Category: iWorld

FB, Google’s biz approach that of a media content company: GroupM chief

MACAO: When the hundred billion dollar man, GroupM Global Chairman Irwin Gotlieb, says that the role of the media is to create content, it’s time to take notes. When he opines that Facebook and Google are tech companies whose “business approach is that of a media company” that relies on content, it’s more the reason that one should seriously relook at content creators and business strategies.

It’s inevitable that Facebook and Google will get more seriously into content creation, Gotlieb said here, adding that it may not be a very healthy trend considering the power that such companies wield in the digital realm today.

Speaking to former CASBAA Chairman Marcel Fenez during the Opening Keynote at CASBAA Convention 2016 here on Tuesday, Gotlieb held forth on varied media industry trends, including holding the view that the AT&T-Time Warner type of mergers (yet to be ratified by US regulator) are “just tip of the iceberg” in vertical integration, which can take interesting turn as FB and Google seriously get down to such M&A activities.

To buttress his argument Gotlieb said that Google had already started a division to create content to target consumers, while it may be a matter of time before FB also follows the same path. It’s “kind of “inevitable” that both these companies move into content creation too, which may pose a challenge to other industry stakeholders, the GroupM chief said.

Pointing out that both these tech giants were “walled gardens and very protective of the data they have”, Gotlieb, who as the GroupM chief is responsible for generating approximately US$ 100 billion in annual global ad sales, said it may not be a very healthy trend as people need to “see across them to target properly (consumers) to maximise client investments.”

“In the absence of big ideas…it (data) allows us to reach and understand the consumer better,” Gotlieb said, adding, while replying to another question, the measurement of TV as “we understand today is understated as there are alternate devices (to consume media)” available with consumers.

Holding forth on the changing nature and measurement of viewing behaviors, Gotlieb also touched upon how ways to reach audiences via the marketing funnel is the same but a granularity of data can help decision-making for each stage of the funnel.

He underscored how media will continue to play a role and become more targetable, addressable and, eventually, part of the transaction process.

Meanwhile, after Gotlieb had set the trend for the opening day of the CASBAA Convention here, Pricewaterhouse Coopers MD Oliver Wilkinson provided statistics to illustrate that pay TV was not dead despite what the headlines screamed and that it remained a primary form of entertainment.

Still, with digital players increasingly encroaching on the turf of pay TV, content and channel providers should look to diverse their business models and offerings, Wilkinson said.

Doing deals in China was the topic for Bennett Pozil, EVP of East West Bank. He discussed the migration of content both ways as well as some of the pros and cons of doing business in China.

Vivek Couto, Executive Director at Singapore-based market research company Media Partners Asia, flagged the rise of digital players with the forecast that pay TV growth would slow to about 3 per cent as content providers were looking to establish more direct to consumer offerings. However, he admitted that in some markets in Asia like India players had invested heavily in traditional TV infrastructure.

Reaching a vast audience through tailored video and gaming content was the topic for Chad Gutstein, CEO of Machinima, who highlighted that their most valued content was when viewers felt they had a connection to the creation of it.

James Schwab, Co-President of VICE, discussed how their local content policy over digital channels has helped the company grow exponentially over the last few years. The recent move into TV was important for the company as it gave them the ability to invest more in content.

Localized and Asian content was flagged by Henry Tan, COO of Astro, for being one of the main drivers that has seen the provider defy the trend of decline in time spent on TV and reporting healthy growth in this respect. A true understanding of the complexities of the Malaysian audience demographic was key to content that worked for Astro’s market, he said.

Piracy, online or otherwise, cropped up in conversations throughout the day with opinions polarized on whether this would continue to be an issue.

In a session devoted to the subject of content piracy, Avigail Gutman, Programme Director, Operational Security, Cisco, advised that the industry needed to “follow the money” in combating piracy. Lucia Rangel, VP Latin America, Asia Pacific & Worldwide, Game Strategy and Operations, Warner Bros. agreed the problem was global and that `ISD boxes’ formed a critical part of the problem as many consumers were not even aware of the illegality of these and other streaming mechanics. A global effort was needed to fight the pirates, Rangel commented.

