ITV

Category: GECs

  • Star Plus brings ‘Prisoners of War’ to India, renowned director to direct

    Star Plus brings ‘Prisoners of War’ to India, renowned director to direct

    MUMBAI: Star India's Hindi General Entertainment Channel (HGEC) Star Plus has signed a series license deal with Keshet International (KI) for its award -winning drama format, Prisoners of War

    The Indian adaptation will be produced by Emmay Entertainment (Producer of films such as Airlift, Katti Batti, Hero, D-Day), and directed by the popular Bollywood director Nikkhil Advani.

    Keshet International managing director distribution, Keren Shahar said, "We are extremely proud to be collaborating with Star Plus on one of our most accomplished properties and couldn't be happier that Prisoners of War continues to achieve such success internationally. The versatility of the format is evident, since it has attracted a dedicated following anywhere it has aired in the world. Securing this deal with a highly esteemed partner is indicative of KI's future ambitions in India."

    A Star India spokesperson further added, "We are excited to bring a story of such pedigree to India. Star Plus has always been at the forefront of bringing the best of the world to Indian television by constantly redefining the grammar of storytelling. This series, a psychological thriller, will engage and capture the imagination of the Indian viewer."

    Created, written and directed by Gideon Raff, Prisoners of War follows two soldiers as they attempt to re-adjust to their lives after returning home from captivity for 17 years.

    In addition to their personal struggles, it becomes clear that there is a profound secret that the two are keeping from everyone. The first season was the highest-rated drama of the year in Israel in 2011, achieving a 37 per cent share (HH). Season two launched on Keshet Channel 2 in 2012, and scored a 40 per cent average share, making it the most viewed drama of the year and peaking with an incredible 47.9 per cent  audience share during the season two finale.

    KI has licensed the series all over the world, both as a format and finished programme. It has brokered licensing deals for local adaptations in numerous territories including South Korea (Star J Entertainment), Russia (WeitMedia), Turkey (Medyapim), and most notably, the US (Fox21 and Showtime) where the adapted series, Homeland, has won numerous awards including Emmys and Golden Globes.

  • &TV way of entertainment completes one glorious year

    &TV way of entertainment completes one glorious year

    MUMBAI: The &TV way of entertainment has completed one year in the most competitive of all television genres – Hindi General Entertainment Channels (HGEC). Despite having a HGEC, Zee TV media Mogul Dr Subhash Chandra’s media and entertainment conglomerate Essel Group lead by MD Punit Goenka decided to launch one more and that’s how the &TV came being.
    Rajesh Iyer was roped in as the business head and he got the perfect combination of programming, distribution and marketing in place to give the channel a perfect ignition. The launch stage was ready and Shah Rukh Khan was the gear-up factor to the ignition. The Fauzi was back on television and a new channel was on air. Sab Se Shaana Kaun generated the much needed buzz. 

    From the shows like India Poochega… Sab Se Shaana Kaun ,which was produced by Big Synergy, to Deal or No Deal and The Voice produced by Endemol, the channel has left no stone unturned in making its one year journey glorious.  

    Produced by Edit II Production, Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hai, was another stepping stone for the channel. This high rated show has created the trend and made other channels to follow the vibes. 

    In crime thriller space, Contiloe Entertainment’s Agent Raghav was another successful show for the channel which has also won the 14th Indian Telly Awards 2015 for the ‘best thriller programme.’

    “&TV launched as the sixteenth Hindi GEC channel in one of the most competitive and high-stake television genres in India, which was a big risk in itself. The channel had one of the best take-offs a Hindi GEC could have, with an average OTS of 72 per cent (which means 72 per cent of Hindi Speaking Population had access to the channel at launch across all forms of linear TV). To cite an example for comparison, EPIC channel, another competitor in the HGEC genre, had an OTS of 42 per cent during its week of launch. The credit for the channel’s high availability and viewership goes to the distribution team, but must also be shared with the content team. With high interest content like India Poochhega…Sabse Shaana Kaun? at the time of the launch and its highest rated show Gangaa, along with airing mass entertainers like Chennai Express, Entertainment and Agneepath, &TV has struck the perfect balance between off and on-air strategies, resulting in stickiness as well as reach” explains Chrome DM CEO and founder Pankaj Krishna.

