ITV

Category: Viewership

  • ViacomCBS teams up with VideoAmp for TV Measurement after Nielsen loses accreditation

    ViacomCBS teams up with VideoAmp for TV Measurement after Nielsen loses accreditation

    New Delhi: Media and entertainment major ViacomCBS on Tuesday announced its partnership with software and data platform, VideoAmp for TV measurement data, possibly leading the way for other networks as they explore alternative means of counting their audiences.

    The announcement comes weeks after the US industry watchdog Media Rating Council (MRC) suspended the accreditation of Nielsen’s TV rating service. The suspension of the decades-old TV rating service followed a long standoff between Nielsen and the networks over the former’s services, including discrepancies in the data shared by the company during the pandemic. It was for the first time since the 1960s, that Nielsen’s measurement lost a “seal of approval” from the industry that uses it, leading advertisers and TV networks to seek alternate means of counting their audiences. 

    According to the partnership announced on Tuesday, VideoAmp will provide ViacomCBS with an alternative currency to plan, transact and measure national media campaigns accelerating the company’s multi-currency strategy. ViacomCBS which owns CBS, cable networks including Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, and ad-supported streaming services Pluto TV and Paramount Plus will leverage VideoAmp’s proprietary commingled TV Viewership dataset to guarantee linear media transactions against age and gender demographics.

    “The measurement marketplace needs diversification. VideoAmp is an innovator who can help us accelerate our vision around the future of currency. We are excited to leverage their platform to bring better insights and better measurement to advertisers and their agencies,” said ViacomCBS COO of advertising revenue John Halley in a statement.

    Additionally, the media and entertainment company will utilise VideoAmp’s data as an underlying currency to create and guarantee delivery of media campaigns against customised advanced audience segments through Vantage, ViacomCBS’ advanced advertising platform. Vantage is a sophisticated data-targeting platform, offering predictive modeling, continual optimisation, and insights to help advertisers understand their audiences and how best to reach them. 

    Meanwhile, VideoAmp aspires to redefine the way media is valued, bought, and sold. “The VideoAmp dataset is known for its scale as well as its proprietary methodology of combining STB and ACR data into a unified dataset, which enables a de-duplicated view of media delivery and advertising performance against any audience across traditional TV, streaming video, and digital media,” said the data platform in a statement.

    “We are thrilled to be partnering with ViacomCBS as an alternative currency as they go into a new broadcast season. We truly value ViacomCBS and its forward-thinking strategy when it comes to a new era of media transaction, measurement, and, ultimately, the currency options that power it. We want to unlock value for publishers in a privacy-safe way that keeps their audiences at the forefront, regardless of the channel they’re using,” said VideoAmp CEO and co-founder Ross McCray.

  • Republic Media Network organises its first-ever Social Media Summit

    Republic Media Network organises its first-ever Social Media Summit

    Mumbai: The potential for digital & social media in India is unmatched, from the perspective of creators, platforms, engines as well as the audience. To address India’s Social Media Powerhouse, Republic Media Network hosted the first edition of the ‘Social Media Summit.’ The event will be telecast on the channel this weekend.

    The event brought together the best minds from different digital and social media avenues, from big-tech to Indian unicorns, from social media stakeholders to voices from the government – onto a single platform.

    The summit kick-started with an off-the-cuff one-one session with Facebook India managing director Ajit Mohan and Republic Media Network editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in a freewheeling conversation about regulation, accountability, and how platforms need to comply with the law of the land under the theme “Bringing the World Closer.”

    “Over the last six months to a year, there has been an incredible amount of conversation about social media, its regulations & responsibility. These conversations are not in isolation but linked to the fact that internet penetration, usage, accessibility has grown dramatically over the last decade,” said Goswami. “When we conceived the idea of Social Media Summit, it was to ensure that we take two steps back away from our roles as stakeholders & users, and look at it as something in which the future of the country is vested in.”

