MxMIndia

Tag: Star India

  • DishTV warns against possible monopoly in cricket telecast if Star India wins IPL rights

    Zee and Star warring again?

    By A Correspondent

     

    Journalist and broadcasting industry professional Anjan Mitra captured it right. “Sense of deja vu for old timers & those hacks like me who covered media as a beat in mid90s to mid 2000:Zee vs Star,” he posted on his Facebook timeline.

     

    On Wednesday evening, when media offices received a mail from the Dish TV PR agency along with a letter from company bossman Jawahar Goel, it did remind many a journalist of the mid-1990s/2000s when the two networks were warring fiercely.

     

    A journalist who covered the beat then recalled how he had received anonymous dockets twice over against Star India founder and media tycoon Rupert Murdoch. Another journalist recalls how what was rivalry fought more to ward off Murdoch from the Indian broadcast scene reached a new high when Star India beat Zee with the launch of Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000.

     

    It took Zee some years including re-engineering of its operations to bring back its old, glory days.

     

    However, there has been much public display of camaraderie between the two network in the recent past. It even led to the formation of a distribution arm called ‘Mediapro’ which was later disbanded.

     

    Star India CEO Uday Shankar and Zee MD have also known to be friends, and have collaborated on many industry initiatives. In fact it’s their collective leadership that has led to many of the recent successes of the broadcast industry, including warding off any government intervention and the successful launch of the audience measurement system under the joint industry body BARC India.

     

    We don’t know whether this salvo has the backing of Zee group chairman and now Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subhash Chandra. Goel, Chandra’s brother, is also known to be independent, but observers say the current move couldn’t have been made without the blessings of Chairman Chandra.

     

    But more than the speculation whether the two networks are at war, the issues that the Jawahar Goel letter raises could majorly impact the process of awarding the rights for telecast of IPL.

     

    And even if Star eventually does win the rights for the cricketing league, the process for charging consumers (via cable distributors and DTH operators) could be be totally governed by pricing policies issued by telecom regulator TRAI which may well make the entire proposition unattractive.

     

    DishTV letter against possible monopoly in cricket telecast if Star India wins IPL rights is sure to be taken very seriously by all recipients especially the politicians who can’t afford to displease consumers.

     

    Please click here for the Jawahar Goel letter

     

  • Star Bharat’s launch campaign film has been conceptualised inhouse and directed by Chak De India director Shimit Amin

    Star Bharat to launch on Aug 28

    By A Correspondent

     

    Star India has announced the launch of Star Bharat from the evening of August 28. The channel will replace Life OK.

     

    While the channel has been announced by way of a brand film and an all-new credo of “Bhula ke darr, kuch alag kar”, a basic programming line-up has also been announced. These being a devotional music reality show titled’ Om Shanti Om’ which has Baba Ramdev as its ‘Maha Judge’. Then there’s a sitcom title ‘Kya Haal Mr. Panchaal?’

     

    Star Bharat’s launch campaign film has been conceptualised inhouse and directed  by Chak De India director Shimit Amin.

     

     

  • Star Sports First will feature an immersive line-up of sports such as VIVO Pro Kabaddi, BCCI domestic cricket, domestic football league etc

    Star Sports takes the FTA route with Hindi channel launch

    By A Correspondent

     

    After its regional foray with the launch of Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports is getting to set to launch a free-to-air sports channel, Star Sports First. The channel will go on air on July 21on DD’s FTA DTH platform Freedish. This will allow sports fans and enthusiasts to watch their favourite sports, in Hindi, without paying any subscription fee.

     

    The channel will also air Seasons 5 of the Pro Kabaddi League which begins on July 28. In addition, the channel’s programme calendar will also include BCCI domestic cricket tournaments, domestic football tournament etc.

     

    Said a Star India spokesperson: “Television penetration in India has grown exponentially. We recognise that there is a very sizeable subset of this universe that is not on conventional pay TV. In the ‘Free-to-air’ content that they have access to, sports content is mostly absent and only sporadically available. It is our belief that there is, however, an eager appetite for it and that is the reason to launch SS First. We believe tens of millions of fans will be created for many different sports offerings through our content bouquet.”

