ITV

Tag: Big Brother

  • ‘Bigg Boss’ Kannada continues to peak in season 2

    ‘Bigg Boss’ Kannada continues to peak in season 2

    MUMBAI: Endemol’s most successful reality format Bigg Boss has done it again! Season 2 of Bigg Boss Kannada hosted by Sudeep, aired on Suvarna TV, Star Network’s Kannada General Entertainment Channel, has hit the top of the charts and has been increasingly gaining popularity with audiences across age groups. The unpredictable format of the show has won over the viewers’ attention and loyalty garnering a 6.41 TVR in the last week of August with an average of 753 million viewers; an approximate 25 per cent increase over the 604 million viewers for Season 1 of the show.

     

    As unpredictable and entertaining as ever this seasons’ numerous surprises have ensured that Bigg Boss Kannada is one of the most talked about shows on regional television. The anticipation and the excitement for the launch of the second season was palpable right from the start; it launched at 961 TVM vs. 661 TVM in the first season. The show also contributes approximately 40 per cent of the channel’s GVM and is one of the key factors attributing to the channels current number 2 position.

     

    Endemol India COO – Television Abhishek Rege said, “The combination of Superstar Sudeep, the Bigg Boss Kannada House, an intriguing mix of housemates and Suvarna TV is an explosive one. The disruptive and differentiated format and content of the show has hit a high note with the audiences and the peaking TVR’s and the show’s gaining popularity are evidence of the same. We are encouraged by the fantastic response received by Bigg Boss Kannada Season 2 and hope that the legacy of record breaking TRP’s for Bigg Boss continues.”

     

    Bigg Boss Kannada Season-2 based on the successful format of “Big Brother” airs every day at 8 PM only on Suvarna TV.

  • The TV Formats business is doing very well, thank you!

    The TV Formats business is doing very well, thank you!

    MUMBAI: The production volume generated by the TV format business globally was in excess of 9 billion euros as estimated by a FRAPA study in 2009.  Estimates are that this could have crossed euros 10 billion by now.

     

    Indiantelevision.com calculations place the size for the business in India at around Rs 950 crore nationally, for shows which are produced from international, indigenous formats and even format TV show imports.

     

    Dance India Dance,  one of the most popular original Indian formats in recent times, and has now branched out and in its four season run, spawning three spin-offs’ viz., Dance India Dance: Super Moms, Dance India Dance: Li’l Masters and Dance India Dance Doubles. Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest remains India’s oldest original format to be still in production, since its inception back in 1972; and still remains India’s longest running quiz contest. India has adapted quite a few international reality formats, namely, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Masterchef, Big Brother, Britain’s Got Talent, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and Road Rules, along with adaptations of scripted formats such as 24 and The Killing currently in production.

     

    Earlier this month, UK research firm Madigan Cluff released its annual state of the union update and report on the business titled TV Formats in Europe 2014. It states that despite the global prolonged advertising recession and the fact that several major titles have peaked, the TV formats market in Europe is showing remarkable resilience. The value created by the top 100 formats was $2,931 million in 2013 for 84 European channels across the 16 territories and 21 distributors, according to the TV Formats in Europe report. The value created by formats for UK broadcasters was $600 million in 2013, down from $677 million in 2012. The number of hours broadcast reached 28,386 in 2013. France’s TF1 ($332 million) was the leader with Italy’s Rai 1 at No 2 and the UK’s BBC1 at third spot. Russia’s 1TV entered the top 10 in 2013 —by more than doubling its formats revenues in the year.

     

    The UK, followed by France is the TV formats leader in Europe. France recorded $599 million in 2013, up from $547 million in 2012. The UK, France, Germany and Italy accounted for 72 per cent of Europe’s total value created in 2013.

     

    The total number of hours broadcast in Europe for the 100 formats was 28,386 in 2013 with the UK coming up as the leader again, despite its 2013 total was estimated at 3,935 being considerably lower than in 2012, which was estimated at 4,623. Romania took third place, having added 645 hours to its total in 2013. 

     

  • Bigg Boss rides high on negative publicity

    Bigg Boss rides high on negative publicity

    MUMBAI: Not that Bigg Boss, or for that matter even the original format Big Brother, has ever been in news for good things, but the seventh season of the celebrity reality show seems to be riding high on negative publicity.  While in the earlier seasons, it was just the in-house fights, some of the most popular ones involving Dolly Bindra, Raja Chaudhary, Kamal R Khan, Pooja Misra etc, which made headlines, this time the happenings inside the house is also coming out and reaching the police station.

     

    The recent news is about a case against actor Ajaz Khan. Apparently, on 28 December, a case was filed against him for calling BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi a “chor”. The BJP political wing in North Mumbai lodged a police complaint against Ajaz and the show for apparent defamatory statement.

