ITV

Category: GECs

  • Zindagi’s Pakistani show ‘Shehr-e-Zaat’ to go on air from 13 Aug

    Zindagi’s Pakistani show ‘Shehr-e-Zaat’ to go on air from 13 Aug

    MUMBAI: The Mahira Khan starrer Pakistani show Shehr-e-Zaat is all set to premiere on Zindagi on 13 August at 8 pm.

     

    The show, which also stars Mikaal Zulfiqar, Mohib Mirza and Samina Peerzada, revolves around the beautiful day dreamer Falak who goes on a journey of self-discovery to find her faith in God. Mahira Khan has been commended for her portrayal of Falak in the series.

     

    The show has been directed by Sarmad Khoosat, who also helmed the master piece Humsafar.

     

    As the story unfolds, viewers will be witness to the young girl’s challenges in life. Falak, after facing bitter realities learns the true purpose of her life. The show highlights the transformation of Falak from being an egomaniac to adapting simplicity, patience and humbleness in her life.

  • Sab TV to launch comedy reality show on 22 August

    Sab TV to launch comedy reality show on 22 August

    MUMBAI: Come 22 August and Sab TV is all set to launch a comedy reality show called Comedy Superstar.

     

    Slated to launch in the 10 pm slot, the show has roped in Sushmita Sen, Sonu Sood and Shekhar Suman as judges, who will search for India’s next comedy idol.

     

    Produced by Pyramid Productions, Comedy Superstar will see aspiring comedians from different segments of the society battling it out to win the title.

     

    Hosted by Jay Soni and Sudeepa Singh, the format of the show is integrated in terms of stages, elimination, selection process and scoring. Unlike most reality shows, Comedy Superstar will not be open to social media or audience polling. The winner will be named solely based upon the judges’ discretion.

     

    Sab TV senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor said, “We have explored with the format of the show and it is different from what we have done before. We believe in providing a platform to budding talent, so that they can exhibit their flair.”

  • Colors’ new 6.30 pm show to highlight culture drawbacks

    Colors’ new 6.30 pm show to highlight culture drawbacks

    MUMBAI: After Uttaran, Film Farm Production is ready to launch a new show on Colors. Ishq Ka Rang Safed is a woman centric programme revolving around a young girl who loses her husband in her 20s.

     

    Slated to go on air from 10 August, Ishq Ka Rang Safed will be aired from Monday to Friday at 6.30 pm and will be replacing Shastri Sisters. 

     

    Ishq Ka Rang Safed showcases how the protagonist suffers from deprived culture and rituals for widows in Banaras but nonetheless breaking all setbacks and false cultural norms, falls in love and proves that a woman has all the rights to move on in life.

     

    We might not see widow culture in metropolitan cities, but there are places in the Indian hinterland where widows are still abandoned. Speaking about such rituals, producer Rupali Guha said, “Before working on the show, I had just read about widows in India and the concept of Vidhwa Ashrams. I did a bit of research and strangely there are such ashrams, where widows live and they suffer from loneliness. There are some women living there who have been abandoned. But a woman has all the right to move ahead with life and that’s what our show focuses on.”

     

    Ishq ka Rang Safed has strong competitors in Suhani Si Ladki on Star Plus, Kalash Ek Vishwas on Life Ok, Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai on &TV and Sarojini on Zee TV.

     

    Speaking about the viability of slotting Ishq ka Rang Safed at 6:30 pm, Guha said, “Suhani Si Ladki worked in the same slot and so I see no reason for this to not work. Women at home want to watch good programmes. There are regional programmes, which have worked for this time slot. Time slot is no longer a criterion as today a 10.30 pm slot works and so does a 5.30 pm slot.”

     

    The show is targeted at Indian woman all over the world. Guha said, “My target audience is every Indian woman living in India and abroad who likes to see a good love story.”

     

    “With this show I want people to realise what we’re trying to portray and empathise with the widows in their homes. We need to look after these women because they are anyway going through a lot of trouble,” she added.

     

    The story has been scripted by Shanti Bhushan who was writer of Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya. Screenplay is by Rajesh Dube and episode writer is Abhijeet.

  • Q3-2015: Poor Filmed Entertainment drives Viacom revenue down 11%

    Q3-2015: Poor Filmed Entertainment drives Viacom revenue down 11%

    BENGALURU: Viacom Inc reported 11 per cent decline in revenue in the quarter ended 30 June, 2015 (Q3-2015) at $3058 million as compared to the $3421 million in the corresponding year ago quarter. 

     

    The company’s quarterly revenues declined due to lower theatrical revenues in its Filmed Entertainment segment, which scheduled no wide theatrical releases in the quarter. Filmed Entertainment revenues declined by a massive 44 per cent to $479 million in the current quarter as compared to the $856 million in Q3-2015.

