ITV

Category: Regional

  • Saradha group to auction three TV channels

    Saradha group to auction three TV channels

    MUMBAI: The Saradha group chit fund scam that broke out last year saw huge amounts of money that never existed in the first place, vanish into thin air. Consequently the government stripped its TV channel licences and threw its chairman behind bars.

    Now the creditors who had lended money to the group are all set to get back their dues. A commission set up by the West Bengal government has decided to auction its three TV channels – Tara Muzik, Tara News and Tara Punjabi – alongside 200 of the group’s cars in order to raise funds and return it to the creditors.

     

    It also said that 16 bungalows and flats in which people had given part payment will be given to the owners completely after the leftover amount is submitted to the commission. Saradha group chairman Sudipto Sen was also present at the hearing who had been arrested in April last year when the ponzi scam broke out.

     

    According to a press trust of India report, while leaving he had said that he wanted all of the group’s properties to be auctioned to build the money to be paid to investors.

  • Aakash Aath strengthens its line-up with a satirical comedy

    Aakash Aath strengthens its line-up with a satirical comedy

    KOLKATA: The Bengali audience is set for a novel treat as the Bengali general entertainment channel (GEC) Aakash Aath, is coming up with a new satirical comedy, Ghhente Gha to tickle their funny bones. Based on stories written by renowned author, Sanjib Chattopadhyay, the show that starting on 13 January will air from Monday to Saturday at 9.30 pm.

     

    The idea, says Channel Eight proprietor and producer of Ghante Gha Ashok Surana, is to give a variety of entertainment to its audience.

     

    The story would revolve around the Chatterjee family of North Kolkata headed by Giribala Chatterjee. The show brings to the fore the life of today’s middle class Bengali family, the society, the stress and the dilemma that a common man goes through every day.

     

    “With an amalgamation of star cast of repute, Ghhente Gha will bring some much needed laughter to the audience’s life,” said Sanjib Chattopadhyay, who is known for his style characterised by use of short satirical sentences and lively language.

     

    The show has been directed by Manish Ghosh and scripted by Padmanabha Dasgupta. 

     

    The cast includes Sabitri Chatterjee (Giribala Chatterjee), Shubhashis Mukherjee (Somesh), Chaiti Ghoshal (Ruma), Shubhashish Banerjee (Shubho), Padmanabha Dasgupta (Shankar), Biswajit Chakraborty (Baromama) and many other well known artistes.

     

    A media planner says that since it is a take on the life from a very witty angle, the show will be an entertaining one for audience.

  • Surya TV sees Gold in Old

    Surya TV sees Gold in Old

    MUMBAI: At a time when most TV channels prefer to take the tried and tested route, here’s one that begs to differ.

     

    After ‘Champions’ which showcases the many talents of differently-abled people, Malayalam GEC Surya TV has launched another unique show titled ‘Old is Gold’ which sets the stage for people aged 50 years and above to take to the microphone and display their singing talents to the world.

     

    The 42-episode singing reality show premiered on 29 December last year and airs every Sunday at 9pm on the channel. It has 24 contestants – organized into four groups with six members each – competing for the Rs 25 lakh prize money with one participant booted out in each round. Anchored by Madonna and directed by Sonu Kumar, Malayalam singer-music composer M Jayachandran acts as mentor to the participants, who undergo rigorous four-day practice sessions with a professional voice trainer and orchestra to hone their singing skills before the shoot.

     

    ‘Old is Gold’ is produced in-house with nearly two episodes being shot every day. The channel is looking at SEC 4+ (ABCDE) as its TG. “The show breaks away from the oft-explored pool of showcasing only young people and gives an amazing platform to senior aspirants who have not got an opportunity to sing in their heyday,” says network head non fiction programming Aldam Jacob.

     

    What’s more, the channel claims it has garnered a good response on digital platforms such as facebook where a majority of the visitors are youngsters. “The market is buzzing with positive energy and many are complimenting Surya for this path-breaking idea,” says Jacob.

