ITV

Category: TV Channels

  • Shah Rukh rules screens, but celeb ads lose steam in IPL 18

    Shah Rukh rules screens, but celeb ads lose steam in IPL 18

    MUMBAI: Hindi cinema’s beloved Badshah may have remained the king of cricket screens, but the age of celebrity ads during the IPL has started to cool. According to a TAM Sports report analysing all live matches of IPL 18, the share of celebrity-endorsed commercials dipped by 13 per cent from last season, marking a strategic shift among brands embracing broader creative bets.

    This year, celebrity-endorsed ads comprised 53 per cent of total ad volumes during live matches, down from 59 per cent in IPL 17. Non-celebrity-backed commercials, often grounded in concept-led or product-first storytelling, took the remaining 47 per cent slice — a six-point jump year-on-year.

    Film actors led the celebrity endorsement race, accounting for 50 per cent of ad volumes, while sports personalities made up 32 per cent. In contrast, film actresses featured in just 18 per cent of celebrity-led ads, and TV actors barely registered at 0.16 per cent.

    Despite the overall dip, Shah Rukh Khan continued to reign, claiming eight per cent of all celebrity ad volume share in IPL 18 — a solid, if slightly faded, follow-up to his 13 per cent haul from IPL 17. He was trailed by Ananya Panday (seven per cent), Laksh Lalwani (six per cent), and sporting stalwarts like M.S. Dhoni (five per cent) and Ajay Devgn (five per cent).

    Among sports celebrities, M.S. Dhoni once again led the charge with a 17.3 per cent share, followed by Rohit Sharma (13.6 per cent), Suryakumar Yadav (9.5 per cent), Yashasvi Jaiswal (6.4 per cent), and Mohammed Siraj (6.4 per cent). Notably, IPL 18 saw fewer overall and sports celebrities endorsing brands — dropping from 75+ and 35+ in IPL 17 to 60+ and 15+ respectively.

    The food and beverage (F&B) segment proved irresistible for celebrity endorsements. Two of the top five ad categories belonged to F&B: pan masala and biscuits. The other three categories that dominated celebrity tie-ins were e-commerce gaming, financial institutions, and paints. Collectively, these top five segments accounted for 67 per cent of all celeb-endorsed ad volumes.

    Among advertisers, Sporta Technologies, Parle Biscuits, Vishnu Packaging, Playgames24x7, and RSH Global took the lion’s share, collectively clocking 53 per cent of all celebrity-backed ad space.

    As brands rethink ROI in a cluttered media landscape, the 2025 IPL season shows a noticeable shift toward diversified and cost-conscious strategies — with star power still potent but not quite the only currency.

  • Hoopr Smash adds 450+ Salim–Sulaiman tracks via Merchant Records to power legal music licensing boom

    Hoopr Smash adds 450+ Salim–Sulaiman tracks via Merchant Records to power legal music licensing boom

    MUMBAI: In a digital world where content is king and background music makes the crown sparkle, the stakes for licensing music just got louder. Hoopr Smash has struck a strategic partnership with Merchant Records—the label founded by composer duo Salim–Sulaiman—bringing over 450 new tracks into its fast-expanding library.

    The partnership marks a high-decibel leap for India’s legal music licensing ecosystem. Hoopr Smash now offers a robust catalogue of more than 18,500 tracks, reinforcing its role as the go-to destination for brands, creators and agencies seeking fully compliant audio content.

    With a musical legacy spanning 25 years, Merchant Records has worked with some of the most recognisable voices in India, including Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, Arijit Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan. The label’s iconic IP Bhoomi, now in its sixth edition, celebrates India’s folk and spiritual heritage—tracks that have trended across platforms like Instagram and Youtube.

    “Our catalogue—spanning culturally rich tracks, truly independent music, and original music IPs like Bhoomi—has long been part of India’s sonic landscape. With Hoopr Smash, we’re excited to bring this body of work to brands and creators through a platform that values compliance, transparency, and technology. This partnership gives us the ability to monetise our music more efficiently while providing creators a legal and scalable solution to use the sounds their audiences already love. It’s a win for the ecosystem at large”, said Merchant Records co-founder Salim Merchant.

    India’s content economy sees over 80,000 brands generating digital content daily—87 per cent of which reportedly violate music licensing norms. With unlicensed usage contributing to an estimated Rs 8,000 crore loss annually, platforms like Hoopr Smash aim to close the gap between legality and creativity.

