Category: Viewership

“Audiences engage with shows that have smart packaging and innovative content”: News18 CEO – Hindi news cluster K A Singh

Mumbai: For two weeks straight, News18 India has garnered the highest market share in the Hindi-speaking market compared to its competitors based on a four-week average, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) India data (HSM 15+, Week 26-29 & Week 27-30, All Days, 24 hours).

This is a big victory for the Hindi news channel, which has been a strong number two-three player in the rating battle among the top news channels. What’s more, in the crucial primetime time band (1800-2400 hours) News18 India is 1.5 percentage points above its closest competitor that had dominated the primetime band for a long time (Barc data, HSM 15+, Week 30, All Days).

Thrilled with its success, News18 India has taken out a full-page ad on the 9 August Mumbai edition of The Economic Times to communicate its position as ‘India’s No.1 News Channel.’ The full page spread features its star anchors Kishore Ajwani, Amish Devgan, Aman Chopra, Prateek Trivedi, and Preeti Raghunandan.

News18 CEO – Hindi news cluster Karan Abhishek Singh credits the channel’s leap in ratings to toning down on sensationalism, increasing the variety of coverage and bringing a perspective to the news that was unmatched by other channels. He believes all news channels work with essentially the same pool of news, but the treatment of these subjects makes all the difference.

With over two decades of experience, Singh is a seasoned professional who has built his career largely across the FMCG and media industries. He joined TV18 in January 2019 and is responsible for leading the overall profit and loss (P&L) of the Hindi language channel cluster in the organisation.

Prior to joining Network18, he spent five years at Star India as executive vice president—ad sales. He joined Star as brand head for North and led the setting up of the enterprise accounts business before managing other sales leadership roles across the entertainment business. Before that, Singh was associated with consumer product organisations like PepsiCo, Nokia, Godrej, and Hindustan Unilever, playing various roles across sales, business development, and marketing functions.

In a conversation with Indiantelevision.com, Singh speaks about News18 India’s recent performance, programming strategy, competition in the Hindi news genre, and levels of attrition in the news broadcast industry.

On News18 India garnered a significant share of ratings

Karan Abhishek Singh: When the ratings started back in March, TV9 Bharatvarsh came out on top, taking a lot of people by surprise. Outside of that, channels such as India TV or Aaj Tak, which had been leading the ratings, are both strong legacy brands. They’ve been ruling the roost for a fair bit of time.

The stronger established players are largely holding on to their own and brands like Aaj Tak, India TV, and News18 India have had a steady share of the ratings since 17 March. News18 India has worked hard to gain, in terms of ratings, bit by bit. We were a strong No. 3 and kept moving up to become No. 1 for the first time last week.

On strengthening News18 India’s leadership during primetime and other key time bands

Karan Abhishek Singh: News18 India has been number one in the primetime band for a few weeks now. We’re ahead of Aaj Tak, which used to be the leader in the primetime band for the longest time. The channel has very strong shows and a team of anchors that are indisputably the best in the Hindi news genre.

There’s no consistent leader in the morning and afternoon time bands. News18 India has climbed up rapidly in the ratings, and there are several time bands where we are in the lead. The channel aspires to lead in every single time band when the viewer is watching us and our efforts are directed towards that goal.

On what works in terms of packaging news content

Karan Abhishek Singh: It is important to understand that these are times when viewers have choices galore. The discerning viewer will watch content that they relate to, and beyond a point, audiences tend to shun sensationalist content. When there is a big breaking event happening, nationally or internationally, viewers will go watch it wherever they believe it has been well sourced.

From the viewer’s point of view, the core product remains the same, which is the kind of news that news channels show. It is the treatment. The consistency in the way the news is covered and the analytics behind it make all the difference. Sensationalism is only temporary. It can give you eyeballs for a day or two, but a consistent, fearless report without any bias is appreciated by viewers and is something we’re working hard towards.

On the strategy employed by News18 India to become No. 1

Karan Abhishek Singh: For the last four years, News18 India has been one of the top two or three players in the Hindi news genre. When Covid struck, we made certain calls on the health, safety, and welfare of our employees, which was an obvious decision. At that time, we made a conscious decision that the health and safety of our employees were the most important thing, even more than ratings.

