ITV

Category: Factual

  • Discovery establishes first-of-its-kind India advisory board

    MUMBAI: In line with its stated ambitions for the India market, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific has appointed a special India Advisory Board comprising of pioneers and experts from corporate, digital media and public policy. This first of its kind board for the company outside the US, will provide counsel and insight to the India leadership team on strategic matters pertaining to business innovation and help Discovery navigate and tap into new growth opportunities in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

    Members of the India Advisory Board include:

    • S Narayan (chairman). Former Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister and former Secretary to Government of India; currently senior public policy advisor and visiting faculty at The University of Delhi and the National University of Singapore.

    • Naina Lal Kidwai. Banker, past president of FICCI (India ‘s apex chamber of commerce and industry) and non- executive director on leading global and Indian company boards, deeply committed to the environment and head of the FICCI Sustainability Council and Global Commissioner for the New Climate Economy amongst others, and an active participant in public policy forums including government committees.

    • Ali Hussein. Award winning digital media evangelist and former Head of Entertainment Partnerships, South Asia at Google/YouTube; currently media tech entrepreneur and board advisor.

    “It is a privilege to chair the first of its kind Advisory Board for Discovery,” said Dr. S Narayan. “The network has been a mainstay in homes in India and around the world for decades and has looked to push the boundaries with new ideas, creative thinking and inspirational content. All of us are looking forward to the opportunity to advise a new leadership team that is energetic, entrepreneurial and innovative on strategic developments that will affect their future growth.”

    Discovery Networks Asia Pacific president & MD Arthur Bastings said, “Discovery is thrilled to have such respected industry leaders advising our India leadership team and myself on matters crucial to the design and execution of our ambitious India strategy. The insights from this eminent group will be invaluable as we look to accelerate the transformation of our business and leverage new growth opportunities across South Asia.”

  • BBC rewards TV18 factual for digital initiative

    MUMBAI: A+E Networks | TV18 won two awards at the BBC Knowledge National Digital Marketing Conference & Awards. HISTORY TV18 was declared the winner under the ‘Best Use of Video Series’ category and FYI TV18 won under the ‘Best Use of Digital Media in Advertising and Marketing’ category.

    A+E Networks | TV18 Vice President & Head Marketing Sangeetha Aiyer, ‎said, “We ‘ve always worked hard at being pioneers in the digital space and the awards are a reaffirmation of our belief in our “Digital First Strategy”. With the OMG! Yeh Mera India video series we have created a digital property that has not only engaged millions of Indians but also has cultivated a sense of national pride. And with the FYI TV18’s Kuch Bhi Poochofy campaign we managed to create awareness about FYI TV18 through tapping on the insight of people asking questions. Winning these accolades only inspires us to push the envelope even more.”

    History TV18 won the award for OMG! Yeh Mera India, best known for showcasing the mindboggling facts of India and Indians. The series featured Kalaripayattu maestro Meenakshi Amma also fondly known as “Samurai Amma” who received over 10 million views on Facebook within three months. The buzz generated by the videos help propel the Kalaripayattu exponent to internet sensation to Padma Shri winner.

    FYI TV18 was rewarded for their interactive social media campaign called AMA (Ask Me Anything) – ‘KuchBhiPoochhofy’ by Chetan Bhagat and Chef Vicky Ratnani, a platform for all the impending answers to the viewers’ questions. The campaign ‘KuchBhiPoochhofy’ was trending nationwide for over 5 hours where the hosts answered 40,000 questions and attracted 8.34 million people online.

    The BBC Knowledge Digital Marketers’ Awards are designed to recognize exceptional work done by the marketing fraternity to take their brands into the digital era. These awards recognize and reward leaders for the pioneering job of online asset creation amongst their peer-set for their brands. The entries are judged by an exceptional jury who not only look at results but also the leadership ability in creating an innovative marketing environment that has the ability to change the game for the branding and marketing industry.

  • My Choices-Oculus tie up: Maiden VR docu on sex trafficking to premiere at Texas festival

    MUMBAI: Addressing the ever pressing need to educate the world about the horrors of Human Trafficking, Hyderabad based My Choices Foundation has partnered with Oculus VR For Good to present ‘Notes to My Father.’ World’s first virtual reality (VR) documentary on sex trafficking and an official entry from India, ‘Notes to My Father’ is based on the true story of a survivor and is set to make its world premiere at the prestigious South By Southwest (SXSW) Festival between 14-16 March in Austin, Texas, post which it will make its way to India in May 2017.

