ITV

Tag: Archana Anand

  • Zee Digital Convergence: Divya Dixit joins as head of marketing

    MUMBAI: After shutting down its Mumbai operations, the global internet and technology conglomerate LeEco’s director – content marketing for India Divya Dixit has joined Zee Digital Convergence as the head of marketing.

    It is learnt from a source that Dixit will report to Zee Entertainment Z5 India business head of digital Archana Anand.

    Dixit will lead digital marketing (online, mobile, app and VAS) for dittoTV and OZEE, the OTT offering from the stable of Zee Entertainment Enterprise.

    With 18 years of experience and having worked in a mix of marketing and building brands across multiple industries of retail, broadcasting, telecom and music, Dixit has managed teams up to 40 people and budgets in excess of INR 100 crore.

    Before joining Zee, she was a part of LeEco for almost a year before the company started curtailing operations and eventually shut Mumbai operations.

    Having had many feathers in her hat, Dixit was the head of marketing in Percept Live from April 2014 – March 2016. She created merchandising and space selling categories at Barista, launched a telecom brand at Tata Docomo, new business channel at UTV Network and created new IP at Saregama, etc.

  • dittoTV to stream Assembly election results live

    MUMBAI: The seventh phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh in 40 Assembly constituencies, with as many as 826 candidates contesting in this phase, ended on 8 March. This marks the end of the assembly elections in five states – Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, and viewers across the country will now be glued to their favorite news channels for the results which will be announced on 11 March.

    dittoTV offers its subscribers one of the largest bouquets of national and regional channels to choose from to follow the poll results and catch the news as it breaks. The results of these 5 state elections will air on national news channels like Zee News, Aaj Tak and India Today and a gamut of regional channels on 11 March 10 am onwards. Viewers can watch it live and on-the-go all day long via dittoTV.

    Zee Entertainment Z5 India Business head of digital Archana Anand said, “The 2017 Elections in India have seen a considerable increase in the turnout of voters. Many people may end up missing out on the live airing since they may be out or may not have easy access to a television set. dittoTV now makes it possible for them to conveniently watch the results of the highly anticipated Assembly elections anywhere, anytime on any internet-enabled device, and at an extremely affordable price point. ”

    This year’s Assembly elections have witnessed a considerable jump in the voter turnout with the turnout percentage increasing to 61.6% as compared to the 2012 Assembly and 2014 Lok Sabha elections. With the Indian audiences becoming increasingly involved in the political scenario of the country, they can keep up with the elections all day via dittoTV.

  • Tug of war between AVoD & SVoD, who will win?

    MUMBAI: Content is the king and distribution is the queen. The year 2016 saw this phrase being used several times by the Over-the-top (OTT) players. But, does the struggle end there? Not really.

    While content remains to be crucial, changing consumption patterns is inevitable. Having the right content mix is still a challenge for the players in the digital eco-system.

    Discussing the importance of content and what can work well at the CASBAA OTT Roundtable Summit 2017 were Zee Entertainment Z5 India Business head of digital Archana Anand and Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gaurav Gandhi, moderated by TriLegal partner Nikhil Narendran, the session kick-started with the two leading players discussing their evolution.

    While Anand spoke about the ‘BeesKaTV’ app in detail, Gandhi mentioned how the year 2016 saw OTT players burning cash to acquire consumers while it was a fabulous year for them.

    “There is a a lot of demand for content consumption on mobile devices. As an advertising-led video-on-demand (VOD) service, we want to play on our strengths. Acquiring users comes with a heavy cost. There is a streaming cost, technology cost, content cost, etc. A platform has to bare the cost of a stream per user. Voot rides on four pillars – fandom around our reality and drama content available on our TV channel, Kids, Original play, and various languages content. We have built ourselves around content, and are still learning. The market can have 5-6 players with different strategies and we are enjoying a nice slice of the market,” said Gandhi.

    Today, OTT is not just limited to mobile, and the fact that linear TV is not going away yet cannot be denied. How do the consumers consume content is important for which discovery is essential. “Content is crucial and discovery continues to be important. It is beneficial to throw recommendations around one type of content. Curation of original content requires humongous marketing strategy. In the recent Oscars, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video grabbed several awards. What better way to applaud the OTT industry than this,” added Anand.

    It is given that, more than discovery or being a device-agnostic platform, there is a mindset shift required. Making people pay for content remains to be one of the many challenges for the SVOD players. With the data prices coming down, more and more people are going to consume digital video. Though, there is a segment of people who are not part of the data bandwagon, but they have consumed content. So, does it lead to the exit of linear TV in India? Perhaps, not.

    “The next 24 months are going to be crucial for the digital space. TV is here to stay for a long time. There are some segments that will grow faster than the rest. Ad-supported OTT platform complements TV perfectly. We create fandom around our popular TV shows on Voot which gets us more eyeballs and, at the same time, boosts our TV business. There is a lot of headroom for television,” said Gandhi.

