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  • Pradyuman Maheshwari continues the second part of his 12 media biggies he's going to be tracking this year.

    Mediaah!: 12 media cos to watch out for in 2012 (Cont’d)

    By Pradyuman Maheshwari

     

    We looked at the first six in my list of media conglomerates to watch out for in 2012. Here’s the rest Here goes ((note all names in alphabetical order).:

     

    7. Network  18

    Network18 was an obvious choice given the amount of news it’s been making. As you read this, the deal with Eenadu would’ve possibly been announced. The Raghav Bahl-promoted media empire has taken rapid strides and established itself as the company with an eye on the big picture. Literally.

     

    8. Reliance ADAG

    The Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group has several interests in media and entertainment. From telecom to television channels, DTH, radio and gaming, it’s got interests in all sectors. A couple of channels are scheduled to be launched in the next month.

     

    9. Reliance Industries

    Elsewhere on the site, we’ve carried the news of Mukesh Ambani investing in Network 18. But RIL’s interest in the media is not what makes it to this list. It’s the 4G broadband connectivity that the group is set to unveil this year that could transform the way we access video content

     

    10. Star India

    The manner in which Star India has consolidated its position has made it near-invincible. Credit for most of this goes to CEO Uday Shankar and some of his predecessors. Pity that regulatory restrictions prevent the network to do much with news.

     

    11. Sun Network

    Any other media group would’ve been in a mess given all the controversies and pressures its promoters work with. But Kalanithi Maran’s Sun is above all it appears with the network being such a dominant player. And a profitable one too.

     

    12. Zee

    Last, but right in the forefront. It was an instant hit when it took off in 1992 and is one of the most influential players in Indian media even though its flagship GEC isn’t numero uno. Expect much action from the group as it celebrates its 20th year.

     

    Tailpiece:

    The Prime Minister released a stamp in honour of Dainik Jagran founder Puran Chandra Gupta. In the light of all that Press Council Chief Markandey Katju has said. But more on that tomorrow. Meanwhile, check the video at: http://in.jagran.yahoo.com/news/national/general/Stamp-issued-Purnachandra-Gupt_5_1_8711717.html?video=1

     

    Buzz me if you have a story to tell and gossip to share. Confidentiality assured. Andar ki baat will stay under. There are various ways you can reach me: pradyumanm[at]mxmindia.com, BBM @ 23050B5D, Whatsapp/Gtalk pradyumanm[at]gmail.com, @pmahesh, 98338 76278.

     

    Disclaimer: Although Pradyuman Maheshwari is CEO of MxMIndia other than being editor-in-chief, he chucks those hats while writing Mediaah! So, the views expressed here are entirely his own and not those of the website and the team that runs it (especially the National Sales Head!).

     

  • Ranjona Banerji reviews the content on news television and the morning papers

    2011 ends with a whimper

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    After all the drama of 2011, it ended with a bit of a whimper, news-wise. It was like a news hangover, where the first day of the year doesn’t quite live up to the excitement built up the day before. So after the fall of Hosni Mobarak, the death of Osama Bin Laden, the end of Muammar Ghadafi, the rise and dip in the fortunes of Anna Hazare, the suspended animation of the Lokpal Bill, the winning of the cricket World Cup, the Indian Test collapse in England, the 100th 100 that never happened, 2011 went away quietly. And 2012 just about crept it.

     

    TV channels took a well deserved weekend holiday. After all, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha arguments – oops, sorry, debates – over the Lokpal Bill kept everyone up through the night for several nights in the last week of the year. Our star anchors were saving and serving the nation long beyond their normal working hours as they assessed the situation for their viewers or repeated whatever their reporters said, whichever was applicable at the time.

     

    Weekend news TV therefore was a medley of old film songs and some the-year-that- was programming, which also included plenty of songs though not necessarily old. The news that the prime minister was greeted by black flags in Amritsar ran a full 24 hour news cycle. Monday morning’s newspapers just nodded at this information.

     

    **

     

    Weekend newspapers took us through the year with images and reminder and trends for the future but it was a bit lacklustre, a been-there-done-that nod to print traditions.
    By Monday morning, it was back to news as usual and the economy was back in business. Mumbai celebrated New Year’s Eve quietly and with better behaviour than before. A mob molested a girl in Gurgaon, says the Hindustan Times, and the police had to do a lathi-charge to get matters under control. There were also deaths in the national capital, unlike Mumbai which also saw a drop in drunk-driving cases.