     

  • With the re-branding the channels content offerings will further see a ramp-up with bigger and better viewing experiences as a network

    Star Maa unveils new brand identity for network channels

    By A Correspondent

     

    Star Maa, the Telugu GEC of Star Network, has rechristened its network channels under the Star Maa umbrella. On June 25,2017 the brands Maa Music, Maa Gold and Maa Movies got refreshed to Star Maa Music, Star Maa Gold and Star Maa Movies. Apart from the refreshed channels, an HD addition has been added to the bouquet – Star Maa Movies HD.

     

    Said Kevin Vaz, CEO, South Region, Star India:  “We are in the entertainment space and with changing aspirations and expectations of viewers we always look to redefine entertainment. Innovation, content variety, spiffy packaging and quality of the channel is a sign of our commitment to Telugu viewing audiences, globally.”

     

    Added Alok Jain, the Telugu networks’s EVP & Business Head: “Star India’s Integration with Maa was a testimony to Star wanting to build and grow in Telugu market. With the new brand name and proposition, we plan to significantly scale up our offerings of all our network channels which has seen tremendous growth starting from the year of 2017’’.

     

  • The new website attempts to add a fresh dimension, Imagine more… to Star India's empowering vision

    Star India launches new interactive website

    By A Correspondent

     

    What should the website of a leading broadcast-led media conglomerate look like? Share its vision and showcase its offerings? So if it’s a Star then possibly highlight its rise and rise, right?

     

    Over the years Star India has embarked on initiating ‘nayi soch’ (a new thinking) in the way it conducts itself. And in order to bring alive its mission of ‘Inspiring a billion imaginations’, it has revealed an all-new corporate website at www.startv.com.

     

    The attempt is to be an inspiring storytelling platform, and in order to do this, it commissioned global brand agency Design Studio which helped rebrand among others Airbnb and Premier League and closer home Snapdeal. Notes the London and San Francisco-based agency: “Designing their platform was just the start. We defined how they talk about themselves and how to identify and articulate stories. We developed a new editorial style and helped identify, assess and develop the stories that are most relevant and impactful. To truly bring Star’s stories to life, we travelled back out to India for a photoshoot that spanned the country. We went behind the scenes and beyond the shows to capture the impact of their work in everything and amplify Star’s initiatives… Inspired by CEO Uday [Shankar]’s quote “It is about enabling, empowering and stimulating everyone to find his or her own answers; answers shaped by their own imagination”, and everything we learnt in our immersion phase, we defined the creative idea – ‘Imagine more…’”

     

    Said Gayatri Yadav, President, Consumer Strategy and Innovation, Star India: “At Star, our mission has been to ‘Inspire a Billion Imaginations’ and the website brings this mission to life. It seeks to inspire and instigate each and every individual to unlock their potential of limitless possibilities. Imagine more… articulates how we take this mission forward and creates a powerful new storytelling address. This is a new home for Star’s incredible stories of change, inspiration, and bold ideas.”

     

    Added James Hurst, Executive Creative Director, Design Studio: “Our role is often to sift for the magic. Star is very unusual, there is magic everywhere! It has been (and continues to be) an absolutely inspiring rollercoaster getting to understand the breadth and depth of their impact on society and their hopes and ambitions for such an exciting and extraordinary future. We are thrilled with the work so far, and can’t wait for what happens next.”

     

  • Vivo has bagged the title sponsorship rights for 5 years, for the Pro Kabaddi League that is set to kick-off in July 2017

    Pro-Kabaddi and Vivo sign 5-year title sponsorship deal

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sporting league Pro-Kabaddi has signed on Vivo as the title sponsor for five years. The upcoming season will see Pro Kabaddi with up to 12 teams and more than 130 matches spread across 13 weeks. Vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 5 will kick off in July 2017 on Star Sports.

     

    Speaking about VIVO Pro Kabaddi, Sanjay Gupta, Managing Director, Star India said: “We are delighted to have Vivo as our title sponsor, as they happen to share a common vision with Star Sports to make Pro Kabaddi one of the finest leagues in the world. VIVO coming on board as the title sponsor is a significant milestone in the growth story of the league. Star Sports will continue its efforts to elevate the stature of the sport further.”

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Kent Cheng, CEO, Vivo India said: “We are thrilled to partner with Pro Kabaddi league as the title sponsor. This association is important for us as Pro Kabaddi league has reached incredible heights and now proudly stands as one of the most successful leagues in India.