    The event had several sessions, which included discussions on the fight against fake news, and social media market. ‘The Fight Against Fake News’ panel discussed the issue of misinformation and fake news. Moderated by Counselage India, managing partner Suhel Seth, the panel featured author Dr Ratan Sharda, Aarin Capital Partners chairman Mohandas Pai, brand guru Harish Bijoor, senior advocate Gaurav Pachnanda.

    The ‘Buck Stops with Platforms’ panel deliberated if there is a need to regulate platforms and discuss whether platforms are above accountability. It featured scientists Anand Ranganathan, Supreme Court advocate and founder Cyber Saathi N S Nappinai, Supreme Court advocate, Digital rights activist Lizzie O’Shea, and senior advisor, ministry of I&B, Kanchan Gupta.

    Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar addressed the summit on the impact of the social media influencer phenomena. The Keynote address focused on the potential of change and reach that being an influencer provides and the counterbalancing of this with brand integrations, social responsibility, and being real with the audience under the theme ‘Influencers on Centrestage.’

    The ‘The Social Media Market’ panel deliberated on how equipped Digital India is to deal with this energised growth of social media. Moderated by the US immigration attorney Karthikeya, the panel featured Food Darzee co-founder Dr Siddhant Bhargava, magicpin co-founder and CEO Anshoo Sharma, Mullen Lintas chief creative officer Garima Khandelwal, and MYn founder and CEO AS Rajgopal.

    The panel ‘Social Media: Bane or Boon’ panel was dedicated to truly understanding the conundrum and possibly finding a solution to the baffling new issue the world faces. Featuring ANI editor Smita Prakash, actor Madhoo, Sinan Aral, Professor David Austin Professor, and Shefali Vaidya. The panel was moderated by defence and strategic analyst Major Gaurav Arya.

    The centrality of social media platforms to the creation and distribution of content will be a defining tenet of the Indian media landscape for the foreseeable future. Koo co-founder and CEO Aprameya Radhakrishna embodied the glorious potential of the Indian entrepreneurial spirit and the aspirations he has with respect to Koo’s future in his Keynote address under the theme ‘Future Social Media.’

    The panel on ‘What’s Next for Social Media?’ deliberated on the new and emerging challenges with respect to social media platforms. Moderated by Republic Media Network executive editor-news Niranjan Narayanaswamy, the panel featured Trell CEO Pulkit Agarwal, Dentsu CEO APAC and chairman India, Ashish Bhasin, Verse Innovation co-founder Umang Bedi, and advocate Dr Pawan Duggal.

  • Sun TV regains top spot in week 37: Barc

    Sun TV regains top spot in week 37: Barc

    Mumbai: Sun TV has regained the top position in week 37 replacing Star Maa which was the most viewed channel last week, according to Barc data. The Tamil GEC clocked 2722.56 weekly AMAs in week 37 (11 September to 17 September). The figure for week 36 when it was at the third position stood at 2789.9 AMA, clearly indicating a significant drop on overall viewership.

    Star Maa, on the other hand, dropped to the third position below Star plus. The two channels recorded weekly AMAs of 2568.47 (‘000s) and 2719.62 (‘000s) respectively.

    The top-ten list for week 37 was dominated by six regional GECs in all. Star Vijay (Tamil) was at the sixth spot, Zee Telugu and Zee Kannada at eighth and ninth, and Star Pravah (Marathi) which has been leading the Maharashtra/Goa market was the new entrant in the All-India list at the last position.

    Colors, Star Utsav and Sony SAB grabbed the fourth, fifth and seventh spot.

    Sun TV was the top performer in the mega cities as well as the South market with 464.77 (‘000s) and 2714.62 (‘000s) AMAs. Star Plus, Colors, Star Vijay and Sony SAB clinched the remaining posts in the mega cities. Star Maa, Star Vijay, Zee Kannada and Zee Telugu were at the second to fifth position in South region.

    In Maharashtra/Goa, Star Pravah led the tally with 1519.22 AMAs. At 1101.57 AMA Star Jalsha was the most viewed channel in West Bengal, Tarang (429.76) in Odisha, Zee Kannada (1526.03) in Karnataka, Star Utsav (237.3) in Rajasthan and Zee Anmol (343.91) in UP/Uttarakhand.

