ITV

Category: Factual

  • NGC’s Swati Mohan says local production rises to 15%

    NEW DELHI: The real-life documentary channel National Geographic has claimed a 400 per cent growth in its engagement with Indian viewers over the past few years, even as its local productions have risen from 10 to 15 per cent of its total programming.

    National Geographic and Fox Networks Group, India business head Swati Mohan told indiantelevision.com that the marketing budget of the channel in India had doubled, though she did not give any figures.

    To a question, she claimed that the viewership of the core Nat Geo channel had grown to 140 million television viewers per month and had the largest digital footprint.

    However, a report of the Broadcast Audience Research Council shows that Nat Geographic channel was third among infotainment channels in week 31 with 2,662,000 with History TV and Discovery in the top two places.

    Speaking to the website on the sidelines of its meet to announce the telecast of ‘Inside INA’, a one-hour long documentary on the Indian Naval Academy in Kerala, Mohan said that the local connect was through the respect that the channel enjoys.The documentary will be telecast at 9.00 pm on Independence Day.

    It was a matter of pride for India that many of Nat Geo’s foreign productions were made by Indians.The channel’s brand ambassador is Farhan Akhtar.

    To another question, she said 27 per cent of what the channel earned went to the National Geographic Society.

    Vice-Admiral A K Chawla who is the head of personnel told indiantelevision.com that around Rs 25 million were invested every year on promotion and marketing to motivate young persons to join the Indian Navy.

    Earlier, at the event, Mohan said: “’Inside INA’ underlines our core proposition of showcasing stories, ideas and people that take us Further – through a quest or mission. It has been heartening to be able to showcase the story of these cadets and the next generation of Naval Officers who whole-heartedly embrace this very attribute. Combine that with the National Geographic gold standard of story telling and you get a compelling one hour that will take you through an extraordinary journey.”

    This is National Geographic’s fifth series celebrating the spirit and courage of the Indian armed forces. The network has earlier produced and broadcast Mission Army (with the Indian Army in 2011), Mission Navy (with the Indian Navy in 2009), Mission Udaan (with the Indian Air Force in 2005) and BSF: India’s First Line of Defence (With BSF in 2016).

    At the press meet, Mohan and other NatGeo team members said the film shot over two years was done in such a way as to not disturb the training of those at the INA,

    Promo video-

    Chawla said the film will attract a global audience. Answering a question, he said that the INA had a capacity to train 1200 persons but would soon increase that to 1700. He added that the Navy had no shortage among its personnel, and there was only a shortage of officers that would be filled soon.

    ‘Inside INA’captures how the men and women of Indian Navy are trained and moulded into future Naval heroes who serve the nation. A riveting view into the meticulous mental and physical training that each candidate undergoes, to rise to the challenges at sea, inspires valour and patriotism. ‘A great mix of action, emotions, and sacrifices make this a perfect way to celebrate Independence Day and salute the heroes of the Nation’ Mohan said.

    ALSO READ :

    Nat Geo and Farhan team up, inspire ‘water footprint’ reduction

    “Our metric for National Geographic is different (from BARC)” :  Swati Mohan

    Age-appropriate ‘safe’ content is taken from Nat Geo Kids, Sony & Amar Chitra: Shirsa

     

  • Discovery buys Scripps for $14.6 bn, to net 20% of US ad-pay-TV subs

    MUMBAI: Discovery Communications, Inc. and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for Discovery to acquire Scripps in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at $14.6 billion, or $90 per share, based on Discovery’s Friday, July 21 closing price. The purchase price represents a premium of 34% to Scripps’ unaffected share price as of Tuesday, 18 July. The transaction is expected to close by early 2018.

    “This is an exciting new chapter for Discovery. Scripps is one of the best run media companies in the world with terrific assets, strong brands and popular talent and formats.  Our business is about great storytelling, authentic characters and passionate super fans. We believe that by coming together with Scripps, we will create a stronger, more flexible and more dynamic media company with a global content engine that can be fully optimized and monetized across our combined networks, products and services in every country around the world,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO, Discovery Communications. 