     

  • It's our third 'big story' on Republic, but then it's perhaps one of the biggest media launches in the last decade

    Can Republic TV kill Competition?

     

     By Pradyuman Maheshwari [updated]

    For a television channel that’s determined to fight for the need for transparency in public life and government, its launch date appears to be a closely guarded secret. But now it’s confirmed: Tomorrow, May 6. Why a Saturday, one may ask. Because that’s the first day of the week (Week #19 of 2017) as per BARC measurement. And Goswami, as he must, keeps a close watch on his viewership numbers.

    Before we had  confirmation on the date, we did have word from the Star India Corporate’s PR agency that Republic TV would start streaming on the OTT platform with effect from tomorrow. No time stated.

    Having said that, Republic is on a roll in terms of marketing across media. It has a healthy set of advertisers: Vivo, Jio, Renault, Hike, Yes Bank, Microsoft, Ravin, Nestaway, Future Group, Havell’s, Gionee, Lloyd, Raymond and Ola. Star India, we are told by sources, will continue to be an advertiser, though its logo is missing from today’s Mint ad.

    We asked ChromeDM, specialists in research on connectivity to give us a report on the availability of Republic TV, for, distribution along with content and revenues will eventually speak about the success of the channel.

    And this is what Pankaj Krishna, Founder & CEO, Chrome DM said: “Currently, on an average, an English News Channels has an availability of 45.1% among Urban Homes in India. With its soft launch, Republic has 18.4% Urban India availability (as per Chrome OTS or Opportunity to See, 3rd May 2017). In Mega Cities, Republic is currently available in 32% of the Households.”

    Note this is for data as of May 3. A distribution industry expert we spoke with said that the availability will leapfrog once the channel goes on air, as even though the deal is inked, some discerning networks do not like to air test signals. So the expert we spoke with said the ChromeDM data as of now may not be the right measure to look at right now.

    However, MxMIndia is a neutral observer and it’s important that you know facts as they are. Also, according to the ad, distribution deals have been inked with all platforms. Other than Hotstar, Republic will be available on Jio, Ditto and we are sure other platforms too.

    “There’s a buzz around Republic TV, and even if deals aren’t inked, viewers will want to watch it and will ask for it… at least for the first few weeks. Moreover, it’s free-to-air, so the pull factor increases,” said one distribution network owner.

    A media buyer and marketer we spoke with requested to speak on anonymity. Here’s what both echoed.

    1. That the buzz around Arnab Goswami has increased after he quit his previous employer.
    2. The legal notice which Goswami spoke about making an emotional appeal touched a chord, and there is a certain amount of sympathy for him.
    3. The issues with Pakistan are raging, and that’s a topic Goswami is passionate about
    4. There are enough inefficiencies across the country which Goswami will definitely dwell on

    Meanwhile, other channels are also getting their act together. Both India Today and CNN-IBN have launched shows at 7pm and also relooked at the rest of the primetime programming. Extension of primetime to 7pm will expand the viewership in all.

    As per BARC ratings for Week 17 (April 22 to 28), Times Now was the leader followed by India Today, CNN-News18, NDTV 24×7 and BBC World News. NewsX and WION didn’t figure in the Top 5. This data is for urban and rural viewership from amongst males of 22 years and above.

    MxMIndia also spoke to industry captains and while all of them wish Republic TV and Arnab Goswami the very best, they do acknowledge that it’s not going to be an easy ask. There are comparisons made to how CNN-IBN (now CNN-News18) scored a march over NDTV 24×7 when Rajdeep Sardesai started the channel, but those were early in the history of English news television in India. Times Now didn’t exist and Headlines Today (now India Today) was near-inconsequential.

    And what is our view? Well, who doesn’t like a David outwits/ outshines/ kills Goliath story. We all love it. But then we are going to be as neutral as it’s possible. We report on the business regardless who gives us business.

    However, there are issues which are beyond just R&R… in this case ratings and revenues. It’s the kind of journalism we will see on Republic TV. And hence across all channels. Will channels talking about the noise be contributing to the noise in their own way? Will the new style of television journalism – nationalism and raising questions against it – actually damage situation on the ground, even though the viewership of English news channels is limited.

    It’s our third ‘Big Story’ on Republic. Or fourth? We’ve lost count. But, then, it’s possibly one of the biggest media launches in the last decade.

