ITV

Category: GECs

  • A two-sided story

    A two-sided story

    MUMBAI: The rupee going into a tailspin or prices shooting through the roof; be damned. The wheels of general entertainment channels (GECs) seem to be in continual motion, what with a new soap here or a new reality show there. Makes one wonder as to what exactly these television majors do to keep their employees happy and productive, despite taxing schedules and OTT deadlines.  

    Well, the answer lies in the kind of incentives and rewards these channels, rather – their human resources teams, are willing to heap on their staff just so as to make them want to come back every morning, ready for the grind.

    And we’re not simply talking boxes of chocolates or free tickets to movies here. Imagine an iPad being gifted for a clean and decorative desk or a five-star hotel stay in Australia or even a shopping spree in Bangkok…

    An example of the kind of moolah these companies are willing to splurge on their employees is Star India, which took its top management (nearly 35 people) on an extravagant tour down under a month or two back.

    While Viacom18 arranged separate tours to exotic destinations like Egypt or more popular ones like Bangkok early this year. In a similar vein, Sony took its employees to Dubai last year whereas Zee ferried its entire team to the beaches of Thailand. We hear Sony is currently planning an itinerary for its annual trip this year.

    While these junkets (even called off-sites) don’t come cheap for these companies, there’s a catch: they aren’t entirely about fun and booze. There are leadership and team-building exercises, presentations on progress reports, panel discussions about the future etc. built into these trips.

    But with employees not expected to shell out anything from their own pocket, they’re fun nevertheless.

    However, there’s another side to this ‘Television (GECs) shining’ story.
    Even as most of them are coughing up crores of rupees on such junkets, there are other channels like news channels that are finding it difficult to survive in the present economic situation.

    There have been widespread instances of companies handing out pink slips to their employees in the past few months.

    First, NDTV shut down its Mumbai operations, followed by Network18 relieving around 350 employees across the network in little over a month. Next in line was Bloomberg TV which terminated the services of nearly 30 employees and the latest to join the bully gang is Ananda Bazar Patrika (ABP), which is learnt to have issued notices of non-renewal of service contracts to as many as 127 employees and speculations are ripe that even Business World magazine is closing shop soon.

    According to a study by the New Delhi-based Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM), the weak rupee hasn’t spared even Bollywood producers, who’re shying away from shooting overseas. In the past four months, foreign film shoots have dropped 30-35 per cent owing to the volatility in currency.
    Given this not-so-bright side of the television (and film) industry, one wonders if life is truly a soap opera for GECs… 

  • Entertainment &Media sectors to grow steadily: CII-PwC

    Entertainment &Media sectors to grow steadily: CII-PwC

    MUMBAI:  India’s Entertainment & Media sector is expected to grow steadily over the next five years as per Confederation of Indian Industry-Price Waterhouse Cooper (CII-PwC) latest report titled ‘India Entertainment & Media Outlook 2013’.

    The industry is expected to exceed Rs 224,500 crore growing at a CAGR of 18 per cent from 2012 to 2017. The CII-PwC report was released today at the second edition of the CII Big Picture Summit held in New Delhi.

    The Summit which brought together the finest business and creative minds of the E&M industry with `Embracing Innovation in Media’ was themed towards achieving $100 billion by the end of this decade.  Over 70 M&E leaders spoke at the two-day summit organised by the CII.

    Today, the size of the Indian M&E sector has increased from about Rs 805 billion in 2011 to almost Rs 965 billion in 2012 representing a year-on-year growth of 20 per cent. This growth was achieved in spite of a relative slowdown in the broader economy, underlining the resilience of the E&M sector. It is expected to grow at about 18 per cent CAGR over 2012-2017 and reach revenues of about Rs 2,245 billion in 2017.

     “This growth is driven by the introduction of cable TV digitisation, continued growth of regional media, continued strength of the filmed entertainment sector, fast increasing new media businesses and transparency,’’ said CII director general Chandrajit Banerjee. “We believe that innovation – faster, better, more efficient, thinking out of the box (and within the box) – would be one of the game changers in this space,’’ he added.

    An entire chapter on “The Innovation Imperative in the rapidly evolving E&M sector’’ has documented strategies for E&M companies in the CII-PwC report.  Indian E&M businesses, like its peers abroad, needs to raise its game in operational agility and customer insight.