  • Fox Entertainment launches Unscripted Format Fund to identify IP for global market

    Fox Entertainment launches Unscripted Format Fund to identify IP for global market

    Mumbai: Fox Entertainment and in-house studio Fox Alternative Entertainment launched an international unscripted format fund to look for Intellectual Property (IP) for the global marketplace.

    The decision is part of Fox Entertainment’s strategy to build and diversify its portfolio of content and revenue streams, said CEO Charlie Collier as he made the announcement on Friday. It will invest in and develop internationally originated unscripted program concepts ranging from reality-competition and variety series to other genres for platforms.

    “Fox has long been a global leader in alternative programming. This enviable track record of more than three decades of success brings with it great expectations to remain as the world’s preeminent platform in the genre,” said Colier. “This fund presents us with the opportunity to continue identifying and curating formats that fulfil several key objectives: diversify our slate of owned content, expand Fox’s interests globally, and better serve our platform partners.”

    Alternative Entertainment president Rob Wade who leads the Specials for Fox Entertainment will be responsible for overseeing the fund. FAE will co-produce series selected by the fund with each series’ partner, in order to provide cost-effective programming to local broadcasters.

    FAE was formed in 2019 to oversee the production of Fox’s hit singing competition series and TV’s prime time programme – ‘The Masked Singer’. In addition to the ‘Masker Singer’, it produced ‘I Can See Your Voice’, last season’s top unscripted program, ‘The Masked Dancer’, ‘Name That Tune’, and Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast and Roast 2021, as well as co-produces ‘Ultimate Tag’.

  • TV ad volumes saw 17 per cent growth in August: Barc data

    TV ad volumes saw 17 per cent growth in August: Barc data

    Mumbai: TV ad volumes saw 17 per cent growth in August as compared to the previous month, according to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) India data. The month recorded the highest ad volumes on TV since the second lockdown in April with 158 million seconds.

    There were 2803 active advertisers and 4415 active brands on TV which is a 23 per cent growth over August 2019 and 19 per cent growth over August 2020. “Indian marketers and brands continue to place their trust in television once again as India kickstarted its festive season for 2021,” said Barc India in a statement.

    “As we kickstarted India’s festive season with Onam, we have seen growth in ad volumes in Malayalam channels for August compared to previous weeks and also compared to previous years,” observed Barc India head of client partnership and revenue Aaditya Pathak. “We continue to see a strong upward trend in the e-commerce category and a new category, corporate and brand image, joining the top ten sectors. Bhojpuri language channels are recording strong growth with ad volumes being almost at par with Punjabi and Marathi language channels.”

    The ad volumes of the top ten advertisers grew by 29 per cent while the next 40 saw 19 per cent growth and the remainder, 22 per cent growth in August, versus the same period for 2019.

    FMCG continued to dominate with the highest share with 92.9 million seconds of ad volumes and has grown by 22 per cent over the same period in 2019. With 4.4. million seconds of ad volumes for corporate and brand image, the industry witnessed a staggering growth of 570 per cent over the same period last year where it had recorded 0.7 million seconds. The E-commerce and BFSI industries grew by 109 per cent and 110 per cent.

    FMCG, e-commerce, building, industrial and land materials/equipment, corporate and brand image and auto, are the top five industries to dominate by share.

    Ad volumes for Bhojpuri language channels grew by 113 per cent, recording the highest growth across languages followed by Punjabi with 47 per cent, Marathi with 32 per cent and Hindi and Tamil at 28 per cent each. 

    Hindi language channels however continue to dominate share with 49 million seconds followed by Tamil and Telugu with 17 million seconds and 13 million seconds. Onam week recorded 2.23 million seconds of ad volumes, 13 per cent higher than 2019. Ad volumes during Onam week for Malayalam channels also increased by 22 per cent compared to the previous four weeks.

