Tag: Coronavirus

#ARM Worldwide, Huami’s Amazfit launch WhatsApp helpline for doctors and hospitals to fight COVID19

MUMBAI: #ARM Worldwide, a Gurgaon based digital marketing and communication consultancy in support with a global technology leader, Huami Amazfit has announced the launch of a dedicated Whatsapp helpline for doctors and hospitals who are in need of hygiene supply and high-quality masks. Yesterday they already donated high-quality N95 masks & some protective suits to multiple Hospitals including AIIMS New Delhi, Manipal Hospital. They also announced a donation to MP Mahesh Sharma, in Noida for helping people fighting against the coronavirus pandemic. After the outbreak of COVID-19, the situation being faced across the globe is challenging and difficult. India is a densely populated country; it’s recommended to plan and take all necessary measures to combat the disease collectively.

“On behalf of Huami, we are open for all requests from doctors & hospitals or any government authority for providing support for various hygiene essentials & Supply. I have converted my alternate no for this cause & Interested authority can directly reach out to our WhatsApp support line +91-85954 38550,” says #ARM Worldwide CEO Honey Singh while launching the WhatsApp helpline for Doctors, Hospitals & front liner's who are leading the Fights against Corona.

“With a belief that the worsening condition of COVID-19 doesn’t go out of control in India. We want to extend our support to the government authorities and leading hospitals who are working really well during this tough time where the nation is facing a shortage of masks and hygiene essentials. We are thankful to Dr. Mahesh Sharma Honorable Member of Parliament and also a noble Doctor by profession, for giving us a chance to work towards this social cause and give our utmost contribution during this hard time” says PR innovations (Managing India Business Amazfit) CEO CP Khandelwal.

“Celebrating the human spirit of aid and positivity to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic through this generous gesture, Manipal Hospital, Dwarka gives heartfelt thanks to Huami Amazfit, PR Innovations and Honey Singh, CEO #ARM Worldwide, for donating N-95 masks to us at this tough time,” says Pramod Alagharu, CEO, Manipal Hospitals Dwarka CEO Pramod Alagharu.

March 25, 2020
Stand-up comedian Atul Khatri is reading ‘Only Positive News!’

NEW DELHI: CEO-turned-ace comedian Atul Khatri is spending his quarantine time cheering up folks on social media, after his 16-city tour tanked because of the novel coronavirus epidemic. Understanding the responsibility that widely-followed content creators have now, Khatri started his own short-video programme called “Only Positive News!”, which he is promoting on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Talking about the property with Indiantelevision.com, Khatri says, “I conceptualised this idea earlier this month when the pandemic was becoming a serious news. Be it news channels, or WhatsApp groups, everything was filled with so much of negativity. So, I thought that there must be some positive news out there and I should promote it.”

Khatri says that with nine episodes down, the mini series has got him a lot of positive response, not just within the country, but also from overseas. “I have got around 4000 new unique followers on Instagram with ‘Only Positive News!” and a lot of appreciation from my followers. More than a lakh people are watching its episodes,” he notes.

Elaborating on the process of creating the property, Khatri says he initially talked to his video editor about shooting and editing it, but it was not feasible because he lives in the other part of the city. Then, some of his fellow comedians suggested he use mobile-editing software InShot and do it himself. He claims to have learnt the software within a day and is now regularly serving netizens with a droplet of hope and positivity with the show, told in his own signature comic style.

Khatri admits that his industry has been hit hard because of live events being cancelled, but he is happy that the authorities are taking the necessary steps to avoid further spread. What he is concerned about more is the impact the pandemic is having on the life of daily wage earners like spot guys and makeup artists and hopes private and government intervention can be of support to them.

A former C-level executive, Khatri is also expecting some government intervention in the business side as well. “I was talking to a friend who told me that he has salaries to pay worth Rs 45 lakh. I suggested he keeps the salaries going, especially for those employees who have EMIs to pay. But what is needed right now is government support, maybe in the form of cancelling EMIs for the time period, or giving out monetary support.”

