MxMIndia

Tag: Times Network

  • Urban Development minister M Venkaiah Naidu launches real estate and property business news channel – Magicbricks Now

    Times property channel ‘Magicbricks Now’ to launch on Nov 1

    By A Correspondent

     

    The real estate business is said to on a low. Don’t get fooled by those big ads in the papers. Apartments aren’t selling as well as they should. But that hasn’t deterred Times Network to launch what is being billed as an “unbiased, trustworthy and authoritative perspective on the property business and will help its viewers ‘Be Un-Confused’ about the sector.

     

    This is tough to believe given that the Times group has pioneered offerings like Medianet which deals with editorial space in certain sections of the group’s publications being sold like advertising. Even discerning and values-driven business groups have embraced the cash-for-content innovation. In the light of this, it will be interesting to say how much the new channel will ward off the pulls and pressures of advertisers, and still offer unbiased and trustworthy content.

     

    While Minister Venkaiah Naidu said good things about the Times group and on the need for a property channel, here’s what others from the network said.

     

    Note: MxMIndia wasn’t present for the event held in Delhi, though we were invited to it. The invitation had the name of Editor-in-Chief and President – News Arnab Goswami, but the communiqué we received doesn’t bear his quote.

     

    M K Anand

    This is part of the quote from M K Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network:, “Magicbricks Now has been launched to guide the consumer through the complex and seemingly intimidating world of real-estate transactions.  While real estate is of paramount importance in the life of every Indian, equally, the space is full of complexities, jargon and confusion.  Magicbricks Now will provide unbiased, trustworthy and the most authoritative perspectives on the property business to help the consumer ‘Be un-confused’.”

     

    Faye D’Souza Editor, Magicbricks Now, said: “Magicbricks Now is here with a singular focus – on the end-consumer. Magicbricks Now will offer a rich array of programs that range from News bulletins to property hotlines, debates, leadership insights and more.”

     

    Sudhir Pai, CEO, Magicbricks.com added: “Magicbricks is delighted to be a part of this initiative with the Times Network. Our endeavour has always been to make our brand ubiquitous across media so as to provide consumers with rich and in-depth information when it comes to matters of property. With this association we leverage the visual appeal of television to communicate our rich data and analytics in an easy-to-consume manner for the consumer. With this launch, we strengthen the offering and make ourselves available at every touch point to consumers.”

     

    It may be remembered that Magicbricks.com is the popular online property transaction portal set up by the Times group.

     

    Meanwhile, the channel has has partnered has got on board Lotus Greens Developers Private Ltd and Mantri Developers Pvt.Ltd, as key sponsors from Day One.

     

  • The second leg of the workshops will happen in Bangalore on 18th of September and Delhi in the beginning of the next week

    Times Network creates opportunity for SMEs

    By A Correspondent

     

    Times Network kick-started Ascend Now 2015 in Mumbai. The week long workshops over three markets – Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi are being held to educate, create awareness, and provide cost-effective advertising opportunities on national television for SMEs and start-ups.

     

    In India, today, there is a huge amount of potential hidden in the SME (Small & Medium enterprises) sector which needs to be brought forth. The country is a home to over 5 crore SME units. Having said that, when it comes to communicating their respective brands, these SMEs and start-ups don’t know how to go about it. They don’t get expert advice that their bigger counterparts receive from brand consultants and media agencies. As a result, they fail to optimise their brand communication and get that critical benefit. The research has shown that the biggest perception bearers amongst the SME and start-ups are of the opinion that the national television is expensive and beyond their reach.

     

    Having identified this need gap, Times Network has created an opportunity through Ascend Now 2015, whereby the SMEs and the star-ups can avail expert advices on brand communications and can broadcast their brand through the television channels of Times Network. Through this framework, the SMEs and the start-ups can do their brand promotions on India’s largest television platform in a cost-effective manner.

     

    As the workshops end on September 23, Times Network is expecting to reach out to over 1000 SMEs and start-ups which are prospective advertisers. The trend shows that the conversion of the prospects to the real advertisers will be about 150 companies. This initiative will possibly give a 10 per cent increase in the number of advertisers on Times Network, annually.

     

    M K Anand

    MK Anand, CEO and MD, Times Network said, “I’m extremely thrilled with the kind of response we have received from the SMEs in the first two days of seminars in Mumbai. It is this success that gives us confidence about doing well even in Delhi and Bangalore in the next few days.”