  • The whys and wherefores of the Zeel-SPNI merger proposal

    The whys and wherefores of the Zeel-SPNI merger proposal

    Mumbai: After days of conjectures fueled by boardroom battles, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) pulled off a tour de force early on Wednesday announcing the company’s plans for a mega-merger with arch-rival Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). With their combined linear networks, digital assets, production operations, and programme libraries, the two companies are set to create one of India’s largest media and entertainment entities in terms of market share. It will not only rival market leader Disney Star India, but it could well pip the former at the post in revenues when it does go through.

    The news was not completely unexpected; talks of a merger between the two networks had been in the news intermittently for almost two years now. They had flirted with each other and other suitors intermittently. According to various media reports, both SPNI and Zeel had been on the lookout for a partner that could bring in mutual synergies, while minimising clashes, to fend off competition amid growing consolidation in the media and entertainment industry.  Each one of them had also explored a merger with the Mukesh Ambani-owned Viacom18 to challenge the Disney-Star collaboration that has been dominating the content market, however, without success. RIL owns a majority stake in Viacom18, which is a joint venture between TV18 Broadcast Ltd and US-based ViacomCBS Inc. With the current merger, the companies have seemed to found what each of them was looking for to turbocharge their future growth.

    If Zeel is backed by its core strength in content creation in both mainline Hindi and regional languages, SPNI brings along its well-consolidated entertainment and sports genre creating a potent combination. SPNI also leads in the English/premium factual entertainment genre, but in return, it will get an opportunity to leverage Zeel’s pervasive reach built over decades.

    Despite recent challenges, the network has come a long way since its launch three decades ago. Zeel continues to maintain its hold in the HSM with its FTA channel Zee Anmol being the steady top grosser in the UP/Uttarakhand market, and down south with regional GECs Zee Kannada or Telugu. The merger could also help SPNI to adopt a well-positioned strategy that has so far oscillated between targeting mass and metro audiences.  It could also bolster their growing digital businesses, bringing together the two streaming platforms-  Zee5 and SonyLIV. 

    The reality is that both Zeel and SPNI are no strangers when it comes to striking a deal. One can hark back to a time half a decade ago when the Subhash Chandra-run company had hawked off its Ten Sports channel and related sports business to SPNI – a deal which has served the latter well.

    With the latest merger announcement, Zeel has also pulled off a coup of sorts in favour of its MD and CEO Punit Goenka who will now lead the combined media entity. The announcement is crucial, as it boosts his position at a time when two of Zeel’s top investors – had called for his ouster, making corporate governance allegations against him and some Zeel board members.

    Over the last year, Goenka has focused on transforming the company into a new ‘Zee 4.0 vision’ – led by a revamped programming line-up of its linear channel portfolio in the key markets, and the launch of new channels. In its recent annual general meeting (AGM), Goenka had elaborated how Zeel’s future roadmap for the next three years will be led by digital. “We are still in investment mode for our digital business and our film business. We enjoyed leadership in several of the markets that we operate in,” he told shareholders last week.

    Zeel’s linear business has managed to retain its profitability, but its flagship channel Zee TV has been looking to regain its standing in the non-fiction content where it used to be a strong player until a few years back, with popular properties like Sa Re Ga Ma and DID.

    Goenka also told shareholders about Zeel’s plans to become the leading studio in films across six languages and increases its market share in the music category. SPNI, on its part, has recently stepped up its content creation capability in-house through its TV and OTT show and film production units. Zeel and SPNI’s union on this front will prove beneficial in many ways.

    The most important benefit that the merger brings to the table is even higher economies of scale. Zeel has over the years built its reputation as an excellent cost-efficient media company, even as SPNI is one of the more profitably run broadcasters. Their coming together is likely to bring in even more cost-efficiencies because of the scale that their marriage will usher in, enabling tougher negotiating power with suppliers and with clients. Additionally, internal cost savings will also be generated as the merged entity right sizes itself in terms of manpower, talent, and functions.

    The merger announced on Wednesday is subject to regulatory approvals, but once it goes through, it will result in SPNI holding a majority of 52.93 per cent with Zeel and its shareholders having 47.01 per cent of the new entity. But, the promoter family will remain free to increase its holding from four per cent to 20 per cent over time. SPNI will hold the majority share in the new media entity and its shareholders will pump in growth capital of $1.575 billion to strengthen the company’s digital platforms across technology and content, ability to bid for broadcasting rights in the fast-growing sports landscape and pursue other growth opportunities.

