MxMIndia

Tag: Anand Chakravarthy

  • The 13-episode series, based on author Stephen King's best-selling novel of the same name, will launch simultaneously in several countries within the week, and premieres in India on June 28.

    Big launch for ‘Under The Dome’ by RBNL

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network’s English GEC Big CBS Love will participate in a global television event for the launch of its new show, Under The Dome. The 13-episode series, based on author Stephen King’s best-selling novel of the same name, will launch simultaneously in several countries within the week.

     

    Featuring names in entertainment like Mike Vogel, Rachelle Lefevre, Colin Ford and Brit Robertson, among others, the show has been produced by CBS Television Studios in association with popular Hollywood director Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television. ‘Under The Dome’ will premier in India on Big CBS Love starting June 28, 2013, every Friday at 10pm.

     

    A serialized drama packed with thrill and excitement, Under The Dome is the story of a small town that is suddenly and unexplainably sealed off from the rest of the world as an enormous transparent dome descends on it. In the tale that ensues, the town’s inhabitants face issues like surviving in the post-apocalyptic condition in the town while trying to understand what the dome is, how it got there and how long it will take to go away.

     

    Anand Chakravarthy

    Anand Chakravarthy, Business Head, Big CBS Network, said, “Under The Dome is undoubtedly the biggest global television event this year and we are excited to be airing the show on Big CBS Love concurrent to its US telecast. Based on the unputdownable book by Stephen King, Under The Dome on television has the makings of a blockbuster television show. There is already great anticipation for the show around the world and across social media platforms everwhere. Another world class television show from CBS that will give audiences in India an exclusive and amazing entertainment treat. ”

     

    Under The Dome is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Amblin Television. Steven Spielberg, Stephen King, Neal Baer, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider, Jack Bender and Brian K Vaughan, who wrote the television adaptation, will serve as executive producers.

     

  • Big CBS Love's latest series Summerland will see Preity Zinta promoting the coming-of-age drama series as part of the cross-marketing tie up with her upcoming film 'Ishkq in Paris'

    Preity Zinta to promote Summerland on Big CBS Love

    By A Correspondent

     

    Big CBS Love’s latest series Summerland will see Preity Zinta promoting the coming-of-age drama series as part of the cross-marketing tie up with her upcoming film ‘Ishkq in Paris’. The show begins on May 27, and Ms Zinta, who has often portrayed the role of a young urban woman grounded by strong family values, complements the show with an interesting and heart-warming promotion.

     

    Anand Chakravarthy

    Commenting on Big CBS Love’s latest international property and the tie-up with Ishkq in Paris, Anand Chakravarthy, Business Head, Big CBS Networks said, “There is increased awareness today amongst film marketers on the power of television and its reach and we are happy to be a chosen platform to promote the film Ishkq in Paris. Similarly, having Preity Zinta endorse the show works as a definitive advantage with viewers.”

     

    “Summerland is a heart-warming show about people learning to cope with living together when life-changing events start to mould their lives differently. It is something that could happen to any of us and in fact does happen… every new relationship sees new beginnings, new adjustments, new challenges. The beauty of life is how to overcome the small challenges and make life more meaningful in the given circumstances. It’s a story that any of us can identify with and am sure will make for excellent viewing,” said Preity Zinta.

     

    The story is about California-based fashion designer Ava Gregory (Lori Loughlin), who suddenly has to take care of her niece and nephews after their parents die in a car crash. Summerland will air Monday to Thursday at 10pm, beginning May 27, on Big CBS Love.

     

  • Soon after the launch of its Hindi feed, the Big CBS Prime revamp aims to enhance appeal to male audiences across HSM markets, with young and vibrant packaging retaining the international look

    Big CBS Prime undergoes packaging revamp

    By A Correspondent

     

    English entertainment network Big CBS has unveiled an all-new packaging and logo for its marquee channel, Big CBS Prime. Following the introduction of Hindi feed on the channel, the revamped packaging aims to augment its reach through increased sampling among the Hindi-speaking male audiences across not only the country’s eight metros, but also the additional 38 cities that have recently adapted to Phase II of digitization.

     

    Rochak Kohli

    Big CBS Prime’s new packaging uses bright colours like magenta, red and purple, communicating the channel’s premium and aspirational positioning. Keeping the channel’s core target audience of SEC ABC 15+ male audiences, the new music bed for Big CBS Prime was created by Global Indian Music Award winning composer for 2013’s most-awarded song ‘Paani Da’ from Vicky Donor and 92.7 Big FM’s National Creative Head, Rochak Kohli.

     

     

    Anand Chakravarthy

    Elaborating on the new packaging of Big CBS Prime, Anand Chakravarthy, Business Head, Big CBS Networks, said, “Phase II of digitization has altered the dynamics of television viewing across India. The changing habits have enabled audience evolution – creating an opportunity for us to expand our reach in HSMs. The new packaging allows us to reach out to a wider set of audiences while creating mass appeal and maintaining the cutting-edge quality and the premium international look and feel synonymous with Big CBS Prime. The new colour palette makes for a young and vibrant look which is more relatable to our younger male audiences while creating a more exciting advertisement platform for our clients.”

