GECs

Interactive programming, the new trend

Published

12 years ago

July 5, 2014

MUMBAI: Ever imagined talking to Aamir Khan while watching his film? Thanks to the broadcasters who have now started taking the digital approach seriously, the dream is turning into a reality for many.

For the country which eats, sleeps and breathes movies, it will be unwise of movie channels to not create a connection between the two. Multi-screening is a reality today and media planners believe that if one needs to survive in today’s digital age then a broadcaster needs to be available on all the platforms.

Taking a cue from changing consumption patterns, the increasing number of middle-income households and the propensity of consumers to spend on leisure and entertainment, channels today are pursuing two important facets – innovation and interaction.

A case in point is &Pictures, from the Zeel stable, which for Aamir Khan’s first unreleased movie, Chale Chalo, invited fans of the movie and the actor together and gave them the opportunity to watch the movie along with Khan himself.

Chale Chalo, a documentary film, based on the making of Khan’s Oscar nominated movie Lagaan, became a talking-point even before it was aired on the channel. The buzz created on the social media and the chance to speak to the actor during live dial-ins achieved an unbelievable ratings. “No one expected a documentary film to garner more viewership than the original film,” says pleased Zeel executive vice president – marketing, national channels Akash Chawla.

“Until a few year ago, only News channels had an option of live dial-ins, but since second screen is becoming an important part of viewing today and is becoming a reality in India as well, we had to go beyond the usual,” he adds.

The concept of bringing high-level of interactivity was later also used by Sony Entertainment Television for the premiere of Dhoom 3. The channel wanted to interact with its younger audience and hence, invited kids for a live call-in to the Dhoom star, Aamir Khan.

In an earlier interview to indiantelevision.com, Sony Max senior VP and business head Neeraj Vyas had said that the use of digital space has became a kind of a case study for them. “Even post the IPL, we have some very aggressive plans. We were the first ones to have live tweets during the telecast of Jab Tak Hai Jaan. We got close to 2,500 responses. We also had Twitter contests called #TalaashHunt for Talaash. Through the contest we added around 11,545 followers from 11 to 14 July, 2013, the day the movie was telecast,” he had said then.

Recently, Sony Max showcased a special programme Pancham – Mujhey Chaltey Jaana Hai that showcased never-seen-before nuggets about Rahul Dev Burman aka Pancham Da.

The channels know that viewers today want more than just plain-vanilla movie watching experience. &Pictures created a crowd-sourced Online Milo Sajna during its launch a year ago, where viewers wrote a script and the channel shot the best one and showcased it online. It added another feather in its cap with a blogger activity in a train for the movie Chennai Express.

However, the new trend isn’t as simple as one might think of. Depending on projects, teams (research and digital) sit together to ideate and come up with tactical measures to woo viewers. Channels are even earmarking a certain amount ranging from 10 to 20 per cent of the total marketing budget on these projects.

“Anything innovative always catches advertisers fancy,” says Zee’s chief sales officer Ashish Sehgal while adding that the brands too want to interact with viewers and hence, are eager to advertise on such innovations.

As per sources, a normal film would charge as less as Rs 6,000 for every 10 second ad slot; however, the innovations especially for a blockbuster film can charge up to Rs 2 lakh. “Chale Chalo sold 10 second ad spots for a lakh. And the interactions helped the channel earn almost Rs 2 crore from it which would have never happened especially for a documentary,” says a planner.

The innovations are moving regional as well. Zee Marathi premiered Fandry with a difference. The campaign was woven around the concept Jaaniv Zhali, Badal Havaa that aimed at bringing about change in society and making a difference in the lives of children. The channel tied up with 10 NGOs that work in the area of child development and protection and raised funds for these NGOs through the movie and also got the likes of Nana Patekar, Sonali Kulkarni, Urmila Matondkar to promote it.

Media observers believe that though it is a good trend and getting the movie channels what they want, but with time the innovations might overlap and hence, each channel will have to differentiate itself from the other. “A lot will depend on how they keep the mark up and come up with innovations that will attract viewers and not come up with an interactive programming just because it is a fad,” opines a media planner.

