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Tag: covid-19

  • MIB asks states to ensure operational continuity of media amid Covid-19 outbreak

    MIB asks states to ensure operational continuity of media amid Covid-19 outbreak

    MUMBAI: In view of the coronavirus pandemic, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has directed all state governments and union territories to ensure uninterrupted operation of information networks as their outreach is of vital importance.

    At this juncture, robust and essential information dissemination networks such as TV channels, news agencies, teleport operators, digital satellite news gathering (DSNG), DTH, and Highend-in-the Sky (HITS), MSOs, cable operators, FM radio and Community Radio Stations (CRSs) are of utmost importance to ensure timely and authentic information dissemination. The proper functioning of these networks is required not only to create awareness among people and to give important messages but also to keep the nation updated of the latest status.

    The MIB also said in the press release that false and fake news need to be avoided and good practices need to be promoted and these networks play a pivotal role in ensuring the same.

    The critical infrastructure in this case include:

    (a) Printing presses and distribution infrastructure of newspapers and

    magazines;

    (b)All TV channels and supporting services like teleports and DSNGs;

    (c) DTH/HITS operations connected equipment /facilities, etc. including

    maintenance;

    (d) FM/CRS networks;

    (e)Networks of MSOs and cable operators; and

    (f) News agencies.

    In order to ensure continuity of these services, MIB requested state

    Governments and union territory administrations to facilitate operational

    convenience of the above-mentioned services.

    It also requested the keep the following points in case any restrictions are contemplated to be imposed for containment of COVID-19:

    (a) All operators of such facilities I intermediaries in the chain be permitted

    to remain operational;

    (b)Facilitating smooth supply and distribution chain as may be required;

    (c) The facilities should be permitted to be manned by the staff of the

    service providers;

    (d) The movement of the accredited staff of services providers be permitted;

    (e) The movement of vehicles carrying media persons, DSNGs and others including provisioning of fuel, wherever required may be facilitated; and

    (f) Availability of uninterrupted electric supply and other logistics as requested by such facilities have to be provided;

  • XYXX mandates social distance, suspends e-commerce website until further notice

    XYXX mandates social distance, suspends e-commerce website until further notice

    MUMBAI: Covid-19 has made us all sit up and realise how unpredictable the world we live in is.

    XYXX as a brand has always strived to be customer first and work towards serving their customers to the best of abilities. In this time of global pandemonium however, it is time to value human life and safety over all else.

    As citizens, while we expect the government to act swiftly, we need to realise that we are the carriers and no government can do anything if we don’t do our bit.

    XYXX has mandated corporate employees to work from home starting last week. The brand has ensured the best of safety and sanitation standards for manufacturing, packaging and back office teams.

    XYXX believes the need of the hour is for the delivery partners and personnel to also be home, safe with their families. While everyone has occupied the safety and comfort of home, XYXX supports their delivery partners by avoiding risking their lives just to fulfill their call of duty and getcustomers, their favourite products in time.

    Starting today, XYXX has made a statement that their website – https://xyxxcrew.com/ will be closed for online orders until the local government considers it safe to do so.

    While this would mean loss of business, the brand believes in their partners, employees and extended teams to be hale and hearty, XYXX ensures to bounce back with renewed vigour once this crisis is averted

    This premium apparels and innerwear brand will remain available on ‘support@xyxxcrew.com’  for any immediate queries striving to honour all commitments while prioritising the health, safety and economic security of every single person in employment with them.

    Addressing the pandemic, the brand stated, “This is unchartered territory for us, the country and the world at large. We can only rely on compassion and resilience to get through these times.  We thank you for your patience and cooperation. In our business – the front end delivery people like packaging staff and delivery personnel who still manage all this for customers are significantly impacted. We are trying our best to reach out and see how we can help them.”

    As all of us are aware of the Covid-19 crisis and the brand is confident everyone is already taking precautions, following advisories from WHO and respective governments. XYXX is in fulll support to be responsible and find a way to help others as well, especially the people on the frontline and the ones who could be on the social and economic fringes.

  • Viacom18 network to air PSA around CoVid 2019 at 5 pm today

    Viacom18 network to air PSA around CoVid 2019 at 5 pm today

    MUMBAI: Even as a billion Indians have heeded prime minister Narendra Modi’s call for a curfew since this morning and as millions of them are getting ready to clap and clang their food plates from balcony’s and windows at 5 pm today, Viacom 18 has announced an initiative called #PauseForACause. Cheer and Applause. campaign across all its media assets.

    #PauseForACause. Cheer and Applause. is a social awareness and public awareness announcement inclined campaign that urges viewers across all platforms to pause, remember and appreciate efforts and contributions of all those who are providing essential services in the fight against COVID-19, practise social distancing and support the Janta Curfew.

    #PauseForACause. Cheer and Applause. will be front lined by a 310 seconds ad that will air once on all Viacom18 channels simultaneously at 4:59:50PM on 22 March 2020. Viacom18 will further use its reach on its social media channels as well as on its OTT platform VOOT thus amplifying the message in the digital ecosystem.