     

    The packages that were offered were specially created for SMEs ranging from Rs 22 lakhs to Rs 66 lakhs. The offers are valid for a 12-month period and are only available on the day of the seminar.

     

    In the inaugural two-day workshop in Mumbai, the senior executives who participated were from companies that have presence in – Construction, Education, Food and Agro Products, Jewellery Manufacturing, Internet start-ups and Beauty and Lifestyle.

     

    The second leg of the workshops will happen in Bangalore on 18th of September and Delhi in the beginning of the next week.

     

  • The new channel will be a unique destination for content and information on the property market

    Times Network launches 24-hr real estate channel ‘Property Now’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Times Network, the broadcast arm of India’s largest media house Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. announced the launch of India’s first 24X7 realty and property news channel, ‘Property Now’. The announcement was made by M K Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network at the inaugural session of FICCI’s The Big 5 Construct India 2015 held in Mumbai recently.

     

    Announcing the launch of Property Now, M. K. Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network said, “The Real Estate & Construction industry is a key contributor to the Indian economy today. Poised for an unprecedented growth boosted by the Government’s Smart city and housing-for-all projects, the sector commands investments from over 60 per cent of Indian Household Savings. We felt the industry needs a cohesive and powerful platform, where all the stakeholders can exchange their views, communicate with each other, influence the policymakers for the up gradation of the sector and better the life of the common man. Hence, we are delighted to announce the launch of Times Network’s 24-hours dedicated Real Estate and Property channel – Property Now. The channel will aim to address all needs related to real estate, property and infrastructure.”

     

    The new channel will be a unique destination for content and information on the property market, offering viewers unbiased information that makes the home-buying process simpler and more efficient. The channel will be a combination of news, debates, advice and analysis on real estate and allied aspects focusing not only on the buying decision but also on interiors and home improvement. The channel’s mandate is to provide relevant content and accurate information on the real estate market, home loans, the tax and legal aspects of buying a home and as well as advice on home décor in all price brackets.

     

    Faye D’Souza, Editor, Real Estate and Personal Finance, ET Now, while discussing the programming of Property Now, shared, “The channel will have news bulletins that will share the industry and pricing trends and put into perspective any development happening on the day. It will have debates wherein we will get guests who are accountable to the customers to come and talk about what’s happening in this segment. There will be a show wherein viewers can call and address their queries related to properties, and panellists will be demystifying those queries. Besides, there will be features on various subjects like how to decorate your house, how to make it safe for a child etc. The channel will have a broad spectrum of content related to legality of buying properties, financing related to properties, and so on.”

     

    Distributed pan-India, the channel is targeted towards 1mn+ markets initially. In phases, it will reach the target markets currently being served by ET Now. Property Now is expected to grow further because the subject is of interest to a larger set of audience as it will cater to investors, property buyers, builders and infrastructure industry et al.

     

    The channel will be helmed by Faye D’Souza who is also the Editor – Personal Finance & Real Estate, ET NOW and comes with a wealth of experience in the sector. President-News Times Network, Arnab Goswami will guide the new channel and lead the editorial team.

     

  • The channel is a complete rebranding of Movies Now Plus, which will cease to exist post this launch

    Times Network launches MN+, an HD-only English movie channel

    By Dyanne Coelho

     

    The Times Network, which includes channels like Times Now, Zoom, ET Now, Romedy Now and Movies Now, has announced the launch of MN+, a premium movie channel, available only in HD. The channel is a complete rebranding of Movies Now Plus, which will cease to exist post this launch, Vivek Srivastava, Senior VP and Head English Entertainment Cluster announced.

     

    The prominence of Hollywood movies in India has gone up, Srivastava pointed out, and MN+ will cater to the intelligent aspirants, the ones who believe their time is valuable, he said. “The channel has been hand-crafted not just for the informed, intelligent and discerning movie lovers, but for the cineastes as well. It is designed to give viewers a Gold Class Experience of Hollywood.”

     

    Vivek Srivastava

    MN+ and Movies Now will co-exist, showcasing two entirely different sets of movies. It is not a simulcast, Srivastava stressed. Movies that will be available on the newly launched channel include Argo, The Shawshank Redemption, The Hurt Locker, Sherlock Homes, The Bourne Supremacy and the like. Advertising duration on the channel is set to be at six minutes per hour while on Movies Now it is 12 minutes per hour.

