ITV

Tag: Aidem Ventures

  • Kasthuri TV set for a revamp

    Kasthuri TV set for a revamp

    MUMBAI: Karnataka based general entertainment channel (GEC) Kasthuri TV is all set for a revamp. It was in November 2014, when Kasthuri TV roped in Whitehorse Network (WHN), an organisation floated by media industry veteran P Kailasam to take over the channel’s operations for five years.

     

    The core management team at Whitehorse comprises director and CEO P Kailasam, business head GV Krishnamurthy and chief content strategist Shivakumar.

     

    Together, the team has been spearheading the way forward for the channel with new shows, a revamped look and new positioning on their agenda. The channel has entrusted its ad sales duties to Aidem Ventures.

     

    As a part of its re-launch strategy, the channel will feature a refreshed line-up of programmes. “Kasthuri is poised to get back its glory. We are completely revamping the channel and our USP is to offer differentiated yet mass-based content to the viewers,” said Kailasam.

     

    “Kasthuri TV at present enjoys a good reach that is comparable to the bigger platforms within its genre. The new content will bring in fresh audiences and improve time spent and stickiness of the existing base,” added Aidem Ventures director Vikas Khanchandani while emphasising that it will be focusing on all brands but FMCG will be a priority.

     

    Based on the research done in order to understand the regional television viewing habits in Karnataka, the new content strategy involves strengthening the prime-time viewing slot with a mix of fiction and non-fiction programmes.

     

    Of the non-fiction programmes that are slated for launch, Mathandre Maathu, starring Murali is a talk show that brings two polarised sections of the society onto one platform to share their views on social and political issues.

     

    Another non-fiction programme that is to launch next week is Padhakondhu Saval. This is an interactive game show in which callers can participate in the on-going game or contest to win prizes. Yet another interactive game show that first went on air last Monday is Sakath Atte Super Sose hosted by Sushma K Rao. In this first-of-its-kind TV show, a mother-in-law – daughter-in-law duo participates together as a team and is pitted against other mother-in-law – daughter-in-law duos.

     

    The weekend programming line-up includes Aradirali Belaku, which is a talk show discussing social issues faced by the common man today. Malavika Avinash, a Kannada television celebrity, will host the show. Along with a panel of experts and the audience, she will debate over issues raised, help resolve them and suggest corrective measures to the victim and to the audience.

     

    Nan Life Nal One Dhina, is a celebrity talk show where the audience can take a sneak peek into the real life of popular big screen actors, politicians, sportsmen etc. as the host interviews them every Sunday from 7.30 to 8.30 pm. 

     

    Another weekend programme called Crime Alert brings to light the criminal minds behind innocent faces. This is an informative show for viewers in which each episode ends with an optimal solution for preventing crime. Guggunanmaklu is a comedy fiction show in which the lead character has short-term memory loss which leads him into awkward and embarrassing situations.

     

    Apart from the new list of appealing programmes, WHN has strengthened the channel’s movie library by acquiring 50 ‘A’ category titles this financial year. It will soon be donning a new look. Its refreshed packaging and new promotional strategy are also underway.

  • Two new Samachar Plus channels to launch this year

    Two new Samachar Plus channels to launch this year

    MUMBAI: With completion of phase one of two news channels in the states of Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand and Rajasthan, the Best News Company plans to enter phase two by launching two more news channels this year.

     

    The channels in question being Samachar Plus Haryana and Samachar Plus Madhya Pradesh/Chattisgarh – both under the Samachar Plus umbrella – scheduled for a September-October 2014 launch.

     

    The current duo has a 600-strong staff with broadcasting happening from Noida and news gathering from bureaus in Lucknow and Jaipur. Incidentally, the Noida office has 30,000 sq ft demarcated for the upcoming channels where the setup is in progress. Plans are afoot to recruit another 500 people for the upcoming channels.

     

    Recently, Aidem Ventures was entrusted the job of handling the ad sales for the existing two channels with corporate companies while local channels would be handled by the channel itself. Brands such as Rajnigandha and Jhandu are already with the channel while others such as Bajaj and Reliance are to be handled by Aidem going further. Currently, ad slots are in the range of around Rs 500 for a 10 second slot.

