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Tag: CNN-IBN

  • Bollywood stars get together on CNN-IBN’s year ender chat show

    Bollywood stars get together on CNN-IBN’s year ender chat show

    MUMBAI: As we head towards the end of the year, it is time for India’s most awaited entertainment led chat series, Bollywood Roundtable – 2014 hosted by India’s biggest film critic Rajeev Masand. The 4 episode special series will showcase top Directors, Actors, Actresses and Producers for this year who have received both critical and box office appreciation.

    Watch actors like Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Bachchan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and actresses including the Chopra Sister (Priyanka and Parineeti) Tabu and Alia Bhatt, as they talk about this year’s outstanding performances and what goes into delivering them. While producers such as Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor, Sajid Nadiadwala and Siddharth Roy Kapur share their thoughts on the business of cinema; directors such as Rajkumar Hirani, Vishal Bhardwaj, Vikas Bahl, Rajat Kapur and Farah Khan, talk about the craft of filmmaking. Watch these stars get in a freewheeling discussion about their successes and failures – their roles, films and movie-making in the special series – The Bollywood Roundtable 2014.

    Each Roundtable will be an hour long episode and will see four popular faces from Bollywood discuss the nuts and bolts of filmmaking that results in the magic on-screen. The show kickstarts this weekend with the Producer’s roundtable where Rajeev Masand gets into a candid conversation with Bollywood’s leading producers – Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor, Sajid Nadiadwala and Siddharth Roy Kapur.

    Don’t miss the exclusive telecast of this episode on 13 December, Saturday 12 PM & 10.30 PM.

     

  • Umag Bedi, Managing Director, Adobe on CNN-IBN’s ‘CEO of Life’

    Umag Bedi, Managing Director, Adobe on CNN-IBN’s ‘CEO of Life’

    MUMBAI: Continuing with its commitment to providing viewers with differentiated programming, CNN-IBN announces a one-of-its-kind series ‘CEO of LIFE’, in association with Urbana, a Lifestyle brand of Future Group. The show hosted by CNN-IBN’s Business Editor Karma Paljor, celebratesIndia’s distinguished young entrepreneurs who just not believe in driving their business but do it with a lot of passion.

     

    In a candid conversation, Umang Bedi, Managing Director, India & South Asia, Adobe shares his experience on heading a software company while he was merely 29 years old and then on his journey. He says that age is just a number wherein, businesses are yearning for significant value add from the younger generation. Also, catch Umang reveal his passion for Golf which he believes is like meditating and finding time to be with your own self.    

     

    To know more about Umang Bedi, don’t forget to watch ‘CEO of Life’, this Saturday, November 29, 2014 @ 08:30 PM, with repeat telecasts on Sunday @ 12:30 PM & 7:30 PM, only on CNN-IBN.

  • Bhupendra Chaubey is now CNN-IBN consulting editor

    Bhupendra Chaubey is now CNN-IBN consulting editor

    MUMBAI: After being elevated to executive editor of CNN-IBN a few months ago, Bhupendra Chaubey has now shifted his role to consulting editor.

     

    He will now do only one show a week and appear on screen for big days such as elections but will not be looking at hourly/daily management of news. He will also be focusing a lot on the digital space.

     

    In a series of tweets, Chaubey said that ’24 hour management doesn’t leave you any space to unlearn and learn again.’ He also tweeted ‘Journalism without passion and processes of enquiry isn’t journalism. I believe new age media platforms do provide you with that space.’

     

    While several media reports suggested that Chaubey would be leaving the organisation, following the footsteps of Rajdeep Sardesai, Sagarika Ghose, Vinay Tewari etc, it seems like he is still committed to Network18.

     

    Chaubey has been in the field from the past 17 years, starting his career with NDTV post which he joined TV18 in 2005 as chief political correspondent. 

  • Wanted to name my book ‘TsuNaMo’, says Rajdeep Sardesai

    Wanted to name my book ‘TsuNaMo’, says Rajdeep Sardesai

    MUMBAI: “I had initially thought of naming it ‘TsuNaMo: The Election That Changed India’,” says one of India’s most recognised journalistic faces on television.