     

     

  • The Big CBS business head talks about the Hindi feed gambit and his plans for English entertainment

    Prime, Love and Talking Business with Anand Chakravarthy

     

    Concurrent and simulcast are a few things that are synonymous to the Big CBS network. The latest addition to the network is the Hindi feed of the BIG CBS Prime, the male-oriented channel in its bouquet. As part of the ‘Talking Business’ series, Anand Chakravarthy, business head of the BIG CBS network,  spoke to Pradyuman Maheshwari and Meghna Sharma on how his channels are faring after digitalisation and plans for the year ahead.

     

    It’s interesting to see you go Hindi with Prime… tell us more!

    The starting point is actually looking at this trend of what’s happening in entertainment. In Movies there’s UTV Action. Many regional channels have brought in international content dubbed in local languages. Hollywood blockbusters are doing very well in Punjabi or Telugu. Then we saw Tamil and Telugu movies making a foray into Hindi GECs. The ratings for both were excellent. All of this adds up to a very simple conclusion that one, there is an evolution in audience taste and ability to consume content. No longer does skin colour, context of the movie have to be relevant for people to watch it. The appetite of the Indian audience has changed. We saw it starting with the kid genre moving to infotainment and movies and now ascending into mainline GECs.

     

    So have you tweaked your content too?

    Prime was always the male channel and Love a channel skewed towards women. So in terms of genres if you look at urban men versus mass male audiences, preferences are still in the space of action, crime and some genres like comedy. In terms of tweaking, we have finetuned the prime FPCs to include some genres which we believe have a universal appeal. For example, we bought back Bellator. When we launched Prime in English, Bellator was part of launch package and it did very well for us. Over time, we removed it and we said let’s bring it back because as we go to larger set of audience shows like Bellator will work really well. But we continue to have great shows at primetime. We have got America’s Got Talent’s latest season followed by CSI and 48 Hours. So, the genre is still male-skewed but the content is new. We have got brand new shows from CBS; 48 Hours has been on for 17 years and has won 17 Emmy Awards. CSI is a great franchise, it has always been. It is the largest watched show in the world. And AGT, which unlike American Idol and X-Factor has a broader appeal because it is not necessarily singing.

     

    With BIG RTL Thrill, which targets male audiences in Hindi, now also available in metros like Mumbai and Delhi, do you see it as primary competition to Prime Hindi?

    Thrill is still limited to UP and we are slowly getting it on other platforms as well. The way we see is that today the male audiences are very under-served as a population. The genres that men watching are essentially news, sports and movies. Now movies transcend men and women, so if you look at content for males, it is very limited. There are actually no channels which are focused at the male. This is perhaps the beginning of a trend. Are we the only channels which are coming in? Not necessarily. So, even if we are entering the space where Thrill exists, the fact is that it is an under-served market and there is space for more.

     

    Are you also looking at other feeds like South Indian feeds?

    Our premise is to start off with Hindi which will cover HSM. The second phase of DAS with 38 cities is predominantly HSM. With digitization, operators want more channels. And we come in as a channel which is not only English but also has a Hindi feed. The digital set-top box allows you to change languages; that’s something which will open up the opportunity. If I have to go onto analogue, I won’t be able to offer a language option. I’ll have to take a call – Prime only in English or Prime only in Hindi. DAS allows me to do that.

     

    In terms of advertising, do you expect to attract different type of ads for Prime Hindi?

    No! About 30 percent of ads on English entertainment channels are in Hindi. So while we talk of audiences in English entertainment channels, it is broadly SEC A and B. So the audience in the metros are very familiar with Hindi. There are some genres and categories which only advertise in English but there are many which are talking in Hindi. For example, the latest Axis Bank or the Quickr commercial. They are on English GECs and are all in Hindi!

     

    Even for Prime Hindi, it is targeted at Sec ABC. It doesn’t go beyond this. The core audience will still be Sec A and B because it is not just pure visual. For instance, even if I’m watching CSI in Hindi, it requires involvement; it is not something ‘dekh sakte hai’. Because the content is not for instance say Terminator 3 where it’s just action so anybody can watch it and dialogues don’t matter much. So that’s what we are saying when we say Hindi feed versus pure play Hindi content which is like movies.

     

    Look at all the English movies worked in India; Die Hard 5 has already released in Hindi and the posters are in Hindi and in English. The fact is that audiences are evolving and people are willing to consume content but it is only at the SEC A and B level.

     

    December 26 was when the first ratings post-digitization were out. How has the story been for you in the last two months? We saw a spike in ratings initially but they went down. How are they now and what are the learnings?

