ITV

Category: Regulators

  • India TV marketing head Nikhil Mathur resigns

    Mumbai : India TV marketing head Nikhil Mathur will be leaving the organisation. He has turned in his paperwork and will pause for a moment before starting his next project.

    Nikhil has been a vital member of the India TV team and has contributed significantly to the expansion and success of the business. 

    As the Chief of Marketing, he has been in charge of creating and putting into action cutting-edge marketing plans that have made India TV stand out in a cutthroat industry.

    Mathur has played a key role in a number of successful initiatives that have elevated India TV throughout his tenure. One of the examples is the presence of Live India TV in the airports of Delhi, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, and Chandigarh.

    Several people were surprised by Nikhil’s choice to leave India TV, but he has made it obvious that he is looking forward to taking some time off before starting his next project. He has thanked the whole India TV staff for their dedication and support over the years and has reassured them that he is always willing to assist them in any manner he can.

    In a statement, Nikhil said, “It has been an incredible journey working at India TV, and I am grateful for the opportunities that I have had here. I would like to thank the entire India TV team for their support and dedication, and I look forward to staying connected with them in the future.”

    With his extensive marketing experience and expertise, he is likely to continue to make significant contributions to the industry in the future. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.

  • MX Player CMO & VP Sandeep Kumar Das exits

    Mumbai : MX Player CMO & VP Sandeep Kumar is leaving the company after four years of building it into a market leader and driving successful campaigns for MX Originals such as Queen, Aashram, Times of Music, Samantar, Matsya Kaand, Campus Diaries, Bhaukaal, Warrior Hunt, and others.

    Sandeep was the driving force behind MX Player’s rise. He is a brand, trade, and entertainment marketing expert with over 16 years of experience across dynamic media organisations and production companies.

    Prior to joining MX Player, he held various leadership positions at UTV Motion Pictures, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, Disney India Studios, Rajkumar Hirani Films, Excel Entertainment, and Sony Picture Entertainment.

    With success stories such as ‘Dev.D’, ‘Raajneeti’, ‘Rowdy Rathod’, ‘Wake Up Sid, ‘Harishchandrachi Factory’, ‘Kahaani’, ‘Queen’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘PK’, ‘Avengers- Age of Ultron’, ‘Raees’, and many others, he has also been instrumental in redefining the rules of marketing.

  • Trai extends date for comments and counter-comments on ‘Introduction of Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider Authorisation under Unified License (UL)’

    Mumbai : The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has extended the deadline for receiving written comments on a consultation paper “‘Introduction of Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider Authorisation under Unified License (UL)’ ” issued on  6 April 2023 and 20 April 2023.

    The deadline for receiving written comments from stakeholders on the issues raised in the Consultation Paper has been set for 9  March 2023 and for Counter-Comments as 23rd March 2023.

    In response to stakeholder requests for an extension of time to submit comments, it has been decided to extend the deadlines for submitting written comments and counter-comments until 6 April 2023 and 20  April 2023 respectively.

  • Vulgar language and content on OTT platforms need to be regulated : Delhi HC

    Mumbai: The Delhi High Court stated that appropriate legislation or guidelines to regulate content on social media and OTT platforms are urgently needed in the context of the use of vulgar language in the public domain and on social media platforms, as this content is accessible to children of a vulnerable age.

    “This court draws the attention of the ministry of information and technology to situations which are fast emerging on a daily basis and to take steps for enforcing stricter application of its rules qua the intermediaries as notified in the Information Technology Rules, 2021, and make any law or rules as deemed appropriate in its wisdom, in light of the observations made in this judgment,” the single bench of Justice Swarna K Sharma said.

    The court criticised the language used in the TVF web series College Romance, stating that it fails the moral decency community test of a common man and crosses the line into obscenity.

    The bench further said that the words and language used in the web series would certainly be found by many as naturally disgusting and sexual and that they are not part of “standard Hindi or any other Indian language”.

