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Tag: CNBC

  • Explore the corporate world with Sir Martin Sorrell

    Explore the corporate world with Sir Martin Sorrell

    MUMBAI: Network18’s business channel CNBC-TV18 has got a date with one of the most powerful man in the world of media and advertising. WPP chief executive of advertising services group Sir Martin Sorrell – under whose leadership the company has escalated to the position of the world’s largest agency network – will give viewers an insight in to the world of media, advertising and marketing with a programme, 30 Minutes with Martin Sorrell.

     

    It is a monthly half an hour show that will go on air on CNBC-TV18 from Friday, 29 November at 7:00 pm. The show will be hosted by Anant Rangaswami, editor of Storyboard and senior editor of Firstpost where he will speak to Sorrell on recent and imminent developments in the world of media, advertising and marketing.

     

    Sorrell is an astute businessman with an instinctive understanding of economics, finance and markets. He has changed the landscape of the communications industry through WPP’s consolidation drive over the last decade and more.

     

    With this show, the channel adds another topical show to its illustrious line-up to provide programming that its viewers can continue to benefit from. By leveraging its global edge, CNBC-TV18 brings Indian audiences Sorrell’s first exclusive monthly appearance on an Indian business news channel.

  • CNBC, Philips join hands for branded content campaign

    CNBC, Philips join hands for branded content campaign

    MUMBAI: Leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news CNBC and Philips have come together for a branded content commercial campaign based around CNBC’s new video series, Innovation Cities.

    The series was launched worldwide across CNBC TV and digital platforms and on innovationcities.cnbc.com today. It will feature innovations that can improve the way people live and work. Each two-and-a-half-minute episode will focus on one facet of city life and will explore innovations that can provide dynamic change.

    The nine-week video series will air once a week after the network’s flagship morning show, Squawk Box in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions, and on the Al Bousaiah programme on CNBC Arabiya in the Middle East.

    Highlights of the video series will also air on CNBC in the United States, and CNBC World, while full episodes will be immediately available across all CNBC’s online video and mobile platforms.

  • CNBC-TV18 hosts investor camp in Kolkata

    CNBC-TV18 hosts investor camp in Kolkata

    Business news channel CNBC-TV18 which hosted investor camp in the city saw the participation of more than 200 investors.

     

    osted by Udayan Mukherjee, managing editor, CNBC-TV18, and Mitali Mukherjee news editor, markets, the investor camp saw eminent industry experts and leading practitioners in the field of investment coming together to share their insights on personal finance and investment trends.

     

    India’s top financial experts like Nilesh Shah, MD & CEO, Envision Capital, Sudarshan Sukhani from s2analytics.com and Anu Jain, director – investment advisory, equity practice, IIFL Private Wealth were present at the camp.

     

    “From last six years the market condition is not able to match the investor’s expectations. As everything comes in cycle hopefully FY14 will be the beginning of the market recovery,” said Udayan Mukherjee, CNBC TV18.

     

    CNBC-TV18 is a pay channel targeted at English speaking consumers, investors, business people and other professionals and provides 24-hour coverage of corporate news, financial markets, industry news and expert perspectives on investing and management.

  • CNBC awaaz’s Peheredaar now in a changed avatar

    CNBC awaaz’s Peheredaar now in a changed avatar

    MUMBAI: In today’s world, consumerism is seasoned in every aspect of modern life. Corporate and brands have to adapt to this new reality where consumer is really the king. CNBC AWAAZ is changing the avatar of their very popular program ‘Pehredaar’, which has over the years given a new impetus to consumer activism.

    Pehredaar to start the new season and will be joined by 3 main regulators of the country who have been entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that consumers should not be taken for a ride. The show will be joined by Competition Commission of India’s Chairman Mr. Ashok Chawala, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s Chairman Mr. Rahul Khullar and Reserve Bank of India’s Deputy Governor Mr. K C Chakrabarty.

    The objective is to reach a conclusion about the consumer’s well-being and what more is needed to be done in the country, to ensure a fair play in the crowded marketplace. Pehredaar will set an Agenda for an empowered consumer.