    Rajdeep Sardesai, who quit Network18 as IBN18 editor in chief in July this year and later on joined the India Today Group as consulting editor, recently launched his book ‘2014 : The Election That Changed India’.  The book tracks the story of the 16th Lok Sabha elections with a media insider’s view.

    The man with over 26 years of experience in the field first thought of writing a book last year but it was only in July, this year that he thought of penning his expertise. Sardesai was initially approached by Penguin Publishers to write a biography on Prime Minister Narendra Modi but he says he felt that he was more qualified as a journalist to write about the elections than just a biography.

    When asked why he chose 2014 elections to write the book on, he informs “I have been covering elections since 1989, but this was a historic election. For the first time, we had a non-Congress single political party winning by a huge and thumping majority. It was an election that saw the emergence of a larger than life Modi image, extensive media coverage along with new styles of campaigning that were very different from the past. The book while focuses on the 2014 elections has slices of elections from the previous years as well,” says the veteran.

    He provides three reasons why journalists and media students should pick up the book. “First, this was the biggest election we have seen so far. It documents a slice of history that people would want to be a part of. Secondly, people love to read good stories. With my 26 years of journalism experience, I have compiled interesting anecdotes of many years that bring to life many personalities from the political field. Thirdly, TV programmes today are like fast food while a book is like good wine that people will enjoy indulging in,” he says.

    Sardesai who singlehandedly wrote the book of 135,000 words without a team, informs that he was helped by Centre For The Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) for valuable statistics and insights. CSDS along with CNN-IBN together kept audiences abreast about election trends. He mentions that his wife Sagarika Ghose was the one who helped boost his confidence and pushed him to write the book. “She really energised me. She, in fact, is the book writer in the family. My daughter helped me out on the computer and printouts while my son set the deadline for me that was before his holidays began,” adds Sardesai.

    He is extremely happy with the response that the book has garnered, so far, as audiences have already termed it as a page turner. “One does not have to be politically obsessed to read the book. It is accessible for all to read,” he says.

    He is glad that even politicians have taken a liking to the book which goes for its second print next week.

    Talking about the marketing aspect for the book he says that while films by actors like Shah Rukh Khan need marketing to promote a film, for a book it boils down to the quality of prose and content.

    When asked if he plans to write another book on the elections or his autobiography, he chuckles and says “No, not for now. I will take a break of at least one year from book writing,” he concludes.

     

  • Election broadcast must be seen in context of electoral constituencies: NBSA

    Election broadcast must be seen in context of electoral constituencies: NBSA

    MUMBAI: A case had been filed against English news channels CNN-IBN, NDTV, Times Now and Headlines Today regarding a piece of news that was broadcast on 7 April 2014.

    The complaint filed by Vishal  Kudchadkar and  Syed Ali Hussaini claimed that on the particular day, some constituencies in Assam and Tripura went to polls but the above mentioned channels chose to broadcast the BJP manifesto release on the same day. According to the complainants, they have violated the Section 126 (1) of the Representation of People Act, 1951, which prohibits any public display of  election  matter  by means  of cinematography,  television and other  similar apparatus  during  the  period  of 48 hours  prior  to  the end  of  polling.  

    This apart they allege that it also violates the direction of the Election Commission of India and Guideline 12 of the NBA guidelines for election broadcasts.

    The NBSA sought a reply from the ECI in this regard to which it said, “The legal opinion (obtained by EC) on the issue relating to Section 126 of  RP Act was that the said section,  being a penal provision,   had  to be strictly construed; and that the telecasting of an election related event such as release of election manifesto or an election address or a press conference outside the limits of a constituency  going  to   the  poll  would  not  attract  the  penal  provisions  of Section 126; and that the prohibition  regarding the release of  a manifesto or election address or press conference will have to be restricted  to any election matters relating to that constituency and the candidates in that constituency.”

    Guideline 12 of the NBA says, ‘The  broadcasters shall not broadcast any ‘election matter’ that is, any matter intended  or calculated to influence or affect  the result of  an election during the 48 hours ending with the hours fixed for the conclusion of  poll, in violation of  Section 126 (1) (b) of  the Representation of People Act. 1951.’ The EC was proposing to consider the broadcast of the BJP manifesto as a violation of section 126 of RP Act.