     

    **

     

    Cricket is also back in the headlines as the second Test match in Australia is ready to get underway and hopes and dreams start rising again.

     

    **

     

    In a sense, the wishy-washy end to the Lokpal bill has sort of dampened enthusiasm. The movement itself petered out, Anna Hazare has been hospitalised and the future of the bill seems shaky. This has left a huge void which is yet to be filled.

     

    In 2012, will the media find a new cause or will it be back to the boring task of making do with the news as it happens?

    Hmmmmm.

  • Pradyuman Maheshwari lists (and comments on) the 12 media organisations worth watching out for this year

    The Anchor: 12 media conglomerates to watch out in 2012

    By Pradyuman Maheshwari

     

    It’s the season for lists and as one who enjoys making (and reading) them, I couldn’t help volunteer to write this one. There were other contenders too for the 12, but these came out top, and not without reason.

     

    Here goes (in alphabetical order):

    1. BCCL:

    If this were a brands’ list, Bennett, Coleman and Company Limited’s products would make for at least five in the Top 12. There are various reasons why I am going to watch BCCL very closely.

     

    1. The editorial stand taken by flagship Times of India and Times Now in the election season. It was after TOI’s belligerent stand that Suresh Kalmadi came under fire and later the Anna Hazare movement gained much legitimacy.

    2. How TOI publications takes on regional superpowers: in markets like Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad with The Hindu, Telegraph and Deccan Chronicle respectively (they haven’t been able to outwit them), their entry in Kerala and managing markets like Maharashtra where competition will get stiffer.

    3. Times Now: Times Now = Arnab Goswami. He can disrobe any political leader on his day and asks the tough question like few others, but it’s not that the channel is invincible in the ratings game as there have been weeks when we’ve seen it trailing.

    4. Paid Content. The Times of India model of paid content may be the most aboveboard, and it has indeed put a line under the mastheads of Bombay/Delhi/etc Times that each of them is an ‘Advertorial, Entertainment Promotional Feature’, but that’s not enough. An announcement to that effect must be made on and off on the first page of the main paper which carries a pointer to the supplement.

    5. The new leadership team: Their vision and ways have been much discussed outside the portals of the Times offices. (One of the many reasons why I am going to be attending ad-tech Delhi next month is to witness director Satyen Gajwani’s keynote).

     

     

    2. Dainik Bhaskar

    If there’s a newspaper group in the country that continues to surprise all with the rapid strides it is taking in publishing, it’s decidedly Dainik Bhaskar. From the time it started the Jaipur edition a decade and a half back, there’s been no looking back for Bhaskar. The group has been diversifying aggressively over the last few years, given that it achieves much strength from its publishing ventures, its face-off with rivals will be watched closely.

     

    3. Dainik Jagran

    Publishers of the largest daily newspaper, the Kanpur-based group has its eyes set on some big things. The acquisition of Mid-Day saw the expansion of Inquilab and a clumsily handled shutting of two English Mid-Day editions. But its war chest is intact and expect some big announcements of acquisitions from the stable this year.

     

    4. Government of India

    What’s the government doing in a companies to watch out for list. Well, that’s because one can’t really do without in almost everything a media company does. Last year, we saw the ministry of information and broadcasting flexing its muscles way too much. Regulation, wage structure, renewals of licences and, of course, stray to outlandish comments from the various powers that be. Note: the DAVP which routes all ads to papers could play a crucial role in an election year.

     

    5. HT Media

    It publishes two newspapers I enjoy reading – Mint and Hindustan Times, but there’s more reason for it to be featured here: the group has been growing steadily across its various markets, and especially Hindustan which has seen a phenenomenal rise in certified readership over the last two years.

     

    6. MSM

    Its three big GEC rivals – Star, Zee and Colors – won’t let it breathe easy, but 2012 could see a golden opportunity for the Multi Screen Media to outshine the big ‘uns. Some of Sony’s fictions are doing remarkably well, the Sab TV magic continues, it’s IPL time soon and other channels aren’t just bystanders. Could MSM be the numero uno by this time next year? It’s tough, but not impossible.

     

    There are six more in the list. But as they do on entertainment television, read about them in the second part tomorrow (as part of Mediaah! which I plan to write more regularly from now on).