    Well, we waited for five to six weeks post that, we have actually re-programmed our channels. In the first five to six weeks, two things happened: DAS and then the universe changed. So it took time for data to settle down and give us clear indications of what genres were working. And there have been some interesting changes. So if you look at last year and this year, we found that sitcoms have an equal amount of attraction among women. The data last year was clearly showing that it was male-skewed. Sitcoms didn’t have a large enough play amongst female audiences so that is why we had kept sitcoms out of Love initially. But when you see last data post-DAS, new genres have emerged which are more universal in appeal. We saw reality formats like American idol and X-Factor which were more female-skewed becoming more universal. So, the fact is that you have to be programmed on the basis of data you have. The data which one has will change as the universe changes, the amount of digital goes up. So, re-programming has just set in and I think over the next two-three weeks you’ll see the impact of that.

     

    Isn’t that a worry that data got skewed in one direction in the first few weeks and then got changed to another direction later. And now we have the LC 1 markets…

    LC 1 market doesn’t impact us but it certainly will impact all national channels. Unfortunately, the reality is that India is an evolving environment. TAM is far from perfect, everybody knows it, but in the absence of any other measurement, as a programming strategy, what do I do? If I do intrusive programming it won’t show up in ratings so I have to look at TAM data and I have to see what data is throwing up on the basis of what’s working and programme my channels accordingly. Today, honestly, broadcasters are not left with any choice and forced to build their programming strategy around ratings.

     

    Doesn’t customer loyalty get impacted when you change programming strategy and timings?

    Two of my biggest shows are Excused and SATC so we have retained them and not moved them at all. So it’s Excused at 11pm followed by SATC where Love is leading the genre. We have fine-tuned the earlier primetime. Pre-primetime is a big opportunity as per the new data. So, traditionally, primetime was 10pm to 12:30am, but between 7pm and 10pm and more importantly between 8-10pm there is also viewership that needs to be tapped into. Similarly, there are slots in the data which need to be tapped into. And that’s where we have kind-of rejigged programming in order to tap into emerging opportunities.

     

    Any new shows coming up?

    48 Hours is premiering for the first time in India and we have just launched it. AGT’s latest season has just gone live and the third one is the CSI Las Vegas which are all brand new. We will be bringing in two big shows now. One is Elementary which is the new Sherlock Homes launched in America in the Fall of 2012. We are going to launch it in March on Prime which will be followed by another new acquisition about which we’ll make an announcement soon. There are some very big shows which are being launched at the end of this year. One is a show called The Dome by Spielberg which you can catch online and which we are definitely going to get to India from the CBS table.

     

    You just mentioned online – so how much do you get affected when your audience prefers to watch shows online?

    We have just finished very extensive research in Nov-Dec which is both quantitative and qualitative, which threw out that there are various segments. One the segments in this bunch of people who watch more of content on their laptops than on TV. The only thing with this group is that they are very, very small in numbers. What will get them to TV is your ability to show content as quickly from the US as possible. So we believe that a great way to bring them in is to show some shows purely concurrent with the US. For example, American Idol is concurrent to US telecast; even Fox doesn’t upload the episode 48 hours after the telecast. It doesn’t justify to have a full-fledged strategy for them because it’s not going to get any returns, but we are doing things so that they do come in.

     

    Tell us about BIG CBS Love…

    On Love what we are doing is that though the content is female skewed, it is appealing to men as well. It will be the core eight metro-focused channel that we have in our portfolio, as Prime will become broader outside the eight metros and into HSM also. On Love, we have been able to build a very strong franchise with our shows like SATC and Excused. We have brought in comedy in primetime at 8-9, followed by the American Idol strip. So we have comedy followed by reality which has worked for us. We are launching the Next Top Model latest season next Monday. The drama slot is 10-11pm where we are going to launch a very big show called Beauty and the Beast (March 25). In March, we also bring in a new sitcom called The Game which is about WAGs.

     

    Currently Grey’s Anatomy is #1, so do you have a counter for that?

    Let’s face it, for a channel which has been around 14 years, it has made a great franchise in the market. So, whoever watches English GECs has grown up on Star World. Hence it does become an automatic choice to go to. And do we have a portfolio to counter them? Yes, we do. The challenge for us is to build a brand in the market. Star World used to dominate the 10-11pm slot which we have already eaten into. And they launched Homeland to outdo us which isn’t working for them. So we have a strategy which will help us to eat into their shares more.

     

    While  there is a legacy of such channels, the younger set of viewers aren’t as loyal to English entertainment channel as they are to Hindi GECs.

    The current channels in the market have been offering very ordinary fare for a very long time. The action has happened in this market in the last two years. Where have you seen content coming to India so quickly as the US until we launched? Now all the channels in the genre have upped the game, that’s why we have seen concurrent telecast on channels like Star, Zee, AXN etc. Everybody realizes that the audience doesn’t want older content any more, they want things which are new as they are available online. We will see an evolution happening.

     

    I think there is loyalty to shows. For instance, Friends used to be a great franchise at one point of time and there was great loyalty to that franchise. Same with Big Bang Theory, so when it moved from Zee to Star, Star did gain because people moved with the show. Even with a show like Excused, we have been able to build a franchise for it. Content on English GEC is episodic, thus you can watch one episode and come back after one week and still watch it. Hence, the viewing is also very different.

