ITV

Category: Regional

  • Soon: Season 8 of ‘Mirakkel’ on Zee Bangla

    Soon: Season 8 of ‘Mirakkel’ on Zee Bangla

    KOLKATA: Riding on the success of the earlier seven seasons, Zee Bangla is ready to soon roll out season eight of its popular reality show, Mirakkel Akkel Challenger. The upcoming season will once again see host Mir Afsar Ali aka Mir in top form, and will be directed by Subhankar Chattopadhyay.

     

    While the previous season ran for 72 episodes, the eighth season is likely to have around 56 episodes initially. This season too, there will be participation from Bangladeshi stand-up comedians – a norm established since season six of the show. To encourage promising talent from the neighbouring country, Zee Bangla has even held auditions at four locations there including Chittagong.

     

    Asked about the focus on comics from Bangladesh, Chattopadhyay said they could speak well and had a unique style of entertaining the audience. About the auditions, he informed, “In the first week of this month, auditions in north Bengal including Cooch Behar were completed. Auditions in Kolkata will be decided only after the polls.”

     

    The channel is upbeat about promoting season eight of Mirakkel. Plans are afoot to launch a marketing campaign around the show theme, i.e. fatafati 8. The show’s official facebook page has already garnered over 964 likes, what with the ever popular Mir posting “Khub taratari asche Mirakkel akkel challenger 8” on it.

     

    A one-of-its-kind reality show, Mirakkel premiered on Zee Bangla in 2006 and has been a hit with the people of Bengal ever since. “It is also very popular among the youth and many puns and wit from the show are common amongst all sections of people,” said a media expert. He attributed the show’s success to Mir’s larger -than-life presence and the satirical and political songs in the show among others.  

     

    For Chattopadhyay, the format of the show is the winner. “On an average the GVT (gross viewers in thousands) last year was around 1400,” he said.

  • ETV2 and ETV3 renamed to ETV Andhra Pradesh and ETV Telangana

    ETV2 and ETV3 renamed to ETV Andhra Pradesh and ETV Telangana

    MUMBAI: When the Indian government decided to flag off the formation of a new state-Telangana- it made several happy but it meant many had to change their business operations. One of the earliest to set up a TV network in the state, the Ramoji Rao led ETV group has decided to rechristen its two news channels.

     

    Starting 1 May, the recently launched ETV3 has been renamed to ETV Telangana while the existing ETV2 will now be called ETV Andhra Pradesh (AP). “The decision to change the names was taken only after the announcement was made to separate the two states,” says Eenadu TV CEO Bapineedu Chowdary.

     

    News depictions on the two channels will now be respective state focused. Will this hamper the channel’s existing operations? Bapineedu says “No.” The main bureaus for both ETV AP and ETV Telangana will still be located at Hyderabad with the existing bureaus being separated between them. “For television broadcasting, place is not an issue. The bureaus will now report to the respective channels depending on their location” he says.

     

    While some of the ETV AP people have been shifted to ETV Telangana, additions have been made to the latter. A print ad, informing the rechristening of the channels was released in sister newspaper Eenadu on 1 May and 2 May while TV promos are running on ETV AP, ETV Telangana as well as ETV (the flagship Telugu GEC).

  • Sarthak TV giving a taste of reality to Oriya viewers

    Sarthak TV giving a taste of reality to Oriya viewers

    KOLKATA: Sarthak TV from the Odisha-based Sarthak Entertainment Group has two aces up its sleeve in terms of reality shows this season.

     

    One – Mu be Heroine Hebi, will be aired August or September onwards, while dates of the other – Sadhaba Pua hasn’t been finalized yet.

     

    According to Sarthak Entertainment Group marketing manager Debi Prasad Padhi, Mu Be Heroine Hebi is a one-of-its-kind show that has never been attempted before either in the Odiya or the Hindi industry. It is meant to be a stepping stone for actresses aspiring to make a mark on the silver screen. Whereas, Sadhaba Pua is a reality show for men. “The new reality shows apart from season 2 of the existing ones will give the industry a turnaround in Odisha as they will be the first of its kind,” said Padhi.

     

    For Mu Be Heroine Hebi, it is likely that the three male leads of Sarthak Entertainment Group’s next film, Raghupati Raghava Rajaram – MP and megastar Siddhanta Mahapatra, Sabyasachi and Akash DasNayak – may tour the state of Odisha in search of their respective heroines.

     

    “The name of the movie is decided and the release date is scheduled for 1 January 2015. The film will be shot and edited in three months,” informed Padhi.

