ITV

Tag: covid-19

  • Some learning, some entertainment, some fun – the secret sauce of tackling the lockdown time

    Some learning, some entertainment, some fun – the secret sauce of tackling the lockdown time

    COVID-19 has changed the way companies used to work in India and across the world. With work from home programs and remote work policy, a lot of Indian companies are determined to sail through this crisis. While building a robust technical infrastructure to continue 'business as usual' is necessary, learning and upskilling have become paramount amidst all the chaos. Taking care of our wellbeing and mental health is equally critical.

    Building talent

    According to a report by McKinsey Global Institute, by 2030, as many as 375 million workers globally will have to master fresh skills as their current jobs evolve alongside the rise of human-machine partnership. Also, another recent one 'Workplace Learning Report’ by LinkedIn suggested that 2019 was the year of the skills gap.

    The current pandemic is taking a toll on SMEs, start-ups and large corporates but some of them are going the extra mile to support their employees and adjust to the ‘New Normal’. Prasad Shejale, Founder & CEO, Logicserve Digital said, “While we all try to find our balance to navigate this crisis – whether at the global, country, organisational or individual level; we must continue to learn and upskill. It's time that the leaders adopt an agile mindset and offer an opportunity for their workforce to learn critical skills relevant in this digital age.”

    “We, at Logicserve Digital, have started virtual learning classes and our teams are trying their best to remain focussed on acquiring new skills. It gives me immense pleasure to share that a lot of logimates used the lockdown time to learn new skills while continuing their routine work and, we now have 100+ Google certified professionals in the company. I would like to congratulate all team members for their enthusiasm and continued commitment towards learning and growing in these challenging times too,” he added. 

    The 100+ Google certified professionals, which includes 107 Search Professionals and 115 GAIQ professionals, have completed 200+ certifications.

    Knowledge Sharing

    A strategic approach with a long-term outlook can result in a greater unity of purpose for organisations as well as communities. While the governments all over the world are keeping no stone unturned in helping each other dVUCAuring these crises, it’s time that the corporate industry leaders join hands as they re-draw the business playbook.

    “It is more apparent now than ever that we live in a (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world. This unsettling situation is impacting our personal as well as professional lives alike, and it’s time for industry leaders to act together. I do not doubt that if the entire marketing fraternity collaborates, we will emerge stronger,” added Prasad.

    Alongside this belief, Logicserve Digital has started organising Digital Marketing Masterclass with the purpose of sharing knowledge with the fraternity and clients. "After an overwhelming response of the first session, we look forward to more sessions scheduled this month on varied topics covering GCM, Advance Google Analytics, Adobe Ecosystem, GMP overview, Enhancing UI via AMP and PWA, etc. Furthermore, I am glad that out of the many strategies being included as a part of the masterclass initiative, cause-led campaign approach coupled with snackable content continues to be one of the top subjects appreciated by industry colleagues,” said Prasad.

    Reigniting Hobbies

    The lockdown time has been really stressful and challenging in many ways. It is very essential to be calm and relax while ensuring that we take care of our mental health too. One of the simplest ways to do that is to indulge in some activity that we enjoy, any hobbies that we have. Multiple researches suggest that people with hobbies have lesser chances of suffering from stress, depression, etc. Logimates have aptly used the lockdown time to do things they enjoy, reignite their hobbies, relive their passions. It feels great to see the pool of talent we have. And the fact that these activities make us feel happier in these tough times is definitely a bonus.

    Better Tomorrow

    Considering the deep internet penetration in our country with the availability of mobile phones, the new-age consumers are already very active in the virtual space. While digital offers a huge potential for companies to navigate this global pandemic, leaders must act promptly in the interest of their employees and business sustenance. Learning, upskilling and industry togetherness through knowledge sharing will play a huge role in defining the future course.

  • Prasar Bharati spreads positive news of COVID warriors

    Prasar Bharati spreads positive news of COVID warriors

    MUMBAI: As India fights COVID-19, many inspiring stories of health workers, policemen, journalists, individuals, organisations, academic institutions have come to the fore. To acknowledge and appreciate their contribution, Prasar Bharati (DD and AIR) has followed these stories from across the country and are now offering to the media houses to share these stories of bravery, sacrifice and compassion with other media so that it reaches wider audience in India and abroad, and inspires and gives hope to Indians and the world in this global fight against the pandemic COVID-19.

