ITV

Category: Special Report

  • Discovery’s Arun Thapar & Subhash Chandra Bose documentary

    Discovery’s Arun Thapar & Subhash Chandra Bose documentary

    MUMBAI:  When you decide to make a documentary that seeks to throw some light on the disappearance of a national leader, you obviously are going to get noticed. Especially if the leader is the much-revered freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra who allegedly disappeared following an air crash in Taiwan and the channel in question is factual entertainment provider Discovery India.

    Today, the Discovery India will air the documentary Subhash Chandra Bose: the Mystery. With the Narendra Modi led government releasing the long-hidden-in-secrecy  Netaji  transcripts in January 2016, the issue has been hitting newspaper headlines all over again. And historians have been eager to get at the bottom of the truth about what really happened to Netaji as accounts of him being seen after he allegedly died have been recorded.

    Discovery’s documentary produced by Iqbal Malhotra’s Aim Television therefore comes at an opportune time. It has been a pet project of Discovery Networks Asia Pacific vice president and executive producer Arun Thapar who has worked on it for more than a year. Indiantelevision.com posed Arun some questions and got some quick replies from him. Read on:

    Why did Discovery decide to commission a controversial documentary on the life of Netaji? Whose idea was it – Discovery’s or AIM’s ?

    Discovery Channel has been a pioneer in bringing differentiated and high quality content to our audiences. We are committed to meet viewer expectations and widen our local appeal by showcasing great stories about India and its prominent figures.

    Subhash Chandra Bose  is one of the most celebrated freedom fighters of the country. But his life is still overshadowed by the mystery surrounding his death. Discovery Channel wanted to bring the amazing facts and perspectives on his alleged death or “disappearance” to its viewers, especially with the recently declassified Bose Papers now available and new leads in the enduring story. It’s not about controversy but about facts and perspectives.

    Why is it interesting now from the viewership perspective?

    Despite many books on the subject, theories and inquiry commissions, the mystery of Netaji’s death or disappearance continues to intrigue Indians. New twists and turns in the story continue to emerge. Through this film Discovery Channel’s purpose is to present the facts and raise the pertinent questions and delve into its many layers. It’s an incredible story of an extraordinary man in extraordinary times.

    Why was AIM Television commissioned to produce it?

    Discovery Channel enjoys a long and successful partnership with AIM TV, which is a well respected production company with a great track record. When we proposed the idea to Iqbal Malhotra, the Producer, he was excited to pursue the subject that’s been close to his heart.

    Did you have to keep any sensitivity in mind while deciding on the breadth and scope of the subject? While scripting and filming it? What did you rely on for the raw material for the script? Who has shot it? Who wrote it? Did you have to take help from specialists or historians who have been tracking the subject?

    The life and death of a national hero is an evocative subject. It needs a lot of care and research. We’ve been very particular about the sources and we’ve presented a balanced narrative that does not pursue sensationalism at the expense of substance. We’ve had participation by individuals close to the subject matter and it has entailed an exhaustive search for material, including archives and historic pictures from around the world. For research and interviews the team worked with experts and scholars from around the world. It’s taken a year to make.

    Did you face any challenges while filming it? And after completing it?

    Every production is challenging in its own way – access to research material, experts, characters, the logistics of filming abroad, multiple crews, collecting all the material, getting all the copyrights and the crafting of a compelling narrative that stays true to the available facts and ensures that the perspectives of speakers and contributors from various parts of the world are truthfully represented. All of this is a complex yet intrinsic and exciting part of the creative process, especially when you are making a show to Discovery’s high standards.

    Has this received interest from other Discovery channel outlets in the region and internationally?

    The film Subhas Chandra Bose: The Mystery will be available to Discovery programmers around the world. It is the prerogative of each regional programming expert to plan and air it according to the preferences and demands of each region’s respective audience.

    This subject can have massive appeal considering Netaji’s legacy. Which language and which part of India do you think will watch it the most?

    Discovery Channel is broadcast in four languages in India & South Asia – these are: English, Hindi, Telugu and Bangla.  We also have a separate channel for our Tamil viewers – Discovery Tamil, which will also simulcast the documentary. Discovery has gained enormously from our language localisation strategy and we believe that each language makes the content all the more appealing to its respective audience.

    How different is the profile of a documentary viewer now compared to say three years back?

    Well firstly, “documentary” is a bit of an archaic term. We are leaders in Factual Entertainment and that’s on the back of world class content, localised for Indian viewers, including a slew of purpose-made original content. The audience is not a homogenous set. It’s vast, diverse and continuously evolving in terms of tastes and preferences.  With digitalization, new channels and great content is now reaching viewers like never before.  Rural viewership data released by BARC has added massive audience numbers to the measured television universe and we are excited to serve our viewers the very best that TV has to offer. Viewers across various audience segments gravitate towards high quality, differentiated content. We have a sizeable following amongst the young and we have seen that the youth from smaller cities and towns is appreciative of content that satisfies curiosity and is revelatory.

