ITV

Category: Regional

  • Focus Odisha seeks to be a differentiator

    Focus Odisha seeks to be a differentiator

    BHUBANESWAR: The times are tough, especially for news channels to survive but that doesn’t deter some from entering the space. One such is the Focus network, which is now venturing into Odisha with Focus Odisha after having forged its presence with Focus north east, Focus Haryana, Focus Bangla, Focus Hi Fi and the upcoming Focus News.

     

    The channel was officially launched on 13 June by the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, and has been on air for the past fortnight.

     

    Headquartered in Bhubaneswar, Focus Odisha has nine bureaus located in places like Cuttack and Puri, each having a journalist, a video journalist and few technical staff. Apart from this, 65 stringers have been employed to cover the entire state, making it a nearly 150 strong team of permanent staff.

     

    Only the main office is equipped with an OB van while four main bureaus have 3G live-U backpacks along with two at the headquarters.

     

    In terms of distribution, the channel is present on Ortel, Videocon d2h, Manthan, Hathway and Variety, giving it a nearly 60 per cent reach in Odisha. The promoters want the channel to be a “credible and honest” one, for which Studio design by Prateek Resolutions is one of few first steps. Nearly Rs 10 crore has been pumped into setting up the channel.

     

    DN Singh, who worked for many years with Zee News, is Focus Odisha’s channel editor while Jaganath Das is the sales head. Sanjeev Srivastav is the group editor while Neeraj Sanan is the group business head.

     

    Focus Odisha will stress on “fair, credible and honest” journalism. “News content on channels cannot be totally different but its treatment can be. Suppose a personality makes a statement, it can be used in exactly the same way. But if you add a line that the same person did not mention something, it makes the viewer think,” says Singh who is the ‘go-to guy’ for practically everything at the channel. He is quite proud that his young journalists have already cracked two scams in the state and one is just getting prepared.

     

    On the day of launch, Focus Odisha was showing the much awaited Jagganath yatra that was taking place in Puri, for which the channel had got live broadcast rights. The same is being shared with five other entertainment channels. “Odisha we are watching you in a way that is honest, unscrupulous and with a lot of editorial integrity,” says Sanan.

     

    The first few years may go in investment mode but the channel is confident that it will break even in about three to four years. However, Sanan is totally unconcerned about cash flow. “Our main aim is to have an honest channel. If the news has facts, then we will put it on air. Don’t worry about the money,” says Sanan.

     

    The biggest challenge for Focus Odisha will be to tackle competition from existing strongholds such as OTV, Kanak TV and Naxatra News. The Rs 30 crore ads market for news channels is primarily dominated by OTV that sources say commands ad rates up to Rs 1800 for 10 seconds during prime time while the second in line gets Rs 500 per 10-seconder. This is due to the huge gap in TAM ratings. Major advertisers are retail, PSUs, corporate and government and the channel already has five brands on board.

     

    Yet, how does the channel plan to make its presence felt in an already cluttered market? “There is no field in the world now that isn’t cluttered. But there is always space for new people to come and make a mark. We want to give audiences what we think they aren’t getting now and be a differentiator. Why do we treat our audiences as dumb? We really need to engage with the people and find out their interest. Doing so, we will want to make Focus Odisha the voice of Odisha,” says Srivastav. “Odisha is a crucial state going forward in the development of India. It has the richest natural wealth but is also one of the poorest states in the country that needs media attention.”

     

    Focus group is currently promoted by a trust called Ethical Media Trust with Matang Singh of Positiv TV owning majority of the network with other shareholders also pumping money in the trust. When questioned about the involvement of former Congress MP Naveen Jindal in the network, most people dismissed it as a rumour.

     

    While the mystery around ownership of the network continues, the channel has flagged off Focus Odisha and will be making its presence felt in the state.

  • Amrita TV announces couples avatar of ‘Let’s Dance’ reality show

    Amrita TV announces couples avatar of ‘Let’s Dance’ reality show

    BENGALURU: Malayalam television channel, Amrita TV, has called for entries from couples for a new edition of its reality show ‘Let’s Dance’.

