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Tag: benchmark

  • Bloomberg Media expands reach with Brandwidth Mediaè tie-up

    Bloomberg Media expands reach with Brandwidth Mediaè tie-up

    MUMBAI: Bloomberg Media, the multi-platform media company for business and financial information, is doubling down on its regional presence with a strategic partnership with Brandwidth Mediaè. The collaboration aims to deliver Bloomberg’s cutting-edge financial intelligence to a wider audience across the subcontinent.

    Brandwidth Mediaè founder & managing director Rahul Sood said, “This partnership with Bloomberg allows us to bring unparalleled financial insights to audiences across the subcontinent. We’re excited to deliver Bloomberg’s dynamic and authoritative news to viewers on all screens.”

    Bloomberg is globally celebrated for its rapid, precise and insightful reporting on business and financial affairs, empowering audiences with real-time updates and deep market intelligence. “We are excited to introduce not just Bloomberg TV, but also Bloomberg TV+ and Bloomberg Originals, further expanding their reach and strengthening the brand in this dynamic region,” said Brandwidth Mediaè founder & managing partner  Rohit Jaiswal.

    Brandwidth Mediaè is an independent content, technology, and media sales company, dedicated to helping global brands expand their footprint and monetise their services. It provides high-impact opportunities for businesses to generate new revenue streams and amplify their reach.

    With a star-studded roster of partners—including CNN, Al Jazeera and TV Today in broadcast, and Frammer AI & Benchmark in tech—Brandwidth Mediaè continues to build up its presence in the media world. Its latest partnership with Bloomberg Media is set to raise the bar for financial journalism in the region, delivering top-tier insights to an ever-growing audience.

  • Benchmark Broadcast partners with Adobe to upgrade video & audio services

    Benchmark Broadcast partners with Adobe to upgrade video & audio services

    Mumbai: In the last few years, the media and entertainment industry has taken a giant leap, thanks to the digital transformation that it has witnessed. The industry leaders now increasingly recognise technology’s strategic significance and do not see it merely as a tool for operational efficiency.

    On the other end of the spectrum, consumers are keen to explore new experiences, including audio and video content. Their consumption avenues are not limited to TV, but also cover OTT platforms, web, social media, and native apps. For media and broadcasting companies, the evolution is a lifetime opportunity, and it requires them to use agile and effective ways to create a niche for themselves.

    Setting ‘Benchmark’ since 2006

    Established in 2006 in Singapore, Benchmark Broadcast Systems is a consultant and technology partner for media and broadcast companies in Asia. The company has over 50 in-house engineers and more than 500 years of cumulative experience in the broadcast industry to empower broadcast and media clients. The team works for end-to-end systems integration, project roadmaps, site support and maintenance, and personnel training.

    From assessing requirements to designing systems, procurement, installation, and maintenance, Benchmark provides all services to its clients, which includes several broadcasters in the Indian sub-continent and Southeast Asia – CNBC, Mediacorp, Aljazeera, Nepal TV, and MyTV among many others.

    For the uninitiated, production companies work with multiple vendors who provide a complex array of equipment and software — from the network, storage, and compute infrastructure to editing software, ingest systems, and media asset management. Often, these companies struggle to put all of these complex pieces together and follow a streamlined workflow. As a systems integrator, Benchmark works with each client to identify and implement a customized solution to address their specific problem.

    The pandemic has not only catalysed the demand for digital content but also changed the production environments significantly. At this juncture, Benchmark set out to look for new-age solutions which help its clients respond to the changed environment and maintain their competitive edge.

    Adobe joins the saga

    Being a leader in creating digital experiences, Adobe’s solutions create environments that help media companies achieve their goals.

    In September 2020, the company introduced the Adobe Certified Service Partners for Video and Audio program. The program helps systems integrators gain the high-level knowledge and confidence needed to deliver their services in three strategic areas: support, workflow and system design, and in software integration. Systems integrators that meet proficiency requirements in all three areas become Adobe Certified Service Partners for Video and Audio. The program supports partners in several ways. Through training, engineers become proficient in each service areas, giving systems integrators a clear path to gaining skills that will enable them to compete in the industry and better serve their clients. They can also leverage the certification as a unique selling point to offer professional services to their clients.

    Benchmark Broadcast’s relationship with Adobe is not a recent one. The company has been successfully creating workflows for its clients by using Adobe Premiere Pro. Therefore, the leadership at Benchmark was excited to have their engineers be a part of the Adobe Certified Service Partner for Video and Audio program.

    The program modules offer structured lessons about best practices on building the right workflows throughout the production journey. This enables Benchmark’s engineers to be more efficient in managing timelines yet develop a deeper understanding of systems integration, as they aim to improve the Adobe ecosystem for clients.

    Amid the demand for complex remote production environments, production houses need trusted partners to help them with effective integration and the desired production workflow.

    By joining the Adobe Certified Service Partners for Video and Audio program, Benchmark attempts to enhance the customer’s trust. For a relatively small team at Benchmark, the certification becomes a testimony of its experience with the Adobe ecosystem and the ability to get the work done.