Desmond Chan, Deputy GM, Legal and International Operations, TVB, highlighted the tangible impact piracy had already made to their business, while Nickhil Jakatdar of Vuclip talked about how the content provider’s strategy was to provide a better experience than that available from pirate outfits.

November 9, 2016
FB, Google’s biz approach that of a media content company: GroupM chief

MACAO: When the hundred billion dollar man, GroupM Global Chairman Irwin Gotlieb, says that the role of the media is to create content, it’s time to take notes. When he opines that Facebook and Google are tech companies whose “business approach is that of a media company” that relies on content, it’s more the reason that one should seriously relook at content creators and business strategies.

It’s inevitable that Facebook and Google will get more seriously into content creation, Gotlieb said here, adding that it may not be a very healthy trend considering the power that such companies wield in the digital realm today.

Speaking to former CASBAA Chairman Marcel Fenez during the Opening Keynote at CASBAA Convention 2016 here on Tuesday, Gotlieb held forth on varied media industry trends, including holding the view that the AT&T-Time Warner type of mergers (yet to be ratified by US regulator) are “just tip of the iceberg” in vertical integration, which can take interesting turn as FB and Google seriously get down to such M&A activities.

To buttress his argument Gotlieb said that Google had already started a division to create content to target consumers, while it may be a matter of time before FB also follows the same path. It’s “kind of “inevitable” that both these companies move into content creation too, which may pose a challenge to other industry stakeholders, the GroupM chief said.

Pointing out that both these tech giants were “walled gardens and very protective of the data they have”, Gotlieb, who as the GroupM chief is responsible for generating approximately US$ 100 billion in annual global ad sales, said it may not be a very healthy trend as people need to “see across them to target properly (consumers) to maximise client investments.”

“In the absence of big ideas…it (data) allows us to reach and understand the consumer better,” Gotlieb said, adding, while replying to another question, the measurement of TV as “we understand today is understated as there are alternate devices (to consume media)” available with consumers.

Holding forth on the changing nature and measurement of viewing behaviors, Gotlieb also touched upon how ways to reach audiences via the marketing funnel is the same but a granularity of data can help decision-making for each stage of the funnel.

He underscored how media will continue to play a role and become more targetable, addressable and, eventually, part of the transaction process.

Meanwhile, after Gotlieb had set the trend for the opening day of the CASBAA Convention here, Pricewaterhouse Coopers MD Oliver Wilkinson provided statistics to illustrate that pay TV was not dead despite what the headlines screamed and that it remained a primary form of entertainment.

Still, with digital players increasingly encroaching on the turf of pay TV, content and channel providers should look to diverse their business models and offerings, Wilkinson said.

Doing deals in China was the topic for Bennett Pozil, EVP of East West Bank. He discussed the migration of content both ways as well as some of the pros and cons of doing business in China.

Vivek Couto, Executive Director at Singapore-based market research company Media Partners Asia, flagged the rise of digital players with the forecast that pay TV growth would slow to about 3 per cent as content providers were looking to establish more direct to consumer offerings. However, he admitted that in some markets in Asia like India players had invested heavily in traditional TV infrastructure.

Reaching a vast audience through tailored video and gaming content was the topic for Chad Gutstein, CEO of Machinima, who highlighted that their most valued content was when viewers felt they had a connection to the creation of it.

James Schwab, Co-President of VICE, discussed how their local content policy over digital channels has helped the company grow exponentially over the last few years. The recent move into TV was important for the company as it gave them the ability to invest more in content.

Localized and Asian content was flagged by Henry Tan, COO of Astro, for being one of the main drivers that has seen the provider defy the trend of decline in time spent on TV and reporting healthy growth in this respect. A true understanding of the complexities of the Malaysian audience demographic was key to content that worked for Astro’s market, he said.

Piracy, online or otherwise, cropped up in conversations throughout the day with opinions polarized on whether this would continue to be an issue.