     

    Therefore, the NBSA feels that this falls in the jurisdiction of the criminal courts. It says that it could have considered that the broadcasters had violated the provision of section 126 (1)(b) of the RP Act, had the words ‘in violation of section 126(1)(b) of the Representation of People Act, 1951’.

     

    The election matter also involves the fact that whether anything was done to disturb or tilt the voting scenario in the area where it is being held rather than throughout the country. Therefore, the NBSA says that the complaints have no merit and can be closed.

     

  • Smarter data and innovations in news selling should go hand in hand

    Smarter data and innovations in news selling should go hand in hand

    MUMBAI: At the Seventh Indian News Television Summit, a panel comprising Zee Sangam national sales head Harsha Vardhan Dwivedi, IndiaTV senior VP and country head ad sales Sudipto Chowdhuri, CNN IBN and IBN 7 national revenue head Vishal Bhatnagar, Times Television Network senior VP business head branded content Hemant Arora, GroupM south Asia CEO CVL Srinivas and IPG Mediabrands Initiatives CEO Anamika Mehta discussed the various means for ‘Innovation in news selling’.

     

    The session moderated by Provocateur Advisory principal Paritosh Joshi revolved around how media agencies can increase brands’ ROI from news channels.

     

    Joshi began by saying that one expects the sales and strategy team in a news channel to show more interesting numbers but what one gets is a rehash of an existing standard rating currency. According to Arora, the right clients, revenue and ROI comes when he and his team turns the big data into smart data. 

     

     “It is not just about the data but one has to be able to effectively show how it can impact the marketing objectives. But the matrix system that is currently in use does not really allow sellers and buyers to go beyond it. Eventually it comes down to CPR, slot rates etc and the value that is being offered. Times Now, for example, does not need to be a news channel, it is part of life. It’s the hue we create with our brand and then we pass on the benefit to the brand which wants to be a part of the ecosystem,” said Arora.

     

    Dwivedi then speaking about the revenue of regional channels said that of the total business that regional channels have been making, only 40 per cent comes from corporate and thus, 60 per cent is supported by government and SMEs. “If it was not for the government and SME, the regional channels would not have been able to survive,” he said adding that two years ago there were 14 news channels in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand, while today out of that only four are operating while others have shut down.

     

    Joshi, addressing Mehta, recalled the days when he sold ad inventories. “Those days, agencies worked towards “de-selling brands”, because they had a personal grouse against a particular brand or they simply ignored them and therefore, sometimes broadcasters did approach the client directly to bring them on to their media plan. Now, how healthy is the entire ecosystem?” he questioned.

     

    Mehta agreed to the fact that personal biases could exist in the industry. Credibility of content is what matters and we don’t often see channels coming to us and sharing insights beyond just a channel share, rating etc. She illustrated her point by giving an example. “We have brands like Dettol, which as a pure FMCG typically would be on the GEC platform, Hindi movies and not on a English news channel. However, taking from the national agenda of the Prime Minister which is Swatch India, we tied the brand with it in terms of sanitation,” she said. Integrating the brand and creating custom solutions gave far greater ROI.

     

    Bhatnagar joined the conversation and said that the most important thing is how well one understands the product. “There is a huge responsibility on us to understand what business we are in. Are we in the business of just farming inventory and off loading the inventory?” he asked. He then mentioned that today a lot innovation depends on the kind of discussion news channels have with the agencies or clients. “For example, we tried to do something innovative with Microsoft during elections. And Microsoft of all things wanted to talk about analytics which on news channels does initially snicker people. But then we sat down with the agency, Lodestar, and discussed the various possibilities before pitching for it,” he added. The initiative got Microsoft a lot of feedback globally in terms of how to engage with audiences.

     

    According to Chowdhuri innovation has to be like the topping on a pizza but it can’t be the pizza. “Some news channels may  have done deals like 20 L bands a day for 365 days a year into two years adding up to Rs 5 crore. So, while your content is on screen, the advertisement too comes on screen. Hence, if you have ‘X’ million viewership for a programme then you have the same number of viewers for the ad as well,” he said.

