Category: Press Release

TV9 Bangla announces mega Telethon to celebrate Bangaliana on 6 Feb

Mumbai: TV9 Bangla is set to hold its landmark programme “Bangaliana Telethon” to celebrate the channel’s first anniversary. The programme will be aired LIVE on 6 February (Sunday) 2pm onwards.

The telethon will celebrate the achievements of Bengalis across the globe as well as conduct candid discussions on their glorious past and present. There will be a freewheeling discussion in which eminent, and accomplished Bengalis in various fields such as literature, culture, music, films, theatre, politics, business, industry, and women empowerment will participate.

Hosted by the TV9 Network’s CEO Barun Das, this telethon will be co-hosted by celebrities such as filmmaker Gautam Ghosh and actors Arpita Chatterjee, Anirban Bhattacharya and Ritabhari Chakraborty.

The discussion will begin with broad- spectrum sessions divided into 11 segments on the significance of the past of the Bengalis, where they stand now and what is the way forward. The Bengal Renaissance, the period of awakening and arguably the golden period of achievements of Bengalis, would be a reference point of the discussions and how the race surged ahead to lead the nation in virtually all aspects of public life and creativity, the channel said in a a statement.

TV9 Network CEO Barun Das said, “TV9 Bangla would mobilise and sensitise about 10 crore Bengalis in the quest for their glory. To deliberate on the present and think of a roadmap for the future. We intend to set up an advisory board consisting of eminent personalities who are the legends in their respective fields. The exclusive board would enrich the endeavor and guide us through this journey for our mission seeking rejuvenation of Bangaliana.”

Some of the deliberations will focus on whether the lack of entrepreneurial spirit of Bengalis or their quest for a safe and secure life as an employee doing a job poses an impediment to their entrepreneurship, the relevance of Bengalis in national political arena, the rather small market for Bengali films and books, the lack of “professionalism” of Bengali theatre, the position of women empowerment among Bengalis, the state of the state of the music industry in Bengal.

February 4, 2022
‘Memsaab No 1’ season 10 put Zee Ganga in pole position

Mumbai: Zee Ganga, the Bhojpuri GEC of Bihar, Jharkhand and Purvanchal region has added a new milestone to its journey. Within just a week of its launch, the latest season of its marquee talent-based non-scripted reality show “Memsaab No 1” has catapulted the channel into pole position in the primetime slot.

In the third week of 2022, the channel witnessed significant growth in viewership during the 6-7 p.m time-band. In its opening week of the show itself, the growth recorded in the time-band is 73 per cent over the last eight weeks (Source: Barc, BJ 2+, U+R Wk 47’21-Wk 03’22). In terms of the overall reach, the channel has also witnessed 36 per cent growth in its reach in the third week as compared to the last eight weeks (Source: Barc, BJ 2+, U+R Wk 47’21-Wk 03’22).

Filled with high-octane drama, the show, in the span of a few weeks has enthralled audiences by going beyond old formats to present Bhojpuri entertainment’s very-first non-scripted reality show. Doing away with the song and dance seen in earlier seasons, “Memsaab No 1” season 10 shows a side of contestants in the midst of an epic battlefield that sees group equations and power dynamics change at every instant. Watching them tested over three stages – individual skills, family environment and social responsibility, in the exciting challenge to emerge as the ‘Sarv Gunn Sampann Babuni,’ has gripped the viewer’s attention that is well reflected in the viewership numbers. Furthermore, the show with its glamour quotient in the form of its eminent judges Pakkhi Hegde, Rinku Ghosh and its charming host Chintu Pandey and a star-studded line-up of celebrity like Kajal Raghwani, Rani Chhaterjee, Nissar Khan have made sure no one misses the telecast of the show every Monday-Friday at 6 p.m.

The show is spread across 13 weeks, with each week bringing out competitive, intellectual and compassionate facets to the contestants. The show has been receiving tremendous responses since its first season. Given its high entertainment quotient, it generates high viewership and interest from both male and female viewers of the region.

“It has been our constant endeavor to provide unique and engaging content to our viewers through shows with innovative concepts,” said Zeel chief cluster officer – East Samrat Ghosh. ” ‘Memsaab No 1’ has been a hit among the audience. We renew it this year with another season that has a whole lot of surprises to further elevate the engagement and entertainment quotient. We witnessed great results in just the first week of its launch and we look forward to yet another remarkable season of a legacy show that will see audiences continue to shower their love and appreciation to us.”