     “To achieve this successfully, every industry participant will need to invest in constant innovation that encompasses products and services, business and operating models and most importantly, customer experience and engagement. Innovation should be seen as an important enabler to get closer to consumers and profitably deliver relevant content and services,” said the report.

     India’s television market grew at 13 per cent with revenues increasing from Rs 340 billion in 2011 to Rs 383 billion in 2012. Filmed entertainment also demonstrated stellar growth in 2012 with sector revenues increasing by about 17 per cent from Rs 96 billion in 2011 to Rs 112 billion in 2012. The print sector revenues are expected to increase at over nine per cent CAGR to reach Rs 331 billion in 2017 from Rs 212 billion in 2012.

    Year-on-year sectors such as internet access (30 per cent), internet advertising (29 per cent), gaming (19 per cent), and music (15 per cent) are expected to continue on their high growth trajectory. The radio sector is also expected to receive a fillip with the successful conclusion of Phase III license auctions and it is expected to grow at a robust CAGR of about 16 per cent.

     The rapid rise of Internet usage, high penetration of smart phones, digital advertising, wireless broadband, digital content consumption, regulatory interventions have had a significant impact on the E&M sector.

    The television and print sectors dominate the industry with about 40 per cent and 22 per cent contribution to industry revenues respectively in 2012. Internet access now commands about 18 per cent share and films 12 per cent of industry revenues.

     Nonetheless, in 2017, television will continue to lead the industry in terms of revenue contribution with 39 per cent share, followed by internet access with 28% share. The share of print and films are likely to decrease 15 per cent and nine per cent in 2017.

    If we take the E&M growth without taking internet access and internet advertising into account the size of the Indian M&E sector increased from about Rs 690 billion in 2011 to almost Rs 795 billion in 2012. It is expected to grow at about 15 per cent CAGR over 2012-2017 and reach revenues of about Rs 1,615 billion in 2017.

     Overall, the Indian E&M industry is on the cusp of a strong phase of growth, backed by rising consumer payments and advertising revenues across all sectors.

  • ET Now targets automobile lovers with ‘Top Speed’

    ET Now targets automobile lovers with ‘Top Speed’

    MUMBAI: ET Now is venturing into a new arena of technology- automobiles. It’s moving ahead with a new show called Top Speed that will provide viewers details about the industry in the country. It claims to have in-depth reviews, expert interviews and news from the motor sports world.

    Anchored by Rajiv Mitra, it will be telecast on Saturday at 11:30 am and 3:30 pm and on Sunday at 10:00 am and 8:00 pm. The show will have six segments including vehicle reviews, interviews, flashback to vintage cars, drive through in a newly launched vehicle talking about it, news and a road trip in a car. A special segment on news and motor shows will be added in case of international exhibitions.

    It’s also added a new show called The Property Guide that will be anchored by Faye Dsouza. Both the shows will go on air from 14 September.

  • Turner partners with Reliance MediaWorks for post-production services

    Turner partners with Reliance MediaWorks for post-production services

    MUMBAI: In a move that further consolidates its in-market operations, Turner International India has announced the establishment of creative services in India for its entertainment networks including Cartoon Network, Pogo and WB. Turner has commissioned one of India’s leading film and entertainment services company, Reliance MediaWorks (RMW), to provide the full gamut of post-production services.

    With in-market end to end capabilities that will be a combination of in-house creative and outsourced production resources, this initiative will enable Turner to be even more poised in responding to market requirements.

    The services provided by RMW will include complete post production of on-air promotions including video editing, voice over recording, music/audio mixing, animation based graphics and visual effects, and digital mastering.  

    Turner International India south Asia MD Siddharth Jain said, “Turner has been consistently ahead of the curve with a proven track record of successful localisation of our brands. It was way back in 2001 when Cartoon Network premiered local content and our home-grown network Pogo bears testament to this success by becoming the kids’ favourite and India’s number one. We are confident this new move will give us further competitive advantages in this dynamic and constantly-evolving consumer and business landscape, especially as we seek to build on Turner’s strategic shift to further empower local markets.” He adds, “We are happy to work alongside Reliance MediaWorks and we look forward to continue the delivery of quality content on our leading platforms.”

    Commenting on the occasion Reliance MediaWorks CEO Venkatesh Roddam said, “We are pleased to be able to offer a one-stop production facility by combining the latest in television studio technology with the most experienced personnel to create winning solutions for Turner. This is just the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with Turner and we look forward to further cooperation in the future.”