     

    Bheema Jewellers is the associate sponsor of the show on Surya TV. Meanwhile, the network plans to roll out the show in the other three southern states as well.

  • ETV Marathi’s Crorepati eyes double bonanza in Season II

    MUMBAI: Viacom 18 took its first bold step in the regional space after acquiring a clutch of ETV channels by introducing one of India’s biggest and boldest non-fiction shows on its Marathi channel. Thus, Kaun Banega Crorepati became Kon Hoeel Marathi Crorepati on ETV Marathi. Now back for a second run, just four months after the last season ended, the channel is looking at increasing its cash inflow as well as eyeballs from the flagship show.

     

    The second season will see Sachin Khedekar back as host but facing not one, but two contestants as the theme this year is about couples or jodis. The prize money has also been doubled to Rs 2 crore. “The dynamic of two people changes a lot of things. These two people may be anyone in a family,” says BIG Synergy MD Siddhartha Basu.

     

    A huge marketing campaign had rolled out on TV and radio about four weeks ago emphasising on the number ‘two’ that is the theme. 

     

    The print campaign will strike on 13 January, the day the show launches. A digital app is expected to roll out soon after the launch of the show that will try to engage the younger audiences through social media. With the response it received from season 1, this time the channel has gone overboard on its marketing, spending nearly about Rs 4 to Rs 5 crore.

     

    Airing on Monday and Tuesday from 9:00 pm to 10:30 pm, it will replace two shows on these two days, which will now air four times a week. The current season is expected to run for three months with 36 episodes in all. According to sources, the cost of production is approximately Rs 8-10 crore for season two.

     

    The studio set up was created in Film City in December and six episodes have been shot so far with average shoot hours daily totting up to 12 hours.

     

    Last season, KHMC garnered about 3 TRPs and this time the channel is looking at starting off at that and doubling it amongst Marathi speaking audiences.  “It is worthy to say that nonfiction shows don’t really get such high ratings in languages,” says Viacom 18 EVP and business head Anuj Poddar. Last year KHMC doubled the channel’s overall ratings.

     

    Conversations are on with a slew of advertisers and sponsors, with Lever brand Clinic plus already coming on board as the presenting sponsor and the target is to reach about five to six advertisers, this time. The average per 10 second rate for commercials has been pegged at Rs 70,000 that is about 60 to 70 per cent higher than last year.

     

    Although only Marathi speaking people are allowed to participate in the show, it has seen a 50 per cent increase in the participants claims the channel.

     

    “The show is a very generous one. Our average pay out per episode is about Rs 6.5 lakh,” says Basu. “With growing viewership not just broadcasters but also advertisers and sponsors are also putting their money into such formats. A broadcaster takes it as a game changer and it is a huge investment for him as well.”

     

    The targets it has set for itself are high but will the channel be able to live up to its own as well as the people’s expectations? We will soon find out as it launches this Monday.

  • Uday Shankar receives award for contribution to Bengali Television

    Uday Shankar receives award for contribution to Bengali Television

    MUMBAI: Star India has received the 2014 West Bengal Tele Academy Award that celebrates the group’s significant contribution to Bengali television, making it the first broadcaster to win the coveted recognition. 

     

    The network’s CEO Uday Shankar was conferred the award by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The award recognises Star’s special contribution to Bengali television through two successful TV channels – Star Jalsha and Star Ananda (currently known as ABP Ananda).

    “As a group, we are delighted to receive the West Bengal Tele Academy Award, as it clearly shows the society has embraced our focus on quality content,” Shankar said.  “I really believe socially sensitive content is the way forward for the future of a healthy society. The plaudits go to the entire team.”

     

    Star Jalsha, the entertainment channel, has set new benchmarks in regional programming through innovative content and compelling storytelling. It enjoys an undisputed leadership position in the Bengali general entertainment space in terms of viewership, surpassing immediate competition by over 200 GRPs, according to recent TAM data.