    “India’s music ecosystem is at a turning point. With over millions of content pieces created daily by 80 million content creators, the demand for high-quality, culturally relevant music is soaring—but so is the need for legal, ethical, and transparent licensing. Our collaboration with Merchant Records is an important step in addressing this gap. Salim–Sulaiman’s legacy and versatility has inspired and shaped generations, and we plan to create a structured, inclusive, and future-ready music licensing ecosystem together. At Hoopr, we aim to empower creators, protect rights and enable brands to tell stories with music in a way that’s free of legal uncertainties. This isn’t just about access; it’s about impact, equity, and sustainability in how music is used and monetized in the digital era, especially when over Rs 8,000 crore is lost annually due to unlicensed usage”, said Hoopr co-founder & CEO Gaurav Dagaonkar.

    Hoopr co-founder & CRO Meghna Mittal highlighted that Hoopr Smash is powered by a compliance-first, tech-driven platform designed to streamline music licensing at scale. “Collaborating with Merchant Records—whose repertoire includes some of India’s most iconic and culturally significant music—is a significant milestone for us”.

    Merchant Records CEO Shivansh Jindal reinforced the need to align reach with responsibility. “Partnering with Hoopr Smash enables us to take a major step in that direction. It’s not just about licensing—it’s about building a culture of respect for music, and ensuring that the industry grows on the foundations of fairness, creativity, and collaboration”.

    As brands and creators compete to stand out in India’s content boom, this partnership promises to hit the right note—legally, ethically, and loud enough to be heard above the digital noise.

  • JioStar Kids’ Network teams up with Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par for a toon-filled mega contest

    JioStar Kids’ Network teams up with Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par for a toon-filled mega contest

    MUMBAI: Cinema just met cartoons, and kids across India are cheering. In a blockbuster cross-screen move, JioStar Kids’ Network has partnered with the upcoming Hindi cinema release Sitaare Zameen Par, offering children a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet Aamir Khan—on and beyond their TV screens.

    The campaign is part of a strategic collaboration between the film’s marketing team and JioStar Kids’ Network, which operates top kids’ channels like Nick, Sonic, Disney Channel and Hungama. As the official Kids channel partner for the film, JioStar is rolling out a week-long promotional blitz featuring Aamir Khan alongside the network’s beloved toon characters.

    At the centre of the campaign is a high-energy on-air contest where lucky winners get to meet the superstar himself. Kids are invited to tune in and participate, with the contest designed to deepen viewer engagement through storytelling, imagination, and real-world rewards.

    This partnership blends the magic of cinema with the influence of JioStar toons, offering a real-world experience that not only attracts young audiences but also deepens brand love and engagement in ways that go beyond the screen.

    JioStar, known for crafting homegrown characters and filling content gaps in the kids’ space, brings its audience insights and engagement know-how to the table—ensuring that the partnership does more than promote a film. It builds cultural recall and excitement, especially with a title as emotive as Sitaare Zameen Par, set to release in cinemas on 20 June.

    With Aamir Khan’s star power, JioStar’s cartoon magic, and a campaign that brings both together, kids are in for a treat—and maybe, a handshake with a superstar.

  • Times Network enters Canada via Rogers Xfinity TV with ET NOW and Times Now Navbharat launch

    Times Network enters Canada via Rogers Xfinity TV with ET NOW and Times Now Navbharat launch

    MUMBAI: The Indian diaspora in Canada just got a front-row seat to India’s pulse—served hot, straight from Mumbai. Times Network, the broadcast arm of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., has expanded its international footprint by launching two of its flagship channels—ET Now and Times Now Navbharat—on Rogers Xfinity TV in Canada.

    The channels went live on Rogers Xfinity via a strategic tie-up with Ethnic Channels Group (ECG), the world’s largest multicultural broadcaster. ET Now is now available on Channel 2651, while Times Now Navbharat airs on Channel 2696. Both channels will be accessible under a free preview window till 17 June, after which Canadian subscribers can opt in via theme packs for premium Indian news content.

    “Our presence on Rogers Xfinity TV and partnership with Ethnic Channels Group marks a pivotal step in our international growth strategy. As we continue to build a truly global presence, this launch reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality Indian news content to the diaspora in Canada. We see this partnership as a gateway to new opportunities, enabling us to serve our viewers better and strengthen Times Network’s position as a trusted global media brand”, said Times Network executive president & COO Jagdish Mulchandani.

    The move taps into a growing appetite among the south Asian diaspora for India-focused, real-time news. ET Now delivers market-savvy programming like The Market, The Money Show, Startup Central, and Buy Now Sell Now, offering Canadian viewers a front-row seat to India’s economic engine. Meanwhile, Times Now Navbharat broadcasts Hindi-language shows like News Ki Pathshala, Sawal Public Ka, and Opinion India Ka, focusing on ground-up perspectives, citizen voices, and sharp political analysis.