    What difference has the  digital evolution brought in the traditional factual entertainment genre?

    Digital platforms have redefined viewer experiences and expectations, not only in the broadcast sector but across every end-user focused industry. For content consumption, the ‘second screen’ is complementing traditional lean-back TV viewing. This is an opportunity for broadcasters like Discovery to reach out to new audiences, especially the millennials. And we are focusing on immersive content that they will enjoy and be moved by.

    What other big national titles or other subjects or titles would Discovery be commissioning? Pardon my ignorance, but is this kind of a subject a first for Discovery in India?

    India content continues to be a focus area for the network. We have endeavoured to produce and broadcast ground-breaking programmes for Indian viewers and you can expect a lot more.

    In recent months, we have aired high calibre India programmes on a variety of subjects like Siachen, Humayun’s Tomb, A.R. Rahman, HRX Heroes with Hrithik Roshan, Mumbai Railways, 1965: India’s Battles & Heroes to name a few, on the Discovery Channel. Several more are in the 2016 line-up. We continue to innovate and deliver value to our viewers.

     

  • Discovery’s Arun Thapar & Subhash Chandra Bose documentary

    Discovery’s Arun Thapar & Subhash Chandra Bose documentary

    MUMBAI:  When you decide to make a documentary that seeks to throw some light on the disappearance of a national leader, you obviously are going to get noticed. Especially if the leader is the much-revered freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra who allegedly disappeared following an air crash in Taiwan and the channel in question is factual entertainment provider Discovery India.

    Today, the Discovery India will air the documentary Subhash Chandra Bose: the Mystery. With the Narendra Modi led government releasing the long-hidden-in-secrecy  Netaji  transcripts in January 2016, the issue has been hitting newspaper headlines all over again. And historians have been eager to get at the bottom of the truth about what really happened to Netaji as accounts of him being seen after he allegedly died have been recorded.

    Discovery’s documentary produced by Iqbal Malhotra’s Aim Television therefore comes at an opportune time. It has been a pet project of Discovery Networks Asia Pacific vice president and executive producer Arun Thapar who has worked on it for more than a year. Indiantelevision.com posed Arun some questions and got some quick replies from him. Read on:

    Why did Discovery decide to commission a controversial documentary on the life of Netaji? Whose idea was it – Discovery’s or AIM’s ?

    Discovery Channel has been a pioneer in bringing differentiated and high quality content to our audiences. We are committed to meet viewer expectations and widen our local appeal by showcasing great stories about India and its prominent figures.

    Subhash Chandra Bose  is one of the most celebrated freedom fighters of the country. But his life is still overshadowed by the mystery surrounding his death. Discovery Channel wanted to bring the amazing facts and perspectives on his alleged death or “disappearance” to its viewers, especially with the recently declassified Bose Papers now available and new leads in the enduring story. It’s not about controversy but about facts and perspectives.

    Why is it interesting now from the viewership perspective?

    Despite many books on the subject, theories and inquiry commissions, the mystery of Netaji’s death or disappearance continues to intrigue Indians. New twists and turns in the story continue to emerge. Through this film Discovery Channel’s purpose is to present the facts and raise the pertinent questions and delve into its many layers. It’s an incredible story of an extraordinary man in extraordinary times.

    Why was AIM Television commissioned to produce it?

    Discovery Channel enjoys a long and successful partnership with AIM TV, which is a well respected production company with a great track record. When we proposed the idea to Iqbal Malhotra, the Producer, he was excited to pursue the subject that’s been close to his heart.

    Did you have to keep any sensitivity in mind while deciding on the breadth and scope of the subject? While scripting and filming it? What did you rely on for the raw material for the script? Who has shot it? Who wrote it? Did you have to take help from specialists or historians who have been tracking the subject?

    The life and death of a national hero is an evocative subject. It needs a lot of care and research. We’ve been very particular about the sources and we’ve presented a balanced narrative that does not pursue sensationalism at the expense of substance. We’ve had participation by individuals close to the subject matter and it has entailed an exhaustive search for material, including archives and historic pictures from around the world. For research and interviews the team worked with experts and scholars from around the world. It’s taken a year to make.

    Did you face any challenges while filming it? And after completing it?

    Every production is challenging in its own way – access to research material, experts, characters, the logistics of filming abroad, multiple crews, collecting all the material, getting all the copyrights and the crafting of a compelling narrative that stays true to the available facts and ensures that the perspectives of speakers and contributors from various parts of the world are truthfully represented. All of this is a complex yet intrinsic and exciting part of the creative process, especially when you are making a show to Discovery’s high standards.

    Has this received interest from other Discovery channel outlets in the region and internationally?

    The film Subhas Chandra Bose: The Mystery will be available to Discovery programmers around the world. It is the prerogative of each regional programming expert to plan and air it according to the preferences and demands of each region’s respective audience.