     

    The actors will select 12 girls from across the state based on various criteria while leading filmmakers will then pare down the list to three. “These three girls will play the female leads opposite the three male leads in the film. This time, we’ve decided to give a mega block buster so we are doing this combo of finding heroines… as well as giving a chance to new talent,” said Padhi. “Everyone will be raving about this show. We believe that no national channel has done this till date.”

     

    The first couple of episodes of the 20-episode show will be shot at six outdoor locations across Odisha. The following episodes where the final three contestants have to be selected will be shot indoors. Each episode of Mu Be Heroine Hebi is estimated to cost around Rs 3 lakh with a total spend of approximately Rs 60 lakh.

     

    The media house is said to be looking at buying production houses like ‘One plus One’ of Kolkata and ‘Asian Shopping Club’ of Odisha but nothing has been finalized yet. “In a week or so, we will finalize the production unit,” he added. “We are expecting a TRP of 4+ in CS4+ TG and targeted advertising rates are Rs 10,000 per 10 seconds.” ITC Vivel has evinced interest in becoming the presenting sponsor and others will follow suit.

     

    When contacted, an Odisha media expert said, “Name anything from mileage to reach, brand enhancement, brand recall….such shows give superb mileage.”

     

    He went on to comment, “Simple girls participating in the reality show and then becoming lead heroines for the movie is a strategy of Sarthak TV to connect with the masses. Innovators win, others can’t survive.”

     

    On channel viewership, Padhi said Sarthak TV had Odiya viewers in other parts of the country as well as outside India.

     

    In four years since its inception, Sarthak TV has launched three Odiya mega serials along with reality shows like ‘Rajo Queen’, ‘Gruha Laxmi’ and many more to appeal to the tastes of Odiya viewers.

  • ETV Marathi brings you the First Ever Online Music Video Premiere in Marathi TV History

    ETV Marathi brings you the First Ever Online Music Video Premiere in Marathi TV History

    April 30th, 2014: Marathi television comes of age. Along with launching Marathi television’s first ever action road-trip, ETV Marathi’s Zhunj Marathmoli is all set to create yet another breakthrough with the first ever Online Premiere of its Music Video “Zhunj De”. Upping the entertainment quotient for its viewers, the music video will see celebrated actor and host Shreyas Talpade debut as singer and jam with singing sensation Jasraj Joshi.  Bringing alive the show’s promise of connecting with the youth, the music video “Zhunj De” will be premiering on May 1st 2014, Maharashtra Day at 1.00pm on ETV Marathi’s Facebook page.  

     

    Talking about the latest benchmark Anuj Poddar, EVP Viacom18 & Business Head, ETV Marathi said “Zhunj Marathmoli is a show that is focused on striking a balance between contemporary thought and traditional values.  The music video “Zhunj De” aptly captures the spirit and spunk of the show while celebrating the true Maharashtrian spirit. With the digital launch of the music video, our endeavor has been to amplify the reach of the video and capture the mind space of our viewers by engaging with them across multiple screens”

     

    The Music Video “Zhunj De” salutes the motherland (Maharashtra) and captures the thought of fighting for respect as a true Maharashtian.  With the On-Air tune-in Astons on the home channel, high decibel campaign on the channel’s Facebook page  and Page post link ads to New & existing Fans of ETV Marathi, the channel has left  no stone unturned to  increase the reach of the music video.

     

    Zhunj Marathmoli promises to provide a heady concoction of action and drama while showcasing Maharashtra’s cultural extravagance. Truly bringing alive the vast scenic expanse of Maharashtra, this new show with Shreyas in the driver’s seat promises to  get 14 celebrity contestants to battle it out  as they embark on this road-trip through their motherland.   

  • Star Pravah to launch ‘Dhabal-Ek Taas Time Paas’

    Star Pravah to launch ‘Dhabal-Ek Taas Time Paas’

    MUMBAI: Marathi general entertainment channel, Star Pravah, is gearing up for a new show format which draws upon Marathi folk theatre, where the narrator-cum-actor (sutradhar) speaks to audiences and brings up socio-political issues in a fun way.

    Called Dhabal – Ek Taas Time Paas, the show is set to replace the soon-to-end The Supriya Sachin Show, 12 May onwards. Marathi actor Swapnil Joshi will play host, narrator and actor in the show that will air every Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 pm. ‘Dhabal’ in Marathi means a place for youngsters to hang out. Dhabal – Ek Taas Time Paas will be a situational comedy with elements of fiction and non-fiction, and will discuss contemporary issues in the form of a skit.