    By becoming an Adobe Certified Service Partner for Video and Audio, Benchmark Broadcast Systems is pushing the envelope in helping media and broadcast companies adapt to new consumer demands.

  • Spotify valued at $4 billion

    Spotify valued at $4 billion

    MUMBAI: Spotify, the music streaming giant, could well be the latest startup to join the $4 billion valuation club.

    The company has reportedly secured $250 million in new financing, valuing it at more than $4 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. Spotify previously raised $100 million almost exactly a year ago at a $3 billion valuation.

    An earlier report had suggested that Spotify was looking to raise a new round of funding at a more than $5 billion valuation, but clearly that was too bullish.

    While Spotify’s popularity and revenue has grown in recent years, it continues to lose money. Spotify reportedly doubled its revenues year-over-year in 2012 to nearly $600 million, but its net loss increased to $77 million. The extra funds may provide Spotify with more space to continue its rapid expansion even as it continues to bleed money.

    The $4 billion valuation mark seems to be the benchmark for tech startups right now. Pinterest was recently valued at just shy of $4 billion, Snapchat has reportedly turned down acquisition offers of up to $4 billion and Uber is closing in on that milestone as well.

  • Big Boy Toyz Introduces 10 New Exclusive Surveillance Features for a Hassle Free Purchase of Pre-Owned Luxury Cars

    Big Boy Toyz Introduces 10 New Exclusive Surveillance Features for a Hassle Free Purchase of Pre-Owned Luxury Cars

    NEW DELHI :Big Boy Toyz, the specialized dealer of pre-owned and exotic luxury cars now gives you not one, but 10 reasons to buy from their showroom.

     

    Big Boy Toyz is known to have set a benchmark for their service and quality standards in the pre-owned luxury car segment. The team constantly ensures transparency in the operational and procurement policies. The diligent teamworkers at Big Boy Toyz follow a rigorous document and history check for each and every car before it passes on to become a Big Boy Toyz fleet member.

     

    To live up to the benchmark and in effort to raise the bar even higher, Big Boy Toyz gives you 10 points of surveillance each car goes through.

     

    Every car at Big Boy Toyz goes through 151 Quality Checks (Please see attachment) before it becomes ‘BBT Certified Pre Owned Car’. It is only after receiving a National Crime Clearance does a car become member of the Big Boy Toyz cars fleet. In sync with their transparency trait, Big Boy Toyz provides their customers with a detailed record of Insurance history in addition to Service History for body work, accidental work, as well as regular maintenance record. In case of minor rubbing on the body, prior information is given to the customers.

     

    Mr. Jatin Ahuja, President, Big Boy Toyz says “Quality and transparency is what our business thrives upon. Quality was the biggest apprehension when we first started, but not anymore. People who shop with us are aware that Quality is something they can never be uncertain about. In terms of exclusivity, the cars at our showroom have either done under 20,000 kms or are above the year 2010.”

     

    For all the mean machines at Big Boy Toyz, they offer warranty on engine transmission on 6 months or 15,000 kms whichever happens first. No car at BBT has its meter tampered or any system at default. Owing to its buy back guarantee program, Big Boy Toyz ensures the customers have a hassle free purchase and sale of any car from BBT, an assurance of a mere depreciation of 25% on the purchase value of the vehicle. The insurance and finance team provides the customers with precise financial alternatives about the prevailing loan status for each car being offered. Our procurement team ensure the physical file check by visiting the Regional Transport Officer.

  • Converging guest experiences from across the web onto Facebook via a dynamic cover photo

    Converging guest experiences from across the web onto Facebook via a dynamic cover photo

    MUMBAI: “The challenge we have been trying to address through social media is not to get a higher fan or follower count. That’s easy. But, to get a relevant fan base & thus, drive ROI which frankly is pretty tough – One needs to keep optimizing with content, media, campaigns etc”-said Saurabh Parmar from Brandlogist the marketing consultancy managing Sahara Star’, the 5 star hotel in Mumbai.

    Thus, when they reached the benchmark of 1 lakh facebook fans & 1000 twitter followers for Sahara Star, instead of focusing on a gimmicky campaign they continued their focus on relevancy & ROI.

    One big challenge which any hospitality brand today faces is that guests are sharing their experiences across the web- tripadvisor, blogs, forums, twitter etc & as a brand you would want that all these get aggregated in an interesting way onto your primary platform which is usually Facebook. Especially for a luxury brand these are strong drivers of consumer interest.

    To address this Brandlogist, designed a Facebook cover photo which got updated with a new review from across the web after every like. So, a user may tweet something on twitter today about the brand & the people on the Facebook page see his/her experience in their newsfeed via a cover photo.

  • Cable TV carriage fees head south

    Cable TV carriage fees head south

    Carriage fees have been a bane of the Indian television industry. Most broadcasters have been groaning and moaning how they have been choking up their capital, preventing them from investing in content, especially news channels.

    Now throwing some light on the trend in carriage fees is five year old television media and distribution audit company Chrome Data Analytics & Media which has just released its Chrome Dii R3 (Distribution Investments Index – Round 3).

