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Tag: Viacom18

  • The channel went live on December 19, 2011

    Viacom18’s Sonic is 10

    By Our Staff

     

    Viacom18’s Sonic is celebrating 10 years of entertaining kids. It was launched on December 19, 2011 as part of the Nickelodeon franchise.

     

    Said Nina Jaipuria, Head of Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18: “When we started our journey with Sonic a decade ago, we took a plunge in the highly competitive kids category. From then to now, Sonic has grown leaps and bounds. The success story of Sonic is a result of our kids first approach in driving innovation with pioneering homegrown content thus making Nickelodeon the leading franchise. We take great pride in Sonic’s success and are truly overwhelmed with the love it continues to receive from kids and advertisers alike. We are happy to have built a brand that is a destination that kids return to for their daily dose of entertainment and look forward to the next phase with enthusiasm and zeal.”

     

    To commemorate Sonic’s decade long journey, a special ‘Tenniversary’ campaign has been devised.

     

  • Television channels Vh1 and MTV, and digital platforms Voot and Jio TV will air the content

    NBA moves from Sony to Viacom18

    By Our Staff

     

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Viacom18 announced a multiyear partnership to deliver live NBA games and programming to fans in India across television and over-the-top streaming. Until recently, NBA had a partnership with Sony Pictures.

     

    Beginning with the NBA’s landmark 75th Anniversary Season in 2021-22, Viacom18 as part of the partnership enabled and supported by Rise Worldwide will provide coverage of the NBA’s regular season and marquee events in English and Hindi through its television channels Vh1 and MTV, and through its digital platforms Voot and Jio TV.  Coverage will include weekly live games, NBA All-Star, the NBA Play-In Tournament, the NBA Playoffs and the Finals.  Viacom18 will also show daily highlights and create original NBA-themed programming that will run on a number of channels across its network.

     

    Said Anil Jayaraj, CEO – Sports, Viacom18: “While sports are the biggest whitespace that we are entering, to build a truly inclusive and differentiated proposition, we need to look at diverse sporting events from across the globe. Basketball is a sport that is increasingly gaining attention and affinity in India.  Through this partnership with the NBA, not only do we want to make basketball mainstream, but also build its lifestyle appeal among sports fans.”

     

    Added Anshul Ailawadi, Head of Youth, Music and English Entertainment for Viacom18: “Globally, basketball is more than a sport – it is a lifestyle. As we look to build basketball into a cultural phenomenon in India, we welcome this deep partnership with the NBA.  Over the course of this association, we will be initiating a heavily localized marketing outreach and consumer connect programme aimed at building fandom for the sport.”

     

    Said Sunny Malik, Head of Global Content and Media Distribution, NBA India: “We are thrilled to partner with Viacom18 to broadcast and stream live NBA games to a nationwide audience. Basketball’s popularity in India continues to grow, and by offering a range of NBA programming on Viacom18 in both English and Hindi, we look forward to reaching and inspiring millions of new and existing NBA fans across the country.”

     

  • The matches are being aired on Colors Cineplex, Rishtey Cineplex and Voot

    Viacom18 rolls out marketing blitz for Abu Dhabi T10 League

    By Our Staff

     

    Starting November 19, Viacom18 is presenting the Abu Dhabi T10 league. In a run up to the series and to maintain sustained momentum, the network has started a marketing blitz, building fandom amongst cricketing fans in India. The Abu Dhabi T10 league is Co-presented by Dream11 and has on-boarded Fairplay as Digital Sponsor on Voot.

     

    Said Sapangeet Rajwant, Head of Marketing & Digital – Hindi Mass Entertainment, Viacom18: “Cricket and cinema are the two biggest pop culture influencers in India and with Abu Dhabi T10 League we are coopting the strength of our leading movie channels and the fandom of cricket. The Abu Dhabi T10 tournament has emerged as one of the most entertaining spectacle events in the sporting calendar since its launch. Our aim will be to enhance the overall experience of viewers and reaching out to the mass, cricket-crazy audience in India to increase the fan base and popularize the event in the country. We have planned an extensive marketing initiative to scale the propensity of the biggest T10 cricket extravaganza, thereby achieving our desired goals.”

     

  • Licensed Garfield products will be available across leading online and offline retail outlets

    Viacom18 brings Garfield merchandise to India

    By Our Staff

     

    Viacom18 Consumer Products and Nickelodeon are all set to introduce an exclusive range of Garfield merchandise to India. As a part of the collaboration, officially licensed Garfield merchandise will be available across leading online and offline retail outlets.

     

    Commenting on the launch of an exclusive range of Garfield merchandise across categories, Mahesh Shetty, Head-Network Sales, Viacom18, said: “At Viacom18 Consumer Products, we have endeavoured to constantly expand our reach and build a portfolio of iconic characters and become the one-stop destination across multiple touchpoints for the fans in India. Garfield is an iconic and relatable character in the animation ecosystem for both kids and adults. The character’s quirky and honest appeal is unlike any other. Starting from a comic strip, Garfield has grown to become a globally sensational character. With the addition of Garfield to our products portfolio, we aim to get one step closer in our endeavour to provide our viewers with an opportunity to connect with their most-loved characters beyond screens.”

