MxMIndia

Tag: HBO

  • Announce exclusive content partnership

    Viacom18 shows its intent with Warner Bros. Discovery agreement

    By Our Staff

     

    The joint announcement by Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 on Thursday is being looked at it with much interest in M&E circles. This surely more than a new multi-year agreement, making JioCinema India’s new streaming home of HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content from next month. It’s the beginning of an aggressive Viacom18 with JioCinema in tow. Clearly, the combination of Jio, Uday Shankar/Jamesh Murdoch and Paramount Global is now beginning to exert itself.

     

    The partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, includes exclusive content rights across digital and linear.  The deal includes current and future seasons of HBO’s globally acclaimed series such as House of The Dragon, The Last of Us, Succession and The White Lotus, and returning seasons of True Detective: Night Country, Euphoria, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty and Perry Mason. Also featured as part of the agreement are highly anticipated HBO Original series including The Idol, White House Plumbers, The Sympathizer and The Regime. In addition, HBO’s esteemed series and documentaries, including Game of Thrones, Sex & The City, Big Little Lies, Chernobyl and Veep, will be available for users.

     

    Said Clement Schwebig, President, India, Southeast Asia, and Korea, Warner Bros. Discovery: “Warner Bros. Discovery’s brands are incredibly popular across India, and we are pleased to partner with Viacom18 to bring our premium HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content to local fans. This new agreement demonstrates our commitment to South Asia as we seek to entertain audiences across more platforms, and further strengthens the scale of our regional business as a whole.”

     

    Added Ferzad Palia, Head – SVOD & International Business, Viacom18: “JioCinema has become the biggest platform for live sports. We are now on a mission to build the most magnetic destination for entertainment for all Indians. The strategic partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery is a big milestone in our journey to offer the best of Hollywood content to our elite consumers. We believe that Warner Bros. Discovery sets the global standards for premium content and this partnership allows us to create the best and the most comprehensive destination for our users.”

     

  • To oversee content acquisitions and co-productions for POGO, Cartoon Network and Boomerang

    WarnerMedia appoints new head for kids network

    By Our Staff

     

    WarnerMedia has appointed Melissa Lim as the new head of content acquisitions and co-productions for its Kids Networks in Asia Pacific, which include Pogo, Cartoon Network and Boomerang. She also advises on licensing content to fuel the growing slate of kids and family programming on the regional streaming service HBO Go in Southeast Asia.

     

    Leslie Lee
    Leslie Lee

    She is based in Singapore and reports to Leslie Lee, Head of WarnerMedia Kids APAC.  Said Lee: “Pinpointing and securing the world’s best third-party animation that sit perfectly alongside our originals is no easy task. I know that Melissa’s experience and passion will ensure we provide our fans a complete on-brand entertainment experience. Her role is particularly important at a time when our networks are evolving and expanding viewer demos.”

     

  • TV channels who were early adopters of OTT platforms will enjoy a distinct advantage, writes Indrani Sen

    Will Skinny Bundles work in India?

     

    By Indrani Sen

     

    I recently read an interesting article “TV Industry Eyes Hybrid Linear, On Demand OTT services” in www.emarketer.com based on the findings of Digital TV Europe’s “Industry Survey 2019.” According to the survey, nine in 10 industry professionals worldwide had positive outlooks on the two-year growth of “skinny bundles,” or subscriptions that offer both linear and on-demand OTT services as against subscription of only SOVD services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

     

    The term “skinny bundle” was first coined to describe pared-down cable TV packages in the United States. In recent times, the concept of ‘skinny bundle’ has been introduced into the digital video sphere with an aim to describe either linear OTT services that offer customizable channel packages or a service that combines linear and on-demand content, as defined in the Digital TV Europe’s survey. As the article explains “The latter definition alludes to linear OTT services like Sling TV and fuboTV, which now have subscriptions that offer additional access to premium, on-demand content from services like HBO and Showtime. But it also represents SVOD services like Hulu, which bolstered its offerings with Hulu with Live TV, a linear service. (Source: https://www.emarketer.com/content/tv-industry-eyes-hybrid-linear-on-demand-ott-services?ecid=NL1001)

     

    In the US and other European countries, there is a growing trend of “cord-cutters” every year, referring to the consumers who are cancelling their subscription to cable and opting for other digital services. There are also a significant number of “cord-nevers” among younger generation (those who have never subscribed to traditional cable). It would be interesting to wait and watch what impact the growth of mobile internet in India has in the next few years on the cable TV and Dish TV subscribers.

     

    This model of skinny bundles can be adopted easily to suit the Indian TV industry, against our unique scenario of rapidly growing access to internet through mobile phones. Among the various options of skinny bundles shown in the above chart borrowed from the article, the option of Multiplay services (TV bundled with fixed and mobile broadband and telephone) looks like an ideal solution for Indian TV industry in near future.

     

    To sum up, it is going to be an exciting time for Indian TV industry from 2020 onwards with constant changes and innovations in the way of doing business. Needless to mention that the TV channels who were early adopters of OTT platforms will enjoy a distinct advantage.