     

    The number of legal cases this season has just been on a rise. The first case was against Armaan Kohli filed by Sofia Hayat for sexual assault. The actor was taken to Lonavala police station from the Bigg Boss house but however he got and re-entered the house.

     

    If that wasn’t enough, another case was filed in Hyderabad against the host Salman Khan and the producers of the show for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments. According to the complainant, certain expressions used by the actor for describing elimination and promotion of participants were offensive.

     

    Surprisingly, there was not much use of abusive language in this season of the show. However, other factors like celebrity tantrums, physical proximity among contestants all have kept the show in the spotlight since the beginning. From Kushal Tandon jumping off the wall and contestants flouting the rules of the house to two contestants getting intimate in the house, everything has kept the show in the limelight.

     

    Recently, there was also a strong buzz that actor and producer Sachiin Joshi was also going to take strong legal action against Kushal Tandon. The actor was in the show to promote his film Jackpot and was called ‘dedh footiya’ by the TV actor.

     

    With only two days to go for the show’s finale, one can only hope that the season ends without anymore controversies.

  • Endemol buys a stake in Israeli broadcaster Reshet

    Endemol buys a stake in Israeli broadcaster Reshet

    MUMBAI: Big Brother creator Endemol has confirmed that it has taken a 33 per cent stake in Tel Aviv-based Reshet, one of Israel’s foremost commercial broadcasters, hiking its presence in the Israeli market, one of the world’s hotspots for groundbreaking TV production.

    The partnership unites Endemol’s expertise in the creation, production and distribution of hit content with Reshet’s strong platform as a leading and innovative broadcaster in one of the industry’s most innovative and prolific markets globally. The two companies will collaborate to launch new original content – created and produced by Endemol – for the Israeli market on Reshet’s platforms, which will be shared and exploited throughout Endemol’s worldwide network. By leveraging its global resources, Endemol will internationally distribute new shows, as well as produce Israeli versions of worldwide hits for the broadcaster. 

    Headquartered in Tel Aviv, Reshet has undergone significant growth in recent years and is currently the highest rating channel in the country, with local versions of international blockbusters as well as its own locally created popular formats such as Comedians at Work, Irreversible and State of the Nation.

     

    CEO of Endemol Group Just Spee commented on the Endemol website, “Israel is one of the world’s most innovative and creative markets; delivering exciting and successful formats with international appeal. Reshet is already a leading broadcaster in the region and with an outstanding management team the company is strongly positioned to continue its impressive growth. By joining forces with them we are able to significantly build our capacity to create new original, multi-platform content with global potential, which will be shared among Endemol’s worldwide creative network.”

    CEO of Reshet Avi Zvi added, “We are extremely excited about this partnership; Endemol choosing to invest in our company is a strong vote of confidence and recognition, not only in Reshet but also in the creativity and innovation of the Israeli TV market that has been renowned worldwide in recent years. Endemol’s vast experience in the international arena will allow Israel’s vibrant creative industry to bring premium programming to the global market, efficiently and successfully. Strengthening Reshet’s ownership structure with one of the largest television and format companies in the world will accelerate Reshet’s growth in both local and international markets.” 

    The Reshet tie-up follows Endemol’s acquisition in April of a controlling share in Israel’s leading independent producer Kuperman, now Endemol Israel. Terms of the Reshet deal were not disclosed

  • Endemol bets on gaming, backs social casino site

    Endemol bets on gaming, backs social casino site

    MUMBAI: Endemol, the production house that is known to have produced internationally popular formats like Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, Fear Factor is now set to enter the online gaming business. The company has announced that it would be investing $ 13 million in social casino start-up Plumbee as it wants to go beyond the traditional video production.

    Till now, the company has been building its digital gaming business internally, mostly by launching gaming apps based on popular shows. Earlier in the year, it had even announced a $40 million investment in Endemol Beyond, an online video network, backed by investor Idinvest Partners. Even in the new initiative, the investor is backing the company.

    Endemol and Plumbee together will create premium social casino games. The deal is going to benefit both the companies. Endemol will leverage Plumbee’s international network and will boost the growth of its worldwide user base.

    Plumbee that was launched in October 2011, already boasts of games like Mirrorball Slots that is among the top 10 highest grossing social casino games on Facebook. It has more than one million monthly active users and other popular games like Playfish. With a new focus on a mix of free-to-play and real-money games, it wants to tap into both areas. And now, Endemol also plans to cash in on the popularity.

    Endemol’s current digital gaming projects include a new initiative to move into app publishing, launching with gaming apps based on shows Pointless and Deal or No Deal.

  • Colors gets notice for Bigg Boss 7

    Colors gets notice for Bigg Boss 7

    MUMBAI: The popular reality show Bigg Boss, now in its seventh season, has landed into trouble, weeks after its launch. A show cause notice has been served by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting regarding the content that has been aired on the channel Colors saying that it was not appropriate for unrestricted public exhibition.