     

    Srinivasan had the last word in the discussion when he was asked if agencies and news channels were ahead of time when it comes to digital. “I think we are a bit late because while digital might be eight per cent of the total adex in India, it occupies 80 per cent of the time with conversation with clients. Today every campaign that is conceptualised, you end up spending a little on digital but the whole thought of promoting and creating the buzz is steeped towards digital. There are huge opportunities to win from digital,” he concluded.

  • CNN-IBN & IBN7 to cover Maharashtra & Haryana Assembly Elections’ Counting Day

    CNN-IBN & IBN7 to cover Maharashtra & Haryana Assembly Elections’ Counting Day

    MUMBAI: As the states of Maharashtra and Haryana along with the nation, awaits the verdict of the Assembly Elections on 19th October, CNN-IBN & IBN7 line up the most exhaustive programming for the Counting Day. After showcasing the Network’s prowess and brilliance during the coverage of General Elections 2014, the channels are now set to recreate the magic by bringing together the best team of journalists, finest panel of experts and unmatched television graphics.

    Commencing at 7am in the morning, this special coverage will include latest trends and developments, vote sharing percentage, seat tally and fastest updates from Ground Zero. The viewers will get the complete picture along with the minutest of details as there will be reporters on-ground covering each of the 378 seats of Maharashtra and Haryana. IBN Network will bring together the most formidable team of political analysts and experts including Ashok Malik, Pradeep Singh, Tavleen Singh, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Ramesh Vinayak, Dhiraj Nayyar and Girish Kuber to share their expertise and opinion on the mandate and simplify the voting maths for the viewers.

    This special day long programming will decode the election outcome that will decide the fate of both these states, in the most extensive way. Along with keeping a close track on the results, the channels will ensure that the viewers get every bit of information and details in the neatest and cleanest format.

    Do not miss this special Counting Day programming on CNN-IBN & IBN7 on 19th October 2014, 7 AM onwards, all through the day.

     

  • Network18 Q2-2015 results a little better q-o-q and y-o-y

    Network18 Q2-2015 results a little better q-o-q and y-o-y

    BENGALURU: Bringing Network18 Media and Investments Limited (Network 18) to the black is still work in progress for its new board, but it should get there soon, considering the company’s Q2-2015 numbers and TAM data for its bouquet of news and GEC channels led by Colors, CNBC, CNN-IBN and ETV among others.

     

    Please refer to the attached financial performance statement and press release for the various figures and TAM data reported by Network18.
     
    Network18 reported 11.2 per cent y-o-y and 5.1 per cent q-o-q growth in consolidated Total Income from Operations (TIO) in Q2-2015. The company’s consolidated TIO in Q2-2015 was Rs 744.84 crore versus Rs 669.85 crore in Q2-2014 and Rs 708.39 crore in Q1-2015. Corresponding HY-2015 and HY-2014 TIO numbers were Rs 1226.48 crore and Rs 1023.98 crore respectively, indicating a decent 18.1 per cent growth in the current half year.
     
    Note:  100,00,000 = 100 Lakhs = 10 million = 1 crore
     
    Let us look at the other Q2-2015 and HY-2015 numbers reported by Network18
     
    Consolidated loss for Q2-2015 was lower at Rs 36.47 crore versus the one time adjusted massive loss of Rs 1021.88 crore in the last quarter and the Rs 36.28 crore in Q2-2014. Loss in HY-2015 has widened to a huge Rs 1058.35 crore because of the Q1-2015 adjustments, versus the Rs 20.93 crore loss in HY-2014.
     
    Correspondingly, consolidated profit before depreciation, interest and taxes (PBDIT) numbers for the current quarter has improved to Rs 33.6 crore which was 36.2 per cent higher than Rs 24.7 crore in the immediate trailing quarter and 14.9 per cent more than the Rs 29.3 crore in the year ago quarter. In H1-2015, consolidated PBDIT at Rs. 58.3 crore was 6 times (up 514 per cent) more than the Rs. 9.5 crore in H1-2014.
     
