host is Nothing. And that’s why anchoring has become such an important part of not only events, but shows on television too. The boom of reality shows on television has given birth to a new breed of hosts – spontaneous and as much a part of the show as the contestants and judges.

     

    MxMIndia’s Meghna Sharma spoke to Manish Paul, the anchor of Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, to find out what makes one the most sought after host…

     

    From RJ to VJ, actor to anchoring shows, you have done it all. How has been the journey so far?

    The journey has been just brilliant…and hosting shows has taken my career to another level. I’m glad that I got an opportunity to be associated with some of the biggest shows and events.

     

    How are the two worlds of radio and television different?

    The only difference between the two for me has been the fact that for a radio show, I don’t have to worry about my looks. No one will care if I host the show in my shorts, whereas when one is on TV, one has to worry about how presentable they are. Here, looks matter too.

     

    You have also acted in serials and now are hosting shows. If you had to choose between the two, which one will you opt for? Why?

    It’s very difficult to choose between the two. Right now, I’m opting to stay away from acting – even though I’m getting offers – because the character or role I have to play doesn’t match my sensibilities. For an actor it is very important that he/she truly believes in the role they have to portray. And until and unless, that happens, I’m happy doing what I’m doing right now.

     

    You have anchored DID and now hosting Jhalak, how has been the experience? How are the two different?

    Jhalak has been outstanding for me, now I get smses and mails from my fans about the show. Some even tell me which lines or jokes of mine entertained them the most. As for difference between DID and Jhalak; though both are dance shows, the difference comes from the celebrities. If you take DID, apart from the three judges and one grandmaster, the contestants are all common people, whereas in Jhalak, even the contestants are celebrities. So, as a host I have to keep that in mind and work according to that. One cannot make a mistake of offending anyone.

     

    Will you be hosting India’s Got Talent?

    Yes. Cyrus Sahukar and I will be hosting the show. The shooting has already started and it would be an understatement to call my life ‘hectic’ right now. With the amount of flying to and fro for the shootings of Jhalak and IGT, I have gone almost deaf (laughs).

     

    So, how do you balance work and your personal life?

    There is no doubt about the fact that television industry has become very competitive over the past few years and hence life has become difficult. One has to not only juggle between family and work, but at times, between various projects they have taken up. I make sure that in all this, I don’t compromise on my family.

     

    What are the most memorable moments of your career?

    I started my career 10 years ago and have done a lot so far. However, the most memorable moment would be the night where I was awarded the ‘Best Anchor’ award. And the funny part is that I was also hosting that show, so I read out my nomination with the others before being handed over the trophy!

     

    According to you, what qualities should a good host possess?

    A good anchor should be a well-read one. He/she should know what’s happening around too. Also, one needs to read the script well. Many a times, anchors don’t read their scripts, which I don’t think is a correct way to go about their work. And, of course, one needs to be spontaneous as well as witty. However, one also needs to be careful and know where to draw a line. It’s not our job to offend anyone. Humour too has its limits.

     

    Every TV actor harbors the ambition of becoming a film star. Will you ever give up small screen to concentrate on films?

    I am doing a film called Oye Mickey. And if interesting offers come which meet my sensibilities, then of course, I will be inclined towards the big screen. However, I will never give up anchoring. It is what I love doing…I love talking, so it is one profession which suits me the best!

     

    What’s next on you agenda?

    Right now its Jhalak, IGT and Oye Mickey….life is good, so far.

     

  • Ms Soni said that she always had issues with the number of boxes put up by TAM, as it (such a small number) was not enough to gauge the mood of a diverse nation like India

    Government concerned about TAM data: Ambika Soni

    By Vijaya Rathore

     

    The government has been concerned about the discrepancies in TAM Media Research’s TV viewership data for a while now, and has even questioned their methodology and transparency, Union information & broadcasting minister Ambika Soni said on Wednesday.

     

    In an exclusive interview to ET, Ms Soni said that she always had issues with the number of boxes put up by TAM, as it (such a small number) was not enough to gauge the mood of a diverse nation like India.  “I have asked questions about the methodology of TAM. I knew that they were not being transparent. When it came to the number of boxes, rural areas were not covered. Very populated states such as UP and Bihar were not covered.

     

    So, I felt that 7,000 boxes could hardly be indicative. How can you put boxes as conveniently as you want to and not cover more than half of the country?” the minister asked.

     

    Following NDTV’s lawsuit against Nielsen and Kantar Media – the co-owners of TAM Media Research – the I&B ministry has decided to support Prasar Bharati, the state broadcaster and the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), the government’s media buying arm, to take legal action against TAM. Ms Soni said that the ministry is also open to support the broadcasters “provided they lodge a formal complaint with the government against TAM.”

     

    NDTV has filed a lawsuit against the companies in a New York court alleging TAM fudged TV viewership data to favour a few broadcasters for a bribe. Both NDTV and TAM have refused to comment on the issue.

     

    Concerned by the developments, broadcasters and advertisers are now asking TAM to stop publishing its data, and have been meeting the government on the issue.

     

    “Today everybody is talking about TAM… why didn’t we talk about it all this while? The issue was raised by the ministry and me several times in the past. I am glad that this issue is now coming out in the open, as this clearly shows that there is need for competition,” Ms Soni said.

     

    According to the minister, lack of transparency in TAM’s system does not only concern broadcasters, advertisers and media agencies, but also Prasar Bharati that operates Doordarshan and All India Radio.

     

    “Prasar Bharati is collecting facts and the figures and finally even they decide to put up a lawyer. We will have to allocate resources for which permissions have to be taken. If Prasar Bharati and DAVP feel that they have to take a legal action (against TAM), they will do so in consultation with the I&B ministry and the law ministry,” she said. In 2011-12, DAVP’s advertising spend was Rs 618 crore.

     

    Ms Soni said that there is a need to have an alternative to TAM, which is why Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) is underway: “We have had several meetings with the Indian Broadcasting Federation on BARC. I have had four meetings (from 2010-12).”

     

    Asked if she thought a tighter regulatory mechanism needs to be evolved to check such discrepancies in future, the minister said, “There have been  suggestions for setting up regulatory bodies for content, and to censor realty shows, but the government is against any strong regulatory mechanism and we are for self-regulation.”

     

    Source: The Economic Times

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