     

    Buzz me if you have a story to tell and gossip to share. Confidentiality assured. Andar ki baat will stay under. There are various ways you can reach me: pradyumanm[at]mxmindia.com, BBM @ 23050B5D, Whatsapp/Gtalk pradyumanm[at]gmail.com, @pmahesh, 98338 76278.

     

    Disclaimer: Although Pradyuman Maheshwari is CEO of MxMIndia other than being editor-in-chief, he chucks those hats while writing Mediaah! So, the views expressed here are entirely his own and not those of the website and the team that runs it (especially the National Sales Head!).

     

  • Though the market is still small in size, it is beginning to open up and 2012 should see many advertisers and content players invest in the medium.

    M-commerce is the way to go in 2012

    By Rishi Vora

     

    The Q3 report for 2011, which was released in December 2011 by BuzzCity, a global company which serves advertisers and publishers of mobile internet sites, augurs high growth prospects for mobile commerce (m-commerce) , which grew by 30 percent from the second quarter in 2011, in India.

     

    According to the report, a major portion of the growth came from mobile content players, but there were a few financial services brands that also ran promotions.

     

    BuzzCity, headquartered in Singapore specialises in mobile internet advertising and India tops its priority list among emerging nations. BuzzCity has served more than three billion ads in India alone – it tops the list of ads served by a company in the Asia Pacific region.

     

    BuzzCity’s India operations were started four years ago when the Mumbai office was set up, at a time when mobile internet, as a medium, had just begun to gain momentum.

     

    K F Lai, co-founder and CEO, BuzzCity said, “India is one of the most important markets for us. It contributes a significant chunk of revenue to our global network. Though the market is still small in size, it is beginning to open up and 2012 should see many advertisers and content players invest in the medium.”

     

    The report also stated that while Indian market was heavily male-dominated as far as usage of mobile internet was concerned, the sheer size of the market still gave advertisers reach into a substantial demographic of over 14 million unique users.

     

    Sharing his view on the Indian market, Mr Lai said, “There are about 150 million mobile internet users in India, these numbers are bigger than internet numbers, thanks to the mobile penetration and the decreasing price-points of smart-phones, 3G services and so on. We will also see increase in the number of mobile internet users, with tablets becoming popular, it means better user experience, opportunity for brands and for publishers – it means serious business.”

     

    Mr Lai believes that 2012 will be a year where m-commerce will evolve in a big way. India has already seen unprecedented growth in e-commerce. The key for the industry, however, is to maintain high levels of trust among consumers and transparent dealings. If proper care is taken, it is a medium which can pay rich dividends to brands in India.

     

    The report also revealed that in 2011 Nokia was the most popular handset brand for internet access (64.81 percent), followed by Samsung (11.85 percent). The generic mobile phones, known as ‘white-box handsets’, cumulatively accounted for a marginally higher share than Samsung at 11.95 per cent.

  • Luna Biswas says that communication agencies need to make two elementary changes in their outlook towards the digital space… The current approach of engagement with social media is dangerously short-sighted.

    [PR Channel] The digital revolution: Opportunities for PR

    By Luna Biswas

     

    It would be incorrect to say that traditional media is losing its sheen from the perspective of news vis-a-vis the digital media. While the latter is gaining ground, it is imperative to understand how the internet can be effectively used to position communication from PR perspective. In today’s day and age, web provides the platform to create and publicise content without waiting for a newspaper to print the same. Every individual has the power to write/upload about anything, be it good, bad or ugly without being vetted.

     

    The problem that comes to the fore is the legitimacy. While online versions of newspapers and portals have the credibility factor, it is the individual who can – through blogs and social media – impact a brand, for that individual has a captive audience who trusts him more than they trust a news item. and this is where the difference between traditional and online media is for the PR community. a potent tool that has to be integrated and monitored for reaching out to the key target audience.

     

    Where, then, is the solution? For PR agencies it is impossible to overlook the digital world. Every available tool counts to create an effective public relations campaign. The paradigm shift, or at least partial shift, has to be from depending on social networking sites and moving towards creating online mastheads for clients. Social media or social networking sites have to be used as tools and not the end means to reach out to the target audience. The problem with social media is that it doesn’t engage customers with brands after a point in time but actually takes users from brands.

     

    Integrated communication agencies need to advise clients, and create for them a strong masthead by sourcing their audience from the social media spaces. Unless a digital campaign encompasses the “own” space for audience to engage with a company/brand, the campaign will not be successful. a platform has to be created where the audience can engage with the brands in terms of proactive interaction.