    This subject can have massive appeal considering Netaji’s legacy. Which language and which part of India do you think will watch it the most?

    Discovery Channel is broadcast in four languages in India & South Asia – these are: English, Hindi, Telugu and Bangla.  We also have a separate channel for our Tamil viewers – Discovery Tamil, which will also simulcast the documentary. Discovery has gained enormously from our language localisation strategy and we believe that each language makes the content all the more appealing to its respective audience.

    How different is the profile of a documentary viewer now compared to say three years back?

    Well firstly, “documentary” is a bit of an archaic term. We are leaders in Factual Entertainment and that’s on the back of world class content, localised for Indian viewers, including a slew of purpose-made original content. The audience is not a homogenous set. It’s vast, diverse and continuously evolving in terms of tastes and preferences.  With digitalization, new channels and great content is now reaching viewers like never before.  Rural viewership data released by BARC has added massive audience numbers to the measured television universe and we are excited to serve our viewers the very best that TV has to offer. Viewers across various audience segments gravitate towards high quality, differentiated content. We have a sizeable following amongst the young and we have seen that the youth from smaller cities and towns is appreciative of content that satisfies curiosity and is revelatory.

    What difference has the  digital evolution brought in the traditional factual entertainment genre?

    Digital platforms have redefined viewer experiences and expectations, not only in the broadcast sector but across every end-user focused industry. For content consumption, the ‘second screen’ is complementing traditional lean-back TV viewing. This is an opportunity for broadcasters like Discovery to reach out to new audiences, especially the millennials. And we are focusing on immersive content that they will enjoy and be moved by.

    What other big national titles or other subjects or titles would Discovery be commissioning? Pardon my ignorance, but is this kind of a subject a first for Discovery in India?

    India content continues to be a focus area for the network. We have endeavoured to produce and broadcast ground-breaking programmes for Indian viewers and you can expect a lot more.

    In recent months, we have aired high calibre India programmes on a variety of subjects like Siachen, Humayun’s Tomb, A.R. Rahman, HRX Heroes with Hrithik Roshan, Mumbai Railways, 1965: India’s Battles & Heroes to name a few, on the Discovery Channel. Several more are in the 2016 line-up. We continue to innovate and deliver value to our viewers.

     

  • Will mobile devices/alternate screens takeover television?

    Will mobile devices/alternate screens takeover television?

    In an age where the usage of connected devices is booming, it is a huge benefit for consumers to be able to watch content on alternate screens, alongside the conventional way, increasing the amount of overall content consumption in the Nation.

    The alternate screens for a television viewing experience include Connected TVs, Internet Set-Top Boxes, Personal Computers, Smart-phones, Tablets and Smart Blu-ray players. Connected TVs (Smart TVs) are integrated with the internet, providing a technological convergence between computers and television sets/set-top boxes – these provide online interactive media, Internet TV, over-the-top content and on-demand streaming of media. Similarly, computers can also be used for streaming live television over the internet via websites. In the context of India, the use of mobile devices in the Nation has sky-rocketed, owing to the combination of inexpensive devices, low tariffs and the introduction of various applications, including those made particularly to stream television content such as Hotstar (Star TV) and most recently, VOOT (Viacom). Hotstar outdid apps such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to become the fastest to cross the million downloads mark within a week. VOOT is the only OTT player to start with original content from Day 1, which has specifically been made only for the digital platform itself.

    With the advent of Netflix in India, we have the liberty to reap the benefits of the world’s top video streaming service, which allows users to watch content on various screens, now entering the Indian space with subscription for as low as Rs. 500. Globally, Netflix has been used extensively – with an average of 45GB of data consumed by their 20 million subscribers, across 130 countries per month. In the US, 36% of US homes are subscribed to the platform. In order to match increasing demands, Netflix pushed 329,400,000,000 GBs of data in 2015. Another factor that can be done away with whilst using alternate screens is to avoid watching advertisements; it was estimated that Netflix subscribers avoided watching 130 hours of commercials per year, by not watching broadcast TV.

    Another powerful entrant providing 4G-based digital services with offers such as on-demand content and launching with 450 channels is Reliance JioPlay, with cutting edge features such as voice control and program catch-ups. Yet another introduction by one of the kingpins, Zee Entertainment, is OZEE, leaving consumers spoilt for choice with their video-on-demand platform, whereby the content of Zee channels is made available almost instantly, complementing the wave of viewers breaking away from appointment television. Collaboratively, there is much to look forward to in the realm that is Live TV on alternate screens of content consumption.

    The success of these initiatives has come on the back of the increased usage of mobile devices and the internet; India currently has 980 million active mobile users, 171 million smart-phone users and 272 million wireless internet subscribers. To gauge an understanding of the current scenario of mobile usage around the world, the global internet average speed is supposedly 5.1 Mbps, with highest in South Korea at 23.6 Mpbs and 2.3 Mpbs in India.

