ITV

Category: TV Channels

  • Zee rejects artists body IPRS’ insolvency claim

    Zee rejects artists body IPRS’ insolvency claim

    Mumbai: When two giants decide to mate, the ground shakes and it irks others around. Exactly as is happening with  Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd’s (Zeel) as it steadily moves ahead to fuse with Sony Pictures Networks India.

    Earlier, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, and IDBI Bank had protested that they are owed money by sister company Zee Media, and hence the merger should be stalled and the entertainment major be dissolved. Now it’s the turn of the music royalties collecting body, the Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) to step into the frame and yell that Zeel owes it Rs 211 crore for music and literary works aired on the network’s TV channels, and it needs to be declared insolvent.

    The former has filed a petition with the National Company Law Tribunal’s Mumbai bench, seeking the initiation of Zeel’s corporate insolvency resolution process.

    The Punit Goenka-headed firm has denied any such obligations, citing an existing dispute between it and the royalty body. In its reply it said:  “There is a pre-existing dispute between the parties on the claimed amount, the claim is not in consonance with the interpretation of the law on the point of payment of royalties for literary and musical works by the Delhi high court, and hence, the claimed amount is not due or payable to IPRS.”

    It added that it would be filing its reply to the IPRS petition at the earliest.

    NCLT, CCI, and the company’s shareholders have previously approved the merger with Culver Max Entertainment (Sony).

  • CNN–News18 claims leadership across segments

    CNN–News18 claims leadership across segments

    Mumbai: CNN-News18 has held the top spot in India’s TG: 2+ category for the past 36 weeks in a row with an average market share of 34.5 per cent according to BARC data, (Mkt: India | TG 2+ | Period: AVG Wk 16- 51’22 | 8 channels included).

     CNN-News18 has consistently outperformed its competitors, especially during prime time. CNN-News18 received a staggering 32.1 per cent, according to BARC data (Market share per cent | Mkt: India | TG: 2+ | Mon-Fri (1800-2400 hrs) Wk 48-51’22 | 6 Channels examined).

    In the English news category, the station regularly surpassed Times Now and Republic TV throughout the year (Mkt: India | TG 2+ | Period: AVG Wk 16- 51’22 | 8 channels examined). On 5 March 2022, BARC resumed its English news ratings, beginning with week 10.

    According to BARC data, Republic TV, Times Now, and India Today Television each had a market share of 27.7 per cent, 24.0 per cent, and 6.6 per cent (Mkt: India | TG 2+ | Period: AVG Wk 16- 51’22 | 8 channels examined).

    The network has extensively invested in its editorial resources, on-the-ground presence, and technology to make sure that the content and presentation of CNN-News18 remain distinctive and far ahead of its rivals.

     Commenting on the achievement, CNN- News18 managing editor Zakka Jacob said, “Our strategy to broad-base our programming and cater to all geographies of the country has redefined how news is done and the ratings substantiate it. Our focus has always been on capturing all aspects of the biggest news stories of the day and conducting insightful debates that cover opinions from all stakeholders. We are grateful to our esteemed viewers that have put faith in our brand of no-shouting, non-preachy journalism.”

    Additionally, CNN-digital News18’s platforms are seeing significant user growth. In comparison to the competitors, CNN-YouTube News18’s channel received the most views in the month of December.

     

  • ZEEL elevates Arnab Mukherjee to EVP & international ad sales head

    ZEEL elevates Arnab Mukherjee to EVP & international ad sales head

    Mumbai: Arnab Mukherjee has been elevated to the role of EVP, head & international ad sales at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (Zeel). Prior to this, Mukherjee was heading Zee International’s centralised team for content planning and strategy, original content creation, operations, centralised marketing, digital & creative support, and research.

    Mukherjee shared the announcement via a LinkedIn post:

    Mukherjee has been working with Zeel for over 14 years. Earlier to this, he had been associated with Disney Star (then Star India), Illusion Films, and Ravisa Infomedia Pvt. Ltd.

  • NBF announces launch of Digital News Federation

    NBF announces launch of Digital News Federation

    Mumbai: The industry association for news TV broadcasters, the News Broadcasters Federation (NBF), on Monday announced the launch of its special venture, the Digital News Federation (DNF), to uphold the editorial freedom and ensure the business interests of online news platforms.