In a session devoted to the subject of content piracy, Avigail Gutman, Programme Director, Operational Security, Cisco, advised that the industry needed to “follow the money” in combating piracy. Lucia Rangel, VP Latin America, Asia Pacific & Worldwide, Game Strategy and Operations, Warner Bros. agreed the problem was global and that `ISD boxes’ formed a critical part of the problem as many consumers were not even aware of the illegality of these and other streaming mechanics. A global effort was needed to fight the pirates, Rangel commented.

Desmond Chan, Deputy GM, Legal and International Operations, TVB, highlighted the tangible impact piracy had already made to their business, while Nickhil Jakatdar of Vuclip talked about how the content provider’s strategy was to provide a better experience than that available from pirate outfits.

November 9, 2016
CASBAA Convention kicks off with focus on deals, revenue and content

Macau: The CASBAA Convention annual conference got underway today at its exciting new venue, Studio City, Macau. This year marks the 25thanniversary of CASBAA which is dedicated to representing key players from the cable and satellite broadcasting industry under the motto ‘represent, inform, connect’. Today’s sessions looked at the deals being made in the industry today, as well as the tools to aggregate and measure audiences. As ever, content was hotly discussed, with a focus on how content is evolving in the digital age.

Following opening remarks by Sompan Charumilinda, Chairman for CASBAA, Irwin Gotlieb, the Global Chairman for GroupM, was first to take to that stage to discuss the changing nature, and measurement of viewing behaviors. He also touched upon how the way to reach audiences via the marketing funnel is the same but a granularity of data can now inform decisions for each stage of the funnel. He underscored how media will continue to play a role becoming more targetable, addressable and eventually part of the transaction process. Also on the subject of measurement, Ben Reneker of S&P Global Market Intelligence highlighted how machine-driven predictive measurement models are now able to inform strategic decisions on marketing and investment.

Oliver Wilkinson, managing director for PricewaterhouseCoopers, provided statistics to illustrate that pay-TV is not dead, despite what the headlines say, and that it remains a primary form of entertainment. Yet, with digital players increasingly on their turf, content and channel providers should look to diverse and digitalize their offer. Doing deals in China was the topic for Bennett Pozil, EVP of East West Bank, who discussed the migration of content both ways as well as some of the pros and cons of doing business in China. Vivek Couto, Executive Director at Media Partners Asia, flagged the rise of digital players with the forecast that pay-TV growth would slow to about 3% as content providers looking to establish more direct to consumer offerings.

Reaching a vast audience through tailored video and gaming content was the topic for Chad Gutstein, CEO of Machinima who highlighted that their most valued content was when viewers felt they had a connection to the creation of it. On a video note, Ricky Ow from Turner International predicted that Machinima’s e-Sports will be as successful as the English Premier League.

James Schwab, Co-President of VICE announced the opening of the company’s first full-service office in Asia, in Jakarta, Indonesia. He discussed how their local content policy over digital channels has helped the company grow exponentially over the last few years. The recent move into TV has been important for VICE as it gives them the ability to invest more in content.

Localized and Asian content was flagged by Henry Tan, COO of Astro, for being one of the main drivers that has seen the provider defy the trend of decline in time spent on TV, reporting healthy growth in this respect. A true understanding of the complexities of the Malaysia audience demographic is key to content that works for Astro’s market. Tan also discussed the effectiveness of current measurement models with Nick Burfitt, MD, APAC, Kantar Media. On the global stage, compelling content that tells a great story is the wining formula for Thom Beers of BoBCat whose male-oriented programmes like “Deadliest Catch” and “Monster Garage” have achieved success the world over. Norman Lao, VP International of Leyard showcased how MR – mixed reality comprising a kind of virtual reality that reacts with real physical events – will shape the content of the future.

Piracy cropped up in conversation throughout the day with opinions polarized on whether this would continue to be an issue. In a session devoted to the subject, Avigail Gutman, Programme Director, Operational Security, CISCO, advised that the industry needed to ‘follow the money’ in combating piracy. Lucia Rangel, VP Latin America, Asia Pacific & Worldwide Game Strategy and Operations Warner Bros. agreed the problem was worldwide and that ISD boxes formed a critical part of the problem as many consumers were not even aware of the illegality of these and other streaming mechanics. A global effort was needed to fight the pirates, she commented. Desmond Chan, Deputy GM, Legal and International Operations, TVB highlighted the tangible impact piracy had already made to their business. Nickhil Jakatdar of Vuclip talked about how the content provider’s strategy was to provide a better experience than that available from pirate outfits.