     

    Added Mark Kingston, Senior Vice President, International Licensing, ViacomCBS Consumer Products: “At ViacomCBS Consumer Products, we aim to provide vital support to our consumers who have been trying to navigate through the unprecedented situation of the pandemic. As families are adjusting to the new normal, our team has been at the forefront to translate ‘content watched to products purchased’. With the launch of Garfield merchandise in India, we aim to bring truly unique products to the market that fans will enjoy and appreciate.”

     

  • Jyoti Deshpande appointed as CEO of Viacom18

    Jyoti Deshpande
    Jyoti Deshpande

    By Our Staff

    Viacom18 has announced that Jyoti Deshpande has been appointed as CEO of Viacom18 with immediate effect.

    Deshpande is already serving on the boards of Network18 and investee companies Balaji Telefilms and Saavn Media. In her new assignment, she will help bring synergies across all of Reliance’s media interests and investments and further equip the company to drive significant growth opportunities as the industry embraces digital transformation.

    Deshpande  brings 27-plus years of experience in the media and entertainment business. She joined Reliance Industries in 2018 as President – Media Platform & Content, after having successfully built a leading media company and pioneered its early disruptive entry into the OTT space. As a business leader in Reliance, Jyoti has in the last three years leveraged her industry relationships to establish Jio Studios as a key player in the media value chain.

    Welcoming Deshpande, Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Network18 said: “Viacom18 is poised to grow as a truly integrated media company across broadcast, OTT and content studio business spanning general entertainment, movies and sports across languages. Given Jyoti’s rich experience in the media sector around content, distribution and monetisation across traditional and emerging platforms, we believe she is best placed to lead the company and its operations.”

  • A bid to empower persons with early Alzheimer’s in tune with Alzheimer's Month

    MTV & Ogilvy launch initiative for Alzheimer’s Disease

    By Our Staff

     

    MTV in collaboration with Ogilvy has launched Memory Karaoke – an initiative to help those living with early Alzheimer’s to cope with memory loss. Emphasising how ‘Forgetting Isn’t Funny’, Memory Karaoke, a custom-created karaoke will feature four foot-tapping songs on https://www.mtvmemorykaraoke.com, based on commonly forgotten information by those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

     

    Said Anshul Ailawadi – Head, Youth Music and English Entertainment at Viacom18: “Music is nothing less than manna for one and all. MTV Memory Karaoke elevates this very role of music to a higher plane by making a small yet significant difference to the lives of those affected by Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. We at MTV are humbled by the opportunity to be a part of this initiative.”

     

    Added Vidya Shenoy, an integrative therapist and dementia care specialist who is the Secretary-General of ARDSI: “Music is a therapeutic tool for the mind, body and soul. Memory Karaoke will be an enjoyable, assistive aid for those with early Alzheimer’s to Retain. Reminisce. Recall.”

     

    Elaborating on their idea, Akshay Seth, Group Creative Director, and Chinmay Raut, Senior Creative Director at Ogilvy Mumbai, said, “Growing up, we’ve all experienced how retaining new information would become easier whenever it was set to a tune. With the same being true for those with early Alzheimer’s, we wanted to create a platform where tracks could be customized by the family member by entering important information of the affected member as lyrics. Memory Karaoke offers personalized songs for both to practice daily, resulting in better retention and recall over time. The mission is to introduce an enjoyable, daily ritual that takes away the frustration and helps the caregiver and the person with early Alzheimer’s to eventually sing in a manner comfortable to them.”

     

  • Expected to scale up the overall business strategy

    Rajaraman Sundaram is Business Head – Colors Tamil

    By Our Staff

     

    Rajaraman Sundaram
    Rajaraman Sundaram

    Viacom18 has announced the appointment of Rajaraman Sundaram as Business Head, Colors Tamil. He will report to Rajesh Iyer, Head – Regional Entertainment (Bangla, Odia, Tamil and Gujrati Clusters), Viacom18.

     

    Speaking about the appointment, Iyer said: “Since launch of Colors Tamil, the channel has been on an exceptional journey – being the youngest challenger brand in a region that is known to be India’s most rewarding regional broadcast market. Having built a distinct identity for ourselves, we now look forward to kickstart the next phase of our growth. Raja, with his extensive experience across the entire value chain of broadcast entertainment, is aptly suited to lead Colors Tamil into its next phase.”

     

    On his new role Sundaram added: “I am elated to join the leadership team at Colors Tamil. Colors Tamil has been a pioneer in bringing breakthrough content that continue to engage and entertain Tamil viewers across the globe and I’m looking forward to strengthening the channel’s overall value proposition and drive it to greater heights.”

     

  • With Viacom18's leading broadcast channels at play, the network has also acquired satellite rights for these films

    Viacom18 Studios hooks up with Dharma

    By Our Staff

     

    L to R: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Ajit Andhare

    Viacom18 Studios has announced its collaboration with film-maker Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. As part of the association, Viacom18 Studios and Dharma Productions will collaborate on some of forthcoming films over the next 18-24 months. With Viacom18’s leading broadcast channels at play, the network has also acquired satellite rights for these films.