Although we’ve been regarded as the leading tier I Hindi news channel for four-five years, we have not reached No. 1 but stood at No. 2, 3, and 4, a space which other broadcasters share.

Our strategy is always evolving depending on what we observe in the markets in terms of the preferences of our viewers in terms of news subjects and formats. Our current strategy is working well for us. Our focus is tuned to the preferences of viewers because, ultimately, that translates into loyal audiences.

There has to be stickiness to the content to bring them back to the channel. One of our strategies is to add a variety of content. For example, we launched one of our biggest IPs (intellectual property) called Amrit Ratna Samman, where we honoured eminent individuals who have contributed to the country. This show was conceptualised keeping in mind our 75th year of independence and the government of India’s ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahosav’ initiative.

Audiences engage with shows that have smart packaging and innovative content. I’d like to share an interesting anecdote regarding one of our most popular shows, Sau Baat Ki Ek Baat. One of the prominent Indians who was honoured at Amrit Ratna Samman was the legendary South Indian actor Rajnikanth. During the event, he shared that his Hindi-speaking employees watch the show Sau Baat Ki Ek Baat every day. That is strong validation for our people who work hard on the packaging of the show and the way it is curated. We intend to bring that to each of our shows and cultivate a dedicated following.

On the increasing competition in the Hindi news genre with new entrants

Karan Abhishek Singh: This genre is a priority for all stakeholders. If a new entrant feels there is a potential gap in terms of the content served to the viewer, then it is an opportunity area for them. From a viewer’s perspective, the more choices they have, the merrier. Existing players need to realise what the rest of the market is serving the viewer.

On raising the advertising rates on the channel

Karan Abhishek Singh: Our advertiser partners are sharp people who track movements in the ratings, either directly or through their agency partners. We don’t want to jump the gun just after one week of being number one. There has been great feedback from our advertising partners regarding our content. I’m reasonably confident of strengthening our leadership in the Hindi news genre even further. Once we have the loyalty and love of the largest number of viewers in the country, I’m sure advertisers will be keen to partner with us at the right value.

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August 10, 2022
“We have penetrated globally, and that shows the strength of our content”: Travelxp’s co-founder & CEO Prashant Chothani

Mumbai: Having endured two difficult years due to Covid-19, travel channel Travelxp is now looking at strong growth. Travelxp co-founder & CEO Prashant Chothani said that the broadcaster, which recently launched in Portugal, will also expand its presence in 10 more countries in future. It will also triple the content output compared to pre-Covid. He mentioned that the broadcaster is profitable while noting that content costs have more than doubled, in part due to sharply rising airfares.

In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, he said, “We have just launched in Portugal, which is our 81st country and 21st language. We will launch in 10 more countries in the upcoming months. We will soon be introducing a dedicated feed for Latin America. The aim is to enter more markets. We will ramp up our content & production initiatives to make up for the time that we lost due to Covid-19. As you know, we are a travel channel and nobody could travel. So, producing travel content was impossible. That was the biggest drawback. Now we are ramping up content production like never before. The aim is to cater to the accelerated market growth and demand.”

Growing during Covid-19: In India, the channel is produced in English and then dubbed into Hindi, Bengali, and Tamil. More Indian languages will come by the end of the year or the beginning of next year. “We will launch at least three to four new languages in India.” He maintains that the channel is profitable.

He added, “Even during Covid-19, our subscription revenues almost doubled worldwide. 95 per cent of our revenues come from subscriptions. During Covid-19 we did several distribution deals. People were sitting at home and viewing the world. We have almost grown two times. India was stagnant. 95 per cent of our revenues come from subscriptions. We are largely a subscription-driven business globally. Advertising is something that we introduced recently.”

“Audiences’ minds are open when they watch us, and they are in a great mood to receive advertiser messages. The communication impact is much higher. People are in a happy state of mind when they watch us. We have very high-end advertisers who value the kind of audience that we bring. The plan going forward is to ramp up marketing initiatives, affiliate marketing initiatives, and work with platforms around the world. Viewers will be updated on the content being produced,” Chothani said.