    These good news stories and more on COVID-19 from Prasar Bharati can be accessed via three platforms: 

    1– Real-time on mobile phones/smartphones through the telegram channel – https://t.me/pbns_india 
    2– Near real-time from http://covid-goodnews.pbns.in/ 
    3– Broadcast-quality audio-visual media from FTP server.  

    Apart from the good news stories, through platforms mentioned above, Prasar Bharati will also be sharing video messages of celebrities, latest updates on COVID-19 from India and the world, fact-checks and COVID-19 ground reports from across the country.

    All of the above will also be summarised through a periodic news digest with ready reference URLs to important news items and social media updates. The broadcaster has requested all media outlets to take advantage of the above content sharing mechanism and disseminate the stories from across India of perseverance and resilience as India fights back COVID-19.

     

     

  • Until human crisis is sorted, nothing will make sense: DDB Mudra Group’s Aditya Kanthy

    Until human crisis is sorted, nothing will make sense: DDB Mudra Group’s Aditya Kanthy

    NEW DELHI: We are living in unprecedented times. The world order stands changed and the economy is reeling through a massive disruption. Everyone is gearing up for a ‘new normal’ but if DDB Mudra Group CEO and MD Aditya Kanthy is to be believed, the tomorrow will as much be our old habits as our new behaviours.

    In an exclusive conversation with Indiantelevision.com, he talked about how he is dealing with work-from-home, how the agency and the industry is coping up with the disruption, and what the future has in store for us. Kanthy quoted Bill Bernbach, one of the founding members of the agency he heads today, “It is fashionable to talk about changing man. A communicator must be concerned with unchanging man, with his obsessive drive to survive, to be admired, to succeed, to love, to take care of his own,” to put forth his vision for the future. 

    Edited excerpts from the conversation:

    How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the team? How are they handling the situation?

    It’s a tough situation, no doubt, at every level, at home and at work. This is not a regular work-from-home experience, of course. It is not something that people have dealt with in the past. So there’s no rule book here. It is a massive crisis and there are all sorts of implications that we’re dealing with – economic, social and psychological. It’s all new and the only way to tackle it is to accept the scale and seriousness of it. And do what’s needed to get better at dealing with it one day at a time – together. It’s also a moment in history that ought to remind us of our sense of privilege and assess our priorities as people and communities.

    This is what we’re trying to do. And I’m so proud of the way our teams have responded to the challenge. It is a tribute to the culture they’ve fostered. I have seen the 850+ people on the team coming together, checking on one another, helping each other through this, coming through for our clients and doing their best for the community. 

    How are you maintaining a healthy work-life balance? 

    I’m not – is the honest answer. It’s all work right now. It is quite difficult as the lines between work and life blur. I’m still figuring it out but I think I am getting better at it each day like everybody else. Getting a routine going has helped. Taking the time to step away a few times every day and gather one’s thoughts and spirit.

    It is my tremendous fortune that I am surrounded by incredibly good and talented people at work; they're  a huge source of strength for me as well. So that helps. And at home, my family has been incredibly supportive.

    The advertising industry is being touted as the backbone for many businesses with media consumption rising. There might be a little more than expected on your plate these days, but with certain restrictions. How has the experience been for you when it comes to the volume of work? 

    Advertising reflects (and shapes) the economy and the culture. I don’t think it is right to say that advertising will continue to thrive unimpeded through this time. 

    Besides, while there may be more media consumption, is selling a priority right now? Surely not. This is what I meant earlier when I talked about a sense of perspective and privilege for us in these times. Resources and efforts are and must be directed in areas that need the most attention to deal with this humanitarian crisis. Everything else follows. 

    As far as businesses go, the situation is far from rosy. The demand side problems are obvious. Even in categories where there is demand, there are huge supply-side/ supply chain and distribution issues. Liquidity and credit is a challenge. Advertising is dependent on all of these factors. 