     

    Amrita TV creative head and Malayalam film director Shyamaprasad says, “The enthusiasm from the youth across the state, in hundreds, proves to us that this show has an engaged audience. Dancing in pairs, with musical support from the rich repertoire of South Indian films creates such emotional rapport with the audience and hence I believe there is this clamour for more, which lead us to launch Lets Dance new season.”

     

    The competition, which will include a wide range of different and international dance styles, will be a round-by-round elimination contest says the channel. A team can comprise of pairs in the 15-30 age group. The last date for receiving entries is June 15.

     

     The channel says that while the earlier trendsetting shows of Amrita TV ‘Super Dancer’ and ‘Super Dancer Junior’ nurtured individual dancing talent, the new show would focus on encouraging pairs to showcase their skills, with professional choreographers of contestants working with each team to infuse innovation and energy to the show.

     

    The channel has not yet announced sponsorship and advertiser details for the new show that will be aired Monday to Thursday between 7 and 8 pm starting 21 July with 100 episodes planned. For the earlier avatars of the show, Amrita TV had roped in Kerala based Prime Footwear as sponsor. The show replaces season two of ‘Let’s Dance’. The channel plans to continue with Malayalam actress Sija Rose as anchor.

     

    “We have received entries from over 500 pairs across Kerala and expect many more. Twenty couples will make it to the show and the final pair will emerge victorious over a span of about 100 one hour episodes,” reveals a source at Amrita TV.

     

     “’Let’s Dance’ will be mounted on spectacular sets with dazzling lights, LED Walls and stunning sound systems. The show’s format will throw open immense opportunities to competing  pairs and enable them to showcase a  variety of Indian, cultural and international dance styles ranging across a broad spectrum of classical, contemporary, Bollywood, hip-hop, jazz, Kalarippayattu, Salsa, Samba and musical theatre styles, amongst others, with many sub-genres within these categories represented,” adds the source.

  • Amrita TV announces ‘Let’s Dance’: reality show for pairs

    Amrita TV announces ‘Let’s Dance’: reality show for pairs

    MUMBAI: Amrita TV is inviting entries for its latest dance reality show for Pairs, ‘Let’s Dance’ .The unique feature of this talent hunt is that contestants can comprise pairs of male& female or husband & wife, or boys or girls in the 15-30 age group.

    While the earlier trendsetting shows of Amrita TV ‘Super Dancer’ and ‘Super Dancer Junior’ nurtured individual dancing talent, the new show would focus on encouraging pairs to showcase their skills, with professional choreographers of contestants working with each team to infuse innovation and energy to the show. The competition, which will include a wide range of different and international dance styles, will be a round-by-round elimination contest.

     

    ‘Let’s Dance’ is designed to be a dance lover’s dream show open to aspirants across India and the gulf who can meet the protocols of the show. The show would feature performances by various distinctive dancers and is expected to have a wide variety of participants. An expert panel consisting of renowned choreographers and celebrities would be the judges for the contest. 

     
    The show’s format will throw open immense opportunities to competing  pairs and enable them to showcase a  variety of Indian, cultural and international dance styles ranging across a broad spectrum of classical, contemporary, Bollywood, hip-hop, jazz, Kalarippayattu, Salsa, Samba and musical theatre styles, amongst others, with many sub-genres within these categories represented.

     
    ‘Let’s Dance’ will be mounted on spectacular sets with dazzling lights , LED Walls and stunning sound systems. The Last Date for receiving Entries is 15-06-14. More info at     www.amritatv.com/ld

  • Big Magic Bihar & Jharkhand presents new reality show Big Bahuria

    Big Magic Bihar & Jharkhand presents new reality show Big Bahuria

    MUMBAI: This June, the leading entertainment channel of the region BIG MAGIC Bihar & Jharkhand presents a unique reality show for its viewers. Combing through a number of locations in Bihar & Jharkhand, the channel unveils the true nitty-gritties of the relationship between a bahu and her sasuraal through BIG Bahuria. Hosted by the talented Priyesh Sinha, BIG Bahuria brings forth the hopes, aspirations and the reality of married women from the region starting 16th June, every Monday to Friday at 7.30 pm!