  • MTV tells youth to play safe on the net

    MTV tells youth to play safe on the net

    MUMBAI: Six years ago, the sensational case of a sixteen-year-old who ended up being murdered by two teenagers he had befriended on the then popular website Orkut sent shock waves through the country.

    Today, instances of cyber crime have grown multi-fold, permeating our everyday lives; be it something as serious as child pornography or abuse or just someone having been taken for a ride on the internet.

    In a world where danger may be lurking just a click away, MTV, through its pro-social platform, MTV Act, has taken upon itself the task of teaching the youth how to protect themselves from being victims of cyber crime.

    MTV Act will be starting a new series called MTV Webbed, which attempts to explain how every Like, Share, Comment or Tweet can have a Domino effect. With fictional representations of real-life incidents that youngsters have encountered on the Web, the ten-part series, airing on Saturday, 14 September at 7:00 pm, targets the age group between 15 and 24 years.

    To be able to stay as true to what is happening online, MTV has associated with the NGO – Cyber Crime Awareness Society (CCAS), apart from some intensive research on the subject.

    Dos and donts while surfing

    * Don’t share your pictures and other personal details on social networking websites.
    * Don’t add strangers on social networking sites, and other android applications.
    * Use https only when you are net banking websites.
    * Don’t use pirated software and operating systems.
    * Use genuine anti-virus and operating systems.
    * Keep your anti-virus and windows updated.
    * Don’t give your laptops, mobiles phones, credit/debit cards to your friends.
    * Use WPA/PSK or higher encryptions for your WI-FI connections.
    * Don’t sign in into your net banking accounts while using public internet
    * Don’t give your credit card number(s) & CVV online unless the site is secured and reputable.
    * Don’t leave your credit card around that tempts children to use it.
    * Be careful while downloading any free software or screensaver etc.
    * Don’t reveal if you’re going out of town or details of your location
    * Choose strong passwords for your accounts to keep them safe. (Use special characters, etc)
    * Always type the website address yourself in the browser rather than clicking on a link provided in an email or   in a chat by your friend.
    * Keep a questioning attitude, if you receive any big amount of lottery through the internet even without   participating in it.
    * Use a variety of passwords, not the same for all of your accounts.
    * Disconnect from the internet when not in use, while using computers or mobiles.
    * Check your online account frequently and make sure all listed transactions are valid.
    * Always delete spam emails immediately and empty the trash box to prevent accidentally clicking on the same link.

    MTV Webbed will be hosted by celebrities such as Jay Bhanushali, Siddharth Shukla, Karan Vir Bohra, Ritwick Dhanjani, choreographer Salman Khan, Pratyusha Banerjee, Sana Syed, Priya Wal and singer Chang. The emphasis will be on how more often than not, youngsters let curiosity and natural instincts take precedence while surfing the net, only to regret their actions later.

    Says MTV India EVP and business head Aditya Swamy: “We have realised that today, the youth is online and they don’t realise that though internet has its advantages, every advantage comes with associated risks. So, we want to tell people how they can protect themselves from being victims.”

    What about the umpteen reality shows that already cater to this subject? “Cyber crime has become so prevalent today that it needs that much more of coverage and awareness to be created. Since we have a good digital presence and we want our TG to be there, it is also our responsibility to make sure they are safe,” replies Swamy.
    The promos, created by an in-house team with the tagline ‘Think before you click’, are already on air.

    There was also a debate on the topic on CNN IBN with Sagarika Ghose on 12 September.

    Also, MTV has tied-up with various colleges to create help lines that one can contact in times of distress.
    While MTV is gung-ho about the new series, media analysts too feel it might do well, what with parents watching it as well just to increase their awareness about what happens online.
     

  • Romil Ramgarhia is new commercial head for ZEEL

    Romil Ramgarhia is new commercial head for ZEEL

    MUMBAI: From V to Z. Z as in ZEEL. That’s how Romil Ramgarhia’s route is taking him up the ladder. From handling just one channel at Viacom 18 – Colors – he will now be the commercial head of ZEEL with the responsibility of a larger band of channels in the Zee Network.