Khatri feels that employers should take care of their employees in such times. Asked what his plan of action would have been in case he was still running a company, he said his prime concern would have been employee safety and satisfaction. “I would have let them work from home and provide all the necessary support.”

March 25, 2020
News channels spread awareness on Covid19 through unique campaigns

MUMBAI: During these testing times when coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the country, news channels have taken measures to make viewers more vigilant to fight this pandemic through various TV and social media campaigns.

In this regard, each network is doing its bit by spreading awareness and helping the government to send positivity. Along with that, the channels are also trying to bust rumours and fake news regarding Covid19. Even prime minister Narendra Modi asked people to spare a thought for the journsliu who are in the thick of this pandemic, reporting.

Not just news channels, many brands have stepped forward and started a campaign with an aim to break the chain of virus spread.

Times Network launched #IndiaFightsCoronaVirus, a consumer awareness campaign to fight and control the spread of the pandemic. Says Times Network’s president – strategy and business head – english entertainment cluster Vivek Srivastava, “It aims to encourage and empower the viewers with accurate and verified news, diffuse panic while offering uninterrupted news and entertainment.”

“Ensuring that the viewers are protected from misinformation and fake information, TIMES NOW, ET NOW and MIRROR NOW drives home the importance of fighting fear with factual and accurate information. News brands are also on top of the coverage with the content offerings like safety tips, do’s and don’ts, myth busters, and ask the expert among others,” adds Srivastava.

In the digital sphere, the network is also leveraging its social media assets across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Tiktok through a series of curated short format videos led by the network’s anchors, that explain and bust myths around the virus and covers relevant questions and concerns of the viewers, explains Srivastava.

Similarly, ABP News Network has come up with a public awareness campaign to address the virus. The campaign, which is called ‘#CoronaKoDhona,’ has garnered tremendous traction on television as well as the social media pages of ABP News. The video campaigning comprised of 13 short clips featuring the network’s anchors, presenting a short awareness message on the importance of handwashing.

In this regard, ABP News Network chief executive officer Avinash Pandey, says: “When mankind is fighting a deadly pandemic, awareness and sensibility are the initial steps. Through this campaign, we aim to safeguard the health of the people by providing requisite information on the virus so that preventive measures can be taken effectively, while also dispelling fear & worry on the pandemic.”

India TV has created a campaign “India TV Ki Pukar, Ghar pe Raho Iss Baar” with a campaign hashtag #StayAtHome, which is shown on its news channel and social media platforms. Moreover, the channel has also made other offline services available such as a 24×7 dedicated helpline to address viewer queries during distress.

India TV marketing manager Aruna Jamwal says: “The idea is to ensure that in these testing times we should all come together, by staying away, and support country’s united response led by prime minister Narendra Modi in ensuring that his message should reach every Indian and each one of us take it as a responsibility upon us to abide by the same.”

India TV digital has also been making all efforts that users across spectrum receive credible information at all times through its social media handles, which has millions of followers. Highpoints of all related shows on news channels are also interestingly packaged for dissemination on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube among others.

India TV’s marketing manager also says: “The programming is not only dedicated to spreading credible knowledge, disseminate awareness as possible, but by also sharing expert opinions and spreading the list of do’s and don’ts at regular intervals. We are also creating audience-connect specials for a real-time face-fo-face query redressals to the benefit of millions sitting in their homes.”

March 25, 2020
Kamdhenu Paints joins the fight against Coronavirus with #India Mil Kar Fight Karo Na!

MUMBAI: Kamdhenu Paints, a division of the Kamdhenu Group today announce Coronavirus Awareness campaign “India Mil Kar Fight Karo Na! – Together we will defeat Corona”. As the pandemic continues to cause massive disruptions across the country, Kamdhenu Paints has taken upon itself the social responsibility to drive an awareness campaign to promote safety guidelines laid down by PM Modi himself.