    The last question to ourselves (and as in the headline): Do we see Republic TV killing Competition?

    Our response: We don’t know. Yes, we do care and we will be delighted to report on the numbers. We will await the BARC ratings over the next few weeks quite how in the old Hindi films the old parents would wait for the ‘daakiya’ for an update.

    Our normal end-line would’ve been: May the best channel win.

    But here, we will say: May good (and smart) journalism win.

    Now don’t say who cares!

     

     

  • Underlining the sentiment of unity and national pride, Matrabhasha showcases Cricket as the language that unifies India

    Matrabhasha seeks to unite Indian cricket fans

    By A Correspondent

     

    We don’t know if the Indian cricket board will pull of the Champions Trophy, but assuming Virat Kohli & Co to take to the field to defend the title, Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, has plans to gear up to support Team India with its recently released film Matrabhasha.

     

    Underlining the sentiment of unity and national pride, Matrabhasha showcases cricket as the language that unifies India. The chant “India! India!” that punctuates the film represents our collective national fervour for the sport.

     

    Said an unnamed Star India spokesperson: “The film Matrabhasha, captures the very essence of cricket – a thrilling, action-packed sport that inspires millions as a common language – unifying all. With Team India set to defend its title at the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, cricket fans all over the country will unite yet again and extend their unwavering support to the team & their heroes. We are extremely thrilled with the response to the campaign so far and our coverage will also ensure that we take the viewer experience to the next level!”

     

    This TVC builds on the successful ‘World Cup wali feeling’ and ‘Har Koi Dekhega’ filmsand is part of the campaign launched by Star Sports for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.

     

    Now one only hopes India does participate in CL2017.

     

  • Poised to become India's biggest league; up to 12 teams, 130+ matches,13 weeks of competition

    Pro Kabaddi League aims to broaden reach in next season

     

     

    With four successful seasons completed in aspan of two years and the sport’s ever increasing popularity, Pro Kabaddi is now set to expand to up tofour new geographies. With the addition of these new teams, Pro Kabaddi is gearing up to surpass other Indian sports leagues in terms of geographic representation (teams from 11 states), number of matches(130+ matches), and duration of the league (13 weeks) in Season 5.

     

    The intended new states for Pro Kabaddiare Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, chosen for their high affinity towards Kabaddi.

     

    Said Uday Shankar, Chairman and CEO, Star India: “Even for an optimist like me, the response we have seen for Kabaddi is surprising. Having seen its affinity in the country, it would be a disservice to the sport if we do not grow it further. All stakeholders have decided to come together to expand the league and given the pace at which this is growing, it might be just the first in a series of expansions in the coming years”,.

     

    Added Janardan Singh Gehlot, President, International Kabaddi Federation:  “Pro Kabaddi is a truly unique example of how a modern league has transformed the much loved but traditional Kabaddi into a modern sport. Star Sports as well as Mashal have created a magnificent example for the growth of India as multi-sport nation.”

     

  • This is Star India's fourth Hindi movie channel

    Premium Hindi movie channel Star Gold Select HD to also launch today

    By A Correspondent

     

    It’s not just Sony BBC Earth that’s launching today. Star India has announced  its fourth Hindi movies channel – Star Gold Select HD. An HD-only channel, Star Gold Select will serve carefully curated, meaningful stories from Indian cinema on television to a discerning audience, notes a communique. The channel will go live today, March 6, albeit with a much lesser blitz than Earth.

    Said Hemal Jhaveri, General Manager, Hindi movies cluster at Star India: “From a Hindi movie content-consumption point of view, it’s safe to say that India is at its best stage so far. Movie lovers across the country are looking for differentiated content in films, television and digital. With the launch of this channel, we will cater to this need with our handpicked movies that have a compelling storyline”.

    “Each of our movie channels offers a unique proposition to our consumer. With Indian cinema taking a leap with regards to content, we believe that there is a growing need for movies with great storytelling to have their own destination on television. This is the genesis of Star Gold Select HD. The channel packaging is clean and minimalistic making it easy to navigate through content. , with just one interval in every single movie, every day, delivering an enjoyable in-home movie experience” added Jhaveri.

    An integrated marketing campaign on television, leveraging the STAR network strength, on digital, and radio will mark the launch.

