ITV

Tag: CNN-IBN

  • CNN-IBN launches series ‘The Golden South’

    CNN-IBN launches series ‘The Golden South’

    MUMBAI: CNN-IBN has unveiled a series focusing on south India . The series The Golden South also marks the 50-year celebrations of formation of the four southern states – Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.

    Launched on 30 October, The Golden South will run till 26 November. The series will feature weekend half hour specials, which will air programmes pertaining to south India ranging from its diverse culture, food habits, music, entertainment, religion etc. The programming would also announce the Golden Keralite, the Golden Andhraite, the Golden Tamilian and the Golden Kannadiga (basis a viewer voting) in each of the four half hour specials on 4 November, 11 November, 18 November and 25 November respectively, informs an official release.

    The series will also have a special feature The Big South Debate, a one-hour special show on 26 November. The findings of a nationwide poll that would sense the mood of South India will be revealed in The Big South Debate.

    According to CNN-IBN & IBN7 editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai, “Our aim for presenting this series is to celebrate the golden jubilee of the grand southern states. Our effort is to provide our viewers an in-depth knowledge about the formation and development of the states and its people, who have made India proud. I am confident that our viewers will find this programming interesting and engaging.”

    “Thematic content like this differentiated offering generates higher interest with advertising community” adds CNN-IBN & IBN7 national sales head Sanjay Dua.

  • TV18 Q2 net profit at Rs 160 million, up 44% YOY

    TV18 Q2 net profit at Rs 160 million, up 44% YOY

    MUMBAI: The Raghav Bahl promoted Television Eighteen has posted its consolidated net profit at Rs 160.45 million up 44 per cent year on year (YoY) for the second quarter ended 30 September, as against Rs 111.55 million in the year-ago period.

    The company’s revenue has also witnessed a jump of 70 per cent YoY to record at Rs. 530.08 million. Revenue from news operations rose to Rs 476.92 million, from Rs 295.31 million a year ago.

    The TV18’s Internet business rose over 200 per cent YoY, according to an official release. The reveunes from the internet and software operations has gone up from Rs 17 million during the corresponding period a year ago to Rs 53.16 million this quarter. It is also worth noting that the internet business had crossed $1 million during the first quarter of this fiancial year.

    The company’s operating profit surged to Rs 249.04 million, up from Rs 172.68 million. The operating margin dipped to 47 per cent largely on account of the consolidation of CNBC Awaaz revenues and costs in P&L. 

    The consolidated revenues including CNBC-TV18, CNBC-Awaaz, moneycontrol.com and commoditiescontrol.com. The current quarter’s revenue/cost strictly is ‘not’ comparable with the same quarter in the previous year, since revenue/cost of Awaaz are being included from this quarter onwards. The TV18 consolidated revenue includes revenues from CNN-IBN, IBN7 and other Web18 Portals.

    Following the meeting of the board of directors Television Eighteen MD Raghav Bahl said: “This has been an exceptionally good quarter for us. As a Network, we have doubled revenues – while our listed entity has posted a 70 per cent year-on-year growth. We have successfully concluded our scheme of demerger, and set 24 November as the record date – this will unlock an enormous amount of value for our shareholders, who will now enjoy the fruits of ownership in all our businesses, including CNN-IBN, IBN7, Home Shopping Network and Studio18. With several exciting forays in news broadcasting, internet portals, motion pictures and other multi-media platforms on the anvil, our shareholders can continue to look forward to a period of sustained growth.”

  • NDTV to spin off internet arm into separate company

    NDTV to spin off internet arm into separate company

    MUMBAI: Prannoy Roy-promoted NDTV Ltd is all set to spin off its Internet arm ndtv.com into a separate company. This will in turn help the news broadcaster to sell of a stake to help fund new initiatives.

    The company is likely to ratify its plans about the future venture at its the board meeting, tomorrow (17 October).

    The restructuring of the company has been necessitated as it is primarily a news broadcaster, which means that regulatory norms would hamper attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) if the company were to undertake any new venture in the Internet domain or general entertainment.

    Indian government norms stipulate that a news channel uplinking out of India cannot have more than 26 per cent of foreign investment (direct or institutional). This will also help the shareholders of the company to fully unlock value for the company. The restructuring plan is subject to board approval.

    According to information doing the rounds in the broadcast market, the company has also entered into the recruitment service space. It is reported to have tied up with Thailand based Yello Media Ltd. Through this partnership, NDTV will create ndtvjobs.com in association with yellojobs.com. Yello Media also manages a classified ad site named Yello Classified. The company had earlier made an official announcement of divesting its stake during the fourth quarter of 2004-2005.