    The industry depends on marketers who have the appetite and the means to invest. That is compromised in the current market scenario. It cannot operate in isolation. 

    So yes, there is a lot of work. But its nature and form are different from business as usual. It is more consultative in the spirit of client partnership. We are working together to find answers to the hard questions that are emerging each day for their businesses and ours. It is important to acknowledge that change regardless of increased media consumption. 

    We recently had a virtual conference with marketers and agency leaders. One of the panellists mentioned that they might have more creative work to do but everything is not resulting in revenue.  How has it been for DDB Mudra? 

    Clients don’t produce work without the expectation of some sort of business outcome – long and/or short term; brand and/or buy. If we’re doing work, there is a return on it either now or in the future. So it’s like that with the work we’re doing too. It’s a different matter that it feels like a lot more work, but that’s because of the demanding circumstances in which work is being created and not a work-revenue relationship issue. I think the bigger question is whether or not there is a genuine need to do a certain thing at this time and working with clients to help them make that decision. And that answer varies from market-to-market and category-to-category. 

    What impact are you expecting on your cash registers? 

    We run a January-December fiscal year and ended Q1 better than planned. It is impossible to answer this question with complete honesty or certainty as we are only three weeks into the second quarter. Needless to say, we are definitely not expecting the kind of results that we had in the last five quarters. We’re not in denial about the economy. The next few months are going to be tough. We will have to acknowledge the situation and not pretend that everything is hunky-dory. Regardless of how quickly the lockdown is lifted, the problem isn’t going away in a hurry. 

    Until you sort out the human risk, nothing will make sense. 

    Yes, it is a human crisis and human resources are facing the wrath across industries. How is it going to be in the advertising industry? Are there going to be pay cuts, layoffs, or any other harsh measures?

    It is too early to answer this question. Until four weeks ago, we were closing our first quarter, and the situation was really different. These decisions are a function of how the economy responds through the quarter. As far as marketers are concerned, the stakes are high. They have factories and capital locked up. The numbers are much more daunting on that side. It’s inevitable that their decisions will have a bearing on our industry as well. 

    Once the medical and human side of this gets cleared, the situation will be quite different. That has to be everyone’s priority right now. I hope that the extent of this difficulty can be managed and we can make a phased recovery. And that in doing so, the human cost, both from the medical and economic point of view can be contained. 

    What are you expecting from the “new normal”? How are you prepared to deal with that? 

    I think the idea of the “new normal” is a little misleading. The situation, in India, is a few weeks in and at best a few months in other parts of the world. No one has a plan for the scenarios that we are seeing today. To suggest that we can be prepared for something, we should be able to visualise that something. 

    And right now, it is at best an imperfect picture. We have to be prepared to keep changing and refining our response as we go along. 

    Who knows what the “new normal” is. Will it change everything? 

    If there’s one thing human history teaches us it is that while change is inevitable, we are also very quick to go back to certain habits and act of certain fundamental instincts. It’s our job to work through both those forces to makes sense of things.

    As far as this moment in history is concerned, I certainly hope it draws our attention to the need to focus on the things that really matter. Our collective attentions as communities, businesses and citizen must be drawn to the huge inequalities and gaps in access to opportunity and means in society. We have to find a way to bring health, education, the environment and social infrastructure centerstage. That’s what the new normal ought to look like. Time will tell.

    We are prepared for change. It starts with the skills and capabilities. We have what it takes and a commitment to learn what we don’t know. As a group with talented people who are as comfortable with brands and creativity as they are with technology and design. I feel confident that we’re up for it. 

    The second important thing in dealing with change is the organisation’s culture and I couldn’t be more confident on that front.

    Finally, our deep and long-standing relationships with our clients. We’ve worked with many of them through thick and thin. We will do that again. The degree of partnership with clients is critical – being a part of the solution and shaping this future together.

  • Lockdown earmarks a digital progression of brands

    Lockdown earmarks a digital progression of brands

    As the world collectively grapples with the pandemic, several businesses have come to a complete halt owing to the lockdown situations globally. With the spread of COVID-19, the world is facing a very serious challenge of keeping the economy stable while easing the impact across sectors. 