    Hefty investment in order to get out quality content was the way forward for &TV from it’s very beginning. “The channel forayed to thriller with Agent Raghav , produced by Contiloe Entertainment with an investment of between Rs 20 – 25 lakhs per episode. The top viewed shows Begusarai and Gangaa were created at a cost of Rs 8 – 9 lakhs per episode, whereas the Nivedita Basu’s upcoming show Meri Awaaz Hi Paihchaan Hai will easily make the channel dish out over Rs 10 lakh per episode. 

    On the other hand, Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hai, didn’t start off very expensive but now the show is doing really good hence the production cost has gone up to 15 lakh per episodes. Whereas its show historical show Razia Sultan was created at the cost of 15 lakhs per episodes.  The biggest spend was IPSSK where excluding host over Rs 40 lakhs per episode was spent. So quality was always a priority and the network backed the priority with necessary investments. The channel should be proud of where it stands today” asserts a media observer on condition of anonymity.    

    The ad rate card of the channel has seen a 25 per cent hike over the last year and advertisers’ traction has also been evolving thick and fast as per media planners’ insights.

    Industry reaction on the channel’s voyage so far 

    Dentsu Aegis Network chairman and CEO South Asia Ashish Bhasin: “It has done better than what was expected. I do feel it has more scope to grow as time goes by. Ultimately, its ability to sustain good content on a continuous basis will work for the channel. The content was well connected with the consumer and that’s one of the reasons why the channel is running successfully. Another, it was also well distributed as a new channel, right from the beginning”

    Industry expert and Purple Canvas founder Gaurav Seth: “&TV made a very promising start a year ago, with a fresh slate of content and differentiated offerings catering to every section of the GEC audience. Shows like Gangaa and Bhabhiji were especially entertaining and made extremely well. They have not however been able to crack the weekend primetime band which is critical to any GEC’s success and that, along with a couple of new weekday primetime hits should be on their wishlist for the coming year. But it’s been a reasonably successful launch year overall, considering the highly competitive space it has entered.”

    Big Snyergy co-founder and director Anita Kaul Basu: “India Poochega Sabse Shaana Kaun? was our first show with Zee, though we had worked together with Zee in past before satellite. Rajesh Iyer is a great guy to work with. He is very sorted and precise when it comes to content and programming. Then there was Sunanda with whom we have worked before at the time of India’s Got Talent when she was in Colors. &TV  took a little time to decide about what they wanted to do but when it happened it happened very fast. It was great working with the team. For a new channel and a GEC channel of that scale it takes time, but &TV in one year has made a mark. The channel brought a big international format to India Who’s Asking? which Zee Network  has never done before. Hence, The  channel has a great lineup of shows and will soon make great impact in the industry.” 

    The House of Originals director Nivedia Basu: “I have a very good experience of working with them, in fact when we came with the idea they were so open minded and they have given me as a first timer to do things according to the way I want. They helped me get all these actors on board for the Meri Awaaz Hi Pechan Hai. Many say that they want to work with the top three broadcasters, but I think & TV soon will be among the top five broadcasters”
    The journey travelled so far certainly signifies that there is a long way to go, meanwhile the air is all filled with the perfume of promise that reminds one of the Robert Frost quote, “I have miles to go and promises to keep before I sleep.”

    Viewership data from week 41, 2015 to week 7, 2016 period

    Source : BARC

    		        

    TG : 4+ HSM

    		        

    Period : Wk 41 – Wk 07’2016

    		        

    Analysis : Impressions (000s) (Weighted Average for the above mentioned period)
  • &TV way of entertainment completes one glorious year

    &TV way of entertainment completes one glorious year

    MUMBAI: The &TV way of entertainment has completed one year in the most competitive of all television genres – Hindi General Entertainment Channels (HGEC). Despite having a HGEC, Zee TV media Mogul Dr Subhash Chandra’s media and entertainment conglomerate Essel Group lead by MD Punit Goenka decided to launch one more and that’s how the &TV came being.
    Rajesh Iyer was roped in as the business head and he got the perfect combination of programming, distribution and marketing in place to give the channel a perfect ignition. The launch stage was ready and Shah Rukh Khan was the gear-up factor to the ignition. The Fauzi was back on television and a new channel was on air. Sab Se Shaana Kaun generated the much needed buzz. 