     

    Dell and apple are two great examples that have created platforms to communicate with customers and vice versa. What they have ensured is that the audience uses “that own” space to interact, vent their ire and communicate requirements. From a digital campaign perspective, it is something that needs to be deeply looked into. The mechanism used by these companies has resulted in keeping the audience on one platform, without them using another platform to complain or run down the brand.

     

    a successful online PR campaign has to be evolved keeping in mind how best the consumer can be attracted and kept within the precincts of the brand for which the communication has been devised.

     

    For this to take place, communication agencies need to make two elementary changes in their outlook towards the digital space. First, they need to recognise the need to build unique spaces because they are the mastheads of the digital world, not simply search tags or social media ‘like’. For each brand and company, the agency has to build different grand strategy of owning the constituents and making their masthead the most powerful gathering point for the brand.

     

    The planning of these spaces has to be unique for each brand, and based upon content power that drives conversations around the brand. Like advertising, which has learnt that the most effective way to build memorable brands is by creating cultural connects, the chore for integrated communication managers will be to create new spaces where the audience is offered the entire gamut of experience that he would experience from a newspaper. The current approach of engagement with social media is dangerously short-sighted because the brand is engaging in a conversation with the audience.

     

    Luna Biswas is Vice President, Member-Leadership Team, Hanmer MSL Communications Pvt. Limited. a part of the MSLGROUP

     

  • Times Group's Hindi daily Navbharat Times is launching its special NCR edition in order to further strengthen its position in Delhi-NCR. The pricing remains unchanged at Rs 2.50

    NBT launches NCR edition with hyper-local pullouts

    By Akash Raha

     

    Navbharat Times (NBT), the Hindi daily from Times Group, is launching its special NCR edition in order to further strengthen its position in Delhi-NCR. There will be no change in the pricing and it will remain Rs2.50 per day. Understanding the latent need and growing popularity of regional content amongst its readers, Navbharat Times decided to tailor its offering accordingly.

     

    Ranjeet Kate, Director Languages- Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd said, “Of late, media buying behaviour has seen a lot of change. Advertisers see language dailies as a medium providing valuable and sizable reach in key markets like NCR. While on the other hand, ‘readers’ of such fast-paced cosmopolitan cities see newspapers as a trustworthy guide. We can deliver value in such a scenario with a customized NCR edition for both our readers as well as the advertisers.”

     

    For most of the advertisers, NCR is an important territory. Advertisers who are advertising inDelhican takeDelhi+NCR package at a nominal add-on cost.

     

    The NCR edition will not only retain its special Delhi and national content but will also offer a complete coverage of the state-level news in UP and Haryana. This special NBT-NCR edition will be available in all the five suburbs (Ghaziabad,Faridabad, Gurgaon, Greater Noida and Noida).

     

    Readers in these areas will also get the hyper local city pullouts in their respective regions, along with the main issue. Regionalizing the main issue will make the product offering appear more promising and customized for its NCR readers.

     

    Aman Nayar, Brand Manager- Navbharat Times said, “Most advertisers who advertise in Delhi would also want NCR and giving the minimal add-on rate, NBT intends to add most of its NBT Delhi advertisers to the NCR edition. The sizable local advertising, of course, will be done separately.”

     

    NCR has always been a booming vibrant market. It has been witnessing huge growth in job opportunities, increased urban migration, increased housing projects and huge investments in the transport infrastructure.

     

    From the advertising point of view, tapping the NCR market has always been an area of interest for all advertisers, as they always look out for mediums which have deeper engagement levels with their audiences. NBT, which aims to be seen as a value provider for its readers as well as advertisers, intends to keep experimenting and expanding in newer and relevant territories.

     

  • On the first working day of the year, Anil Thakraney presents the 20 things he desires from the Indian media and adworld.

    Media & Adland Wishlist 2012

     

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Indian media, in general, has got a number of things right. It puts serious pressure on the ruling government and sometimes the judiciary, so that the right things happen, and they happen fast. This crusading spirit is important in a slow- moving, chaotic nation like ours, so kudos on that front.

     

    However, there are a number of things that are not so right with our media, especially the mass media, and here’s hoping we get to see some course correction in the coming years. Here’s my Top Ten wish list.

     

    1. Radiagate was a wakeup call for all journalists. When access to the rich and powerful gets too close, one needs to quickly draw a line and back off. Some didn’t, and are lucky to still have their jobs. The scandal brought immense disrepute to the profession, and credibility will be hard to restore completely. Here’s hoping in the future the Indian media remains free of any such nonsense. We can’t afford it.