    According to Shrirang Godbole, chairman and MD of Indian Magic Eye, which has produced and conceptualised the show, “The root of this show is in the folk theatre format in Maharashtra, in which narrators speak to audiences and bring up political issues.” Godbole is the scriptwriter-producer-director of Dhabal – Ek Taas Time Paas, and has four other writers assisting him.

    Programming head Jayesh Patil of Star Pravah, says, “This is a fresh concept and we are looking at bringing it as a seasonal show. This way, it gives good space to experiment with content and genre.”

    Dhabal – Ek Taas Time Paas will run for 26 episodes, following which, Star Pravah plans to come out with another new show to replace the one-hour slot.

    Shooting is in full swing at Filmcity, Goregaon, Mumbai and nearly four episodes have been canned. A studio equipped with nine HD cameras is used twice a week for the show; two episodes are shot in one day and the second day is used for rehearsals. One hundred and thirty two people are part of the production team working on the show. The set has been designed by freelancer Shyam Bhatia while costumes have been designed by Shrirang’s wife, Deepa Godbole.

    Sources peg the cost of the entire show at around Rs 4 crore, with the set itself costing approximately Rs 35 lakh and cost of producing each episode about Rs 15 lakh.                                  

    On the cards is a big marketing plan that will soon unfold across the state, including contests inviting people to attend a Dhabal organized by Star Pravah in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Kolhapur with characters modeled on the show taking up pertinent issues. Winners will get to watch Dhaba- Ek Taas Time Paas live and understand its format. The contests are slated to begin in a couple of days and will be conducted in various auditoria. Presently, the focus is on the digital space, though closer to the launch, radio and print campaigns will be rolled out. 3 May onwards, ads will do the rounds of other Marathi channels.

  • Ollywood TV to become satellite channel, September onwards

    Ollywood TV to become satellite channel, September onwards

     KOLKATA: Early this month, Odisha-based Sarthak Entertainment Group, launched general entertainment channel, Ollywood TV. While the 24×7 cable channel reaches almost all cable TV homes in Odisha, the group is now looking to make it a satellite channel starting September this year.

     

    “We have got all approvals for setting up the satellite channel from September this year,” confirmed Sarthak Entertainment Group marketing manager Debi Prasad Padhi.

     

     Meanwhile, Ollywood TV isn’t the only GEC from the group; another GEC, Sarthak TV, completed four years since its inception and has to its credit three mega serials, reality shows like Rajo Queen and Gruha Laxmi, and lots of new and entertaining content to satiate the Odiya TV viewer. “We are available across the country through different DTH platforms like Tata Sky, Airtel, Videocon and Dish TV. We aim to come up with many more entertaining programmes in the days to come,” said Padhi about Sarthak TV.

     

    Quoting from the latest, week 16 report released by TAM on GECs in Odisha, Padhi said that Sarthak TV had gained big by reporting a gross rating point (GRP) of 207 points. While in the week 15, the GRP reported was 204 points.

     

    Why another GEC when Sarthak TV is doing well as compared to other GECs in Odisha? “We want to launch new reality shows and serials apart from airing our own serials. We have more than 250 Odiya movies in our library. If there is anyone who can win in the GEC space in Orissa, it is the one who can entertain audiences via innovative formats,” said Padhi. “We are far ahead of others in the genre. In terms of content, people want soaps, drama, aspirational and progressive shows.” He further cited examples of serials doing well as ‘To Aganara Tulasi Mu’, ‘Pari’, ‘Badhu’, ‘Mahadev’, and ‘Prithviraj Chauhan’.

     

    Three decades ago, there was very little scope for entertainment for the people of Odisha, but that has changed now. “We are the only organisation in Odisha equally successful in TV broadcasting, producing movies and music. We will continue to entertain Odiya speaking people even more in the years to come,” Padhi signed off.

  • After Swabhumi relaunch, Arjun Infotech plans for Bengali news channel

    After Swabhumi relaunch, Arjun Infotech plans for Bengali news channel

    KOLKATA: It was only last month that Arjun Infotech entered the world of media with the re-launch of Bengali daily, Swabhumi, which was closed down in January by the old management.

     

    The Gujarat-headquartered company now plans to start a Bengali news channel, and has put up 200 hoardings which read, ‘Aasche Swabhumi Channel’. Another 100 hoardings will be put up in towns and districts of the state before the launch.

     

    Earlier, the channel was slated for launch on the eve of Nabobarsha (Bengali New Year) on 14 April but the elections caused delay. “The channel launch date has not been finalised. We will put up another 100 hoardings. Once the channel takes off, there will be a common editorial team,” said Swabhumi deputy chief reporter Ishan Chatterjee.