     

    So, Big CBS Prime is going to be your pan-India English GEC like Star World or Zee Cafe?

    Not really. Given the Hindi feed, Prime is going to give a footprint to the audience far more than what Star and Zee has. And Love will be purely eight metro channel whose audiences will grow from other markets as well.

     

    What about Spark?

    It is a music destination and it will continue to be so. But the focus is more on Prime and Love because every business has to decide what battle they want to fight? Where they want to focus your energy and investments on so that you can build a stronger brand. We have all the deals with big music labels and we continue to play latest music.

     

    Apart from these three channels, do we see any new additions to the bouquets?

    There is Spark Punjabi and that strategy is also being fine tuned. Will we launch a new channel? Not necessarily in the near future but we are considering new formats like HD which one would definitely look at in the near term because there is a growing opportunity because of digitization. But obviously it has to be viable business format because no subscriber is willing to pay money for HD. But it will change over time.

     

    With Prime when we see Hindi settling down, we’ll think of other languages for Prime and take it to even bigger market space.

     

    You have had some success with locally produced shows. Are you looking at doing more of that?

    Certainly. Our aim to do one every quarter because we believe that there are areas in the Indian market that are still very relevant to the audience. Bollywood, sports etc is still very big part of appetite of this audience. So we have created properties which are evolved and appeal to their sensitivity like India’s Sexiest Bachelor or India’s Prime Icon.

     

    Any star like Karan Johar?

    Even in the current line-up of shows like Indian’s Sexiest Bachelor season 2 we have Sarah Jane Dias hosting the show. But about bringing in better known names? At present nothing is planned but you cannot rule it out. It’s a great opportunity to get the brand into people’s minds. We are exploring something in that space but it’s too early to make an announcement.

     

    The marketing of English channels has been a mixed bag – some are majorly marketed, we are currently seeing billboards of Comedy Central’s Anger Management all over. Are you a believer in greater marketing spends?

    Where you spend your money is what matters. And what are you advertising for. Is outdoor the best medium to talk to your audience? May be, may be not. We believe we have to use media smartly to talk to our audience. One cannot go splattering all over the city like Hindi GECs. I don’t believe there is ROI there. We look at relevant touchpoints. Digital is a very big space; one has to be very active in the online and mobile space. A lot of our promotions happen online and digital. We look at where this audience lives and go to. We do things at Crossword regularly, with Landmark, with Barista, with brands like Vogue, Cosmopolitan and we also do cinema very regularly. We choose the right kind of cinema properties we want to be available at. Given the competition today, one has to market itself aggressively. Given parity and distribution, now it is product and content that is sold.

     

    The sentiment is the Big CBS is conservative in its approach in terms of promotions, properties etc. Is the perception correct?

    I couldn’t say conservative. If you look at our spends today, compared to competition our share of voice is very high. We continuously do stuff – we might not do print ads but we continuously do beta stuff. Because we believe that the audience we are talking to is not the traditional one. Maybe people are reacting to one or two campaigns which the competition has done. To be frank, Big CBS has pioneered a lot of stuff which others have copied. We were the first ones to do concurrent so frequently and we were the first one to do simulcast. We were the first one to do strong digital integration for brands and do interesting contest where we send people to watch semi-final or finals of X-Factor and American Idol. Now others are copying us and doing the same thing. We forced a lot of brands to change their strategy.

     

    You mentioned digitization becoming a big driver of the business. What do you anticipate in terms of revenue say in the next six months vis-a-vis advertising?

    There will be a significant contribution coming from there. So a lot of platforms we are talking to for subscription money coming in and they are not actually saying no. A lot of platforms which have had us for a long time are recognizing their own ability for ARPUS. For example, DTH because we have done a lot of co-branded promotions with them. Like giving them first promos of a show, promoting their offers on our channels etc. So now when we are talking to them for higher share of subscription, they are talking to us and not saying no which was probably the case two years back.

     

    Have you achieved your targets?

    Not fully, but we are getting there. We have made a fair amount of progress from where we started. I think digitization has been a boost for us. We have seen a 15-25 percent growth in ERS already which was a struggle in the non-digitized days. Now every month we are able to up for rates and go closer to our targets.

     

    And plans for the next year?

    The biggest focus is to get Prime Hindi feeds into every single market in the country. The channel is moving from the core eight metros and making in-roads into other markets. On the back of it, we’ll make sure Love rolls out significantly in its reach. And we want to bring in big shows and we want to feed the market with the best content from the CBS table. Another area which will see a significant share is localized products which is relevant not only for audience but advertisers as well.

