MxMIndia

Tag: Divya Radhakrishnan

  • Keeping in mind the need to have a content oriented sales approach, BBNPL has partnered with Helios Media which is a specialized sales company

    BTVi appoints Helios Media to handle ad-sales mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Business Broadcast Network Private Limited (BBNPL) announced the launch of their new channel BTVi from 1st August 2016, and has aligned with Helios Media to manage the ad-sales revenue monetisation for the channel.

     

    Monica Tata

    Keeping in mind the need to have a content oriented sales approach, BBNPL has partnered with Helios Media which is a specialized sales company.

     

    Speaking on the association, Monica Tata, Chief Operating Officer, BTVi said, “In an environment such as Business News, it is extremely important that the team fronting the ad-sales understands the pulse of the content, at the same time, provides tailored creative brand solutions and cross-platform opportunities to inform and engage with the core audience. In Helios Media, we found the team to be very proficient in their capability in delivering the mandate.”

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    Divya Radhakrishnan, MD Helios Media said, “We have always taken up channels with a unique proposition in the market and helped brands to participate in the content with an objective to provide the appropriate ambience for brands to communicate with their audiences. In BTVi, we are very positive for being able deliver in the financial ecosystem a right fitment.”

     

    Shrutish Maharaj, Chief Sales Officer, Helios Media said “We wish to approach the market with inclusive programming and solution based selling and have put together a dynamic team who share our passion for the subject.”

     

  • India's first 'segmented' channel intends to launch by the year end

    Helios Media assigned the revenue mandate of EPIC

    By A Correspondent

     

    The EPIC Channel has assigned the revenue monetization duties to Helios Media. With a clear focus to create unique and original content within the Indian history, folklore and mythology genre, in a very contemporary story telling format, The EPIC Channel is the first ‘segmented’ channel in Indian television. The EPIC Channel will be launched by the end of this year.

     

    Speaking on the appointment, Mahesh Samat, Founder and Managing Director, EPIC Television Networks Pvt. Ltd, said “The EPIC Channel is on the anvil of revolutionizing the way television is being consumed in our country. The ‘segmented’ content will allow viewers to choose and consume genre-specific content of their liking. This therefore becomes an ideal destination for brands to reach out to the appropriate TG. Helios Media has the understanding of the space and the skill to position brands in the right environment. I am certain that this partnership will add value to an unconventional brand like ours that is creating a new category altogether.”

     

    The EPIC Channel will have action, drama, comedy, and thrills set against the backdrop of Indian history and mythology. The programming line-up will be a mix of fiction and narrative non-fiction shows, short form content, as well as period films. An original style of storytelling with high production quality, the EPIC channel will have a look and feel that is distinct and appealing to both men and women.

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    Divya Radhakrishnan, MD of Helios Media said “At Helios Media, it’s ingrained in our DNA to look Beyond Obvious and See More. We always swim against the tide and have created success stories of the channels we have been assigned to. It’s our honour to partner with this new leap in broadcast history that will be written by the EPIC Channel”

     

    Launched in 2011, Helios Media has been providing broadcasters with critical expertise in the areas of revenue management and several allied business solutions. Helios Media currently manages monetisation mandates of MTunes HD, Channel X, FoodFood, Sanjeev Kapoor’s Khazana, Fashion TV and Life Mantra.

     

  • The firm has expanded its services to monetize the YouTube channel – SanjeevKapoorKhazana

    Helios Media forays on to digital with SanjeevKapoorKhazana

    By A Correspondent

     

    Helios Media, the speciality services company for the broadcast sector, expanded its services to now also include digital media monetisation and the venture begins with bagging the mandate of representing Sanjeevkapoorkhazana

     

    Helios will work in embedding brand’s messaging within the content of the channel which claims to be the largest non-Bollywood YouTube channel in India, generating over 85 million views per month.