Content costs: He noted that the content production costs have at least doubled and, in some cases, have tripled. The cost of travel has shot up. “The flight that earlier cost Rs 40,000 now costs Rs 1,20,000. Also, content production costs are at an all-time high. But at the same time, we will produce three times the amount of content compared to pre-Covid. We have to do justice to the platforms that we are present on. We have to showcase not only good but the best quality content.”

Distribution: He maintains that not being part of a distribution network is not an issue. Today, he said, with the NTO (new tariff order), Trai wants to de-bundle. Success, he maintains, is about a channel’s USP and not being part of a network. “Nobody produces the kind of content that we do. We have penetrated globally, and that shows the strength of our content. We talk to mainstream audiences in various countries. In India too, there is an advantage. It all does not boil down to the network. That is irrelevant if the content is bad. If the content is good, anybody can sell it.” He added that NTO will keep on evolving. “People have different views on it. It is confusing. Where it will go, there is no clarity. It is caught between regulation and litigation. There is also no clarity between linear and non-linear as the latter is not regulated.”

“The distribution platforms have been impacted more. People work around it, which means that you adjust your business plans. There is both a B2B2C and D2C business. It depends on where you are and how you are being impacted. I think that DD Freedish may be a bigger issue for some broadcasters and platforms than the NTO. With changing times, channels have to change. If viewership is falling for a channel, then the programming strategy for that channel may not be correct. Or in the case of a platform, maybe the platform does not have the channel that subscribers want. It is not that viewership per se is falling. It is just that viewers have gone elsewhere. For us, we are happy with the viewership.”

At the same time, he also noted that distribution platforms have to make an effort to educate consumers about the content available on various channels. In a B2B2C, the B in the middle has to properly market to the C at the end. “There has to be the proper focus between both the Bs to reach out to the C.”

Content strategy: In terms of shows on Travelxp, he said that they are about the destination, food, culture, history, and heritage. The aim is to have the travel experience percolate into the viewer’s mind. “It is about having travel content that is informative, well researched, and produced with the highest production quality. This makes the difference. It is not a fiction show where you have to think of new stories. We have to ideate new ways of experiential travel that can be introduced and what new destinations in the content line-up can be showcased. Till now, we have filmed in 65 odd countries. There are always new ways of presenting content and presenting a destination. Each piece of content is unique. It is completely different.”

Shedding light on the amount of time it takes to produce a show, he said, “It takes nine to 10 months to create a show of two to three hours. Research takes two months at least. One month is spent on pre-production, getting the required permissions, etc. One to 1.5 months is spent on production. Then two months are devoted to post-production in terms of things like colouring, grading, etc. It is like making a movie. We will make a movie about that destination. You cannot go wrong when it comes to research. It is not like filming for a social media platform. You cannot take away from what they are doing, but the audience there consumes it for fun.”

“People consume us for information, knowledge, entertainment, and infotainment. People come to us. On social media, travel content comes to you. It is content that comes by the way. People, on the other hand, watch Travelxp by appointment,” he explained.

The travel scenario: He noted that right now there is a huge boom in travel and it is about revenge travel. But he also explains that things will be moderated in a few months. He does not think that Covid-19 and monkeypox will be a challenge. People, he noted today, do not care about it. “I don’t think people are even bothered about them. Nobody is withdrawing from travel due to any threat. Unless something dramatic happens, there will be no impact,” he said.

The potential inflation impact: He does, however, concede that inflation is a challenge. The challenge will be seen months down the line. That is because people plan their travels slightly in advance. So the inflation impact on travel will come up pretty late. There is a time lag. He noted, “The cause and effect time lag will be there, and at the same time, revenge travel will settle down. Between 3-6 months, you will see revenge travel moderately. Things will become real.”

“Inflationary pressures will add to the travel impact. There will be a scale down from the travel levels that are being seen now. This is a temporary travel boom being seen now. My hope, though, is that more and more people will want to travel now, which will be very good for us and other travel stakeholders. Earlier, travel was a luxury. Now people view travel as a necessity.”