    “Through the passion and dedication of our incredible employees, and with the support of the Scripps family, we have built a lifestyle content company that touches the lives of consumers every single day,” said Kenneth W. Lowe, Chairman, President & CEO, Scripps Networks Interactive. “This agreement with Discovery presents an unmatched opportunity for Scripps to grow its leading lifestyle brands across the world and on new and emerging channels including short-form, direct-to-consumer and streaming platforms.”

    New Innovator Across a Broad Portfolio of Entertainment Assets

    Together, Discovery and Scripps will offer a complementary and dynamic suite of brands. The combined company will produce approximately 8,000 hours of original programming annually, be home to approximately 300,000 hours of library content, and will generate a combined 7 billion short-form video streams monthly, demonstrating its commitment to delivering content as a top short-form provider.

    Combined, Discovery and Scripps will have nearly 20% share of ad-supported pay-TV audiences in the U.S. Additionally, the combined company will be home to five of the top pay-TV networks for women and will account for over 20% share of women watching primetime pay-TV in the U.S.

    The Combined Portfolio’s Brands Will Include: 

    Discovery: Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as OWN in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe.

    Scripps: HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country, as well as TVN, a premiere multi-platform provider of entertainment, lifestyle and news content in Poland; UKTV, an independent commercial joint venture with BBC Worldwide; Asian Food Channel, the first pan- regional TV food network in Asia; and lifestyle channel Fine Living Network.

    International Growth Opportunities

    The combination will extend Scripps’ brands, programming and talent to a broader international audience through Discovery’s best-in-class global distribution, sales and languaging infrastructure.  Discovery sees strong opportunities to strengthen its existing global female networks with select content from Food Network, HGTV and all the Scripps brands. Scripps also has a strong position in key international growth markets, including the U.K. and Poland, and will help fuel Discovery’s existing content pipeline in growth areas like Discovery’s Home and Health network in Latin America.

    Social, Mobile and Non-linear Growth Opportunities 

    The combined company will deliver 7 billion monthly short-form streams, bringing together Scripps’ established expertise in short-form video creation with Discovery’s investment in Group Nine Media to create a new scale player with a strong ability to compete for audiences and ad dollars. The combination will give Discovery an outstanding presence on new video and social media platforms. Additionally, Scripps Lifestyle Studios will become a key component of Discovery’s content engine, making the company a leader in key strategic areas such as data-driven ad sales, endemic advertising, and branded entertainment solutions. 

    Discovery’s added scale, content engine and multiple brand offerings will present a compelling opportunity for new digital distribution partners, including mobile, OTT, and direct-to-consumer platforms and offerings.

    Synergies

    The combination is expected to create significant cost synergies, estimated at approximately $350 million. The deal is expected to be accretive to Adjusted Earnings per Share and to Free Cash Flow in the first year after close.

    Transaction Details

    Scripps shareholders will receive $90 per share under the terms of the agreement, comprised of $63.00 per share in cash and $27.00 per share in Class C Common shares of Discovery stock, based on Discovery’s Friday, July 21 closing price. The stock portion will be subject to a collar based on the volume weighted average price of Discovery Class C Common Shares over the 15 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to closing (the “Average Discovery Price”). Scripps shareholders will receive 1.2096 Discovery Class C Common shares if the Average Discovery Price is below $22.32, and 0.9408 Discovery Class C Common shares if the Average Discovery Price is above $28.70.  If the Average Discovery Price is greater than or equal to $22.32 but less than or equal to $28.70, Scripps shareholders will receive a number of shares between 1.2096 and 0.9408 equal to $27.00 in value. If the Average Discovery Price is between $22.32 and $25.51, Discovery has the option to pay additional cash instead of issuing more shares.

    Scripps shareholders will have the option to elect to receive their consideration in cash, stock or the mixture described above, subject to pro rata cut backs to the extent cash or stock is oversubscribed.

    This purchase price implies a total transaction value of $14.6 billion, including the assumption of Scripps’ net debt of approximately $2.7 billion. Post-closing, Scripps’ shareholders will own approximately 20% of Discovery’s fully diluted common shares and Discovery’s shareholders will own approximately 80%. This calculation is based on the number of Discovery shares outstanding today.