    Speaking on the initiative, Viacom18 group CEO & MD Sudhanshu Vats said: “At Viacom18, we are deeply invested towards using our presence to create awareness around issues however large or small. We have always leveraged the power of storytelling to ensure that our viewers become more socially responsible while being entertained. The current health and social crisis has created unprecedented disruption at the national and global level.

    While constant efforts are being made by the Government to keep it in control, we would like to play a small role to amplify the message. Keeping this in mind, we would like to pay our tribute to medical, paramedical and all other professionals who have been providing round the clock support during this pandemic with our campaign #PauseForACause – Cheer and Applause. We are deeply grateful for all their efforts. We urge citizens to practice social distancing, avoid travel & social gatherings at a personal level to help the Government flatten the curve for the greater good of the society.”

  • Viacom18, BARC India nurture positivity through work-from-home system

    Viacom18, BARC India nurture positivity through work-from-home system

    MUMBAI: There is hope, resilience, and an overwhelming we-can-overcome-it sense when all of us feared that we were headed for a cul-de-sac. Despite all the fear and uncertainty surrounding the spread of the pandemic COVID-19, there are instances worth celebrating. One such is the transition from full-time office to a work-from-home mode, which, necessitated under the circumstances, gives tiny epiphanies and new learning to organisations.

    Knowing very well that many employees may find the transition hard, companies are also offering them a helping hand to cope with it. Viacom18 is prioritising employees’ safety and well-being in this crisis period. Viacom18 corporate marketing communications and sustainability head Sonia Huria says that the company has always believed that testing times like these provide them with a reason to reflect, rethink and innovate. “We have been promoting and ensuring that employees and their families practice social distancing and are working from home. Working remotely over the past week has been more of a learning than a challenge,” she says.

    According to her, support within the team has risen across personal and professional levels like never before. This has given rise to a distinct sense of positivity and created a sense of belonging and dependence. She said that they have been able to identify strengths and implement processes which have never been tested before.  

    “For instance – a daily VC scrum has been working extremely well. It’s quick, focussed and very action-driven. While we have always stressed on the importance of open and clear communication, we have understood the benefits of 'over-communication’ too,” she adds.

    The proactive work-from-home initiative from Viacom18 seems to have sparked an increase in productivity, too. “What we have realised is that by taking away the niggling concern of contamination in a public space (through the work-from-home directive), employees are focussing on productivity and proactive closure of tasks well before deadlines. Collaboratively, the past one week has restored determination to break barriers and has strengthened the outlook of the organisation to do more, innovate, experiment and take on new challenges,” Huria states.

    Having your own small working corner at home is essential to focus. BARC India is ensuring that positivity is well in check even while working from home through its #ShareYourWorkstationAtHome challenge for employees. It encourages them to share pictures of their home office.

    According to a BARC India spokesperson, the environment has changed, but the dedication and commitment is intact and it continues to be the responsible and reliable currency of the broadcast industry. The spokesperson said that strong technological support and infrastructure help it to effectively serve the industry while employees work from home safely.

    Working from home doesn’t have to mean boring or distracting and so it came up with this cheerful initiative. Employees across the country are participating in the challenge.


    (If you would like to get featured in our range of positive stories during the COVID-19 crisis, reach out to us right away!)

  • Quarantunes for the quarantined!

    Quarantunes for the quarantined!

    MUMBAI: Vh1 is turning the boring quarantine into lovely Quarantunes! As more and more stay-at-home people are tuning in to home entertainment options in these times of COVID-19 pandemic, Vh1 has got something special in-store: a playlist with the most popular songs handpicked.

    It recently launched a new special – Vh1 Quarantunes. The channel will curate a special playlist daily which will encompass the most popular songs handpicked just to ensure viewers don’t get bored. For example, tracks from international sensations such as Justin Bieber, Post Malone, Travis Scott, Kayne West, Katy Perry, and Miley Cyrus featured on the playlist on Thursday.

    Through this initiative, Vh1 India is asking viewers to stay home while they groove to tunes of the globe’s top-notch artists. Vh1 Quarantunes began on 18 March and will air at 1 pm daily.

    Vh1 Quarantunes will be in line with the channel’s other shows such as Vh1 Top 10, a weekly playlist of the top 10 songs in the country which airs on Saturdays at 7 pm and Vh1 Trending which airs the most trending songs of the week across cities and in India which airs on Sundays at 7 pm.

    Analysts are predicting that consumers’ media consumption tends to rise during broadly disruptive events. As India’s biggest cricket showbiz IPL has been delayed, GECs have stopped churning new episodes; niche channels now have the opportunity to pick up on the back of innovative programming.

  • The sunny side of corona outbreak

    The sunny side of corona outbreak

    MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Lunching together digitally; employees taking ownership of their work with a lot of seriousness and passion; and people getting plenty of time to be with their families…

    These are some of the positive outcomes of the impromptu and mostly self-imposed work-from-home system put in place by companies all over India in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Across the country, central and state governments are taking measures to limit people from travelling and encouraging companies to offer work-from-home options. Large technology firms were among the first among the lot to switch to remote working for all their staff.

    Indiantelevision.com asked industry experts about their work-from-home measures during this critical time.