    NDTV already manages online platforms like ndtvgadgets.com, ndtvtravels.com and ndtvshopping.com.

    The company’s main competitor TV18 Network, which manages business news channels like CNBC-TV18, Awaaz and general news channels like CNN-IBN, IBN7, had recently picked up a stake in JobStreet India Pvt Ltd. The Raghav Bahl-promoted network already owns online platforms – moneycontrol.com, commoditiescontrol.com, poweryourtrade.com and ibnlive.com and is very aggressive with its plans.

  • CNN-IBN and IBN 7 the official promotional partners for 37th International Film Festival of India

    CNN-IBN and IBN 7 the official promotional partners for 37th International Film Festival of India

    New Delhi, November 22nd 2006: CNN-IBN and IBN 7 are the official promotional partners for the 37th International Film Festival of India – country’s annual celebration of cinema -taking place from November 23rd to December 3rd 2006 in Goa, India.

     

    CNN-IBN and IBN 7 will present to its viewers exclusive interviews of IFFI delegates and celebrities on the likes of Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Aamir, Sudesh Bhonsle, and Bombay Vikings etc and will also preview the film screenings. In addition, the channels will also air the official launch of various movies like ARYAN, 90 MINUTES BY IQBAL RIZVI etc.

     

    Dilip Venkatraman, Director Marketing and online projects, CNN-IBN and IBN 7 says “International Film Festival for India is the biggest gathering and a must attend event for business and entertainment leader from around the world. IFFI 2006 is an excellent opportunity for CNN-IBN, as the official promotional partner to increase awareness of the channel and extend its offering to the masses.”

  • CNN-IBN reaffirms the numnero uno slot

    New Delhi, September 4, 2006: CNN-IBN, has reinforced and consolidated on its No. 1 position in the English news genre. The latest TAM report indicates that CNN-IBN has achieved a leadership position across the day in all markets, taking a lead ahead of its competitors. As per the latest TAM report (Week 34, August 20 – August 26, 2006) available, CNN-IBN leads with a market share of 37% (TG Male 25+ All India).

     

    Source – TAM, Target Audience – Male 25+
    MARKETS: All Markets
    Week 34, August 20 – August 26, 2006

    Day part Channel Channel share
    0700 – 2400 CNN-IBN 37%
    NDTV 24×7 33%

     

     

     

     

    Highlighting the success Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-chief, CNN-IBN said “It is a moment of pride and delight for all of us and it just accentuates the faith that the viewers have in our content. We consider this success as an encouragement to take the process of newsgathering a step higher. It’s the commitment to good journalism that will always count, and that’s where we always try to measure ourselves against,”

     

    About CNN-IBN

     

    TV18 and Time Warner have joined hands to bring CNN-IBN, India’s first and very own world-class English news channel, headed by one of the most credible faces of news journalism, Rajdeep Sardesai. CNN-IBN brings news as well as feature programs. With editorial and network resources across every nook and corner of India and the globe, CNN-IBN is committed to bring to the discerning Indian viewer only the best of television journalism.

    For further information please contact:
    Parul Bhasin/ Namrata Bhalla PR Pundit, New Delhi
    Tel: 93502 65351 / 9873313613

  • CNN-IBN stays No.1 in prime time, 10th week in a row

    CNN-IBN stays No.1 in prime time, 10th week in a row

    CNN-IBN, the challenger brand in the English news space is fast moving towards poll position not just in the much-coveted prime time but also across the day. The latest TAM report indicates that CNN-IBN has maintained a leadership position across all the markets in primetime 10 weeks in a in a row and has ratings at par with NDTV 24×7 through the day
    As per the latest TAM report (Week 22, May 28 – June 3, 2006) available, CNN-IBN leads with a market share of 15%. The channel retains its leadership position 10th week in a row on primetime band between 7:00pm and 12:00pm.
    Source – TAM, Target Audience – C&S All 4+ All SECs
    MARKETS: All English Speaking Markets
    Week 22, May 28 – June 3, 2006

    Day part Channel Channel share
    1900 – 2400 CNN-IBN 0.15
    NDTV 24×7 0.14
    0700 – 2400 CNN-IBN 0.16
    NDTV 24×7 0.16

     

     

     

    “It is a moment of pride for all of us since we’ve achieved this when we are still nine days away from being six months on air. It’s the commitment to good journalism that will always count, and that’s where we always try to measure ourselves against. So while we quietly celebrate, we need to keep striving to take the process of newsgathering a step higher.” said Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-chief, CNN-IBN

    About CNN-IBN

    TV18 and Time Warner have joined hands to bring CNN-IBN, India’s first and very own world-class English news channel, headed by one of the most credible faces of news journalism, Rajdeep Sardesai. CNN-IBN brings news as well as feature programs. With editorial and network resources across every nook and corner of India and the globe, CNN-IBN is committed to bring to the discerning Indian viewer only the best of television journalism.