    Anand resonated with Gandhi’s point of view on whether digital can replace TV framework.

    But, who will determine the right pricing for each of these platforms? Are the advertisers ready to buy slots? For advertisers to hop on board, the platform first needs to monetise its content, grab maximum number of eyeballs, and then measure it. “The choice is with the players whether they want to play by volume or margin. Indians are ready to pay for transactions than subscriptions. The transactional business will get its value, but the subscription business will take its time. Newer and better models will emerge in the market. The volumes are growing large, but the challenge is — pricing. The advertisers require volume for which more watch-time is a given,” added Gandhi.

    Contradicting that, Anand said, “The real challenge is: value for money. Even the advertisers are invisible in videos. Selling inventories to other broadcasters or platforms becomes difficult.”

    It remains to be seen who’s content will work in the long run, and which model proves to be successful for the players in the digital space.

  • Barjatya’s ‘Piyaa Albela’ on ZeeTV streaming live on dittoTV

    MUMABI: ZeeTV, well known for its ever-popular line up of TV shows is all set to launch the much-awaited romantic drama, ‘Piyaa Albela’, which can also be watched live on dittoTV. The show, produced by Sooraj Barjatya under the banner of Rajshri Productions, will launch on 6 March at 8.30 pm.

    ‘Piyaa Albela’ brings to viewers a perfect mix of romance, drama and comedy, with a touch of spirituality added in. Piyaa Albela will further strengthen the wide bouquet of Live TV shows across the range of 90+ channels that dittoTV offers to its subscribers.

    While Sooraj Barjatya is well known for working with the biggest stars in Bollywood and television, however, for this daily soap he chose to cast newcomers, Akshay Mhatre and Sheen Dass, as the main leads. Commenting on this, Sooraj explains, “The concept of a sage in meditation and a temptress attempting to break his penance is a very limited view of the Vishwamitra Menaka story. Very few people know of the love story that goes beyond the superficial layer of mere seduction. Our story is not mythological – it is set in contemporary times with real, relatable characters. It has elements, however, that can be compared to the classic. Our protagonist Pooja is approached by Naren’s parents – not to seduce their son but to ignite a spark for the real world within him. But how the two react to each other at the outset and then gradually come closer in the course of their interactions forms the crux of Piyaa Albela. We are pleased to have found the ideal Naren and Pooja in Akshay and Sheen, both making their fiction debuts as leads. Akshay’s eyes exude the brooding intensity required of Naren while Sheen has the verve, grace and positivity that Pooja needs to embody. The show is set in Dehradun and Rishikesh. We look forward to a great response.” The mysterious and suspense-filled storyline of Piyaa Albela is sure to resonate with the Indian youth, who form an important part of dittoTV’s subscriber base.

    Commenting on the launch of this new show, Z5 Business head of digital Archana Anand says, “dittoTV enables its subscribers to stay updated with all the diverse and gripping content that ZeeTV has to offer. We are extremely excited to bring Sooraj Barjatya’s romantic drama, Piyaa Albela, to viewers on our platform, dittoTV which allows viewers to catch their favourite programs live and on-the-go on their smartphones and internet connected devices, offering them the convenience of watching their favourite shows when they do not have easy access to a television set. With viewers increasingly becoming more selective about what they watch, it is highly essential to introduce differentiated and innovative content, which resonates well with the audience.”

    dittoTV subscribers can catch this new daily soap every day from Monday to Friday at 8.30 PM on their Android and iOS phones or any other internet connected device. The monthly subscription charge for the platform is INR 20 per month.

  • BAFTA to air on dittoTV! on 13 Feb

    MUMBAI: As the global movie industry’s season for applause and hurrahs begins, the highly anticipated 70th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) are set to hit television screens on 13 February at 9 PM. dittoTV subscribers on the go can watch this much awaited event live on Zee Studio on their smartphones and any other internet enabled devices.

    The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) honor the best of international and British contributions to the film industry and host an annual show to present these awards. Hosted by acclaimed comedian, actor and presenter Stephen Fry, this year’s ceremony is set to take place at London’s famous Royal Albert Hall, with ‘La La Land’ topping the charts with nominations in 11 categories. Apart from this Ryan Gosling-Emma Stone starrer, also leading the nominations are top notch contenders like ‘Arrival’ , ‘Nocturnal Animals’.

