ITV

Tag: Airtel Digital TV

  • Bhojpuri channel Anjan TV hops on to Videocon d2h platform

    Bhojpuri channel Anjan TV hops on to Videocon d2h platform

    MUMBAI: Bhojpuri entertainment channel Anjan TV is looking at increasing its viewership and as part of this has signed a deal with direct to home (DTH) operator Videocon d2h.

     

    The channel will be available on channel number 861 on the platform. Anjan TV is also available on Airtel Digital TV and all the multi system operator (MSO) platforms in Bihar and Jharkhand. 

     

    With this, the channel will be available to 12.8 million households across India as a free-to-air channel. The channel is currently in talks with other DTH operators such as Tata Sky, Reliance DTH, etc.

     

    Carving a niche for itself, the channel offers a programming mix of movies, music, daily soaps, reality, crime, cookery, comedy, travel and lifestyle shows.

     

    “We are delighted to be associated with Videocon d2h and are looking forward to cater to the needs of its subscriber’s base across India. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome and promise a wholesome entertainment to all our new viewers through this platform,” said Anjan TV channel head Anshuman Tripathi.

     

    Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera added, “We continue to add more variety and value through our offerings. We want to offer the whole gamut of channels and services empowering the consumer to opt for his preferred choice of language. We believe in delivering the best for our customers and are hopeful of achieving better penetration, through the addition of this channel.”

     

  • Q3-2015: Airtel Digital TV services segment posts 11.4% y-o-y subscriber growth

    Q3-2015: Airtel Digital TV services segment posts 11.4% y-o-y subscriber growth

    BENGALURU: Bharti Airtel Limited (Airtel) reported y-o-y growth of 5.8 per cent to Rs 23217.1 crore in Q3-2015 from the Rs 21938.5 crore in Q3-2014. The company says that consolidated mobile data revenues at Rs 2,872 crore grew by 61.9 per cent y-o-y, uplifted by higher data usage. Mobile data revenues now contribute more than 85 per cent of the incremental revenues of the company. India revenues registered a growth of 12.6 per cent y-o-y across segments, led by 13.0 per cent in mobile, 13.2 per cent in Telemedia and 15.8 per cent in Digital TV.

     

    Overall, the company reported an 8.9 per cent growth in number of subscribers across 20 countries in the current quarter to 31,29,05,000 from 28,74,09,000 in Q3-2014 and a 3 per cent growth from 30,37,09,000 in the immediate trailing quarter. Airtel’s Digital TV services subscribers grew 11.4 per cent in Q3-2015 to 98,10,000 from 88,07,000 in Q3-2014 and 2.8 per cent from 95,40,000 in Q2-2015.

     

    Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore

     

    Revenue from Digital TV services segment grew 15.8 per cent to Rs 623.4 crore in Q3-2015 from Rs 538.4 crore in Q3-2014. During 9M-2015, digital TV services revenue grew EBIDTA for the segment grew 76 per cent to Rs 170.7 crore from Rs 97.2 crore in the year ago quarter. The company reported Rs 7.7 crore positive operating cash in Q3-2015 versus a negative Rs 13.7 crore cash flow in Q3-2014.

     

    Capex for this segment increased by 47 per cent to Rs 163 crore in Q3-2015 as compared to the Rs 110.9 crore in Q3-2014. 9M-2015 capex increased 48 per cent to Rs 651.2 crore in the current quarter from Rs 439.1 crore in 9M-2014. Airtel’s cumulative investments in the segment increased 18 per cent to Rs 5298.4 crore in Q3-2015 from Rs 4471.2 crore in Q3-2014.

     

    Airtel MD and CEO, India & South Asia Gopal Vittal said, “Airtel’s revenue growth in India has continued to accelerate. Revenue growth of 12.6 per cent in Q3-2015 is the highest in 9 quarters. We remain focused on driving topline through stepped up customer acquisitions with continued focus on churn, ensuring pricing stability, and path-breaking innovations in mobile data. Our mobile data growth is at 74.3 per cent in Q3-2015. On the regulatory front, the industry has welcomed the announcement of the timetable for the spectrum auctions in March 2015.”