    Ethnic Channels Group co-founder & CEO Slava Levin added, “It’s an attention economy in today’s fast changing world. Credible news is of paramount importance and tuning out the noise from the facts is critical. Ethnic Channels Group is proud to partner with the Times Network for ET Now (Business News) and Times Navbharat (Hindi News) enriching the media landscape in Canada. As Canada’s largest multicultural TV operator, ECG continues to widen its channel portfolio and strengthen its footprint worldwide”.

    For Times Network, the expansion is part of its larger ambition to become a global Indian media brand, targeting audiences who straddle two worlds and crave credible, timely news from both. For ECG and Rogers, it adds further depth to their international content offerings at a time when demand for multicultural programming is on the rise.

    With this launch, Times Network cements its Canadian presence and adds yet another milestone in its global journey—delivering Indian news, with nuance and depth, to viewers navigating life across borders.

  • Media gets a reality check as Kantar maps India’s new viewing habits

    Media gets a reality check as Kantar maps India’s new viewing habits

    MUMBAI: In a world where content is king and attention spans are currency, India’s media playbook is in desperate need of an update and Kantar just handed the industry a fresh set of rules. With the launch of Media Compass, the insights giant has dropped a data bomb, charting a 360-degree view of how Indians are consuming media across TV, print, digital, and even influencer content in 2025.

    The numbers are as revealing as they are disruptive. Based on a rolling sample of 87,000 consumers with quarterly reporting, Media Compass throws a spotlight on emerging behaviours that marketers can no longer afford to ignore. For starters, a staggering 23 per cent of Indians are now digital-only, they’re online but off the TV grid entirely. Even more surprising: 74 per cent of these digital-only users live in rural India, upending the long-held urban-tech stereotype.

    While 58 per cent of Indians still watch linear TV every month, the small screen’s dominance is being nibbled away at by the rise of Connected TV (CTV). With 35 million new viewers, CTV has quietly become a premium battleground, especially among NCCS A households and younger male audiences. In fact, CTV viewership now splits evenly between urban and rural India, proving that the shift is not just a metro phenomenon.

    Age remains a clear divider. Viewers aged 15–34 are tuning in to digital (55 per cent), OTT (55 per cent), and social media (57 per cent), while the 45 plus demographic still prefers the comfort of linear TV (44 per cent). Meanwhile, both CTV and digital-only audiences skew 57 per cent male, signalling a need for more inclusive programming and targeting.

    Perhaps the most quietly revolutionary insight? Digital is not just democratising entertainment, it’s also redrawing the socio-economic map. Digital-only consumption is over-indexed among lower NCCS groups, showing that smartphones and cheap data are bridging access gaps once thought insurmountable.

    “We’ve gone nearly five years without a formal, holistic view of Indian media consumption,” said Kantar director of specialist businesses and insights division for South Asia Puneet Avasthi. “Media Compass is here to fix that. In a fractured landscape, we’re giving advertisers the clarity and precision they’ve been craving.”

    With quarterly updates and multi-platform granularity including cross-media interactions and influencer reach Media Compass doesn’t just raise the bar for media research in India. It torches the old one.

  • India’s ‘60 overs of hell’ roar back on screen as Sony Sports cues up docuseries on epic England tour

    India’s ‘60 overs of hell’ roar back on screen as Sony Sports cues up docuseries on epic England tour

    MUMBAI: Sony Sports Network is serving cricket fans a piping hot platter of drama, nostalgia and chin music with Bharat Tum Chale Chalo – Kahani 2021-22 Ki, a gritty three-part docuseries that rewinds to one of India’s most unforgettable Test cricket campaigns — the 2021-22 tour of England. Premiering on Sunday, 15 June at 1pm across Sony Sports Ten 1, 3, 4, and 5 — and streaming on Sony LIV — the series pulls back the curtain on India’s high-octane cricketing crusade on British soil.

    Fresh from their famous Gabba heist Down Under, the Men in Blue marched into England with a searing pace battery and a score to settle. From Lord’s “60 overs of hell” to Rohit’s bat-does-the-talking moment and the leadership shake-up that had fans glued, this is cricketing cinema with sweat, swagger and plenty of sledging.

    The series ropes in a solid bench of voices who lived and breathed the campaign — from former India head coach Ravi Shastri and England’s Michael Vaughan, to bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding wizard R. Sridhar, and Kohli and Rohit’s childhood coaches. With spicy anecdotes and rare behind-the-scenes footage, this is not just a docuseries — it’s a dressing-room pass.