     

    Viacom’s operating income remained almost flat at $1084 million in Q3-2015 as compared to the $1086 million in Q3-2014.

     

    Viacom’s other segment, Media Networks reported almost flat revenue at $2597 in Q3-2015 as compared to the $2591 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the slight increase of $6 million was due to higher affiliate fees.

     

    Absent an unfavourable two per cent impact of foreign exchange, Media Networks revenues increased two per cent. Worldwide and domestic affiliate revenues rose two per cent, driven by rate increases. Excluding the impact from the timing of product available under certain distribution agreements, domestic affiliate revenues grew in the mid-single digits. Domestic advertising revenues decreased nine per cent, due to a decline in traditional ratings. Worldwide advertising revenues decreased two per cent, which reflects a 58 per cent gain in international advertising revenues driven principally by Channel 5.

     

    Filmed Entertainment revenues decreased largely due to a decline in theatrical revenues of 92 per cent related to the timing of the summer season theatrical slate. In the prior year, Transformers: Age of Extinction was released in the third quarter, while this year’s summer tentpoles, Terminator: Genisys and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, were widely released in the fourth quarter. 

     

    Worldwide home entertainment revenues decreased 30 per cent, to $199 million in the quarter, and ancillary revenues declined 43 per cent, primarily driven by the benefit in the prior year of the sale of certain distribution rights.

     

    Viacom executive chairman Sumner M Redstone said, “Viacom is meeting the challenges of a rapidly-changing media landscape by creating exciting, unique content that connects with audiences on all platforms. Our management team is positioning Viacom for success, and I am confident that we have the strategies in place to thrive.”

     

    Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman added, “Viacom continues to drive change in our business, creating unprecedented levels of original content, forging innovative marketing and distribution partnerships, and prioritizing international growth through organic expansion and strategic investments. Our Media Networks are quickly bringing innovative data-based advertising products to market,   broadening our sales capabilities and developing new solutions for marketing partners that capture the full scope and depth of our powerful multiplatform brands. We introduced several popular new series in the third quarter, including Lip Sync Battle and Scream and expanded agreements with important distribution partners. Paramount also set the stage for the return of one of the studio’s most successful franchises, Mission: Impossible, and is anticipating the broadcast premiere of the first Paramount Television production, Minority Report, next month.

     

    “Underpinning this, we are operating more efficiently than ever, accelerating content development and delivering programming more quickly to audiences on all screens. We maintain a strong balance sheet, giving us significant financial flexibility and we remain committed to resuming Viacom’s share repurchase program in October,” said Dauman.

  • &TV launches interactive Independence Day initiative

    &TV launches interactive Independence Day initiative

    MUMBAI: &TV has launched an initiative called ‘My Country My Voice My Anthem’ on Independence Day. 

     

    The initiative is aimed to bring together voices from across the country to sing the National Anthem, the video of which will air on the Independence Day special episode of The Voice India on 15 August. People can register on 09595681681 to participate and can be featured in the video.

     

    &TV will showcase the video #MyCountryMyVoiceMyAnthem on 15 August, which will be an ultimate amalgamation of voices and music as The Voice coaches – Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Mika Singh and Himesh Reshammiya along with the contestants join in to revel in the celebration. 

     

    Chauhan said, “It’s a great initiative by &TV to give the fans a chance to show their love for the country. I am looking forward to the Anthem and I’m sure it will be soul stirring.”

     

    Shaan added, “We are all proud of our nation and while we celebrities have every chance to express our pride, this will be a one of its kind anthem where the people of the country come together as one Voice.”

     

    Reshammiya said, “I’m very happy about the initiative by &TV. We will get to hear the collective voice of the nation. For The Voice India to take lead in getting the junta together on the Independence Day is amazing!”

    Singh said, “Our National Anthem is a very powerful song. You just feel so proud about being an Indian when you hear it. And now the door of featuring in the video is open to the nation and its people.”

  • Zee’s ‘Tashan-E-Ishq’ set to take on competition at 8 pm

    Zee’s ‘Tashan-E-Ishq’ set to take on competition at 8 pm

    MUMBAI: Come 10 August and the popular Balaji Telefilms’ Jodha Akbar, which ran for a period of two years on Zee TV will make way for the new show Tashan-E-Ishq.

     

    Armed with a modern concept of love, the show has a fresh look with three main leads.

     

    The new show will be telecast from Monday to Friday at 8 pm and will be competing with other shows like Tu Mera Hero on Star Plus, Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman on Sony, Ek Nayi Ummed: Roshni on Life OK and Bhagyalakshmi on &TV.  

     

    Zee TV business head Pradeep Hejmadi said, “Before finalizing the concept, we went through a lot of research and carried out consumer surveys. It was only after a round of pilot testing that we finalised the story and the characters.”