  • DTH players gear up ahead of the World Cup

    DTH players gear up ahead of the World Cup

    MUMBAI: The upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup is this year’s biggest sporting event that promises to not just entertain fans of the sport but also provide windfall gain to advertisers and sponsors. Not be left out are direct to home (DTH) players, who are planning to rake in some moolah through various initiatives. 

     

    DTH operator Tata Sky recently launched India’s first 4K set top box (STB) for its existing customers as well as to entice a new bunch of subscribers.

     

    When asked if the move will help increase its subscriber base, Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal says, “Those who have invested in 4K television will need a 4K set top box to watch the matches. So it will help the customers who already have 4K TV, to watch the 4K transmission with the help of the STB.”

     

    For Rs 6,400 subscribers can purchase the Tata Sky 4K STB while existing subscribers can buy it for Rs 5,900. Apart from relaying 4K content, the box can also showcase Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) channels. The STB has the capability of delivering Ultra High Definition picture quality and Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound. 4K at 8.3 megapixels (3840×2160) has approximately four times the pixels as that of 2K (1920×1080) – the current HD standard.

     

    Sun Direct managing director Mahesh Kumar too agrees that the World Cup will help increase its existing subscriber base. He reasons, “One, cricket is a religion in India and given that the first few days of the tournament starts off with an India Pakistan match – the fervour is going to be high from the start of the tournament. Two, even though the months of February and March are traditionally dull for DTH due to exam fever, we expect the cricket fever to take prominence and more new connections to come in during this period.  Post IPL the love of cricket has transcended countries with the foreign player participation in local leagues, hence viewer interest will be high not only in India playing matches but also in matches with other countries.”

     

    The DTH operator is offering the Star Sports bouquet on its bestselling Cinema + Sports packs. “This is indeed a big plus for our subscribers who can watch the world cup and best of sports during the World Cup and beyond with Sun Direct,” added Kumar.

     

    Sun Direct is offering its Cinema + Sports package at Rs 195 per month. It will be focusing mainly on this pack for the World Cup as it feels this covers most of the requirements of its customers. It will be coming out with high decibel campaigns on TV and print supported with BTL initiatives and digital media to give a 360 degree communication ahead of the World Cup, informs Kumar.

     

    Airtel Digital TV too has jumped on the World Cup bandwagon. For all customers buying Samsung Curve and UHD TV, it will offer HD DVR connection at the same cost as that of an HD connection. Customers will receive   discount coupons worth Rs 2650. Customers can enjoy watching the matches on an HD DVR by just paying Rs 2350. This box, which has an inbuilt hard disk of 500 GB can record content up to 750 hours enabling a customer  to record and watch the world cup matches at a convenient time. Also customers will get free subscription for up to 12 months through a scratch card offer. On other Samsung models, it is offering a discount coupon of Rs 660 on its HD+ variant. This comes along with an eight GB pen drive worth Rs 399, which is offered free. Additionally customers will get free subscription for up to 12 months through a scratch card offer.

     

    This edition of the World Cup will see the first global broadcast of cricket in 4K. Official broadcaster Star will telecast select matches, including India’s opening match against arch-rivals Pakistan, in the 4K format. Online shopping websites like Snapdeal, Amazon and Flipkart have priced the 4K TV’s between the range of Rs 60,000 (lower end) while the higher end categories are priced at an upwards of Rs one lakh.

     

    Videocon d2h too has launched 4K Ultra HD services. It has priced its STB at Rs 6590 for new customers while existing customers can upgrade to 4K DTH for Rs 5990. In addition to 4K channels and content, subscribers can use the STB to view Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) channels. While the website of Videocon d2h states that delivery of the STB will be made within two weeks from the date of booking, a call made to a customer care executive revealed that it would take around 48 hours.