     

     

  • Hollywood movie channgel HBO Hits is now called HBO HD. The change happened on September 4

    HBO Hits renamed as HBO HD

    By A Correspondent

     

    Said Siddharth Jain, Managing Director, Turner International, South Asia on the change: “We aim to offer our customers the best viewing and the move to HD will exemplify that for them. HBO’s tagline promise of ‘Experience The Magic’ will be reiterated through its line-up of fresh new content and enhanced packaging and presentation.”

     

    HBO, operated by Turner India, delivers English-language entertainment across genres like action, comedy, drama, thrillers and superhero blockbusters.

  • One winner will see the video of his/her selfie being launched from the ground to space

    HBO announces ‘selfie’ contest for viewers

    By A Correspondent

     

    HBO is premiering the award-wining movie Gravity this December. To make it a grand affair, the channel has announced a ‘selfie’ contest where one lucky winner’s selfie will be sent to space.

     

    To take part, viewers will have to post their selfies on www.facebook.com/HBOindia or www.hbosouthasia.com/selfieinspace and one winner will see the video of his/her selfie being launched from the ground to space.

     

    DDB Mudra West has conceptualised and launched the campaign around the same.

     

  • The forum will be held on August 6 at 4 pm at the International Convention Hall, Bombay Stock Exchange, Mumbai

    IAA Young Turks Forum to host Mahesh Bhatt and Stuart Sender

    By A Correspondent

     

    The International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter, has invited Mahesh Bhatt, renowned film-maker and Stuart Sender, President, Balcony Films, Los Angeles, USA on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 at 4pm to share their thoughts on ‘How Cinema influences Culture and Marketing’ and also interact with the audience as part of the IAA Young Turks Forum.

     

    HBO South Asia is Presenting Partner of the IAA Young Turks Forum. The event is being supported by the Bombay Stock Exchange.

     

    Mahesh Bhatt is a prominent film director, producer and screenwriter. His critically acclaimed movies include Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam, Sadak and Zakhm. He is also a columnist and is regularly featured in leading publications – both English & Hindi.

     

    Stuart Sender Film is a producer, director & writer and has been nominated twice at The Academy Awards. He has crafted stories of influential people, including Nelson Mandela, HRH the Prince of Wales (Prince Charles) and actor Matt Damon.

     

    Said Srinivasan K. Swamy, IAA India Chapter & Vice President, Development Asia/Pacific region of IAA, “We are delighted to host Stuart Sender and Mahesh Bhatt, two master craftsmen who will enrich us with their experience in film-making and bring about the influence Cinema has on our lives and Marketing aspects of products and services”.

     

    Monica Tata, Managing Director, HBO South Asia, Presenting Partner of the IAA Young Turks Forum, said,  “HBO is known for its path breaking content, where creativity meets originality. We are delighted to be associated with this thought provoking exchange from which young leaders will learn and get inspired”.

     

    “The IAA Young Turks Forum is very excited to bring two legendary speakers from Hollywood and Bollywood who will teach the audience a few lessons from the world of Cinema and inspire them on how they could use creativity in their business and personal dealings,” added Manish Advani, Head, Marketing and Public Relations, Mahindra Special Services Group, and Chair of the IAA Young Turks Forum Series.

     

  • 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.

     

  • HBO Asia and Eros International have made a joint announcement to launch two new premium advertising-free movie channels, HBO Defined and HBO Hits, in India

    HBO, Eros tie up for 2 ad-free movie channels

    By A Correspondent

     

    HBO Asia and Eros International have made a joint announcement to launch two new premium advertising-free movie channels, HBO Defined and HBO Hits, in India.

     

    This landmark collaboration between two entertainment giants brings the best of Hollywood and Bollywood together to redefine the pay TV movie space in India.

     

    This first ever exclusive alliance will also provide for the development of both HBO’s existing formats for India as well as the creation of original content for the Indian television market and international distribution.

     

    Kishore Lulla, Executive Chairman of Eros International plc said,”I’m very excited about building the Eros brand in Premium Pay Television, particularly with an industry leader such as HBO Asia. There are few global companies that have mastered the premium film and TV space like HBO and their global success says it all. We look forward to cultivating new spaces together in India and especially the development of HBO content for TV and online.”

     

    “The opportunity to work with Eros, who has such a visibly dominant presence in the Indian film and entertainment arena, is tremendous and together we will aim to deliver a first class cinema experience in the comfort of your home, 100 percent advertising free,” said Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia.”We are equally excited to work with Eros in developing compelling original content for the Indian audience. We look forward to more good things to come.”

     

  • Saving Face chronicles the arduous attempts of acid-attack survivors Zakia and Rukhsana to bring their assailants to justice

    HBO documentary ‘Saving Face’ wins an Academy Award

    By A Correspondent

     

    Pakistani documentary film ‘Saving Face’, produced by HBO, which uncovers the story of hundreds of people, mostly women who become acid attack victims, was honoured with the Academy Award for best documentary (short) at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony held inHollywoodrecently.

     

    Every year inPakistan, many people – the majority of them women – are known to be victimized by brutal acid attacks, while numerous other cases go unreported. With little or no access to reconstructive surgery, survivors are physically and emotionally scarred, and many reported assailants, typically a husband or someone close to the victim, are let go with minimal punishment from the state.