    The cash portion of the purchase price will be financed with a combination of new debt and cash on hand. Discovery has secured fully committed financing from affiliates of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC to fund the acquisition. Discovery expects to maintain investment grade ratings throughout this transaction. As part of its commitment to de-lever its balance sheet, Discovery intends to suspend its share repurchase program until such time as its credit metrics are in line with its rating. Specifically, Discovery expects to be below 3.5x gross debt to AOIBDA within the first two years after the transaction closes, using substantially all free cash flow to reduce pre-payable and/or short term debt. 

    Scripps CEO Ken Lowe is expected to join Discovery’s board of directors following the close of the transaction. The transaction is subject to approval by Discovery and Scripps’ shareholders, regulatory approvals, and other customary closing conditions.

    John C. Malone, Advance/Newhouse Programming Partnership (“ANPP”) and members of the Scripps family have entered into voting agreements to vote in favor of the transaction and take certain other actions, in each case subject to the terms and conditions of their respective agreements.

    In addition, ANPP has provided its consent, in its capacity as the holder of Discovery’s outstanding shares of Series A preferred stock, for Discovery to enter into the merger agreement and consummate the merger. In connection with this consent, Discovery and ANPP have entered into an exchange agreement pursuant to which ANPP will exchange all of its shares of Series A and Series C preferred stock of Discovery for shares of newly designated Series A-1 and Series C-1 preferred stock of Discovery. The exchange transaction will not change the aggregate number of shares of Discovery’s Series A common stock and Series C common stock that are beneficially owned by ANPP. The terms of the exchange agreement were negotiated, considered and approved by an independent committee of disinterested directors of Discovery, which committee was advised by independent financial advisors and legal counsel.

    Guggenheim Securities, LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as financial advisors and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP served as legal advisor to Discovery. Allen & Company LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC served as financial advisors and Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal advisor to Scripps. Evercore Group L.L.C. served as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis served as legal advisor to the Scripps family. UBS Investment Bank served as financial advisor and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP served as legal advisor to Advance/Newhouse.

  • Discovery partners WWF for tiger conservation-related content, celebs & brands on board

    MUMBAI: Discovery Communications has announced new content and partnerships with leading celebrity and consumer brand partners who will join Discovery to ignite awareness and help promote the global movement to save tigers from extinction.

    The new content and partnerships represent the next chapter of Discovery’s Project C.A.T. (Conserving Acres for Tigers), a groundbreaking partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to help double the wild tiger population by 2022.

    “Today, we are extending our mission to protect wild tigers through the collective power of our formidable global media brands and the support of our influential partner network,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery Communications. “This is another important step forward in our mission to ensure tigers won’t disappear on our watch.”

    Reinforcing its commitment to Project C.A.T., Discovery will leverage its vast creative resources and unmatched global distribution platform of linear, digital and social media channels through tiger-conservation content including:

    A global public service announcement, narrated by actor Freida Pinto and aired across Discovery’s suite of channels and regional websites around the world, with a donation call-to-action supporting Project C.A.T.

    Development of a feature-length documentary about the imminent risk of wild tiger extinction and preservation efforts by Oscar and Emmy Award-winning RadicalMedia (What Happened Miss Simone?, Hamilton’s America)

    The Dodo, the number-one animal brand on social, which is a part of Discovery’s Group Nine Media digital joint venture, will become the exclusive digital media partner of Project C.A.T. As part of the year-long partnership, The Dodo will build its own Project C.A.T. vertical on TheDodo.com, featuring original editorial content, dedicated to the topics of tiger preservation and animal trafficking.

    Discovery’s Animal Planet will host a six-hour block of programming dedicated to tigers beginning Saturday, July 29 at 6AM ET/PT. Animal Planet’s big cat expert Dave Salmoni will also be featured on air throughout the morning.

    Animal Planet’s social channels will include a Facebook Live event from the Bronx Zoo with the Wildlife Conservation Society, featuring tigers and zookeepers sharing insight on all-things tiger. Fans can watch in real-time on Animal Planet’s Facebook page and check out additional tiger content on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter via @AnimalPlanet.

    For even more tiger content, online users can head over to Animal Planet’s newly launched Tigerpedia, the destination for all of Discovery and Animal Planet’s tiger-themed videos, photos, and original content, as well as tiger facts, trivia, and information on how to get involved in saving tiger populations.