    A significant downfall in the economy is visible across the globe. While some businesses are shut, for some there are limited avenues to continue work. These uncertain times have shed light on a unified communication approach of creating awareness and adopting the digital business model. A gap in communication is visible, which marketers need to bridge going forward. In times of crisis, what is important for marketers to know how they can overcome obstacles and connect with the audience. 

    Lockdown has forced people to stay at home for their own good, which has created a powerful avenue for marketers if they have the vision to do so. Since people spend maximum time staying at home during the quarantine, connecting with them through digital media is the need of the hour. In such cases, a digital marketer needs to know the strategy they can use to communicate with the consumer in a sensitive manner to relate with their audience and project themselves as a brand of choice.

    Strategic approach

    There is no denying that major sectors like travel & tourism, hospitality, and real estate have been majorly affected by the impact of COVID 19. Essential services, however, are operational across the country alongside online businesses such as digital marketing agencies, advertising sectors, technology service providers, etc. This pandemic has provided an opportunity for the brands to create stronger bonds with consumers by creating awareness and communicating with the consumer regularly. Digital is becoming the new normal and brands are now exploring a new and diverse path to survive this pandemic. Digital marketing is the ultimate way for the brands to spread awareness and keep the audience engaged with the brand.

    Leveraging Digital to the fullest

    Pay Per Click – With people being quarantined and spending more time online, it’s a great opportunity for businesses/brands to use PPC marketing to connect with their customers and gain a competitive advantage. It is cost-efficient at the same time and one can better leverage the digital marketing budget.

    Search Engine Optimisation – Anything online right now will be consumed more than ever.  This is not the time to stay low-key online. Using search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies to gradually rise to the top of Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) is crucial for the business to gain better visibility. It's important to 

    Realigning advertising strategies

    Pre-allocating advertising amount – As the world makes its shift toward digitalisation, it is easier for the brands to restore their trust into digital aspects of their marketing strategy and allocate a certain amount of money during the times of crises as a part of the reactive strategy. Ad spend reallocation acts like a savior during such unprecedented times., It may help with online advertisements since marketers are aware that ad spends get highly affected when cost-cutting is required.

    Displayed ad spends – Due to cancellation of conferences, meetings, tie-ups and large scale events because of the pandemic, the advertising market is expected to witness a downfall and a possible dip in performance. Displaced ad spends will undoubtedly be reallocated later in the year and would benefit both the agency as well as the brand in the eventually

    At this point what matters the most is to position your brand rightly during this economic downturn and communicate effectively. Businesses should maximize social listening and be prepared to put out important brand statements. Informing the target audience on how your brand is managing the pandemic and strategically placing your messaging amidst the content that the target audience is exposed to is of utmost importance.

    Digital marketing can be incredibly agile, and agencies should be prepared to be nimble in their approach to adjust during times of crises. Marketers are also planning on how to get the business to recover after the Coronavirus impact. One can optimize digital marketing by pushing useful content which will help in maintaining and sustaining the traffic through consumer engagement. Brands need to think long and hard about digital transformation that could majorly be focused through brands reinvesting physical marketing into virtual mediums.

    (The author is co-founder and managing director, Makani Creatives. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them)

  • Madhur raises awareness of ‘safe & untouched’ packaged sugar with #LooseNahiMadhurSahi

    Madhur raises awareness of ‘safe & untouched’ packaged sugar with #LooseNahiMadhurSahi

    MUMBAI: MadhurPure & Hygienic Sugar has recently unveiled a new campaign on Madhur Sugar #LooseNahiMadhurSahi in collaboration with BC Web Wise to promote purchase of untouched sugar in India. The ad campaign delivered a clear message of safety in hygiene and drives awareness towards Madhur sugar’s benefits of it being completely untouched by hand, along with the 5S guarantee of "Safed, Shudh, Samaan, Surakshit and Sulphur-free".