     

    2. The Broadcast Editors’ Association put out a 10-point code of conduct for news channels on how they should cover the Bachchan baby birth. And the very private family event passed off very privately without the channels breathing down their necks. What one would like to see in the coming year is that this practice becomes standard operating procedure during private celeb moments, and there is no need for codes any more. This would also delight Shri Katju.

     

    3. While it did change to a certain extent as the year closed, most editors behaved like Anna Hazare’s cheerleaders all through the year 2011. This is not just unfair, it’s against the fundamental principles of journalism. Here’s looking forward to less bias and more balance in the year 2012.

     

    4. It’s very clear that our media houses have aligned themselves with various political parties, and their respective biases keep becoming apparent even to the layman. This must change for sure, starting from 2012. Media without objectivity is like Rakhi Sawant without silicone. No one wants that.

     

    5. No more paid news. Repeat after me children… no more paid news. Repeat after me children… no more paid news.

     

    6. Here’s hoping all those TV anchors who indulge in hysteria and drama are promptly transported to the Bigg Boss house in the coming year. And are not allowed to enter newsrooms again. The junta wants news and views. Not nautanki.

     

    7. No more front half-pagers in the coming year. Where advertisers demand that the front page be vertically slashed. A fatwa needs to be declared against proprietors who agree to this criminal practice.

     

    8. Would like to see some kickass innovations in the print media this year. Both, newspapers and magazines. The digital media threatens big-time, it’s like a wolf at the door, and our old-world editors continue to pretend nothing’s happening, as they dish out the same tired stuff. I am also hoping editors who refuse to re-invent are shown the door before 2012 closes.

     

    9. Really wish that in the year 2012 the maha excitable radio jocks shut the eff up and play the effing music. Even if all the radio stations play the same ten songs at the same time.

     

    10. All the girls in the TV newsrooms need to glam up. I noticed the nails are becoming brightly coloured these days, but I want to see more. I mean, if I am stuck with the likes of Abhishek Singhvi, Chandan Mitra and Mani Shankar Ayer discussing the same tosh night after night, I need some joy to come from somewhere.

     

    Ad World 2012

    The Indian ad world, though it gives many awards to itself, hasn’t really set the world on fire. Okay, so we do score the odd international award now and then, but clearly we have a long way to go. Aside from that, our ad guys will face many serious challenges in the coming years, and quite frankly, I am not sure the industry leaders are ready as yet. I still get a sense of complacency and self-satisfaction when I meet agency bigwigs.

     

    Here are ten changes I would like to see in 2012.

    1. Once and for all, ad agencies must set aside their rivalries and egos, and must come together to work out a fee structure. It’s obvious the agencies are underpaid by their clients, and this puts serious pressure on their resources. This is also a common complaint I hear from agency heads. Well, grumbling won’t solve the problem. Start the New Year with many beers, and figure a way out!

     

    2. I think hot shops are back with a bang in the ad world, and in the coming year they will put real pressure on the large networks. Aggie and Padhi are just one example, but I predict more people will quit large agencies and set up their own boutiques. Since their rates will be lower, many clients will be tempted to defect from the traditional agencies. And I think this is a good development as it will result in superior work overall.

     

    3. Experts in TV media continue to head ad agencies, and I am hoping at least a few agencies will smash this system and promote young creative chaps skilled in the new media. Because old-world creative directors generally don’t understand the digital space, and they need to make way for the young geeks. Sooner the better.

     

    4. Simultaneously, I wish in the year 2012, youngsters in the ad agencies get off the internet (and that includes Facebook) and spend some time in the villages and small towns. There is a dire need for agency staffers to be well rounded in their skills. This is not Singapore. This is India, and a whole lot of people are still looking to buy their first colour TV.

     

    5. I wish ad agencies would bring back the lost pride into their strategic planning function. The number one reason many suits quit the business to join the world of marketing is the lack of brand planning within ad agencies. Ad agencies have become creative sweatshops, and this leaves no work for managers but to be good executors. Starting 2012, I am hoping this changes, because it’s bleeding the ad world of its talent.

     

    6. Dear Creative Director, please, please, please do at least ONE nice press ad in the year 2012. I beg of you. People still read newspapers in this nation. Puleeeeaze!