    The company’s consolidated total expenditure at Rs 746.90 crore (100.3 per cent of TIO) was 1.8 per cent more than the Rs 733.45 crore (103.5 per cent of TIO) in Q1-2015 and 11.5 per cent more than the Rs 670.1 crore (fractionally more than 100 per cent of TIO) in Q2-2014. HY-2015 total expenditure at Rs 1480.36 crore (101.9 per cent of TIO) was 15.5 per cent more than the Rs 1281.92 crore (104.5 per cent of TIO) in HY-2014.
     
    Consolidated Programming cost at Rs 172.39 crore (23.1 per cent of TIO) was 1.7 per cent more than the Rs 169.54 crore (26.7 per cent of TIO) in Q1-2015 and 10.5 per cent more than the Rs 143.84 crore (21.5 per cent of TIO)in Q2-2014. HY-2015 programming cost at Rs 341.93 crore (23.5 per cent of TIO) was 46.9 per cent more than the Rs 232.71 crore (19 per cent of TIO) in the corresponding half year -period of last year.
     
    Finance costs in Q2-2015 was 6 per cent lower at Rs 29.01 crore (3.9 per cent of TIO) versus the Rs 30.88 crore (4.4 per cent of TIO) in Q1-2015 and 4.3 per cent more than the Rs 27.83 crore (4.2 per cent of TIO) in Q2-2014. Finance costs in HY-2015 at Rs 59.89 crore (4.1 per cent of TIO) was 0.6 per cent more than the Rs 59.53 crore (4.9 per cent of TIO) in HY-2014.
     
    On a consolidated basis, two segments contribute to the company’s numbers – Media Operations (MO) and Film production and distribution (Film).
     

    Consolidated Segment figures
     
    MO revenue in Q2-2015 was 4.5 per cent more at Rs 727.94 crore versus the Rs 694.08 crore in Q1-2015 and 19.3 per cent more than the Rs 607.8 crore in Q2-2014. In HY-2015, MO reported revenue of Rs 1419.05 crore which was 23.8 per cent more than the Rs 1146.61 crore in HY-2014.
     
    MO reported operating profit of Rs 3.88 crore in Q2-2015 versus an operating loss of Rs 83.88 crore in Q1-2015 and an operating profit of Rs 9.46 crore in Q2-2014. For HY-2015, operating loss from MO widened to Rs 79.90 crore from Rs 30.39 crore in HY-2014.
     
    Film segment reported 38.7 per cent higher revenue at Rs 19.85 crore in Q2-2015 versus the Rs 14.32 crore in Q1-2015, but was 68 per cent lower than the Rs 62.05 crore in Q2-2014. For HY-2015, Film segment revenue fell by 57.7 per cent to Rs 34.17 crore from Rs 80.85 crore in HY-2014.
     
    Film segment reported operating loss of Rs 4.38 crore in Q2-2015, operating loss of Rs 0.95 crore in Q1-2015 against an operating profit of Rs 3.13 crore. For HY-2015, this segment’s operating loss for both HY-2015 and HY-2014 was Rs 5.33 crore .
     

    Network18 Standalone Q2-2015 and HY-2015 numbers
     
    On a standalone basis, Network18 reported lower TIO in Q2-2015 at Rs 16.80 crore versus the Rs 17.77 crore in Q1-2015 and the Rs 29.23 crore in Q2-2014. HY-2015 TIO at Rs 57.95 crore was better than the Rs 34.58 crore in HY-2014. Standalone loss for Q2-2015 at Rs 18.52 crore was lower than the Rs 637.96 crore in Q1-2015 (one-time adjustment) and the Rs 32.59 crore in Q2-2014.
     

    Standalone segment figures
     
    Three segments contributed to Network18 standalone numbers – Event Management (EM), Web operations (WO) and Publishing business (publishing).
     
    Event management had no revenue in Q2-2015 and Q1-2015, and Rs 8.95 crore revenue in Q2-2014. Operating losses from this segment in Q2-2015, Q1-2015 and Q2-2014 were Rs 0.11 crore, Rs 0.06 crore and Rs 0.76 crore respectively.
     
    WO reported revenue of Rs 12.98 crore in Q2-2015, Rs 12.68 crore in Q1-2015 and Rs 9.22 crore in Q2-2014. Operating losses from this segment were Rs 2.75 crore in Q2-2015, Rs 3.99 crore in Q1-2015 and Rs 9.99 crore in Q2-2014.
     