  • AIR’s B Singh acting CEO of Prasar Bharati; Mandloi officiating Doordarshan DG

    AIR’s B Singh acting CEO of Prasar Bharati; Mandloi officiating Doordarshan DG

    NEW DELHI: Director-general of All India Radio, Brijeshwar Singh, has been given additional charge of looking after pubcaster Prasar Bharati as its chief executive.

    He succeeds Navin Kumar whose term as DG Doordarshan and acting CEO of Prasar Bharati ended on 23 August 2006.
    A 1975 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, Singh has been heading All India Radio since February 2004.

    Under his stewardship, All India Radio clocked an impressive 70 per cent revenue growth during 2005-06, even while keeping intact its focus on public service programming.

    AIR earned Rs 2.7 billion in revenue during 2005-06.

    Singh’s keen interest in classical music enabled AIR to bring out quality CDs under the brand name Akashvani Sangeet, deriving rare content from the archives of All India Radio.

    An active participant in broadcasting issues, Singh is also the
    vice-president of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

    Prasar Bharati is not having a regular CEO since K S Sarma stepped down on June 30, 2006 on attaining the age of super annuation.

    A regular CEO will be appointed by a three-member high level committee headed by the Vice President of India.
    MANDLOI ACTING DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF DD

    Meanwhile, LD Mandloi, the senior most deputy director-general of Doordarshan, has been named as the officiating director-general (DG) of the television pubcaster.

    Mandloi, a programming side person, unlike his bureaucrat predecessors, will look after day-to-day functioning of Doordarshan till a full-time DG is appointed.

    According to sources in the government — despite autonomy through an Act of Parliament, Prasar Bharati still remains an extension of the establishment — 17 applications have been received till now for the post of Doordarshan DG.

    However, a regular DG of DD can only be selected once a full-time CEO of Prasar Bharati is in place.

    After former information and broadcasting secretary Bhaskar Ghose in the late 1980s and early 1990s, DD has seldom had a full-time DG.

    Ghose, father-in-law of CNN-IBN chief editor Rajdeep Sardesai, presently is the chief executive of Lok Sabha TV, an initiative of the Speaker of Lower House of Parliament. The channel is dedicated to airing proceedings of the Lower House, apart from other serious programming.

  • CNN-IBN to turn pay, likely to be priced Rs 5

    CNN-IBN to turn pay, likely to be priced Rs 5

    MUMBAI: CNN-IBN, the English general news channel from the TV18 stable, is turning pay and is tentatively priced at Rs 5.

    Global Broadcast News (GBN), the company which owns and operates CNN-IBN, has entered into an MoU with Zee Turner Ltd. for distributing the channel. The MoU is valid till 31 March 2007.
    “We have entered into an MoU with Zee Turner pursuant to which we will become a pay channel,” GBN said in its draft red herring prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

    Though the price quoted in the MoU is Rs 5 a month per subscriber, this could change depending on the market situation. The channel may go pay in October, a source in the company says.

    CNN-IBN will be distributed by Zee Turner as a stand-alone channel. “Zee Turner Ltd has agreed that it shall endeavour to collect the subscription charges from the subscribers on the basis of the agreement signed with them and remit the actual collected amount within 60 days of last day of collection to the company,” GBN said in its IPO (initial public offering) document. Zee Turner will be entitled to a fee of 20 per cent on the subscription charges on collection.

  • CNN-IBN’s Independence Day programming deliver top ratings

    CNN-IBN’s Independence Day programming deliver top ratings

    New Delhi August 29, 2006: Leader in the English news genre, CNN-IBN has once again delivered in terms of eyeballs on this Independence Day. CNN-IBN was the nation’s choice and the most watched news channel on Independence Day.

    CNN-IBN made the Independence Day television viewing really exciting with a plethora of programmes ranging from entertainment to music to history. The engaging slew of programmes on the channel has cut across all TGs, posting good ratings for the channel. As per the latest TAM report CNN-IBN secured a channel share of 0.33 (TG 25+AB All India) on August 15, taking a lead ahead of its competitors, across India.

    ‘Sachin–King is back’ on CNN-IBN was the top most programme in the English News genre on Indian Television on August 15 (0.08 TVR, TG: 25+ AB CS, 6 Metros). The I-Day special series ‘State of the Nation’, an all India opinion survey too achieved good ratings (0.07 TVR, TG: 25+ AB CS, 6 Metros) on that day. As part of the Independence Day programming line up, CNN-IBN aired an all India, live Smart Kid I- Day Quiz for the first time ever on a news channel, which certainly had the viewers glued on to their television sets. CNN-IBN also aired interesting shows like August Country (Revisit History), India Rocks (Musical), Shah Rukh Khan Unplugged (Celebrity chat).