     

    Dish TV chief operating officer Salil Kapoor expects the cricket World Cup to help further increase its existing customer base and therefore has tweaked its packaging. “Our packaging is very sports centric. Every tier of our packaging has the maximum number of sports channels. We have also kept in mind that HD will play a big role in the World Cup and therefore have maximum number of HD sports channels,” he says.

  • The DTH industry’s big developments in 2014

    The DTH industry’s big developments in 2014

    MUMBAI: 2014 was the year of mixed fortunes for the direct to home television industry in India. The seven players in the industry continued to burn cash as customer acquisition costs continued to stay at high levels, at least one of the players spent a large part of the year looking for a white knight, all the players pushed ahead with their HD offerings in phase I, and II digitisation areas, leading to attractive rises in average revenues per user. The total number of registered subscribers and active subscribers, for all the six DTH players, as per the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) report, as on 30 June 2014 was 67.57 million and 38.24 million respectively. Close to 43.41 per cent of DTH subscribers were inactive till June 2014.

    At least two of the players have started generating positive cash flows during the year, even as new spectacular announcements of preparing launches of Ultra HD or 4K services were made during the year. Fresh debt and equity infusions, efforts to introduce new subscriber packages, and an announcement of new policy directions for licensing DTH by TRAI were the hallmark of the year.

    The DTH industry in the country saw some big innovative changes being made over the year 2014. These helped the industry in adding more subscribers while marginally increasing the average revenue per user (ARPU).

    The year began with three DTH operators, Tata Sky, Sun Direct and Reliance Digital TV being issued notices by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) for not showing the mandatory 24 Doordarshan channels. Later on the Ministry also pulled the entire DTH industry for not paying licence fee worth Rs 2066 crore.

    The DTH ops resisted the amount stating that they had been paying the fees on the gross revenue (GR) basis while the government was extracting it on the adjusted gross revenue (AGR). A court case on the same had been pending from nearly four years and is still ongoing. However, Tata Sky and Reliance decided to challenge the same in the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) while Sun Direct made an application on its 2009 petition regarding AGR.

    The licence fee case was put in the backburner by the TDSAT stating that since it is relative to the telecom case on licence fee issue, it would hear that case first and then come to the DTH case. By the end of the year, however, the TDSAT agreed to hear the DTH ops separately rather than wait in line, the case is still on. Tata Sky in the meanwhile has already paid a sum of Rs 383 crore to the I&B Ministry, while Dish TV awaits court orders.

    The budget 2014 got some relief to the set top box (STB) manufacturers by reducing the excise duty from 12 per cent to 10 per cent from February to June 2014. However, they continued to fight the entertainment and service tax that was being levied on them since several years while cable operators go without paying it. Dish TV raised the issue with the finance minister Arun Jaitley and then I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar to discuss the multi layered taxes, which however didn’t lead to any conclusive solution on the same. DTH ops are subjected to licence fee, 12. 3 per cent service tax and also entertainment tax at the state level.

    The DTH Operators Association also saw a change of head with Dish TV CEO RC Venkateish replacing Tata Sky MD and CEO Harit Nagpal. Doordarshan ADG Ranjan Thakur who also headed Freedish moved out due to the expiry of his term.

    Freedish has been working on adding several Indian as well as international channels through its auctions while also setting up MPEG-4 boxes alongside MPEG-2 for the interior parts of the country.

    Several new innovations came across last year. Tata Sky introduced a new feature of Karaoke on TV while Videocon d2h came out with a headphone attached to the remote for watching TV without disturbing others. Both of them also were the first ones to introduce 4K HD TV set top boxes in the country. However, the official commercial rollout for both has yet to happen. Tata Sky even did a live telecast of one of the FIFA world cup matches on its 4K TV as a demo.

    Dish TV on the other hand, chose to go local, by introducing customised packs for regional India. A sub-brand ‘Zing’ was launched that would give localised packages in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Tripura, Seemandhra, Telangana and Maharashtra. The oldest DTH operator also heaved a sigh of relief when after months, it received the nod from the Sri Lanka government to commence operations for its DTH project in the neighbouring country.