    Commenting on the re-launch, Sanjay Pugalia, Editor-in-chief, CNBC AWAAZ said “A show like Pehredaar has gained widespread acceptance in its very successful existence till date. It is a unique offering in the consumer grievance space. It gives us a great sense of fulfillment and pride to re-launch it in a strong new avatar. Pehredaar now will see the show much sharper, to represent consumer rights better- which is what our country needs with consumer protection and representation going through an identity crisis of sorts.”

    Priyanka Sambhav, Anchor, Pehredaar said “We realized that companies operating here are taking the consumers for a ride. With Pehredaar, we set out to change this imbalance and ensured that consumers’ voice is heard and issues they face get resolved. With the new innings we intend to take Pehredaar to the next level with expanding the reach and making it more effective.”

  • Indian tech success story takes the next step with wins in Africa

    Indian tech success story takes the next step with wins in Africa

    MUMBAI: Mumbai based Media Nucleus continued its impressive growth story with its first wins in the African continent.Media Nucleus has clients across India, South Asia, South East Asia, Middle East, I and now Africa.

    ANN7 based out of South Africa and TVC News in Nigeria have both chosen Media Nucleus’ flagship product, Broadcast Air Time Scheduler (BATS), to optimise revenues and deliver efficiencies in their broadcasting operations.

    The flexibility of the modular structure along with the intuitive features of the software that ensures reduction of human error that delivers accurate billing and programming were key to BATS winning.

    Value for money and the comprehensive, high quality yet cost effective were the main features that swayed the decision towards BATS in this case.

    These broadcasters join global brands such as Fox and CNBC, top Indian brands such as Star World, India News, Fox Movies, Dhammal, PTC, to name a few along with a growing number of other channels across India,Middle East and now Africa who use BATS to run their entire operational processes or parts of it. The ability of BATS to integrate with industry standard broadcast technology infrastructure as well as ERP products such as Oracle or SAP are some of the features Media Nucleus clients value.

    Media Nucleus Operations Director Santosh Nair believes this trend of gaining customers abroad would continue especially from the emerging markets that are undergoing through the digitisation revolution. Africa is the initial target but by no means the only one.

    “Africa is a big continent with varied levels of market maturity however technology is proving to be a great equaliser in many respects and “digitsation” would open new opportunities as well as challenges,” he said.

    “Our experience in supporting broadcasters and other content owners optimise revenues and deliver efficiencies in their operations and meet the challenges of digitisation in India and Middle East make us perfectly poised to do the same in Africa. “

    Although BATS is the flagship, he points out that CAMS (a subscriber management system for Cable and DTV Operators) has also established itself as one of the market leaders in its space. The product was launched timely to aid cable operators and others in the industry to comply with digitisation requirements

    The SaaS service model with little infrastructural costs and ease of use are some of the criteria that has made CAMS a success, but Nair believes, it is the comprehensive, high quality innovative nature of the product that defines it success especially as it also delivers quick RoI and results.

    Nair goes on to say: “Our commitment to delivering value for money with quality products and services supported by excellent customer services has helped us become a market leader in India and we are confident that we can replicate the same success in other emerging economies.”

    Aside from BATS, the company product portfolio also includes subscriber based management system (CAMS), a broadband billing system (BBS) and services that are aimed at optimising revenues and delivering efficiencies for all parts of the value chain in the media and entertainment industry.

    This Mumbai company with offices in London and Dubai has set its sight on making an impact in the global media industry by helping clients succeed in a complex and rapidly changing competitive landscape.

  • CNBC teams up with Lotus F1 team

    MUMBAI: CNBC, the world‘s leading business and financial news network, has teamed up with Lotus F1 Team as its Official Business Media Partner.

    Throughout the 2013 Formula 1 season, this new agreement will allow Lotus F1 Team‘s partners to benefit from CNBC‘s unmatched reach of affluent and influential business leaders with commercial advertising campaigns airing on its international network. This new relationship builds on the team‘s recent partnerships with brands such as Microsoft, Unilever and The Coca-Cola Company.