Travelxp, he added, also plays the role of a memory re-collector for viewers who have visited a destination that is being showcased. “It is also a great infotainment entertainer. You want informational content that gives you relief from the pressure of the inflationary times that we live in. Viewers get refreshed and inspired by our content. Viewers relive memories with us. People remember our content for a long, long time.”

The challenge: Right now, the challenge for the travel industry is that the stakeholders, like airports, are struggling to cope with the huge demand. “Fares are exorbitantly high; airports and hotels are facing financial pressure. Revenge travel is happening. People just want to travel. We are exploring new destinations. We are also revisiting destinations that we have covered in the past, and we aim to show viewers how they can explore the same destination in a new way. Our job is to excite travellers,” he said.

Being about the big screen: On digital, Travelxp has an app which was launched in the previous quarter. But he stressed that content created is meant to be watched on the television set, not on the mobile. That is why features like augmented reality will not play a role in Travelxp.

“Travelxp is a big-screen television experience. We are not producing content for mobile phones. There you fight with the likes of Youtube and Instagram, where user-generated content comes into play. Television cannot work for augmented reality. Even on non-linear apps, everything has shifted to the television set.”

He also noted that it is a false statement that content viewership is migrating from TV to OTT. People are also taking OTT and are also watching linear TV. It remains to be seen if OTT growth remains high. The base was low, he explains. In the long run, the current distribution platforms like Tata Play and Hathway will offer an aggregated offering of linear and non-linear. The aggregator model also has a role in Travelxp’s distribution plans, he explains. “The future will see everything available. You can buy an app on a standalone basis and also through the aggregator route, where both TV channels and OTT apps are available in one place.”

August 9, 2022
HT Media hopeful of a resurgence in the mid to long term

Mumbai: In a message to shareholders to announce its first quarter results, HT Media, Hindustan Media Ventures chairperson and editorial director Shobhana Bhartia said that in the near term, the company expects market sentiment and growth to remain a bit subdued but is hopeful of a resurgence in the mid to long term. “Despite external macro headwinds, we remain committed to our journalism and to serving all our customers and stakeholders.”

She noted that the first quarter of FY 2022–23 began on a positive note with a strong performance in the previous fiscal year, with overall business performance and the larger economic and business environment seeing considerable improvement, especially in the latter half of the fiscal.

“But it also began amidst indications of headwinds in terms of escalating material input costs owing to geopolitical tensions and protracted global conflicts. Our print business saw significant pricing pressure as material prices continued to remain at elevated levels even as a rise in general inflation impacted the overall cost of doing business. Advertising revenue across print, radio, and circulation revenues remained healthy.”

HT Media posted its consolidated net losses, narrowed to Rs 41.80 crore for the quarter ended 30 June. Revenue from operations rose 72.5 per cent to Rs 420.09 crore during the same period against Rs 243.53 in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Total expenses recorded during the quarter stood at Rs 496.78 crore compared to Rs 371.69 crore.

HT Media’s revenue from printing & publishing of newspapers and periodicals surged 71.51 per cent YoY to Rs 347.65 crore in Q1 FY2022-23.

Its revenue from radio broadcast and entertainment rose two-fold to Rs 33.36 crore and digital was at Rs 38.76 crore, up 33.47 per cent.

On the outlook, Bhartia said, “In the near term, we expect market sentiment and growth to remain a bit subdued, but are hopeful of a resurgence in the mid to long term. Despite external macro headwinds, we remain committed to our journalism and to serving all our customers and stakeholders.”

August 9, 2022
Paramount Q2 revenue up by 19% to $7.7 mn

Mumbai: Media conglomerate Paramount has announced that film and strong direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth has propelled a 19 per cent rise in revenue to $7.7 million in the second quarter. Paramount+ and Pluto TV continue to drive subscriber and user momentum. Total global DTC subscribers rose to nearly 64 million, which reflects the removal of 3.9 million Russia subscribers.