    Episode guide:

    Episode 1: Pace is pace

    Virat Kohli’s long game — building a ruthless pace attack since 2014 — gets its due. Bumrah, Shami, Siraj and Shardul bowl fire and fury into Lord’s, scripting one of India’s grittiest away glories.

    Episode 2: Let the bat talk

    A redemption arc for the ages: Kohli v Anderson, Rahul’s zen mode, and Rohit’s evolution into a dependable Test opener — capped by that sweet, sweet overseas ton.

    Episode 3: Oh captain, my captain

    When the final Test got postponed, so did destiny. With Kohli stepping down and Bumrah stepping in, England entered the Bazball era. The finale dives into legacy, leadership, and all the ‘what-ifs’ still echoing at Old Trafford.

    Timed to perfection ahead of the upcoming India-England clash, this is Sony Sports Network reminding fans why red-ball cricket still packs the biggest punch.

  • TV9 Network partners with All Out and IMA to take a big bite out of dengue this year

    TV9 Network partners with All Out and IMA to take a big bite out of dengue this year

    MUMBAI: As the monsoons roll in, so do the mosquitoes. But this time, India’s battle against dengue is getting a prime-time push. On World Dengue Day 2025, TV9 Network joined forces with mosquito repellent brand All Out and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to launch the ‘Saath Ladenge Dengue Se’ campaign—a multi-day, multi-platform blitz to inform, engage and mobilise citizens in the fight against mosquito-borne illnesses.

    The campaign kicked off with a bang on 15 June, aiming to reframe the narrative around mosquitoes from minor irritants to major health threats. With cases of dengue rising across India, the initiative makes a timely intervention by focusing on prevention, awareness and collaboration.

    “At TV9 Network, we believe in using the power of media to drive meaningful change. Through our partnership with All Out, we are not just broadcasting a campaign, we are enabling a nationwide movement to fight Dengue with knowledge, urgency, and unity”, said 
    TV9 Network CRO Amit Tripathi.

    The campaign’s media rollout includes broadcast across six regional TV9 channels—Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Bangla and Gujarati—tapping into the network’s linguistic diversity and regional reach. Households from Kolkata to Kutch are tuning in to specially curated vignettes and anchor-led explainers, busting myths and spelling out symptoms in bite-sized doses.

    TV9’s ‘Doctor Bytes’ series features IMA-affiliated experts dishing out simple, actionable guidance. From recognising early warning signs to listing do’s and don’ts, the message is clear: mosquitoes may be small, but the consequences aren’t. The messaging is concise, the delivery clinical.

    “Awareness is the first step toward prevention. With ‘Saath Ladenge Dengue Se, An All Out initiative’ we are blending credible medical insight with high-impact storytelling to empower families across India,” said Raktim Das, Chief Growth Officer, TV9 Network.

    Brillon Consumer Products MD & CEO Ratanjit Das said, “All Out has always stood for protecting families from mosquitoes and the diseases they cause. Awareness on vector borne diseases is still very low in India today. With Dengue on the rise, we felt the need to increase our efforts on educating consumers and work with credible partners to create mass awareness. All Out’s ‘Saath Ladenge Dengue Se’ campaign is a step towards that goal”.

    The campaign reaches a crescendo with a national-level televised panel discussion on TV9 Bharatvarsh, bringing together doctors, public health experts and IMA representatives to discuss real-time risks, misinformation, and the need for a multi-sectoral effort in tackling vector-borne diseases.

    “Preventing vector-borne diseases is a public health priority. Diseases like Dengue cannot be tackled in isolation by one individual, it needs all stakeholders coming together and collectively finding solutions. Indian Medical Association is proud to collaborate on this initiative to reach households with life-saving information”, noted 
    Indian Medical Association national president Dilip Bhanushali.

    Not just resting on remote controls, the campaign also sees an aggressive digital play. TV9’s platforms are flooded with Instagram reels, Facebook explainers and X (formerly Twitter) threads—all designed to keep India swiping, scrolling and staying safe.

    In a country where dengue still takes lives and mosquito bites often get shrugged off, this campaign is a wake-up call. It asks Indians to fight back not just with repellent, but with information.

  • Saahil Kumar takes charge as GM for Sennheiser Consumer India under Sonova banner

    Saahil Kumar takes charge as GM for Sennheiser Consumer India under Sonova banner

    MUMBAI: In a move that blends sonic precision with sharp business acumen, audio specialist Sonova Consumer Hearing India has appointed Saahil Kumar as the new general manager for its Sennheiser Consumer Hearing Business in India. The announcement puts Kumar at the helm of one of the country’s most recognisable premium audio brands at a time when the soundscape is rapidly evolving.