    The partnership will see CNBC branding on the nose of the team‘s 2013 car, as well as on driver and pit crew overalls, team uniform, branding around the paddock and on marketing materials.

    “CNBC‘s partnership with Lotus F1 Team is extremely exciting. It‘s an innovative marketing solution which provides branding and commercial opportunities for both parties. The Formula 1 audience is complementary to our own influential and affluent viewer base around the world. We look forward to working with Lotus F1 Team and wish them success in the 2013 season,” said CNBC VP Marketing & Communications Charlotte Westgate.

    Lotus F1 Team Team Principal Eric Boullier said, “CNBC is a fantastic partner which highlights the growing importance of Lotus F1 Team as a vehicle for the business world. We are working with household brands such as Microsoft, Unilever and The Coca-Cola Company;brands whose actions are watched closely in the business world. Our partnership with CNBC brings us greater exposure in this environment and allows our business-to-business platform to flourish.”

  • Contract Advertising creates CNBC-TV8’s new campaign

    MUMBAI: Business news channel CNBC-TV18 has launched a new brand campaign titled ‘Hello Dreamers‘ that has been conceptualised and created by Contract Advertising.

    The 360 degree campaign will be launched in five markets – Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Ahmedabad, across television, print, OOH, digital, social media and radio.

    According to the channel, the objective of the campaign is two-fold. Firstly, to reiterate the channel‘s relevance with existing constituencies of viewers and secondly, to establish relevance with new audiences as a brand that assists them in realising their ambitions.

    Contract Advertising chairman and chief creative officer Ravi Deshpande said, “CNBC TV 18 has been the clear leader by far in the business news channel segment and has given a consistent leadership performance for the past 13 years. We needed to speak from this strong leadership position. We believe that the Hello Dreamers campaign delivers on this by engaging with a whole new generation of corporate leaders, businessmen and investors.”

    “‘Hello Dreamers‘ is a clarion call by CNBC-TV18. It aspires to be an inspiration to anyone with a business dream. It is an invitation to rise above the gloomy realities of the daily environment. It sees a world in which positive, proactive thinking can indeed make dreams come true,” Deshpande added.

    The TV ad vividly captures all the agony of having a dream and then the joy of making it happen. Meanwhile, the print ads and hoardings together position CNBC-TV18 as inspiration to anyone with a big dream.

  • ‘The news terminal biz is dominated by global players and we got a good price for NewsWire18’ : Network18 head of investments Sarbvir Singh

    ‘The news terminal biz is dominated by global players and we got a good price for NewsWire18’ : Network18 head of investments Sarbvir Singh

    Founder-promoter Raghav Bahl has started shaving Network18 Group‘s non-core businesses to stay focussed on the company‘s core strengths of television, digital assets and e-commerce.

     

    As part of the haircut, Bahl has found a buyer for NewsWire18, the home-grown real-time financial news and information provider, which competes in India with global giants like Bloomberg and Reuters.

     

    Private equity firm Samara Capital is buying Network18’s 77.50 per cent stake in NewsWire18 for Rs 900 million and has drawn up plans to expand the company‘s business, including an ambitious plan to spread out to other countries.

     

    For Network18, it is a profitable monetisation of its stake in the company it helped grow and stabilise since 2006. NewsWire made an operational profit of Rs 70 million on revenue of Rs 445 million for the fiscal ended 31 March 2012.

     

    Network18 has so far raised Rs 2 billion from stake sales in non-core businesses this year and expects to raise another Rs 3 billion over the next 12 months.

     

    It is also in discussions with new as well as existing investors (SAIF Partners and GS Shopping) to invest in its teleshopping and e-commerce arm HomeShop18 as it needs capital to grow. It intends to continue to hold a sizeable
    stake in HomeShop18, though not a controlling one.

     

    The other companies which Network18 will ultimately exit are travel portal yatra.com and Infomedia’s printing business.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Sibabrata Das, Network18 head of investments Sarbvir Singh talks about the Group‘s focus on profitability, cautious approach towards big-budgeted television channel launches, and strong digital and e-commerce assets.