Kamdhenu Paints had also run a successful campaign in support of the Janta Curfew called by the prime minister on 22 March. As part of the campaign, Social media users are invited to show their support using a custom badge and inviting their friends to do the same. The campaign also includes a pledge to follow the various safety guidelines issued to fight COVID-19. The badge campaign drew enthusiastic participation on Facebook and selected winners will be announced soon.

Talking about the campaign, Kamdhenu Paints director Saurabh Agarwal said, “The fight against the pandemic COVID-19 calls for a concerted effort from both public and private sector including the individuals. At Kamdhenu, we have taken the social responsibility to promote citizens awareness on the virus. By promoting massive social awareness on the safety guidelines we hope to have played a small part in fighting the virus successfully”.

The virus had led to lockdowns in many states and more are actively considering emergency measures to stem the spread of the virus. Massive global efforts are underway to contain the disease. Until a cure is found for the illness, measures such as social isolation, quarantine, and personal hygiene will continue to be our best defence. Kamdhenu Paints urges everyone to follow safety guidelines issued by the authorities.

March 24, 2020
Music industry hit hard by Coronavirus

MUMBAI: The Indian music industry is feeling the heat of the coronavirus outbreak. The members of the Indian Music Industry (IMI), whose existence is solely dependent on releases of feature films, revenues from events and concerts, among others, are feeling the heat of drastically reduced cash flows. This is because film releases have been stalled and public performances revenues have dried due to cancelled music events and the shutting down of F&B outlets, said a release by IMI.

IMI is the apex body that represents the interest of the music companies or record labels on a pan-India basis.

IMI members follow a business model where they pay minimum guarantees (MGs) to film producers who demand substantial money upfront, well in advance for film music acquisitions. The music industry’s money is locked into film releases which may now be indefinitely postponed with no signs of predictable recovery. Around 80% of revenues come from film music for the recorded music industry.

Another fallout is that the large numbers of artists, technicians, sessions musicians are being rendered unemployed with the closure of film production, live events, F&B sector.

IMI chairman Vikram Mehra stated: “We are indeed looking into a financially unstable situation in the near to medium term. Consumer attention is centred on the virus and hence softer industries like ours are the first to be hit. Recordings being cancelled and postponed means many daily wage musicians supporting their families will face a hard time and record labels will not be able to recoup their investments- either paid as MGs to film producers or investments in independent music called IPop”

Tarsame Mittal of TM Talent Management said: “The events industry is hit hard due to concerts getting cancelled and many artists, support staff who depend on their concerts for livelihood, especially the smaller stature artists, and new artists are the worst hit.”

PPL India CEO Rajat Kakar said: “Public Performance income, a large part of the music industry’s livelihood especially that of the smaller music labels, who survive on this revenue source, has taken a beating due to cancellation of events. These smaller labels need public performance revenues to survive.”

IMI President and Blaise Fernandes chief executive officer said: “The silver lining in this bleak outlook is COAI asking OTT service providers to lower the quality of feeds, that’s an indicator that the OTT services are doing well given the work from home situation. This will translate into revenues for the copyright holders in the industry going forward. This is apart from the suffering of the daily wage music bands that perform music at weddings and other social events.”

March 24, 2020
Godrej Protekt starts #ProtektIndiaMovement to combat Coronavirus

MUMBAI: Considering the severity of Coronavirus (COVID-19) the matter, Godrej Protekt – the range of hand hygiene products from Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) – has launched an initiative called 'Protekt India Movement', aiming at building awareness amongst people by keeping them informed about the preventive measures to ensure protection against the coronavirus.

Under the #ProtektIndiaMovement, Godrej Protekt has commenced free distribution of 1 million packets of Mr. Magic powder-to-liquid hand wash in Maharashtra, the state reportedly with the highest number of coronavirus cases. The brand has partnered with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and donated Mr. Magic packets.