    Day part Channel Channel share
    0700 – 2400
         		 CNN-IBN 0.33
    NDTV 24×7 0.31
    Headlines Today 0.1
    Times Now 0.11

     

    Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-In-Chief, CNN-IBN & IBN 7 said, “Through our programming on the 59th year of Independence, CNN-IBN wanted to heighten the spirit of patriotism. We are delighted that the viewers have appreciated the shows and we have been successful in truly making Independence Day a memorable one. The results are a reaffirmation that we have provided the viewers with programming that is both entertaining and captivating”

     

    Dilip Venkatraman, Director Marketing, CNN-IBN & IBN 7, “The high ratings that CNN-IBN have delivered for the compelling Independence Day programming line up demonstrates the success of our programming and the constant loyalty that the viewers are developing for the channel. Our programming strategies reflect the changing viewing needs of the consumer and we are pleased that our strategic approach to programming has once again paid rich dividends, and we are confident that we will maintain this momentum over the years to continuously engage our Indian viewers.”

    About CNN-IBN

     

    TV18 and Time Warner have joined hands to bring CNN-IBN, India’s first and very own world-class English news channel, headed by one of the most credible faces of news journalism, Rajdeep Sardesai. CNN-IBN brings news as well as feature programs. With editorial and network resources across every nook and corner of India and the globe, CNN-IBN is committed to bring to the discerning Indian viewer only the best of television journalism.

    For further information please contact:
    Parul Bhasin/ Namrata Bhalla PR Pundit, New Delhi
    Tel: 2656 0415, 2651 3075, 93502 65351

  • Web 18 to acquire three internet companies

    Web 18 to acquire three internet companies

    MUMBAI: Television Eighteen India Ltd’s internet arm, Web 18, will be acquiring three internet companies — Cricketnext.com, Compareindia.com and Urban Eye, a web design and technology firm. The acquisitions will help the group consolidate its focus on the internet business further.

    “We are acquiring significant majority stakes in these three companies. With our financial portal Moneycontrol.com, we have built a global scale and size. We plan to soon replicate this with the new portals we have acquired,” says TV18 Group CEO Haresh Chawla.

    TV18, it is learnt, will allow the operations to be run by the old management. CricketNext.com co-founder and managing director Sanjay Jha agrees investments will be pumped in to scale up operations. “With our new partner, we will be able to considerably upscale our operations. We have parted with majority but will continue to run the operations,” he says. Cricketnext.com was in talks with strategic investors including TV broadcasters to dilute its stake. “We have commenced negotiations with TV channels. “We are also in negotiations with horizontal portals and telecom operators. Our role as a content aggregator has strategic value for the other media companies and telcos,” Jha had indiantelevision.com in May this year.

    TV18 is also eyeing acquisition of a matrimonial site as it plans to create a bouquet of vertical portals, a source in the company says.

    Cricketnext.com and Compareindia.com are in the retail consumer space. Cricketnext.com is a sports portal with a user base of over five million people whereas Compareindia is a product comparison site, with a user base of over two million people and offers a comprehensive product comparison engine with thousands of products over 50+ categories.

    These two portals will be able to complement some of the key television and internet properties of the TV 18 Group. Cricketnext.com will complement the group’s online news portal, ibnlive.com, and also CNN IBN and IBN7 television channels. Compareindia.com will synergise with moneycontrol.com. It will also draw synergies with Awaaz, the TV 18’s Hindi consumer-business offering on television.

    Urban Eye is a web design and technology firm, with over 50 specialised internet technology professionals, which will help Web18 scale up its operations rapidly.

    The companies are currently being restructured so as to align their operations to Web18. The two portals will be relaunched shortly.

    This is the second round of acquisitions that Web18 has announced. The company acquired a significant stake in Yatra.com and Jobstreet.com India a few months ago.

    The Indian Internet industry is on the verge of explosive growth. By 2008, the online user base is expected to grow to 100 million. TV 18 has been consistently growing its internet presence organically as well as through relevant acquisitions in the consumer internet space.

    “These acquisitions are in line with our strategy to strengthen our position in the consumer internet space. Web 18’s vision is to be the leader in the consumer internet space. We expect consumer focused services like online recruitment, financial services, travel services, product comparisons and home shopping, sports etc to drive the growth of the internet in India. We expect significant synergies and competitive advantage to emerge from this move,” adds Chawla.

    BMR & Associates acted as transaction advisors for TV 18 on this deal.