    The aim of the campaign is to reach out to consumers with the clearly defined value proposition of Madhur Sugar. At this time when everyone is supposed to maintain social distancing to stay safe, Madhur Sugar’s campaign reiterates the importance of purchasing clean and packaged goods.

    Madhur Sugar president and business head  Satbir Singh Sindhu said, “Our intent with this campaign is to educate consumers about why it is imperative to graduate to packaged staples from a trusted brand like Madhur sugar. Through this campaign we are trying to impress upon all buyers, that hygiene is the first step to health and safety. It is advisable to cut down the purchase of loose staples like sugar completely and instantly graduate to Madhur sugar, which is completely untouched by hand. One can wash vegetables, pulses and rice, but sugar cannot be washed so ensuring you only bring home a trusted brand like Madhur is critical. Madhur sugar follows all the guidelines given by the government and we will continue to ensure delivery of the safest and most hygienic sugar to our customers.”

    In India, most of the people purchase loose products from supermarkets and local groceries which are exposed to dust, contamination and have possibilities of being handled by unclean hands. This is clearly a health hazard, especially in these times. Madhur Sugar wants to reiterate how important it is to use, packaged products that are completely untouched by hand.

    Talked about the campaign, BC Web Wise founder and MD Chaaya Baradhwaaj said, "We aimed at making the women and homemakers realise by themselves to make informed choices! We are expecting a behavioural change through this campaign. The media platforms were strategically selected where our key target audience and decision-makers were present the most across various digital touchpoints. With this, our campaign is estimated to reach over 11 million women."

    This campaign also includes celebrities like Soha Ali Khan, Karishma Tanna, Anita Hassandani and Surbhi Jyotito promote it via their social media and tapping a popular show on ZEE “Mrs. Mukhyamantri” for sponsorship. Regional communication was also vital to take such a campaign to a higher level. The campaign includes ads on Digital OTT platforms like; Sony Liv app, Zee5 app and Voot too in four languages (Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi & Hinglish). To drive awareness and heighten the reach further, it will be promoted via Facebook Ads, google display ads.

  • Ekta Kapoor leads TV frat to make inspiring COVID-19 film

    Ekta Kapoor leads TV frat to make inspiring COVID-19 film

    MUMBAI: You have to hand it to creative czarina Ekta Kapor. If she does something, she does it in style. Like her latest effort at assuaging the ennui that some might be going through thanks to being boxed in their homes courtesy the long-drawn lockdown on account of COVID-19. She has got together more than a score of actors, a bunch of leading TV producers from the Indian Film & TV Producers Council, and put out a short film labelled Quarantine which not only educates, engages, but also entertains about how we can deal with the pandemic.

    It was sometime around the end of the first week of April that she mentioned on the IFTPC WhatsApp group that the TV industry should make a film that would be TV-centric  and that she had a concept which could be fleshed out.  The Amitabh Bachchan Covid2019 short  film  Family with several leading actors had just been released and the view was  that the TV frat should also be doing something to keep viewers entertained and positive.

    She sought volunteers from the group who would work with her to make it a reality. Almost immediately, Binaifer Kohkli, Fazila Allana (Sol India Banijay), Anil Wanvari (The Indian Telly Awards – and the indiantelevision.com group), Abhishek Rege (Endemol Shine India), JD Majethia (Hats Off Productions), Gul Khan agreed and came on  board as executive producers. (Tanushree Dasgupta came in a couple of days later as executive producer).  Dheeraj Sarna – a producer in his own right –was roped in to write the script for the short but entertaining film, with dialogues being penned by him and Anukalp Goswami.  Prolific TV music director Aashish Rego hopped on board to do the background music for the film.

    Full House Media MD Sonali Jaffar was assigned with the creative responsibility, while Guroudev Bhalla was given the task of directing the video, disclosed  actor and producer JD Majethia.

    Another Whatsapp group was formed with those who had volunteered.  “We connected on a Zoom call where the ideas were discussed,” he says. “After brainstorming and discussing with fellow producers a collective call was taken on how this video should be light hearted and yet conveying the important message of staying home. The basic premise was that the actors would simulate as if they were in the Big Boss house and not forcibly locked down in their homes and the story would take off from there.”