Paramount+ added 4.9 million subscribers and revenue grew by 120 per cent. It expanded Pluto TV global monthly active users (MAUs) to nearly 70 million. It said that the service has extended its lead as the number one free ad-supported streaming TV service in the US. “Top Gun: Maverick” powered a 126 per cent growth in film. It surpassed “Titanic” to become the biggest Paramount movie of all time in the US. Meanwhile five Paramount Pictures movies debuted at number one at the Box Office in the first half of 2022.

Paramount president and CEO Bob Bakish said, “Paramount continues to build momentum with the assets, strategy and ability to compete—and win. In Q2, we grew total company revenue by 19 per cent and took market share in streaming, in broadcast TV, in box office and in upfront dollars, all while increasing our penetration of the most important growth market in media—streaming. At the heart of that growth was our hugely popular content—from the cultural phenomenon and #1 movie in the world, Top Gun: Maverick, to the most popular show in the country, Yellowstone. Our deep and growing library of valuable IP, coupled with the strength of our best-in-class assets, ensures we are well-positioned to continue to maximise value for our shareholders.”

Paramount’s DTC revenue increased 56 per cent year-over-year. Subscription revenue grew 74 per cent year-over-year to $830 million, principally reflecting paid subscriber growth on Paramount+. The Ad revenue rose 25 per cent year-over-year, reflecting growth from Paramount+ and Pluto TV, driven by increased impressions on both services. The company’s revenue grew 120 per cent. Adjusted OIBDA (operating income before depreciation and amortisation) decreased $302 million year-over-year, reflecting increased investment in our DTC services.

TV Media revenue rose by one per cent year-over-year, reflecting growth in content licensing revenues, partially offset by lower advertising and affiliate revenues. Ad revenue decreased by six per cent year-over-year, as pricing only partially offset the impact of lower linear impressions and FX. Affiliate and subscription revenue declined by three per cent year-over-year, driven by lower revenues in international markets, where the company restructured key affiliate agreements, resulting in a shift of revenue from pay television services to DTC services. Licensing and other revenues grew 27 per cent year-over-year. Adjusted Oibda decreased by eight per cent year-over-year, primarily driven by the lower ad and affiliate revenues.

In the film segment revenue as mentioned earlier grew by 126 per cent year-over-year, led by the strong performance of current quarter theatrical releases. Theatrical revenue increased by $630 million primarily driven by the releases of “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” in the quarter. Licensing and other revenue grew by 27 per cent year-over-year, primarily driven by the monetisation of recent theatrical releases. Adjusted OIBDA increased by $129 million in the quarter, reflecting the strong performance of current year releases.

August 8, 2022
Female representation in mainstream film & entertainment industry is low currently: O Womaniya! 2022 study

Mumbai: A recent report reveals that female representation in the film & entertainment sector is minimal currently. The report is conducted by Ormax Media and Film Companion and titled as O Womaniya! 2022. The report is supported by entertainment hub Prime Video.

The report highlights on-screen and off-screen representation of women by analysing over 150 theatrical films, streaming films and series released in 2021 across eight Indian languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, and Gujarati.

The report studied the representation and participation of women across three major categories—”content” which included female representation on-screen and behind the camera; “marketing” which studied female representation in promotional trailers of films and series; and “corporate” which analysed female representation in boardrooms of the top 25 media and entertainment firms. The key findings are:

Low – representation off-screen: Behind the camera, women are underrepresented, with only 10 per cent of the head of department (HOD) positions held by women across key divisions (production design, writing, editing, direction, and cinematography). Out of the 56 theatrical films analysed across languages, not even one was directed or edited by a woman. Women held only 10 per cent of senior leadership positions in decision-making media and entertainment corporations, resulting in a ripple effect on inclusivity throughout the production and execution chain.

Low – representation on-screen: Only 55 per cent of the movies and series passed the Bechdel Test. Even in promotional trailers analysed through the Trailer Talk Time Test, women had only 25 per cent of the talk time, with 48 titles even allocating 10 seconds or less to female characters.

Women hire more women: The percentage of female HODs doubled when a woman greenlit a series or a film. Similarly, a higher percentage of films passed the Bechdel Test (68 per cent) and women had higher trailer talk time (35 per cent) if the title was commissioned by a woman.