    With markets being more receptive, Videocon d2h, which has been planning on launching its IPO since long, went ahead with its filing to SEBI for Rs 700 crore with seven banks managing the share sale. Much of what it can raise will go towards acquiring STBs and outdoor units. Dish TV is also contemplating on starting its own manufacturing unit, though it hasn’t laid any concrete plans on it yet.

    TRAI played a big role when it came out with its DTH licencing recommendation paper which is now pending before the I&B Ministry. The paper restricted broadcasters from owning more than one DPO which is likely to affect Dish TV/Siti Cable under Zee and Sumangli Cable/Sun Direct under Sun Network.

    The paper however extended the 10 year licence period to 20 years while the one time entry has been retained at Rs 10 crore. DTH operators whose licence term expires after 10 years will be allowed to apply for a 10 year extension. The licence fee has been reduced from 10 per cent of GR to 8 per cent of AGR.

    The earlier norm of providing a bank guarantee (BG) of Rs 40 crore was change to the amount payable as a licence fee for two quarters and will have to be renewed year on year till the end of the licence period. New entrants will however have to provide a BG of Rs 5 crore for two quarters and then progress as above.

    The year ended with the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India coming out with a scathing report on the management of satellite capacity for DTH service by the Department of Space (DoS). In it, it stated that over the years the DoS has been lagging in its satellite launches that were required by DTH operators, leading to them migrating to foreign operators and loss of revenue to the government. The DoS had also goofed up on charging Sun Direct and Prasar Bharati leading to a loss. On the other hand, its commitment to Tata Sky for first right of refusal for using its Ku band transponders, led to its transponder space remaining idle for years.

  • Tata Sky gets ID in its basic pack

    Tata Sky gets ID in its basic pack

    MUMBAI: Even though many niche channels fear that people don’t consume them as they don’t fall into the base pack offered by the platform operators, the newly-launched ID-Investigation Discovery from Discovery Network’s stable has now hopped onto the basic pack of direct to home (DTH) operator Tata Sky on channel number 135.

     

    The channel was launched about three months ago and currently reaches about 30 million houses. ID is also available on Dish TV, Airtel Digital TV, Videocon d2h, Siti Cable, Hathway, Den Networks, GTPL, InDigital and Digi Cable.

     

    The channel provides shows on crime and investigation that are dubbed in Hindi. Speaking on this development, Discovery Networks APAC EVP and GM South Asia and South East Asia Rahul Johri said, “ID has been recognised for its distinct appeal, refreshing programming and unique positioning. We are delighted to have Tata Sky as our distribution partner and its viewers can enjoy the best investigative programmes in Hindi in the comfort of their homes.”

     

    Series that will air on ID include Disappeared, Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry?, I was Murdered, Evil,I, I Married a Mobster, Blood Relatives etc.

  • How DTH got digitisation right

    How DTH got digitisation right

    MUMBAI: Two years gone, two more in hand. But the cable TV industry is still grappling with getting its act right for digitisation. It was 10 years ago when the direct to home (DTH) players entered the Indian market with huge tasks in hand: introduce and convert people from the analogue regime into the digital ecosystem.

    Currently, the DTH sector commands about 36 million active subscribers (as per the recent TRAI report). While Dish TV was first to enter, it was soon followed by Tata Sky, Sun Direct, Airtel Digital TV, Videocon d2h and Reliance Digital. Not to forget, Prasar Bharati’s DD Freedish.

    How did the DTH industry manage to cultivate the business model which the MSOs are still finding cumbersome? Ask the DTH players and they say, it is because of their direct contact with the customer. “We were able to deal directly with the customer and provide a business model the way we wanted to. There isn’t any intermediary,” says Dish TV CEO RC Venkateish.