     

    Moving beyond the rosy or the hostile relationships between the saas and the bahu (or bahuria) as depicted in television shows today, the show aims to reach deep into the culture of the region and expose the real brickbats and bouquets that every relationship around a woman brings to her life. The saas is also the bahuria of the house who has lived her life for the family and probably even suppressed her own hopes and aspirations in the process. The show has been formatted for the viewer to understand the family and the relationships of the married woman in focus while also being a facilitator for the family to understand and empathize with the senior bahuria (saas) and the newer bahuria of the house. While focusing on the positives of the family, it will also throw light on the bahuria’s dreams & ambitions as an individual, her expectations from her husband and family, her conflicts between being ideal v/s being real etc.

     

    While the show touches upon any conflicts or tension in her relationships with everyone around her, it also presents the lighter side to her life – there will be games and other spot contests through which the family and neighbors display their knowledge, their rapport and their love for her. The show will be hosted by well known stand-up comedian and anchor, Priyesh Sinha who will visit these cities and interview the bahurias and their families in question.

     

    The Format:

     

    1. The host visits the town / location in question and interviews people so that viewers understand the background of the bahuria’s family

     

    2. The bahuria is interviewed on her life after her wedding, her relationship with her husband’s family and the family’s view of her. This segment seeks to highlight and resolve relationship conflicts if any

     

    3. The entire family is engaged in games and quick contests – the bahuria’s knowledge of family likes and dislikes, neighborhood etc. is conducted.

     

    Commenting on the launch of the show, Lavneesh Gupta, COO, Television Business, Reliance Broadcast said, “Marriage is a huge milestone in a woman’s life when she starts living her life for other people. Through this show we are bringing the issues of a married woman’s life out in the open so that we can address them in a positive way along with her own family and build a positive future. We are confident that this show will resonate very well with our audiences while being a great value proposition for advertisers in the region. “

     

    The show will be supported by BIG MAGIC Bihar and Jharkhand’s marketing muscle and will be promoted through radio, on-ground and digital media.

  • Behind the scenes of ‘Zhunj Marathmoli’

    Behind the scenes of ‘Zhunj Marathmoli’

    MUMBAI: It’s a full plate and more for the cast and crew of ETV Marathi’s new show Zhunj Marathmoli as they travel the length and breadth of Maharashtra, fulfilling cultural tasks and braving temperatures of up to 47 degree celsius in certain parts.  

     

    So much so, not a single day has gone off without someone falling sick or getting injured. In fact, a doctor from Mumbai has been hired to be with the unit full time to take care of casualties.

     

    However, this has deterred neither the 14 contestants nor celebrity host Shreyas Talpade from making season one a grand success.

     

    “It didn’t come as a surprise to us that we will have to shoot in such high temperatures. We knew it would be excruciatingly hot,” says Talpade, who along with the participants have taken time out from 15 April to 2 June to shoot the show.

     

    90 technicians, including 11 from Ramesh Deo Productions (RDP) and the rest hired crewmen, are ferried from one location to another in 11 cars and buses. “The technicians are freelancers who have worked on shows like Roadies and Khatron Ke Khiladi. Our director of production (DOP) has done 11 seasons of Roadies,” says RDP director Ketan Mangaokar about DOP Sanjay Chawda.

     

    Each location is given four days’ time where the first two days are taken up by the production team to try out tasks and ensure their safety for the participants while shooting happens in the remaining two days, with two tasks per day. The day starts at 6:30am for the production team and 8:00am for the contestants, going up to 10:00pm or 11:00pm at times. Participants are allowed cell phones only on the days ‘task testing’ is done to avoid any kind of distraction.

     

    A 20-day recce was undertaken by Mangaokar, art director Sandeep Bhamkar and a channel representative before the show started. The team scouted the interiors for regions and tasks of interest. “First, we selected the regions and then found out their specialty by talking to the locals. Each task also has a substitute task but fortunately, we haven’t had to use any of those,” says Mangaokar.

     

    Of the 26 episodes, the 20 second one was shot at Ganpatipule in Konkan amidst soaring mercury levels coupled with intense humidity. A visit to the Ganpatipule set revealed nothing more than a patch of land near a hen house. Eight normal HD cameras were set around the frame and six GoPro cameras – hired from ColorPlus in Mumbai – were set inside the task zone. Of the eight HD cameras, one was a master frame focused on the entire set, another a wide-angle camera shot focused on Talpade, yet another a close-up of Talpade and the rest focused on the contestants.

