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Tag: CNBC

  • TV18 Q1 sets trend for double-digit growth

    TV18 Q1 sets trend for double-digit growth

    MUMBAI: Television18 (TV18), which runs a clutch of business news channels, has posted a standalone net profit of Rs 50 million, reversing the year ago net loss of Rs 280 million, as the Indian economy has recovered from a slowdown and the financial sector has rebounded.

    Revenue from news operations at Rs 640 million stands 13 per cent higher than the prior-year period. This, though, is less than the trailing quarter when TV18’s standalone revenue was at Rs 840 million due to the advertising gains from the Budget.

    Operating profit at Rs 160 million was higher than Rs 60 million posted in the first quarter of FY’10. TV18 also improved its operating margins to 24 per cent from prior year’s 11 per cent.

    Operating expenses, including the revenue it shares with CNBC, stood at Rs 490 million, down from Rs 510 million in the comparative quarter.

    On the consolidated front, TV18 posted a revenue of Rs 1.2 billion, up 12 per cent, while expenses stood at Rs 1.12 billion, from Rs 1.07 billion in the earlier year.

    Web18, the subsidiary that houses all the websites of the group, has curtailed its operating loss to Rs 30 million, as against Rs 40 million a year ago. Revenue from operations grew 26 per cent to Rs 180 million, while expenses were at Rs 210 million (from Rs 180 million).

    In Infomedia18, the net loss for the quarter increased to Rs 80 million, from Rs 20 million in the corresponding quarter of FY’10. Revenue, however, remained flat at Rs 290 million, while expenses increased to Rs 350 million (from Rs 310 million).

    In Newswire18, revenue rose to Rs 90 million, from Rs 70 million a year ago. The company posted an operating profit of Rs 10 million.

    As on 30 June, TV18 has reduced its net debt to Rs 2.24 billion.

  • ‘We have helped in the democratisation of the business news market space’ : CNBC Awaaz editor-in-chief Sanjay pugalia

    ‘We have helped in the democratisation of the business news market space’ : CNBC Awaaz editor-in-chief Sanjay pugalia

    Five years and counting big. CNBC Awaaz dominates the Hindi business news segment, leaving counterpart Zee Business behind, and even marching ahead of elder sibling CNBC TV18 in terms of audience reach.

     

    CNBC Awaaz has become more interactive along the way and has shaped up as a well-defined channel with a clear focus on utility news. It treats news with the aim of helping viewers take informed positions on investments.

     

    The fundamental challenge that CNBC Awaaz faces is in scaling up revenues. The cost restructuring will, however, help the channel in improving its profitability.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Gaurav Laghate, CNBC Awaaz editor-in-chief Sanajay Pugalia talks about the channel‘s growth in the last five years and the path ahead in terms of content that would guide viewers in the verticals of stock, tax planning, commodity and SMEs.

     

    Excerpts:
     
     
    CNBC Awaaz has completed 5 years. How has the Hindi business news market shaped up?
    Five years back there was no Hindi business news channel. Today, with just two channels in this segment, there are close to 38 million Hindi business news viewers and we command a 70 per cent market share in this.

     

    If you take the total viewership of the business news channels, it was close to 10 million five years back. Within two years of our launch, the pie grew to 30 million. Today, the combined viewership base for English and Hindi business news stands at almost 55 million.
     

     
    How come the Hindi viewership base is higher from just two channels while the revenue is much lower?

    On a mass basis, our appeal is larger then even CNBC TV18. Our viewers include small investors, consumers and businessmen. So in a way we have helped in the democratisation of the business news market space.

     

    On the revenue front, even some English business news channels can‘t command the kind of advertising rates we do. But yes, it is also true that the dynamics of the market is that English business channels get higher rates.

     
     
    So is it true that Hindi business news channels do not have a scalable model?
    There is a myth that Hindi is not so upmarket. But if you do an affluent audience profiling, we are as good as that of CNBC TV18. And if you see our viewership pattern, most of them come from Mumbai and Delhi, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra.

     

    It is pertinent to note that the initial five years were a build-up stage. We will see much faster growth from now on.

     
     
    What made you edge out Zee Business when both were launched around the same time?
    The focus of our channel is in outlining the utility of news. There might be 10 important stories in a day, but how many are affecting our viewers? We decode such news in a manner that helps them understand the implications.