Commenting on the measures taken, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) executive chairperson Nisaba Godrej said, “GCPL stands in solidarity with people, health personnel, government workers and everyone who is working tirelessly to beat the coronavirus pandemic. We are thankful to BMC and TMC for partnering with us in distributing handwash to their staff and workers. Our intent is to equip them and their families with Mr. Magic hand wash as they carry out their duties. In the coming days, we will be working with various government bodies and social institutions to give away over 1 million packets of Mr. Magic hand wash. We are focusing all our energy in supporting the needs of our citizens. Thus, in public interest and in line with government regulations, we have reduced the price of our hand sanitisers by 66 per cent. We are determined to help all Indians be safe and healthy, to tide over this pandemic together.”

Speaking on the association and distribution of Mr. Magic packets, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) joint municipal commissioner (solid waste management) Ashok Khaire said, “In these testing times, maintaining personal hygiene is very important. Godrej Protekt has committed two lakh Mr. Magic handwash packets, which will be distributed across our outpost in Mumbai. All staff, labourers and contract workers will get Protekt Mr Magic handwash for ensuring their personal hygiene. By mixing one packet of Mr. Magic powder in water, 200ml of handwash can be made for washing hands. I urge all our staff, labourers and contract workers to benefit from this initiative and be safe by washing your hands regularly.”

Sharing his views, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) mayor Naresh Mhaske, said, “Godrej Protekt has started a noble initiative #ProtektIndiaMovement to make people understand the importance of handwashing. Coronavirus is easily transferred from hands to our body making us sick. Washing hands regularly is a key preventive measure to stop the spreading of this virus. We are thankful to Godrej Protekt for providing us one lakh packets of Mr. Magic. We will be distributing Mr. Magic amongst our staff, labourers, Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) bus conductors and teachers of TMC-run schools as they come in contact with many people. We want to spread the message of handwashing amongst our citizens in a right manner to win the fight against coronavirus.”

As senior citizens are more vulnerable to coronavirus infection, Godrej Protekt will partner with leading NGOs working for senior citizens, to offer packets of Mr. Magic and education around handwashing. Godrej Protekt will reach out to various government organisations for further distribution of handwash packets. To ensure a steady supply, the brand has increased production to make its Protekt range of handwashes and sanitiser, especially the Mr. Magic powder-to-liquid handwash, helping combat the virus. The on-ground teams are working relentlessly to replenish stocks across channels in India as there is growing demand for such products.

Earlier this month, Godrej Protekt launched #ProtektIndiaMovement, a multimedia and multi-channel campaign, to make sure that the message of washing hands regularly and correctly is conveyed to every Indian. Toward this, it introduced #ProtektIndia anthem that focuses on spreading awareness on occasions of hand washing and mitigating panic. Many people, celebrities and over 100 influencers joined the movement and shared #ProtektIndia anthem reinforcing a small but tremendously impactful message – to wash hands regularly before and after everything we do. Godrej Protekt has also released an instructional video on handwashing and are partnering with news channels to broadcast it to a larger audience.

March 24, 2020
Olympics may be postponed but not cancelled

MUMBAI: The ambiguity revolving around Olympics 2020 has been put to rest by the organisers, making it clear that the once-in-four-year a sporting event won’t be cancelled but may get postponed to a later date amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

According to media reports, Tokyo Olympics 2020 chief Yoshiro Mori on Monday said that organisers would consider postponement as one of many scenarios that they aim to have ready in four weeks, but that the games would not be cancelled.

Mori also told during a news conference that a team of people from among the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tokyo organisers would discuss how to proceed with the games.

Tokyo Olympics 2020 is scheduled to begin from 24 July to 9 August 2020.

Mori’s comment on Olympics 2020 has come on the back of Canada’s decision to not to send its athletes to Tokyo unless the event is postponed by one year due to coronavirus pandemic. Similarly, the Australian contingent is preparing for the postponement of the event.

Moreover, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe during these testing times is also of an opinion to postpone the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Abe had said, “Olympics could be postponed if it could not be held in its ‘complete form’ because of the coronavirus pandemic.”

The postponement of the world’s biggest event may hit Japan’s economy, sponsors, advertisers and organisers massively. It is expected that the game will cost around $12 billion. Olympics budget is split between the organisers, local and national governments. IOC is likely to contribute over $800 million.