    He will be reporting directly to ZEEL MD and CEO Punit Goenka. Speaking on his appointment Goenka said, “I am glad to have Romil join the ZEE family, and I am confident that his rich experience will bring in immense value to the organisation.”

    Ecstatic about his new role with Zee, Ramgarhia said, “It is always an honour to join a global brand like ZEEL. I have personally been an admirer of the pioneering steps taken by this organisation in the past 20 years, and I look forward to being a part of the ZEE family.”

    The appointment is effective from 13 September 2013 and the whole commercial team will report to Ramgarhia. Prior to Viacom 18, he was also associated with Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints and ACC.
    Last month, ZEEL’s former commercial head Utpal Das shifted to Viacom 18 as its new chief commercial officer. It looks like the two networks are busy playing musical chairs with each other.

  • RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network gets Jonas Engwall as CEO

    RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network gets Jonas Engwall as CEO

    MUMBAI: The newly formed joint venture between RTL Group and CBS Studios International (CBSSI), RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network has a new leader in Jonas Engwall as CEO.Engwall will be based in Singapore and report to the new company’s board of directors.

    RTL Group executive VP of regional operations and business development for CEE and Asia Andreas Rudas and executive VP of international channels at CBSSI Reed Manville said in a joint statement: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Jonas Engwall as CEO of our new Asian venture. Jonas has vast experience in international broadcasting, and a passion for television. He has been with RTL Group for many years and was instrumental in launching its first channel in India, BIG RTL Thrill. As head of the new venture, Jonas will lead a strong team which brings together the best of two global TV giants RTL Group and CBS.”

    Engwall said: “This is an unprecedented partnership between two leading global broadcasters in a region with huge growth potential. Together with my team, I look forward to launching our two first channels, RTL CBS Entertainment HD and RTL CBS Extreme HD, across Asia. Our new channels will offer world-renowned content including exclusive first runs of some of Asia’s favourite reality programmes America’s Got Talent, Fear Factor and The X Factor USA; dramas Under The Dome, Elementary and Beauty and the Beast and daily shows Entertainment Tonight and Late Show with David Letterman. I am very confident that these programmes will prove extremely popular across our footprint and represent a highly valuable proposition for all our partners. We have already had very positive feedback from all premier platform owners in the region.”

  • Sahara One ignites a societal debate with its new series

    Sahara One ignites a societal debate with its new series

    MUMBAI: Sociologists wonder why today joint families across India are giving way to nuclear families. There are many reasons but the primary difference is in the expectations that mother-in laws and their daughter-in-laws have from each other. And here is where Sahara One is looking to score with its brand new show Aakhir Bahu Bhi Toh Beti Hee Hai set to air from 30 September at 9:00 pm.

    This story is set in Gorakhpur, up and revolves around a typical conservative family where the mother-in-law Naulakha Devi (Prachee Pathak) is a very strict and a very dominating woman who is ritualistic to the core. She sees her bahus in a very orthodox light. She believes that the bahus of the house should be ruled with an iron hand and any change will break the entire house.

    On the contrary, the main protagonist Sia (Payal Rajput) is a young, vibrant, bubbly and extrovert. She is a today’s girl representing the young women, fearless and with self-respect. She is intelligent, confident with an opinion of her own and stand up for what is right. She firmly believes that her sasural is not going to be any different from her maayka.

    Sahara One media and entertainment programming head Sharad Raj said, “With changing times, social and family dynamics also need to change and evolve, and this is what we intend addressing in our forthcoming show. The evolving young women of our country have a question in their minds, that if a girl leaves her family, adopts her husband’s family as her own family and delivers all the duties expected of her, then why can’t her in-laws, more specifically her mother-in-law treat her as her daughter? Why does she have to be a “typical” daughter-in- law distanced, restricted and bit removed from the rest of the family, when she has the right upbringing, right “sanskaars”? The series attempts to address this question which women of today are asking…it is an emotional aspiration of every bahu today and it is time that this debate should come out in the open.”

    Impact Tele Network producer Bharat Srivastava, who debuts with his first show on Indian television said, “Aakhir Bahu Bhi Toh Beti Hee Hai is a saga of different shades attached to this most celebrated tradition of Indian wedding where a girl transforms from innocence to maturity, from carefree life to a role of responsibility and from a girl to a woman. In the process, the girl sacrifices a lot but the same is not taken by the society in the right spirit. Her biggest challenge then becomes to make the new family fill the gaps of the old one. Her mother-in-law undoubtedly becomes the centre point, especially in a joint family. Our story revolves around these two characters as how the interesting unfolding of incidents bonds these two strangers so strongly that the daughter-in-law is accepted as a daughter and mother-in-law as a mother.”