“’Memsaab No1′ is a marquee property for us,” stated Zeel chief channel officer – Bhojpuri cluster Amarpreet Singh Saini. “Given how we have had the love of our audience over nine seasons now, we felt it was time to reinvent. And that’s how the new format has been conceptualised and we’re able to invent Bhojpuri’s first non-scripted reality show. The opening thumping response is testament and evidence of the idea has resonated with the audiences and consumers.”

February 2, 2022
Governance Now to honour achievers with Visionary Awards 2021

Mumbai : Governance Now, a platform for analysis of public policy and governance from the house of Sri Adhikari Brothers is all set to present Visionary Awards of 2021 in a virtual webinar to be held on 29 January.

The awards will be presented by union minister of law and justice Kiren Rijiju to seven dignitaries, in the following categories.

1. Outstanding Contribution to Entertainment Industry : Actor Anil Kapoor

2. Regulator, Financial Sector : Bombay Stock Exchange MD Ashish Chauhan

3. Best Administrator (Handling Covid-19 Situation)- Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Iqbal Chahal

4. Media Personality of the Year- Sony Entertainment Pictures Networks India MD & CEO N P Singh

5. Most Popular Face News (English)- India Today Group consulting editor Rajdeep Sardesai

6. Political Spokesperson of the Year- Shehzad Poonawala

7. Most Popular Face News (Hindi)- Zee News editor Sudhir Chaudhary

“The Awardees were chosen after rigorous screening by an expert panel after multiple rounds of experts’ meetings,” the organisers said in as statement ahead of the ceremony.

SABGROUP chairman and MD Markand Adhikari said, “Though I have kept myself out from the entire process, our panel of experts have adhered to the best processes and only the best achievers are being felicitated as Governance Now stands for credibility and high standards of journalism.”

The event will be broadcasted live on Zoom, SABGROUP Governance Now Digital platform (www.governancenow.com).

January 28, 2022
News18 UP/Uttarakhand launches elections-special show ‘Shehar Shehar Chunavi Safar’

Mumbai: News18 Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand has kick-started an array of disruptive shows under the umbrella programming of ‘Mahasangram 2022.’ In order to level up the political battle in the poll-bound states and present to the viewers updates from ground zero, the channel has launched a news programme called – “Shehar Shehar Chunavi Safar.”

The show will have a branded vehicle travel across the length and breadth of the two states capturing the real sentiments of the voters and highlighting ground-level issues that will drive their choice in the upcoming elections.

News18 Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand firmly believes that elections are all about people and their opinions hence the election special van has a ‘Muddon Ki Peti’ installed on it. The people all across the states will be able to share their issues in writing through this initiative.

Furthermore, these issues will be taken on-air by the channel in the show “Shehar Shehar Chunavi Safar.” Through this special van News18 Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand has reiterated that the channel is the real voice of the states and has reinforced that election means News18.

Viewers can watch “Shehar Shehar Chunavi Safar” on News18 Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand daily at 6 p.m and repeat telecast at 9:30 a.m.

January 27, 2022
News18 India to telecast ‘Mahapoll’ ahead of assembly elections

Mumbai: As the polling dates for the upcoming assembly elections approach closer, political parties are driving their campaigns to the pinnacle in all poll-bound states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. News18 India will get a step ahead and telecast the biggest opinion poll ‘Mahapoll’ that will comprehensively analyse and decipher these poll results and give a better and clearer picture to the general public.

In the run-up to these polls, everyone is keen on the public and experts’ opinions to understand which way the tide is turning. Over the past few days, various opinion polls have been released making a forecast on the outcome of the elections. The ‘Mahapoll’ will be hosted by the channel’s renowned anchors Aman Chopra and Preeti Raghunandan and will have eminent political leaders and political commentators as panelists.

The ‘Mahapoll’ will also get telecast on News18 Uttar Pradesh/ Uttarakhand and News18 Punjab/ Haryana/ Himachal Pradesh on Friday, 7 p.m onwards.

News18 India, being the country’s leading Hindi news channel, aims to set the best foot forward in the run-up to the polls by tapping into the power of its comprehensive network of regional channels and reporters bringing insights from ground zero. The shows have been aligned up to the expectations of the viewers as more action is awaited in the poll-bound states.

Viewers can watch ‘Mahapoll’ on Friday from 8 p.m onwards only on News18 India.

January 21, 2022
OTMC brings popular K-drama ‘Save Me 2’ to India

Mumbai: Content production and distribution hub One Take Media Co (OTMC) continues to be the leader in Korean drama (K-drama) series acquisition in India as it announces to bring the popular K-drama “Save Me 2” to Indian audiences.

“Save Me 2” is the story of a small town that falls into a state of chaos due to the presence of a false religious group. This popular South Korean television series stars great actors like Uhm Tae-goo, Chun Ho-jin, Esom, and Kim Young-min. “Save Me 2” is a sequel to the blockbuster 2017 series “Save Me.”