    It is estimated that there are 20 million commercial sex workers in India, and around 80% of these, i.e. 16 million women, are victims of sex trafficking. This alarming figure begs for people to take notice of growing criminal industry of the trade of human beings, not only in India but throughout the world; and ‘Notes to My Father’ serves as the first step towards awareness about human trafficking. The film revolves around the story of real life trafficking survivor Ramadevi and her father Kullayappa. The 11-minute documentary has been directed by multi award-winning filmmaker Jayisha Patel, and executive produced by Gabo Aroro – Creative Director of the United Nations – who served as a project mentor for the movie.

    My Choices Foundation head of marketing and communications, and one of the film’s producers Hannah Norling said – “Sex trafficking is a complex and dangerous web that affects millions of women and children across the country. Through ‘Notes to My Father’ we wanted to educate India, and the world at large on the issue of sex-trafficking and believed that using the immersive medium of VR was one of the most powerful ways to help people feel deeply connected to the cause. By telling the story of a survivor through the connection with her father, we aim to highlight the very real hope that trafficking can be prevented if only families in at risk areas are aware. We are looking forward to the world premiere of the movie at the prestigious SXSW festival and hope that people stand up and take notice of the issue at hand.”

    ‘Notes to My Father’ is inspired by discussions and conversations with real life survivors and is a story of love, grief and reconciliation. Ramadevi pens down a letter to her father recounting the horrors of her past in an Indian brothel. Through the touching letter, she reaches out to her father – who unintentionally played a role in his daughter’s trauma – so that they can talk about the past, their pain and hope that her own daughter is saved from a similar fate.

    ‘Notes to My Father’ forms the core of an awareness campaign by Operation Red Alert of My Choices Foundation titled ‘The Good Father’ – a movement to prevent large scale human trafficking in India. Previously, Operation Red Alert conducted an award winning research paper that reveals startling insights on the compulsion behind human behavior to understand causes on both supply and demand side of human trafficking. This helps stakeholders understand male behavior that perpetuates the trafficking of young girls for sexual exploitation.

    South By Southwest, or SXSW as it is commonly known as, is an annual conference comprising movie, music, interactive media that takes place in Austin, Texas. Currently in its 30th year of operations, the festival will be held between the dates 10-17 March.

  • Sony BBC Earth to air 19 hrs of content every week, local programming on the cards

    MUMBAI: Feel alive with science, with technology, with nature, with stories, feel alive with Sony BBC Earth.

    A 75:25 joint venture (JV) between Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and BBC Worldwide, the channel is set to go live on 6 March at 8 pm with 19 hours of original programming every week.  The channel, in its initial phase, will target the urban mega cities constituting of 10 million towns. And is Available across all major DTH platforms and MSOs, in four languages- English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

    Promising to make the viewers ‘Feel Alive’ through its offering of quality  
    visuals, never-seen-before content, and positive insightful storytelling, the channel will introduce local programming in the country.

    As of yet, BBC Worldwide operates around 39 BBC Earth channels across the world, in India, for the first time, the channel is launching as a joint venture with SPN. Through the JV partnership, SPN will make the day-to-day decisions of the new channel.

    SPN CEO NP Singh said, “Sony Pictures Networks is known to create compelling and differentiated brands across all genres that it operates in. I am confident that this channel will be a major player in its category. A year down the line, I wish to see the channel in the top three list.”

    Singh refused to mention the two companies that he thought were in the race.

    The channel will bring award-winning, premium factual content from BBC to over 500 million of SPN’s viewers across India, and will feature some of the world’s famous factual film-makers and storytellers such as Sir David Attenborough – The Godfather of Natural History and other well-
    known BBC Earth personalities like Bafta-winning English naturalist, writer and television presenter Steve Backshall, author, broadcaster and writer, Ben Fogle, Dr Michael Mosley – a medical doctor and an award-winning science journalist as well as award-winning wildlife cameraman, presenter and film maker, Gordon Buchanan. As a key differentiator in its category, the channel will have defined programming slots – Why, How & What on Earth at 8 pm for fun and insightful science, Wild Wild Earth at 9 pm for nature and wildlife, and Earth Explorers at 10 pm for adventure and human interest stories.

    Weekends will showcase distinctive stories with a special slot; Earth Specials. Key launch shows include The Hunt, Where The Wild Men Are with Ben Fogle, Trust Me I’m A Doctor, Snow Chick and the iconic, greatly anticipated series, Planet Earth II amongst others.