    Kumar will steer Sennheiser’s consumer division through a market defined by tech-savvy buyers, competitive price points, and rising demand for high-performance gear. He will lead go-to-market strategies, build localised product approaches, and push forward Sonova’s innovation-first ethos in the segment. The agenda? Gain market share, improve profitability, and ensure the Sennheiser brand continues to resonate in India’s noisy audio market.

    “It’s a privilege to continue my journey with Sonova and lead the Consumer Hearing business in India. The Sennheiser brand is synonymous with audio excellence, and I’m excited to drive its next phase of growth in this dynamic market. My focus will be on key segments like true wireless earbuds, premium bluetooth headband headphones, soundbars, and the emerging space of speech-enhanced hearables. I also aim to reinforce our leadership in the audiophile category. I look forward to building on the strong foundation we’ve created and delivering exceptional sound experiences through continued innovation”, Kumar said.

    A familiar name within the Sennheiser India ecosystem, Kumar brings over 18 years of experience in the consumer electronics space. He joined the company during its integrated professional and consumer phase, initially heading marketing. Over the past decade and a half, he expanded his mandate across sales and e-commerce, where he last served before this elevation.

    Kumar is credited with significantly scaling the business, strengthening brand equity, and championing B2B and B2C initiatives. His appointment comes at a critical juncture as Sonova aims to expand Sennheiser’s footprint across true wireless, home entertainment, and hearables—products that are fast becoming household essentials in the Indian audio landscape.

    With Sonova sharpening its sound with AI-led hearing tech and user-centric design, Kumar’s new role signals a clear pitch: pushing the limits of audio experience while anchoring brand loyalty in India.

  • India TV Speed News hits the web, puts fast journalism in the fast lane

    India TV Speed News hits the web, puts fast journalism in the fast lane

    MUMBAI: India TV Speed News has put its foot on the digital pedal. After speeding ahead on connected TV and traditional broadcast, the country’s first 24×7 fast news channel has launched on the web, marking another bold lap in its multi-platform race.

    Catering to the mobile-first, notification-fatigued digital generation, the web expansion aims to deliver its signature blitz of news across short, snackable formats like Speed 50, Speed 100, Duniya 20, Sports 20 and Mausam 20. Whether viewers are toggling tabs at work or scrolling at midnight, India TV Speed News promises to keep them updated at click-speed.

    “With the launch of India TV Speed News on the web, we are taking credible and fast journalism to today’s digital audience. Speed News has been a huge success on CTV and TV and now with web, we are going to reach audience where they are, anytime, on any device”, said India TV MD Ritu Dhawan.

    The launch plays right into the growing shift in media diets, especially among urban, tech-savvy viewers aged 25 to 45. This crowd has little patience for fluff and plenty of appetite for clutter-free, crisp updates—the kind that Speed News has made its calling card.

    With its new digital destination, India TV is aiming for ubiquity—on smart TVs, web browsers, or smartphones.

    The idea is simple: be everywhere the audience is, and be there first.

    India TV Speed News’ web presence reiterates the broadcaster’s focus on journalistic speed, factual integrity, and platform-agnostic delivery. The content might be fast, but the ambition is built to last.

  • Man United and adidas strip it back to dreamland with new home kit

    Man United and adidas strip it back to dreamland with new home kit

    MUMBAI: Adidas and Manchester United have dropped their 2025/26 home kit, and it’s steeped in sentiment. Taking cues from the quiet power of Old Trafford on non-match days, the design brings to life the stadium’s soul — minus the roars, but with all the reverence.

    Dubbed the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ kit, the jersey features a moody abstract sleeve graphic in rich reds that nods to the stands, tunnel, and turf. It’s a tribute to the pitch-side calm before the Premier League storm.

    A crisp black-and-white V-neck collar, sleeve cuffs, and adidas’ signature three stripes keep things timeless, while a discreet ‘Theatre of Dreams’ sign-off at the back of the neck tips the hat to the club’s legacy.

    adidas senior design director Juergen Rank said, “The colour red is fundamental to the club’s DNA. There have been many different expressions of it over the years and for this season we wanted to do something a little different, using the sleeves as a canvas. The abstract graphic stays true to the club’s DNA while providing an innovative look and feel to an otherwise classy and classic jersey.”

    Built for performance, the on-field version includes adidas’ latest airflow-maximising fabric. For fans, the replica comes with AEROREADY tech — designed to wick away sweat, even when the match goes to extra time.