GECs

TV meets digital; Sab TV ties up with Twitter

Published

10 years ago

April 25, 2016

MUMBAI: Gone are the days when the social media platform Twitter was just for a casual chit chat, it is now an important tool for mainstream media. Breaking the stereotype trend, Sab TV staying true to its brand belief of ‘Differentiation through Innovation’, brings to its audience yet another unique concept- Khidki. The channel in partnership with television producer JD Majethia and Bollywood director Umesh Shukla has called in for entries i.e. stories from the common man through Twitter – #TweetAFunnyStory.

The brief is that entries should encompass unique yet funny stories that one has experienced in life, something that holds a special place in one’s memories and brings out the laughs. The shortlisted stories will then be presented to the world in the form of an episodic series on the channel.

Sab TV will give an opportunity to millions of families to tell their funny stories to the world. The viewers can submit their entries on Twitter or email them to humarifunnykahani@setindia.com. The most interesting and entertaining story will be told on-screen and the family will also get a chance to be a part of the series as the story heads towards the climax.

Until now, the channel has received around 4,000 stories. The show Khidki will be a half-hour weekday show. Though the channel has not finalized the date as yet, it is planning to launch the show post IPL.

Speaking with Indiantelevision.com, Sab TV senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor said, “The show will be based on real life stories. So we are asking them to send their stories and incidents to us which we shall develop into an episode. At the end of that particular episode, the person who sent that incident will get a chance to appear on the show and get to talk little more about it. This will be not only give a chance to the viewer to get the sense of complete engagement, it will also make the story extremely relative to the audiences.”

Kapoor further added, “We have to attract such stories from various platforms and therefore the partnership with Twitter became a very obvious choice because it is very easy for twitterti to tweet the story and same could be evaluated by us.”

The channel is following a robust marketing strategy for Khidki. Sab TV is going all out to aggressively promote the show and invite stories through innovative marketing.

Using a unique concept, the channel is conducting marketing activation programs in the Rajdhani Express and the Shatabdi Express and some long distance trains to engage with family commuters and invite stories. Further, window-structured ‘Khidki’ outdoor innovations have been installed to generate a buzz around the initiative. These are in addition to the traditional media mix which includes television, print, radio and outdoor. “Besides our partnership with Twitter for #TweetAFunnyStory, we are collaborating with multiple digital platforms to generate stories,” revealed Kapoor.

Twitter is complementary to the full experience of viewing a TV channel today, with each tweet being an opportunity for channels to strengthen relationships with their audiences. Twitter India continues to build strategic partnerships with broadcasters helping them amplify their message, drive more viewers and generate more user engagement with their content on the platform

On the partnership between the channel and Twitter India, Twitter India TV partnership head Viral Jani said, “We are coming together and inviting stories from the platform to give consumers a platform. We amplify their effort on our platform and with this initiative we want to tell to the world that it is a great example how you can use Twitter to reach out to your consumer. There is no deal per se, but it’s a partnership which can be mutually beneficial and also beneficial for our consumers. Sab TV is not only engaging with our users, but also giving them an opportunity to be a part of a TV show. It is just a first step in the long term relationship with Sab TV. We will be in partnership with Sab TV for more events that it is planning to launch in few months, this is just a beginning.”

With television being one of the largest conversation generators on the platform, Twitter aims to become the second screen to TV in India engaging audiences in real-time with the best of television content. “Twitter has always been a second screen app for TV viewers, globally and as well as in India. People watch shows on television and tweet about those shows on Twitter. They love to engage with the shows, channels and celebrities who are the part of the television series. They are interested in behind the scenes, pictures, videos, and they love to do interactions, be it for a reality television show or a new show. Twitter is like a unique platform where all of them can interact with each other. Considering this, there was a hunger from the users and the TV partners, and we believe that it’s a great thing for us and for them,” concluded Jani.

Related Topics:Anooj Kapoor Bollywood IPL JD Majethia sab tv TV Twitter Umesh Shukla Viral Jani

Up Next

TV meets digital; Sab TV ties up with Twitter

Don't Miss

Decoding brand ‘Kapil Sharma’

Click to comment

GECs

Sun TV posts steady revenue, profit dips amid rising costs

Published

1 month ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

CHENNAI: It appears there is still plenty of Sun to go around in the Indian broadcasting landscape, even if a few clouds have drifted across the financial horizon. Sun TV Network Limited, the Chennai-based behemoth that dominates airwaves across seven languages, has tuned into a steady frequency for the quarter ending 31 December 2025. While the numbers show a resilient revenue stream, the company’s latest broadcast reveals a few static-filled spots in its profit margins.

For the quarter in question, Sun TV’s total income climbed by approximately 3.31 per cent, reaching Rs 958.39 crores compared to Rs 927.66 crores in the same period last year. Revenue from operations also saw a healthy bump, rising 4.32 per cent to Rs 827.87 crores.