     

    7. I know the media buying function is now completely divorced from advertising. And it is my belief that this has badly affected media innovations. I recall those days when the three of us – the account executive, the media planner and the creative director – would lunch together and crack ad ideas. I hope at least once in the year 2012, Balki, Lynn and their client servicing person share a drink and discuss brands.

     

    8. No fake ads in 2012. Repeat after me, children. No fake ads in 2012. Repeat after me, children. No fake ads in 2012. Repeat after me, children.

     

    9. No noisy TV commercials in 2012. People don’t buy from shriekers. Repeat after me, children. No noisy commercials in 2012. People don’t buy from shriekers. Repeat after me, children.

     

    10. I am hoping at least one brand will show all of us how to exploit viral magic on the internet in 2012. At least one brand will become the Kolaveri of 2012.

     

    Cheers!

     

    Anil Thakraney has worn various hats in advertising and as a journalist for around 25 years. He is editor-at-large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own.

    Visual: Rafiq

     

  • Behind every great commercial is super strategy. Every week, MxMIndia will bring you the brief and the strat as given by the client and whatever else that went into creating a winning ad. AdStrat is compiled by Shubhangi Mehta.

    Ad Strat: Vodafone ‘Zoozoos’

    Rajiv Rao NCD,Ogilvy&Mather

     

    Name of the Campaign/Ad: Vodafone ‘Zoozoos’

     

    The Brief: Talk about the various VAS (Value Added Services) that Vodafone has to offer in a way that’s clutter breaking and also keeping in mind the chaos of advertising on IPL, India’s most watched show on TV

     

    Research: Previous IPL experience showed us that the same people were watching the matches every day. Hence there was a high level of impatience when it came to watching the same communication over and over again. We took that learning on board and decided to treat even communication like content – something new to look forward every day.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te5kc5PFZFY[/youtube]

    Key issues: The ads were to be universally understood and enjoyed. Another challenge, because we were working with a large number of scripts, was to keep the freshness going. Third issue was purely operational – actually pulling off such a large number of films in one go was in itself a huge challenge.

     

    Media vehicles: While it was principally led by television, this was a truly 360 degree campaign involving digital, outdoor, retail, radio and experiential media.

     

    Market and client feedback: Two words: HUGE HIT. The campaign resulted in a spike in VAS uptake. On brand health measures, the campaign helped the brand overtake the market leader. It was awarded for creativity and effectiveness at the Abbys, AME, Spikes, Effies and the Vodafone global awards, amongst others. An exclusive line of zoozoo merchandise is a regular feature at Shoppers Stop outlets. The campaign was the most viewed viral in the world for a whole month. It helped the brand garner 2.5 million fans. The success of the Zoozoos is not in that India fell in love with them, but in that the love affair is still as fresh and going strong after 3 years.

     

  • Once a hit marketing tool, flash mob may lose its sheen due to frequent use

    Flash mobs may lose sheen if overdone

    By Neha Dewan

     

    There was nothing unusual about the busy weekend evening at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon, in the second week of December. Christmas was just round the corner, and the mall was thronged by scores of shoppers eyeing bargain deals.

     

    It changed at 6 pm when suddenly a large group of people gathered and broke into a dance that lasted a few minutes and ended with the signature Nokia tune. It was one of the flash mobs that the Finnish mobile phone maker organised simultaneously across six cities to mark the launch of its Lumia smartphone.

     

    It took most onlookers by surprise, but many shoppers have seen other such song and dance in recent times.

     

    Flash mob-when a group of people suddenly assemble in a public place to perform a dance or any other short entertainment act and then disperse quickly-is perhaps the hottest marketing buzz in the country, but analysts warn it will lose its sheen because marketers are overdoing it.

     

    Often used for the purpose of entertainment or to spread awareness about a social cause, flash mob has its modern day origin in 2003 when it was first held in a retail store in Manhattan, the US.

     

    However, in India the flash mob kicked off in big way last November when 23-year-old Shonan Kothari led a 200-people crowd to dance to the tunes of ‘Rang de Basanti’ at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station in Mumbai. The event was a grand success, getting several views on YouTube.

     

    Since then, there have been a string of flash mobs organised by brands, TV channels, NGOs across leading malls in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to promote shows, create awareness and generate buzz. And here lies the danger-killing the hen that lays golden eggs.

     

    Moreover, in some cases, brands end up advertising before the show, either through social media or through word-of-mouth, which dilutes their spontaneity.