    A report by Ernst and Young expresses that Smart-phone penetration in the country is expected to grow to 520 million by 2020. To add to this this, the next phase of internet usage is expected to come from Tier II and Tier III cities, through wireless mobile internet. Basis the fact that Indian consumers have a significant inclination towards watching regional content, by 2020, of the 650 million internet users, 50-55 per cent are expected to be rural users, from the earlier 33% in 2013.

    Pankaj Krishna, CEO & Founder of Chrome Data Analytics & Media, expressed his views, “Linear television continues to be the largest form of television viewing, in spite of technological advancements in the industry and alternate platforms to watch content, including tabs and mobile devices. They say old habits die hard; despite the paper and ink of newspapers being the costliest, they are still read as much as always – the same notion holds when it comes the conventional TV set. There are two qualities of viewing that one can choose – be it a 40″ TV screen or a 5″ tablet, the former is still as popular and, thus, may not be completely replaceable.”

    Thus, it is safe to say that omni-platform content is taking over the nation (and world) by storm, without greatly cannibalizing viewing through conventional television sets, but instead – increasing the usage of other forms of content distribution. This use of smaller screens will fuel watching content individually, with 45% of all content consumed expected to be on the small screen by the next four years. The question is whether the rise of these alternate platforms will eventually make a dent in conventional television content viewing, or not, in the years to come.

  • Will mobile devices/alternate screens takeover television?

    Will mobile devices/alternate screens takeover television?

    In an age where the usage of connected devices is booming, it is a huge benefit for consumers to be able to watch content on alternate screens, alongside the conventional way, increasing the amount of overall content consumption in the Nation.

    The alternate screens for a television viewing experience include Connected TVs, Internet Set-Top Boxes, Personal Computers, Smart-phones, Tablets and Smart Blu-ray players. Connected TVs (Smart TVs) are integrated with the internet, providing a technological convergence between computers and television sets/set-top boxes – these provide online interactive media, Internet TV, over-the-top content and on-demand streaming of media. Similarly, computers can also be used for streaming live television over the internet via websites. In the context of India, the use of mobile devices in the Nation has sky-rocketed, owing to the combination of inexpensive devices, low tariffs and the introduction of various applications, including those made particularly to stream television content such as Hotstar (Star TV) and most recently, VOOT (Viacom). Hotstar outdid apps such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to become the fastest to cross the million downloads mark within a week. VOOT is the only OTT player to start with original content from Day 1, which has specifically been made only for the digital platform itself.

    With the advent of Netflix in India, we have the liberty to reap the benefits of the world’s top video streaming service, which allows users to watch content on various screens, now entering the Indian space with subscription for as low as Rs. 500. Globally, Netflix has been used extensively – with an average of 45GB of data consumed by their 20 million subscribers, across 130 countries per month. In the US, 36% of US homes are subscribed to the platform. In order to match increasing demands, Netflix pushed 329,400,000,000 GBs of data in 2015. Another factor that can be done away with whilst using alternate screens is to avoid watching advertisements; it was estimated that Netflix subscribers avoided watching 130 hours of commercials per year, by not watching broadcast TV.

    Another powerful entrant providing 4G-based digital services with offers such as on-demand content and launching with 450 channels is Reliance JioPlay, with cutting edge features such as voice control and program catch-ups. Yet another introduction by one of the kingpins, Zee Entertainment, is OZEE, leaving consumers spoilt for choice with their video-on-demand platform, whereby the content of Zee channels is made available almost instantly, complementing the wave of viewers breaking away from appointment television. Collaboratively, there is much to look forward to in the realm that is Live TV on alternate screens of content consumption.

    The success of these initiatives has come on the back of the increased usage of mobile devices and the internet; India currently has 980 million active mobile users, 171 million smart-phone users and 272 million wireless internet subscribers. To gauge an understanding of the current scenario of mobile usage around the world, the global internet average speed is supposedly 5.1 Mbps, with highest in South Korea at 23.6 Mpbs and 2.3 Mpbs in India.

    A report by Ernst and Young expresses that Smart-phone penetration in the country is expected to grow to 520 million by 2020. To add to this this, the next phase of internet usage is expected to come from Tier II and Tier III cities, through wireless mobile internet. Basis the fact that Indian consumers have a significant inclination towards watching regional content, by 2020, of the 650 million internet users, 50-55 per cent are expected to be rural users, from the earlier 33% in 2013.

    Pankaj Krishna, CEO & Founder of Chrome Data Analytics & Media, expressed his views, “Linear television continues to be the largest form of television viewing, in spite of technological advancements in the industry and alternate platforms to watch content, including tabs and mobile devices. They say old habits die hard; despite the paper and ink of newspapers being the costliest, they are still read as much as always – the same notion holds when it comes the conventional TV set. There are two qualities of viewing that one can choose – be it a 40″ TV screen or a 5″ tablet, the former is still as popular and, thus, may not be completely replaceable.”