     

    “The vision of the company is to provide unbiased news, programs based on development of the state and to promote art and culture of the respective regions as well as to bring up social issues that are relevant to the common man,” says Best News Company MD Shashank Bansal.

    Investment to the tune of Rs 15-20 crore is being pumped into the up and coming channels while the existing ones are expected to break even in 2015. The third phase will see another channel for Bihar/Jharkhand.

     

    On the distribution end, being handled by a 22 member-strong internal team, the channels have managed to be present 100 per cent in cable while DTH is yet to happen. The two free to air (FTA) channels beaming off Insat 4 are being shot in standard definition (SD) with no plans to go high definition (HD) anytime soon. “Our SD shooting is as good as HD due to our high quality equipments,” says Best News Company CEO Umesh Kumar.

     

    Other contenders in the UP/Uttarakhand market are ETV UP, Zee Purvaiya and Zee Sangam while in Rajasthan, ETV Rajasthan, Zee Marudhara and Samay Rajasthan are in the fray. As to how the company will take on the challenge presented by biggies like Zee and TV 18, Bansal says, “We will provide our audiences with better content as compared to other channels.”

  • Janta TV brings Aidem Ventures on board

    Janta TV brings Aidem Ventures on board

    MUMBAI: Aidem Ventures, one of India’s leading independent media consulting, marketing and advertising sales company, already boasts of a well-known clientele including news channels Al Jazeera, Live India, Jai Maharashtra, Jaya TV Network and ABN Andhra Jyothi. Now, the company would be extending its services to the two-year old Hindi regional news channel Janta TV for which it would be handling the national ad sales.

    The channel that describes itself “of the public” is popular in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh and is also available in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and New Delhi.

    The channel was launched in 2011 with the motto “where no one stands we deliver” and the Aidem team will just take that forward.

    “The Aidem team possesses a great amount of business appetite as also a thorough understanding of the broadcast media and of the Indian advertising market. Their ability to reach out to marketers across levels is their most salient feature. We are looking forward to the team’s industry knowledge and their national coverage to cover advertising opportunities across the country,” said Janta TV VP Gurbinder Singh.

    “Bagging Janta TV is a big step towards our goal to build a more robust news media cluster thus easing the media buying process,” said Aidem Ventures Sr VP Shailendra Shetty.

    “It truly is exciting to be part of the channel’s expansion quest. The team is geared to get their feet on the street to help Janta TV maximise their revenue potential,” added Aidem Ventures Sr VP for regional bouquet Alok Rakshit.

    Aidem also handles channels like Mi Marathi, Sahara One, Sahara Filmy, Enter10 TV, Shagun TV, InSync and Channel UFX.

  • NewsX partners with Aidem Ventures to recalibrate pricing with improved performance

    NewsX partners with Aidem Ventures to recalibrate pricing with improved performance

    India’s leading HD-ready English News Channel, NewsX has awarded its advertising sales duties to Aidem Ventures.

     

    Part of ITV Network, NewsX is now India’s No. 1 English News Channel on the basis of 21 week combined GVTs. Even in terms of stickiness the channel has been witnessing more Time Spent Per Viewer than any other English News Channel in India. [Source: TAM | All India (1 Mn+) (incl. 6 Metros) | CS M 25-44 AB | Wk 19 -Wk 39’13, combined GVTs and average TSPV]. To monetize its current position, it has partnered with India’s leading independent advertising sales company – Aidem Ventures.

     

    The channel’s leadership is well established over the last 21 weeks as per the TAM ratings. With its clean presentation and unbiased content, NewsX targets the younger, aspirational audiences who appreciate and demand well-researched, thought-provoking news. With its focus on ‘News. Not Noise’, NewsX differentiates itself from its competitors in staying away from hysteria and sensationalism.

     

    Post digitization in 38 cities, NewsX has augmented its viewership by 260%. This performance has been consistently growing since the markets have gone digital. Research showcased a void in the offering in super prime bands for pure news dissemination resulting in high performance amongst the large part of younger audiences in addition to the other age groups. NewsX stands by its tagline and with its unassuming presentation style has managed to come across as a breath of fresh air. NewsX didn’t want to tread up any existing pathways in terms of style and news delivery and wanted a completely independent identity. This strategy has paid off said Vikas Khanchandani, Director, Aidem Ventures while discussing the new business win.