     

    Sanjeev Kapoor

    Speaking on the assignment, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor said, “Sanjeevkapoor.com was one of the first websites to make its presence in the country. Being a pioneer in the space, it is quite evident that our YouTube channel has garnered a huge subscriber base of 2.7 lakh. Our popular videos generate as much as 1mn+ plus views. This therefore becomes a great destination for brands to not only reach a large consumer base but also to capture the most appropriate mind-space. Helios Media has been partnering us on monetising FoodFood for a year now and I believe in their understanding of the space and the skill to position brands in the right environment which will help SanjeevKapoorKhazana realise its full potential in terms of revenue maximization”.

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    Commenting on the win, Divya Radhakrishnan, MD of Helios Media, said: “Helios Media’s focus is on selling brands and not just commodities by appropriate positioning and working with brand custodians to provide seamless solutions that go beyond regular commercial advertising. We strongly believe that TV has grown beyond just providing reach and its content has the Power to Influence. Therefore it is important for commercial messaging to chase the content irrespective of the screen it comes on. It’s because of this approach that the SanjeevKapoorKhazana mandate came our way and we are delighted to be entrusted with this responsibility by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor”.

     

    Helios Media has augmented its existing team with a central digital team in Mumbai under Kirtan Mankad who has earlier worked with UTV, Zoom and Hungama.

     

  • Having completed two years, Helios is now transitioning to the next level with revenue management extending beyond traditional space-selling. Business Director Bala Iyengar has been elevated as Chief Operating Officer.

    Helios Media expands, elevates Bala Iyengar as COO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bala Iyengar

    Helios Media, the speciality services company for the broadcast sector recently completed two years in operations, already carving a niche within the industry as a revenue maximization catalyst. With MTunes HD, Channel X, FoodFood, Fashion TV as the properties it services, Helios is now transitioning to the next level. Business Director Bala Iyengar has been elevated as Chief Operating Officer.

     

    “As we move forward, our focus will be on getting into deeper partnerships with relevant platform creators to enhance the solutions we offer our clients. A TV channel is not just for TVCs anymore, and we will work with them in the overall revenue management space, going beyond traditional commercial inventory. In addition to inventory sales, we have enhanced our teams to include talent in the areas of content syndication, custom events, celebrity management and strategic digital initiatives, said Divya Radhakrishnan, Founder & Managing Director of Helios Media.

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    “To take this scale of operations forward, it’s only natural that Bala steps up to take charge of our complete offering and provide seamless service to our clients,” Ms Radhakrishnan added.

     

    Commenting further on his elevated role and plans ahead, Mr Iyengar said: “We will shape ourselves to be the go-to destination for advertisers seeking innovative ways to connect with audiences, and for channels seeking breakthrough strategies to boost revenue.”

     

  • With HBO pushing its two new movie pay channels, it is time to ask whether there is a market for 'premium' ad-free channels in the Indian TV viewing arena

    HBO’s ad-free channels: good enough to pay more for?

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    The campaign to promote the launch of two channels – HBO Defined and HBO Hits – by HBO Asia and Eros International Media has started. The premium advertising-free movie channels plan to redefine the pay TV movie space in the country.

     

    The channels available on DTH operators – Dish TV and Airtel Digital TV – bring the best of Hollywood and Bollywood together. The channels are currently on air and are available for a free preview in the initial phase of the launch.

     

    HBO Defined and HBO Hits will showcase content through HD and SD feeds on Dish TV and SD feed on Airtel Digital TV. These will be offered at a special introductory price of Rs 49 and Rs 69 for SD and HD services, respectively.

     

    MxMIndia finds out if there is a market for such ‘premium’ channels in India and if they’ll be survive the competitive market:

     

    Anilkumar Sathiraju, AVP and Head South, DDB Mudra Max

    While there is a market for ad-free channels, am not too sure how long will they be able to survive. Today, in a scenario where 600+ channels exist, there are many channels which are still yet to make a mark. In that situation, while viewers are likely to sample an ad-free channel(s), I am unsure if they will be able to sustain for long.

     

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan, managing partner, Helios Media

    HBO is a subscription based channel globally. It started accepting ads due to the distribution structure of the Indian TV industry. Now with digitization and DTH getting seeded across homes in India, the viewers are getting used to pick and pay for their channels and not just a bundled offering from the cable operator.