  • Indian telcos may soon be able to build small towers without obtaining permission

    Mumbai : Indian telecom companies may soon be able to install tiny towers without obtaining government approval. 

    According to a news report , there may not be a need for approval for the installation of BTS up to 600W. 

    The government may soon release new regulations that would make this possible. 

    The telecoms would be permitted to build small towers on street lights, traffic lights, or other light infrastructure after the guidelines are made public. 

    The telecom providers would just need to self-certify the placement of minor towers in this situation.

    Obtaining government approval is typically required because telecom infrastructure may generate electromagnetic radiation that could be detrimental to residents. 

    However, in the near future, the telcos might not be required to request authorisation from the government for tiny towers and BTS of up to 600W. 

    The telecom regulatory authority in India, as well as the telecom department, has flagged the issue of poor customer experience to the carriers since the time they started rolling out 5G across the nation.

    This new regulation aims to address the call drop problem that Indian consumers have been experiencing since 5G service began to spread across the country. 

    Although 5G is quick and revolutionary, it has recently begun affecting users’ experiences because the infrastructure needed to support the network technology is insufficient.

    While getting 5G everywhere is a top priority for telcos, they also need to make sure that current users aren’t subjected to subpar network performance. To ensure that the nation’s telecom infrastructure might be densified, the telecom providers must deploy street furniture. 

    The government’s action should be able to address the issue of call drops, which has been brought up by numerous users throughout India.

  • Westlife Foodworld ropes in Sohel Nalwalla as director – supply chain & QS

    Mumbai: Westlife Foodworld Ltd (formerly Westlife Development Ltd) – owner and operator of McDonald’s restaurants in West and South India has appointed Sohel Nalwalla as the director of supply chain & Quality Systems (QS). Nalwalla brings with him over three decades of experience and knowledge of the hospitality industry. Sohel will be reporting to Westlife Foodworld Ltd COO Saurabh Kalra and will be responsible for procurement, quality service, warehousing & distribution at Westlife.

    Prior to joining Westlife, Nalwalla was heading supply chain management & procurement at the K-Hospitality Group for two years. He has had enriching stints of nearly 30 years with prominent organizations such as Sapphire Foods, Dodsal Hospitality, Sodexo, and Ambassador’s SkyChef. Nalwalla has broad expertise in the domain of procurement, planning, warehousing & distribution, quality assurance, costings and client management.

    Kalra said, “We are delighted to have Nalwalla onboard. We believe his vast experience in supply chain management and extensive knowledge of the hospitality industry will undoubtedly bring great value to our organization. We are looking forward to Nalwalla’s support in strengthening the firm’s supply chain operations and achieving our strategic growth objectives.”

    Nalwalla said, “I am pleased to be a part of Westlife Foodworld that operates one of India’s most loved QSR chains, McDonald’s. In my new role, I am eager to put all my knowledge and experience to work in order to strengthen Westlife Foodworld’s position as an industry leader. I will strive towards adding value to the organization’s supply chain management and am looking forward to an exciting stint.”

     

  • Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt. Ltd. announces the appointment of Sukanya Ramanujan

    Mumbai: Renault Nissan India Automotive India Pvt. Ltd. (RNAIPL) has appointed Sukanya Ramanujan as general manager communications effective 30 January 2023. In her new assignment, she will lead communications for Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt. Ltd. (RNAIPL) and will collaborate closely with the management team at the plant. She will be based at the RNAIPL plant in Chennai and will report to and support Naraayan Kannan, Director Communications, Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. (NMIPL).

    Sukanya led public relations, crisis communications, internal and social media communications for over six years at Emirates Airline, Dubai, working on business divisions including cargo, engineering, flight operations, as well as several international passenger markets.

    RNAIPL MD Keerthi Prakash, commented, “We are happy to have Sukanya on board. Sukanya is an incredible asset to our team owing to her extensive communications expertise. I look forward to working together to achieve our goals of strengthening internal and external communications at RNAIPL. I wish Sukanya every success in her new role.”