     

    “The MN+ extension of Movies Now comes at a time when viewers across our markets have responded extremely positively to the Movies Now brand. The rapidly growing reach and ratings of Movies Now over the past year bears testimony to this,” Srivastava said, adding, “Movies Now leads the category in BARC ratings. The channel commands a 26 percent market share and has the highest reach in the category.”

     

    The network is focusing on both metros as well as Tier II and Tier III cities. “Consumers are ready to pay a premium for HD because of the quality and if you give them what they want and the content is easily accessible, then they are likely to avoid resorting to illegal downloads to catch their favourite movie,” Srivastava said. The network is confident that MN+ will add to viewer and advertiser numbers. The implementation of DAS in Phase 3 and 4 is eagerly awaited and will help in terms of subscription revenues and availability, Srivastava added.

     

    The MN+ library comprises must-watch movies across genres that are universally celebrated and are discussed extensively in social gatherings of people who have an opinion.  The channel will not only showcase great titles, but will also package them in interesting on-air properties like Center Stage, Great Adaptations, Opening Night and Hollywood Select, among others.

     

    Discussing the target audience of the channel, Srivastava said, “MN+ is for those premium audiences that have the temperament to be choosy about what life has to offer and have evolved to value only the best.”

     

    Speaking about advertiser endorsement, he said, “Not just viewer delight, we are also pleased and humbled by the strong and enthusiastic response from advertisers and marketers. Over the past year almost all the major brands have been present on Movies Now and we are increasing that count every day.”

     

  • Any characters in Thakraney's book resembling people in advertising and journalism, we asked someone in the know. "Yes," we were told. "Especially in the media. He has not even tried to conceal the resemblance too much."

    MediaAsides: Times mulls realty channel, Anil Thakraney’s crime novel characters resemble media folk…

    By Mediaahwallah

     

    And on a day when Pratap Bose has announced his new agency, we are back dearies.  With some goss, some asides and some gupshup.

     

    Times Network to launch real estate channel

    We aren’t sure whether this it’s going to be very high on the ratings roster, but our sources in Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, DN Road and Kamla Mills Compound tell us that it’s going to happen soon.

     

    The spreadsheets have been approved, the sanctions have been got and if all goes as per plan, Times Network will launch a full-fledged channel on the real estate sector.

    If our memory serves us right, in the mid-1990s, NEPC had come up with an exclusive real estate channel. It didn’t last too long.

    But in the case of Times of India group, the real estate sector depends a great deal on the print avatar, so this could well work.

    We will wait and watch.

     

    Lalit Modi takes on Vineet Jain

     

    Lalit Modi
    Vineet Jain

    If you don’t follow Lalit Modi on Twitter, do so now (the handle is @lalitkmodi).

    Obviously reacting to the aggressive coverage on him on Times Now, Modi is now taking the battle to the Times camp, and he has been taking on Bennet, Coleman (the Times of India and Times Now parent company) managing director Vineet Jain in his tweets.

    None of Modi’s attempts to embarrass Jain have been successful so far, as other than tweeting several times all of the weekend, there has been no dramatic claim or expose. Until the time of writing at least.

     

     

    Anil Thakraney’s crime novel has characters having close resemblances with media folk

    Anil Thakraney

    MxMIndia regulars and folks in the ad and media business are familiar with Anil Thakraney’s writings.  Thakraney’s first book – a crime thriller — is due to be released on July 22 and is titled ‘An Invitation to Death’. The story is about a serial killer and is set in contemporary India.  According to info available on Thakraney’s website (anilthakraney.com), the protagonist is Darius Irani, a hyper-intelligent young man who goes on a murderous spree, targeting young, beautiful, urban women, who fall prey to his easy charm, sense of humour and innate madness.

    Any characters in the book resembling people in advertising and journalism, we asked someone in the know. “Yes,” we were told. “Especially in the media.  He has not even tried to conceal the resemblance too much.”

    Aha! One book we are going to pre-book for sure. And since deliveries will happen a month from today, we’ve requested for the first chapter which is available for free.

     

    Can’t wait to play the guessing game!

     

  • Zoom TV will be available on Dialog Television on channel no. 47 on Gold , Emerald, Diamond and Thee packages

    Zoom takes off in Sri Lanka

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zoom – the popular Hindi Entertainment channel has announced its entry into Sri Lanka. Zoom TV will be available on Dialog Television on channel no. 47 on Gold , Emerald, Diamond and Thee packages.

     

    Dialog Television’s Head of Business, Chirantha De Zoysa, said “Bollywood has a huge following in Sri Lanka, and Zoom will serve as an ideal outlet for the very latest in music, movies and information on the latest action. This is another example of Dialog Television adding significant value to its viewership across all segments via a pioneering partnership, and we look forward to growing this segment in time to come.”