     

    “This association reflects our vision to pursue NewsX’s successful positioning as a strong, robust media platform among Indian advertisers & agencies. NewsX’s high-quality content, well-established reputation, latest video technology and rising TAM numbers will have a synergistic effect on the channel’s revenue generation.  NewsX has been focusing on interactive shows and intend to introduce other new exciting formats in the near future. Aidem has been managing Ad Sales some of the biggest News brands from India and abroad. We are very optimistic about their sales infrastructure and their professional management team working in favor of our plan for NewsX” added RK Arora, CEO, ITV Network.

  • Channel UFX signs on Aidem Ventures for its ad sales

    Channel UFX signs on Aidem Ventures for its ad sales

    MUMBAI: Channel UFX, the youth entertainment and music channel catering to the South market with its edgy, across-the-board programming mix, has commissioned its ad sales duties to Aidem Ventures.

    Usman Faheed feels with a large team of people who are media as well as genre specialists Aidem Ventures will help them become a stronger brand

    Channel UFX offers a mélange of meticulously crafted programming from international to Bollywood and South Indian music. It maintains competitive standards with a dash of Indian flavour. VJ Paloma, Sherif, Rochelle and Craig hosting talk shows, reality shows, game shows, celebrity interviews, gossip segments, automobile, technology, food and fitness features, exciting contests, trivia, laugh out loud segments and voyages into the lives of the rich and famous, is what Channel UFX is all about. It is a whole new world of boundless entertainment and spectacular visual extravaganza. It is a one-stop-channel for all things Youth.

    The 2013 line-up consists of four fresh, new shows over and above the regular line-up. There’s a show called Tech In. Mobiles, gaming consoles, software, mp3 players, notebooks is what this show is all about. It features new arrivals; tips on how to care for gadgets and an exclusive gaming segment featuring a variety of games that are currently in vogue.

    Vikas Khanchandani believes the channel is going to reconstruct market boundaries to create and capture an enormous new segment

    Another new show Voices allows people to record their video requests, ask questions to celebrities using the cameras on their cell phones or computers. The channel then plays these videos along with the names of those participating, followed by video clips of the celebrities responding to those questions. On Ground features different colleges, their structure and geography, moves onto student achievers and talents and lastly identifies the current celebrities and personalities who passed out of the same college. The Boss is another exciting new show about successful businessmen, entrepreneurs and professionals discussing their vision, obstacles faced, future plans etc.

    As of today, the channel reaches out to 95 per cent of Tamil Nadu. It is available on four out of the six key DAS operators in Chennai. Outside of Chennai, Channel UFX is available on Arasu Cable. In Kerala, it is available on KCCL which covers 60 per cent of the market. In Karnataka, the channel is available to two major networks i.e. DEN Network & All Digital. As for Andhra Pradesh, the channel is currently available in Vishakhapatnam and will soon be distributed across the state.

    Internationally, Channel UFX has been made available on E-Vision starting today. E-Vision covers all of the Middle East. Our channel has been recording a good amount of online viewership by viewers in US and UK as well.

    Channel UFX is an exciting and vibrant option for brands looking at targeting the 15-34 age groups says Nikhil Sheth

    Announcing the association, Channel UFX MD Usman Faheed said, “The Aidem team possesses a great amount of expertise in every business facet be it developing the right positioning & pricing strategies for the media, developing sponsorship packages, identifying all possible revenue streams to going out and generating revenues. From news and infotainment to movies, general entertainment and music, they are a large team of people who are media as well as genre specialists. We are glad to be associated with them.”

    Aidem Ventures director Vikas Khanchandani added, “Channel UFX is a very interesting channel that not just entertains the youth but also encourages them to be informed, global citizens. Its broad appeal taps into the tastes and interests of every young adult.This channel is going to reconstruct market boundaries to create and capture an enormous new segment.The team is very excited about the channel.”

    “UFX is unparalleled youth destination that is all set to disrupt the status quo of marketing to the youth in South India. There isn’t a similar option available in South India. Considering South India is the most literate zone in the country, Channel UFX is an exciting and vibrant option for brands looking at targeting the 15-34 age groups,” said Aidem Ventures business head Hindi Entertainment & Niche channels Nikhil Sheth.