    The event also features other top nominations such as ‘Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them’ for Outstanding British Film, an expected deadlock for the Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role between Emily Blunt for her role in ‘The Girl On The Train’ and Emma Stone in ‘La La Land’, and between Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘Nocturnal Animals’ and the heart-throb Ryan Gosling for the Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

    Looking forward to the event, Z5 Business Head of Digital – India Archana Anand says, “We are very excited to bring the 70th British Academy Film Awards to Zee Studio viewers on our platform dittoTV. Cinema fans across the globe eagerly await this extravagant awards ceremony and are particularly excited this year with the huge favourite ‘La La Land’ leading the nominations. dittoTV subscribers can catch all the glamour, excitement and red carpet moments live as it happens on their internet enabled devices even if they are on the go or don’t have easy access to a TV set.”

    The Awards air on television at 13 February, 9 PM onwards on Zee Studio, and dittoTV subscribers can watch it on their Android or iOS phones or any other internet connected devices. Subscription charge for dittoTV start from INR 20 per month.

  • ditto TV to air ‘Descendants of the Sun’ from 8 Feb

    ditto TV to air ‘Descendants of the Sun’ from 8 Feb

    MUMBAI: After successfully introducing Indian audiences to shows from Turkey and Ukraine, Zindagi, famous for bringing the best of finite drama series from across the globe to viewers in India, is all set to launch “Descendants of the Sun”, an award winning Korean show for the first time on Indian television. The blockbuster Korean drama will also be available live on Zindagi on dittoTV, February 8 onwards. The series has won numerous awards on Korean and international platforms, and will now add to the wide bouquet of shows that dittoTV offers its subscribers.

    Zindagi with its diverse and differentiated content has built a strong core fan base who, with dittoTV, have the option of also tuning into these shows anytime on the go.

    ‘Zindagi with its diverse and differentiated content has built a strong core fan base, as it gives them the opportunity to explore content from beyond the US and UK. Keeping in mind the evolving preferences of viewers, dittoTV offers a wide variety of channels across genres that cater to the diverse content preferences of its subscribers. We are excited to bring to India Zindagi’s first Korean show, “Descendants of the Sun” on dittoTV, enabling viewers who are constantly on-the-go to watch their favourite programs live’, said Z5 Business head of digital, India Archana Anand.

    The heartwarming story line of “Descendants of the Sun” is sure to resonate with the Indian youth, who form an important part of dittoTV’s subscriber base. The trend of finite TV series, a format that Zindagi is well known for introducing to the Indian audience, is gaining momentum amongst viewers. dittoTV will enable them to keep up with the engaging plot twists of the show on their handheld devices, even when they do not have access to a television set.

    dittoTV subscribers can catch this new primetime show from February 8, Monday to Saturday at 8 PM on their Android and iOS phones or any other internet connected device. The subscription charges start from INR 20 per monImage result for Descendants of the Sun’.

  • dittoTV partners Idea to provide 90+ live channels

    dittoTV partners Idea to provide 90+ live channels

    MUMBAI: Zee Digital Convergence Limited’s (ZDCL) live TV platform dittoTV has partnered with Idea Cellular for its entertainment app, Idea Movies Club. Through this, Idea subscribers will get access to a bouquet of 90+ premium live TV channels. Idea Cellular will also offer its subscribers a subscription of dittoTV bundled with its data recharges and Movie Club packs.

    Idea Movie Club is a free video streaming app offering unlimited access to music videos, movies and Hollywood, Bollywood and regional TV shows across 10+ different languages. The live TV channels offered by the app can be accessed via ditto TV, which is featured as a separate tab in the app.

    “With dittoTV, our aim is to bring Live TV within the reach of every Indian and help them access a rich portfolio of content across genres and languages. With this collaboration, Idea customers can watch their favorite TV shows live anytime, anywhere, on any internet enabled device, along with all the other wonderful video and movies content offered by the Idea Movie Club app. This is a fantastic option especially for working professionals who are constantly on-the-go and hostel students who may not have easy access to a TV set and would otherwise miss out on their favorite programmes,” said dittoTV business head Archana Anand.

    Positioned as Desh ka TV, dittoTV has several strategic partnerships in place to strengthen its reach across the country. dittoTV is available to users on both Android and iOS platforms. The subscription charges for the platform start from INR 20 per month.

  • dittoTV partners Idea to provide 90+ live channels

    dittoTV partners Idea to provide 90+ live channels

    MUMBAI: Zee Digital Convergence Limited’s (ZDCL) live TV platform dittoTV has partnered with Idea Cellular for its entertainment app, Idea Movies Club. Through this, Idea subscribers will get access to a bouquet of 90+ premium live TV channels. Idea Cellular will also offer its subscribers a subscription of dittoTV bundled with its data recharges and Movie Club packs.

    Idea Movie Club is a free video streaming app offering unlimited access to music videos, movies and Hollywood, Bollywood and regional TV shows across 10+ different languages. The live TV channels offered by the app can be accessed via ditto TV, which is featured as a separate tab in the app.