     

    As much as it’s not a good thing to hear for our business, ad avoidance always adds greatly to TV viewing experience especially in the movies and sports space. Hence if reasonably priced, it will have takers in the high-end homes. Mainstream channels in their HD avtaars get talked about more for its minimalistic ads more than the channel clarity.

     

    Having said that, the content will need to be extremely compelling for the consumer to shell out more bucks. Old titles, repeated zillion times on TV in the past coming in an ad-free environment may not hold that much appeal however latest releases may do so.

     

    Dhruv Jha, GM (Content and Experiences), LodestarUM

    There is an emerging space, I have heard consumers/viewers comment, “Let’s watch it on HD, virtually no ads.” Movie viewing experience without ads can be more pleasurable. There is a discerning viewer and with rising incomes and free time being at a premium… pay for channels will start playing in a niche targeted segment.

     

  • Divya Radhakrishnan's Helios Media has been awarded the mandate to manage the revenue monetization of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's FoodFood channel

    Helios bags sales mandate for FoodFood

    By A Correspondent

     

    Leading food channel has awarded its revenue monetization mandate to Helios Media, the Divya Radhakrishnan-led speciality services company for broadcasters with verticals in sales, marketing, content advisory, content syndication and research and traffic management. The mandate was earlier held by Media Agnos.

     

    FoodFood is a joint venture between well-known Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Malaysia-based media conglomerate Astro Media. Chef Kapoor is well-known for his popular shows like ‘Khana Khazana’ on Zee TV and his recent association with ‘Masterchef’ on Star Plus. Confirming the news, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Co-founder & Director of FoodFood, said, “Our decision to partner with Helios Media is based on our assessment of its team’s strength and ability. In a unique offering and destination such as FoodFood, it is imperative that the team has deep understanding of aspirational needs of brands and viewers alike. The passion displayed by Helios reassures me that it would not only meet FoodFood’s expectation but also exceed it.”

     

    The channel has just celebrated its second anniversary and has been popular among the core segment of women for its programming, like the most recent ‘Secret Recipe’ and other popular shows like ‘Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen’, ‘Turban Tadka’, ‘Mummy Ka Magic’ and ‘Style Chef’.

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    Commenting on the win, Divya Radhakrishnan, MD, Helios Media, said, “We are extremely honoured for the faith instilled by Sanjeev and team on Helios Media and for awarding us the business. With a dedicated food channel and even the GECs going the food route with primetime reality shows, we know that the food space is just beginning to simmer. ”

     

    Adds Bala Iyengar, Business Director of Helios Media: “Helios Media has the ability to not just sell space, but sell brand perceptions as well, and that is extremely critical in the niche channel scenario. We are confident about synergizing the FoodFood brand values with the clients’ marketing objectives to give solutions working for both the channel and the advertisers. With our strong infrastructure of teams across the country and evolved process, we are all set to take FoodFood to glorious heights.”

     

    Meanwhile, Media Agnos – set up by seasoned broadcast professionals Abraham (Abe) Thomas and Sumit  Gupta – will continue to handle the mandate for NDTV Good Times and Explore TV amongst others.

     

  • MTunes, the 24/7 music channel, celebrated its first anniversary yesterday (Augt 9) and boasts of a 200+ GRP

    Audiences have given MTunes the best birthday present: Sunil Sahjwani

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rreKrZ7F0B8[/youtube]

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    MTunes, the 24/7 music channel, completes one year today (August 10)  and can already boast of a 20+ GRP. Completing one year in a genre which revolutionized music during the 1990s isn’t a big deal. However, if one becomes a force to reckon with in such a short period, then it is, of course, a matter of pride.

     

    “When we started, we were at number five or six slot, but now we are number one in the slot. So, I guess we can call it a fast-faced and exciting journey with, of course, a lot of hard work,” said Sunil Sahjwani, Group Creative Director for Pioneer Channel Factory Pvt. Ltd. (holding company of MTunes and MExpress).

     

    Sunil Sahjwani

    Agreeing with him, Divya Radhakrishnan, MD, Helios Media which is strategic consultant to the channel said: “It’s wonderful to receive such a response for such a short period. They believed in our belief and helped us break convention with no VJ or no PJ on the channel only focusing on music.”