     

    We will be covering other news as well, but our main emphasis will be user-centric. We focus on helping our viewer make the right investments to increase their wealth. Take real estate as an example. Our focus stories will be on the ground realities the sector faces rather than talking about how to improve the policies on real estate. Our object will be how to help viewers decide on which property to buy and we will suggest the rates and other things there.

     
     
    Going forward, do you see space for more channel launches in this segment?
    Business news viewership will definitely increase with time. With more and more people getting capital to invest and more awareness spreading on personal finance management, this market segment is set to grow.

     

    Our estimate is that out of every 100 new consumers, two-thirds will come from the Hindi speaking belt, so you can imagine the future that the Hindi business news genre has.

     

    I would say there is scope for new channels, but the success will depend on the strength of the network and how much credibility they can build. It won‘t be easy for new players.
     

     
    Recently TV18 went through a cost restructuring and 12 per cent permanent jobs were cut. How effective has the move been in achieving profitability?
    Cost rationalization is a necessity for any business. But you will not see any change in the editorial content. I can‘t share the absolute numbers, but very few editorial jobs have been cut.
     
     

    ‘The focus of our channel is in outlining the utility of news. There might be 10 important stories in a day, but how many are affecting our viewers? We decode such news in a manner that helps them understand the implications‘
     
     

    So do you mean to say there was flab?
    No. There were different growth plans during the bull run. We were focusing on extended news gathering. Now the market scenario has changed. We also have sensed that the news gathering needs are different. You see, the market dynamics are changing very fast and we have to change our FPC as per viewer‘s needs.

     

    So we have reduced the number of shows but consolidated the information in them. We have also increased the coverage on commodity, personal finance, stocks and property.
     
     

    How has the channel evolved over time?
    Along with time, we have become more interactive; we promote direct involvement and grievance redressals. The treatment towards the stories has changed – and we are now positioned as an innovative business news channel.

     

    We are catering to the specific needs of our viewers. I get more then 6000 SMSes and emails daily. And we try to reply to most of the queries. We are not just a business news channel; we run more like a campaign or a movement.
     
     

    So what will the future focus be?
    As I said earlier, the focus will predominantly be on the markets, SMEs, commodity and tax planning.

     

    We will also continue to reach to our consumers on-ground with our activations and award properties.

     

    The way India is progressing, there will be lot more new and young entrepreneurs. Our one-year focus is to organize more of financial literacy campaigns, help SMEs to grow, and cover miraculous entrepreneurial stories from different places.

     
     
    And what about hard news?
    I am not missing out on news. News hour shows are sacrosanct. But we need to have other strong offerings.

     
     
    Hindi general news channels are into sensationalising content for gaining TRPs. Do you also see such a need for the business news segment?

    I do not think there is any need to sensationalise. I am not against presenting news in an interesting and stylish way, but there is no need or room to sensationalise. 

     

     So how will you define your channel?

    To sum it up in one sentence, we help viewers in spotting opportunities to prosper.
  • CNBC ropes in HSBC as sponsor for on-air and online activity

    CNBC ropes in HSBC as sponsor for on-air and online activity

    NEW DELHI: Business news channel CNBC has announced that it has signed HSBC bank as sponsor for the channel.

    As per the deal, HSBC will sponsor on-air and online activity across CNBC in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

    As reported by UK-based Media Week, the deal was negotiated through the Exchange and Invention teams at Mindshare Worldwide, London.

    HSBC will sponsor 60-second vignettes based around a new 13-part series Alternative Investing, wherein the focus will be at non-traditional investments.

    Additionally, bank-sponsored hotboards will air around CNBC’s flagship programme, Squawk Box Europe.

    The deal also covers sponsoring of a dedicated programme page for Alternative Investing on CNBC.com, which will include episodes of the programme, relevant market data and a guide to different types of alternative investments. This page will be supported by 30-second promos running on CNBC.

    In Europe, CNBC claims a reach of 110 million homes, 1,400 banks and financial institutions, and hotels.

  • CNBC to beef up weekends with new shows

    CNBC to beef up weekends with new shows

    MUMBAI: In an attempt to enhance its offering on weekends, CNBC TV18 has launched new shows on variety of topics ranging from business, entertainment, luxury and current affairs.

    In the current affairs section, India Business Week will provide viewers with an insight on what to expect in the coming week, be it business, politics, sports or entertainment and recap of the best of the previous week.

    In the corporate focus section, Wealth Creators will give viewers an insight into the world of India’s new generation of corporate czars. The show will feature the success stories of men and women who have created “enormous shareholder value” and have grown their businesses to a world class level. Wealth Creators will be hosted by Mitali Mukerjee.