The real star of the show, however, was domestic subscription revenue, which surged by 8.86 per cent to Rs 472.99 crores. This growth highlights the enduring appetite for Sun’s diverse content, which spans everything from daily soaps in Tamil and Telugu to its burgeoning OTT platform, Sun NXT.

Despite the revenue growth, the picture quality of the profits was slightly blurred by rising costs. Eitda for the quarter stood at Rs 409.79 crores, a dip from the Rs 432.14 crores recorded in the corresponding 2024 quarter.

The profit after tax followed a similar downward trend, settling at Rs 316.44 crores against the previous year’s Rs 347.17 crores. Advertisers also seemed to have switched channels slightly, with advertisement revenues sliding to Rs 291.94 crores from Rs 332.17 crores.

Sun TV isn’t just playing on home turf; its sporting ambitions are becoming increasingly global. The network now owns three major cricket franchises: SunRisers Hyderabad in the IPL, SunRisers Eastern Cape in SA20, and SunRisers Leeds Limited in The Hundred (UK).

The foray into British cricket saw the company acquire a 100 per cent stake in Northern Superchargers Limited (now SunRisers Leeds) for approximately £100 million. While these franchises brought in Rs 14.61 crores this quarter, they also incurred corresponding costs of Rs 19.89 crores. Over the nine-month period, however, the cricket business is a major player, contributing Rs 487.64 crores in income.

The company’s bottom line took a minor hit from exceptional items, including a Rs 4.23 crore charge related to India’s new Labour Codes, which consolidated 29 existing labour laws. Additionally, the consolidated results reflect the amalgamation of Kal Radio Limited with Udaya FM, a move that became effective in May 2025 and required a restatement of previous figures.

To keep investors from reaching for the remote, the Board has declared an interim dividend of 50 per cent, that’s Rs 2.50 per equity share. This comes on top of earlier dividends of 100 per cent (Rs 5.00) and 75 per cent (Rs 3.75) declared in August and November 2025, respectively.

With a massive cash reserve and a dominant position in the South Indian market, Sun TV continues to shine, even if the current quarter required a bit of fine-tuning. For now, shareholders can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

GECs

SPNI hires Pradeep M with responsibility for standards and practices in the south

Published

1 month ago

February 3, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has hired Pradeep M to handle standards and practices for its southern market, bolstering its compliance bench as content rules tighten across platforms.

Pradeep, who has nearly 13 years in the entertainment media industry, takes on responsibility for content standards in a region that is both linguistically diverse and regulatorily sensitive. His brief spans television, OTT, sports and digital platforms.

He specialises in content review and compliance across shows, commercials, on-air promotions and international feeds, ensuring alignment with broadcast, OTT and advertising codes. He has also handled brand approvals and sponsorship integrations for heavily regulated categories—including online gaming, cryptocurrency, NFTs and lottery brands—offering guidance shaped by fast-evolving rules.

Before Sony, Pradeep worked at Jiostar as assistant manager for content regulation from November 2024 to January 2026. Earlier, he spent nearly seven years at Viacom18 Media, rising from senior executive to assistant manager in content regulation between 2018 and 2024. There he served as a key compliance touchpoint for the network.

His career began on the creative side. Between 2013 and 2018, he worked as executive producer on feature films and television shows, gaining hands-on exposure to production. He also had a stint as a non-fiction show director at Star TV Network in 2017. That mix of creative and regulatory experience gives him a dual lens—how content is made and how it must be managed.

As regulators, platforms and advertisers all tighten the screws, broadcasters are investing more in gatekeepers who can keep creativity within the lines. Sony’s latest hire shows where the industry is heading: in the streaming age, compliance is content’s quiet co-star.

GECs

Colors Gujarati rolls out two new shows from 2nd February

Published

1 month ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Colors Gujarati has unveiled two new prime-time shows as part of its push to strengthen culturally rooted storytelling for regional audiences. The channel will premiere the devotional saga Gangasati–Paanbai at 7.30 pm, followed by the romantic family drama Manmelo at 9.30 pm from February 2.

Inspired by Gujarat’s spiritual and literary heritage, Gangasati–Paanbai: Shyam Dhun No Navo Adhyay draws from the timeless bhajans and poetry of saint-poetesses Gangasati and Paanbai, weaving devotion and human values into a contemporary narrative aimed at younger viewers.

In contrast, Manmelo explores love and responsibility across social divides, tracing the lives of three middle-class sisters whose relationships with three affluent brothers reshape their futures. The show delves into ambition, emotional conflict and the realities of married life, offering a layered family drama.

A Colors Gujarati spokesperson said the new launches reflect the channel’s commitment to authentic Gujarati entertainment that blends cultural values with modern storytelling.