    From the shows like India Poochega… Sab Se Shaana Kaun ,which was produced by Big Synergy, to Deal or No Deal and The Voice produced by Endemol, the channel has left no stone unturned in making its one year journey glorious.  

    Produced by Edit II Production, Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hai, was another stepping stone for the channel. This high rated show has created the trend and made other channels to follow the vibes. 

    In crime thriller space, Contiloe Entertainment’s Agent Raghav was another successful show for the channel which has also won the 14th Indian Telly Awards 2015 for the ‘best thriller programme.’

    “&TV launched as the sixteenth Hindi GEC channel in one of the most competitive and high-stake television genres in India, which was a big risk in itself. The channel had one of the best take-offs a Hindi GEC could have, with an average OTS of 72 per cent (which means 72 per cent of Hindi Speaking Population had access to the channel at launch across all forms of linear TV). To cite an example for comparison, EPIC channel, another competitor in the HGEC genre, had an OTS of 42 per cent during its week of launch. The credit for the channel’s high availability and viewership goes to the distribution team, but must also be shared with the content team. With high interest content like India Poochhega…Sabse Shaana Kaun? at the time of the launch and its highest rated show Gangaa, along with airing mass entertainers like Chennai Express, Entertainment and Agneepath, &TV has struck the perfect balance between off and on-air strategies, resulting in stickiness as well as reach” explains Chrome DM CEO and founder Pankaj Krishna.

    Hefty investment in order to get out quality content was the way forward for &TV from it’s very beginning. “The channel forayed to thriller with Agent Raghav , produced by Contiloe Entertainment with an investment of between Rs 20 – 25 lakhs per episode. The top viewed shows Begusarai and Gangaa were created at a cost of Rs 8 – 9 lakhs per episode, whereas the Nivedita Basu’s upcoming show Meri Awaaz Hi Paihchaan Hai will easily make the channel dish out over Rs 10 lakh per episode. 

    On the other hand, Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hai, didn’t start off very expensive but now the show is doing really good hence the production cost has gone up to 15 lakh per episodes. Whereas its show historical show Razia Sultan was created at the cost of 15 lakhs per episodes.  The biggest spend was IPSSK where excluding host over Rs 40 lakhs per episode was spent. So quality was always a priority and the network backed the priority with necessary investments. The channel should be proud of where it stands today” asserts a media observer on condition of anonymity.    

    The ad rate card of the channel has seen a 25 per cent hike over the last year and advertisers’ traction has also been evolving thick and fast as per media planners’ insights.

    Industry reaction on the channel’s voyage so far 

    Dentsu Aegis Network chairman and CEO South Asia Ashish Bhasin: “It has done better than what was expected. I do feel it has more scope to grow as time goes by. Ultimately, its ability to sustain good content on a continuous basis will work for the channel. The content was well connected with the consumer and that’s one of the reasons why the channel is running successfully. Another, it was also well distributed as a new channel, right from the beginning”

    Industry expert and Purple Canvas founder Gaurav Seth: “&TV made a very promising start a year ago, with a fresh slate of content and differentiated offerings catering to every section of the GEC audience. Shows like Gangaa and Bhabhiji were especially entertaining and made extremely well. They have not however been able to crack the weekend primetime band which is critical to any GEC’s success and that, along with a couple of new weekday primetime hits should be on their wishlist for the coming year. But it’s been a reasonably successful launch year overall, considering the highly competitive space it has entered.”

    Big Snyergy co-founder and director Anita Kaul Basu: “India Poochega Sabse Shaana Kaun? was our first show with Zee, though we had worked together with Zee in past before satellite. Rajesh Iyer is a great guy to work with. He is very sorted and precise when it comes to content and programming. Then there was Sunanda with whom we have worked before at the time of India’s Got Talent when she was in Colors. &TV  took a little time to decide about what they wanted to do but when it happened it happened very fast. It was great working with the team. For a new channel and a GEC channel of that scale it takes time, but &TV in one year has made a mark. The channel brought a big international format to India Who’s Asking? which Zee Network  has never done before. Hence, The  channel has a great lineup of shows and will soon make great impact in the industry.” 