     

    Recently various prominent music channels have started a new trend of reality shows and now turning into youth general entertainment channels. Speaking about the same, Mr Sahjwani said: “There is no harm in experimenting and we are glad that they did that. Because the space vacated by them has given more space for music channels to grow. Also, we must realise that youth wants music, otherwise music channels wouldn’t have survived.”

     

    “In the name of ‘youth entertainment’, various channels forget where to draw the line and have created new lows of the Indian television industry,” rued Ms Radhakrishnan.

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    Apart from showing music in HD format which is its USP, the channel also prides itself in creating original properties like Asli Voice, Trending20, Kal ka Superhit and so on.

     

    “The channel’s aim is to reach out to various age groups and moods during the day and that is why the tempo of music keeps changing during the day. For instance, the day starts with fast-paced music, whereas in the afternoon the tempo reduces, only to increase again in the evening We want people to feel music and not just hear or see it,” said Mr Sahjwani.

     

    Music, today, is consumed across media – television, radio, internet, mobile, phones and other digital devices. So it is affecting the genre on TV? “No, we must realise that apart from a few urban homes, high-speed internet is still not available everywhere else. Having said that, there is also no denying the fact that youth consumes music on various platforms and internet is one of them. But the visual-audio treat provided by the television cannot be matched by others. Hence, it would be fair to say that other platforms act as a support system for TV. They only push the genre – which is great,” said Mr Sahjwani.

     

    And what about digitization? The channel isn’t available on platforms like Tata Sky. “We are aware of that and are working towards that. We are already there on Dish and Videocon and talks are on with other platforms. However, since we are a FTA channel, we don’t have much to worry about. And of course, we are hoping that digitization does happen this time around.”

     

    The channel opened its sales in April and hopes to do well in the coming years. “Our first motto was to build numbers, which we have been able to. So, now hopefully, we’ll be able to growth manifolds,” said Ms Radhakrishnan optimistically.

     

    The channel feels that Indians thrive on music, so the genre will only grow. However, one needs to be innovative and give the audiences what it wants to stay ahead in the clutter.

     

  • We start the series featuring sister Divya and brother Yogesh Radhakrishan who believe that it's possibly to work without relationships getting in the way… by being mature professionals

    New series/Relative Values | We are professionals first: Divya and Yogesh Radhakrishnan

    Starting today, and every Thursday, MxM will take you beyond our regular news and look at the people in the business of media and marketing. So on the first Thursday of every month, we will have a section titled ‘RELATIVE VALUES’ featuring siblings, parents-children, cousins etc who may be working in the same or allied sectors of media, advertising and marketing.

     

    It’s Raksha Bandhan today, and a good day to to start the series. So, meet brother Yogesh and sister Divya Radhakrishnan, both of who have done remarkably well in their respective careers and without work getting in the way…

     

    Yogesh Radhakrishnan and Divya

    By Meghna Sharma

    Everyone is talking about Kareena and Ranbir Kapoor finally working together on film as brother and sister. One can talk about the number of brother-sister duo working in the same field.

     

    According to some it’s no big deal, whereas others feel personal equations do change when they work together. MxMIndia spoke to one such duo on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan to find out their take on it.

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan and Yogesh Radhakrishan are forces to be reckoned with in their respective fields. Yogesh is CEO of Prime Connect which engages in the business of distributing satellite television and other allied services through traditional and emerging media across homes and commercial establishments in India; while Divya is MD, Helios Media – an integrated ancillary service company for television broadcasters.

     

    So when asked if it has ever led to rivalry between them, both were quick to refute it.  “I’m a media planner while he’s into broadcasting. So we have always been on the two opposite ends of the table. Hence, there is no question of competition,” said Divya. “Both of us are very professional and for many years people didn’t even know we were related!”

     

    “We know where to draw the line. Even while interacting for work…,” added Yogesh who is interrupted by Divya: “Actually, I’m a tougher buyer to him than to anyone else,” she laughed.

     

    Taking work back home is nothing new, so it isn’t surprising if the siblings end up having talking about work, even if they meet after office hours. According to Divya, both of them are in a field where work is bound to go back home with them and they do end-up discussing about the industry, at large and other healthy discussions related to it.