    He adds, “After getting the final script the next stage was the casting.  Few were mentioned in the script and few names of actors were discussed who could participate in the video. Some were available and some were not but most of them did their best to make it happen.  It was the collective effort made by the producers, actors, editor and director to shoot this video. Because technically speaking it was not easy to shoot this video on your phone. Guroudev Bhalla did a fantastic job of putting this together. He and along with other executive producers constantly coordinated with actors for every frame of the video. He coordinated with them regarding props or lighting, how their lines should be, who should say what. He coordinated with the editor Vikas Sharma.”

    Binaifer Kohli was one of the executive producers. She mentioned that Ekta Kapoor approached Sonali Jaffar to look at the creative aspect of the film. Kohli assisted Guroudev Bhalla in the direction. Kohli’s primary job was to ensure proper coordination between director, actor and the editor. According to Kohli, the actors did a phenomenal job of pulling this off. As it was not that easy to shoot just with their phone. Ensuring the proper angle and lighting. The entire shoot was done in five days as each actor was allocated different lines.

    She echoes, “Some of the actors shot the video by themselves on their phone, others took help of the family members. It had moving shots where eye level had to be maintained. Lighting was a very important aspect. Whenever the changes were required actors reshot the video there and then. They sought help from the editor on uploading it. We also changed the script according to the person.”

    Ekta Kapoor who spearheaded “Quarantine” says, “This video is an initiative of the television producers association of our country and we got all the top television actors to participate in this video, which was conceptualized over numerous conference calls! It is an effort from all of us in encouraging people to stay home. We hope this reaches far and wide.”

    The entire concept of making this video was to keep it casual, entertaining yet focusing on the importance of staying at home. Says SOL India-Banijay Group founder & MD Fazila AllanA: “In these unprecedented times it’s just nice if one can bring a smile to people’s faces and this was a small endeavour by the TV fraternity to do just that.”

    Full House Media MD Sonali Jaffar instructed the actors about their dialogues and in which manner they have to shoot. She adds, “Shooting at home was quite challenging also as a lot of prop exchanges were going on with the broom. Everyone was instructed to use a plain background as it would be difficult to match lightings. Because some were standing in the balcony some were having other backgrounds so we had to tell them to keep the same background. The other option was to use black and white background but it would have been difficult.”

    “The important thing was whenever we were shooting we shared the clips with the director there and then so that the changes could be made before editing the video. I thank all actors and producers for coming together and creating this beautiful video,” she further added.

    Adds Wanvari: “What is amazing how all of us worked as a team without shying away from whatever we  were asked to do. Even the actors immediately caught on to the idea that was shared with them by the creative director and Guroudev Bhalla. And they were also more than willing to do their bits to help Indians at home. They have all done a fantastic job, the results are for you to see.”

    According to Majethia two versions of the short film have been created, one featuring sign language for the hearing and speech impaired and one without it. He adds, “I think this is the beauty of this video. The idea I personally loved the most.”

    The video is being promoted across all social media platforms Majethia also mentions that the producers are in talks with television broadcasters to play it on national television.

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

  • Star India rolls out national campaign for consumer safety

    Star India rolls out national campaign for consumer safety

    MUMBAI: Star India Network which reaches 700 million viewers a month has launched a special nationwide campaign with consumer safety as its theme: TV Entertainment Recharge Ka Safe Tareeka.

    The campaign promotes the urgent need for safety awareness, tokeep families entertained while staying safe at home. Through its uniquecreative, it urges families to keep problems out of their homes by not steppingout — not even for their TV bill. It advises viewers to use the online facilities so that they can continue to #StayHomeStaySafe.

    “Our campaign focuses on encouraging consumers to stay home and safe, remain entertained and pay TV entertainment bills online. We are leveraging the unparalleled reach of our popular GEC, Kids, Movies and Sports channels across multiple languages to spread the message, during these extremely difficult times,” Star India distribution and international business president and head Gurjeev Singh Kapoor said.

    “I would also like to take this opportunity, on behalf of Star India, to applaud the brave teams of Cable and DTH partners working on-ground, and to salute their efforts that have ensured continued services to viewers,” he added.