At present, this edition of Olympics has so far generated record domestic sponsorship revenues of over $3 billion. The top sponsors, who already have come onboard are Toyota, Bridgestone, Panasonic and South Korea’s Samsung in separate deals with IOC.

According to Variety, Comcast has agreed to pay over $4.3 billion for US media rights to broadcast Olympics from 2014 to 2020. Moreover, Discovery Communications, the parent of television channel Eurosport has agreed to pay $1.4 billion to screen Olympics from 2018 to 2024 across Europe.

March 23, 2020
#CoronaKoDhona: ABP News’ awareness campaign

MUMBAI: ABP News Network’s Hindi news channel, ABP News, has taken preventive measures to create awareness among its audience against the spread of the Covid19 virus through the reach of its social media platforms.

ABP News’ public awareness campaign called ‘#CoronaKoDhona’ has garnered tremendous traction on the social media pages of the channel. Former team India’s skipper, Kapil Dev & union minister, Smriti Irani have joined the network for this initiative.

“For any news related to COVID-19, ABP News has been the leading domain on Facebook in the last 30 Days (18 Feb to 18 March; Source: crowdtangle.com). With 5.42 million total interactions, the channel is miles ahead than its nearest competitor, Aaj Tak,” says a press statement of the channel.

The statement further adds, “In terms of video views, ABP News’ page has garnered 132.79 million views, twice as of that of its arch rival which received 2.39 million views (18 Feb to 18 March; Source: crowdtangle.com). The video segment of the campaign has also been further promoted on YouTube, garnering tremendous engagement from the audience.”

The recently launched campaign went on-air and on all ABP News social media platforms to strengthen the consciousness on the pandemic and ensure the safety of the people. With a message-driven hashtag – #CoronakoDhona, the intensive campaign comprised of awareness videos coupled with informative blogs and articles on the issue.

The video campaigning comprised of 13 short clips featuring 13 ABP news anchors, presenting a short awareness message on the importance of handwashing. With an aim to send a message of good hygiene, the campaign emphasised on how washing hands regularly is one of the most critical measures in the fight against coronavirus.

Renowned ABP News anchors like Akhilesh Anand, Adarsh Jha, Astha Kaushik, Shobhna Yadav, Pratima Mishra, Anurag Muskaan, Rubika Liyaquat, Shagun Sharma, Sumit Awasthi, Aditi Arora, Yasser Usman, Vikas Bhadauria, and Shrivardhan Trivedi were instrumental in sharing the awareness message compellingly.

ABP News Network’s chief executive officer, Avinash Pandey, says: “As a responsible news channel, we take it as our duty to ensure the betterment of society. COVID-19 has created a sense of panic worldwide. When mankind is fighting a deadly pandemic, awareness and sensibility are the initial steps.”

“Through this campaign, our aim was to safeguard the health of the people by providing requisite information on the virus so that preventive measures can be taken effectively, while also dispelling fear & worry on the pandemic," Pandey further adds.

March 23, 2020
News broadcasters gear up to face coronavirus challenge

MUMBAI: Amid the coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic, news channels are facing the challenge of keeping the show running. Many of them have opted for alternative methods to not only keep employees sound and safe but also ensure that the business and credibility of the channel don't go down.

With the government urging private firms to rest 50 per cent of the workforce by giving them a work-from-home option, news channels across genre have readily accepted the module and are trying to cope with the smooth functioning of the programming of the news network.

In this regard, Times Network’s EVP & head – human resources S Srivathsan says, “Our editorial (newsrooms) teams in Mumbai and Delhi are divided into two groups, wherein one group works from office and the other works parallel from remote locations to support the newsroom function.”

In addition, to ensure the safety of our workforce across the organisation, Srivathsan adds, “For our other departments and functions, we have adopted technological services to ensure day-to-day operations are fully functional over skype, video & audio conferencing, without any disruptions.”