    Pledgeling, a digital platform that connects brands and consumers to their favorite causes around the world, will partner with Project C.A.T. to power donation drives from the PSA, Animal Planet programming block and other Global Tiger Day media outreach efforts.

    “I can’t imagine a world where future generations may never see a tiger in its natural habitat or where these glorious wild cats are reduced to just a picture under the category of extinct animals,” said Freida Pinto. “Discovery is on a mission to double the world’s tiger population and I’m with them in this effort.”

    Other leading celebrities and consumer partners who will lend their brand recognition, fan and customer reach to Project C.A.T. include: Ryan Seacrest, Kyle McLachlan and the artist Sonny.

    Designer rag & bone, Christopher Radko Ornaments and eco-conscious accessories brand Alex and Ani.

    Media and technology brands iHeartMedia and AOL, who will support and publicize The Project C.A.T. initiative across their channels.

    Amazon Alexa and Google Home, which will feature a dedicated tiger skill comprising facts, trivia and a donation prompt to support Project C.A.T.

    As part of the WWF partnership, Discovery in 2016 agreed to fund efforts to conserve nearly one million acres of protected habitat in India and Bhutan to protect and increase the wild tiger population, which has shrunk an astonishing 96 per cent over the last century.

    “Tigers are among the most revered species on the planet and people are often shocked to learn that there are only as few as 3,900 tigers left in the wild. But WWF and partners, including Discovery, governments and local communities in tiger countries, are committed to doubling the number of tigers in the wild. And for the first time in a century, the wild tiger population has begun to increase,” said Ginette Hemley, head of wildlife conservation at WWF. “We know that given ample space, prey and protection from poaching, tiger populations can rebound.”

  • History TV18 brings back OMG! Yeh Mera India by Krushna Abhishek

    MUMBAI: History TV18 is set to enthrall the audiences once again with the third season of its most celebrated show OMG! Yeh Mera India starting Thursday 29 June, 2017 at 8PM. The show has witnessed two successful seasons and has brought forth awe-inspiring stories from across India. The show will continue to be hosted by comedy king Krushna Abhishek.

    The third season will showcase yet another set of unique stories from across India like an orphanage for animals like leopards, jackals, crocodile and porcupines; a barber who cuts and styles hair by igniting it with a gas lighter, a physically challenged ace-cyclist and many others. The 10 part series promises to enthrall audiences as it has in the past.

    The stories are as inspiring as they are difficult to believe. From a 68 year old man who practices yoga everyday on cliff edges, to a passionate “clownselor” helping recuperating children in hospitals, to free Wi-Fi offered to people disposing thrash responsibly, these bizarre stories offer a unique window into an India that never fails to amaze.

    Excited about the third season, Krushna Abhishek said, “The journey with History TV18 and OMG! Yeh Mera India has been incredible. It is one of my favourite show and is also very close to my heart. With season 3 we continue to show some unique talent across the country.”

  • Guest Column: What keeps broadcasters from cracking factual entertainment

    MUMBAI: Worldwide, the business of broadcast is typically categorized into three verticals: the entertainment piece (GECs, English, Hindi, Regional, Music and other entertainment), the News & Sports piece (mostly events driven and current affairs driven) and the Factual Entertainment piece.   

    Factual entertainment refers to ‘lifestyle’ entertainment and ‘Information & Knowledge’ category. Worldwide it is monopolized by the four majors: Discovery, History, National Geographic and Scripps.

    The business of factual entertainment worldwide commands 11.5% of the audience share while contributing nearly 20% of the advertising sales revenue pie.  This business is seen to be an attractive segment therefore. No major TV broadcaster from India or the Eastern part of the world has yet cracked it. Why?

    In India, the ratios for both the above parameters is approximately 1.5% and 2% respectively.  In terms of audience numbers, even as it is bigger than most of the English News Channels and other English entertainment, the ad revenue contribution remains highly under-performed.

    The way to crack this business requires one to reimagine the business of factual entertainment aben issue.

    Business Insights

    Two insights are important for this business to be understood:
    1.    Brand –Unlike GECs where individual programs pull their own weight, in the business of factual entertainment, the Channel is the brand. Channel = Brand. The shows are incidental. The audience is loyal to the channel and not necessarily to an individual program. The genre provides high engagement value and the audience profile can be decoded from channel personality and hence the advertising brand fits. The brand is expected to deliver certain standards and hence no daily valuations and audience ratings do not matter much.
    2.    Imagery – Not only are the content costs high but the marketing investments are also higher as imagery – leading to perception – is everything. You do not have viewers in this category…you need to create fans.