    Star India has added even more to the entertainment quotient across its network of channels by bringing back on popular demand, classic shows like Mahabharat, new comedy show Maharaj ki Jai Ho, and Hotstar Specials presents Hostages on Star Plus; Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar- Ek Maha-Manav ki Maha-Gatha on Star Bharat; Raja Shivchhatrapati and World TV premier of Baban on Star Pravah. Consumers can watch the original episodes of Super Singer shot exclusively on mobile phone and iconic show Bojhena Shey Bojhena on Star Jalsha; new show Odavum Mudiyathu Oliyavum Mudiyathu and sketch comedy show Lollu Sabha making a comeback on Vijay and Muddulakshmi and Aarathigobba Kirthigobba on Star Suvarna. Maa TV viewers can revisit favourite episodes of Karthika Deepam and Vadhinamma along with new and exciting movie premieres; Asianet viewers can also look forward to an exciting movie line-up.

    Star Gold has been entertaining its viewers with a series of latest movie premieres such as the biggest action-thriller, War, the biggest comedy Housefull 4, and many more including Bala, Darbar and Chhapaak.

    Star Movies will be airing premiers of kid-friendly movies such as Mary Poppins Returns, Dumbo and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms on Playdate – property
    with Star Movies, along with popular Marvel movies selection and the best of action blockbusters with ‘Action@9’ property. Viewers can also look forward to some fine English entertainment with latest season of American Idol and best of Koffee with Karan and Masterchef Australia.

    With 100 hours of fresh content added to the kids network, the summer bonanza across Disney Channel and Hungama TV includes local and home-grown series like Bapu, a pure and positive story of a wise old leader along with an all-animal story of a joyful circus troupe of friends in Guddu and a soft toy with innovative gadgets in Gadget Guru Ganesha. Kids can also enjoy The Hagemaru Show which narrates the tale of the mischievous Hagemaru in addition to new episodes of Selfie with Bajrangi, Doraemon, Chacha Chaudhary and Miraculous.

    Sports fans can enjoy Cricket Connected, where cricket legends engage with fans through video calls every week; Best of IPL, and nostalgic games from Vivo PKL on the Star Sports Network.

    Viewers can exercise their brains daily with interactive games and experiments on the show Brain Boosters on National Geographic. Also watch the journey that defined India’s fight against the deadly contagion in a new show Lockdown: India’s fight against Coronavirus, which was shot from home.

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

  • I&B min requests ministries to clear dues to media

    I&B min requests ministries to clear dues to media

    MUMBAI: The media industry has been in doldrums in India due to a massive drop in ad volumes. While the industry already experienced a slowdown in FY19, the countrywide lockdown has worsened the crisis. Post COVID-19 period, many of the media houses are sacking employees, cutting salaries, shutting down divisions and furloughing workforce, making a huge number of journalists and employees vulnerable. In this dire situation, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has asked other ministries to clear dues to the private media sector and the Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) in order to sustain the cashflow.

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

    As MIB is in urgency to have their funds released, it has, in a letter to the ministry of communications, ministry of electronics and IT, and department of posts, requested to make the payments to BOC at earliest. The payments are due for various communication and advertisement works undertaken in previous years. MIB has mentioned that it would enable BOC to release it for respective media houses.

    The letter has also mentioned that if all payments due to the private media sector are made to them, it could prevent layoffs and pay cuts keeping the businesses afloat. It also noted that these media houses are supporting the government’s efforts to communicate with its citizens during the COVID-19 crisis.

    So how much money do various ministries owe to the media sector?

    According to a document sourced by Indiantelevision.com, total pending outstanding due to the media sector by several ministries stands at total Rs 230.82 crore, which include  a due of Rs 68.77 crore to the television segment and Rs 99.14 to the print media.