     

    “Rakhi has always been special day for us; although, we don’t believe in any rituals,” replied Divya, when asked if there were any special plans for the day and Yogesh, who is down with fever, agreed.

     

    So, be it any field, one can work without relationships getting in the way, by being mature professionals. Maybe blood is always not thicker than water!

     

  • Bharat Kapadia's Bru Gold innovation for HUL showed how creative ideas in print can be a hit, and underscored the need for more.

    Y’day’s Big Story: Print wins with ‘hat ke’ ideas

     

     

    Bharat Kapadia

    By Akash Raha

     

    The readers of The Sunday Times of India of February 19 woke up to a special surprise as they were served coffee with their newspapers. Well, not literally. The Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru editions had a unique dimension – they broke the olfactory barrier. Each copy filled the air with the rich aroma of coffee, spreading the message for Hindustan Unilever’s flagship coffee product, Bru Gold. Veteran mediaperson Bharat Kapadia’s firm, ideas@bharatkapadia.com, unveiled its first big idea for its clients Hindustan Unilever and The Times of India group.

     

    “The objective was to drive home the richness of fine coffee and I knew that we could conquer this final frontier in a newspaper,” Mr Kapadia said. “The aroma of food products can create a sense of craving and can be very effective way to lead the reader to consume it.”

     

    In a world where it’s critical to stand out in a crowd, an idea when executed effectively can be a winner and this can be a unique consumer experience with every new fragrance. Mr Kapadia should know. Having spearheaded several ideas with the publications he has led over the years, ideas@bharatkapadia.com is a specialized ideas consulting firm in media and marketing. The fragrant newspaper concept has been tried out earlier editorially by Dainik Bhaskar and possibly some others too, but it’s the first time by a national advertiser across multiple editions.

     

    What experts feel on innovation

    The Times of India has been in the forefront with innovations. It’s been said and discussed in various forums that the only way the print industry can maintain its vitality is by constantly innovating and thereby evolving. That innovation is a driving factor for success is a no-brainer, yet is our print industry doing enough to innovate and create more value for the advertisers? Earlier, MxM India got in touch with leading advertising practitioners to know more about current trends and innovations that are happening in the industry.

     

    Pratap Bose

    When asked if the print industry is innovating enough of late, Pratap Bose, COO, Mudra Group said, “When it comes to print, there is very little innovation that you see. Whatever innovation you see, once it is done it is repeated time and time over again. Various forms of jackets – half, straight, up, down … Nothing fresh is coming out in print these days. The one category that continues to be beaten down is print. Barring one or two innovations from The Times of India group, which are of course very good, there is not much in terms of innovations that is happening.”

     

    When asked to compare print with other media, Mr Bose said, “Well, I consider all media as media, whether it is above the line or below the line. But essentially what you are seeing in the innovation space is largely happening in digital, out of home and promotions. To an extent video as well, if you want to include mainline media. Cinema is again, very few… So really, good innovation is not happening on either print or TV.”

     

    An issue of deliberation also is that whatever little innovation that we see in the market, is it happening in all print forms, across all linguistic barriers alike? Are print innovations happening in both English and language publications alike, or is the innovation limited to top English publications… only those who get top-end advertising moolah?

     

    Answering the question, Nandini Dias, COO, Lodestar UM said, “Print innovations often needs the publishing house to be able to carry out the difference. The leading publishing houses like the Bennett Coleman or HT Media manage to pull off innovations easily. For example the Cannes Gold that we won for Garnier this year was aided by The Times of India. The Times of India managed to print the day’s issue on recycled paper; for people who understand printing, they will appreciate the sheer thickness of the paper, the kind of paper needed the production team to alter their normal process , experiment and get it right before the 100% recycled paper issue got printed. So innovation happens with publications with a modern sophisticated printing and production unit. It has nothing to do with the language of the publication.”

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    Divya Radhakrishnan, Manging director – Helios Media Pvt Ltd, said, “There are lots of innovations happening in vernacular press as well. In fact groups like Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhaskar have pioneered many an innovative concepts. The extent of innovation blends into ground activation and other media owned by the same group. A good example of that is Jagran activations.