    Thus, it is safe to say that omni-platform content is taking over the nation (and world) by storm, without greatly cannibalizing viewing through conventional television sets, but instead – increasing the usage of other forms of content distribution. This use of smaller screens will fuel watching content individually, with 45% of all content consumed expected to be on the small screen by the next four years. The question is whether the rise of these alternate platforms will eventually make a dent in conventional television content viewing, or not, in the years to come.

  • MPA forecasts Asia Pacific online video opportunity at US$35 billion by 2021

    MPA forecasts Asia Pacific online video opportunity at US$35 billion by 2021

    MUMBAI: According to a report by Media Partners Asia (MPA), Asia Pacific online video revenue is expected to reach US$35 billion by 2021, an average annual growth of 22 per cent from US$13 billion in 2016.

    China will remain the largest market, accounting for 76 per cent of Asia Pacific online video revenue by 2021. Japan, Australia, Korea and India will also be significant, in aggregate accounting for 17 per cent of regional online video revenue by 2021. 

    The report, entitled Asia Pacific Online Video Distribution, covers 14 markets, tracking the growth of advertising and subscription-based online video, as well as mobile and fixed broadband.

    Commenting on the report findings, MPA executive director Vivek Couto said, “The growth of broadband, combined with slow but progressive change in content licensing, is driving demand for online video services. However, the distribution of driver local content online is modest, especially outside of China, India and Korea. This is evident in Southeast Asia, where broadband penetration is growing rapidly but from a low base in most markets. Telecom operators in these markets are investing in broadband networks and integrating with online video platforms to help drive subscriptions. This allows online video operators to utilize carrier billing, overcoming market limitations in payment infrastructure. It’s a bet to drive online video consumption in the short term and ARPUs in the long term.”

    Online video advertising accounted for less than 15 per cent of Asia Pacific digital ad spend in 2015. This share will grow to 22 per cent by 2021. Online video ad sales will reach approximately US$22 billion by 2021 versus US$9 billion in 2016, a 19 per cent CAGR. China will represent more than 70 per cent of the online video advertising pie by 2021.

    In the online subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) segment, MPA expects total paying customers to grow from 177 million by 2016 to 360 million by 2021, with China contributing the majority. SVOD revenue will reach US$13 billion by 2021, a 28 per cent CAGR from US$3.7 billion in 2016.

    China will again contribute the majority, representing more than 80 per cent by 2021. The Southeast Asia SVOD opportunity will grow rapidly but from a low base, representing about US$200 million in revenue by 2021.

    Asia Pacific fixed broadband subs will reach 345 million in 2016, and grow to 425 million by 2021. Average broadband household penetration will grow from 35 per cent in 2016 to 41 percent in 2021. Mobile broadband will reach 79 per cent of the Asia Pacific population by 2021, versus 46 per cent in 2016.

  • MPA forecasts Asia Pacific online video opportunity at US$35 billion by 2021

    MPA forecasts Asia Pacific online video opportunity at US$35 billion by 2021

    MUMBAI: According to a report by Media Partners Asia (MPA), Asia Pacific online video revenue is expected to reach US$35 billion by 2021, an average annual growth of 22 per cent from US$13 billion in 2016.

    China will remain the largest market, accounting for 76 per cent of Asia Pacific online video revenue by 2021. Japan, Australia, Korea and India will also be significant, in aggregate accounting for 17 per cent of regional online video revenue by 2021. 

    The report, entitled Asia Pacific Online Video Distribution, covers 14 markets, tracking the growth of advertising and subscription-based online video, as well as mobile and fixed broadband.

    Commenting on the report findings, MPA executive director Vivek Couto said, “The growth of broadband, combined with slow but progressive change in content licensing, is driving demand for online video services. However, the distribution of driver local content online is modest, especially outside of China, India and Korea. This is evident in Southeast Asia, where broadband penetration is growing rapidly but from a low base in most markets. Telecom operators in these markets are investing in broadband networks and integrating with online video platforms to help drive subscriptions. This allows online video operators to utilize carrier billing, overcoming market limitations in payment infrastructure. It’s a bet to drive online video consumption in the short term and ARPUs in the long term.”

    Online video advertising accounted for less than 15 per cent of Asia Pacific digital ad spend in 2015. This share will grow to 22 per cent by 2021. Online video ad sales will reach approximately US$22 billion by 2021 versus US$9 billion in 2016, a 19 per cent CAGR. China will represent more than 70 per cent of the online video advertising pie by 2021.

    In the online subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) segment, MPA expects total paying customers to grow from 177 million by 2016 to 360 million by 2021, with China contributing the majority. SVOD revenue will reach US$13 billion by 2021, a 28 per cent CAGR from US$3.7 billion in 2016.

    China will again contribute the majority, representing more than 80 per cent by 2021. The Southeast Asia SVOD opportunity will grow rapidly but from a low base, representing about US$200 million in revenue by 2021.