     

  • BIG CBS Love will air the latest season of American Idol concurrently with the US telecast

    American Idol 12 to launch on BIG CBS Love today

    By A Correspondent

     

    After the successful run of The X Factor USA and exploiting the post-digitization opportunities among English GECs, BIG CBS Love set to air the 12th season of American Idol, concurrent with the US. It will premiere on the channel today (January 18) and will air every Friday and Saturday at 9pm.

     

    American Idol is said to be one of the most successful reality shows in the history of television. The channel is promoting American Idol Season 12 heavily through a 360-degree marketing campaign which reaches out to audiences through multiple touch-points like print, radio, electronic, OOH and digital mediums.

     

    Anand Chakravarthy

    Speaking on the launch of American Idol Season 12, Anand Chakravarthy, Business Head – BIG CBS, said, “Keeping in mind the current scenario post-DAS, the show will reach a larger audience base across consumer segments, while simultaneously offering marketers an excellent platform to reach out to their target audiences.”

     

    The channel will also host an online talent hunt for aspiring singers called ‘Love To Sing’ with Talenthouse.com which will allow fans from across the country to be a part of the American Idol experience. The winner of the ‘Love to Sing’ contest will get an opportunity to witness American Idol live in in Los Angeles.

     

  • Anchor | One Big Idea by Anand Chakravarthy : Simulcast – mantra for national advertisers in era of niche channels

    By Anand Chakravarthy, Business Head, Big CBS Networks

     

    If one had to define the evolution of the television industry with one word, the most apt would be – segmentation. And while this segmentation enables brands to identify the ‘best’ media vehicles for themselves, it also presents a challenge to mass brands like telecom companies, FMCG brands, etc. in reaching out to their entire TG. For such national brands, Simulcast is the solution they need to reach a diverse TG.

     

    Where we have come from?

    The television industry has witnessed a high degree of segmentation over the last couple of years. First networks started concentration on creating content in different languages to offer channels in Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, etc. This was followed by segmentation in terms of viewing preferences. Hence, while one had English GECs, English channels catering to travel, lifestyle, fashion, food, automobiles, etc. were also launched in a bid to differentiate the content and tap a niche audience base.

     

    The advent of niche channels was a boon for most brands in the country since they could now spend their advertising money more effectively talking only to a viewer who is likely to buy their product. For brands catering to youth, women or specific regions the segmentation was a much needed step in the right direction. However, the flip side to the segmentation is that national brands which cater to a wide target audience now need to advertise in multiple channels to reach out to their TG. This is where the emerging trend of Simulcast is helping brands tap multiple viewer groups.

     

    The trend of simulcast has existed for quite some time in the television industry but it’s only recently that it has gained popularity. Simply put, simulcast is broadcasting a show simultaneously on multiple channels. The channels may or may not belong to the same network. Two of the most popular examples of simulcast are the show Satyamev Jayate, which was broadcast on nine channels simultaneously and cricket matches featuring the Indian team, which are broadcast on Doordarshan in tandem with the official sports broadcaster.

     

    Simulcast among English GECs

    When we created the Big CBS network, our aim was to offer advertisers a means to reach out to urban viewers and segment the audience on the basis of their viewing preferences. Hence, we had Prime targeted at men, Love for women and Spark for youth. However, there were some advertisers for whom the entire urban TG was relevant. Hence, when we brought shows such as the latest season of America’s Got Talent, this year, we decided to air it simultaneously on all our three channels.

     

    The show was an instant hit with both our viewers and advertisers. Backed by the success of the show, we decided to follow the simulcast strategy for two more shows – The X Factor & American Idol.

     

    As a strategy simulcast cannot (and should not!) be used for every show. Simulcast should only be considered when there is a synergy between the content of the show to the TG of multiple channels. Otherwise, instead of garnering more viewers, the strategy can end up alienating a dedicated viewership.

     

  • The newest season of the popular reality show will start airing from October 8 with Reliance Mobile, Microsoft and Nivea as sponsors

    Big CBS network to simulcast American Idol

    By A Correspondent

     

    After simulcasting global shows like America’s Got Talent and The X Factor, the Big CBS Networks is set to bring the latest season of the singing reality television show – American Idol. The eleventh season of the reality show will simulcast the show across its three-channel bouquet – Big CBS Prime, Love and Spark. American Idol will launch on October 15 – and the show airs from Monday to Thursday at 9 pm, across all three channels.

     

    Anand Chakravarthy

    Talking about the show, Anand Chakravarthy, Business Head, Big CBS Networks said, “This show, once again, is in keeping with our endeavour of offering the latest-freshest-hottest of global entertainment to India. American Idol the pioneer of all singing reality television shows, promises to generate excitement on television amongst the relevant audiences. We are happy to be offering audiences with exciting content while offering marketers the perfect platform to reach their audiences with maximum return.” The reality show has partnered with Reliance Mobile, Microsoft and Nivea.

     

    The judges include Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson. The show will be hosted by popular American television host and producer Ryan Seacrest. With the upwardly mobile Indian seeking more and more global content, the show promises to generate some excellent excitement amongst audiences in India.