    Another show, Indianomics hosted by Latha Venkatesh, will aim at giving viewers an insight on the Indian economy, gathering from cues on what is happening in the global economy and the macro-economic story of India.

    Menaka Doshi will present Riders in the Storm, a series that will feature India’s leading companies and pull the spotlight on one particular CEO every week.

    Speaking on this development, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC AWAAZ VP marketing Neel Chowdhury said, “CNBC-TV18 has always been a category leader in terms of programming forays and innovative content. We felt that the time was ripe to introduce viewers to a wide variety of programming that will attract a wider and newer audience to our fold, and enrich the viewing experience of our loyal viewers. Hence the introduction of comprehensive programming that caters to all genres of audiences.”

    In the Lifestyle section, Must Do will talk about books, movies, art exhibitions to attend and best food joints.

    Beautiful People, hosted by Anuradha Sengupta, will feature rich and famous personalities. The interview-based show will focus on the professional lives and will touch on three key areas – the latest project, art and craft, career milestones and lessons on how individuals negotiate on a commercial landscape.

  • Thomson Reuters plans to launch biz news channel

    Thomson Reuters plans to launch biz news channel

    MUMBAI: Thomson Reuters is planning to launch a business television news channel by January next year, entering the competition that already has market leader CNBC and new entrant Fox Business Network.

    Daily Telegraph reports that the plan is for the channel to appear on both the internet and some form of cable or digital platform. The launch could be as early as January 2009 but may be pushed back as the company is conscious of Reuters’ earlier unsuccessful foray into television.

    Thomson Reuters, which is a merger of Reuters and the Thomson Corporation last year, wants an extra avenue through which to channel content and raise revenues. Thomson agreed in May 2007 to acquire Reuters, with a cash-and-stock offer that valued the 157-year-old news agency at £8.7bn.

    The New York newsroom, which will act as the main studio for the channel, was opened yesterday.

    In an internal memorandum, editor-in-chief David Schlesinger said the new newsroom was all about “multi-media opportunities.”

  • CNBC, Yahoo! enter content distribution agreement

    MUMBAI: CNBC and Yahoo! Finance have entered into a content distribution agreement. As per the deal, Yahoo! Finance will distribute content from CNBC, CNBC Europe, CNBC Asia and CNBC.com to Yahoo! Finance users in the US and worldwide. This is CNBC’s first global online alliance, and Yahoo!’s first global finance video agreement.

    CNBC will provide video clips from its global networks and articles from CNBC.com. The content will be available to Yahoo! Finance users in the U.S. and will also be available to Yahoo!’s 21 international financial news sites.

    The video clips will encompass commentary and analyses of the day’s top business stories, premarket opening buzz, interviews, investing and stock-picking segments from CNBC programmes, including Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer and Fast Money, international market news and analyses from CNBC Europe and CNBC Asia.

    CNBC president Mark Hoffman said, “This agreement brings together Yahoo! and CNBC for online business and financial information. This alliance draws on the strength of CNBC’s global assets and expands the reach.”

    Yahoo! senior vice president and media head, Scott Moore said, “In an increasingly globalized economy, it’s essential that Yahoo! Finance offer investors news from the major global financial markets. The addition of CNBC video content will help Yahoo! Finance users from around the world make more informed financial decisions.”

  • CNBC adds two million households in Asia Pacific region

    MUMBAI: News broadcaster CNBC has expanded significantly in Asia Pacific this year, adding nearly two million households to their regional footprint.

    CNBC Asia Pacific re-launched their business day programming schedule, creating 5 new shows and increasing Asia Pacific programming to 9.5 hours every business day, established a bureau in Sydney, launched a new suite of mobile products, established a partnership in Korea with Digital Chosun, strengthened the cooperation with premier news organizations in the Philippines and Japan providing special local segments into CNBC’s programs.

    CNBC Asia Pacific head of distribution Jacqueline Lam says, “CNBC, reaching nearly 400 million households globally, has enjoyed significant growth in the Asia Pacific region, especially in new markets, as well as with new partners. We would like to thank our partners, and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial co-operation with them.”

    CNBC Asia Pacific has expanded significantly in Korea, New Zealand and Vietnam this year. CNBC has added a little more than one million households in Korea on the Qrix and Areum Broadcasting Network platforms, nearly 700,000 households in New Zealand, on the Sky TV platform, and at least 333,000 households in Vietnam, on both Ho Chi Minh Cable TV and Vietnam Cable TV.