Streaming is driving the change: Streaming films and series performed better than theatrical films across all parameters, indicating the change the sector is ushering in representation on and off-screen. For instance, the representation of female HODs in streaming films and series was five times higher than in theatrical films. Similarly, 64 per cent of streaming series and 55 per cent of streaming films passed the Bechdel Test, as opposed to more than half of theatrical films failing it. Likewise, streaming films and series provided more talk time to female characters in trailers, leading theatrical films by 10 percentage points and 14 percentage points, respectively.

The report received collaboration from multiple entities within the media and entertainment industry. This includes industry bodies like the Producers Guild of India and the Active Telugu Film Producers Guild, streaming services like hoichoi, SonyLIV, Voot and ZEE5, along with leading film studios like Clean Slate Filmz, Dharma Productions, Emmay Entertainment, Excel Entertainment, Purple Pebble Pictures, RSVP and Sikhya Entertainment.

O Womaniya! 2022 was also supported by actor Vidya Balan, who, over the last seventeen years, has led and furthered the mandate for female-led stories across theatrical and streaming films.

Ormax Media founder and CEO Shailesh Kapoor said, “While it’s no surprise that female representation in mainstream entertainment is low, the degree of skew, such as 10:90 on some key parameters, should be a wake-up call. While streaming titles, especially series, are more women-inclusive in on and off-screen representation, theatrical films continue to perform very poorly, and in fact, have shown no positive growth at all since the previous report, which covered content released in 2019 & 2020. We hope that this report serves as a starting point for the industry to come together and discuss ways to address the evident imbalance.”

Sharing his thoughts on the findings, Film Companion founder and editor Anupama Chopra said, “Data is essential to understanding how drastically skewed the gender equation in the Indian film industry is. O Womaniya! provides us with the starting point for discussion and debate. Starting out as an effort by Ormax Media and Film Companion, the initiative has now found resonance with the entire industry. The support that we have received from film bodies, streaming services, and studios is heartening. We will continue to build on this momentum and hopefully lead the way to change.”

Talking about the significance of the report, Prime Video head of originals Aparna Purohit commented, “While there have been improvements in female representation in Indian entertainment, there hasn’t been any data-backed report in India that can hold a mirror up to the current reality. O Womaniya! 2022 fills the much-needed gap with its rich insights. We are thrilled to join hands with Ormax Media and Film Companion on an initiative that is in sync with our philosophy on equitable representation. The report serves as a good starting point to initiate discussions on the need to involve more women, particularly in decision-making roles, as that has a ripple effect on inclusivity in the entire ecosystem. Change has to be persistent and intentional, and we need to take constant steps to improve these numbers year after year.”

Elaborating on the role of streaming in improving female representation, she added, “Streaming services have certainly opened the doors for more inclusive storytelling that provides greater opportunities for women. Streaming has given voice to more female storytellers, resulting in an increase in stories that are driven by female characters with agency. At Prime Video, we have rolled out an inclusion policy playbook that has institutionalised certain guidelines to ensure equal female representation on and off-screen. These range from mandatory female representation in writers’ rooms to evaluating every script on specific parameters. I am certain that streaming is going to further lead the charge on diversity, equity and inclusivity in Indian entertainment.”

Reacting to the findings shared in the report, Vidya Balan said, “As an actor, I have noticed the change in female representation in films in the last decade and a half. From seeing just a handful of women on sets to now having women lead film-making by taking charge of direction, editing, and other key departments, we have come a long way. While this change has been underway for a while, it’s now become stronger with streaming services that have introduced the much-needed diversity in storytelling and on sets. However, the report indicates that we still have a lot of ground to cover. And this can only happen when we have more women in the boardrooms, prompting change right at the heart of decision-making.”

“As female actors in positions of influence, we need to push for more female representation behind the camera in order to have more sensitive, authentic and relatable representation in front of it too. I am glad to be associated with the report and commend Ormax Media, Film Companion, Prime Video, and all other entities for taking the step towards documenting female representation in Indian entertainment. We now need to move the needle from intention to action, and work towards minimising and disrupting biases,” she added.