    Ministry of agriculture owes RS 6.14 crore 

    Ministry of communications and IT owes Rs 16.05 crore

    Ministry of corporate affairs owers Rs 1.62 crore

    Ministry of finance owes Rs 30.86 crore

    Ministry of environment and forest owes Rs 2.33 crore 

    Ministry of health and family welfare owes Rs 55.81 core

    Ministry of home affairs owes Rs 6.44 core

    Ministry of human resources and development owers Rs 18.99 crore

    Ministry of labour and employment owes Rs 19.96 crore

    Niti Aayog owes Rs 13.05 crore

    Ministry of rural development owes Rs 24.47 crore

    Ministry of shipping, road transport and highways owes Rs 14.38 crore

    Ministry of social justice and empowerment owes Rs 1.84 crore

    Ministry of textile owes Rs 5.14 crore

    Ministry of tourism owes Rs 4.83 crore,

    Ministry of women and child development owes Rs 8.91 crore

    MIB has also stated how the newspaper industry and FM Radio sector are under stress due to heavy input costs, import duty on newsprint and low advertisement and stoppage of transport respectively. 

  • ZEE Picchar brings Raj Kumar’s magic alive

    ZEE Picchar brings Raj Kumar’s magic alive

    MUMBAI: On the occasion of Dr Raj Kumar’s birthday on 24 April, ZEE Picchar is taking viewers down the lane of nostalgia by telecasting his blockbuster movies and an exclusive event.

    As the country battles COVID-19 pandemic, the channel has curated a library of titles that viewers can enjoy with their families from the comfort of their homes.

    ZEE Picchar, the destination for Sandalwood’s movies, has specially curated a line-up that includes movies like Nyayve Devru, Mayura, Mayor Muthanna, Bangarada Manushya and Bhagyada Bhagilu.

    The channel will also telecast the exclusive event Rajadhaniyalli Raj Rasasanje as a tribute to Dr Raj Kumar. With Dr Raj Kumar’s movie festival and the special event on 24 April, the channel is ready to entertain viewers.

  • MTR Foods partners with Swiggy to deliver food essentials at doorstep

    MTR Foods partners with Swiggy to deliver food essentials at doorstep

    MUMBAI: MTR Foods Pvt Ltd has partnered with online food delivery platform, Swiggy to deliver food essentials from every category under the brand’s portfolio. As the country continues to be under lockdown, food remains to be an essential item for all. This move by both the brands is to ensure last-mile connectivity of food to their consumers amidst the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

    The partnership will allow consumers to purchase MTR Foods products, now easily accessible through the MTR Stores and the Urban Kirana tabs available on the Swiggy app. The store currently carries key MTR products from all categories under the brand including Masalas, Pure Spices, Ready To Eat Meals, Rice Idli, Rava Idli, Dosa, Upma and other Breakfast Mixes, Beverages, and others.

    “We’re facing unprecedented times with the world facing a pandemic and our country under an extended lockdown. Under these circumstances, it is critical for us to ensure that our consumers have a continuous supply of our products. With home delivery witnessing a significant rise, this partnership with Swiggy would enable us to reach out to the majority of our consumers and ensure that their products reach them safe and sound, whenever they need them. With Swiggy’s extensive hyperlocal reach, this partnership was a natural one for us," said MTR Foods Pvt Ltd CEO Sanjay Sharma.

    Swiggy will source the products from the MTR Foods distributors listed on to the platform to ensure the proper handling of products and enable availability across cities through no-contact delivery.

    Swiggy COO Vivek Sunder said, “MTR’s extensive and popular product range such as breakfast mixes and ready-to-eat meals, beverages, spices, pickles, and sweets will be readily available for customers now more than ever. Our partnership with the brand will leverage their distribution centres and retail outlets across major cities to ensure quick and reliable supply of these products through Swiggy’s efficient delivery service. Our ‘No-Contact’ delivery feature, which can be availed on all prepaid orders, will continue to help both customers and delivery partners maintain a safe distance.” 

    The store is now live in Bangalore and we will go live in other metros and Tier 2 cities in a few days. Along with the products being available to consumers across key markets, all necessary precautions have been taken by both partners to ensure the safety of both the consumers as well as the delivery executives. To this effect, all delivery executives in these markets have undergone a special training coordinated by the MTR Foods team on precautions they need to take while making a delivery, to ensure complete safety of the delivery persons as well as the products.