     

    A sufficient number of good quality lapel microphones were used to capture sound on the set with normal ones given to the participants and two advanced ones given to Talpade for his solo link. No part of the episode was dubbed. By the same token, no part of the show has been dubbed.

     

    Also, video diaries were shot in between tasks, encapsulating contestants’ emotions. Additionally, the over the fly (OTF) or byte of the participant before he/she performs the given task was taken.

     

    For the hen-catching task at Ganpatipule, two cameras were placed atop a car for a higher view of the task area. “It’s a practical and cost effective measure as we don’t have cranes and jibs,” says RDP head of operations Rekha Vaid.

     

    The coordination of cameras was done by Chawda who says, “I have been working on similar shows for years so I am aware of the kind of shots that are required.” The show’s creative director is Santosh Kolhe, executive producer Praveen Das, production controller Manohar Desai, sound engineer Mushtaq Sheikh and art director Sandeep Bhamkar. Generally, once any footage is shot, it is transferred onto a hard disk and backup is taken.

     

    Judges for all the tasks are not from the Zhunj Marathmoli team but experts or panch hailing from that region who are either asked to observe the tasks live or watch recorded footage and offer inputs to Talpade. This over, the entire terabytes of footage is despatched to the Mumbai office for post production.

     

    Talpade motivates the team in his usual boyish manner. Not only does he deliver his dialogues but also improvises them. Zhunj is his way to connect to his Maharashtrian roots which he says he missed growing up as a Mumbai kid. He is in awe of the efforts the channel has taken for Zhunj Marathmoli. “You need guts to execute such a show. Constant travelling, setting up new locations, arranging for food and stay of so many people. The channel and production house are going to additional lengths to make the show different and innovative,” he says.

     

    According to sources, nearly Rs 6 to Rs 8 crore is being spent on the show which may not be too much but is definitely on the higher side, where the economics of Marathi television is considered.

     

    Khatron Ke Khiladi and Roadies have higher budgets but with Zhunj Marathmoli, ETV is trying to give viewers maximum quality with a minimum budget.

  • Soon: Swara Odishara on Sarthak TV

    Soon: Swara Odishara on Sarthak TV

    KOLKATA: Beginning 3 July, a musical talent hunt show, Swara Odishara will air on general entertainment channel Sarthak TV from the Sarthak Entertainment Group every Thursday and Friday between 9.30pm and 10.30pm.

     

    Debi Prasad Padhi, marketing manager, Sarthak Entertainment Group, says, “We are coming up with a competitive reality show Swara Odishara. We expect a participation of more than 5,000 people. The one-of-its-kind musical talent hunt will have 21 episodes in all which includes the grand finale”

     

    The actual duration of the show is 48 minutes while the target audience is CS 4+.

     

    When asked about the USP of the show, Padhi says it will feature playback singers and musicians from both Bollywood and Ollywood (Odisha film industry). “It will have a high emotional connect and cut-throat competition as the selection of singers from the Odisha hinterland will be done by three of the best mentors. There will also be huge marketing opportunities at each location and level,” explains Padhi.

     

    “Music is special for the Sarthak Group as ours is a phenomenal contribution to the music industry in the state for the past 32 years, with a library of over 20,000 songs. Ours is one of the best platforms for budding singers. We have a collection of 12,000 albums and devotional songs and an additional 4,000 film songs,” he informs.

     

    Sarthak Entertainment Group has identified locations such as Balasore, Berhampur, Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar for the first and second round of auditions for the show. Zeroing in on talent and forming teams will be the job of the celebrity mentors including Bollywood and regional playback singer Shaurin Bhatt, Oriya singer Sritam Mohanty and music composers Bikash Mishra and Manmath Mishra. The contestants selected after rounds one and two will have to face a higher level of audition at the same location to be part of the top 24 finalists.

     

    The judges include singer Namita Agrawalla, singer/lyricist/music director Srikant Goutam and music and movie director Malaya Mishra. However, for the elimination rounds, the judges will be Sravan, Kumar Sanu, Lalit and Sanjeev Darshan while for the grand finale, they will include Md Ajiz, Suresh Wadekar, Namita Agrawalla and Udit Narayan.