    The NBF established a subcommittee to address the issues confronting existing TV news broadcasters’ digital arms. Understanding the industry’s needs and issues, NBF has broadened the scope of the subcommittee and decided to include independent digital news publishers as well as their respected members.

    Speaking on the new initiative, 24News’ Sreekandan Nair says, “News platforms in India can now work with ultimate freedom without entering into the unethical spread of misinformation or cyber bullying. Digital news platforms, like broadcast news networks, should work with self-restraint.”

    “The changes in the news and media landscape have been dramatic in the last decade. All print and broadcast news outlets have adapted to it. In order to play a constructive role in this evolution, NBF has launched DNF at the right time and moment for the news industry,” said Odisha Television Ltd. managing director Jagi Panda.

    DNF aims to represent the collective interests of digital news publishers, as there has been a paradigm shift in the consumption of news media. The objective of DNF is to build transparent, dynamic, and ethical self-regulatory journalistic standards for the industry.

    Prag News founder Sanjive Narain comments on the launch, saying, “The launch of DNF will give the much-needed impetus to digital news platforms across the country, which have seen a surge in readership and viewership in the last two years.”

    “I’m extremely delighted and thrilled with this announcement. NBF has always been ahead of the rest and will continue to charter greater heights,” added Fourth Dimension Media CEO Shankar B.

    iTV Network founder Kartikeya Sharma said, “I am extremely happy to know that the News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) has launched the Digital News Federation (DNF) with tech-collaboration with Webnyay. I am sure the new initiative will work for the collective interests of digital news publishers. I hope it will also help in building a transparent and dynamic eco-system for digital media in the country. It would also be a great pleasure to see that the DNF ultimately creates an ethical structure, fostering the overall growth of digital media.”

    TV9 Network MD & CEO and DNF vice president Barun Das stated, “The line dividing linear and non-linear news is fast disappearing with the march of technology. It is the most opportune time to imagine broadcast and digital as the two convergent perspectives that foster the creation, distribution, and monetisation of news. The inclusion of digital news publishers to enable a new all-encompassing identity, the Digital News Federation (DNF), is the need of the hour. Digital news publishers haven’t yet gotten their fair share in terms of revenue. DNF will work in that direction by initiating dialogues with all stakeholders on behalf of its members.”

    News Nation’s Manoj Gairola adds, “We welcome the News Broadcaster Federation’s initiative with DNF. Not only the TV news broadcaster’s digital wing will be part of it, but several digital news publishers will be welcomed to associate with us. DNF will be the first self-regulatory body in the whole digital news publishing ecosystem, which will immensely benefit the industry.”

    DNF is structured as a joint venture between NBF and Webnyay, India’s leading grievance redressal and online dispute resolution ecosystem.

    DNF begins its journey with close to 100+ online platforms and a combined audience of more than 200 million, both independent and as extensions and digital arms of NBF member TV channels. The decision to launch DNF was taken at the NBF governing board meeting, chaired by the founding president, Arnab Goswami.

    “Webnyay is privileged to support the News Broadcasters Federation by providing technology and support to its members and the self-regulatory body for resolving grievances and disputes in an easy-to-use, automated, and seamless manner,” said Webnyay founder Vishwam Jindal.

    Webnyay is a proprietary technology platform for resolving grievances and disputes online through arbitration and mediation. Webnyay actively collaborates with industry associations to enable grievance redressal and dispute resolution and assists with the drafting of policies, guidelines, and regulations.

    The launch of DNF assumes significance with the reach of online news consumption, which is estimated to reach 750 million by 2025, according to EY estimates, while the reach stood at 467 million in 2021, as per ranking agency Comscore. “A majority of this news consumption is now in vernacular languages—as high as 95 per cent—and we believe vernacular news portals will see increased penetration with the proposed launch of low-cost smartphones by telcos,” as per a joint industry report by Ficci-EY.