     

    The objections raised are on episodes where concern was raised regarding the language used by some contestants as well as the scene where participants are seated in a chair and given electric shocks. The source told PTI that these scenes violate the programming code under the cable TV act.

     

    The channel, Colors, has been asked to explain itself. Bigg Boss is currently one of Colors’ flagship shows and it claims to have molded it to suit a family audience. Previously also the channel has got into trouble due to Bigg Boss’ content.

     

    Bigg Boss is created by Endemol for the channel Colors, an adaptation of the popular international reality show Big Brother. In its seventh season, this year the show is themed around ‘Heaven and Hell’ where participants are in two houses – one themed around heaven and the other themed around hell.

  • Bigg Boss Seven plays with hell and heaven

    Bigg Boss Seven plays with hell and heaven

    MUMBAI: Each year they try to take it up a notch, and it’s not getting any easier. But Bigg Boss never fails to surprise and entertain TV viewers and Hindi GEC Colors believes that this year as well, the seventh season, will ring well with TV audiences.

    Deepak Dhar, Vivek Mathur, Salman Khan and Raj Nayak at the launch of Bigg Boss Saath Saat.

    And it introduced it to the media on 11 September evening with a high profile launch with oodles of glam themed around a mix of heaven and hell, which is the signature for the year. And of course with the announcement that long time loyal backer Vodafone has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the fifth year.

    Admits Vodafone representative Vikas Mathur: “The program has huge followers and it gives us good impact and reach making it valuable for Vodafone.”

    With the set in Lonavala once again, 80 to 90 cameras have been rigged to give audiences a peep into the lives of the 14 contestants who will this time face ‘jannat’ and ‘jahannum’ as part of the deal.

    The show produced by Endemol takes up a good 300 days annually to be put together by a dedicated bunch of 150-170 professionals right from creatives to the casting and technical crews.

    Like in the case of most international formats, the creative folks at Endemol India (the producer of the show) and Colors rely heavily on the Big Brother bible to add elements which have worked elsewhere where the show is telecast globally. The ‘Global Creative Team’ is also constantly working at coming up with new and different ideas. This team meets up twice in a year to look at the progress and variety in Big Brother across the globe.

    “We are constantly looking at what are the best elements and we add to it as well as adapt,” says Endemol MD Deepak Dhar.

    Once the conceptualization has been done, the art director and set designer moves the ship forward to create the set which takes up about four months in all. “It’s less of a set and more of a house because people have to live in it,” adds Dhar.

    Today, Bigg Boss has moved beyond being produced for Hindi audiences; language editions in Kannada and Bengali have also aired on television, the credit for which Dhar attributes to Colors CEO Raj Nayak.

    “We are slowly paving our way into the regional markets of India as well,” reveals Dhar.

    The show has already started making a buzz in the digital sphere with the Facebook and Twitter engagement activities in the form of heaven and hell anecdotes.

    “The fact that there is so much of expectation from Bigg Boss puts a lot of pressure on the digital team because we need to ensure it matches to it,” admits Colors digital head Vivek Srivastava.

    The most important and integral part is prior to the launch when the curiosity needs to be built without giving away names or details about the show. “It gets easier once it has launched but then the workload is more as well,” adds Srivastava. The current idea is using cartoons to get across the dual nature of the show to the viewers.

    The marketing mix seems to be the usual 360 degree campaign involving a lot of focus on TV, on both, Network18 group channels and other channels. “We believe we can reach many viewers through TV,” says Colors marketing head Rajesh Iyer.

    Salman Khan has been the host for four seasons of the show and this is his fifth stint. He gleefully says that he will continue with Bigg Boss till the time Colors gets tired of him. Not much has been revealed about this season although rumors are floating aplenty.

    “The beauty of this show is the surprise and suspense,” says Nayak.

    The launch date has been fixed for 15 September at 9 pm. And as Bollywood’s biggest Salman says audiences will definitely tune in. Says the man: “Why should you watch my shows or movies? Because I’m in them!”

    The coming weeks will reveal whether they are falling for his lines!

  • Big Brother enters Vietnam

    Big Brother enters Vietnam

    MUMBAI: Endemol has sold Big Brother into Vietnam for the first time, with VTV commissioning 65 episodes to air later this year.

     

    The local version will run over nine weeks on VTV6. In total, more than 20 series of Big Brother will air this year in more than 70 countries, including the US, the UK, Spain, Israel, Latin America, CEE, Asia and Africa.

     

    Endemol managing director of Asian operations Fotini Paraskakis commented: “Big Brother continues to be an unstoppable blockbuster more than a decade since it first launched. Following the format’s proven success in other Asian territories we are proud to be bringing it to Vietnam for the very first time and we’re in no doubt that VTV6’s audience will love it.”