    Asia Pacific fixed broadband subs will reach 345 million in 2016, and grow to 425 million by 2021. Average broadband household penetration will grow from 35 per cent in 2016 to 41 percent in 2021. Mobile broadband will reach 79 per cent of the Asia Pacific population by 2021, versus 46 per cent in 2016.

  • India’s sports sponsorship grew to Rs 51,854 million in 2015; PayTM, Hero, CEAT and MRF emerge as big spenders

    India’s sports sponsorship grew to Rs 51,854 million in 2015; PayTM, Hero, CEAT and MRF emerge as big spenders

    MUMBAI: For those you are into sports, be it for the love of the game or love of the business that revolves around it, the welcome news is that  India has set itself to become a sporting nation that thrives not only on cricket but number of other sports as well. India with a thriving culture around sports is not a distant mirage but a near reality. The figures in the  3rd edition of Sporting Nation In The Making – III is a testament to this growth.

    This comprehensive report compiled by GroupM’s entertainment and sports arm ESP Properties and SportzPower shows that sports sponsorship in India has grown from Rs 46,165 million (Rs 4,616.50 crore) in 2014 to Rs 51,854 million (Rs 5,185.40 crore) in 2015 accounting for 10.4 per cent of the total Indian advertising expenditure. That is a  whooping 12.3 per cent growth.

    ESP Properties business head Vinit Karnik emphasised how sports can be harnessed as a successful communication medium by brands. He said, “There is definitely a cultivated sense of understanding between corporate sponsors, sports teams and federations. A symbiotic marketing relationship has emerged within the sporting ecosystem in India. 2016 will be fantastic for not only players and federations, but also for brands and spectators, with a deeper engagement with sporting properties.”

    Despite the challenges, ICC World Cup managed to garner Rs 5000 million (Rs 500 crore) in advertising revenues in 2015. On air sponsorships over all increased by 6.8 per cent YoY from Rs 25,180 million (Rs 2,518 crore) to Rs 26,900 million (Rs 2,690 crore). Out of which, 30 to 35 per cent was contributed by the emerging sports in India, while cricket took the bulk of the share.

    Interestingly, only  30 percent of the growth came from On Air deals, while the rest of the 70 percent came from  on ground sponsorships, team sponsorships, franchise fee and athlete’s brand endorsement deals, with on ground seeing  most of the action. It grew by 30 per cent from Rs 7948 million (Rs 794.80 crore) to Rs 10,305 million (Rs 1,030.50 crore).

    Though cricket bit the biggest chunk off this sponsorship pie, emerging sports leagues were the real growth drivers. Going by the figures roughly 51.38 per cent of the on ground sponsorship share was cricket’s contribution while the rest was all emerging sports.

    “Sports other than cricket have successfully established themselves in terms of revenue and fandom within the Indian sporting firmament,” SportzPower co founder Thomas Abraham shared. “Sports like kabaddi andfFootball have massively increased sponsorship revenues in 2015 and we saw return editions of sports like tennis and hockey as well. The successful launch of the Pro Wrestling League bodes well for 2016, which will see the advent of more franchise based leagues. We expect 2016 to be a good year for cricket as well as other sports, generating ad spends and clocking in corporate investments at an exponential pace,” he added.

    Infact, football saw an amazing 91.6 per cent sponsorship growth from the previous year valuing it at Rs 1140 million (Rs 114 crore) in 2015.  The biggest success story is perhaps Pro Kabaddi League, which grew by 300 per cent YoY and clocked at Rs 480 million (Rs 48 crore) in on ground sponsorship deals without a title sponsor. As per Karnik, it was a clever strategy by the broadcaster to not lock down their title sponsor and raise the bar for the next season.

    eCommerce brands took the lead as top spenders in the total ad spends on sports in 2015, followed closely by automobile brands. PayTM, CEAT Tyres and MRF Tyres together contributed Rs 1078 million (Rs 107.8 crore) per year, increasing cricket’s on ground ad spends by 14 per cent.

    Endorsements played a huge role in upping the sponsorship ante in 2015 with the sector seeing 27 per cent growth. The biggest endorsement deal was undoubtedly Tata Motors’ bringing Lionel Messi onboard on a two year deal of worth Rs 600 million (Rs 60 crore) per year. 2015 also saw Virat Kohli entering the Rs 1,000 million (Rs 100 crore) endorsement club that God Of Cricket Tendulkar and MS Dhoni earlier ruled.

    “Women are ruling the endorsement game when it comes to non-cricketing sports,” said Karnik. “Between Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza and MC Mary Kom, the ladies share almost 40 per cent of the endorsement spends in the market with over 10 brands in each player’s kitty.” Abraham credited their sophisticated and enthusiastic engagement of fans over social media to be the driving factor apart from their continued  good performance throughout the year.