    Ramanujan said, “I am honored to be a part of the RNAIPL family. The Renault Nissan Alliance recently announced their plans for new investment and product development in India and I’m looking forward to contributing to this long-term vision as well as supporting the company’s transition to carbon-neutral manufacturing.”

    An integrated communications professional with over a decade and a half of experience across corporate and international government agencies, Sukanya has worked for several international government agencies in India including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia), Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UK), and the Indo French Cultural Centre in Public Diplomacy focusing on Public Diplomacy and external communications. She has also worked for organisations such as KPMG and Michelin.   

    Sukanya has an MA in European Studies from the University of Bath, UK, and also holds a PGDBM from Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Chennai. She is multi-lingual, being fluent in English, Tamil and French along with intermediate proficiency in Hindi and Spanish. 

  • aha launches ‘Telugu Indian Idol 2’ with a singing marathon by Guru Ramachari

    Mumbai: aha, an OTT platform, organised a special singing marathon at the  Prasad Labs. The marathon, which lasted for five hours, was conducted by music teacher, Guru Ramachari, along with his little musicians academy singers.

    The marathon showcased the talent and dedication of the young singers, who left the audience spellbound with their performances. The event was an ode to the power of music, and the way it can touch and move people in the most profound ways.

    Speaking about the event, Ramachari said, “Telugu Indian Idol has proved to be a game changer in music. We witnessed some extraordinary talent in its first season, and I am thrilled to be associated with this show. I was elated to see some of my students perform in the first season, and I am eagerly waiting to see them, and many more talented singers introduced to the industry this season. As a mentor and teacher, it’s always exciting to see young talent come forward and showcase their skills. With dedication and hard work, every aspiring singer can achieve their dreams, and I hope Telugu Indian Idol 2 will provide a perfect stage for these aspiring singers to shine and make their mark in the industry.”

  • Trai to release a new consultation paper on the regulatory framework

    Mumbai : Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has planned to publish a fresh consultation paper on the regulatory framework concerns pertaining to broadcasters.

     It will cover the cap on network capacity fees, multi-TV tariffs, and channel pricing.

    In 4-6 weeks, this work is anticipated to be published.

    According to a report, the regulator will address the minimum subscription time for TV channels as well as the language and genre categories that MSOs and LCOs use to list channels.

    Late last year, Trai requested that the MIB set the multi-system operators’ renewal period at 10 years.

  • The power of the regional Indian content has become a formidable force to reckon with: Anish Mehta

    Mumbai: The creator tech company Animeta founded by Anish Mehta, has announced numerous key hires. The new leadership team, which includes seasoned experts from the world’s most cutting-edge and significant digital and media companies, is poised for significant success in the Asian creator market.

    Under Mehta’s leadership at Cosmos Maya, the studio achieved many industry firsts, including championing the cause of creating original Indian IPs at scale and building a YouTube network with over 90 million cumulative subscribers across 35 channels.

    Animeta is a Singapore-based Creator Tech company focused on creating & nurturing digital creators by helping them grow their communities & maximise their earnings across multiple social media platforms & customized brand solutions through the proprietary AniMeta AI-based Self-Service Creator Tech platform. 

    On the slew of new appointments, Animeta founder Anish Mehta and CEO Devdatta Potnis spoke to Indiantelevision.com on content creation, technology, trends goals, and expansion plans.

    Also read: Animeta adds tech and media mavens for dynamic leadership team

    Edited excerpts 

    On the USPs of Animeta 

    Anish Mehta: We offer Financial Investment, Data Analytics & Business Intelligence, Content Strategy & Creative Supervision, Brand, PR & Social Media Expertise in addition to data-driven, result-oriented & authentic brand campaigns to our Creator Partners.