    Reimagining the Business Model

    The business model needs to be looked at absolutely differently as compared to other segments. The revenue streams need to come from five different sources:
    1.    Pre-Sales
    2.    Co-Production
    3.    Broadcast
    4.    Formats, and
    5.    Syndication

    public://Untitled-3_16.jpg

    In this model, while individual contribution shares may vary, broadcast is seen to contribute no more than 25-30%. The shelf life of content is far longer and investments in quality content need to pay off through several channels as above. Example – Co-production can help set-off high initial content costs. No wonder then that Discovery’s annual content budgets are in excess of a few billion dollars.

    The broadcast players therefore need to decide to invest in Brand and Content as above. Most of all they will need to understand that this business has a long gestation period as getting the three unique factors – Audience communities as Fans, impeccable Brand integrity and cutting-edge Content – right makes the business thrive. Over and above this, the business model needs to follow the Five-Point Strategic approach rather than being looked at as a pure-play broadcast business.

    public://Untitled-4_3.jpg

    (Piyush Sharma, a global tech, media and entrepreneurial leader, created the successful foray of Zee Entertainment in India and globally under the ‘Living’ brand. The views expressed here are of the writer’s and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)

     

  • Discovery’s ‘India Best Jobs’ to feature those who followed ‘inner calling’

    MUMBAI: Discovery Channel, India’s leading destination for factual entertainment, is launching a new series titled ‘India’s Best Jobs’ which will feature 13 extra ordinary individuals who followed their inner calling and turned their passion into profession. Hosted by popular actor and singer Meiyang Chang, the series decodes the careers of select trendsetters who chose unusual yet extremely successful career paths proving to the world that ‘Aaj ke India mein sab kuch mumkin hai!’. The series opens a world of possibilities and breaks myths around jobs and careers for the youth of India. The show has generated lot of advertiser interest – Bluestar Water Purifiers, Project Management Institute, Kirloskar and Abbott Healthcare have come on-board as on-air partners.

    It will premiere on July 01 and will air every Saturday at 8pm.

    The series will feature ‘a day in the life of’ each of the individuals with Chang delving into the reasons behind their bold career choices. Each episode will answer the HOW, WHY & WHAT of these life-changing decisions and the misconceptions, ridicule, criticism that each one had to overcome to pursue their dream jobs. The series features well known personalities including RJ Naved, stand-up comedian Zakir Khan, chef Ranvir Brar, fitness trainer to the stars- Prashant Sawant and celebrity yoga instructor Anshuka Parwani, amongst others.

    Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific VP & head of real world products – South Asia Sameer Rao said, ‘India’s Best Jobs’ is an important step in our endeavor to showcase programming reflective of Indian zeitgeist. This series is a salute to the extraordinary individuals who lived their lives without limits and reveled in their passion.”

    Featured artists:

    •       RJ Naved – Star Radio jockey of a renowned FM channel, Naved is famous for playing pranks on his listeners. Interestingly, Naved discovered his passion and mastered the art of mimicking people at a very early age.

    •       Ranvir Brar- A celebrity chef, TV show host, successful restauranteur, a food stylist and an executive chef for one of India’s leading hotel chains. The episode delves into how he was inspired by the local kebab vendors in Lucknow to pursue his love for food and how he took his passion to the next level and was named as the youngest executive chef in India at a young age of 25.

    •       Prashant Sawant- A celebrity personal trainer who has been working in the fitness industry for more than two decades. The go-to trainer for Bollywood’s elite including Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. The episode will give a sneak peek into his life, both professional and personal, including views from many of his esteemed clientele, his loyal followers, his wife and other family members.

    •       Anshuka Parwani- A celebrity yoga instructor based in Mumbai. Her clientele includes Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez and Tushar Kapoor. She is one of the renowned aerial yoga experts in India.

    •       Zakir Khan- An Indian stand-up comedian, writer and presenter. He had won Comedy Central’s India’s Best Stand Up Comedian competition and rose to fame in 2012.

