ITV

Tag: Channel Eight

  • Aakash Aath appoints zonal heads for east and west India

    Aakash Aath appoints zonal heads for east and west India

    KOLKATA: Channel Eight, which re-launched its Bengali general entertainment channel (GEC) Akash Bangla as Aakash Aath last year, has now made two key appointments. While Vamshi Pendyala has been roped in as zonal head – west, Debasish Chattopadhyay is the new zonal head – east.

     

    Pendyala is a media and advertising professional with a rich experience of maximising advertising revenues across genres. Prior to joining Aakash Aath, he worked in Hummra M (CNEB Network) as head, advertising sales – west and south and Narne Networks as national head – advertising.

     

    On the other hand, Chattopadhyay has over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing, concept selling and advertising sales. Prior to joining the channel, he worked at ETV Network as senior manager and national sales head of ETV Bangla and was involved in strategising, sales and operations.

     

    “Aakash Aath is focusing on maximising the market share in the GEC space. Keeping this in mind we have appointed Vamshi Pendyala and Debasish Chattopadhyay. With their vast experiences, they would help us in achieving our growth target. They would be responsible for stratetigising, developing new areas of business and increasing the advertising revenues for the channel,” said Aakash Aath director Eshita Surana.

     

    Positioned as a GEC, Aakash Aath presents a wide variety of programme including news bulletins (Aakash Barta), catering to audiences across age group.

     

    The programmes on air are Janani (fiction), Good Morning Akash (live musical programme with guest artistes), FM On TV (music programme), Radhuni (cookery contest based show), Shahityer Shera Somoy (screen adaptations of literary classics), Police Filez (crime show based on real life incidents), Hing Ting Chhot (children’s programme), Gaan Doriya (music show) and Ghhente Gha (comedy show).

    The channel also airs blockbuster movies and telefilms. “The channel aims to launch an array of interesting shows in the coming days,” Surana concluded.

  • Aakash Aath to talk about love after union

    Aakash Aath to talk about love after union

    KOLKATA: Bengali infotainment channel, Aakash Aath which announced its association last week again with production company Channel Eight, has now declared its plan to air some of the classic love stories of Bengali literature. This, to intensify the love quotient attached to the monsoon season.

    As part of this, Sahityer Shera Shomoy’- one of Channel Eight’s Bengali television series aired on Aakash Aath is ready to show stories related to ‘Brishtir Din Guli Te Prem’ (Love during rains).

    Said Aakash Aath director Eshita Surana Poddar, “With ‘Sahityer Shera Shomoy’ we want to dedicate the monsoon season entirely to the emotion of love. We have not planned the number of episodes for any show as this entirely depends on how viewers respond.” But, Poddar was quick to add that the channel does not believe in overstretching the content.

    ‘Prem Ranga’- the first story to be aired is written by Goutam Roy and is about a businessman who finds it difficult to accept his daughter’s relationship. The soap runs through the young couple’s efforts to win his (businessman’s) approval. Other love stories include ‘Krishnachura’, ‘Phul Chor’ and ‘Chirodiner’.

    Also, Channel Eight’s programmes like ‘Janani,’ ‘Police Filez,’ ‘Ghhente Gha,’ ‘Sahityer Shera Shamoy’ and ‘Gaan Dariya’ among others which had gone off air from Aakash Aath, will be telecast again.

    Prag Oil Mill, Coca Cola, RBIL, Pepsico, Marico, Emami, Gillette among others have been got onboard Aakash Aath as advertisers.

    As reported earlier by indiantelevision.com, Channel Eight has once again joined hands with the Bengali GEC.

    Earlier, Channel Eight was compelled to disassociate itself from Aakash Aath after its promoters did not get the promised 51 per cent stake in the channel.

    However, within a month a reunion of sorts happened because “a mediator took the responsibility of ensuring that the deal was honoured,” a highly placed media source revealed. Surana confirmed that the share transfer was under process. 