    The stress on digital, and social engagement is reiterated by both Abraham and Karnik as critical to players and teams as stats show that 70 percent of fans bring mobile phones to the stadium to share their experience, while 46 percent of mobile internet users search for sports related news and content online.

    Karnik calls 2016 to be the year of the fans and points out two key trends that will drive growth in the sector. “Now that we have sowed the seeds of a sporting nation in India, 2016 will see a great synergy between broadcasters, association’s, franchise owners, players and all other stakeholders to come together to build a culture around sports and build the fanbase. Secondly longer seasons or play for they sport will give more opportunities for brands to engage with the fans,” shared Karnik, adding that Pro Kabaddi League will see two seasons this year. Abraham on the other hand names volleyball to be the next big entrant in emerging sports league scene, which will launch with three separate sub-leagues to its name — beach volleyball, men’s volleyball and women’s volleyball league.

  • India’s sports sponsorship grew to Rs 51,854 million in 2015; PayTM, Hero, CEAT and MRF emerge as big spenders

    India’s sports sponsorship grew to Rs 51,854 million in 2015; PayTM, Hero, CEAT and MRF emerge as big spenders

    MUMBAI: For those you are into sports, be it for the love of the game or love of the business that revolves around it, the welcome news is that  India has set itself to become a sporting nation that thrives not only on cricket but number of other sports as well. India with a thriving culture around sports is not a distant mirage but a near reality. The figures in the  3rd edition of Sporting Nation In The Making – III is a testament to this growth.

    This comprehensive report compiled by GroupM’s entertainment and sports arm ESP Properties and SportzPower shows that sports sponsorship in India has grown from Rs 46,165 million (Rs 4,616.50 crore) in 2014 to Rs 51,854 million (Rs 5,185.40 crore) in 2015 accounting for 10.4 per cent of the total Indian advertising expenditure. That is a  whooping 12.3 per cent growth.

    ESP Properties business head Vinit Karnik emphasised how sports can be harnessed as a successful communication medium by brands. He said, “There is definitely a cultivated sense of understanding between corporate sponsors, sports teams and federations. A symbiotic marketing relationship has emerged within the sporting ecosystem in India. 2016 will be fantastic for not only players and federations, but also for brands and spectators, with a deeper engagement with sporting properties.”

    Despite the challenges, ICC World Cup managed to garner Rs 5000 million (Rs 500 crore) in advertising revenues in 2015. On air sponsorships over all increased by 6.8 per cent YoY from Rs 25,180 million (Rs 2,518 crore) to Rs 26,900 million (Rs 2,690 crore). Out of which, 30 to 35 per cent was contributed by the emerging sports in India, while cricket took the bulk of the share.

    Interestingly, only  30 percent of the growth came from On Air deals, while the rest of the 70 percent came from  on ground sponsorships, team sponsorships, franchise fee and athlete’s brand endorsement deals, with on ground seeing  most of the action. It grew by 30 per cent from Rs 7948 million (Rs 794.80 crore) to Rs 10,305 million (Rs 1,030.50 crore).

    Though cricket bit the biggest chunk off this sponsorship pie, emerging sports leagues were the real growth drivers. Going by the figures roughly 51.38 per cent of the on ground sponsorship share was cricket’s contribution while the rest was all emerging sports.

    “Sports other than cricket have successfully established themselves in terms of revenue and fandom within the Indian sporting firmament,” SportzPower co founder Thomas Abraham shared. “Sports like kabaddi andfFootball have massively increased sponsorship revenues in 2015 and we saw return editions of sports like tennis and hockey as well. The successful launch of the Pro Wrestling League bodes well for 2016, which will see the advent of more franchise based leagues. We expect 2016 to be a good year for cricket as well as other sports, generating ad spends and clocking in corporate investments at an exponential pace,” he added.

    Infact, football saw an amazing 91.6 per cent sponsorship growth from the previous year valuing it at Rs 1140 million (Rs 114 crore) in 2015.  The biggest success story is perhaps Pro Kabaddi League, which grew by 300 per cent YoY and clocked at Rs 480 million (Rs 48 crore) in on ground sponsorship deals without a title sponsor. As per Karnik, it was a clever strategy by the broadcaster to not lock down their title sponsor and raise the bar for the next season.

    eCommerce brands took the lead as top spenders in the total ad spends on sports in 2015, followed closely by automobile brands. PayTM, CEAT Tyres and MRF Tyres together contributed Rs 1078 million (Rs 107.8 crore) per year, increasing cricket’s on ground ad spends by 14 per cent.

    Endorsements played a huge role in upping the sponsorship ante in 2015 with the sector seeing 27 per cent growth. The biggest endorsement deal was undoubtedly Tata Motors’ bringing Lionel Messi onboard on a two year deal of worth Rs 600 million (Rs 60 crore) per year. 2015 also saw Virat Kohli entering the Rs 1,000 million (Rs 100 crore) endorsement club that God Of Cricket Tendulkar and MS Dhoni earlier ruled.