     

    Directed by Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy; Saving Face chronicles the arduous attempts of acid-attack survivors Zakia and Rukhsana to bring their assailants to justice, and follows the charitable work of Dr. Mohammad Jawad, a plastic surgeon who strives to help them go beyond this horrific act and move on with their lives.

     

    A journey of healing and a battle for justice, Saving Face, the 40 minutes documentary will be premiered soon only on HBO.

     

    Launched in September 2000, HBO is the English language movie channel available in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Maldives and Bangladesh). HBO brings the best of Hollywood by premiering top blockbuster movies on television first in South Asia through exclusive licensing deals with more than 16 studios and companies.  It is the only English movie channel to feature cutting-edge award-winning original productions year on year. HBO has won 3 Golden Globe Awards this year. HBO Asia is a joint venture of HBO (a Time Warner company) and Paramount.

     

  • Wins awards for Mildred Pierce, Game of Thrones and Enlightened at the 69th Golden Globes.

    HBO wins 3 Golden Globes

    By A Correspondent

     

    HBO recorded three wins at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards for Mildred Pierce, Game of Thrones and Enlightened. The award ceremony took place on January 15 in Los Angeles.

     

    Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for Mildred Pierce. Mildred Pierce is the story of a proud single mother struggling to earn her daughter’s love during the Great Depression in middle-classLos Angeles. The five-part miniseries, produced in association with MGM and directed by Oscar nominee Todd Haynes, was adapted from the story by James M Cain’s 1941 novel of the same name.

     

    Peter Dinklage won Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for Game of Thrones. This epic HBO Original fantasy series is based on George R.R. Martin’s best-selling ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ books. It traces the struggle for the Iron Throne where kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men… all will play the Game of Thrones.

     

    Both Mildred Pierce and Game of Thrones premiered in 2011 on HBO India.

    Laura Dern won Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series for her turn as Amy, a self-destructive health and beauty executive who has a very public workplace meltdown in Enlightened. The series is an offbeat HBO Original Series which follows Laura Dern’s Amy as she navigates an unconventional path between who she is, who she wants to be… and what everyone is willing to tolerate from her.

     

    HBO was launched in South Asia in September 2000, as a 24-hour English language movie channel.  HBO is the only English movie channel to feature cutting-edge award-winning original productions year on year. In 2011, HBO has won 19 Primetime Emmy awards already, which is maximum for any network.

     

  • Currently the channel reaches out to 100 million households and the plan is to get to the 140 million mark by end of next year

    Movies Now: One year old, strikes gold

    By Rishi Vora

     

    Movies Now has completed a year. And the story of the channel’s progress since day one of launch is an exciting one, especially for the officials who’ve been running the show. Numbers of the past 51 weeks across eight metros indicate that Movies Now has garnered a market-share of 30 per cent and has increased the category viewership by 50 per cent (from 50 GRPs to 75).

     

    The reach too, increased from 46 million viewers to 56 million. And the average time spent has shot up from 42 minutes to 55 minutes. (Source: TAM, CS 15-34, AB, All 8 Metros, week 52’10 – week 50’11).

     

    The channel launched with a bang and shook up the otherwise dormant category, dominated primarily by Star Movies, and of course other players like HBO and Sony Pix, which had spent reasonable amount of time in the market.

     

    HBO has been in the market for more than a decade. Experts believe that with the right kind of content, marketing and distribution push, Movies Now wiped out every bit of complacency that had set in among existing channels. Now, as even other players would agree in the category, the market has become more competitive, and a lot of action can be expected in the genre.

     

    The strategy was to first set foot in the six metros and from there look at expanding their reach further. In fact, in its first month, the channel did not have a single DTH company on board. Currently present in eight metros, Movies Now will now look at getting to the 1 million+ market. With digitisation of TV, quite naturally the channel will look to move from analog to digital.

     

    Currently the channel reaches out to 100 million households and the plan is to get to the 140 million mark by end of next year.

    Ajay Trigunayat, Channel Head informed MxM India that the plan was pretty much to aim at the top. “We were clear right from the beginning that we wanted to bring a stellar brand to the viewers. We’ve challenged the status quo and reshaped the marketplace. 89 per cent of our viewership is library-led, and unlike other players, we cater to all eight metros. In the past one year, we have increased the category reach by 22 per cent and time-spent per viewer by 33 per cent.”

     

    He added, “In 2011, we are the most searched English Movie channel on Google India, we have about 5 lakh Facebook fans.”

    For Sunil Lulla, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Times Television Network, Movies Now is a super-smash-hit story of the year 2011.On what it means to the Times Broadcast Network, he said: “As a network we cater to the Urban Affluent audience. All our channels – Times Now, ET NOW, Zoom and Movies Now have been doing very well in their respective genres. These channels, put together, provide great value to advertisers; it generates a fantastic synergy.”

     

    On what he expects from Movies Now in the future, he said that the channel’s primary focus will be to achieve consistent growth and in the process widen the gap from its nearest competitor.