     

    With America’s Got Talent already on air on Big CBS Prime, Love and Spark followed by The X Factor, which is airing concurrent to the US.

     

  • The BIG CBS Network is readying to launch its latest home-grown property, India's Prime Icon, which will be dual-cast across its targeted channels – BIG CBS Prime and Bloomberg TV India.

    BIG CBS Prime, Bloomberg TV to simulcast India’s Prime Icon

    By A Correspondent

     

    The BIG CBS Network is readying to launch its latest home grown property India’s Prime Icon which will be dual-cast across its targeted channels – BIG CBS PRIME and Bloomberg TV India. The show aims to get Indians choose their icons – successful and celebrated personalities who inspire and influence them the most! The USP of the property is that it allows people to choose their icons from across all sectors of life, be it sports, entertainment, business, politics or social welfare.

     

    With BIG CBS Prime and Bloomberg TV India, both targeting premium audiences, the show has been designed to ensure it meets the entertainment requirements of the upwardly mobile males, seeking this quality content. India’s Prime Icon will bring forth the lifestyle of Indian society’s elite personalities and evaluate them basis qualities which will make them the prime icons of the country.

     

    Speaking of the show, Anand Chakravarthy, Business Head, BIG CBS Networks said, “Our country boasts of some of the most influential men and women who are an inspiration, role model and icons for the people. India’s Prime Icon is a new concept, which has not been explored in the past and which indicates at an opportunity to connect with audiences. Both BIG CBS Prime and Bloomberg India are premium channels, making them perfect platforms to reach out to the right audience mix, both for this show as well as for marketers.”

     

    The show is designed to give audiences a peek about the life stories of some of India’s most distinguished men and women. Seagram’s 100 Pipers collaborates in this initiative. Bikram Basu, VP-Marketing, Pernod Ricard India,commented on this association, “Seagram’s 100 Pipers stands for True Legends. Our association with BIG CBS Prime’s India’s Prime Icon show reiterates our common values, and brings our brand closer to India’s true icons.”

     

    Recommendations for India’s Prime Icons will come from none other than the audiences themselves, through a voting system, and will see prominent personalities – from across business tycoons, sports personalities, entertainers, Bollywood celebs etc. making it to the list. Following this, an eminent jury will qualify the entries and shortlist the top 20 icons. The 20 icons will be revealed on the Channel each evening during prime time and a voting window will be kept open for 24 hours so that viewers can vote for their favourite icons, which decided the Top 10 icons.

     

    The Top 10 icons will then battle it out to the coveted title of India’s Prime Icon, with each episode unveiling one icon showcasing never heard before stories of their lives, style statements, achievements, sex appeal, philanthropy popularity and more…

     

    To ensure optimal reach, BIG CBS Networks has planned an extensive marketing campaign for the show. The network will engage audiences on multiple touch points ranging radio, television, out of home media and social media.

     

  • As part of his new profile Mr Chakravarthy, who has been associated with Reliance Broadcast Network right since its launch, will take on the mandate of the overall P&L and brand development for the joint venture's English channel portfolio.

    Anand Chakravarthy gets added role as Biz Head, BIG CBS

    By A Correspondent

     

    Anand Chakravarthy

    BIG CBS Networks has announced the appointment of Anand Chakravarthy as its Business Head. As part of his new profile Mr Chakravarthy, who has been associated with Reliance Broadcast Network right since its launch, will take on the mandate of the overall P&L and brand development for the joint venture’s English channel portfolio, that is, BIG CBS Prime, BIG CBS Love and BIG CBS Spark. Along with his new profile as Business Head for the BIG CBS JV, he will continue with his current designation as Chief Marketing Officer, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd.

     

    Mr Chakravarthy has been with Reliance Broadcast Network since 2006 and has played an instrumental role in taking the company from a pure radio company to a multimedia conglomerate that it is today.

     

    Sharing his initial reactions on the elevation with MxM India, Mr Chakravarthy said: “CBS is a brand that was launched two years ago, and I was part of the launch. While I have been doing marketing for quite some time now, for me to take over the business mandate is an opportunity to grow into a larger business role. We have some exciting shows lined up.”

     

    When asked on how he would juggle multiple roles including handling the marketing mandate of RBNL as well as being responsible for the P&L of the new English channels under BIG CBS he said: “On the marketing front, my role is more of providing strategic help and guidance to the different teams but my focus will be largely on the Big CBS business because it is still very young and requires a lot of attention. Also, I have been doing marketing for a long time so that comes easy to me. Though I was handling regional channels Magic and Spark, now to move to the English genre space will be a new experience for me as there is a new set of consumers, new set of products and a different set of challenges to meet. But the great thing is that CBS is a great brand and they bring some fantastic content to the table. Between BIG and CBS, building a joint venture is in itself a prestigious brand to work for. So it’s an interesting opportunity and I am looking forward to it.”