    •       Avi and Anita Malik – An ex-Indian Air Force fighter pilot, Avi Malik, along with his wife Anita Malik, founded Temple Pilots paragliding club. Over the past 18 years, they have taught paragliding skills to over 500 individuals. They both left high-flying corporate careers to pursue what they firmly believed was their eternal calling – paragliding. Avi and Anita were the first ones to professionalize the sport in India and recently also trained a visually impaired person to complete his first ever solo flight.

    •       Manoor Sachdeva – Founder and Director of Canine Solutions Rehabilitation Centre, Manoor is a dog behaviorist and looks after as well as treats dogs with issues like anger management, excessive timidity, anti-social behavior and more. Manoor along with his wife Anjali runs this centre at their farm Phoebe’s Farm, named after their dog Phoebe. Manoor credits Phoebe for teaching him everything there is to know about handling dogs of all kinds.

    •       Siddhartha Joshi – One of India’s most successful and followed travel bloggers, who strongly believes in the power of travelling to build bridges and break down barriers. Through his blog called ‘The Wanderer’, Siddhartha shares his passion for meeting and interacting with new people while travelling. His biggest dream is that one day the world will know no boundaries, and people will be able to travel anywhere, visa-free.

    •       Vijay Singh Ajairajpura – Hailing from a Rajput family in Jaipur, biking runs in his blood. His father used to race for Jaipur Motorcycle club in the 70s and his grandfather organized the first all-India MotoX race in Jaipur in 1977. Vijay is proud of his Rajputana heritage and founded Rajputana Customs, one of the first custom motorcycle operations in the country.

    •       Akriti Khatri- Akriti always had a curious mind and a knack for investigations which led to Venus Detective agency, India’s leading female private detective agency. Her agency provides services like Pre-matrimonial, Post-matrimonial, Infidelity/Adultery, Divorce Cases, Surveillance/Follow, Missing Person, Under Cover Operations, and Loyalty Test etc.

    •       Shivang Mehta- A journalist turned PR professional; now a traveler and natural-history photographer, Shivang Mehta wears many professional hats. His love for the forests of Kumaon pushed him to leave the cozy comfort of corporate offices and start an organization Nature Wanderers with Corbett as the main area of work. An official trainer for Canon India, Shivang conducts wildlife photography workshops across India, Sri Lanka and Africa.

    •       Harpreet Bacher- ‘The Wedding Story’ is the brain-child of Mumbai-based photographer and cinematographer Harpreet Bachher. Filming, photographing, editing and showcasing a crisp cinematic record of weddings in a well-scripted, and visually stunning way is all what he seeks in his life. His clientele includes Aahana Deol, Divyanka Tripathi and many others.

  • Epic to reposition as an infotainment channel; Sehwag show announced

    MUMBAI: It’s making an epic shift. Epic TV which saw the departure of its founder and MD Mahesh Samat for Disney last year, is now positioning itself as an infotainment channel, broadening its programming from just mythology and history and adding a wide array of original content across various genres.

    Promoted by Samat along with investments from Anand Mahindra and Mukesh Ambani, the channel began by showcasing some of the most well produced programmes in India. But it failed to get commercial traction courtesy distribution issues and the fact that a mass of Indians prefer soaps and drama series as compared to the Hindi GECs a compared to the original and unique Indian programming it offered.

    Aditya Pittie – one of the largest distributors for the Patanjali group – came in to manage and run the channel as a director last year and has since been working on its relaunch.

    Says Pittie: “The infotainment genre is a content driven destination colonized by international players and syndicated programming with infrequent home-grown shows available. There is an evident and growing discrepancy in what is available and what popular sentiment demands. In this divide is the opportunity that Epic is best positioned to capitalise on.”

    Pittie has been in conversation with various producers to shore up the content on the Epic. Viewers can expect programming bouquet to be expanded to include a mix of non-fiction content that aspires to imbibe the diversity of India. And a regular calendar of commissioned programmes that that explore, discover and inspire pride are slated to be rolled out.

    Amongst the first includes a show hosted by the swashbuckling former Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag, who continues his form through social media and cricket commentary.