    “Women are ruling the endorsement game when it comes to non-cricketing sports,” said Karnik. “Between Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza and MC Mary Kom, the ladies share almost 40 per cent of the endorsement spends in the market with over 10 brands in each player’s kitty.” Abraham credited their sophisticated and enthusiastic engagement of fans over social media to be the driving factor apart from their continued  good performance throughout the year.

    The stress on digital, and social engagement is reiterated by both Abraham and Karnik as critical to players and teams as stats show that 70 percent of fans bring mobile phones to the stadium to share their experience, while 46 percent of mobile internet users search for sports related news and content online.

    Karnik calls 2016 to be the year of the fans and points out two key trends that will drive growth in the sector. “Now that we have sowed the seeds of a sporting nation in India, 2016 will see a great synergy between broadcasters, association’s, franchise owners, players and all other stakeholders to come together to build a culture around sports and build the fanbase. Secondly longer seasons or play for they sport will give more opportunities for brands to engage with the fans,” shared Karnik, adding that Pro Kabaddi League will see two seasons this year. Abraham on the other hand names volleyball to be the next big entrant in emerging sports league scene, which will launch with three separate sub-leagues to its name — beach volleyball, men’s volleyball and women’s volleyball league.

  • World’s largest readership survey gets underway, first result early next year

    World’s largest readership survey gets underway, first result early next year

    New Delhi, 23 March: The world’s largest continuous survey of media usage, product consumption and ownership – the Indian Readership Survey (IRS) 2016 – has commenced and the first report will be out in January next year.

    The Readership Studies Council of India (RSCI) which was formed jointly by the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) conducts the survey which after the first report gives regular quarterly updates.

    The survey increased its sample size by 40% at an ‘All India’ level, targeting a total of 3.30 lakh respondents, across 91 Individual Districts and 101 District Clusters.

    Speaking on the launch of the IRS 2016, MRUC Chairman I Venkat said, “The Indian Readership Survey is one of the most definitive surveys for print media; consumer demographic profiling and product consumption habits, anywhere in the world. India is one of those unique markets where the print medium is growing consistently even though we are on the brink of a digital revolution. After consultations with all relevant stakeholders we have finalized our research design and begun the field work. IRS is the only industry recognized readership and consumer profiling survey in the country and the team has worked hard to ensure it meets the high standards expected of it.”

    In view of controversies created in some previous years with major chains boycotting the survey or raising objections, the technical committee has enhanced the process of back-checks and included a third party auditor for monitoring the end to end process of survey design and quality control checks to ensure reliability of the data collected.

    The survey has also added numerous safety enhancement layers, powered by technology. Some of these include a tracker for GPS locations of interviewers, enhanced audio recording and electronically addressed forms.

    The MRUC is an industry body created with the purpose of providing its members with credible and consistent research enabling critical marketing and business decisions. Established in 1994, the Council has members representing advertisers, agencies, publishers and broadcasting industries.

    The Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) was founded in 1948 and is a not-for-profit organisation certifying circulation figures for member publications, through a process of audit.

     

  • World’s largest readership survey gets underway, first result early next year

    World’s largest readership survey gets underway, first result early next year

    New Delhi, 23 March: The world’s largest continuous survey of media usage, product consumption and ownership – the Indian Readership Survey (IRS) 2016 – has commenced and the first report will be out in January next year.

    The Readership Studies Council of India (RSCI) which was formed jointly by the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) conducts the survey which after the first report gives regular quarterly updates.

    The survey increased its sample size by 40% at an ‘All India’ level, targeting a total of 3.30 lakh respondents, across 91 Individual Districts and 101 District Clusters.

    Speaking on the launch of the IRS 2016, MRUC Chairman I Venkat said, “The Indian Readership Survey is one of the most definitive surveys for print media; consumer demographic profiling and product consumption habits, anywhere in the world. India is one of those unique markets where the print medium is growing consistently even though we are on the brink of a digital revolution. After consultations with all relevant stakeholders we have finalized our research design and begun the field work. IRS is the only industry recognized readership and consumer profiling survey in the country and the team has worked hard to ensure it meets the high standards expected of it.”

    In view of controversies created in some previous years with major chains boycotting the survey or raising objections, the technical committee has enhanced the process of back-checks and included a third party auditor for monitoring the end to end process of survey design and quality control checks to ensure reliability of the data collected.

    The survey has also added numerous safety enhancement layers, powered by technology. Some of these include a tracker for GPS locations of interviewers, enhanced audio recording and electronically addressed forms.

    The MRUC is an industry body created with the purpose of providing its members with credible and consistent research enabling critical marketing and business decisions. Established in 1994, the Council has members representing advertisers, agencies, publishers and broadcasting industries.

    The Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) was founded in 1948 and is a not-for-profit organisation certifying circulation figures for member publications, through a process of audit.