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GECs

Aparna Ramachandran joins Zee as EVP and head of network digital

Published

1 week ago

January 29, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has appointed Aparna Ramachandran as EVP and head of network digital, signalling a sharper focus on strengthening its digital and streaming ecosystem.

Ramachandran joins Zee from Balaji Telefilms, where she served as head of digital originals, leading content strategy and production for the company’s digital platforms. She announced the move on LinkedIn, marking a new chapter in her career spanning more than 15 years across media, entertainment and technology.

Her professional journey includes senior roles at Viacom18 Media, Viu, FremantleMedia, Miditech, BigSynergy, BBC Worldwide, CNBC-TV18 and Bloomberg UTV. She began her career in 2005 as a software engineer at Infosys before transitioning into media and digital content leadership.

With experience across streaming media, broadcast television, content development, digital strategy, project management and video production, Ramachandran is expected to play a key role in shaping Zee’s network-wide digital growth and content innovation.

GECs

Zee TV launches on Samsung TV Plus with live German subtitles

Published

1 week ago

January 27, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

London: Zee Entertainment has launched its flagship Zee TV as a live FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, marking a first for South Asian television in Europe with round-the-clock live German subtitles.

The move takes Zee TV beyond its core diaspora audience and into the German-speaking mainstream, offering dramas, reality shows and family entertainment without subscriptions or language barriers. For FAST platforms, it sets a new benchmark in accessibility and scale.

Amit Goenka, president, international and digital businesses at Zee Entertainment, said the launch marked a turning point in the company’s global strategy.

“Zee TV Germany is a flagship launch and a defining moment in our journey to make entertainment truly borderless. By going live on Samsung TV Plus with 24/7 German subtitles, we are breaking language barriers and setting a new international benchmark for FAST streaming,” he said, adding that the partnership reflects Zee’s ambition to lead the FAST revolution through innovation and technology.

The rollout builds on the strong regional presence of Zee One and Zee5, both of which have cultivated loyal audiences across the DACH markets. The live FAST model now closes long-standing access gaps, particularly for younger diaspora viewers and first-time German-speaking audiences.

Samsung TV Plus said the partnership deepens its content portfolio in the region. Benedict Frey, country lead DACH and Benelux at Samsung TV Plus, said the addition strengthens its South Asian offering while widening appeal.
“Launching flagship Zee TV on Samsung TV Plus brings even more premium South Asian entertainment to our customers. Making this content available with live German subtitles is a meaningful step in serving diverse audiences and enriching the viewing experience,” he said.

Samsung TV Plus is Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming service, offering hundreds of live channels and on-demand titles across Samsung TVs, Galaxy devices and smart monitors.

Zee already commands a strong digital following across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with social platforms engaging hundreds of thousands of viewers. The live FAST launch is expected to amplify reach and drive appointment viewing at scale.

Zee TV is now available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus in Germany on channel 4210. With this launch, Zee TV Germany becomes the group’s ninth channel in Europe.

The signal is clear: FAST has gone mainstream—and Zee has arrived early, translated and ready to scale.

GECs

Sri Adhikari Brothers officially rebrands itself as Aqylon Nexus

Published

2 weeks ago

January 27, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network has formally adopted a new corporate identity, rechristening itself Aqylon Nexus Limited after receiving clearance from the ministry of corporate affairs.

The company has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that the MCA has approved the change of name, with effect from January 23, 2026. The update was disclosed in compliance with Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.

Confirming the approval, the company said the ministry had cleared the transition from Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Limited to Aqylon Nexus Limited following the necessary regulatory process.

Aqylon Nexus said it has begun the formal exercise of replacing the old name across statutory filings and regulatory records. The broadcaster added that it is coordinating with relevant authorities and departments to complete the transition.

Under Section 12 of the Companies Act, 2013, the MCA has directed the company to continue displaying its former name alongside the new one for a period of two years.

Founded in 1994 and based in Mumbai, the company has been a long-standing presence in India’s television and content ecosystem. The rebrand reflects a repositioning effort as the media and entertainment sector undergoes rapid consolidation and structural change.

The legacy name remains on paper—for now. The business, however, is clearly turning the page.