Different models of OTT content streaming were also a hot topic. Jakatdar illustrated how Vuclip’s Viu platform was a direct to consumer offering while David Weiland, EVP Asia, BBC Worldwide discussed how the ‘Beeb’ had instead opted to stream their new OTT app via their operator, Starhub. With all the different streaming options available, it was concluded that consumers could hardly keep up and would want a ‘one-stop’ shop when seeking out their viewing content.

“Today’s Convention was a hot bed of debate on key issues facing our members today,” said Christopher Slaughter, CEO of CASBAA. “With issues on deals, revenue, appealing content, measurement, piracy and OTT streaming models all on the agenda, we hope our delegates found the sessions useful and informative, and that the information shared will be of help as they shape their business models for the fast-changing landscape in which they operate.”

November 8, 2016
CASBAA Convention kicks off with focus on deals, revenue and content

Macau: The CASBAA Convention annual conference got underway today at its exciting new venue, Studio City, Macau. This year marks the 25thanniversary of CASBAA which is dedicated to representing key players from the cable and satellite broadcasting industry under the motto ‘represent, inform, connect’. Today’s sessions looked at the deals being made in the industry today, as well as the tools to aggregate and measure audiences. As ever, content was hotly discussed, with a focus on how content is evolving in the digital age.

Following opening remarks by Sompan Charumilinda, Chairman for CASBAA, Irwin Gotlieb, the Global Chairman for GroupM, was first to take to that stage to discuss the changing nature, and measurement of viewing behaviors. He also touched upon how the way to reach audiences via the marketing funnel is the same but a granularity of data can now inform decisions for each stage of the funnel. He underscored how media will continue to play a role becoming more targetable, addressable and eventually part of the transaction process. Also on the subject of measurement, Ben Reneker of S&P Global Market Intelligence highlighted how machine-driven predictive measurement models are now able to inform strategic decisions on marketing and investment.

Oliver Wilkinson, managing director for PricewaterhouseCoopers, provided statistics to illustrate that pay-TV is not dead, despite what the headlines say, and that it remains a primary form of entertainment. Yet, with digital players increasingly on their turf, content and channel providers should look to diverse and digitalize their offer. Doing deals in China was the topic for Bennett Pozil, EVP of East West Bank, who discussed the migration of content both ways as well as some of the pros and cons of doing business in China. Vivek Couto, Executive Director at Media Partners Asia, flagged the rise of digital players with the forecast that pay-TV growth would slow to about 3% as content providers looking to establish more direct to consumer offerings.

Reaching a vast audience through tailored video and gaming content was the topic for Chad Gutstein, CEO of Machinima who highlighted that their most valued content was when viewers felt they had a connection to the creation of it. On a video note, Ricky Ow from Turner International predicted that Machinima’s e-Sports will be as successful as the English Premier League.

James Schwab, Co-President of VICE announced the opening of the company’s first full-service office in Asia, in Jakarta, Indonesia. He discussed how their local content policy over digital channels has helped the company grow exponentially over the last few years. The recent move into TV has been important for VICE as it gives them the ability to invest more in content.

Localized and Asian content was flagged by Henry Tan, COO of Astro, for being one of the main drivers that has seen the provider defy the trend of decline in time spent on TV, reporting healthy growth in this respect. A true understanding of the complexities of the Malaysia audience demographic is key to content that works for Astro’s market. Tan also discussed the effectiveness of current measurement models with Nick Burfitt, MD, APAC, Kantar Media. On the global stage, compelling content that tells a great story is the wining formula for Thom Beers of BoBCat whose male-oriented programmes like “Deadliest Catch” and “Monster Garage” have achieved success the world over. Norman Lao, VP International of Leyard showcased how MR – mixed reality comprising a kind of virtual reality that reacts with real physical events – will shape the content of the future.