    Aakhir Bahu Bhi Toh Beti Hee Hai is a story of a mother-in-law, Naulakha Devi and her daughter-in-law, Sia and the conflict between them when two different people with different thinking meet. The show captures evolving relationships between mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws and the eternal concept of how bahus and betis are treated differently in our society. The show attempts to add muscle to its socialistic storyline with versatile actors like Payal Rajput, Prachee Pathak, Seema Pandey, Aryan Pandit and Paritosh Sand.

  • Viacom18 partners with Peanuts Worldwide in India

    Viacom18 partners with Peanuts Worldwide in India

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 has announced its partnership with Peanuts Worldwide to represent the rights to Charles Schulz’s popular Peanuts characters in India as master licensee.The deal marks Viacom18’s foray into representing brands outside the Viacom portfolio. Viacom18 plans to roll out products by early next year.

    Peanuts has been one of the most  popular and influential entertainment brands for over six decades, and the classic property is now set to launch in India in multiple categories that include plush toys, apparel and accessories inspired by Snoopy,Charlie Brown and the gang. Nick Jr., the popular kids’ channel by Viacom18, will also air the Peanuts series on television in the territory in the coming months.

    Speaking about the partnership, Viacom 18 Media Sr VP – consumer products, Saugato Bhowmik said, “We are delighted to have acquired representation rights to some of the most widely popular entertainment brands across the world. The partnership with the iconic ‘Peanuts’ brand adds another milestone to our portfolio of products that we will take beyond television. We’re confident that the brand’s worldwide popularity will be replicated in India.”

    Peanuts Worldwide and Iconix Entertainment MD Leigh Anne Brodsky said, “Peanuts has immense fan following across the globe. We are thrilled to enter the Indian market with new media and content on the horizon and with a promising partner like Viacom18 that boasts of the best entertainment channel across genres and an expansive range of consumer products.”

    Viacom18 Media is a significant player in the ever growing consumer products space with its diverse portfolio. Through various associations, Viacom18 has cut beyond the conventional categories giving consumers a slice of its brands such as MTV, Vh1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and also non Viacom18 brands, spanning across 50 categories with over 60 licensees. Nickelodeon consumer products, has launched more than 5,000 SKU’s touching 10,000 plus retail points since its commencement in 2006. It boasts of a diverse range of products with some iconic properties like Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Ninja Hattori amongst others.

  • Star Network and MSN’s television offering ‘What’s On Star’ soars high

    Star Network and MSN’s television offering ‘What’s On Star’ soars high

    MUMBAI: Star Network and MSN recently collaborated to introduce a new offering for television fans online – What’s On Star. The offering gives netizens access into exclusive content, picture, videos, previews on Star Plus, Life Ok, and Star Sports through msn.com.

    Star Plus, India’s leading Hindi general entertainment channel was the first to be introduced on ‘What’s On Star’, hosted on the MSN platform, to be soon followed by Star Sports and Life OK. In a span of just three months, the offerings have witnessed a huge number of 3.9 million views while the videos have been watched over 700,000 times. Amongst the popular downloads for Star Plus were Mahabharat, Master Chef Junior and Saraswatichandra. For Life Ok, Devon Ke Dev Mahadev took the lead with five out of 10 most views.

    Talking about the association, Star Plus Sr VP marketing Nikhil Madhok said, “Our partnership with MSN has worked towards satiating the need of audiences to access Star Plus’s popular content at their own convenience, for viewers, who want to engage more deeply with the content, there is also some behind the scenes footage not seen on TV. This further strengthens their engagement with our shows and creates a virtual loop.  The large fan following of the channel is pretty evident with the enthusiasm with which people have been viewing the content.”
    “Our partnership with the Star Network brings a holistic experience for digitally connected consumers who want to watch their favourite TV programs at home, at work or on the move. Viewing of content online provides freedom and engages consumers consistently across devices and destinations on their terms. On the MSN platform, the Star Network content provides original video and high-performance solutions through a consistent strategy for connected platforms,” said Microsoft Corporation India, Head – MSN Sanjay Trehan.