    BBC Worldwide president – global markets Paul Dempsey asserted, “Our relationship with Sony has been a long one, built in the first instance on our production business, and one that has since grown across all key areas of BBC Worldwide’s operations. We partner with them to bring top programmes like Sherlock, Orphan Black and Top Gear on AXN to our fans in India, and now, this joint venture which is a pioneering model for us. By working with a respected local partner of the caliber of Sony Pictures Networks, we look forward to bringing BBC Earth’s world class content to a new audience who we know has a huge appetite for premium factual programming.”

    The channel has created a unique brand film with its Feel Alive ambassador Kareena Kapoor-Khan. The campaign will be launched on a massive scale across multiple mass media and social media platforms. Though, it has no advertisers on boards as of yet and are in the the process of locking few deals.

    SPN EVP and business head English Cluster Saurabh Yagnik added, “SPN’s philosophy is to create brands based on deep consumer understanding. We have worked extensively with viewers to sharpen our insights into what they want and have synergised this understanding with our compelling content and storytelling. Our brand positioning of ‘Feel Alive’ captures the emotion of subliminal happiness which viewers experience when they consume our content. We are getting a tremendously positive response from the advertisers and will be locking few of them in couple of weeks time.”

    The channel will primarily compete with powerful channels in the genre, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and History TV18, owned by a joint venture between A+E Networks and  TV18. The three channels are undergoing several programming changes by providing local, cutting edge content to the viewers.

    According to media pundits, the entire factual entertainment genre in India is valued at Rs 1500 crore (by revenue) and is continuously growing at the rate of 13-15 per cent annually. It’s entertainment viewership accounts for 1-1.2 per cent of the total television viewership market share.

    This partnership has definitely opened several doors for BBC making its way to the infotainment genre in India. Perhaps, the network may also consider launching its other channels – BBC Lifestyle, BBC Entertainment, BBC Kids, etc, in India. What next does the network plan to do in the Indian market, only time will tell…

    Also Read :

    Sony BBC Earth gets regulatory approval, to launch in India soon

    BBC Worldwide’s factual entertainment successful in India

    Sony BBC Earth is just an approval away: NP Singh

    BBC Worldwide India: Women team makes fiction push

  • Discovery to launch second FTA channel in UK, adds two programmes on Amazon Prime

    MUMBAI: Discovery is planning to launch its second free-to-air TV channel,Quest Red, in the UK on 15 March with new real-life entertainment. The channel follows the launch of Quest, the company’s first FTA offering in the territory, which launched in 2009.

    Quest Red will be the “home of irresistibly real TV” with genres spanning big personalities, extraordinary worlds, gritty reality, thought-provoking medical, investigative documentaries and real crime.

    With a predominantly female audience, Quest Red will invite TV fans to escape into a world of real life stories that are jaw-dropping, spine tingling and heart-warming. It launches on Freeview, YouView, BT TV, Talk Talk, Sky and Virgin Media.

    Completely new for free-to-air audience, Quest Red hits TV screens with a slate of UK premieres.

    Launch titles include six-part true crime series Is OJ Innocent? The Missing Evidence from executive producer Martin Sheen, Jo Frost: Nanny on Tour following the supernanny on a mission to save some of America’s troubled families one at a time, Long Lost Family US reuniting people who have suffered a lifetime of separation,Martin Kemp’s Detective about some of the UK’s most puzzling murders, Vogue Williams Investigates where the Irish TV presenter and DJ explores modern day issues including online trolling and Paranormal Lockdown with Nick Groff who spends 72 hours confined in America’s most haunted locations.

    “Quest Red has got real life covered. Bright, welcoming and straight talking, Quest Red is ‘the home of irresistibly real TV’ and brings something entirely new to free-to-air television for a female skewing audience,” said Discovery Networks UK and Ireland head of channels VP Clare Laycock. “With a vibrant fusion of fascinating stories, captivating lifestyles and compelling crime, we’re really excited to launch a new real life entertainment channel tailor-made for audiences who love great TV,” Laycock added.

    Quest Red is the brand new stable mate for Discovery’s single free-to-air factual entertainment TV channel Quest positioned at number 37 on Freeview. Launched in 2009, Quest is the UK’s tenth biggest TV channel excluding the terrestrials and now reaches 11.3 million people every month. In February an episode of Salvage Hunters, series 10 attracted 577,000 viewers to become Quest’s top rating show since launch.

    Discovery Communications has enlisted thousands of subscribers to its true crime channel offered via Amazon Prime Video. It has launched two of its offerings -True Crime Files and Destination Unknown- on the VOD platform.

    Discovery CEO David Zaslav said that Investigation Discovery’s subscription VOD channel on Amazon — True Crime Files — is attracting 10,000 new net subscribers at US$4 per month.