    Agrees Sun Direct CEO Mahesh Kumar, “DTH adopted the retail distribution model akin to aggressive FMCG/ telecom companies which is purely B2C. Majority of the employees at the senior and middle level are from the retail background.”

    The MSOs on the other hand had been running the analogue business, handled mostly by the local cable operators (LCOs). It was only after being pressurized by the government and regulator that they finally took up digitisation and started work on creating a proper business model. Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal feels that MSOs are working like puppets. “Cable operators are looking at digitisation as forced upon them. Digitisation is not about putting a box; this is inconvenient for the customer. It has to be sold to the customer as empowerment and not as a curse. DTH has done that.”

    While initially convincing the customer to switch from analogue to digital DTH wasn’t easy, what went in their favour was superior product offering with better quality sound and picture and selection of channels and packaging. “When DTH first came, it was the only digital offering. The country was largely analogue. That was the big advantage we had. We started from zero and had the opportunity to build the billing system and packaging,” says Venkateish.

    The claims made by DTH ops were supported by setting up call centres, backend and investment in brand building. However, what all executives agree as the best tool is the prepaid mode of payment. “The biggest success factor of the DTH model is the prepaid model which is a very transparent business model,” says Kumar.

    Nagpal feels that the crux of their model is the consumer centric approach, which MSOs don’t have. “You can activate and deactivate channels and packages whenever you want. Go on a holiday and don’t recharge. This is not yet possible in cable. The benefits of flexibility and empowerment in the case of DTH are in the customers’ hands,” he says.

    The only difference in the two is the pricing models for packages. While DTH starts its base pack at around Rs 200 to Rs 220, cable gives the entire channel list for approximately Rs 250. But Nagpal disagrees, stating that MSOs are not subject to taxes and also gets carriage fees from broadcasters. Whereas DTH, despite paying taxes and also paying for content, gives channels at a decently low cost with options of adding more.

    Kumar points out that DTH community has been able to segment the market and the customer which has helped the industry to do up-selling and consistently improve average revenue per user. Though the initial uptake of dishes was slow, over the years it has picked up speed. The choice of packages, HD channels, addition of newer channels and easy payment methods have put them on the better side of digitisation.  

    While DTH did have the upper hand in entering the market with a fixed plan of action, it is about time the MSOs come to terms with getting addressable digitisation done rather than just fixing boxes in homes. “DTH got digitisation right because we looked at it from what benefits it has to customer and not what the regulator is asking me to do,” points out Nagpal.

     

  • Joining Airtel Digital TV, ID is now available on several DTH and analogue platforms

    Joining Airtel Digital TV, ID is now available on several DTH and analogue platforms

    NEW DELHI: ID-Investigation Discovery, the new 24-hour channel offering captivating true stories of investigation, crime and suspense in Hindi is now also available on Airtel Digital TV with immediate effect.

     
    Viewers can watch ID on Channel No. 133 on Airtel Digital TV.

     
    Aimed at the passionate Indian viewer, ID features provides fascinating true stories of human nature. The channel’s alluring series, in-depth specials and thought-provoking one-offs will challenge viewers’ perceptions on crime and investigation.

     
    In less than a month of its launch, ID has established a strong position in the Indian television industry and is experiencing increasing viewership across India. ID is available on leading digital and analogue platforms including Dish TV, Siti Cable, Hathway, DEN, GTPL, In-Digital, Digi Cable and now Airtel Digital TV.

     Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific executive vice president and general manager– south Asia & south east Asia Rahul Johri said, “ID has captured the imagination of the Indian viewer with its refreshing and differentiated programmes. We have prepared plans to maintain this trajectory and further enhance its entertainment quotient.”

     Some of the captivating series that will premiere on ID include ‘Disappeared’ that follows the unpredictable twists of missing person cases and tracks investigations aimed at solving how and why people simply vanish.

     

    These days, marriages are not always what they look like; explore the shocking hidden secrets of spouses in ‘Who the (Bleep) did I Marry?’