     

    The show will be hosted by debonair Oriya hero Debasish.

     

    While the presenting sponsor was supposed to be Idea initially, it is now Lalchand Jewellers. It will be called “Lalchand Jewellers Swara Odishara powered by Pran Foods,” reveals Padhi.

     

    About Lalchand Jewellers showing interest in such a show, a media expert says, “Name anything with reach, brand enhancement brand recall….such shows give superb mileage.”

     

    Replying to a question about TRPs and advertising rates expected, Padhi says, “We are expecting a TRP of 3-4+ in CS4+ TG and targeted advertising rates are Rs 10,000 for 10 seconds.”

  • Telugu version of KBC to go on air from 9 June

    Telugu version of KBC to go on air from 9 June

    MUMBAI: The biggest knowledge-based game show Meelo Evaru koteeswarudu (MEK) announced by MAA TV, the No.1 Telugu GEC, has received excellent response from the Telugu TV audiences.

     

    For the Call for Entry (CFE) conducted between 24th April to May 1st to select the contestants, more than 1 million viewers sent SMSs, expressing their interest to participate in the game show

     

    Of the 1 million plus responses, about 1500 were short-listed through randomization process by a 3rd party agency with a fool-proof process audit by E&Y audit firm.

     

    With auditions in Vijayawada, Tirupathi and Hyderabad, about 100 participants were selected to play the game with Nagarjuna

     

    Nagarjuna is hosting a show on a TV for the 1st time

     

    In the 6 episodes that were shot so far, 9 contestants took the hot seat and a few of them are truly heart touching stories.

     

    The telecast of the game show will commence on 9th June (Monday). It will be at 9.00 PM to 10.30 PM from Monday to Thursday (4 days a week)

     

    Every contestant’s back-end story has been recorded and addressed in the show..  It will be a life changer for most of the contestants who make it to the hot seat.

     

    The prize money is from Rs. 1,000  to Rs. 1 Crore and the rules are the same like the KBC.  Those who answer all the 15 questions correctly will get Rs. 1 Crore prize

     

    The International Format tasted success worldwide in more than 150 countries, and 7 languages in India including Hindi

     

    Big Synergy, which is headed by the well known quiz master Siddhartha Basu, is producing the show

     

    Maa TV, which is known for programming innovation based on the understanding of Telugu viewers’ preferences, is now taking the Telugu television to the next level with MEK, both in terms of quality of content and host presence. Nagarjuna known for his out of box thinking and being ahead of times in style and substance is the first big host after Amitabh to be doing this show .

     

    MEK brings out all the human emotion, drama and intrigue that is required for any show on television.  It’s the reality show which can only be real as everything is transparent right from the selection of questions to selection of contestants ..

     

    The entire process of MEK is monitored and audited by EY, the prestigious global audit firm.

  • Zee Kannada restructures management and teams

    Zee Kannada restructures management and teams

    MUMBAI: With an aim to improve its position in the south Indian market, Zee Entertainment Enterprises (Zeel)  has decided to go in for a restructuring process to ensure better quality on its channel Zee Kannada. In line, a few changes have been made.

     

    Two months ago, the then Zee Kannada business head Gautham Machaiah decided to leave Zeel. His replacement was south cluster sales head Siju Prabhakaran who was elevated to look after the channel too. A new programming head Raghavendra Hunsur was hired from ETV Kannada. The mandate was to spruce up the channel’s shows and ratings.

     

    Sources say that nearly 15 people from the production, programming and operation teams have since been asked to tender their resignations and have been offered a three month severance package. This includes professionals at both head of department level and the second level. They are being replaced with many more professionals who are being handpicked by Hunsur.

     

    Says Zeel head of human resources Rajendra Mehta “Ours being the business of people, we are careful in aligning the organization aspirations with individual capabilities and talents. Therefore, we have taken such an exercise and brought in talent from across the industry and revamped the team. We are sure it will result in building the Kannada business from here on. We remain committed to improving the business performance with realigning to strengthen channel TVMs and marketshare.”

     

    The channel is looking at revamping its look and feel by improving its overall packaging and layout. Also planned are big ticket nonfiction shows in the coming months.