     

    Star Ananda (now known as ABP Ananda) is a Bengali TV news channel that was launched under the stewardship of Shankar when he was the CEO of MCCS India. The channel was an erstwhile joint venture between STAR and ABP TV.

     

    The West Bengal Tele Academy Awards 2014 covers the entire gamut of film and TV, rewarding excellence in production, programming, photography and technology, among others. Headed by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, with Aroop Biswas as the chairman, the awards have been constituted as a token of respect and gratitude to the entire industry in West Bengal.

  • Gemini Life’s new look in the New Year

    Gemini Life’s new look in the New Year

    MUMBAI: The New Year will see a change in one of the Sun Network channels. Its Telugu music channel Gemini Life is all set to bring on board a new programming list to engage the Telugu music lovers.

    The channel which formerly ran a list of songs through the day is now going to categorise its FPC throughout the day giving the channel a better look. Starting 1 January 2014 a new set of shows will be played during the weekday such as Manasuna Manasai that will showcase duet songs from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, Swaralajallu that will show songs from famous music directors from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm and Prema Keratam which will have love songs between 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

    Various time slots have been created throughout the day to cater to people with different choices in music. The weekends will be packed with not just songs but also movies, music related shows and live musical events. The channel claims to have the largest collection of Telugu songs and movies. The refurbishing is to present a viewer friendly format of non-stop songs that will appeal to youngsters apart from elderly people.

  • Amrita TV announces a reality show for pairs

    Amrita TV announces a reality show for pairs

    MUMBAI: A dance reality show Let’s Dance is giving an opportunity to dance enthusiasts to participate in pairs. The show would soon be launched on the Malayalam TV channel, Amrita TV. The participants should be in the age group of 18-30 and can be husband-wife, sisters, brothers, brother-sister, friends, or any two people who share a good chemistry and have a knack for dancing.

    Each pair will have a choreographer and they will go through several elimination rounds. The show is inviting contestants from across India as well as the gulf. The judging panel will consist of known choreographers and celebrities.

    Previously, the channel has hosted two other dance shows – Super Dancer and Super Dancer Junior – that were quite popular with the masses. Even this time around, the channel is making sure to create the right buzz. Many different dance forms will be a part of the show including classical, contemporary, Bollywood, hip-hop, jazz, kalarippayattu, salsa, samba and musical theatre styles.

     

    According to the channel sources, Let’s Dance will have good quality set with LED walls, bright lights and amazing sound systems.

    The auditions for the show will begin on 14 December in Kerala and the last date for submission of entries is 13 December.

  • Police arrests journos, lets ‘gundas’ off the hook

    Police arrests journos, lets ‘gundas’ off the hook

    MUMBAI: At a time when rival television channels will stop at nothing to pip each other at the ratings’ post, here comes a heart-warming instance of foes coming together for a just cause.

     

    On 2 December, around 11.45pm, high drama unfolded outside the Maduravoyal police station in Chennai when over 200 media persons – including journalists and technicians from Captain TV (Tamil news channel) and its competitor channels, Sun TV and Pudhiya Thalamuria – gathered outside Maduravoyal police station to protest the attack on crew members of Captain TV by a group of people the same evening.

     

    The ‘Raasta Roko’ took a turn for the worse when instead of registering a complaint against the attackers, the police officials ended up arresting the protesters, who were released yesterday morning.

     

    Captain TV distribution manager Arun Kumar recalled the incident saying: “It all started when my crew was going to cover an event in the Anna Nagar West area and stopped at the nearby petrol pump to fill diesel around 7 in the morning. Thomson, a van driver, who came in later, picked up an argument with Suresh, driver of the bus transporting my crew, claiming that the latter had jumped queue and subsequently thrashed him.”