  • Govt case for administered content code gains ground

    Govt case for administered content code gains ground

    Big Brother will soon not just be watching but acting, and news broadcasters will have nowhere to hide because they will not have much of a case to defend. That is a hard truth that otherwise responsible heads of news networks accede to in private but refuse to acknowledge in public.

    The first practical signs of that came on 4 February. The spark: coverage of the political skirmishes over ‘outsiders crowding out locals’ in Mumbai city.

    Invoking for the first time the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, the Mumbai Police reportedly ordered transmission of two news channels – Sahara Mumbai and India TV – be stopped “for repeatedly telecasting clippings of tension between workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Samajwadi Party (SP)”. Cable operators were directed to stop transmission of the two channels for 24 hours from the time they received a copy of the order.

    Joint commissioner of police (law and order) KL Prasad was quoted in an Indian Express report as saying, “We have issued an order under Section 19 of the Act, which specifically states that ‘half truths’ cannot be spread.”

    The ‘half truth’, Prasad said, was in the manner in which the channels tried to depict through pictures, videos and words that ‘Mumbai is tense’. “A situation controlled in 20 minutes was made to look as if it was still happening,” Prasad pointed out.

    Sahara Mumbai head Rajeev Bajaj’s reaction was on expected lines: “If an order has been passed, we will fight it out in court.”

    The 4th February action by the authorities becomes even more relevant if we keep in mind the fact that the I&B ministry is already majorly upset with the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) for having failed to meet their own stated deadline of 31 January for submitting a Content Code.

    “They have sent us nothing, despite the fact that they themselves had set the deadline and we think they are not interested,” senior I&B officials complained.

    The government is worried about the excessive repetitions of shots of violence – whether against women, or communal in nature and says, “This is really dangerous and the editors must now take a call on this.”

    Incidentally, the ministry is also gearing up to meet a Delhi High Court deadline on sitting down with the Indian Newspaper Society, the Indian Media Group and the Indian Broadcasting Foundation to thrash out depiction of violence and obscenity in the media.

    Hearing a writ petition requesting the court to pass an order to tell the ministry to take action on such depictions, the court had given an interim order on 14 December, for the organisations and the ministry to thrash out issues and report to the court within 10 weeks.

    The government feels that the NBA is wasting time and that the ministry would have to soon come out with its Code.

    So just what is it that forces otherwise responsible news channel heads to do what is so patently against all norms of even the most basic of journalistic practices?

    A one line answer could of course be, ‘The low road is the easy road to ratings riches’. An already cluttered market getting ever more crowded by the day and with no regulation to govern conduct, it’s easy to see why most channels are taking this route.

    There is another factor at work here that is worth a mention. Which is that the tabloid news channel proposition is a viable entry strategy for those without the deep pockets that are required for launching an entertainment channel. So in essence these channels are not too far removed from entertainment channels, with a whole load of extremely low cost fictional content to offer as well in addition to the regular fare that is principally infotainment rather than news.

    There is an added intrinsic logic that we believe is driving this obsession with the bizarre and the salacious as far as the ‘tabloidised’ Hindi news channels are concerned. It might well be that these channels are filling a real and existing need gap for the Hindi male viewer looking for entertainment.

    After all, where does the Hindi heartland male viewer get his daily dose of TV entertainment if we accept that Hindi GECs are targeted mainly at women? Where else but Hindi news channels – which might explain why the preponderance of sex, crime, and the plain bizarre is working for Hindi news channels.

    Coming back to where all this started, the present situation is clearly becoming more and more untenable. Something has to give. The sad part of this is that it will likely be the government giving a bull in a China shop solution that will be to the detriment of all news broadcasters; and more importantly, the public at large.

  • Zee to kick off Zee Carnival on 16 February in London

    Zee to kick off Zee Carnival on 16 February in London

    MUMBAI: Zee Network is set to host its annual event Zee Carnival 2007 at the Grand Hall, Olympia in London on 16, 17 and 18 of February.

    Zee Carnival’s main attraction is its catalogue of Bollywood star appearances. Expected to attract about 30,000 people across the three days, the line up consists of Priyanka Chopra and Esha Doel, along with Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty who will provide a Live interview.

    In addition, Pakistani cricket sensation Shahid Afridi will be present and Himesh Reshmiya will be performing live. Zee’s soap stars including Jay Walia, Bani, Vidhya, Chandini and Nahar Singh and celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor will also be present. The carnival will also have about 125 stalls in various zones, inform an official release.

    The network states that the carnival will be highly publicised with “mammoth advertising campaigns including underground advertising all over the UK.”

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. senior vice president Ashish Kaul said, “Zee Carnival 2006 was a huge success. This year’s main attraction is the catalogue of Bollywood, television, cricket and musical stars appearance in the event.”