August 5, 2022
Sony Pictures Networks India’s content-head Ashish Golwalkar resigns

Mumbai: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India head content for Sonyliv & Sony Entertainment Television Ashish Golwalkar has decided to move on. He completed his six-year association with the channel successfully.

At SPN, he was responsible for the content programming on its flagship general entertainment channel (GEC) Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and its OTT platforms Sonyliv. While he was at Sony, it rolled out hit web series such as Scam: 1992, Rocket Boys, Undekhi, Avrodh, Gullak, Tabbar, The Whistleblower, Cubicles among others. He also was behind Shark Tank India and the revival of Indian Idol on SET.

Golwalkar has more than 24 years of experience in sales and marketing, content syndication, brand management and content creation. He wrote/co-wrote multiple award-winning non-scripted formats during his association with leading broadcasters Sony Pictures Networks, Zee Entertainment Enterprises and Star India (Disney Star).

August 5, 2022
News18 India garners 12.8 per cent average market share during Week 27-30: Barc

Mumbai: News18 India has widened its lead in the Hindi-speaking 15+ market with 12.8 per cent market share during Week 27-30 as per Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) India data.

As per Barc ratings released on Thursday, Aaj Tak garnered a 12.02 per cent relative share and India TV stood at 12.01 per cent.

Republic Bharat had 11.2 per cent relative share, followed by TV9 Bharatvarsh with 9.8 per cent share, Zee News at 7.2 per cent, ABP News 6.6 at per cent, Times Now Navbharat at 6.4 per cent, News Nation at 5.8 per cent, Good News Today at 5.1 per cent and Zee Hindustan at 4.1 per cent.

News18 India further strengthened its position during primetime hours between 1800-2400 hours with 13.6 per cent market share. Aaj Tak had a 12.1 per cent relative share, followed by Republic Bharat at 12.0 per cent, TV9 Bharatvarsh at 10.6 per cent, Zee News at 7.6 per cent, ABP News at 6.6 per cent and Times Now Navbharat at 5.7 per cent.

Source: BARC data, TG: NCCS 15+ (All Viewership data based on TV only) Wk 27-30’22: 22nd July’22 to 29th July’22, All Days, 24 hrs Market Share – HSM – Urban + Rural

In the last few months, News18 India has spruced up its content and programming strategy, coupled with new marketing initiatives.

Network18 CEO Hindi Cluster Karan Abhishek Singh said, “Continuous dominance of News18 India as the country’s top news channel shows the kind of viewer’s affinity and trust the channel enjoys. Our robust line-up of shows and anchors also keeps us ahead in primetime. Our focus on news, unmatched perspective, insightful analysis, and debates are the key differentiating factors that keep us ahead of the competition.”

The channel has not only performed well on TV, but its digital audience base has also seen steep growth.

News18 India managing editor Kishore Ajwani said, “There are a multitude of reasons which have helped us become a daily household name across India. The strong line-up of story-driven shows, the diversity of content, debates that offer perspective, and our fast-paced information delivery, all of these offerings have contributed to the increase in engagement with the audience and resonance of the channel.”

August 4, 2022
Travelxp partners with MEO to air its shows in Portugal

Mumbai: Travelxp has partnered with Portugal’s telecommunications company, MEO, to expand its reach in European countries, after 11 years of success in television broadcasting.

Its premium travel and lifestyle content will be available in high definition for MEO subscribers on channel 124 for MEO ADSL and MEO Fiber (with MEOBox), MEO Android and Apple TV and MEO Go and in 4K on position 400 on MEO Fiber (MEOBox 4k) and MEO Android and Apple TV.

Its shows have been localised as part of the channel’s commitment to connecting with audiences in their native language. Travelxp is already available in 17 languages and in over 20 countries throughout Europe.

This year, Travelxp will produce many more unique and interesting shows. Following the success of its previous shows, such as Off The Grid and Boarding Pass, Travelxp has raised the bar with new shows such as The Gypsies and The Savvy Nomad.

The channel has established a strong foothold in many European countries over the years, and it now hopes to gain the love of viewers in Portugal in the same way it has in other countries.