     

    Too much, too soon? Maybe, that’s why brand experts sound a word of caution against using flash mob frequently.

     

    And this is what made Arjun Sharma from deciding against having a flash mob last year. “We thought it would be predictable to do it again in 2011,” says the director of Select Citywalk Mall in South Delhi, who organized a flash mob in 2010. However, Mr Sharma does plan to organise another one-most likely on Valentine’s Day in February.

     

    “It’s a fabulous way of community building as it leaves an image in the minds of the consumer.”

     

    Perhaps that explains the need of many brands to get associated with this ‘surprise’ quotient. Santosh Desai, CEO of Future Brands, calls it a classic case of ‘interactive advertising’. “There is much talk about creating experiences for the consumer. And this acts as the perfect medium to give them that.”

     

    Ashley Lobo’s Danceworx, which organised a flash mob on the Christmas weekend at DLF Promenade mall in the capital, now gets at least 4-5 queries a month for such shows. But Heemanshu Sharma, choreographer at Dancework, says flash mobs should be limited. “I think flash mobs can be far more productive if used less. Otherwise, they tend to become very predictable,” says Mr Sharma.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • We conclude our series of yearenders with a look at how good (and bad) 2011 has been for the newswallahs

    The Year in the News Media

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    This year started with a hangover – like all New Years should. But unlike the pleasant pain that goes with the knowledge of a party that may have meant over-indulgence but was fun just the same, the media started 2011 with one of those truly mammoth unpleasant hangovers.

     

    The outcome of the Radia tapes was, at best, a loss of reputation for a few well-known journalists but at worst, a loss of faith in the media as an institution. Public knowledge about the somewhat questionable dealings between journalists and publicist Niira Radia meant that the media could no longer hide in those famous ivory towers. Even more unfortunate was that the finger of suspicion was pointed at all journalists because of the transgressions of a few. It did not help matters that although Vir Sanghvi lost or surrendered his influential column Counterpoint in the Hindustan Times, Barkha Dutt did not just continue with NDTV, but went from strength to strength.

     

    So it was a somewhat cautious Indian media which initially tackled the phone-hacking scandal in the UK and the closure of the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World. Here was journalistic excess in order to get a story taken to a whole other degree – criminality. The tabloid press and the British public and celebrities have historically had an interesting and confrontational relationship. But the desire to delve into every aspect of the lives of the rich and famous – without the reverence shown in our part of the world – made for big sales and bigger profits. The readers loved the sleaze and watching the powerful cringe.

     

    But this scandal was something else. It was newspapers hiring investigators to pry into the private lives of ordinary citizens and using dubious methods like hacking into voicemail messages to gain information. One reporter lost his job for spying on British royals; but what was the punishment for breaking into the cell phone of a murdered teenager, deleting her messages and not only giving hope to her family that she was still alive but also materially distorting a police investigation into her disappearance?

     

    As it turned out, the reprisal was fierce and final: a newspaper which was over 150 years old was shut down and the British parliament had a public questioning of the owners and editor of News of the World – Rupert Murdoch and his son James and Rebekkah Brooks.

     

    The world’s media watched shocked as skeleton after skeleton popped out of the News of the World and NewsCorp cupboards. But surely there was no room for complacency here in India. After all, the problem was not just the Radia tapes; it was also the elephant in the room – paid news. Media houses – without or without the collusion of journalists – had been selling editorial space to political parties. The reader or viewer, of course, was left in the dark and assumed s/he was reading or watching real news stories.

     

    In the midst of all these depressing signs that some media introspection was required, we had all the uncomfortable revelations by Wikileaks, which turned international diplomacy on its head and exposed lies about the US role in the Iraq war and the black money held by European banks. The subsequent arrest of Wikileaks editor Julian Assange in the UK, on an old sexual assault charges filed in Sweden added to the drama. Was Assange really guilty as charged or was this an international conspiracy to get him extradited to Sweden and from there to the US to punish him for publishing secret cables and other information on the internet? The jury’s still out on that one.

     

    Wikileaks, though, emphasised once more how the internet was changing journalism and anyone who ignored it, did it at their own peril. Social media is playing the role of a catalyst in creating public opinion outside of the traditional media. The traditional media may not be destroyed but it will be damaged if it does not pay attention.