     

    In ‘I was Murdered’ revisit shocking cases through a first person perspective and witness the anguish of family and friends of victims as they peel the layers off each case. Recount real homicide investigations of the most horrific serial murderers in ‘Evil I.’ In India and across the world, women are known to fall for the wrong guy. Watch true stories of women who were swept off their feet by a member of the mafia in ‘I married a Mobster.’ In ‘Blood Relatives’ watch family members who get along very well on the outside but hide a lot more beneath the surface – jealousies, resentments and adultery that inevitably leads to the unthinkable – a murder.

     

  • Q2-2015: Airtel Digital TV y-o-y revenue grows 23 per cent, subscriber base up 11.3 per cent

    Q2-2015: Airtel Digital TV y-o-y revenue grows 23 per cent, subscriber base up 11.3 per cent

    BENGALURU: India headquartered communications giant Bharti Airtel Limited (Airtel)’s digital TV (DTH) segment reported a y-o-y growth in Q2-2015 (current quarter) in revenue of 23 per cent to Rs 626.3 crore as compared to the year ago revenue of Rs 507.2 crore. Q-o-q, the company reported a growth of 5.4 per cent from Rs 591.5 crore. For HY-2015, revenue at Rs 1217.8 crore was 22 per cent more than the Rs 997.2 crore in HY-2014.

     

    Note:  100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 crore = 1 crore.

     

    EBITDA for the quarter increased to Rs 152.9 crore as compared to Rs 64.6 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. EBITDA margin improved significantly to 24.4 per cent in the current quarter, as compared to a margin of 12.7 per cent in the corresponding quarter last year.

     

    During the current quarter, the Company incurred a capital expenditure of Rs 225.5 crore. Cash burn during the quarter at Rs 72.6 crore has increased, compared to Rs 39.6 crore in the corresponding quarter last year, primarily on account of seasonal build-up of boxes says the company.

     

    Subscription numbers:

     

    The company reported a 1.6 per cent increase in subscriber base to 9.54 million in Q2-2015 from 9.388 million in Q1-2015 and 11.3 per cent more than the 8.572 million in Q2-2014.

     

    Net subscriber additions for the quarter dipped 60 per cent to 151,000 from 376000 in Q1-2015, but was 11 per cent more than the 120,000 subscribers added in the corresponding year ago quarter Average revenue per quarter (arpu) in Q2-2015 was 3 per cent more at Rs 220 from Rs 214 in Q1-2015 and 11 per cent more than Rs 198 in Q2-2014. Monthly churn in Q2-2015 was higher than the 0.6 per cent in Q1-2015 and 1 per cent in Q2-2014.

     

    Bharti Airtel’s consolidated highlights for the second quarter ended September 30, 2014

     

    Customer base crossed mark of 30 crore and stands at 30.37 crore across 20 countries, up 8.4 per cent y-o-y.

     

    Consolidated total revenues at Rs 22,845 crore, up by 7.1 per cent y-o-y.

     

    India revenues up 12.3 per cent; Africa revenues (in local currency) up 6.4 per cent y-o-y.

     

    Consolidated Mobile Data revenue at Rs 2,540 crore, up by 66.7 per cent y-o-y; growth across geographies.

     

    Consolidated EBITDA at Rs 7,705 crore, up by 12.1 per cent Y-o-y, EBITDA margin up 1.5 per cent y-o-y.

     

    India EBITDA margin at 38.3 per cent, up by 3.2 per cent y-o-y.

     

    Net Income at Rs 1,383 crore, up by 170.2 per cent y-o-y.

  • Samsung launches TVs with inbuilt Airtel Digital TV smart card

    Samsung launches TVs with inbuilt Airtel Digital TV smart card

    MUMBAI: In a tie up with leading electronics giant Samsung, the direct to home (DTH) service from Bharti Airtel: Airtel Digital TV, has launched Integrated Digital TV (iDTV). Through this agreement, Samsung’s range of SmartDirect TVs will come designed with an in-built Airtel Digital TV smart card.