     

    With a Punjabi backdrop, it took over a year to finalize the show’s look and feel. The story revolves around two Punjabi industrialist families and their rivalries but with a twist of love by the youngsters of both the families.

     

    While both Jodha Akbar and Tashan-E-Ishq have a backdrop of love, Hejmadi stressed on the fact that both stories were different. “Tashan-E-Ishq is not meant to compete with Jodha Akbar. It was a love story and while Tashan-E-Ishq is also a love story, the message is very different,” he said.  

     

    Speaking on how the channel plans to get viewer traction on its show, Hejmadi said, “Every channel has its own strategy to groom its show or evaluate shows for slots before launching. For us, it’s critical to understand the texture of the audience through the day and based on that we envisage on how we want to migrate the audience on our channel.”

     

    With broadcasters upping their digital game, most of their programming content is now also available on their respective over-the-top (OTT) platforms. And Zee TV is not an exception. The channel has put out all of its content on its OTT platform Ditto TV. What’s more, Zee is using Ditto TV for consumer research and to understand what they like. Hejmadi said, “Digitization is happening since a long time in India and we are just using the digital platform to understand the market. However, in terms of creating content, it’s too early to do that for the digital platform.”

     

    Speaking on advertisers’ response to the new show, Hejmadi said, “Advertisers have liked it. However, we have largely focussed on consumers with our shows. The advertiser only gauges on the show’s content.”

     

    Marketing plays a vital role for its show to be successful and while Tashan-E-Ishq has a tinge of Punjabi flavour, it has been marketed pan India. With a target group of 25 – 50 years, Zee is going conservative by marketing the series primarily on the television medium. “We are concentrating more on to television rather than outdoor or digital marketing because our target audience is on television. Secondly, we will also look at a burst on the print media.”

  • Zindagi forays into original non-fiction programming with ‘Shukriya’

    Zindagi forays into original non-fiction programming with ‘Shukriya’

    MUMBAI: Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) from the Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) stable, Zindagi has forayed into a new territory. The channel, which was launched in 2014 with shows from Pakistan, is now gearing up to launch its first original non-fiction show. Titled Shukriya, this reality show has been produced by Frames Production.

     

    This, according to the channel, is just the beginning, as it plans to launch a number of original shows in this quarter. Refusing to spell out the genre of the original shows in the pipeline, Zindagi and FTA cluster business head Priyanka Datta said, “The fact that we air finite shows gives us the opportunity to create more content and churn out more original programming.”

     

    The new show Shukriya, which premieres on Sunday, 9 August at 8 pm, is a 13 episode series, which is designed to urge people to pause life, reflect and acknowledge the good things life has given.

     

    “Given the format of the channel, it was clear that when we got onto creating original programming, it had to be something which built an emotional connect with the audience,” opined Zeel chief business officer Sunil Buch. 

     

    With original content in its programming mix now, the channel will however continue to air shows from Pakistan. “Pakistan has a legacy of great content and we have a huge library of shows from the country. Considering the cultural overlap, it was but natural for us to get shows from Pakistan when we launched with the theme of ‘Jodey Dilon Ko.’ We want to give our viewer varied content experience and so we decided to launch original content, this doesn’t mean we will discontinue those shows,” said Buch. 

     

    Shukriya, according to Datta, as a concept marries well with the brand philosophy of ‘Jodey Dilon Ko.’ 

     

    Anchored by Gunjan Utreja, this reality programme will give people a platform to exhibit their real emotions and in turn give those they want to thank a memory that will last a lifetime. The show will travel to several cities including Delhi, Mumbai and parts of North India. “All 13 episodes of the first season have been canned. We will come up with multiple seasons of Shukriya,” informed Datta. 

     

    Promotional strategy for Shukriya 

     

    The channel’s new concept has been backed by some unique promotional strategies. “Every communication highlights not just the real emotions, but also embodies the spirit of Shukriya,” said Datta.

     

    According to her, the real hero is the concept of the show. “We have ensured that this stands out in all the promotional activities, be it in print, radio, outdoor or digital. The aim is to create an element of surprise that will inspire people to do the same,” she added.

     

    Creative communication has been given a new age approach that drives interactivity. The identity of the campaign was centered around #Shukriya. Three short promos have been created and seeded across platforms like Facebook, Youtube and all digital platforms of Zindagi.

     

    “The first two videos have already created a social surround driving close to 7.9 lakh views and counting,” she informed.

     

    The channel has also associated itself with e-commerce player Snapdeal for a dedicated Shukriya Store on its website and app. “This initiative is in association with friendship day, where Zindagi and Snapdeal give netizens discounted offers to buy special Shukriya gifts for loved ones,” said Datta.

     

    Additionally, Zindagi in association with Big FM created unique Shukriya experience for their listeners where RJs were heard saying Shukriya to local unsung heroes across its 24 stations. 