    “This is the first TV show that Sehwag is hosting and he is a perfect fit for the Epic brand,” explains Aditya. “We Indians, as people, are very emotional. So, instead of treading the predictable path of logic-driven sterilised content, the content showcased on Epic is just like India – an honest portrayal of the passions and emotions that make us who we are.”

  • Vice & Telemundo tie up, former also expanding to MENA & India

    MUMBAI: Times Network’s India partner Vice Media, a publishing and video site and Telemundo, a Spanish-language TV network, will be tying up to produce content for NBCUniversal’s two Spanish-language networks — Universo and Telemundo with the aim of tapping into the young generation in the U.S. Hispanic market. According to PEW research, 20% of the U.S. millennial population are Latinos.

    Vice Media has additional plans to expand to different languages. It soon wants to expand into Africa, India, and around 18 other southeast Asian countries.

    Vice Media, in March this year, made plans to start expanding into the Middle East. It hopes to launch a digital channel and a web site this summer, and, in all likelihood, a 24-hour regional cable channel, to produce lifestyle and news content for MENA (Middle-East and North Africa) region in English, Arabic, Farsi, Turkish and Urdu.

    Vice and Telemundo will be work in alliance to produce weekly documentary segments on topics such as sports, music, food and culture with the plan to telecast it on Telemundo News.

    The two will also jointly launch a weekly one-hour show for the Spanish-language entertainment cable network in the U.S. Universo which reaches over 40 million households. This will the first time that Vice would produce a show particularly aimed at the U.S. Hispanic market.

    Telemundo and Universo president Luis Silberwasser said that the innovative partnership would permit them to increase the appeal of their factual content to the millenials (Latinos) and for Vice to reach the growing U.S. Hispanic market.

    Vice Media in the U.S. and Mexico also plan to produce content for Telemundo’s digital and social platforms. Vice would eventually be present in around 50 countries.

  • ‘Gourmet on Wheels’ reality show Femme Foodies to air on Living Foodz from 22 May

    MUMBAI: Get ready for a culinary adventure this summer, as Living Foodz, one of India’s leading food and lifestyle channel, has introduced Asia’s first food truck reality TV show, Femme Foodies, starting 22 May.

    Conceptualised in-house by Living Foodz, the original series is based on the unique concept of ‘Gourmet on wheels’. Femme Foodies is presented by Bertolli, with Suzuki Let’s as the Riding On partner.

    Set in picturesque locales in Goa, the show will see a bevy of 10 contestants armed with culinary skills and panache, compete for the ultimate grand prize: a premium, state-of-the-art food truck. The contestants will be seen competing in heart-racing challenges and cook offs and will be judged by Celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar.

    Restaurant chain Sodabottleopenerwala’s Chef Manager Anahita Dhondy and the renowned food and wine consultant Chef Shagun Mehra will join Ranveer on the judges panel for the first time on Living Foodz. The three judges will evaluate the contestants on the parameters of vision, expression and technique. Femme Foodies is set to elevate and redefine the food popularly associated with food trucks.

    Celebrity chef Ranveer Brar, one of the judges on the show, shares his experience, saying, “Food trucks are here to stay, and can be considered as a viable business option today. It is more than just a trend and the show, Femme Foodies, is a creative representation of the concept today. I will be judging the contestants on the parameter of ‘Expression’, which gives them the opportunity to express themselves on their plate. Passion for food and expression of oneself are one of the key ingredients to a successful dish.”

    The food truck trend became popular across Australia, Belgium, Canada, France and Mexico, evolving itself to include gourmet food. Food trucks have also gained popularity in Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad Bangalore and Ahmedabad, which has a dedicated food truck park.

    “Femme Foodies is centered around a refreshing concept which celebrates aspiring female chefs and their culinary prowess. It will pave the way for more female talent and opportunities in the food and hospitality space. My advice to any aspiring chef would be to focus on improving their technique and getting the basics right. This was a key criteria for me while judging the contestants on the show. I had a great experience working with the girls and the judges, as we bonded well over our common passion for food!”, said an excited Dhondy.

    “Femme Foodies goes beyond the confines of a kitchen and amalgamates gourmet food with talent, scenic locales , fun-filled challenges and food trucks! For me, vision is the key to making a perfect dish and it is important to envision the dish and the way it should be presented before one starts cooking. It was great to see the creativity of the contestants come forth throughout the competition,” Chef Shagun Mehra added.