    The House of Originals director Nivedia Basu: “I have a very good experience of working with them, in fact when we came with the idea they were so open minded and they have given me as a first timer to do things according to the way I want. They helped me get all these actors on board for the Meri Awaaz Hi Pechan Hai. Many say that they want to work with the top three broadcasters, but I think & TV soon will be among the top five broadcasters”
    The journey travelled so far certainly signifies that there is a long way to go, meanwhile the air is all filled with the perfume of promise that reminds one of the Robert Frost quote, “I have miles to go and promises to keep before I sleep.”

    Viewership data from week 41, 2015 to week 7, 2016 period

    Source : BARC

    		        

    TG : 4+ HSM

    		        

    Period : Wk 41 – Wk 07’2016

    		        

    Analysis : Impressions (000s) (Weighted Average for the above mentioned period)
  • Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    MUMBAI: A flurry of reports gave birth to waves of mystery, and sailing through rough seas was Kapil Sharma and his comedy enterprise. The water has now calmed as Sony Pictures Networks today (1 March 2016) announced the revival of comedy on its premier General Entertainment Channel (GEC) Sony. And the mantle for Sony’s return to comedy has been donned by Kapil Sharma and his crew. Jointly produced by Kapil’s own production house K9 Productions and Frames, the show will hit the small screen every Saturday and Sunday from 23 April at 9 pm. 

    “Comedy plays a vital role when it comes to viewership and is a very important part of Sony. Yes we took a break and now we are back and there is no better way to come back than with Kapil,” said SPN India CEO NP Singh.

    The show has been given a new sobriquet.  It is now The Kapil Sharma Show. SPN along with the televised show will also foray into a lot of on-ground initiatives. The first episode of the show will be the televised version of an on ground show in Delhi. Besides Delhi, SPN with Kapil and team will travel to Lucknow, Amritsar and Bhopal. 

    “Our major focus will be the Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) and the four city tour is very much a part of a marketing plan. With Kapil, the buzz is already built, you don’t need to put in hefty investments. It’s just being at the right place at the right time. The eagerness for the show is already there and we will unveil our various campaigns in time” informed SPN SVP marketing Anup Vishwanathan.

    The Kapil Sharma Show show will go on air at a time when SPN’s biggest asset IPL will be at its peak and the channel is all set to utilize the huge reach of the million dollar league in order to promote it. “IPL is a great success and is very popular. But we believe The Kapil Sharma Show will have a totally different set of audience and both will have high viewership. IPL and The Kapil Sharma Show can both run successfully at the same time. Rather IPL is a big advantage for us, we will use it to promote and generate more awareness,” revealed Sony EVP and business head Danish Khan

    “There were sensibilities which did not match between us and Colors, therefore we could not reach a consensus and hence we parted. We will continue to do what we do the best, and that is to entertain people. The only difference is the network. I have had a great association with Sony and we are looking ahead for even better things,” said Sharma.

    SPN has already raked in a ‘presented by’ sponsor in Lava mobiles and is in the final set of discussion for powered by and associate sponsors category, “We are receiving a very positive response when it comes to advertisers and soon we will have more names to share,” informed Khan.

    The network is looking forward to a long term association with the comedian. “This is a long term investment and we are looking at the future. We want to take comedy to a new level, and we will do it together with Kapil and his team” Khan further added.  

    But how is it different? What is it that differentiates the new one from the one that he was doing for Colors? “Creating differentiation for the sake of creating it is not good” replied CEO NP Singh. He further added, “The team of writers and the team of actors they have will create a differentiation naturally everyday. The viewers will need to constantly re-invent themselves and that’s the magic the team can create.”

    The show will also be up on the digital platform Sony Liv through a yet to be determined business model. “We still have time to decide if we will put the show as AVOD or SVOD. But it will be available for the viewers on the digital platform,” asserted Singh.

    Due to copyright issues despite having the same crew Kapil will have to revamp the characterization all over again. Now it remains to be seen how Sony’s foray into comedy unfolds in days to come.

  • Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    MUMBAI: A flurry of reports gave birth to waves of mystery, and sailing through rough seas was Kapil Sharma and his comedy enterprise. The water has now calmed as Sony Pictures Networks today (1 March 2016) announced the revival of comedy on its premier General Entertainment Channel (GEC) Sony. And the mantle for Sony’s return to comedy has been donned by Kapil Sharma and his crew. Jointly produced by Kapil’s own production house K9 Productions and Frames, the show will hit the small screen every Saturday and Sunday from 23 April at 9 pm. 

    “Comedy plays a vital role when it comes to viewership and is a very important part of Sony. Yes we took a break and now we are back and there is no better way to come back than with Kapil,” said SPN India CEO NP Singh.

    The show has been given a new sobriquet.  It is now The Kapil Sharma Show. SPN along with the televised show will also foray into a lot of on-ground initiatives. The first episode of the show will be the televised version of an on ground show in Delhi. Besides Delhi, SPN with Kapil and team will travel to Lucknow, Amritsar and Bhopal. 

    “Our major focus will be the Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) and the four city tour is very much a part of a marketing plan. With Kapil, the buzz is already built, you don’t need to put in hefty investments. It’s just being at the right place at the right time. The eagerness for the show is already there and we will unveil our various campaigns in time” informed SPN SVP marketing Anup Vishwanathan.

    The Kapil Sharma Show show will go on air at a time when SPN’s biggest asset IPL will be at its peak and the channel is all set to utilize the huge reach of the million dollar league in order to promote it. “IPL is a great success and is very popular. But we believe The Kapil Sharma Show will have a totally different set of audience and both will have high viewership. IPL and The Kapil Sharma Show can both run successfully at the same time. Rather IPL is a big advantage for us, we will use it to promote and generate more awareness,” revealed Sony EVP and business head Danish Khan

    “There were sensibilities which did not match between us and Colors, therefore we could not reach a consensus and hence we parted. We will continue to do what we do the best, and that is to entertain people. The only difference is the network. I have had a great association with Sony and we are looking ahead for even better things,” said Sharma.

    SPN has already raked in a ‘presented by’ sponsor in Lava mobiles and is in the final set of discussion for powered by and associate sponsors category, “We are receiving a very positive response when it comes to advertisers and soon we will have more names to share,” informed Khan.

    The network is looking forward to a long term association with the comedian. “This is a long term investment and we are looking at the future. We want to take comedy to a new level, and we will do it together with Kapil and his team” Khan further added.  

    But how is it different? What is it that differentiates the new one from the one that he was doing for Colors? “Creating differentiation for the sake of creating it is not good” replied CEO NP Singh. He further added, “The team of writers and the team of actors they have will create a differentiation naturally everyday. The viewers will need to constantly re-invent themselves and that’s the magic the team can create.”

    The show will also be up on the digital platform Sony Liv through a yet to be determined business model. “We still have time to decide if we will put the show as AVOD or SVOD. But it will be available for the viewers on the digital platform,” asserted Singh.

    Due to copyright issues despite having the same crew Kapil will have to revamp the characterization all over again. Now it remains to be seen how Sony’s foray into comedy unfolds in days to come.

  • Balaji Telefilms ‘Kasam..Tere Pyar Ki’ on Colors starting March 7

    Balaji Telefilms ‘Kasam..Tere Pyar Ki’ on Colors starting March 7

    MUMBAI: Leaving no stone unturned, Viacom 18’s Hindi general entertainment channel, Colors is all prepped up for Balaji Telefilms’ new show Kasam…Tere Pyaar Ki. Starting from 7 March, the show will be aired at 10pm from Monday to Friday. The channel has roped in Indiagate Basmati Rice as the powered by sponsors for the soap

    Kasam…Tere Pyaar Ki, a tale of star-crossed lovers Rishi played by Ssharad Malhotra and Tanushree played by Kratika Sengar, highlights the connection between their souls since childhood, but the vagaries of destiny pulls them apart.