  • Channel Eight and Aakash Aath kiss and makeup

    Channel Eight and Aakash Aath kiss and makeup

    KOLKATA: The clock has turned back for Channel Eight as it agreed to join hands once again with Bengali general entertainment channel (GEC) Aakash Aath.

     

    Last month, Indiantelevision.com had reported about the on-going tussle between the production company and the GEC over the latter’s unkept promise to hand over a  51 per cent stake to the former.  It compelled Channel Eight to disassociate itself from the GEC.

     

    However, within a month things are looking better as the two have found a mediator. “Someone has agreed to mediate between the two warring parties and has taken the responsibility of honouring the deal,” reveal highly placed media sources.

     

    As per the new agreement, Channel Eight’s programs like Janani, Police Filez, Ghhente Gha, Sahityer Shera Shamoy and Gaan Dariya among others which had gone off air from Aakash Aath are back on from 14 July.

     

    In October 2013, Channel Eight had relaunched the Kolkata headquartered Electro steel Group’s GEC Akash Bangla as Aakash Aath and till June 2014, had invested around Rs 15 crore in the process as per sources.

     

     “No stock transfer has happened till date. But it is confirmed that it will be done sooner than later,” said a close associate of Channel Eight director Ashok Surana.

     

    Surana  view is that “share transfer is not important. What is important is healthy running of the channel and taking it to number three position amongst all Bangla GEC channels.”

     

     This, quiet contrary to his statement last month wherein he had told indiantelevision.com that “Aakash management made certain commitments to Channel Eight which they have miserably failed to keep, due to which we have moved out from the channel, 12 June onwards.”

     

    Meanwhile, insiders claim that in the last couple of days, Surana has got 40 per cent of shares transferred in his name and remaining 11 per cent will be duly done in the next 10 days.

     

    Apart from this, the channel plans to focus on  produced programmes instead of simple news bulletins in the coming days.

     

    Layoffs could be in the offing at the GEC, according to sources. Surana says that with the change in genre from news to infotainment, tirmming down is bound to happen.

     

    GEC director Avik Dutta confirmed that Channel Eight would produce programmes for the channel.

     

    However, the employees aren’t very happy with the collaboration behind closed doors and want to address the issue before chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

     

     “There is no salary and work culture here at present,” employees grumbled to indiantelevision.com.

     

  • Channel Eight exits Aakash Aath

    Channel Eight exits Aakash Aath

    KOLKATA: A production company Channel Eight, which relaunched the Kolkata headquartered Electro steel Group’s GEC Akash Bangla as Aakash Aath in October 2013, has been compelled to disassociate itself from the channel after it didn’t get the promised 51 per cent stake.

     

    Channel Eight had invested around Rs 15 crore in the process as per sources.

     

    “Aakash management had made certain commitments to Channel Eight which they have miserably failed to keep, due to which we have moved out from the channel, 12 June onwards,” says Channel Eight director Ashok Surana.

     

    Indiantelevision.com had earlier reported that there was a tussle between the director Avik Dutta and the investor Ashok Surana over the share transfer issues.

     

    Channel Eight’s programs like Janani, Police Filez, Ghhente Gha, Sahityer Shera Shamoy and Gaan Dariya have already gone off air from Aakash Aath. The production company has stalled the shooting process.

     

    “As a result, nearly 300 persons will be out of work. The artistes and technicians associated with these productions are extremely unhappy with this development but have promised to work with us as and when we resume work. All the programs currently running on Aakash Aath are not Channel Eight Productions,” informs Surana.

     

    “It is a sad commentary of market situations in West Bengal. The revenue potentials are low. Whatever is available is primarily taken away by the bigwigs. There are only two viable plans in media segment. Either a big plan so one can take away most of the ad spends in the region or low budget propagation where survival is not entirely dependent on corporate support for adverts/promotion,” says a media analyst Swaraj Mukherjee.

     

     “Ashok is intelligent to get back the money. He was quite upset and feels that if it continues like this, no HNIs will ever invest in media sector,” says a close business associate of Surana on condition of anonymity.

     

    Avik Dutta was unavailable for comment, when contacted.