     

    Commenting on venturing into a new international market Naveen Chandra Head- International Business – Times Network said, “With this launch Times Network is now present in 78 countries and we are happy to see the initial positive feedback from the market. We have recently launched in Seychelles and Mauritius. Dialog Television is the largest pay direct-to-home satellite service provider in Sri Lanka and with their help; we look forward to growing our audience and market in the time to come.”

     

    Zoom is already present on 4 continents in major diasporic countries like United States of America, Canada, Malaysia, Mauritius, etc.

     

  • New alignment within the group's sales force aimed at meeting higher growth targets with an aggressive approach of Now or Nothing

    Times Network announces slew of appointments

    By A Correspondent

     

    Times Network has announced strategic restructuring reflecting a new stronger growth-oriented operating model. The initiative aims at providing significant growth opportunities and greater responsibilities to the existing leadership in the advertising and sales team which will also inculcate the Network’s new brand philosophy of Now or Nothing.

     

    Given the new drive of being aggressive and restructuring, Hemant Arora who was Head Branded content has been elevated as the Sales Head for Times Now & ET Now. Hemant has more than 17 years of experience in media sales, including print, internet and television. He started his career at the Times of India in 1997.

     

    Some of the other structural changes which have been announced are:

    Hersh Bhandari has been given the charge as National Head of Ad Sales for Times Now. Also, Shilpa Shetty has been appointed as National Head of Ad Sales for ET Now. Since joining the channel, she has been instrumental in increasing the revenue of the channel by a phenomenal ratio. Shilpa is a tough taskmaster and is also the first woman to rise to the position of Head of Sales from within Times Network.

     

    To add to the team, Gaurav Dhawan Will take over as Cluster Head for English Entertainment Channels. His 17 years of extensive experience in managing advertising revenue driven business across Television, Print and Web leveraging strong client relationships, gives him an advantage in meeting his challenging new assignment, where he is pitted against TV’s major domo Star’s English Entertainment business. Also, Jogajyoti Pati will take over as National Head of Ad Sales India 2 for Times Network while Rohit Tugnait will take over as the National Head of Ad Sales & Brand Solutions for zoOm.

     

    MK Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network said, “This refinement in our working model is designed to keep up with the momentum we had been sailing on through whole of the last year. While 2015 was one of hygiene improvements, 2016 will be a watershed year during which we will make an all-out effort to correct our price:value equation and build our revenue base.”

     

  • New brand philosophy of Now or Nothing creates urgency in approach

    For Times Network, it will be ‘Now or Nothing’

    By A Correspondent

     

    TIMES TELEVISION NETWORK has been rebranded as TIMES NETWORK with its positioning statement of – Now or Nothing. The new, improved brand logo and rebranding will facilitate higher resonance for the channels vis-a-vis competition.

     

    M K Anand

    MK Anand, CEO & Managing Director, Times Network said, “This is not an India of passive optimists. At the forefront, at the leading edge generation of youth, at the top of corporations and organisations, India is screaming – ‘Now or Nothing’. This is something that is also being articulated in the content and the value we deliver through our channels. The content has to be rooted in the NOW. The change in name from Times Television Network to Times Network shows a paradigm shift to reflect the reality that Video is no longer just Television.”

     

    The new logo is contemporary and shows the liberalisation of the brand by stepping out of the box to be open to change. The fonts used are bolder. At the top is a pyramid mnemonic, whose tip signifies the specific Indians who are wanting and making change. These are the audiences the network and its channels are targeting. The brand belief is that the driver of change is at the top, and the philosophy of the top permeates down to all segments.

     

    As part of the change at Times Network, the expression of channels in terms of content and even positioning is undergoing a revamp. The expectation is that there will be 1-2 channels launched every year, and the content could also become regional. The action-oriented credo of the organisation will position the network as fast, agile and alert.

     

    About Times Network:

    Times Network is part of India’s largest media conglomerate, The Times Group.  It houses upscale brands including ET NOW – India’s No. 1 Stocks and Business News channel; MOVIES NOW – India’s leading English Movies channel; ROMEDY NOW – a unique destination for Love and Laughter; TIMES NOW – India’s No. 1 English News channel; and zoOm – India’s No. 1 Bollywood channel. The network delivers segmented and differentiated content under one umbrella. It informs, entertains and engages over 100 million urban affluent viewers in India and is available in over 76 countries across the globe.