    In niche categories, Zaslav said, where they had a dominant consumer and brand advantage such as Turbo Velocity and ID, they saw huge potential to expand these genres on and off the traditional TV screen using SVOD channels, content verticals, and through partnerships, such as Amazon.

  • Levison Wood’s journey ‘Walking The Nile’ on Discovery

    MUMBAI: It’s known as a holy grail in exploration because its sheer length alone contributes to its timeless mystery. The Nile, the planet’s longest river, is a life source to six African countries (Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Republic of Sudan and Egypt) – some of whose names currently are synonymous with danger and conflict. The Nile also is known as the cradle of civilization; the first cities known to man were developed on its storied shores. It snakes its way through a region that’s full of duality: it’s both peaceful and dangerous; it is both a source of life and cause of death; it’s remote and urban; and it’s the epicenter for a diverse mix of religions and cultures, both modern and primitive.

    Dauntless explorer and former British Army paratrooper Levison Wood walked the Nile – from source to sea – to uncover its many perplexities and to be the first person ever to endure something of extraordinary magnitude. No one has ever made this journey on foot. Embark on an inspiring journey with Discovery Channel’s new series Walking The Nile premiering 22 February every Wednesday at 9 pm.

    Africa has always been one of Wood’s greatest passions, and the Nile largely has been impassable until now because of disease, war and geo-political instability in the region. In the show, Wood commits to his greatest expedition ever: 4,250 miles of walking along the river and through some of the most intense yet exquisite countries… a journey of more than seven million steps over a nine-month expanse. On his journey, he suffers many emotional crises, including the shocking passing of a friend and journalist Matt Power (from heat stroke), who joined him along the way. By dodging minefields and heading into a 120-degree desert, he also must save himself amidst a violent civil war in South Sudan. Furthermore, he is robbed roadside, averts gangs and rebels and often is tailed by local law enforcement.

    His journey begins in the Republic of Rwanda. This country is landlocked in Central Africa and is called ‘The Land of a Thousand Hills.’ It’s also the location of the Nile’s source, which paradoxically is just a small trickle of a stream. From Rwanda, Wood prepares to traverse north through Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Republic of Sudan and finally Egypt, where the Nile spills into the Mediterranean Sea. Sometimes he has a small crew traveling with him; other times he has only a guide and a camera.

    The Nile winds through one of the most dangerous regions of the world, and for significant reasons, it has deterred many from achieving what Wood attempts including civil upheaval, insufferable climate, unforgiving terrain and the threat of predatory wildlife. Every day of the journey, Wood faces physical and mental struggles, which could ultimately derail him in achieving his goal. Perhaps for him, the tallest hurdle is confronting his psychological resolve — resetting his intention to carry on despite all the predictable and unpredictable challenges that lay ahead.

    Fortunately, disaster gives way to unique, wondrous moments. Wood crosses through a world of incomparable beauty – seemingly as infinite as the Nile itself. He encounters vibrant landscapes and people and animals even more distinct and color than the places they inhabit. During these chapters of his journey, Wood is inspired by the humanity and history that’s unique to Africa.

    § Wood receives a blessing that involves bathing in goat’s milk from a witch doctor in Uganda.

    § He spends two days among the enigmatic and almost magical Mundari Tribe along South Sudan’s Channel Islands, where he learns to give cows dung massages and shampoos his hair with cow urine.

    § In the Republic of Sudan, Wood is treated to unparalleled hospitality when Nubians, known as ‘the truest people of the Nile,’ offer him and his guide the use of their beds and their very best food and drink. Some even offered to give Wood land, buy him a house and find him a wife!

    § He negotiates for camels – known as “ships of the desert” – to take him, for safety reasons, on a detour across the Bayuda Desert, the most south-east corner of the massive Sahara; there, he rocks out to Gnarls Barkley with a Bedouin companion.

    § Wood explores abandoned Sudanese pyramids (there are actually more pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt) before he takes his final walk toward ‘the finish’ in Egypt, cheered on by a steady crowd of journalists, guards and even the governor.

  • Fox Life to launch ‘Spirited Traveller’ with chef Kiran Jethwa

    MUMBAI: Fox Life has brought an all new adventurous local production titled Spirited Traveller with Kenya-born Indian-origin chef Kiran Jethwa. The show will explore the local cuisines and beverages of India with the chef.

    The shoot for the show is on-going till February and it will premiere on 20 March 2017 at 9 pm.