     

    “Later in the evening, Thomson saw my crew members and he came in with a bunch of 20-30 people and beat them very hard.” There were eight crew members including two drivers, two cameramen, two camera-stunts and two reporters including a lady reporter named N Lavanya; according to Kumar.

     

    Minutes after the thrashing, the crew members, along with some Captain TV employees, went to the Maduravoyal police station to file a case against these local gundas. However, the police station had a different agenda. “Police inspector Anand Babu refused to take the complaint. The reason being, the van driver who had beaten up the crew is the relative of a local politician from the ruling party. The entire police team is in their favour and not us. It’s simple: these local gundas bribe them and in return, the policemen protect them,” rues Kumar.

     

    As word spread about the police officials’ apathy, an infuriated media, including journalists from Captain TV’s rival channels, Sun TV and Pudhiya Thalamuria, as well as print journalists and members of the press club joined the protest. Other media houses such as Kalaignar TV, Public Television, Telegraph, Television Polymer, Times Now Television, New York Times, CNN, The Hindu, The Times of India and journalists from various magazines joined the protest.

     

    Notwithstanding all this fighting and protesting, the police officials arrested the entire group of protesters. “They arrested us – all 200 plus media people instead of arresting those local gundas. But today, the protest is going on in every district of Tamil Nadu,” says Kumar.

     

    The arrested persons were taken and kept throughout the night in K.V.T Mahal in Koyambedu and community hall in Aminjikarai in Chennai.
    At the time of writing this article, the policemen had still not filed any case against the attackers.

     

    “They are not filing the case against the attackers, rather they are filing cases against my people. But, we have told them to charge for attempt to murder and until then, we won’t sign any FIR. We are firm on this,” says a determined Kumar.

     

    Today, the news channel will be going to the commissioner to discuss the matter.

  • Tamil Nadu Film Exhibitors Association imposed penalty by CCI

    Tamil Nadu Film Exhibitors Association imposed penalty by CCI

    NEW DELHI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 41,393 on the Tamil Nadu Film Exhibitors’ Association (TNFEA) (now known as Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners’ Association).

     

    The penalty has been imposed in respect of information filed by Reliance Big Entertainment (RBE) alleging contravention of the provisions of Section 3 and 4 of the Competition Act.

     

    RBE alleged that it was entitled to distribute a film titled Osthe in Tamil language that was a remake of Hindi film Dabbang. However, TNFEA boycotted this film with an effort to secure a claim of its members against a third party Sun TV.

    CCI in its investigation concluded that the decisions and conduct of TNFEA in respect of the boycott against the film Osthe and other films dealt by Sun TV were in contravention of the provisions of Section 3 (3) (b).

     

    The penalty of Rs 41,393 has been imposed at 10 per cent of the average turnover of the Association for the relevant last three years. This penalty is to be deposited within 60 days of receipt of this order.

     

    The CCI has also directed TNFEA to cease and desist from indulging in such anti-competitive conduct in future.

  • I&B sets up Internal Complaints Committee for female staff

    I&B sets up Internal Complaints Committee for female staff

    NEW DELHI: In its attempt to strengthen the mechanism for redressal of grievances of the female employees working with it, the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has renamed the Women’s Cell in the Ministry which will now be known as ‘Internal Complaints Committee’. 

    The Committee will review the programmes and monitor implementation of development schemes for women in accordance with the guidelines suggested by the National Commission for Women. It will also function as the Complaint Committee in terms of the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court in a matter relating to sexual harassment in the work place, which has since been included in the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 as Rule 3 C.

    Accordingly, this Committee will also look into all complaints of sexual harassment including such complaints filed against the heads of the media units under the administrative control of this Ministry in lines with Duty of Employer at workplace or other institution to prevent or deter the commission of acts of sexual harassment in terms of guidelines and norms laid by Supreme Court in Vishakha & Others versus the State of Rajasthan and others (JT1997(7)SC 3847).