Piracy cropped up in conversation throughout the day with opinions polarized on whether this would continue to be an issue. In a session devoted to the subject, Avigail Gutman, Programme Director, Operational Security, CISCO, advised that the industry needed to ‘follow the money’ in combating piracy. Lucia Rangel, VP Latin America, Asia Pacific & Worldwide Game Strategy and Operations Warner Bros. agreed the problem was worldwide and that ISD boxes formed a critical part of the problem as many consumers were not even aware of the illegality of these and other streaming mechanics. A global effort was needed to fight the pirates, she commented. Desmond Chan, Deputy GM, Legal and International Operations, TVB highlighted the tangible impact piracy had already made to their business. Nickhil Jakatdar of Vuclip talked about how the content provider’s strategy was to provide a better experience than that available from pirate outfits.

Different models of OTT content streaming were also a hot topic. Jakatdar illustrated how Vuclip’s Viu platform was a direct to consumer offering while David Weiland, EVP Asia, BBC Worldwide discussed how the ‘Beeb’ had instead opted to stream their new OTT app via their operator, Starhub. With all the different streaming options available, it was concluded that consumers could hardly keep up and would want a ‘one-stop’ shop when seeking out their viewing content.

“Today’s Convention was a hot bed of debate on key issues facing our members today,” said Christopher Slaughter, CEO of CASBAA. “With issues on deals, revenue, appealing content, measurement, piracy and OTT streaming models all on the agenda, we hope our delegates found the sessions useful and informative, and that the information shared will be of help as they shape their business models for the fast-changing landscape in which they operate.”

November 8, 2016
Amazon seals Rajini film deal; dares Netflix, hikes sellers’ commissions

MUMBAI: Amazon India has signed a content agreement with the Tamil Nadu-based V Creations. The alliance has been negotiated at a time when Amazon is all set to launch Prime Video India, competing with Netflix streaming and Star India’s Hotstar.

Amazon is bringing the cheapest VOD subscription service in India with Amazon Prime, which comes with a complementary Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Amazon has been focusing on the two most popular categories in India, that is, sports and of course Bollywood, Mint reported. With this alliance, Prime would have exclusive subscription streaming rights for two of Tamil Nadu’s highest grossing films — Rajnikanth’s Kabali and Theri, a crime drama released earlier this year. Amazon India recently launched its global Prime membership programme, offering fastest product deliveries for an initial fixed price of Rs 499 a year.

The largest global online retailer Amazon has signed the long-term content partnership with the film production company V Creations when the former is gearing up for launching of its Prime online television service in India which is dubbed as a leading market for entertainment.

In the UK and the US, Amazon Prime Video is available for $8.99 a month. Now, it is bringing the same service in India for as low as $15 a year. This significantly dents Netflix India regardless of content availability since the subscription price difference is vast.

As part of its localization efforts, Amazon has been signing content rights in India. Recently, it teamed up with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.

Amazon meanwhile has hiked the sellers’ commission in categories such as electronics, while reducing it in others such as large appliances, after a festive season confrontation with its competitor Flipkart. Amazon at present has over 120,000 sellers on its platform in India.

Amazon, Snapdeal and Flipkart operate as marketplaces charging fees and other charges for connecting customers with third-party sellers.

November 8, 2016
Amazon seals Rajini film deal; dares Netflix, hikes sellers’ commissions

MUMBAI: Amazon India has signed a content agreement with the Tamil Nadu-based V Creations. The alliance has been negotiated at a time when Amazon is all set to launch Prime Video India, competing with Netflix streaming and Star India’s Hotstar.

Amazon is bringing the cheapest VOD subscription service in India with Amazon Prime, which comes with a complementary Amazon Prime Video subscription.

Amazon has been focusing on the two most popular categories in India, that is, sports and of course Bollywood, Mint reported. With this alliance, Prime would have exclusive subscription streaming rights for two of Tamil Nadu’s highest grossing films — Rajnikanth’s Kabali and Theri, a crime drama released earlier this year. Amazon India recently launched its global Prime membership programme, offering fastest product deliveries for an initial fixed price of Rs 499 a year.