     

    But while we talk about all the advertising riches innovation can drive, we cannot help but talk about the content aspect too. Often, innovations in print are condoned because they hamper its readability. Some innovations distracts an diverts the attention of a reader, thereby hampering with the content. However, Ms Dias said that it is not always so. Such a case only happens when an innovation makes reading content difficult. “For example the half gate fold is often disliked by a lot of readers as it makes holding the paper difficult or sometimes fonts in a colour, which make reading tough. Other than that innovations are done to enhance the product values and to bring it alive to the readers.”

     

    Yet, innovation remains a key factor for the print players for sustenance in the long run. Moreover, the ability to carry off good and meaningful innovation certainly brings more to the table and helps grab the advertisers’ attention.”

     

    Ms Radhakrishnan said, “Innovations for the sake of innovation is a no-go. The key objective for the innovation is to stand out of clutter and deliver the message appropriately. Given the time-spent on print media being on the decline, it’s very important that the message is delivered in a single-shot and therefore needs to be placed innovatively to grab reader attention. Another often repeated mistake is repeating the same idea often which by definition kills the concept of innovation. For example, jackets.”

     

    Nandini Dias

    Speaking on how important it is for print publications to innovate to be successful, Ms Dias said “It’s important to be able to carry out innovative options. As advertisers often come up with solutions which do not conform, publications which can help communicate their ‘hat ke’ thoughts will benefit.”

     

    As Steve Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” For print players, it is imperative to constantly dream up winning ideas. So, we are likely to see more ‘hat ke’ and out-of-the-box innovations like the one created for Hindustan Unilever.

     

  • Helios Media will offer services in sales, marketing, research and traffic management verticals as a composite piece or as a standalone, based on the requirements of broadcasters

    Divya Radhakrishnan launches Helios to serve non-content needs of broadcasters, ropes in Bala Iyengar

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    By A Correspondent

     

    It’s now public. Divya Radhakrishnan, former TME president, has formed Helios Media Private Limited, an integrated ancillary service company for broadcasters. Helios, which was launched by Ms Radhakrishnan on November 1, has roped in Bala Iyengar as Business Director.

     

    The vision of this company has been crafted on the premise that the growing number of TV channels, and a large list waiting to come into the country, are facing a key business challenge. While content is the primary scope of these channels, a lot of effort has to be invested in creating a robust ecosystem to run the business. This puts a lot of stress on the channel business head, resulting in dilution of focus from the key delivery, which is content. Also, proliferation will lead to further slicing of the revenue pie making the all-encompassing business model non-viable.

     

    Helios Media has set up sales, marketing, research and traffic management verticals, offering services as a composite piece or as a stand-alone, based on the requirements of the broadcasters. It has offices covering the geographies of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai.

     

    Bala Iyengar

    The need for such a platform is amplified with the fact that Helios has already signed up three channels/ groups at the outset. M Tunes is India’s First Bollywood Music Channel in HD. Music Express, the second music channel from the same stable, will have a combination of music, trailors, short filmy programming on current affairs and retro music.

     

    Meanwhile, Helios Media is also the Asian arm of World Media Connect which markets Indian channels to the ethnic population based in US and UK. The channels under this portfolio are 6 channels of the Sun Network (Sun TV, KTV, Gemini TV, Udaya TV, Gemini Movies, Surya TV) and Punjjabi TV. Helios will be aligning with some more channels shortly.

     

    With the above contracts already in place, Helios is in advanced stages of negotiations with four speciality channels coming into India.

     

    Ms Radhakrishnan, who has been in the business of media management for the last 24 years, is the Managing Director of Helios Media. She has worked with leading advertising agencies like Publicis and Rediffusion Young & Rubicam. In her last assignment, Divya headed the Contact Practice at Rediffusion Y&R.

     

    Mr Iyengar, who has 14 years of experience, leads the Sales and Content syndication function at Helios Media. He has held senior positions at The Times of India, Sony Entertainment Television, Star Network and MTV. In his last assignment, Bala was the Business Head of Zoom.