    The combined company’s board of directors would include directors nominated by the Sony Group and result in it having the right to nominate the majority of the members. 

  • Neilsen announces ‘Impressions-First Initiative’ for cross-platform measurement

    Neilsen announces ‘Impressions-First Initiative’ for cross-platform measurement

    Mumbai: Nielsen has announced that it will take the lead on an ‘Impressions-First Initiative’ to support an industry-wide move to impressions-based buying and selling in local markets across the US. The move to impressions will occur in conjunction with the integration of broadband-only (BBO) homes into Nielsen’s local measurement metrics in January 2022, said the global market information & measurement company on Tuesday.

    According to a statement, migration to an impressions-based currency will deliver a more complete, precise and representative audience measurement, along with the added benefit of enabling cross-platform audience measurement.

    “In today’s fragmented media landscape, the shift to impressions lays the groundwork for implementing Nielsen One across local, national, and digital measurement. The inclusion of BBO homes will enable the industry to rapidly transition to trading on impressions. Impressions represent all viewers regardless of platform—which is especially important given the significant and growing penetration of BBO homes in local markets,” the company said.

    For more than two years, Nielsen has been working with the media and advertising industries in preparation for the inclusion of BBO homes in local TV measurement for its 56 LPM and set meter markets.

    “Nielsen is committed to measuring all audiences and the complete video consumption across the local marketplace,” said Nielsen CEO David Kenny. “Impressions are the great equaliser across all screens, programs, listeners and viewers. Nielsen’s move to prioritise reporting impressions will help standardise the way it measures ads and content, enabling greater comparability across national, local and digital and is in line with Nielsen’s initiative to drive comparable metrics which are foundational to Nielsen One.”

    Nielsen, which had previously announced a BBO implementation date of October 2021, made the final decision to begin implementation in January 2022 in response to industry requests. The TV measurement company had been facing criticism from the Video Advertising Bureau (trade organisation representing the advertising sales departments of networks and distributors) over the accuracy of its ratings, following which the Media Ratings Council (MRC) had suspended its accreditation for national and local TV ratings service in September.

    The new timing will enable the rating company to publish an official BBO UE that will be audited and reviewed by the MRC. In addition to delivering one month of impact data, a January implementation will include all BBO homes. Adding BBO homes will increase reporting sample sizes significantly and capture impressions that may be missing, especially for sports and OTT content.

    Concurrent with Nielsen’s support of an industry-wide move from ratings to impressions in January 2022, the company will default its local reporting settings to impressions in its software systems (Arianna, NLTV, eVip) and will lead with impressions in all of its external communications. Ratings will remain available to end-users for planning purposes. 

  • Zeel board approves merger proposal with SPNI

    Zeel board approves merger proposal with SPNI

    Mumbai: There was speculation that the investor action against the promoter family at Zee Entertainment Enterprises would force the board to take some action. And it has: early this morning Zeel announced that the board has approved a merger proposal between Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) and India’s largest troubled media entity.

    The merger will result in SPNI holding a majority of 52.93 per cent with Zeel and its shareholders having 47.01 per cent of the new entity which will continue to list on the stock exchanges. The joint company will appoint Punit Goenka as the CEO and managing director, with the promoter family being free to increase its holding from four per cent to 20 per cent over time.  The combined company’s Board of directors would include directors nominated by Sony Group and result in Sony Group having the right to nominate the majority of the Board members. 

    SPNI shareholders have committed to pump in growth capital of $1.575 billion (Rs 11,575.92 crores) into the Indian company to enhance the combined company’s digital platforms across technology and content, ability to bid for broadcasting rights in the fast-growing sports landscape and pursue other growth opportunities.

    A non-binding term sheet giving the two companies 90 days to conduct mutual due diligence and come to a definitive agreement. A final transaction would be subject to completion of customary due diligence, negotiation, and execution of definitive binding agreements, and required corporate, regulatory, and third-party approvals, including Zeel shareholder vote.