    CNBC Asia Pacific MD Jeremy Pink says, “The success of a television channel is dependent on how the channel is able to refresh itself, adapt to changes and yet be able provide it’s core competencies that the audience values. CNBC is committed to growth and expansion in the Asia Pacific region this year, by enhancing our programming, integrating and distributing of content on multiple platforms, as well as strengthening our relationship with key partners in the region.

    “This significant increase to our footprint is a testament to the success of our growth, and also reinforces the channel being the most watched regional business news channel by affluent viewers, investors, C-suites, business decision makers, financial professionals, top management personnel and opinion leaders in Asia Pacific”.

  • CNBC to introduce new shows for Asia Pacific

    MUMBAI: CNBC is planning to expand further into the Asia Pacific region by introducing new programmes and shows.

    CNBC will be launching new local programming initiative and introduce an expanded local news and operations team on October 2, said an official release.

    The business news channel is planning to launch two new shows which includes Trading Matters and Australia This Week to be anchored by Australian business news journalist Oriel Morrison. Morrison was formerly with the Nine Network, Sky News, Channel 7 and Bloomberg.

    The Trading Matters will provide Australian investors with real time, actionable information on local share and market performance with access to the country’s investors and money managers- revealing the inside track on opportunities for both the institutional and retail investor. While the half hour show Australia This Week will screen a summary of the key events after the close of trade that shaped the week – deals, market and policy decisions.

    CNBC Asia Pacific president and managing director Jeremy Pink said,”CNBC has enjoyed tremendous growth in Asia Pacific this year. These new Australian initiatives are part of a significant investment that we have committed to further expanding in the region.”

    CNBC Asia Pacific director, news and programming John Casey said, “We take our business seriously because there is nothing more important than getting it right when people’s money is on the line. 60 per cent of CNBC’s viewers act on the accurate and unbiased information they get from us so we are sure CNBC’s new initiatives will resonate with the business and investing communities, both in Australia, and also around in the region.”

  • Jill Grinda is EuroNews director of worldwide distribution

    MUMBAI: Jill Grinda has joined European international news channel EuroNews as director of worldwide distribution. Grinda will manage and expand EuroNews’s international distribution on all platforms including terrestrial, satellite, cable, ADSL, broadband, mobile and all other new media formats.

    Grinda was for the past two years Al Jazeera English regional director Europe and Asia contributing to the launch of the channel. Prior to that, she was CNBC Europe regional distribution director for some five years. Earlier in her career she launched and managed distribution for the financial channel, Bloomberg Television in Asia and was then transferred to Bloomberg TV in France in 1998.

    EuroNews chairman and CEO Philippe Cayla said, “I am pleased to welcome Jill Grinda who brings to EuroNews over twenty years of international experience with major multinational media and financial corporations in the areas of distribution, marketing production and journalism. I am convinced Jill will strengthen EuroNews distribution in Europe and to push on the success of the channel especially in Asia and America.”

    Grinda said, “I am delighted to join the EuroNews team. The results of the latest EMS Survey, show that EuroNews is Europe’s leading international news channel. This is a major step forward in terms of recognition of the channel and a great basis for further development of the brand outside of Europe.”

  • CNBC introduces ‘Pehla Kadam’ for new investors

    MUMBAI: CNBC Awaaz in association with NSDL and NSE has launched Pehla Kadam, an education initiative for Indian investors keen to invest in the stock market.

    The investor education initiative has been divided into three aspects which include a learner’s kit for investors, a website on Pehla Kadam and a weekly show on CNBC Awaaz.

    The finance minister P. Chidambaram has unveiled the learner’s kit which will be handed over to every new investor who opens a demat account across the country. The kit contains a guide which answers every query related to investment basics along with insights and information.

    The Pehla Kadam website will help Indians to unlock all their queries on investment, while the show on CNBC Awaaz will feature experts from the industry. These experts will simplify investment and educate the first time investor with necessary information about the stock market. The initiative has been sponsored by Reliance Money.

    TV18 group CEO Haresh Chawla said, “With CNBC Awaaz’s initiatives for our investors, we now have 60 per cent of the market share in the Hindi business news genre. Through our ‘Pehla Kadam’ initiative, we intend to reach prospective investors across India, who are reluctant about investing in stock markets largely due to lack of knowledge and understanding of the market and fear of risk. As a consumer focused channel, we have taken this initiative to empowering our viewers with information which will help them make intelligent and informed decisions.”