    Commenting on the distinctive format of the show, Living Foodz business head Amit Nair said, “Living Foodz is focussed on offering original and innovative shows that center around the evolving trends in the food and lifestyle space. Our latest offering Femme Foodies is a first-of-it’s-kind show and is a key milestone for our channel. It presents a unique spin around the dishes associated with food trucks. We are excited to introduce two fresh faces on our channel, Chef Shagun and Anahita, who will join Chef Ranveer as a judge.”

    Living Foodz created a fun-filled music video, which features the contestants of Femme Foodies. Titled ‘Drive your passion’ the song features Neha Bhasin, Bianca Gomes and is composed by Clinton Cerejo. The music video has received over 1.6 million views so far within a week of it’s launch.

  • Discovery unveils two action series’ global premiere dates

    MUMBAI: Discovery Networks UK – president & chief content officer – international Susanna Dinnage has unveiled two high-profile commissions. The new series will air across Discovery’s networks in more than 220 countries and territories in 2017 and 2018. The commissions are part of Discovery’s commitment to find compelling new talent and to raise the profile of much-loved established talent amongst a global audience.

    “Ed Stafford: Left for dead” is a brand-new survival show featuring Ed Stafford, whose compelling portrayal of existing in extreme environments has been a hit with audiences around the world and this series sees the adventurer take on some of the most hostile locations on the planet. Joining Ed on the slate are new faces Micky Yule, Mike Goody and Will Swift who feature in a brand new series, “Men of Iron” (wt). All three have overcome challenges associated with losing limbs during their lives and relish the opportunity to take on audacious physical challenges – often with much humour and always with great determination.

    “Discovery’s audiences love talent that they can relate to and these two programmes feature great characters on real-life adventures. They bring exciting challenges to our screens, told in a compelling, first-hand narrative. It’s hard not to feel inspired and in awe of their courage,” said Dinnage.

    In addition to the two new series, Dinnage also announced that Discovery Channel’s high-impact documentary Mosquito and iconic “Shark Week” 2017 will sync up around the world with global premieres this summer (July 6 and week of July 23, respectively). Mosquito, a documentary special shot on four continents, sounds the alarm about the mounting global threat to mankind. It will serve as a call to action for the immense international efforts required to reduce their march of destruction. Notably, this marks the first time in its history that “Shark Week”, the iconic programming week that has defined Discovery Channel for almost three decades, will premiere everywhere around the world in the same week.

    The new content slate includes the following:

    “Ed Stafford: Left for dead” (Autumn 2017)

    “Ed Stafford: Left for dead” is an epic new adventure series that follows explorer Ed Stafford in his attempt to escape from some of our planet’s most extreme environments. Subtropical forests, parched deserts and desolate mountains await him. Dropped in the wilderness with no survival kit, Ed has just 10 days to reach civilization – pushing the limits of human endurance on the move. Ed carries his camera kit to film himself, but nothing else – no food, compass or even firelighters. He must rely on his survival instincts and his will to live to combat hunger, thirst, exhaustion and life-threatening obstacles. The show proves that survival is more than just a test of physical strength – it takes mental agility and unyielding determination to make it out alive. “Ed Stafford: Left for dead” is produced for Discovery Networks International by betty and Base Camp Films. Helen Hawken and Ed Sayer are commissioners, and Tom Gorham is the executive producer for Discovery Networks International. The executive producer is David Harrison for betty and the series editor is Tim Walker.

    Men of Iron (wt) (2018)

    “Men of Iron” (wt) is a unique new documentary series that follows the wild and inspirational journey of a group of amputees determined to smash any obstacle in their path. Thirsty for a huge challenge, they’re testing their limits in a sport that is both highly dangerous and virtually impossible for anyone with missing limbs – skeleton. The gang sets to work supersizing their abilities using the latest tech, in preparation to take on reigning world skeleton champion and Olympic medal-winner Martins Dukurs. This is the first time a double amputee has challenged an able-bodied world champion skeleton athlete, and they’ll compete head-to-head at the world’s fastest slide at the Whistler Sliding Centre in Canada. Along the way, these athletes will test just how far the rules can be stretched to level the playing field between able-bodied and para-athletes.