Music and Youth

MTV charts a Viacom growth path for India

Published

20 years ago

June 30, 2006

MUMBAI: Freeing of cash flow and focus. That primarily is what the split of Viacom into two entities at the beginning of the year means in practical terms for the MTV Networks India team headed by Amit Jain.

What Jain has before him is a five-year growth plan that sees India contributing “significantly” to the global revenues of Viacom Inc. That Viacom president and CEO Tom Freston is an “Indophile” seems to be a huge plus as far as Jain is concerned, particularly because India, South America and Europe (in that order) are seen as the key growth markets for the media conglomerate over the next five years.Questioned as to how and where he saw revenues coming considering that music channels have been steadily losing share of voice and mind in the broadcast space, Jain had this to offer.

According to Jain, broadcast would remain the key revenue source for his network in India but its share would go down to two thirds in the course of the next five years. The remaining one third revenues will come from new media platforms like mobile and broadband and also from the movies business (Paramount’s acquisition of Dreamworks will mean significant ramp ups on the animation side as well, particularly as India is seen as a strong outsource hub).
MTV BRAND TO BE LEVERAGED

The three channels that MTV has launched in India will pretty much set the template as far as the network’s broadcast script unfolds.

First there is Brand MTV, which will be at the centre of a slew of undertakings ranging from market activation, creative solutions, youth understanding, client branding. The central premise of all this is that “Viacom brand solutions can be devised and tailored to unique brand needs”.

NICK TO GET MAJOR PUSH

From a long term channel growth perspective, it is Nick that will provide the momentum, not MTV. And while Jain admits that the kids channel in his network, despite early mover advantage, has singularly failed to make an impact, he believes that is all about to change. And sooner rather than later.

The first task, according to Jain, is to get back to the basics and get the programming, scheduling, packaging and distribution on track. Once these issues have been sorted out and “cleaned up”, then budgets for driving the channel forward will not be an issue, he asserts.

The fact of the matter though is that a home grown channel like UTV’s Hungama and an international powerhouse like Disney, despite having entered the Indian market years after Nick first made its debut, have all gone ahead. So its going to require a committed and sustained effort for Nick to be anywhere in the reckoning. Whether Viacom will seriously show Nick the money is the moot point.

VH1 WILL ULTIMATELY BE A DTH STORY

It’s been 18 months since international lifestyle and music channel Vh1, which targets an older TG, launched in India and the management is more than satisfied with its performance, asserts Jain. Vh1 is on target both as regards advertising and distribution revenues, he points out. “By the end of the year (Viacom has a January to December fiscal) Vh1 will hit break even,” says Jain.

But Jain does admit that Vh1 and other niche offerings from the MTV Networks stable like Comedy Central, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV and the like can only offer any real returns if they are on addressable platforms. For these channels therefore, it will be the rollout of DTH in the country that will likely determine their arrival.

MOVIES AND NEW MEDIA

Jain’s reference to the movies ties in with what Freston had to say while speaking at the Ficci Frames media convention in Mumbai earlier this year. Which was that Viacom was looking to co-produce films in India instead of merely exporting its films in to the country through its partner United International Pictures (UIP).

The India movies picture remains a hazy one at present though, considering that about the only products of note have been the spoofs dished out by MTV’s movie making unit (and aptly titled) Fully Faltoo Films. Its most recent offering Ghoom, which was a spoof on last year’s action hit Dhoom from the Yash Raj Films banner, only serves to emphasise the quirky nature of MTV India’s movie offerings.

As for mobile and broadband, it will depend again on bandwidth capacities that telecom players in particular will be able to roll out.

While MTV Asia Pacific has been able to enter into a collaboration with Korean multimedia developer Wizmax to launch a customizable on-demand music and entertainment broadband and mobile community platform in Korea called MTV BoomBox, something similar in India looks to be a while away.

Having said that, it is MTV BoomBox that will serve as a model for customisable MTV platforms in the broadband and wireless content services arena in India as well.

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Music and Youth

Mumbai gears up for the ultimate Global Youth Festival this December

Published

2 months ago

November 24, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.

Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.

The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.

But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.

Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.

After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.

Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.

Music and Youth

Reality Ranis swap jungle for shore as Season 2 drama washes ashore

Published

5 months ago

September 4, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: The Ranis are back and this time, they’re trading leaves for waves. Warner Bros. Discovery has dropped the trailer for Reality Ranis of the Jungle Season 2, and the all-female survival show is moving from dense forests to sandy shores. The first look teases a stormy mix of crashing waves, sizzling rivalries and survival drama as 12 contestants battle for the ultimate crown.

Season 1 set the tone with fierce jungle clashes, but the sequel looks double the size and twice the fun. The fresh lineup features Samyukta Hegde, Irena Rudakova, Archana Gautam, Sara Gurpal and more all ready to swap comfort zones for chaos. Adding extra spice, Rakhi Sawant storms into the mix, promising unpredictability that only she can deliver. Guiding the spectacle once again is host Varun Sood, whose return ensures fans a familiar yet amped-up ride through the survival saga.

The timing couldn’t be more symbolic. As Discovery celebrates 40 years globally and 30 in India, the series mirrors its DNA of bold, edge-of-seat storytelling. Reality Ranis Season 2 isn’t just about endurance, it’s about power plays, transformations, and testing limits under the scorching sun. With beach brawls, surprise twists, and a crown on the line, these Ranis are set to prove that survival, like the tide, waits for no one.

Music and Youth

Tips Music acquires Studio Radha’s Cultural music of Gujarati and Kutchi

Published

6 months ago

August 18, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Tips Music Ltd acquired Studio Radha’s complete music catalogue expanding its footprint into Gujarat’s rich cultural music heritage. The acquisition reflects Tips Music’s strategic expansion into regional markets, delivering authentic folk traditions with contemporary reach to Indian and global audiences.

Studio Radha, known for its extensive collection of 4,000+ traditional songs spanning devotional music, folk music, and cultural storytelling, adds a dynamic, heritage-rich catalogue to Tips Music’s diverse portfolio, strengthening its position in regional Indian music while exploring new digital streaming and global publishing opportunities.

Commenting on the acquisition, Tips Music Ltd managing director Kumar Taurani said, ” This acquisition, which has a authentic voice of our culture, is a strategic move to deepen our presence in India’s vibrant regional music markets. Beyond preserving this incredible legacy, our goal is to leverage our modern distribution infrastructure and introduce these timeless songs to a new generation of listeners globally. This aligns perfectly with our business strategy of investing in high-quality, diverse content that holds timeless appeal.”

The Studio Radha catalogue will be made available across all major streaming platforms and digital services under the Tips Music banner, ensuring these cultural gems reach music lovers worldwide.