The largest global online retailer Amazon has signed the long-term content partnership with the film production company V Creations when the former is gearing up for launching of its Prime online television service in India which is dubbed as a leading market for entertainment.

In the UK and the US, Amazon Prime Video is available for $8.99 a month. Now, it is bringing the same service in India for as low as $15 a year. This significantly dents Netflix India regardless of content availability since the subscription price difference is vast.

As part of its localization efforts, Amazon has been signing content rights in India. Recently, it teamed up with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.

Amazon meanwhile has hiked the sellers’ commission in categories such as electronics, while reducing it in others such as large appliances, after a festive season confrontation with its competitor Flipkart. Amazon at present has over 120,000 sellers on its platform in India.

Amazon, Snapdeal and Flipkart operate as marketplaces charging fees and other charges for connecting customers with third-party sellers.

November 8, 2016
Arre and Sony Liv to co-produce a web series

MUMBAI: After announcing a distribution alliance, Sony Liv and Arré, have now come together to co-produce a digital series. Set against the backdrop of a big fat Indian wedding, the show is a comedy of errors. The show will go into production soon and is planned for launch in early 2017 on both the digital platforms.

Rithvik Dhanjani has been signed as the lead of the series.

“The new-age Indian viewers want engaging and original entertainment solutions which they can relate to and enjoy. We, at Sony Liv, have been developing fresh and youthful content which caters to the evolved entertainment sensibilities of the millennial viewership. Given its theme, we are confident that the show will be hugely popular with our target audiences, as they will be able to relate to the characters and the situations on the show,” said SonyLiv EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

The show promises to be a visual treat and centres around a wild bachelor trip gone horribly wrong.

A pack of three best friends-a groom to be and his two quirky friends -take off on a bachelor trip just before the wedding. With a bullying bride-to-be back home, some comical misadventures on a foreign sojourn and an unexpected encounter with a beautiful stranger, the protagonist comes to understand the meaning of love and friendship.

“At Arré, we believe in bringing a new lens to traditional formats and genres of content, be it commentary on the news or a comedy fiction show. After our distribution alliance, we’re delighted to partner with a leading and established digital entertainment platform Sony Liv,for original content and look forward to many more such shows together,” added Arre co-founder and CEO Ajay Chacko.

The show is produced for Arré and Sony Liv by Dhanjani and Srman Jain.

Dhanjani, said, “I am super excited about the show and look forward to working with SonyLiv and Arré again on yet another interesting project. With digital entertainment destinations like these, there is scope to tell stories that have a new-age sensibility and which resonate with the young audiences. The story and the characters in the show are reflective of this mindset and I feel the audiences will be able to relate to it.”

November 7, 2016
Arre and Sony Liv to co-produce a web series

MUMBAI: After announcing a distribution alliance, Sony Liv and Arré, have now come together to co-produce a digital series. Set against the backdrop of a big fat Indian wedding, the show is a comedy of errors. The show will go into production soon and is planned for launch in early 2017 on both the digital platforms.

Rithvik Dhanjani has been signed as the lead of the series.

“The new-age Indian viewers want engaging and original entertainment solutions which they can relate to and enjoy. We, at Sony Liv, have been developing fresh and youthful content which caters to the evolved entertainment sensibilities of the millennial viewership. Given its theme, we are confident that the show will be hugely popular with our target audiences, as they will be able to relate to the characters and the situations on the show,” said SonyLiv EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

The show promises to be a visual treat and centres around a wild bachelor trip gone horribly wrong.

A pack of three best friends-a groom to be and his two quirky friends -take off on a bachelor trip just before the wedding. With a bullying bride-to-be back home, some comical misadventures on a foreign sojourn and an unexpected encounter with a beautiful stranger, the protagonist comes to understand the meaning of love and friendship.

“At Arré, we believe in bringing a new lens to traditional formats and genres of content, be it commentary on the news or a comedy fiction show. After our distribution alliance, we’re delighted to partner with a leading and established digital entertainment platform Sony Liv,for original content and look forward to many more such shows together,” added Arre co-founder and CEO Ajay Chacko.