     

    Excerpts:

    Q. Why is Network18 exiting from NewsWiire18 when it had turned into an operating profitable company?
    The news terminal business is dominated by global players (like Reuters and Bloomberg) and doesn’t fit into our scheme of things. We are getting a good price (Rs 900 million) for selling our stake (77.5 per cent) in NewsWire18.

     

    Q. Why didn’t the deal with Reuters consummate? Was it because it made sense for Reuters to have Network18 as an equity partner so that NewsWire18 would continue to benefit from the television news channels of the Group?
    I can’t comment on who the other interested parties were, but that (total exit) wasn’t an issue at all. We obviously sold to private equity firm Samara Capital because we got the best deal from them.

     

    Q. Wasn’t there a synergistic value as Network18 Group holds interests in television news channels?
    The news terminal business does not fall into our core focus areas; it also does not fit into our core business strength. It is a standalone business by itself and requires specific focus.

     

    We have decided to get out of our non core businesses. Our focus will be on three core areas: television, digital and e-commerce.

     

    Network18 is no longer the same company as it was in 2007. Our television business has grown exponentially, be it in the areas of news or entertainment. We have strong web properties and our e-commerce play is large.

     

    Q. Does this mean that the Group will launch more television channels through TV18?
    We may launch smaller channels, but there is no rush as such. We have too much on our plate. In addition to the existing channels, we have made a big acquisition (Rs 21 billion for acquiring assets of ETV Network) and will have to integrate operations.

     

    ‘Our focus will be on three core areas: TV, digital and e-commerce. Network18 is no longer the same company as it was in 2007. Our TV has grown exponentially. We have strong web properties and our e-commerce play is large‘
     

    Q. Is there a plan to revive the launch of a Hindi movie channel?
    We are not sure whether we would need a Hindi movie channel at this stage. The Hindi general entertainment channels have become like movie channels on weekends.

     

    Our focus will be on profitability and getting the distribution equation right. Distribution is a very important part of the evolution process and we have to set it right. We are unlikely to do big channel launches at this stage.

     

    Q. Sources say there is plan to launch a Gujarati business news channel along the lines of CNBC TV18. How far has this progressed?
    In media companies a lot takes shape at the planning stage. Everybody looks at opportunities. But as I said earlier, we are in no tearing hurry to do anything.

     

    Q. What are the other non-core businesses that Network18 is looking to sell?
    We are looking at getting about Rs 5 billion from our asset sales. We have already done Rs 2 billion this year and expect to generate another Rs 3 billion over the next 12 months.

     

    Q. Network18 has sold partial stake in bookmyshow.com. Will it exit from this as well?
    We will hold on to our remaining stake in bookmyshow.com and build that business. We want to be in digital commerce. We see ourselves as being one of the largest players in e-commerce through our presence in online and television through HomeShop18.

     

    Q. Which means the stake in HomeShop18 will be retained?
    We are looking at a similar model like bookmyshow.com. We may not remain as a shareholder with controlling stake but have a sizeable equity in HomeShop18.

    ‘We may launch smaller channels, but there is no rush as such. We are not sure whether we would need a Hindi movie channel at this stage. We have too much on our plate. Our focus will be on profitability and getting the distribution equation right‘
     

    Q. Isn’t there a plan to raise $50 million as pre-IPO funding for HomeShop18?
    We are looking at an external investor as the teleshopping and e-commerce firm needs capital to grow. We are in discussion with existing (SAIF Partners and GS Shopping) and new investors as well. There are many who come and talk to us. In the long term, we may look at raising capital through an initial public offering (IPO).

     

    Q. But isn’t the mandate given to an investment bank to scout for an investor in HomeShop18?
    I can’t comment on that.

     

    Q. Will Network18 exit from yatra.com before or after the IPO?
    We have expressed our intent to offload stake from yatra.com. But it is difficult to say whether it will be a pre-IPO exit or after it. We will see how it goes and what is the market situation then.

     

    Q. How many asset sales are we looking at for getting to the target of Rs 3 billion in the next one year?
    There will be a couple of companies which will fetch us Rs 400-500 million from each transaction. And then there is yatra.com.