     

    Speaking on Anand Chakravarthy’s appointment, Tarun Katial, CEO, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd. said, “Anand is one of our finest and most committed senior management associates. As the business takes a new leap with some amazing content – America’s Got Talent, American Idol, X Factor, Dexter and more, along with the impending digitization which will catapult these channels into another level, no one is better equipped than Anand to lead this initiative and focus on great content and communication, subscription revenue, and building greater value for advertisers.”

     

    Though it is still early days, Mr Chakravarthy already has his work cut out for him. He asserts: “The channels have taken off well and we have an objective to take them to a strong leadership position. The other thing is that we want to bring in more and more exciting content so we are just in the middle of the latest season of America’s Got Talent. Next is X factor that will be simulcast along with the US on September 14. We’re gonna follow that up with American Idol and the latest season of American Idol post that as well.” The focus, he says, is to bring in some of the marquee properties from the US which are familiar and well-known in India and start launching them simultaneously with the US. “Over the next six months, we want to cement our promise as a network that will deliver the latest, precious and hottest of American TV and will do that with a series of exciting launches,” affirmed Mr Chakravarthy.

     

  • The show will be simulcast across BIG CBS's three channels – Prime, Love and Spark, beginning September 14 and then every Friday and Saturday at 9pm in India

    BIG CBS brings X Factor in concurrent telecast with US

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    On the back of the success that the simulcast of the reality show America’s Got Talent delivered to the BIG CBS Network, it is going all out to cash in on the trend. The network has acquired the latest season of The X Factor, which will air concurrent to the United States, from Fremantle. The show will be simulcast across BIG CBS’s three channels – Prime, Love and Spark, beginning September 14 and then every Friday and Saturday at 9pm in India.

     

    Created by Simon Cowell and produced by Fremantle Media – North America, The X Factor is back for its second season with a jury mix that consists of Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, Simon Cowell and L.A Reid.

     

    Commenting on the show, Anand Chakravarthy, EVP marketing, RBNL said, “It has been our endeavour right from the start to offer India the latest-freshest-hottest of global entertainment, and with the acquisition of Fremantle’s hit show The X Factor, we once again live up to our promise. The X Factor’s concurrent telecast with the US and the simulcast across the Prime, Love and Spark channels will give us enormous mileage. Our strategy allows the show to reach a large relevant audience base across consumer segments, while simultaneously offering marketers an excellent platform to reach out to their audiences.”

     

    To ensure optimal reach, the BIG CBS Network has planned an extensive marketing plan for the show. The network will engage in a multimedia holistic marketing campaign across multiple touch points ranging over radio, television, out of home media and social media to promote the show.

     

  • Localization of content has helped channels and networks to know and capture their TG well

    Strategy to use TV & radio simultaneously for max impact: Anand Chakravarthy

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    That regional channels are not a new phenomenon is evident when one surfs through various channels available today. And the available channels don’t seem to be enough as networks have launched, or are planning to launch, regional channels to tap specific target audience.

     

    So, when Reliance Broadcast Network launched Spark Punjabi, a regional channel for the PHCHP (Punjab, Haryana,Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh) region, earlier this year, there was no surprise or shock.s.

     

    Anand Chakravarthy

    Speaking on the role regional channel play for a network, Anand Chakravarthy, executive vice president, Marketing, RBNL and business head, Big Magic said: “India is not one country, but is formed of various countries. And in the past five-six years, there has been an increase in number of regional channels. Traditionally, only southern states had separate channels, but today the markets have opened up in other states too. And this is because of availability of better quality content.”

     

    Localization of content has helped channels and networks to know and capture their TG well. Mr Chakravarthy states that it’s not only regional channels which are going local, but also national Hindi GECs too. “Take a look at any primetime show on a GEC – you’ll be seeing the differences – right from costumes to language used by the characters is localized as well as the story of the show. This is because even GECs know that if they do so, it becomes more relevant to a certain set of audience.”

     

    The network wants to give its audiences a very local feel and want to be seen as part of the region. “We show dubbed international shows, along with specially created programming because it helps us reach our audience better. It’s our USP. And we’ll continue to make shows which are very regional in their approach.”

     

    However, what is unique about the Reliance Broadcast Network is its strategy to use radio and TV simultaneously to strengthen the hold in a region. “We do a lot of marketing on our radio stations which helps a show’s launch on television, as it is able to create a lot of buzz. We plan to strengthen our regional footprint and our strategy is to launch in regions where we have very stronghold as it will help us and also form a unique advertising  offering which will get us advertisers and help us grow as well,” pointed out Mr Chakravarthy.

     

    And this is why the channel – Spark Punjabi – along with 92.7 BIG FM, came together to conceptualize BIG Boli Star - a talent hunt contest aimed at promoting Punjabi Boliyaan (a traditional Punjabi form of art). “Punjab has a very rich traditional art forms and Boliyaan have been passed down from generation to generation. Spark Punjabi and 92.7 BIG FM are ensuring that this traditional art continues to flourish, both in the rural and urban areas of the Punjab region. The BIG Boli Star talent hunt is creating a new wave of enthusiasm for traditional Punjabi culture as well as bringing new talent to the forefront.” The show is currently the no 1 reality show in Punjab and was able to deliver a 0.77 TVR in the CS4+ category (week 27).