     

    For further queries, please contact:

    Jimit Shah / Yasna Mistree

    LinOpinion – GH

    Mobile: 9833228876 / 8652252098

    E-mail: jimit.shah@linopiniongh.com / yasna.mistree@linopiniongh.com

     

  • Ditto TV is India's first Over-The-Top TV distribution platform offering live TV & on-demand content on mobile and traditional devices

    Zee aims to Ditto its DTH success story

     

    By Rishi Vora

     

    It is said that one who adapts as per the changing times is the one who succeeds in the long run. Recession or no recession – it doesn’t matter. If organisations continue to focus on what the market needs, success stories will continue to emerge and growth will eventually take precedence over many a hurdles.

     

    Adapting to the market and launching a relevant product in India’s broadcast sector is Zee Enterprises Ltd; the company that has been credited for making early inroads in the TV entertainment space in India and making it big internationally. It has now set an example in the New Media space with the launch of Ditto TV.

     

    Punit Goenka

    Ditto TV is India’s first Over-The-Top TV distribution platform offering live TV and on-demand content to end consumers on mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, entertainment boxes and connected TVs.  The product has been brought out in the Indian market with the help of technology partner, Siemens.  “The offering fundamentally turns appointment viewing as a concept on its head,’ said Punit Goenka, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, ZEEL.

     

    On what it means to the group Mr Goenka said: “It adds a different dimension to business model. The idea was to bring cutting-edge wireless broadband digital services to customers across the world. Over the years, we have launched many industry firsts, but this is a launch that I’m excited about; I believe that Ditto TV will transform the way content is consumed and monetised.”

     

    Vishal Malhotra

    “For our channel partners- namely, for content owners, distributors, retail, OEMs and service providers, Ditto TV creates unique revenue generating opportunities,” explained Vishal Malhotra, Business Head – New Media, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, on what it means to its channel partners.

     

    Apart from India, the platform will be available in the UK, UAE, New Zealand and Australia. And United States will follow in the priority list, by end of this quarter.

    So yes, it’s an experiment by Zee, but as experts have pointed out, it’s a risk worth taking as consumption patterns of consumers are going through a sea change with the advent of digital technologies.

     

    Ditto TV will offer features such as adaptive streaming, elaborative programme guide, content recommendation engine and an interface which is integral to enhance the user experience. Moreover, it allows for complete customisation in terms of cost as well as content – where users are given an option to handpick a basket of channels as per their own personal preferences.  Price points start at Rs49, where the consumer gets access to three channels of his choice.

     

    Yogesh Radhakrishnan, a veteran in the field of TV distribution in India, said: “There are some issues like inadequate bandwidth; broadband connectivity is a pain, but having said that OTT is a technology for the future. For it to reach to the masses, it will take some time.”

     

    As for the broadcasters, Ditto TV comes in as an additional platform to showcase their channels on. And just as the thought crosses the mind, as to how many broadcasters will Zee be able to get on board, the news is that already 21 channels have agreed to use this platform.

     

    MSM Group, TV Today Network, BBC, and Zee are a few networks that will allow their channels to be available on the platform. A few important contracts yet to be signed which includes Reliance Broadcast, Star and Times Network. The company expects to offer a complete set of 50 channels shortly.

     

    The sense is that it is a matter of time before the rest of the industry embraces this new platform from Zee. As informed by Mr Goenka, monetisation via advertising can only happen once it reaches out to a critical mass – at least 5 per cent of the audience which consumes TV content on a daily basis. So there is still some time for advertisers to worry about this new delivery platform. But, that doesn’t make this venture of any less significance for Zee.

     

    Mr Goenka pointed out that a significant investment has gone into setting up Ditto TV and that he expects his new media division to contribute about 10 per cent to the group in terms of revenue in the next five years. Needless to say that Ditto TV is the first step in the bigger game to boost the company’s digital and new media play.

     

    On what this means to DTH and cable operators, Mr Radhakrishnan explained: “These are very, very early days. There is no doubt that OTT is the technology of future, but for now, it is just a beginning and not a threat to other distribution channels. Also, it is unlikely to replace the existing mode of distribution channels, as new media and technology comes as a welcome ‘value addition’ to the business.”

     

    So whether Ditto is able to script a ditto success story that of Dish TV – Zee’s DTH offering, is something to watch out for. For now it looks like a welcome initiative – both from the consumer and the trade point of view.