  • Zing brings an emotionally intense K-drama ‘Pinocchio’

    Zing brings an emotionally intense K-drama ‘Pinocchio’

    Mumbai: India’s leading youth entertainment channel, Zing, announced a new K-drama, Pinocchio, in its super-popular Hallyu time slot. The show will air beginning 2 January 2023, weekdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

    Pinocchio is the story of a girl named Choi In-ha and a young boy named Ki Ha-myung, whose lives undergo dramatic twists and turns throughout. The former is a journalist who suffers from Pinocchio syndrome, meaning she gets hiccups whenever she lies. The struggles Choi In-ha faces in pursuing her dream and the efforts Ki Ha-myung makes while dealing with his tragedy take the audience on an engrossing, emotional ride. The rich storyline and character portrayals in the show’s politically charged backdrop hook viewers instantly.

    Directed by Jo Soo-won and Shin Seung-woo, Pinocchio stars Lee Jong-suk, Park Shin-hye, Kim Young-kwang, Yoon Kyun-sang, Lee Yu-bi, and Jin Kyung, among others.

    Talking about Pinocchio, Zing chief channel officer Arghya Roy Chowdhury shared, “Pinocchio is the perfect blend of a sensitive depiction of a serious drama and the aftermath of a ruthless conspiracy. The two lead characters undergo their respective challenges in their personal and professional lives to come out successful in the unforgiving news industry. The show is filled with tribulations and sacrifices, bringing out the indomitable power of friendship and love. Pinocchio makes us think and inspires us to never give up; therefore, it is a must-watch show. We hope that Pinocchio delights our audiences as our previous K-dramas have done till now.”

  • Colors Kannada to present a bunch of new shows in New Year

    Colors Kannada to present a bunch of new shows in New Year

    Mumbai: Colors Kannada, keeping its promise to entertain its audience with the tagline “Banna Hosadagide, Bandha Bhigiyagide” (a new colour with stronger bonding), is all set to make its bonding with its audiences even stronger than before with a fresh lineup of shows. The channel recently announced its upcoming content slate, which includes fiction and non-fiction shows across genres and back-to-back world television premieres every week.

    The new year will kick off for Kannada audiences with Colors Kannada airing the blockbuster action movie Bhairagi of Dr Shivaraj Kumar on 1 January making it the first of the WTPs going on air for the year 2023.

    Two fiction shows such as Tripura Sundari and Punyavathi will be launching on 2 January at 9.30 p.m. and 10 p.m., respectively, and the new season of Gicchi Giligili will be launching on 14 January. Tripura Sundari, involving popular talents like Sparsha Rekha, Rohit Srinath of iconic Malgudi Days, Divya Suresh of Bigg Boss Kannada-8, Abhinav Vishvanathan of Nannarasi Radhe, Ananya Kasaravalli, and others based on fantasy, will have a stunning visual treat for audiences.

    On the other hand, Punyavathi is a family drama focused on the bonding between an authoritative father and his ambitious daughter, who have different takes on the way of leading life.

    The line-up of new shows will involve a complete family-friendly plot that will have its audiences craving the next episodes. Along with the family drama, the shows will also address various social issues.

    Speaking about the projects of 2023, Colors Kannada vice president – research Prashanth Nayak said, “Year 2023 is going to be full of exciting projects that will entertain audiences across the categories. We have been working on these projects for many months now, and eventually we were able to give them the finishing touch. We are eagerly waiting to launch these shows, as we are very confident that they will have our audiences enthralled.”

  • MX Player reveals content slate of ‘Vdesi’ shows for January 2023

    MX Player reveals content slate of ‘Vdesi’ shows for January 2023

    Mumbai: A new year, a new beginning, and a list of new MX VDesi shows! MX Player is all set to ring in the new year with an impressive slate of international content dubbed in Hindi from across the globe. From romance to drama, from action to fantasy, MX Player is here with the perfect mix of entertainment, with shows ranging across the Korean, Mandarin, Filipino, and English languages. Check out the list of VDesi shows that cannot be missed in January 2023.