     

    The network also plans to launch more regional specific shows as well as two more regional channels in the coming few weeks.

     

     

  • Most crime shows do attract a large number of eyeballs, but most GECs also claim that it’s not about entertainment alone; they are helping the society as well

    Crime pays for GECs

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    What is it about the dark side that attracts us? A glance over any newspaper or news channel will tell us the increased attention being given to the gruesome incidents.

     

    The media, especially the television which is a reflection of the society, has reflected this growing interest with the increasing popularity in the number of the unglamorous, and sometimes, gory crime shows. From Karamchand in the 80s on DD to the latest Gumraah on Channel V, most crime shows have done well and have been able to garner an interest that other genres might not be able to. The longest running show on the Indian television, CID, is a crime show which was started in 1998 and recently turned tri-weekly.

     

    Speaking about the show’s success, Sneha Rajani, senior EVP and business head, Sony Television, said: “CID has been doing well for years now; it’s not a recent phenomenon. On an average, the show gets TVR of 3.3-3.5, and sometimes even goes up to 4.5. So, it’s no surprise that show has its share of viewers, as week after week people switch on their TV sets to get inspired by the bravery and the relentless passion of CID against crime.”

     

     

    Popular Crime Shows

    Karamchand – 1980 – DD

    CID – 1998 – Sony

    India’s Most Wanted – 1999 – Zee

    Aadalat – 2010 – Sony

    Gumrah – 2012 – Channel V

     

    According to industry experts, most GEC experiments with crime shows have been successful – some have garnered a little interest and others have gone on to become national hits like Adaalat and India’s Most Wanted.

     

    Such crime shows consist of an economically viable format – no huge sets, no major actors, no glamorous outfits or expensive judges are required – hence, the channels don’t mind investing in them.

     

     

    Janardhan Pandey

    Janardhan Pandey, associate vice president, DDB Mudra Max feels that apart from reality shows, only crime shows have the ability to create sensationalism and that’s the main reason people are attracted towards the format. “People want to know what’s happening around them. And these shows are able to portray facts through dramatization, without costing too much for the channel.”

     

    ‘Curiosity killed the cat’ is the apt reason why crime shows work on television according to Anand Chakravarthy, executive vice president, Marketing, RBNL and business head, Big Magic. “Crime, as a genre, has an extremely wide appeal, irrespective of the country. In a developing nation likeIndiawhere crime and corruption are a part of the societal fabric, the audience is most likely to appreciate televised content in the genre.”

     

    Anand Chakravarthy

    He added: “The fascination with the morbid and intrigue that the genre provides work across a cross section of audience, regardless of age and gender, making it acceptable to a larger and diverse audience base.”

     

    However, the question which still arises is – aren’t such shows the figment of the writers’ imagination? The writers of such shows may choose to disagree about the authenticity. “Though some might say they are a writer’s figment of imagination, but in reality, newspaper reports, sometimes even FIRs and investigations done by channels help us gather facts and details about various cases,” said a writer with a national GEC.

     

    According to Priti Murthy, national director – Insights, Maxus, crime shows attract not only the middle-aged, but a large number of youth too. “Crime cuts across genres and finds a large number of youngsters hooked on to the genre like action, thriller, and crime. One could say it gives them adrenaline rush.”

     

    Prem Kamath

    Channel V recently launched a teen crime show, Gumraah, which has became popular for its disruptive format and unique viewpoint of understanding the psyche of young criminals. “V’s Gumrah, in its second season now, details the ecosystem in which a teen crime is conceived and the extraordinary circumstances that lead to it. The show has had an immense impact on us, in terms of viewership as well as vindicating our research and understanding of the youth. We have seen a tremendous response in terms of feedback and appreciation on social media and other consumer responses. It has also further encouraged us to try bolder formats and continue on our chosen content strategy,” said Prem Kamath, Executive VP and GM, Channel V.

     

    Most crime shows do attract a large number of eyeballs, but most GECs also claim that it’s not about entertainment alone; they are helping the society as well. “As for adults, and specifically parents, this show is an eye-opener: if one neglects their child’s need for attention or dismiss it as juvenile behaviour, it can have serious repercussions and lead to moment of madness, eternally irreversible,” added Mr Kamath.

     

    “Shows such as Police Files (aired on Big Magic), while showcasing crimes from the region, also attempt to educate and empower the viewer. The depiction of the crimes help the viewers to understand and accept the need to be vigilant in safeguarding themselves and their loved ones. The information imparted by way of applicable laws of the Indian Penal Code, safety tips by experts and NGOs help empower the viewer,” said Mr Chakravarthy.

     

    So, if one has to go by what industry experts have to say: it’s entertainment with awareness that makes one switch on their television sets to watch crime shows.  Whatever be the reason, the channels can surely say that ‘crime pays’!