    Fox Network Groups India vice-president content and communication Aparna Deshmukh said, “We are extremely excited for our newest local production that is aimed at creating an experiential journey of Indian beverages in this first of its kind show. Our trade partners will be able to drive immense value from this show owing to the talent and the format. Chef Kiran Jethwa have long been a part of the Fox Life family with his top-rated shows. We hope that our viewers quench their thirst for good entertainment right here with us on Fox Life.”

    With a history of award-winning shows such as Tales from the Bush Larder and Fearless Chef exclusively on Fox Life, Jethwa is a true adventurer.

    Taking inspiration from the diverse and rich culture of India, Fox Life will capture Jethwa on a fun journey through the country, exploring its unique beverages, their origin and the local age-old delicacies. Right from tasting the fanciest cocktails to uncovering secret concoctions that make local intoxicants, to delving into native cuisine – this show will take you through India like never before.

  • Nat Geo set to bring hr-long docu of engineering feat

    Nat Geo set to bring hr-long docu of engineering feat

    MUMBAI: National Geographic is all set to bring forth a very significant and inspiring story of an extreme engineering feat, a coming together of human resilience and triumph of technology to make the unimaginable, possible. The exclusive documentary, EXTREME TECH: CORRIDOR TO KASHMIR will take viewers to some of the Himalayan ranges and showcase the innovation in technology to overcome monumental challenges to set up an electric transmission network across the in Pir Panjal range.

    This must-watch documentary will premiere on 4 February at 7:30 pm.

    This is an incredible story of the invincible human grit coupled with a technological marvel meant to strengthen the energy reliability of Kashmir valley. This one-hour marvel of a story speaks about the efforts of one of India’s largest energy delivery solution provider Sterlite Power, braving extreme weather and challenges of tough terrains to set-up a power transmission network. For the first time enable engineers used Heli-Cranes to transport material for the transmission tower. One can see the air crane lifting material and tower elements between treacherous mountains in the valley’s unpredictable weather.

    Apart from showcasing technological achievements, this documentary will highlight the most difficult and risky jobs performed by cable stringing at high towers; coordinating with the Heli-cranes in the snow covered mountain range etc. are just a few of them.

    National Geographic’s EXTREME TECH: Corridor to Kashmir aims to bring forth astonishing acts of spirit and technological advancement and celebrate the strides that India is making in the world of innovation.

  • Nat Geo set to bring hr-long docu of engineering feat

    Nat Geo set to bring hr-long docu of engineering feat

    MUMBAI: National Geographic is all set to bring forth a very significant and inspiring story of an extreme engineering feat, a coming together of human resilience and triumph of technology to make the unimaginable, possible. The exclusive documentary, EXTREME TECH: CORRIDOR TO KASHMIR will take viewers to some of the Himalayan ranges and showcase the innovation in technology to overcome monumental challenges to set up an electric transmission network across the in Pir Panjal range.

    This must-watch documentary will premiere on 4 February at 7:30 pm.

    This is an incredible story of the invincible human grit coupled with a technological marvel meant to strengthen the energy reliability of Kashmir valley. This one-hour marvel of a story speaks about the efforts of one of India’s largest energy delivery solution provider Sterlite Power, braving extreme weather and challenges of tough terrains to set-up a power transmission network. For the first time enable engineers used Heli-Cranes to transport material for the transmission tower. One can see the air crane lifting material and tower elements between treacherous mountains in the valley’s unpredictable weather.

    Apart from showcasing technological achievements, this documentary will highlight the most difficult and risky jobs performed by cable stringing at high towers; coordinating with the Heli-cranes in the snow covered mountain range etc. are just a few of them.

    National Geographic’s EXTREME TECH: Corridor to Kashmir aims to bring forth astonishing acts of spirit and technological advancement and celebrate the strides that India is making in the world of innovation.

  • Sony BBC Earth gets regulatory approval, to launch in India soon

    Sony BBC Earth gets regulatory approval, to launch in India soon

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network’s much-awaited channel — Sony BBC Earth — is all set to launch in India. The network has received regulatory approvals for the launch of Sony BBC Earth. 

    “We have received regulatory approval for the launch of Sony BBC Earth, in both SD and HD. We are now gearing up for the launch of these channels and will announce a launch date soon,” said a spokesperson from the network.

    The new channel will showcase the work of the world’s foremost factual film-makers as it takes the audience on a journey of discovery. From the smallest creature under the microscope to the limitless expanses of space, the channel will bring viewers face to face with heart-pounding action, mind-blowing ideas and the wonders of being human.

    The Sony BBC Earth channels will be available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

    Also Read: Sony BBC Earth is just an approval away: NP Singh