OTMC is one of the leading hubs that provide content and value-added services to DTH, cable, OTT, and TV channels in India and overseas. The content is not only limited to Hollywood films but spans nine regional languages, kids animation films and series, celebrity-based cooking shows, K-drama series, and K-pop.

January 18, 2022
News18 Rajasthan & MP/CG launch ‘Vaccine Kavach Ko Na Nahi’ campaign

Mumbai: News18 Rajasthan and News18 Madhya Pradesh/Chhattisgarh on Monday launched a special campaign called ‘Vaccine Kavach Ko Na Nahi’ to urge viewers to get fully vaccinated and alongside, take mandatory precautions like wearing masks and maintaining social distance.

As India enters the third wave, immunising the entire population resonates as the only solution to tackle the coronavirus scare efficiently. The increase in cases in the last few days and the spread of the new variant ‘Omicron’ is a sign that the country’s vaccination drive needs further reinforcement. Booster shots to health and frontline workers including those above 60 years of age have already begun, Meanwhile, vaccinations for children between 15 to 18 years are also on. Fostering the objective to share the pressing health and wellness goals among its viewers, News18 Rajasthan & News18 MP/CG have launched a special campaign ‘Vaccine Kavach Ko Na Nahi.’

Through the campaign, the channels urge viewers to get fully vaccinated and alongside, take mandatory precautions like wearing masks and maintaining social distance. The channels through its special episodes will highlight the tireless efforts of medical teams and local administration during the peak of the pandemic period of respective states. There will be stories around bursting myths that are still prevailing in rural areas of states.

The campaign will also help the viewers comprehend the unwelcome consequences of the pandemic that aggravate because of ignorance and unpreparedness.

January 17, 2022
Zee Ganga announces star-studded lineup for ‘Memsaab No 1’

Mumbai: Soon after the announcement of season 10 for its non-scripted reality show – “Memsaab No 1,” Zee Ganga has unveiled the names of the show’s esteemed judges. The channel has roped in superstar Pakkhi Hegde and celebrated cine-drama queen Rinku Ghosh as the judges for the season who will guide contestants in every step over 13 weeks while sharing their experiences with them.

The channel will also introduce Chamki Bhauji who will enter the villa on various occasions and give a pep talk to the contestants, test their patience and challenge them at every step for 13 weeks and help them hone their skills in their bid to take home the most-coveted title of being of Sarv Gunn Sampann Babuni. Hosted by none other than the audience’s favorite, Chintu Pandey, the show is all set to premiere on Zee Ganga from January 17 every Monday-Friday at 6 p.m.

“Memsaab No 1” will host 16 talented female contestants who will share their abode for 13 weeks at Ganga Villa. The contestants will be judged through several tasks and how they conduct themselves in different situations over 13 weeks. The contestants will be judged by the jury members Pakkhi Hegde and Rinku Ghosh, who in addition to delivering blockbuster hits in Bhojpuri, have also performed in Bollywood films. It will be interesting to see these renowned names from the world of Bhojpuri entertainment judge the behind-the-scenes power dynamics and relationships between contestants at every step, in the villa, as they compete to become the Sarv Gunn Sampann Babuni.

With exciting tasks and competitions, the show also promises to host a special competition Thumka Lagaoo, where contestants will bring some fun with their dance performances. Scheduled for every Thursday, the special segment will welcome celebrity guests from the Bhojpuri fraternity, who will accompany judges to encourage the contestants. These include the ravishing actress Rani Chatterjee, the charming Nissar Khan and the beautiful Kajal Raghwani amongst the celebrity guests who will be a part of this show and join the team of “Memsaab No 1” in special episodes.

“Having entertained audiences over nine seasons, the onus lies on us to add more fun and challenging tasks for the contestants to make the show a fascinating one for the viewer,” said Zeel chief channel officer – Bhojpuri cluster Amarpreet Singh Saini. “While the show remains the same, the format has been renewed with non-scripted reality as an integral part of this season to make the competition an experience worth being a part of. Add to that, having popular names as our judges and celebrity guests further adds to the glitz and glamour that the show brings with it. We welcome them on board and look forward to setting a new benchmark with season 10 of this reality show.”

January 17, 2022
Zee Ganga set to bring latest season of ‘Memsaab No 1’

Mumbai: Having delighted audiences over nine spectacular seasons, Zee Ganga, the top Bhojpuri GEC in Bihar, Jharkhand and Purvanchal, is all set to premiere the tenth season of “Memsaab No 1” in a never-seen-before avatar. It is the first-ever, non-scripted reality show in the Bhojpuri category.