ABP News Network chief executive officer Avinash Pandey says: “We have a very robust and well-tested work-from-home capability, and the majority of our employees have the flexibility to work remotely. Our contingency measures for digital business and long-term resilience will ensure seamless business continuity and optimum employee productivity. This is our time to thrive and we want our advertising partners to stay invested in the news genre.”

From the first piece of information being flashed on the news channel to the final analysis of the story, many departments and people are involved to get a fast and accurate output. And, to achieve this, each member of this chain has to be on his/her toes. However, during these testing times, the channels, probably, for the very first time, are doing something that could never have been thought of before.

Srivathsan also says: “As a precautionary measure, we are encouraging our employees to make use of personal vehicles and car-pooling to minimise the use of public transport. We have also made adequate arrangements for pick-up and drop services for our staff members.”

Moreover, “We have also ensured mandatory thermal screening at our offices and provided masks, sanitizers to all our news channels on-filed reporters, who are ensuring non-stop reportage on this situation from potential high-risk areas,” he adds.

Pandey says that newsrooms might be vulnerable to this epidemic but this isn’t a first for them. "As journalists, we have always worked during strikes, natural disasters, riots, epidemics, wars, etc. We realise our sense of responsibility during these times to contribute to wider cultural currents of cosmopolitanism whilst taking the necessary precautions," he says.

“Being a responsible news organisation, we feel it’s imperative we exercise caution, increase awareness and curb fake news," says Srivathsan. “As we operate with the abridged workforce, we are committed to our employees’ safety while continuing to work collaboratively & cohesively to ensure our broadcast services remain uninterrupted.”

Echoing Srivathsan’s view, Pandey says, “At ABP News Network, it is our topmost priority to ensure that the viewers are apprised at all times, while also safeguarding the health of our employees.

The novel coronavirus that has first appeared in the Wuhan city of China has spread over 100 countries. At least three succumbed to the infection and over 150 positive cases have been confirmed in various states of India.

March 19, 2020
COVID-19 not to impact quarter registers much: INOX

NEW DELHI: The ongoing crisis because of the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 has been impacting global businesses adversely. In India, several places, including Delhi, Bangalore, and Maharashtra, have taken actions like shutting down malls and cinema halls to control the epidemic that has taken more than seven thousand lives globally. Along with it, several big production houses have deferred the releases of films, including Sooryavanshi and A Quiet Place 2, to contain the situation. Additionally, the box office numbers were below average for latest releases Baaghi 3 and English Medium.

This certainly is straining the business of cinema houses and can appear as a red mark in their cash registers when the quarter closes. However, the officials at INOX are not bothered about monetary losses right now and are hoping that they will be able to make up for it when the situation settles down. In an exclusive interaction with Indiantelevision.com, INOX revealed, “Our financials are a function of content. The better the content, the better will be the numbers. The quarter so far has seen the influence of good content, moderate content, and health-related concerns. We completely respect and appreciate the health concerns, and hope that we are able to compensate their hunger for cinematic entertainment once the concerns wane off.”

The cinema chain is positive that after this momentary glitch, people flock the cinemas once normalcy settles. “There is no doubt that the current situation demands a lot of our attention and focus, and therefore, we are channelising and committing our energies into ensuring a safe and healthy cinema-viewing experience for our guests. But at the same time, we firmly believe that with all the precautions and medical know-how, collectively, we will see through this impermanent phase. Thanks to the unparalleled passion and love for the cinemas, we have always been extremely optimistic about the business. Once the situation normalises, and the movie releases get back on their schedule, we are sure that our guests will start thronging the cinemas as they do always.”

For those cinema houses that are still functioning across the country, INOX is taking special preventive measures to take care of the health of their employees and customers. “We have increased the frequency of our housekeeping and daily deep cleaning routines. Disinfectants are being used for sanitising and wiping all touchpoints like food countertops, box office counters, armrests, grab rails, door handles & knobs, light switches, and other frequently used equipment. Kitchen stewarding processes have been intensified and are being carried out with utmost care,” said an Inox spokesperson.

March 19, 2020