    Chrome Dii,says the company, has been worked out while tracking deals done by broadcasters over the past year, with information gathered from across various sources including broadcasters as well as distribution platforms. After eliminating high variance deals, an average of six solo deals per cable network were studied for their investments for S band and UHF.

    Jeffrey Crasto…

    “For the digital scenario, Chrome Dii indicates a benchmark carriage to be available on the basic tier that is channels under BST (mandated FTA channels) along with the first tier of pay channels,” says Chrome Data executive director Jeffrey Crasto. “The study is inclusive of both new launches/new deals done in the last one year and existing deals expiring in April/May 2013.”

    Adds Chrome Data founder & CEO Pankaj Krishna: “Digitisation was expected to be a harbinger of correction leading to nullification of carriage fees. As per TRAI, they had anticipated the Chrome Dii to come down to Rs 1, however though there has been a significant drop; it has not come down to Rs 1.As compared to R2, Dii has come down from Rs 20 to Rs 11.6. “

    .. & Pankaj Krishna have attempted to demystify the burden broadcasters have to bear

    In its third round, the Dii has revealed that north India has emerged as the costliest region with a whopping 16.7 crore in carriage fees for 100 per cent availability across Basic + S band for new channel launches and 13.3 crorefor renewals of existing deals whereas central India is the lowest with 3.11 crore and 2.73 crore for Basic + S band for new launches and renewing existing deals respectively.

    While a different image is revealed if the Dii (cost per contact for the television channels) is studied, Chrome Dii R3 data shows the cost (renewals, S-band) per contact (household) is the highest in west India with an average of 17.6 followed by Central at 14.4. The national average for renewals stands at 11.6.

    Out of a total universe of 47 million households in Class I India, 42 million are C&S Homes. Chrome Dii study tracks 31 million homes, 2 million remain uncovered and balance 9 million are DTH!


    Source: Chrome Data Analytics & Media

    C&S Households
    89%
    DTH
    74%
    Non TV Households
    11%
    Chrome Dii
    21%
     
     
    Balance
    5%

    Chrome Data says that its Dii R3 was pre-subscribed by eight leading TV networks. And it is an addition to the other services that it offers (covering1800+ cities and towns) Chrome Track 2.0, Chrome DPi, Chrome Dii & Chrome SES, Chrome AV, Chrome LC1, Chrome NE and Chrome Language Feed.Some 132 channels subscribe to its various services.

    Some interesting facts according to Chrome Dii R3 –

    Carriage Fee Cost
     
    Existing
    New Launch
    REGION Basic + S BAND Basic + UHF Basic + S BAND Basic + UHF
    CENTRAL 273,75,000 194,70,000 311,95,000 235,30,000
    EAST 376,65,000 281,25,000 404,65,000 340,00,000
    NORTH 1330,33,300 1118,71,800 1673,03,300 1343,67,800
    SOUTH 549,50,000 466,67,000 625,65,500 527,32,500
    WEST 1099,80,000 1014,80,000 1320,00,000 1195,00,000
    Grand Total 3630,03,300 3076,13,800 4335,28,800 3641,30,300

    * To cite an example as per the above data, comparing how much a Hindi News channel would spend for 75 per cent HSM availability as per Dii R3 as compared to Dii R2 – it would pay 75% of (Rs 36.30 croe minus Rs 5.49 crore for the south) = Rs. 23.1 crore as per Dii R3, whereas it would have paid Rs 38.2 crore as per Dii R2 – a saving of over 39 per cent! But has the overall pie reduced, not really! As there has been an increase in network bandwidth, hence the number of takers has increased.

    North emerged as the costliest region with Rs 16.7 crore for 100 per cent availability across Basic + S Band and Rs 13.4 crore for 100 per cent availability across Basic + UHF for New Launches. Renewals of existing deals for Rs 13.3 crore for Basic + S Band and Rs 11.2 crore for Basic + UHF.

    The study also provides a benchmark for carriage fee efficiency with respect to the investment indices that is Chrome Dii that is cost per contact (see tables below). Chrome reveals that the Dii (renewals, S-band, household) is the highest in West India with an average of Rs 17.6 followed by the Central at Rs 14.4. The national average for renewals stands at Rs 11.6.

    Carriage Fee Cost per contact for existing channels in Rs

     

    Existing-Basic+S Band
    West
    17.6
    Central
    14.4
    North
    14.1
    East
    7.1
    South
    6.6

    Source: Chrome Data Analytics & Media

    * In terms of highest Chrome Dii, West was followed by North, Central, East and South.

    * The gap between Dii for Existing and New Launches has reduced over the years owing to digitization and increase in bandwidth of the networks.

    Carriage Fee Cost per contact for new channels being launched in Rs

     

    New Launches –
    Basic+S Band
    West
    21.1
    Central
    17.7
    North
    16.4
    East
    7.6
    South
    7.5

    Source: Chrome Data Analytics & Media

    * Further, the gap between Dii for S Band and UHF has also reduced due to digitization

    * Chrome Dii for a New Launch in Central and East India has halved.