    Beautiful World

    It’s said, “A parent-child relationship is the purest bond one can have,” and the K-drama Beautiful World highlights this special relationship in the most heartwarming way. The 16-episode series follows the journey of a young middle school student, Park Sun-ho (Nam Da-reum), who becomes the unfortunate victim of school violence, gets critically injured, and fights for his life. The deplorable incident causes immense pain to the boy and his family, and they decide to fight for justice. Filled with guilt, rage, and disappointment, Park Sun-ho’s parents, Park Moo-jin (Park Hee-soon) and Kang In-ha (Choo Ja-Hyun), go on a quest to investigate and find out the truth. Beautiful World is a bravely depicted story that not only highlights the unrivalled parent-child relationship, but also the harsh environment to which the youth is subjected. Will Park Moo-jin and Kang In-ha be able to get justice for their son? 

    The show will be available in Hindi beginning 4 January 2023.

    And the Winner Is Love

    Get ready to fall in love again with And the Winner Is Love, an action fantasy. It is a Chinese television series based on Junzi Yize’s novel of the same name. Set in the backdrop of the martial arts world, the story follows Chong Xuezhi (Chen Yuqi), the young mistress of the fire palace, who encounters Shangguan Tou (Luo Yunxi), the master of the moon valley, while on her journey of self-discovery. Will Shangguan Tou and Chong Xuezhi together be able to stand the test of time? Stream this 48-episode series in Hindi starting 7 January. The new episode will drop every week.

    The Wind Blows

    A classic example of magnanimous love, The Wind Blows is an intense and heartbreaking K-drama that follows the lives of a happily married couple, Kwon Do-hoon (Kam Woo-sung) and Lee Soo-jin (Kim Ha-neul), who get separated due to an unfortunate situation. The Wind Blows is a beautifully woven tale of true love and the hardships of a relationship. While the story has an unusual approach, it is gentle and digs deeper into how a disease can affect relationships. Rekindle the romance with The Wind Blows, which begins streaming in Hindi from 11 January.

    Poisoned Love

    Poisoned Love is a sweet romantic drama with a dark past. The story follows a young, talented voice actor, Fang Yan (Ma Meng Wei), who suffers from a mental illness. She gets entangled in a complicated love triangle as she accidentally encounters Shi Meng and believes him to be his brother, Shi Yi. Understanding the sensitivity of Fang Yan’s situation, the two brothers decide to play along to cure her illness. The three live together to complete their film and encounter some unexpected situations. Will Shi Meng be able to help cure Fang Yan’s illness, or will the truth be revealed? 

    The series will start streaming in Hindi from 14 January.

    Love Thy Woman

    What happens when siblings turn enemies? Love Thy Woman, a much-loved Philippine drama series, reflects on this change in relationships in the best possible way. The narrative explores the bitter-sweet bond between half-sisters Jia Wong (Kim Chiu) and Dana Wong (Yam Concepcion), who turn into arch-rivals over a man. The story takes a dramatic turn when Jia forms a deeper and stronger relationship with David, Dana’s husband. The trio’s complex relationships are tied back to the past, where history repeats itself. A family saga spanning two generations explores the dark side of love and the duplicitous polarity of betrayal. What is the past mystery? Will they be able to heal the mistakes of the past and present? 

    Stream this series beginning 18 January in Hindi.

    Waiting For You In The Future

    Waiting For You In The Future revolves around a 36-year-old high school teacher, Hao Hui Gui, who is single and lives a monotonous life. His daily routine involves spending time at home, going to school, and occasionally meeting his best friend. While he’s usually calm and composed, one fine day, during a get-together, Hao Hui Gui gets into a heated argument with his best friend, which brings about a drastic turn in his life. To refresh good old memories, he scrolls through his 20-year-old diary and realises how to achieve his goals; he has lost the ‘happy him.’ As Hao Hui Gui recalls memories and analyses the situation, he falls asleep and meets his younger self in his dreams. A simple, captivating, and thought-provoking drama is set to stream starting 21 January, as new episodes drop every week.

    Heirs Of The Night

    Enter the vampire’s fanatical world with Heirs Of The Night, a series based on the book series “Die Erben der Nacht” by Ulrike Schweikert. Set in 1889, Heirs Of The Night explores a school for vampires where students from different clans learn special powers. They unite to learn the tricks to defeat Dracula, an ancient evil with which 14-year-old Alisa (Anastasia Martin) has a special and unexplained connection. The narrative moves forward with how Alisa balances her unique power and everyday teenage problems. Filled with fantasy and live-action sequences, Heirs Of The Night has a supernatural setting with vampires, but it is touted to be one of the most entertaining coming-of-age dramas. 