The show is produced for Arré and Sony Liv by Dhanjani and Srman Jain.

Dhanjani, said, “I am super excited about the show and look forward to working with SonyLiv and Arré again on yet another interesting project. With digital entertainment destinations like these, there is scope to tell stories that have a new-age sensibility and which resonate with the young audiences. The story and the characters in the show are reflective of this mindset and I feel the audiences will be able to relate to it.”

November 7, 2016
Nagesh Kukunoor to direct Alt Balaji’s first original show

MUMBAI: Ekta Kapoor’s Alt Balaji has announced its first digital series. Not yet titled, the platform has roped in actor Nimrat Kaur to essay the central character and Nagesh Kukunoor to direct the series.

The fiction series has been jointly conceptualized by Balaji Telefilms joint managing director Ekta Kapoor and Samar Khan, and is produced by Endemol Shine India.

“Set in the backdrop of the Indian Army, we are presenting a riveting story that is bound to resonate with the youth of the country. Having Nimrat and Nagesh aboard, definitely takes the show to a new level. When we announced the launch of ALT Balaji, we promised to break stereotypes in storytelling; this series is a strong reinforcement of that commitment,” said Kapoor.

Kaur will be seen portraying the role of the first woman preparing to be inducted in a combat role in the Indian Army.

“Disruption, innovation and scale is the core of what we want to do. From our strategy to our content, everything on ALT Balaji will reflect this ethos. Through ALT Balaji, we are targeting urban audiences who are always on the lookout for differentiated content, one that is not available on television or even on silver screen for that matter. ALT Balaji aims to satisfy the need of this very consumer. We have just announced our first exclusive show and will be making many such exciting announcements in the weeks to come,” added Alt Balaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya.

Alt Balaji is aimed at disrupting the market with avantgarde and exclusive content catering to urban masses.

“Nimrat was our first choice for this and producing content for ALT Balaji at this scale will set new standards in the digital landscape,” stated Endemol Shine India managing director and CEO Deepak Dhar.

To this, Khan added,“The army and the armed forces have always fascinated me and stories with an army background draw me towards them naturally. I am excited about this opportunity to work with ALT and Endemol and am looking forward to telling a lot such stories in the future”

November 7, 2016
Nagesh Kukunoor to direct Alt Balaji’s first original show

MUMBAI: Ekta Kapoor’s Alt Balaji has announced its first digital series. Not yet titled, the platform has roped in actor Nimrat Kaur to essay the central character and Nagesh Kukunoor to direct the series.

The fiction series has been jointly conceptualized by Balaji Telefilms joint managing director Ekta Kapoor and Samar Khan, and is produced by Endemol Shine India.

“Set in the backdrop of the Indian Army, we are presenting a riveting story that is bound to resonate with the youth of the country. Having Nimrat and Nagesh aboard, definitely takes the show to a new level. When we announced the launch of ALT Balaji, we promised to break stereotypes in storytelling; this series is a strong reinforcement of that commitment,” said Kapoor.

Kaur will be seen portraying the role of the first woman preparing to be inducted in a combat role in the Indian Army.

“Disruption, innovation and scale is the core of what we want to do. From our strategy to our content, everything on ALT Balaji will reflect this ethos. Through ALT Balaji, we are targeting urban audiences who are always on the lookout for differentiated content, one that is not available on television or even on silver screen for that matter. ALT Balaji aims to satisfy the need of this very consumer. We have just announced our first exclusive show and will be making many such exciting announcements in the weeks to come,” added Alt Balaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya.

Alt Balaji is aimed at disrupting the market with avantgarde and exclusive content catering to urban masses.

“Nimrat was our first choice for this and producing content for ALT Balaji at this scale will set new standards in the digital landscape,” stated Endemol Shine India managing director and CEO Deepak Dhar.

To this, Khan added,“The army and the armed forces have always fascinated me and stories with an army background draw me towards them naturally. I am excited about this opportunity to work with ALT and Endemol and am looking forward to telling a lot such stories in the future”

November 7, 2016