     

    “We have taken this ahead on Zindagi by creating a special section called ‘Keh Do Shukriya’ wherein Gunjan and RJ Siddharth will narrate some real life stories that have reached to us through Big FM,” she said.

     

    With ordinary people being a part of the show, the channel will also visit close to 50 housing colonies in Delhi to celebrate Shukriya day with residents. 

     

    Multiplex viewers have also been targeted across more than 400 screens for three weeks with blockbusters like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Drishyam and Mission Impossible 5.

     

    “This is alongside high impact print and TV campaigns including leveraging the platforms of our sister concern ZMCL to drive tune-ins in our key markets,” concluded Datta.

  • Star Plus uses Periscope to reach out to viewers on Twitter

    Star Plus uses Periscope to reach out to viewers on Twitter

    MUMBAI: Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC) have realized the importance of digital. In keeping with this, Star Plus, last week drove conversations on Twitter, by making use of Periscope, a live video streaming platform. 

     

    In a first of its kind, the channel used the technology to promote the finalists of Nach Baliye 7 and also to popularize the title track ‘Mere Nishan’ of recently launched fiction show Badtameez Dil. 

     

    In the week leading up to the grand finale of the dance reality show, Nach Baliye 7, all the finalist jodis of the show engaged in a conversation on Periscope. They answered questions from the fans live and promoted their respective voting numbers.

     

    In a bid to promote the launch of Badtameez Dil, Star Plus used the Periscope tool to ask users their favourite lines from the title track, ‘Mere Nishan.’ To cap off a new experience, singer Darshan sang those particular lines live for them on Periscope.

     

    “By using Periscope in such an interactive and real time manner, Star Plus has shown they truly understand the potential of the live streaming platform. We believe that such partners will help us also expand the possibilities. We would really like to appreciate the foresight behind including Periscope in two popular shows like Nach Baliye and Badtameez Dil, and we hope to see many such engagements, which truly enhance the experience for the viewers,” said a Twitter India representative.

     

    Star Plus has constantly set newer trends in the social media space whether it was the use of Twitter’s Flock to Unlock tool for the Satyamev Jayate promo, or the use of Periscope for real time interaction with the audience.

  • IBC2015 to be held from 10-15 September

    IBC2015 to be held from 10-15 September

    MUMBAI: IBC is the leading global tradeshow for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of electronic media and entertainment. The event’s unparalleled exhibition and agenda setting conference encompass the very latest developments in broadcasting, mobile TV, IPTV, digital signage and R&D making it essential for everyone’s understanding of the industry and its future.

    IBC is a fixture on the calendar of the global media industry, attracting over 55,000 professionals and 1,700+ exhibitors from more than 170 countries. Among them are the industry’s most seniorexecutives who choose IBC’s highly respected conference to set and challenge the media agenda. The event plays host to a wide array of free to attend Industry Insight sessions, product demonstrations, big-screen movie presentations and the prestigious IBC Awards Ceremony. Innovations such as the IBC Future Zone and IBC Content Everywhere Europe showcase technology at the cutting edge. New initiatives, keep the show at the forefront of innovation and industry attention. With all this and more, IBC is the place to learn and lead

  • Colors’ ‘Jhalak Reloaded’ gets social with Facebook Van

    Colors’ ‘Jhalak Reloaded’ gets social with Facebook Van

    MUMBAI: Dance reality show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa Reloaded on Colors is making waves not just with the TV audience but with netizens as well. Powered by its star studded ensemble of judges such as Shahid Kapoor, Karan Johar, Ganesh Hegde and Lauren Gottlieb, and an equally strong line-up of celebrity contestants, the show is also upping its social media game with a first of its kind Facebook integration known as the Facebook van.

     

    Staying true to its ‘Reloaded’ concept, the show has already revamped its format by adding exciting and interactive components such as ‘Spotlight’ and ‘Insta-call.’ Adding to the 360 degree marketing campaign across multiple platforms to capitalize on its digital presence, Jhalak Reloaded recently teamed up with Facebook for a special interaction with the contestants.

     

    The Facebook Van, a mobile vehicle introduced to the show on Friday was customized with elements from this season of Jhalak Reloaded. This innovative Facebook Van gave fans a chance to interact with their favorite celebrity contestants through giant TV screen. The interaction included Rapid Fire questions, live Q&A, interviews and fun interactive videos.

     

    Colors Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa marketing head Sapangeet Rajwant said, “With Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’s reloaded look, we wanted a fresher digital presence. The Facebook Van has been a great tool to garner the attention of the fans online. The van will play an active role in bridging the gap between the audiences and the contestants. This initiative will surely make the contestants more accessible to the audience.”

     

    With the Facebook Van, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded has paved a new way to build a strong footing in the digital world with the use of a unique on-ground medium.