     

    Zee Kannada has been at the number four position in the market with Udaya TV, ETV Kannada and Asianet Suvarna occupying the top three slots.

  • Zee 24 Taas ad wins at Abbys

    Zee 24 Taas ad wins at Abbys

    MUMBAI: We are proud to announce that the Zee 24 Taas ad titled ‘Every side of the story’ won a Gold (Category – Outdoor) and a Silver (Category – Print) at India’s most prestigious advertising awards event Abby’s at Goafest 2014.

     

    Zee 24 Taas, the first 24×7 Marathi news channel of India from the Zee media group, has always been pioneer in the way news is presented & analysed to provide a better perspective to its viewers. Hence it is considered a very mature & serious news channel and strongly perceived as channel with news & views.

     

    The channel reaches to the every corner of Maharashtra by providing city specific news cater the need of its viewers. The channel has got a right mix of regional & national news to update & upgrade its viewers. 

    Zee 24 Taas with its strong brand promise of “Raha Ek Paul Pudhe” (Stay One Step Ahead) is very much supported by the channel’s strive to present multiple viewpoints on every piece of news. Thus ensuring an unbiased coverage at all times. 

    Our recent communication ‘Every side of the story’ showcased this belief in a simple yet visually arresting manner. 

    The idea behind this ad came from the insight that any piece of news affects many lives in many different ways.

  • Reporting news the ‘Prudent’ way!

    Reporting news the ‘Prudent’ way!

    MUMBAI: Think Goa and what comes to mind is idyllic surroundings but never the frenzied pace of a news channel. However, the reality is that there are not one but five news channels in the tiny state whose area measures just 3,702 km.

     
    Of the five, only one manages to call the shots i.e. Prudent Media, which is based out of Panjim and owned by powerful business conglomerate, Fomento. Having started operations in 2007, the news channel has already made it to being the market leader, according to media planners.  

     
    Prudent Media has an experienced editor in Pramod Acharya, who has been with the group for five years. In his 11 years of journalism, Acharya has worked with India’s premier news channel CNN-IBN, prior to which he was with local dailies Sunaparant and Rastramath. Other anchors include Suyash Gavnekar and Priyanka Prabhu Chodnekar who host news bulletins in English and Konkani.

     

    The channel has a 60-strong team including 10 journalists based outside Goa who are stringers. Many of the journalists double as video journalists. Six news bulletins are telecast every day and the channel uses Panasonic 102 and PD 170 cameras to capture news imagery for the same. Some of Prudent Media’s signature shows are Head On and The Debate. In Head On, the host takes on the guest, usually a local politician, with some hard questions. The Debate, as suggested by the name, is in a debate format. Among other shows are Sattagraha, Gajali, Hello Career, Simply Sport, Lokshay Hai Hai, Just Imagine and Counter Point.

     

    Through a barter system with CNN IBN, Prudent Media gets footage of national and international issues from the former in return for local news feeds. Currently, the channel is available on two multi system operators (MSOs) – Future Digital Infotainment and Indusind Media and Communications Limited as well as eight to 10 smaller cable operators. The state has an interesting phenomenon of duopoly system, where viewers subscribe to both DTH and local cable operators. In the beach belt where tourism flourishes, hoteliers mostly subscribe to DTH.

    While Goa has a population of 14-15 lakh, according to Prudent Media editor Pramod Acharya, the channel has a viewership of 7-9 lakh. “This is based on half yearly surveys our channel conducts,” he says. In terms of advertisers, both local and national brands are on-board the channel in a ratio of around 70:30, respectively. Among national brands, Amul is a recent entrant. According to highly placed industry sources, the ad rates for a 10 second slot could vary from anything between to Rs 300 to Rs 800.

     

    In terms of digital presence, Prudent Media has an Android app which when launched on 15 August last year witnessed over 1,000 downloads in 48 hours. As of now, the channel’s Facebook page has 16,036 likes, while it has 2,303 followers on Twitter. The channel website offers live streaming of shows to audiences in India and abroad.

     

    While Prudent Media in particular and the news industry in Goa in general are still far from their regional counterparts, once digitisation kicks in, this nascent industry may well start getting its due recognition.