     

  • 'Star Plus Dopahar' is scheduled to start on April 3 and will run from 12.30 to 2.30pm

    Star Plus announces return of ‘dopahar’ band

    By A Correspondent

     

    Star Plus has announced the return of its afternoon band with four shows in what is called ‘Star Plus Dopahar’.  It is scheduled to start on April 3 and will run from 12.30 to 2.30pm.

     

    Said Narayan Sundararaman- General Manager, Star Plus: ”We at Star Plus are constantly striving to reframe and reinvent Hindi entertainment television. Our goal is to make compelling content available to consumers across all parts of the day. There is a sizeable television viewing audience in the afternoon. Currently the only options available to these viewers are repeat telecasts. Our aim is to present viewers with a spectrum of original content thereby growing the entire category. The insight that has fuelled the proposition is a simple one : afternoons are the only time of the day when the woman of the house has a few moments to herself. Today’s woman values her ‘Me-time’ and Star Plus is committed to engage her with original stories specially created for her.”

     

    The software is being produced by well-known names like Shashi and Sumeet Mittal, SandipSickand and Balaji Telefilms, Ved Raj, DheerajSarna, PurnenduShekhar, NanditaMehra and BhairaviRaichura

     

    Added Gaurav Banerjee, President and Head of Content Studio, Star India on programming lineup: “We believe that it is compelling stories which will draw viewers to the channel in the afternoon. We have seen this with several breakaway hits in the past where we have changed viewership habits by offering cutting edge and differentiated content. Our endeavor is that the four shows with varied storylines and different backgrounds strike a chord with viewers, moving them emotionally so that they connect with the characters thus truly being companions in their special ‘Me Time’.”

     

  • Groundbreaking Hindi series on Star Plus marks TED’s most ambitious TV production yet

    Star India unveils ambitious plans with “TED Talks India: NayiSoch”

    By A Correspondent

     

    Star India announced the greenlight of ‘TED Talks India: NayiSoch,” a global first Hindi TV talk show created in partnership withTED, the non-profit devoted to ‘ideas worth spreading,’ and hosted by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The show on Star Plus titled ‘TED Talks India: NayiSoch,’ will feature speakers sharing big ideas in TED’s signature format of short, powerful talks. This is the first time TED is collaborating with a major network and mega-star to produce a TV series featuring original TED Talks in a language other than English.

     

    Uday Shankar, Chairman & CEO, Star India, said, “At Star, we have always believed in pushing the boundaries with new ideas, creativity and fresh thinking. Nobody reflects this belief more than TED and we are thrilled to collaborate with them in bringing the power of ideas to our audiences with ‘TED Talks India NayiSoch.’ In an age of high volatility the role of ideas to fuel positive change cannot be overstated. We are delighted to have Shah Rukh Khan share our vision and lend his charisma to this exciting endeavour.”

     

    Shah Rukh Khan added, “Star India’s legacy of using television as an instrument of social change, and TED’s unequivocal drive to showcase simple but unique ideas in an effort to spark debate and conversation are a very powerful combination. I believe ‘TED Talks India-NayiSoch’ will inspire many minds across India. It is a concept I connected with instantly, as I believe that the media is perhaps the single most powerful vehicle to inspire change. I am looking forward to working with TED and Star India, and truly hope that together, we are able to inspire young minds across India and the world.”

     

    “It’s incredibly exciting to be bringing TED to India in this form,” said TED curator Chris Anderson. “The country is teeming with imagination and innovation, and we believe this series will tap into that spirit and bring insight and inspiration to many new minds. We’ve been so impressed by the passion of our partners at Star TV and our host Shah Rukh Khan. We cannot wait for the launch.”

     

    Juliet Blake, head of TV at TED and executive producer of the series, added, “The sheer size of Star TV’s audience, with more than 650 million viewers, makes this a significant milestone in TED’s ongoing effort to bring big ideas to curious minds. Global television is opening up a new frontier for TED.”

     

    Star India has always believed in disruptively powering social change through the power of its content to influence and impact people’s lives and thinking. Continuing with this journey ‘TED Talks India: NayiSoch’ will take forward Star’s commitment of creating social impact with Nayi Sochin India. Inspiring a billion imaginations is much more than a tag line, it’s a promise Star India delivers every day in ways that break away from the conventional, spark national debate and help shape the new India.