     

    Back in India, though, we still had a couple of dramas to play out. The new chairman of the Press Council of India, retired judge Markandey Katju, decided that he didn’t want to be head of a toothless body that was limited to the print media. He proceeded to write a series of articles attacking journalists, calling them frivolous, badly educated and shallow. He listed the sort of news that should be carried and slammed the choices made. He also said that the Press Council’s ambit had to be increased to include television.

     

    Katju may have been wrong and he may have been right in his opinions, but unfortunately for him, the Press Council remains toothless. And besides, instructing newspapers and TV channels on what aspects of news should and should not be carried impinges directly on the freedom of the press. No one spared Katju and so he quickly backtracked a little.

     

    Then, perhaps just to prove Katju right, media coverage of the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption agitation proceeded on just those shallow, one-sided and breathless lines that the former judge had bemoaned. This protest was covered as if it was the only one the country had ever seen. Numbers were inflated or exaggerated. Those who questioned aspects of the Jan Lokpal Bill were shouted down as enemies of the people. As is inevitable, the print media could not sustain its adoration of this movement and started asking uncomfortable questions. TV however continued with its happy path of supporting this “national movement” at all costs until, slowly, a bit of reason leaked into the emotion.

     

    The doubts had crept into TV studios after the standing committee submitted its version of the bill but the Anna Hazare movement remained adamant on its own stand. But it was really the indifference shown to the movement by the people of Mumbai which ended that love affair. Rather than focus their cameras on 4,000 people pretending they were 40,000, TV cameras panned empty grounds showing us how low the turnout was.

     

    In journalism, as in life, there are no absolute truths. But there are facts. In 2011, the facts have shown that the people are watching the media. And there’s hardly any place to run or hide. Like we’re forcing politicians and government servants to come clean on their dealings, a little bit of spring cleaning by the media would not be amiss in 2012.

     

     

  • We’ll be back in the new year…

    MxMIndia wishes you greetings in advance for the new year. Have a great time bringing in 2012.

     

    Party responsibly. Please, please don’t drink and drive. We’ll be back on Monday, Jan 2.

     

  • The 55th annual report 'Press in India' also reported that the total circulation of newspapers stood at 32,92,04,841; total number of registered newspapers stood at 82,237 and 4,853 new newspapers were registered during 2010-11

    Registered papers in India is 82,237, Hindi & Eng lead in no of print entities

    By A Correspondent

     

    The press registrar, T Jayaraj, Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), presented the 55th annual report ‘Press in India’ 2010-11 to Uday Kumar Varma, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B).

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Mr Varma said that the annual report was a compendium of interesting data containing status of print media in the country. He also suggested that based on the previous years’ trends, a comparative analysis of different newspapers in circulation, their growth over a period of time and further comparative statements could be presented through graphs in the next year’s annual report. This would add value to the report, thereby becoming an important reference point for key stakeholders in the industry.

     

    The Annual Report highlighted key trends for the Indian press in 2010-11. The analysis provided a broad overview about the general trend of the Indian press based on the number and claimed circulation of newspapers.

     

    The total number of registered newspapers stood at 82,237. The number of new newspapers registered during 2010-11 stood at 4853. The percentage of growth for registered publications over the previous year was 6.25 per cent.

     

    The RNI approved 13,229 titles for the year 2010. The largest number of newspapers and periodicals registered in any Indian language was in Hindi at 32,793. English had the second largest number of newspapers and periodicals which was 11,478. The total circulation of newspapers stood at 32,92,04,841 as against 30,88,16,563 copies in 2009-10. The number of annual statements received in RNI for the year 2010-11 was 14,508 against 13,134 in 2009-10 registering an increase of 10.46 per cent.

     

    As per data from the annual statements, the highest number of newspapers were published in Hindi (7,910), followed by English (1,406), Urdu (938), Gujarati (761), Telugu (603), Marathi (521), Bengali (472), Tamil (272), Oriya (245), Kannada (200) and Malayalam (192).

     

    In terms of circulation, Hindi newspapers continued to lead with 15,54,94,770 copies followed by English with 5,53,70,184 copies. Urdu press had a figure of 2,16,39,230 copies.

     

    The report is a statutory requirement under Section 19 G of the PRB Act, 1867. It is an analysis of the Indian Press which focuses mainly on circulation as claimed by the newspapers. It also carries different chapters viz ownership of newspapers, analysis of daily newspapers, language wise study of the press and analysis of registered newspapers. The source of information of the report is the annual statements submitted by the publishers of newspapers and periodicals in accordance with 19 D of the Act.