Scripting history through the show, the channel is all set to leave viewers enthralled as they watch 16 talented female contestants staying together at Ganga Villa battle it out over 13 weeks. Hosted by none other than the audience’s favourite, the very charming and charismatic Chintu Pandey, the show is all set to premiere on Zee Ganga from 17 January, every Monday to Friday at 6 p.m.

Filled with high-octane drama, the upcoming season – a category first, promises to be a battlefield unlike no other as the latest edition will go beyond the song and dance format of earlier seasons. This exciting hunt for Sarv Gunn Sampann Babuni, spanning 13 weeks will see contestants be tested over three stages filled with terrific tasks. This true test of their all-around development will see their individual skills – such as presence of mind and decision-making capabilities be put to the test. Additionally, these 16 contestants will also be made to perform tasks in a family environment as one keeps a watchful eye over their nature to adjust, obey and care. Lastly, the third and final stage – social responsibility, will see them be evaluated for their awareness of what is happening around them. And amongst all this it will unveil the behind the scene relationships, power dynamics, changing fierce equations amongst the contestants and their resultant impact on the task dynamics. Thus for the first time, a non-scripted reality will be showcased to the Bhojpuri audience like never before.

With each episode and week bringing out different sides of these contestants never seen before, “Memsaab No 1” once again will emerge to be a talent-based non-scripted reality show that gives women a platform to empower them to showcase their potential, much to the delight of viewers looking to be inspired and entertained at the same time. Owing to this one-of-a-kind format, a category first, Zee Ganga looks to break new viewership records with the 1tenth season of this ever-so-popular show.

Speaking on the show, ZEEL’s chief cluster officer – East Samrat Ghosh said, “The Bhojpuri entertainment industry continues to grow on the back of evolved content choices by the Bhojpuri audiences. With a deep understanding of need state of the consumers, it has always been our endeavour to offer innovative and engaging content to our audiences. We are excited to offer our audiences the new season of Memsaab No1 which has become a brand in itself. Lots of newness and novelty has been added to the upcoming season & we look forward to an enriching and extraordinary journey ahead with the love of our audiences.”

ZEEL chief channel officer -Bhojpuri cluster Amarpreet Singh Saini added, “Over 9 successful seasons, we have ensured that Memsaab No 1 popularity as a show continues to soar new heights. A reason for that is the channel offering their viewers something exciting that they’ve never seen before. This season the format has taken a leap at various levels, for the first time it has invited unmarried females to compete for the coveted title, for the first time it has brought the non-scripted reality format as the face of competition, for the first time it has moved to a production infrastructure that’s never seen before on Bhojpuri TV. “

“The show is aimed to attract and gratify the youthful viewer and novelty seeker Bhojpuri audience that is growing with each novel attempt by Zee Ganga since its launch. The response to the show matches up to the anticipation levels as we received an unprecedented number of participants that saw us choose 16 of the very best. We look forward to the launch of the show and it setting new milestones in Bhojpuri entertainment,” he further added

January 11, 2022
India Ahead consolidates youth connect starting with poll-bound Uttar Pradesh

Mumbai: Further cementing its position as the preferred news platform among young viewers, India Ahead has launched one of the biggest youth-focused programme – “Voice of Youth.” Presented by Avita, “Voice of Youth” will be aired every Sunday at 6 p.m only on India Ahead and popular bite-sized short videos will be used to increase engagement across social media platforms.

Keeping in mind the sizeable first-time voters and huge young demography, “Voice of Youth” in its first phase is traveling to five prominent universities in Uttar Pradesh for insightful discussions with young thought leaders.

“GenZ and Millennials are armed with self-belief and confidence. ‘Voice of Youth’ on India Ahead is a platform where the youth can express their opinion freely on a wide range of topics,” said India Ahead News Group COO Amitabh Bhatnagar.

“India Ahead has been consistently highlighting issues of Young Indians with our mega-coverage of NEET controversy and subsequent reports on state board and other competitive entrance exams. Voice of Youth on India Ahead is the next step towards increasing our engagement with our young viewers.,” stated editor-in-chief Bhupendra Chaubey. “While everyone claims to be talking on behalf of youth, we want to focus on knowing the real issues, aspirations, fears and challenges of the youth beyond what is projected in popular media.”

Nexstgo Company Ltd regional business director for South Asia and MEA Seema Bhatnagar also talked about their association with the activity. “This thoughtful initiative by India Ahead will help Avita to connect with the country’s youth-centric population at a more personal level. At AVITA, we believe in the power of young minds and through this campaign, we aim to help the leaders of tomorrow to hold insightful discussions in the society,” Bhatnagar said.

January 6, 2022