     

    By doing so, the TV will be enabled with DTH signal reception without the need for setting up an external set top box (STB). According to a statement by the company, this iDTV will deliver viewing experience with minimal signal loss and maximum audio and video clarity.

     

    “We at Airtel Digital TV are always looking for new ways to deliver an experience for our customers that is truly innovative and world class. In line with this commitment, we are today excited to announce our collaboration with Samsung to launch the Integrated Digital TV and introduce the Indian market to its next phase of TV viewing experience,” said Bharti Airtel CEO-DTH and media Shashi Arora.

     

    Samsung Electronics chief marketing officer Ranjivjit Singh said, “We are thrilled to partner with Airtel to launch India’s first smart direct TV with an in-built iDTV technology in India. The clutter free, convenient and ultimate viewing experience offered by iDTV showcases Samsung’s commitment to provide consumer-centric products.”

     

    The TV will be powered by a single remote and supports HD. The iDTV set includes the Samsung SmartDirect TV and Airtel Digital TV’s smart card and is available starting at Rs 44,900.

     

    It also has a four month introductory offer of free subscription of Airtel DTH services. Airtel will give two extra months of HD subscription, over and above the one month HD subscription on regular DTH. Samsung will give one month free subscription to all SmartDirect TVs purchased during the launch period (20 August to 31 October) and activated before 15 November as a Diwali promo. Airtel customers can save 10 per cent each month by using Airtel broadband on buying this TV and will get a WiFi router too. The TV however does not restrict users to Airtel DTH. Customers can opt for other services as well.

    The TV can also support ultra HD content, if available. The launch comes just in time with Diwali sale, wherein Samsung is doing the distribution from its end for the TV.

  • Assam’s Prag News aims for better distribution, content tie up

    Assam’s Prag News aims for better distribution, content tie up

    KOLKATA: The north eastern region of the country has been an ignored lot. And it is not just the people, who are asking for attention, but the channels as well that are now vying for more visibility. One such channel is Assam-based Prag News, a 24×7 satellite News channel, which is looking at pan-India presence. The channel has signed a deal with direct to home (DTH) operator Tata Sky to further enhance its distribution in other parts of the country.

     

    “We have already signed the deal with Tata Sky and as soon as the operator finds the bandwidth, Prag News will be included on the platform,” informs Prag News chairman and managing director Sanjive Narain.

     

    The News channel which is already available on Airtel Digital TV and Dish TV is also in talks with other DTH operators to ensure better reach. “We will disclose the information about the other players once the deal is finalised,” he adds.

     

    “It will be a win-win situation for any DTH player if it ties up with Prag News. The arrangement will also benefit the Assamese viewers of the platform,” opines Vinod Jhaveri of VKJ Advisory Services.

     

    The channel also enjoys a good reach in cable TV homes, across the country. While it is being distributed across the country via multi system operator SitiCable, in parts of Bihar it is distributed through Darsh Network, in J&K by 7 Sea, in Punjab with FastWay and in West Bengal via CTVN.

     

    Prag News, one of the oldest local news channels of the north east region which was launched in 2000 and operates out of Guwahati, has other plans as well. Taking cue from the tie-up between Times Now and Guwahati based News Live during Lok Sabha election, Prag News is also looking at content tie-up opportunity with a national News broadcaster.

     

    “Nothing has been finalised as yet on this front,” informs Narain.

     

    Post Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi’s decision to step down after his defeat in the general elections and BJP-led government deciding to monitor the states closely, the region has become a hub of new.

     

    “Mainstream media especially TV has always ignored the north east.  While clubbing all stories under the section ‘North East’ is an easy way out for channels, it is completely unfair to the people there. It is good to know that local channels like Prag News are looking for content tie-ups. If this happens, we can hope to see substantial increase in coverage from different states of north east in the media space,” says a Kolkata based television expert.

     

    The channel is currently available across Assam and other north-east states and enjoys a viewership of over 10 million.