    Publishing segment reported revenue of Rs 3.82 crore in Q2-2015, Rs 5.09 crore in Q1-2015 and Rs 10.59 crore in Q2-2015. Operating losses from this segment were Rs 1.66 crore in Q2-2015, Rs 2.29 crore in Q1-2015 and Rs 3.91 crore in Q2-2014.
     
    Additional Notes
     
    1.       Pursuant to the enactment of the Companies Act, 2013 (the Act), the Group has, effective from 1st April, 2014, reassessed the useful life of its fixed assets and has computed depreciation with reference to the useful life of assets as recommended in Schedule II to the Act. . Consequently Depreciation for the quarter and half year ended 30th September is higher by Rs.1.16 crore and Rs.9.78 crore respectively and net loss is higher by Rs. 1.16 crore nd Rs.9.78 crore respectively. Further, based on the transitional provision provided in Schedule II, an amount of Rs. 7.13  crore has been adjusted with the opening reserves during the half year ended 30th September 2014.
     
    2.        During the quarter ended 30th June, 2014, based on a review of the (i) investments, and (ii) other current and non-current assets, the Group has accounted for (a) diminution in the value of certain investments to the extent of Rs. 142.83 crore and goodwill Rs. 234.78 crore; (b) obsolescence/impairment in the value of certain tangible and intangible assets to the extent of Rs. 127.43 crore and (b) write-off and provisions of non-recoverable and doubtful loans/advances /receivables to the extent of Rs. 519.41 crore and the same has been disclosed as Exceptional Items. Further, Exceptional Items for the said quarter ended 30th June 2014 also includes Rs. 20.94 crore towards severance pay and consultancy charges. However, these adjustments will have no impact on the future operating profit and cash flows of the businesses of the Group.
     
     
    3.       Equator Trading Enterprises Private Limited (“Equator”) including its subsidiaries Panorama Television Private Limited and Prism TV Private Limited had become wholly owned subsidiary of the Company with effect from 22nd January, 2014. Hence, the consolidated results of the current period also include the results of these subsidiary companies. Eenadu Television Private Limited had also become an associate with effect from 22nd January 2014 and its results have been accounted as “Associate” under accounting standard 23 on Accounting for Investments in Associates in Consolidated Financial Statements. To this extent, the results of this period are not comparable with the corresponding previous period.

     

     

    Click here for the financial statement

  • Vinay Tewari joins Headlines Today as managing editor

    Vinay Tewari joins Headlines Today as managing editor

    MUMBAI: Taking charge of TV Today Network’s English news channel Headlines Today as the new managing editor is Vinay Tewari.

     

    Confirming the news to indiantelevision.com, Tewari said that he would be joining the organisation from 1 October. His role would be to build the brand of Headlines Today. He will report to India Today Group chief creative officer and India Today Group digital chief operating officer Kalli Purie.

     

    Tewari will take charge of a position that was vacated by Nalin Mehta early this year. Prior to this, he was with Network 18 as managing editor of CNN-IBN. He was also assigned the responsibility of IBN7.

     

    This will be his second stint with the company. He was earlier Hindi channel Aaj Tak’s Delhi bureau head and also had the responsibility of bringing synergy between the Hindi and English news channel.

     

    He had started his two decade long career in 1993 with the Pioneer before moving to The Times of India. 

  • CNN-IBN elevates Radhakrishnan Nair to managing editor

    CNN-IBN elevates Radhakrishnan Nair to managing editor

    MUMBAI: Radhakrishnan Nair has been elevated as the managing editor of CNN-IBN. He will fill in the post left vacant by Vinay Tewari a few days ago.

     

    Nair has a career spanning 25 years in the field. He started off with UNI in Kerala. His television stint began in 1995 with TV18, then moved to CNBC-TV18 and has been with CNN-IBN since 2005.

     

    Until now, he was news director for the English news channel. Nair is a chemistry graduate and a gold medalist in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism in Trivandrum and has done Masters in Communication and Journalism from Kerala University.

     

    Nair has spent 12 years with TV18 producing various business shows and leading the input-output desk at CNBC. He has also produced programmes for DD, BBC and Sony as well as Asia’s first business channel ABNI.