    Dive deeper into this fantasy world in season 1 of the 13-episode series, which will start streaming from 25 January in Hindi.

    Moonlight Romance

    A Taiwanese drama, Moonlight Romance is a romantic fantasy that revolves around an immortal matchmaker, Yue Lao/Li Yue (Edison Song), who descends to earth from heaven in a new role, that of a divorce lawyer. To absorb energies to continue his existence, he accidentally meets Fang Duomi (Amber An), the developer of the love pheromone perfume patent. Fang Duomi believes that the pheromone produced by love can be synthesised by scientific methods. As they get to know each other, Li Yue finds out that Dumoi was the one who saved his life before, but she had to bear the consequences of the same. Their friendship gradually blossoms into attraction, as Li Yue falls for her. But will love be able to blur the line between a human and an immortal being? 

    Watch the 24-episode series in Hindi beginning 28 January.

  • Sony to bring second season of Shark Tank India on 2 January

    Sony to bring second season of Shark Tank India on 2 January

    Mumbai: Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV are all set to bring in the second season of Shark Tank for the viewers. Produced by StudioNEXT, the show will begin airing on 2 January at 10 p.m. every Monday to Friday.

    This season promises viewers fresh and new business terminologies, as well as opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams.

    The show showcases a plethora of unique and never-before-seen ideas as well as gives a glimpse into the booming start-up ecosystem of India. LetsVenture has come onboard as a talent sourcing advisor for the show.

    For the second season, Sony LIV has partnered with ACKO, which serves as the co-presenting partner. The show is co-powered by Pokerbaazi and CarDekho. Dwelling into the special categories, they have onboarded Cashfree Payments as the payment partner, smallcase as the ideas partner, and Fi Money as the money partner, while other brands like EatFit, Seqrite, Lenskart, Chaudhry Nummero, and Apollo 24|7 have been roped in as well.

    This year, representing the ground-breaking start-up ecosystem in the country, are: boAt co-founder and CMO Aman Gupta, CarDekho Group, InsuranceDekho.com CEO and co-founder Amit Jain, Shaadi.com – People Group founder and CEO Anupam Mittal, Emcure Pharmaceuticals executive director Namita Thapar, Lenskart.com founder & CEO Peyush Bansal and Sugar Cosmetics co-founder and CEO Vineeta Singh. Their dynamic personalities and camaraderie have made them, as well as the show, household names. While the sharks anchor the show with their offers and deals and, in many ways, pearls of wisdom as well, host and ace stand-up comedian Rahul Dua will act as a guide to the pitchers this season.

    Smallcase CEO & founder Vasanth Kamath commented, “We are delighted to be the idea partner on Shark Tank India’s highly anticipated second season. Associating with a show that supports and celebrates innovation aligns with smallcase’s mission of empowering Indians with simple investment ideas. The show has a diverse and savvy audience, and we aim to reach a large base of investors and contribute to the growth of entrepreneurial spirit and equity culture across the country.”

    Fi Money CEO Sujith Narayanan said, “Over the last season of Shark Tank, we have seen how it has influenced Indian youth to look at money much more smartly. Now everyone is talking about growth, valuations, portfolios, and so on. We are excited for the second season, and to be part of this emerging conversation around wealth creation. And there is no better time than now, given this newfound awareness of money that our audiences have.”

    “We are excited to further our partnership with Shark Tank India for the second year in a row. The first season proved to be quite impactful, providing impetus to entrepreneurship and innovation. At Cashfree Payments, we value the entrepreneurial spirit and understand the importance of enabling the start-up ecosystem. India’s digital payments growth story is fuelled by a surge in the number of start-ups, not just in metros but across tier 2 & 3 cities. These innovative businesses rely on cashfree payments’ safe and trusted payment stack to scale their businesses. We believe this association goes a long way towards our philosophy of fostering innovation in the Indian start-up ecosystem, which deserves to be encouraged and celebrated,” added Cashfree Payments CEO and co-founder Akash Sinha.