    On the name 

    Anish Mehta: Animeta links to the metaphysical world and empowers one to unleash the infinite opportunities that every individual can generate through the right mix of hard as well as smart work. It reflects our core working philosophy, whereby Animeta empowers ‘any’ individual to reach his/her meta state. And the thrust on the individual is reflected through the spelling ‘Ani’ instead of the usual any.

    This thought is reflected through the visual mnemonic we use to convey the identity of Animeta, which is the video record button. The video record button is a symbol of democratisation which is intrinsic to our brand and becomes the one button that lets a creator connect with his/her metaphysical self. 

    There was a fair amount of discussion and debate that went behind this and we are happy to have an esteemed partner like Hyphen Brands who helped us rightly justify & manifest this thought through our visual identity. The entire Animeta universe spins off from there.

    The creators are at the very core of our DNA at Animeta. Our only message to the creators through this communication is that they should continue to record their videos and we will take care of everything else.

    On the role of technology

    Anish Mehta: AI will play a crucial role in the content business and therefore our creator-tech platform Animeta is AI-powered. We believe that leveraging the functionalities of AI tools could help developers create more advanced and personalised content pieces that are more market relevant and in line with the ongoing trends. By using AI algorithms to automate content creation, provide personalised recommendations, analyze data, provide customer support, and improve product development, the developers could create a more powerful and efficient tool that helps creators and businesses succeed in the creator economy.

    Devdatta Potnis: AI and machine learning technologies are advancing rapidly, and we are already seeing some exciting developments in the field of creator tools and platforms. As AI algorithms become more sophisticated and powerful, we can expect to see even more innovative and game-changing products emerge that will reshape the creator economy and the entertainment industry as a whole.

    On the vision and goal 

    Anish Mehta: India alone has around 755 million social media users and about 80 million content creators, of which less than 0.2 per cent can monetise their content. Animeta aims to bridge this gap through its creator tech platform & be the enabler who empowers a vast majority of creators by increasing their monetization potential to bring about a meaningful change in their lives.

    On the expansion plans and the slate of new appointments in the company?

    Anish Mehta: We have just announced the leadership team, which is indeed a dream ensemble team that brings together eclectic talent from the very best of tech & media companies. The company has already begun its operations and the next phase plans are etched out which will be announced in due course when the time is right.

    On the trends related to content creation in India 

    Anish Mehta: GenZ as we know is a ‘born-on-mobile’ generation and their first choice of consumption is the content on social media platforms. This is the single most generation-defining trend which will have a lasting impact on content viewership & consumption patterns across the world for years to come.

    Devdatta Potnis: With platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and many others defining the trend, the world is witnessing a sea of change. Another trend is the increasing focus on user-generated content and the democratization of content creation, with social media platforms allowing anyone to create and share their content.

    Anish Mehta: The content industry is also seeing a surge in demand for niche content, particularly in genres like travel, food & cooking, eating challenges, relaxing art, DIY, animals & pet care, gaming, people & vlogs among others. As audiences become more discerning and selective about the content they consume, creators are focusing on producing more targeted and specific content.

    With digital platforms collapsing the geographical boundaries, global and Indian trends are mirroring each other more evidently and we are catching up with the west in real-time. The one trend that further distinguishes us is the recently unleashed power of the regional Indian content which has become a formidable force to reckon with. 

    On Dev as the CEO

    Anish Mehta: Dev can build a scalable business, address an individual creator’s needs & manage investor relationships with equal passion & commitment. So he is the right person to spearhead Animeta on its growth path. I’m very happy to have him on board.

    On being the CEO 

    Devdatta: Animeta is a forward-thinking organization in the truly democratized creator economy, and I am grateful to have received the opportunity to be its chief architect. We intend to bring the studio model into the creator economy space where we will be investing in the right creators and creating brands out of them. 

    We will bring about multi-platform monetization, increase their community in regional & international markets, maximize their brand campaigns & empower them for social commerce; all through our AI-powered creator tech platform. It is always great to challenge one and it is a pleasure to work with the people you love to work with. I am happy that Animeta offers both at the same time.