     

    Q. Will Infomedia’s printing business form a part of this?
    Yes, it is on the block. But it won’t be a major part of this.

     

    Q. What about your sports marketing company Sport18?
    We are not bidding aggressively for the rights. We have certain rights (Professional Golf Tour of India, India Cyclothon, Hyderabad 10K and the Chandigarh Marathon) and this fits into our TV news business.

  • NBCU sells $1 bn worth ad inventory for Olympics

    NBCU sells $1 bn worth ad inventory for Olympics

    MUMBAI: NBCUniversal has said it has sold $1 billion worth of national television and digital advertising for the London Olympics $150 million more than what it made in the previous edition.

    The ad total includes sales from across NBCU portfolio, including NBC itself, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo, the NBC Sports Network, NBCOlympics.com, mobile apps and a new 3D channel.

    NBCU said its decision to live stream every athletic competition on NBCOlympics.com and, for the first time, on the NBC Olympics Live Extra app for both mobile devices and tablets, significantly contributed to NBCU’s ability to reach $1 billion.

    It will stream more than 3,500 hours of content including all 32 sports and 302 medals.

    Digital ad sales for London have exceeded $60 million, roughly three times more than the total for Beijing when NBCOlympics.com alone live streamed 2,200 hours and 25 sports. National television ad sales for London games account for more than $950 million, up approximately $100 million from Beijing.

    NBCUniversal is presenting 5,535 total hours of coverage of the 2012 London Olympics across NBC, NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo, NBCOlympics.com, the NBC Olympics Live Extra mobile and tablet app, two specialty channels, and the first-ever 3D platform, an unprecedented level that surpasses the coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics by nearly 2,000 hours.

    “This feat is a testimony to the quality of Olympic programming and the unparalleled way NBCU presents, produces and covers the Games,” NBC Sports Group EVP, Sales & Sales Marketing Seth Winter said in a statement. “It also demonstrates the power of the Olympics. No other property has such as diverse group of sponsors, who can target the broadest range of demographic and psychographic audiences. We are not done yet and will continue to sell during the Games.”

  • Britannia launches commercials for housewives to be ‘snack happy’

    Britannia launches commercials for housewives to be ‘snack happy’

    BANGALORE: Food products major Britannia Industries Ltd will be launching new variants in its 5050 kitty named Snackuits in three tastes or flavours – Swiss Cheese & Chilly, Chinese Hot & Sweet and Italiano Pizza. With this, the brand intends to accelerate its trajectory into the traditional bagged snacking format as a pop-able biscuit snack.

    The four new ads in Hindi – Dimaag (brain, sense); Tears; Running away; and Chutta (Change, as in loose coins or money) – are seemingly sequential tales all based on three women in an auto. These have been have been conceptualised by Balki from Lowe Lintas and produced by Lintas Productions with Habib Faizal as director.

    Initially, two of the TVCs – Runaway and Chutta – will go on air only on CNBC in the first week of April, to be followed by Dimaag and Tears in weeks two and three of April , reveal industry sources connected with the brand.

    Britannia has stated that 5050 has been synonymous with snacking for housewives for as long as it has existed. The latest 5050 Snackuits commercials have been crafted to launch a new product in a new bag format, a first for 5050 – the new product is baked, has zero trans-fat and allows for guilt free snacking. In turn, letting happy housewives be ‘snack happy‘.

    The new variants are driven by flavours, an innovative format and a packaging that facilitates on-the-go consumption, fuelling the category growth and brand CAGR of 20 per cent. Organised bagged snacks is an opportunity larger than Rs 70 billion with the snacking category growing at around 20 per cent annually. With healthier margins, 5050 aims to leverage its brand strength and create a disruptive intervention in the snacking category through a morphed offering of biscuits and snacks. 5050 Snackuits offers the twin delight of ‘Sweet bhi-Spicy bhi‘ ,‘Baked bhi-Chatpata bhi‘ in 5050‘s quintessential way of endearing housewives with ‘Yeh bhi-woh bhi‘ choices.