    “With dittoTV, our aim is to bring Live TV within the reach of every Indian and help them access a rich portfolio of content across genres and languages. With this collaboration, Idea customers can watch their favorite TV shows live anytime, anywhere, on any internet enabled device, along with all the other wonderful video and movies content offered by the Idea Movie Club app. This is a fantastic option especially for working professionals who are constantly on-the-go and hostel students who may not have easy access to a TV set and would otherwise miss out on their favorite programmes,” said dittoTV business head Archana Anand.

    Positioned as Desh ka TV, dittoTV has several strategic partnerships in place to strengthen its reach across the country. dittoTV is available to users on both Android and iOS platforms. The subscription charges for the platform start from INR 20 per month.

  • Budget ’17: OTT players hoping for tax rationalisation to boost growth

    Budget ’17: OTT players hoping for tax rationalisation to boost growth

    MUMBAI: 2016 was indeed a critical year for the over-the-top (OTT) services in India. In an emerging market like India, the potential of more content consumption is certainly a reality. Increasing availability of smart phones, internet penetration, affordable data rates, 4G rollout, availability of good quality content and new entrants have led the OTT industry to bloom in 2016 and the trend is likely to continue. But the segment players are also looking up to the government for a clearer economic roadmap after the shockwaves of demonestisation.

    “The entertainment industry has always been on the forefront of economic contribution. Though it is expected that GST rollout (as and when it happens later this year) would bring about more uniformity in the system of paying multiple taxes, it is also expected that finance minister Arun Jaitley will announce reforms, which will help control piracy issues in the country and help boost video on demand market in India,” said Muvizz.com COO and co-founder Abhayanand Singh.

    Zee’s business head of digital for India Archana Anand opined that 2016 will go down as the year in which the wheels were set in motion for the growth of OTT. According to her, OTT platforms likely to become the go-to source of entertainment in the coming years, particularly for the millennials, who do not have easy access to a TV set and for whom it’s really about the content and not the size of the screen. But for that economic incentives are also needed from the government.

    Echoing similar views, Web Talkies chairman and managing director Virendra Shahaney asserted the government needs to beef up digital infrastructure like Internet and faster implementation of free wi-fi projects. “A relaxed taxation policy for start-ups would be welcome and tax breaks for start-ups should increase to five years with a significant improvement in ease of doing business,” he added.

    Pointing out that India downloaded six billion apps in 2016 making service usage the highest globally, Dekkho co-founder Tanay Desai said ,”The BHIM app has been downloaded 10 million times already indicating a healthy potential payment pipeline. GST will aid online payments for users as well as brands by reducing tax barriers across states in India and the industry looks forward to additional (tax) relaxation measures in the upcoming Budget.”

    Also Read:

    Budget ’17: Media segments seek succour, digital direction from govt

  • Budget ’17: OTT players hoping for tax rationalisation to boost growth

    Budget ’17: OTT players hoping for tax rationalisation to boost growth

    MUMBAI: 2016 was indeed a critical year for the over-the-top (OTT) services in India. In an emerging market like India, the potential of more content consumption is certainly a reality. Increasing availability of smart phones, internet penetration, affordable data rates, 4G rollout, availability of good quality content and new entrants have led the OTT industry to bloom in 2016 and the trend is likely to continue. But the segment players are also looking up to the government for a clearer economic roadmap after the shockwaves of demonestisation.

    “The entertainment industry has always been on the forefront of economic contribution. Though it is expected that GST rollout (as and when it happens later this year) would bring about more uniformity in the system of paying multiple taxes, it is also expected that finance minister Arun Jaitley will announce reforms, which will help control piracy issues in the country and help boost video on demand market in India,” said Muvizz.com COO and co-founder Abhayanand Singh.

    Zee’s business head of digital for India Archana Anand opined that 2016 will go down as the year in which the wheels were set in motion for the growth of OTT. According to her, OTT platforms likely to become the go-to source of entertainment in the coming years, particularly for the millennials, who do not have easy access to a TV set and for whom it’s really about the content and not the size of the screen. But for that economic incentives are also needed from the government.

    Echoing similar views, Web Talkies chairman and managing director Virendra Shahaney asserted the government needs to beef up digital infrastructure like Internet and faster implementation of free wi-fi projects. “A relaxed taxation policy for start-ups would be welcome and tax breaks for start-ups should increase to five years with a significant improvement in ease of doing business,” he added.

    Pointing out that India downloaded six billion apps in 2016 making service usage the highest globally, Dekkho co-founder Tanay Desai said ,”The BHIM app has been downloaded 10 million times already indicating a healthy potential payment pipeline. GST will aid online payments for users as well as brands by reducing tax barriers across states in India and the industry looks forward to additional (tax) relaxation measures in the upcoming Budget.”

    Also Read:

    Budget ’17: Media segments seek succour, digital direction from govt