    The agreement will combine the two companies’ linear networks, digital assets, production operations, and program libraries. “The combined company would be a publicly listed company in India and be better positioned to lead the consumer transition from traditional pay TV into the digital future,” said SPNI in a statement. 

    The merger was unanimously approved by the Zeel Board in a meeting held on Tuesday, where it evaluated the agreement on the financial parameters as well as the strategic value which SPNI brings to the table.

    “We have unanimously provided an in-principle approval to the proposal and have advised the management to initiate the due diligence process,” said Zeel chairman R. Gopalan said, “Zeel continues to chart a strong growth trajectory and the Board firmly believes that this merger will further benefit Zeel. The value of the merged entity and the immense synergies drawn between both the conglomerates will not only boost business growth but will also enable shareholders to benefit from its future successes. As per legal and regulatory guidelines, at the required stage, the proposal will be presented to the esteemed shareholders of Zeel for their approval.”

  • Star Maa topples Sun TV in week 36: BARC

    Star Maa topples Sun TV in week 36: BARC

    Mumbai: Star Maa, the Telugu GEC from Star Network has toppled Tamil GEC Sun TV to emerge as the top channel in the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India list for week 36 (4-10 September).

    The channel recorded weekly AMAs of 2838.83 as against 2494.98 AMAs in week 35 when it was at the third spot. Hindi GEC Star Plus found itself at the second position with 2817.67 (‘000s) AMA, followed by Sun TV which finished third with 2789.9 AMA.

    The last few weeks have witnessed a tough competition between Sun TV and Star Plus, slugging it out for the top spot in the BARC list of most-viewed channels. Colors, Star Vijay, Star Utsav, Sony SAB, Zee Telugu, Sony Pal, and Zee Kannada grabbed the remaining positions.

    However, in the megacities, Sun TV was able to retain its top position with 510.04 AMA. Star Plus, Colors, Star Vijay, and Sony SAB followed in that order.

    The South market maintained last week’s status with Sun TV leading at 2784.92 AMA. It was followed by Star Maa, Star Vijay, Zee Telugu, and Zee Kannada.

    In Maharashtra/Goa, audiences showed a clear preference for Star Pravah as the channel registered weekly AMAs of 1434.7 (‘000s). With 1068.12 AMA, Star Jalsha led the Bengal market. Tarang, at 417.1 AMA was the most viewed channel in Odisha, Zee Kannada (1470.42) in Karnataka, Star Utsav (256.75) in Rajasthan, and Zee Anmol (361.09) in UP/Uttarakhand.

  • Sansad TV launched, PM Modi calls it a new chapter in India’s democratic system

    Sansad TV launched, PM Modi calls it a new chapter in India’s democratic system

    New Delhi: Prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched Sansad TV, highlighting it as another important chapter in India’s parliamentary system.

    The channel has been created by merging Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV and will be led by retired IAS officer Ravi Capoor who was appointed as the chief executive officer of the channel early this year.

    Launching it jointly with vice president M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Modi said it is very important that the common man connects with Parliament and feels he is part of it. 

    Addressing the event, the PM lauded the transformation of the channel associated with the Parliament in accordance with rapidly changing times, especially when the 21st century is bringing revolution through dialogue and communication.  

    “While it is said that ‘content is king, but in my experience ‘Content is Connect’ said PM Modi, adding that, when one has better content, people automatically engage with it. As much as this applies to the media, it is equally applicable to our parliamentary system as there is not only politics in Parliament, there is also policy. He emphasised that common people should feel the connect with the proceedings of the Parliament. He asked the new channel to work in that direction.

    Terming the launch of Sansad TV as a “new chapter in the story of Indian democracy”, Modi said, the country is getting a medium of communication and dialogue in the form of Sansad TV which will become a new voice of the nation’s democracy and people’s representative.

    Sansad TV is likely to have two channels, with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha sessions telecast live on each. It will be available in Hindi and English.

    The two former entities, LS TV and RSTV were launched in 2006, and 2011 respectively.