  • InSync appoints Aidem Ventures as media sales partner

    InSync appoints Aidem Ventures as media sales partner

    MUMBAI: InSync, the country‘s first heritage music channel which was launched on 15 August, has assigned the mandate of advertising sales representation to the independent advertising sales and media consulting company, Aidem Ventures.

    The channel is a brainchild of renowned violinist and MD of Perfect Octave Media, Ratish Tagde and covers an array of music genres from Indian classical music to Sufi, Ghazals, Folk, Fusion and many more. The opening programming line-up also includes interviews, talk shows, documentaries, genre based reality shows and youth-based fusion shows.

    Aidem Ventures director Vikas Khanchandani

    Speaking of the association, Aidem Ventures director Vikas Khanchandani said, “InSync has the potential to set the standard for excellence and innovation in the Indian Television industry while forging deep connections with diverse and passionate audiences. We‘re looking forward to working together with the InSync team to represent and deliver legendary musical experiences that endure for generations.”

    Ratish and the Perfect Octave team have been in the musical events management business for over a decade. As a part of the launch marketing strategy, the channel plans to connect to and to build awareness amongst its local targeted audience by organising 40 to 50 musical concerts across India over the next one year while simultaneously covering them on the channel.

    Also a part of the launch strategy is the show ‘I Can‘. This flagship property that will predominantly focus on discovering and nurturing young talent from across India and for this InSync will reach out to various parts of India. The talent thus discovered, will be promoted on the show and will be offered concerts in India and overseas. If need be, maestros will train the talent to reach expertise.

    Perfect Octave Media MD Ratish Tagde

    The channel has roped in Manish Rach to take responsibility of the distribution of the channel. “InSync is a pay channel already available on major MSOs including Hathway, InCable, DEN, GTPL, Fastway, Star and DIGI Cable. Talks are currently on with the major DTH platforms in India and a few international distribution players as well,” said Manish.

    “As the only heritage music channel available, InSync has the first-mover advantage. It has been gaining tremendous response from the market. The channel offers a much higher level of engagement with a range of branding opportunities beyond just FCT therefore attracting cross-industry advertisers. Currently, there are a host of events in the pipeline. We are also going to be offering customisable, branded event solutions to keen advertisers,” added business head, Hindi entertainment & niche channels Nikhil Sheth

    “We have music maestros like Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ustad Rashid Khan, Shankar Mahadevan, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Sivamani and Hariharan contributing to the channel‘s content. We already possess 300 hours of original, HD quality, video content. By the end of the year, we will have 700 hours more. We consider it our responsibility to help nurture and encourage India‘s interest in classical music. While we continue doing so, we‘re certain that Team Aidem will help achieve the channel‘s optimal revenue potential,” said Ratish Tagde.

  • ABN Andhrajyothy ties up with Aidem Ventures for its ad sales

    ABN Andhrajyothy ties up with Aidem Ventures for its ad sales

    MUMBAI: ABN Andhrajyothy, a leading 24 hour Telugu news channel has appointed Aidem Ventures as its ad sales partner.

    “We, at ABN Andhrajyothy have developed our brand image as the ‘most popular & fearless Telugu news channel in AP‘ within a short span of time with sensational news exposés, interviews, thought provoking debates and talk shows. We have a very strong foothold in the local market and we feel that this is the right time to expand our ad sales operations pan India. With Aidem‘s expertise, established network and relationship with clients and agencies pan India, we are confident that Aidem will strengthen our growth strategy of taking channel revenues to the next level. We hope this association with Aidem will broaden our national client base thus giving us healthy revenues from pan India markets,” said ABN Andhrajyothy managing director Vemuri Radhakrishna.

    Aidem Ventures business head, regional entertainment and news Alok Rakshit said, “Driving improved business results‘ is Aidem‘s Philosophy. Among the southern states, Andhra Pradesh has the largest number of dedicated news channels, apart from having the highest cable TV penetration. This makes TV a vital medium for reaching out to the Andhra Pradesh market. Furthermore, ABN Andhrajyothy being one of the leading news channels in the market, we feel privileged to be signing its All-India sales mandate. With Andhrajyothy, we have strengthened our regional TV portfolio, by adding one more priority market i.e., Andhra Pradesh. We at Aidem are confident that we will add immense value and strategise the channel‘s sales.”