    CarDekho Group EVP marketing & content Charu Kishnani said, “We are elated to be associated with Shark Tank India 2.0. As a house of brands, CarDekho Group has been a proponent of entrepreneurship in India and strongly resonates with the focus Shark Tank brings on promoting ingenious business ideas. Shark Tank India season one took the country by storm. The show not only made entrepreneurship mainstream but also provided a platform for aspiring businessmen, especially from tier 2 and tier 3 cities, to realise their dreams. The second season of the show will be even more impactful as an increased number of entrepreneurs will get a chance to showcase their ideas. Through association with the show, CarDekho will offer support to these upcoming professionals, helping them fulfil their aspirations and build sustainable businesses.

  • Barc wk 51: News18 widens lead over its 2022 competition

    Barc wk 51: News18 widens lead over its 2022 competition

    Mumbai: Throughout 2022, News18 India has dominated the Hindi news segment in terms of viewership and reach. Since May 2022, the channel has consistently ranked first. The genre ratings were resumed in March 2022.

    With a market share of 15.6 per cent (Barc; market share per cent 24 hrs, TG: 15+, HSM, Wk 51’22, all days), News18 India outperformed top news channels such as India TV, Aaj Tak, TV9 Bharatvarsh, and Republic Bharat.

    During the week, the channel maintained a 15 per cent lead over Aaj Tak.

    According to the most recent Barc data, India TV has a market share of 14.0 per cent, while Aaj Tak has a market share of 13.6 per cent, TV9 Bharatvarsh has a market share of 13.0 per cent, and Republic Bharat has a market share of 11.5  per cent.

    Furthermore, News18 India outperformed the competition during prime time.

    News18 India (Barc; market share per cent, 9 p.m.–10 p.m., TG: 15+, HSM, Wk 51’22, Mon-Fri) remained 20 per cent ahead of Aaj Tak, which had a 17.9 per cent market share, followed by India TV and Republic Bharat, which had 16.8 per cent and 15.8 per cent market shares, respectively.

    To ensure that News18’s content and presentation remain distinct and far ahead of the competition, the network has made significant investments in both technology and editorial resources.

    News18 brands have gained significant traction on YouTube and social media platforms, with views steadily increasing.

    Simultaneously, as per ratings (Barc; market share per cent, 6 p.m.–12 a.m., TG: 15+, HSM, Wk 51’22, all days), News18 India is 20 per cent ahead of Aaj Tak, which has a 16.2 per cent market share. India TV and TV9 Bharatvarsh have 14.0 per cent and 13.6 per cent market shares, respectively.

  • Legends of Aap Ki Adalat: Rajat Sharma set to reveal unheard-of stories from his iconic show

    Legends of Aap Ki Adalat: Rajat Sharma set to reveal unheard-of stories from his iconic show

    Mumbai: The wait for millions of fans of Indian television’s iconic show Aap Ki Adalat is finally going to be over. India TV editor-in-chief and chairman Rajat Sharma will be back with new episodes of Aap Ki Adalat in the new year 2023. But before that, viewers will be treated to something exciting.

    Rajat Sharma is set to unravel never-heard-before, treasured behind-the-scenes stories that happened during the three decades-long journey of Aap Ki Adalat. In the special episode, Legends of Aap Ki Adalat, Rajat Sharma will share anecdotes from his hugely popular show over the years.

    Rajat Sharma recently shared on his Instagram account an incident that happened when he went to Ahmedabad to invite then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi just ahead of the 2014 lok sabha elections. He shared another incident when Shah Rukh Khan told him, “sir, I hate you!” on meeting him at the Delhi Airport, a few days after the release of the movie Baazigar. Rajat Sharma will reveal this and much more on the special show Legends of Aap Ki Adalat that is scheduled to air on Saturday, 31 December at 10 p.m.

    The show has been iconic in more ways than one. Over its 30-year journey with over 1,100 episodes aired, it has seen over 190 celebrity guests, including the president of India, the prime minister of India, defence ministers, cabinet ministers, and chief ministers of various states.

    Aside from political dignitaries, the show has featured many celebrities from various fields such as entertainment and sports. Aap Ki Adalat is the only show where all three Bollywood Khans—Salman, Shah Rukh, and Aamir—have shared the stage together.