Travelxp managing director – Europe Sumant Bahl said, “Television is unequivocally the dominant medium in Portuguese society. According to a study I came across recently, the average daily television viewing per person in Portugal is four hours and 47 minutes. This has got us excited about launching the premium HDR content of Travelxp 4K in HLG HDR, 10-bit REC 2100 colour space and 50 frames on one of the main platforms in the country, MEO Altice. Not only will the resolution make it a more vivid and immersive experience for the audience in Portugal, but we are also confident that they will love our programmes that feature some of the world’s most beautiful destinations and the unforgettable experiences to be had when you visit them.”

Travelxp is available in over 80 countries and has 1000+ hours of premium travel and lifestyle content. It is one of the world’s largest producers of travel content and a pioneer in 4K HDR technology.

All Travelxp shows are original in-house productions filmed across 55+ countries with multi-cultural hosts from around the world.

August 3, 2022
MTV India & Fully Faltoo announce a strategic partnership with Snap Inc

Mumbai: Viacom18’s Youth, Music and English entertainment (YME) cluster announced a strategic content partnership with Snap Inc. The cluster aims to provide its clutter-breaking content and innovations from Fully Faltoo and MTV India to Snapchat’s widespread user-community.

Snapchatters will get to enjoy snackable content and snackable clips of select content across genres and a variety of youth fiction and non-fiction shows—from Parodize Station and Bad Breakups from multi-format content destination Fully Faltoo, to pop-culture and genre-defining MTV offerings such as Splitsvilla, Hustle 2.0, new seasons of action-adventure reality show Roadies and more.

Speaking on the partnership with Snap Inc., Viacom18 YME cluster digital partnership lead Tarun Saxena said, “As we continue to scale up, we aim to close the fragmentation of touchpoints and offer our cluster’s rapidly growing content inventory to our audience through a multiplatform strategy. Engaging with the dynamic generation of Snapchatters, we see a great opportunity to achieve meaningful reach and deepen engagement with the youth across yet another canvas.”

Snap director media-partnerships-APAC Kanishk Khanna added, “At Snap, we are committed to localising the app experience for our Indian community and driving relevant, interesting content for them. Our partnership with Viacom18’s Youth, Music and Entertainment cluster will add value to Snapchatters and reinforce our local-first content strategy.”

As short-form content continues to permeate and significantly redefine mainstream consumption, snackable content has become the mainstay of audience engagement and transmedia storytelling. Riding this wave and surpassing its own benchmarks with a swiftly growing content library, the YME cluster is all set to revolutionise the category with unique digital partnerships.

August 3, 2022
Zee Zest presents new culinary show ‘Patt-ay Ki baat’

Mumbai: Zee Zest has recently launched its new show, Patt-ay Ki Baat. The show carries a unique concept with a different perspective on green leafy vegetables and herbs found in India and globally. Hosted and directed by celebrity chef Ajay Chopra, Patt-ay Ki Baat airs every Thursday and Friday on Zee Zest SD & HD, and Zeezest.com at 1.00 p.m.

Using 48 different kinds of ingredients such as fenugreek, moringa, coriander, curry, bay, colocasia, sage, thyme, rosemary, and more, the show is set to showcase unique dishes using these leaves as a spice/flavouring agent, a main course ingredient, and a cooking agent that will surely add a newfound freshness to every meal!

Speaking on the concept of the show, Zee Zest business head Amit Nair said, “Leaves have always been present in most of our meals and have been a part of Indian heritage since time immemorial due to their medicinal, aromatic, herbal, and flavorful properties, but they haven’t received the spotlight they deserve. This is why Patt-ay Ki Baat highlights a sense of urgency or importance in its concept that focuses on showcasing the benefits, elements, and utility of leaves, which hasn’t been done before. We hope audiences will find inspiration from the various nutritious and tasty recipes we have curated and can adapt the same as they cook nourishing food to keep their families healthy too.”

Users can avail more useful information from Patt-ay Ka Corner and Patt-ay Ki Tip. Patt-ay Ka Corner is a kitchen corner with homegrown leaves and herbs that give the space a healthy and refreshing vibe, whereas Patt-ay Ki Tip solves a common recurring problem of quickly drying leaves with helpful suggestions on preserving them.

August 2, 2022