     

    Speaking about the partnership, Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Studios, said: “As Viacom18 Studios scales up and begins a new chapter, we are looking at key partnerships with creators who shape mainstream entertainment. Collaborating to build a slate of films further strengthens our long-term association with Karan and Dharma Productions.”

     

    Added Apoorva Mehta, CEO, Dharma Productions: “The partnership with Viacom18 Studios is a significant step for Dharma as together we gear up to bring back the best of Hindi cinema to theatrical audiences. We believe that strategic alliances are the way forward for the film industry and this partnership is the stepping-stone to a long-term alliance.”

     

     

  • Will be responsible for managing the overall business and operations

    Vipul Nagar is Business Head – Colors Gujarati

    By Our Staff

     

    Viacom18 has announced the appointment of Vipul Nagar as Business Head – Colors Gujarati. He will be responsible for managing the overall business and operations for Colors Gujarati and Colors Gujarati Cinema, and will report to Rajesh Iyer, Head – Regional Entertainment (Bangla, Odia, Tamil and Gujrati Clusters), Viacom18.

     

    Speaking about the appointment, Iyer said: “Gujarat has a vibrant culture which is reflected in the variety of its entertainment landscape. The market has, of late, demonstrated an increasing appetite for homegrown content in the broadcast entertainment space and this provides us with a significant opportunity.  As we look to build our presence amidst both our viewers and advertisers, with Vipul’s rich experience across the media and entertainment value chain, he is well poised to tap into the full potential of the market.”

     

    Added Nagar: “The Gujarati cinema and entertainment market provides plethora of opportunities and is known for its creative prowess for producing content that is engaging, fun and entertaining. Colors Gujarati and Colors Gujarati Cinema have an interesting legacy, and I am excited to embark on the journey to take them to even greater heights.”

     

  • A handbook on all things Gen Z for marketers and brand custodians

    MTV Insights Studio launches Youth Study

    By Our Staff

     

    MTV Insights Studio has launched the 2021 edition of its MTV Youth Study titled ‘Atmanirbhar by Circumstance’, a handbook for the advertising and marketing community that provides a “comprehensive overview of India’s Gen Z population”.

     

    Said Anshul Ailawadi – Head, Youth Music and English Entertainment at Viacom18: “2020 has been a pivotal year in so many ways. This edition of our youth study is the first such exercise post the first wave of the pandemic. It offers a rare glimpse into how young Indians are coping with a changing world in which every aspect of their lives – from their education and relationships to their careers and interests – needs to be rebuilt. It will go a long way in helping brands, creators and publishers establish a deeper connection with their Gen Z constituency.”

     

     

  • Will be in charge of acquisition, broadcasting and monetisation of sports properties

    Viacom18 appoints Anil Jayaraj as CEO-Sports

    By Our Staff

     

    Anil Jayaraj
    Anil Jayaraj

    Viacom18 has formally announced the appointment of Anil Jayaraj as CEO – Sports. He will be leading the network’s foray into acquisition, broadcasting and monetisation of sports properties.

     

    Welcoming Jayaraj, Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Network18 said: “As a leading media and entertainment network in India, Viacom18 has been dialling up its offerings to tap into whitespaces across platforms. We believe that sports is an important category in our promise to deliver wholesome entertainment to our 800mn+ viewers across demographics and geographies. With his rich experience in identifying and building sporting events into high value ‘sportainment’ phenomena, Anil is aptly poised to lead our newest sports vertical.”

     

    Speaking on his appointment, Jayaraj said: “Sporting events in India have evolved beyond just one or two games with increasing fandom amongst audiences towards newer competitive sports. This democratisation has created an unmatched opportunity for ‘sportainment’ and I am excited to build Viacom18 network’s foray into sports as a category.”

     

  • Joshi was until recently Business Head, Sun Marathi

    Aniket Joshi is as Business Head, Colors Marathi

    By Our Staff

     

    Aniket Joshi
    Aniket Joshi

    Viacom18 has announced the appointment of Aniket Joshi as Business Head for Colors Marathi. He will be responsible for managing the channel’s overall business strategy and operations, and will be reporting to Ravish Kumar, Head – Regional Entertainment (Kannada and Marathi Clusters), Viacom18. Joshi was until recently Business Head, Sun Marathi. He has also worked with Zee Marathi and Mindshare.

     

    Welcoming Joshi to Colors Marathi, Ravish Kumar said: “Marathi broadcast entertainment has been on an upward journey across the board – be it fiction, non-fiction and even films. We at Colors Marathi have been on an exhilarating journey so far, strengthening our position amongst audiences and advertisers. Aniket has a strong background in planning and strategy and we are glad to have him on board, as Colors Marathi moves on to the next phase of growth.”

     

    Added Joshi: “The Marathi television ecosystem is rapidly evolving to create a unique confluence of entertainment that caters to both urban and rural Maharashtra. Colors Marathi is one of the market leaders that has ably balanced the content expectations of its viewers with the outreach opportunities for advertisers. I look forward to dial up the footprint of the brand across both these target audiences.”