    Talking with Indiantelevision.com, Colors programming head Manisha Sharma said, “This is an older man and younger girl reincarnation love story. I am hoping it will be as romantic as Ekta’s other shows. I am sure the new offering from Balaji will have all the flavours. The show further marks the strengthening of our relationship with Balaji Telefilms, with which we have delivered path-breaking content time and again. Balaji’s Telefilms proficiency at depicting the various shades of love has made it a master storyteller with a strong hold on the pulse of the audience’s hearts”.

    As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the new show Kasam will replace one of the most popular show on Colors,  Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi  which is yet another Balaji production. Talking about the same, Sharma added, “Its time to bid goodbye to Meri Aashiqui Tumse Hi because it has lived its life. It used to do well for us and was loved by our audience but it has to end, because you can’t keep stretching love stories for long.“

    Speaking about the show, Balaji Telefilms producer Ekta Kapoor said, “Kasam…Tere Pyaar Ki redefines every known shade of love. It explores a deep-rooted connection between souls, binding Rishi and Tanushree’s hearts from childhood and continuing, across lifetimes, long after destiny separates them. The show instils freshness through its intensity of emotions, which combined with a distinctive backdrop, will find appeal amongst romantics and convert non-believers. The show’s scale and production quality further adds to the authenticity of the concept thereby creating a belief system around the perpetuity of love”.

    Colors has devised a 360-degree integrated marketing campaign for the show that includes print, broadcast, OOH, and radio among others. Kasam…Tere Pyaar Ki will also be promoted via a robust digital strategy engaging viewers across social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

     
  • Balaji Telefilms ‘Kasam..Tere Pyar Ki’ on Colors starting March 7

    Balaji Telefilms ‘Kasam..Tere Pyar Ki’ on Colors starting March 7

    MUMBAI: Leaving no stone unturned, Viacom 18’s Hindi general entertainment channel, Colors is all prepped up for Balaji Telefilms’ new show Kasam…Tere Pyaar Ki. Starting from 7 March, the show will be aired at 10pm from Monday to Friday. The channel has roped in Indiagate Basmati Rice as the powered by sponsors for the soap

    Kasam…Tere Pyaar Ki, a tale of star-crossed lovers Rishi played by Ssharad Malhotra and Tanushree played by Kratika Sengar, highlights the connection between their souls since childhood, but the vagaries of destiny pulls them apart.

    Talking with Indiantelevision.com, Colors programming head Manisha Sharma said, “This is an older man and younger girl reincarnation love story. I am hoping it will be as romantic as Ekta’s other shows. I am sure the new offering from Balaji will have all the flavours. The show further marks the strengthening of our relationship with Balaji Telefilms, with which we have delivered path-breaking content time and again. Balaji’s Telefilms proficiency at depicting the various shades of love has made it a master storyteller with a strong hold on the pulse of the audience’s hearts”.

    As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the new show Kasam will replace one of the most popular show on Colors,  Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi  which is yet another Balaji production. Talking about the same, Sharma added, “Its time to bid goodbye to Meri Aashiqui Tumse Hi because it has lived its life. It used to do well for us and was loved by our audience but it has to end, because you can’t keep stretching love stories for long.“

    Speaking about the show, Balaji Telefilms producer Ekta Kapoor said, “Kasam…Tere Pyaar Ki redefines every known shade of love. It explores a deep-rooted connection between souls, binding Rishi and Tanushree’s hearts from childhood and continuing, across lifetimes, long after destiny separates them. The show instils freshness through its intensity of emotions, which combined with a distinctive backdrop, will find appeal amongst romantics and convert non-believers. The show’s scale and production quality further adds to the authenticity of the concept thereby creating a belief system around the perpetuity of love”.

    Colors has devised a 360-degree integrated marketing campaign for the show that includes print, broadcast, OOH, and radio among others. Kasam…Tere Pyaar Ki will also be promoted via a robust digital strategy engaging viewers across social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

     
  • Key issues relating to broadcasting sector ignored in budget, says IBF

    Key issues relating to broadcasting sector ignored in budget, says IBF

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation today expressed regret that the Union Budget 2016-17 had failed to look into key issues such as ‘carry forward of losses, in case of amalgamation or merger for service industry under the industrial undertaking under Section 72 A of the Income Tax Act 1961.’