     

    While it isn’t immediately known whether Arjun Infotech has acquired the license for its Bengali channel, according to insiders, the company plans to run it from a huge studio in Salt Lake Sector V.

     

    When contacted, a city-based media expert said, “The market is too small for a Bengali channel and too many players cannot survive. For outsiders it may be more difficult to stay long. Locals may still struggle it out. People from other markets get attracted to starting a Bengali channel for the wrong reasons. They realise the heat later.”

     

    For the recently acquired Swabhumi, Arjun Infotech already has a team of around 100 employees in place, which includes journalists, cameramen and technical staff.

     

    Launched in mid-February 2011 by Kolkata-based RICE Group, Swabhumi, was originally helmed by Samit Roy till Ankit Jaiswal from Arjun Infotech appeared on the scene.

  • Z ETC Punjabi to shut down

    Z ETC Punjabi to shut down

    MUMBAI: Come 30 April and Z ETC Punjabi subscribers will no longer be able to watch the channel. Reason-the broadcaster has decided to shut shop.

     

    The direct to home (DTH) operators have already started informing their subscribers about the channel shut down in the form of a scroll running on the TV screens. The message is loud and clear: The channel will be discontinued from the platform due to the broadcaster’s decision of shutting it down.

     

    Sources from the channel have confirmed to indiantelevision.com that Z ETC Punjabi will soon shut down and that its employees will be absorbed into Zee Entertainment’s other channels.

     

    Z ETC Punjabi is an entertainment channel from the Zee stable that has fiction shows, comedy, travel and living, movies and music.

     

    Formerly called ETC Punjabi, the network was taken up by Zee in 2002. Zee also runs another channel called Zee Punjabi that comes under Zee Media Corporation. The channel runs in the Terrestrial Entertainment Network (TEN) format like Zee Purvaiya, Zee Kalinga and Zee Marudhara. In this format, the channel has half of its content as news while the other half has entertainment shows.

  • Last 2 days to participate in Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu (MEK)

    Last 2 days to participate in Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu (MEK)

    MUMBAI: The Call for Entry (CFE) that commenced on 24th April for registering to participate in Maa TV’s big time game show Meelo Evaru koteeswarudu (MEK) will close at 7.00 PM on 1st May.

    As part of the CFE process, Maa TV has been releasing one question every day at 8.00 PM on maa main channel and mek.maatv.com since 24th April. People eager to come to the hot seat and play the game MEK with Nagarjuna have the option of sending their answers by SMS to 57337 or by IVRS to 1255573 (for BSNL users) and 5057337 01/02/03/04 (for other operators) before 7.00 PM on the following day.

    While the response for the five questions that have been released till 28th April has been very good, 6th question will be flashed at 8.00 PM on 29th April on maa TV with an opportunity to send answers till 7.00 PM on 30th April. The last question will be flashed at 8.00 PM on 30th April on maa TV with an opportunity to send answers till 7.00 PM on 1st May.

    With this, the registration to participate in the grand show will close at 7 PM on 1st May. Answering a question flashed on any of the seven days will give a chance to come to the hot seat and play the game MEK, and win the cash prize of Rs. 1 Crore.

    An elaborate selection process under close supervision of the international audit firm Ernst & Young (E&Y) will determine who will eventually become eligible to participate in the game show that is being hosted by popular film star Akkineni Nagarjuna and produced by Big Synergy.

    Seen as a Life Changer for people and scheduled to commence in June 2014, Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu (MEK) will engage Telugu audiences across all cross sections of the society in a thrilling knowledge game to win the grand reward.

  • May Day specials on Vijay TV

    May Day specials on Vijay TV

    MUMBAI: On the occasion of May Day Vijay TV has planned some interesting shows and super hit films aired on the Channel.  On Thursday at 7.30 am ‘Jigarthanda first look’ brings you a sneak peek of the upcoming film directed by Karthik Subbaraj.  The film has Siddharth and Lakshmi Menon in the lead along with Soodhu Kavvum’s Bobby Simha and Karuna.

    At 8 am ‘Kochadaiyan special’ brings the interesting anecdotes from the Superstar Rajnikanth’s film.  At 8.30 am ‘Neeya Nana’ special brings you an interesting topic to be discussed.

    At 10 am Happy Birthday Thala brings viewers a grand celebration of actor Ajith’s birthday by his fans, friends, colleagues and co-stars.  An exciting journey of actor Ajith’s life in the tinsel town will also be featured on the show. 

    At 4.30 pm ‘Mundasupatti special’ features Vishnu and Nandita along with the cast and crew of the film including the lead cast of the film.