    Foundation Secretary General Girish Srivastava said in a statement that it was also ‘unfortunate that c industry, which has been playing a critical role in the digital initiative of the government, is being denied this benefit whereas other service sectors like Software, Telecom etc are availing these benefits.’

    However, he thanked the Minister Arun Jaitley for addressing some of the concerns of the industry.

    Describing it as an “inclusive and well-rounded budget which will not only help the Indian economy at large but also provide an opportunity to all in becoming part of the overall growth process”, Srivastava said, “Another point that broadcasters had raised in their pre-budget memorandum was on the tax withholding of transponder hire charges in which the sector had appealed for the alignment of the definition of royalty in DTAAs in line with the amended Finance Act 2012.

    In the current Economic Survey, having acknowledged the significance of the ongoing digitization efforts and in turn Media and Entertainment Industry generating large scale revenue and employment, it seems that the budget inadvertently omitted the long- term pending demand of grant of infrastructure status to the sector, he said.

    During the budget speech, Jaitley had stated that most of the recommendations made by Justice Easwar Committee on simplification of procedures and related issues shall be accepted in due course. “IBF will take up the issues as above with the Finance Ministry in its post budget consultations,” Srivastava added in parting.

  • Key issues relating to broadcasting sector ignored in budget, says IBF

    Key issues relating to broadcasting sector ignored in budget, says IBF

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation today expressed regret that the Union Budget 2016-17 had failed to look into key issues such as ‘carry forward of losses, in case of amalgamation or merger for service industry under the industrial undertaking under Section 72 A of the Income Tax Act 1961.’

    Foundation Secretary General Girish Srivastava said in a statement that it was also ‘unfortunate that c industry, which has been playing a critical role in the digital initiative of the government, is being denied this benefit whereas other service sectors like Software, Telecom etc are availing these benefits.’

    However, he thanked the Minister Arun Jaitley for addressing some of the concerns of the industry.

    Describing it as an “inclusive and well-rounded budget which will not only help the Indian economy at large but also provide an opportunity to all in becoming part of the overall growth process”, Srivastava said, “Another point that broadcasters had raised in their pre-budget memorandum was on the tax withholding of transponder hire charges in which the sector had appealed for the alignment of the definition of royalty in DTAAs in line with the amended Finance Act 2012.

    In the current Economic Survey, having acknowledged the significance of the ongoing digitization efforts and in turn Media and Entertainment Industry generating large scale revenue and employment, it seems that the budget inadvertently omitted the long- term pending demand of grant of infrastructure status to the sector, he said.

    During the budget speech, Jaitley had stated that most of the recommendations made by Justice Easwar Committee on simplification of procedures and related issues shall be accepted in due course. “IBF will take up the issues as above with the Finance Ministry in its post budget consultations,” Srivastava added in parting.

  • Big Magic to launch new mythological show ‘Baal Krishna’

    Big Magic to launch new mythological show ‘Baal Krishna’

    MUMBAI: Taking a cue from the popularity of mythological shows on Indian television, the light-hearted family entertainment channel from Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) Big Magic is gearing up to launch a new show called Baal Krishna.

    Riding on the channel’s extended reach with its presence on the DD Free Dish DTH platform, Big Magic will launch Baal Krishnafrom 14 March in a bid to amplify its content bouquet for a wider set of audience. The show will be telecast from Monday to Friday at 6:30 pm.

    Baal Krishna will delve into the observations and divine life of Lord Krishna’s childhood, from his perspective. Produced by Swastik Productions, Baal Krishna is Big Magic’s second mythological show after Narayan Narayan. The show will take viewers back to the grandeur and royalty of dwapar yug, bringing age-old stories back to life.

    Big Magic creative director Bimal Unnikrishnan said, “While viewers have watched shows related to Lord Krishna on the small screen, Big Magic’s Baal Krishna will not only explore lesser known stories, but also deal with widely popular stories about Lord Krishna in a fresh and engaging manner, something that has not been witnessed before. Moreover, with our presence on DD Free Dish, we are hopeful that our rapidly growing reach will translate to a wider audience embracing the new show.”

    Baal Krishna will see a multi-media promotional plan across key markets.