    Dineout co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehrotra said: “In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve been actively implementing social distancing, sanitisation and even self-quarantine policies for the last two weeks. Our teams across all cities will be working from home until 31 March 2020. Our sales teams have also been advised to focus on virtual training and client support for the next two weeks. In fact, our teams are also having lunch together digitally! In such challenging times, we continue to work together to overcome operational hurdles by leveraging technologies like Google Hangouts, Slack and Google Meets to stay connected virtually and ensure continuity of work.”

    For many, work from home is a completely different experience altogether. There is an overload of screen time, dozens of hangout calls, and a few dozen more WhatsApp groups. However, in these testing times employees are taking ownership of their work with a lot more seriousness, dedication and passion. “The reporting structures are well defined and there is a seamless flow of information because of the SOPs set. We, as founders, have a bird’s eye view of who is working on what and what project is consuming how much time. Ease of allocating time commitments to projects is easier. More importantly, the world was greener and cleaner this week and team got a lot of time to spend with their families,” says White Rivers Media chief executive officer and co-founder Shrenik Gandhi.

    Big Trunk Communications managing director Bharat Subramaniam thinks that as the coronavirus has taken the world by storm, businesses all over the globe are resorting to innovative ways and acting responsibly to prevent the spread of this infectious disease. He believes that it is their duty as leaders and entrepreneurs to thoroughly understand the risks involved in continuing operations without taking any stern and serious measures.

    “In times when communication mediums have strengthened fourfold with the advent of digital transformation, it has facilitated great opportunities in the WFH model. We follow the "Make Big Happen Everyday" culture and believe in going the extra mile for our esteemed clients in challenging situations like these. All in all, work-from-home has worked well and has been a win-win situation for both employees and employers,” he says.

    According to Alchemy Group chief business officer Pankil Mehta, the COVID-19 crisis has brought a change to everyday routine. However, there is no hindrance in terms of work getting done.

    “Speaking specifically about Alchemy Group, we have consciously invested time and effort in ensuring our technology and processes are such where teams can work efficiently even when they are not sitting under the same roof. However, from a morale perspective, things have slowed down and one can tend to feel a little less productive considering they are at home all day. We, as a team, ensure we maintain daily routines and try and stick to deadlines like any other day in the office. In the current scenario, I have also urged the team to take sufficient breaks and rests throughout the day and most importantly stay safe.”

    There, however, is flip side to it. While there is a lot of buzz about the advantages of work-from-home, such as spending more time with family, focusing on other priorities, and less unproductive travel time, the reality of business seems to be different. People will engage less with each other, critical decisions will be deferred and strategic investments will be reassessed until the impact and the scale of the slowdown is understood in the weeks and months to come.

    According to Update Geotarget chief strategy officer Samarjeet Reen, this time can be utilised to upskill yourself, learn something new about your industry, exercise, read books. And more importantly, practice societal empathy.

    He adds: “We have a very large count of informal blue-collar services and micro/small retailers, which includes home delivery, house maintenance, etc. All of them add to our personal productivity, and they are at extreme risk. While we look after our own health and business, we must ensure that small service providers and retailers get adequate support to deal with containment due to Covid-19, and income sustenance, so they can get back on their feet quicker. Societal empathy and responsibility should be the highest priority, more so for the better-placed industry leadership.”

    In Mumbai, all private corporates and establishments will be completely shut for the next couple of days. Production/manufacturing processes which require continuity may function at 50 percent staff strength. Those who do not comply by the order will face action under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. In fact, those who flout the ordeal can be jailed for six months or fined, or both.

    On a similar note, the Karnataka government had issued an advisory, asking companies to adopt work-from-home policies whenever possible in view of the COVID-19. In the wake of this, FCA India has asked over 50 per cent of its staff to work from home.

    ITC has asked a certain section of its staff, majorly from the novel coronavirus-affected regions like Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru, to work from home.

    Earlier, Hindustan Unilever asked its 4000+ employees globally to work from home as well. It, in fact, advised on-field sales employees to virtually connect with customers.

    (If you would like to get featured in our range of positive stories during the COVID-19 crisis, reach out to us right away!)

  • Covid-19: NBA issues directives to news channels on social distancing

    Covid-19: NBA issues directives to news channels on social distancing

    MUMBAI: The Board of Directors of News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has requested all news broadcasters to take certain preventive measures immediately to ensure social distancing to deal with Coronavirus. NBA president Rajat Sharma stated in a press release that keeping in mind the fact that news broadcasting is an essential service, studios and broadcast offices cannot be shut down.

    The measures stipulated by the NBA are:

    1. Steps should be taken to minimize staff in the broadcast centres and all those employees who can work from home should be requested to work from their residence. 

    2. All reporters and camerapersons, who are out in the field among the public, shall not come to their offices but send their news feeds from the field.

    3. All reporters and camera persons should not to crowd around individuals to collect sound bites. They should maintain a distance of at least four feet from one another while holding their mikes in pursuance of the WHO guidelines.

    4. NBA has requested Delhi government to earmark a particular parking lot for parking DSNG vans so that these vehicles may not be required to return to office.

    5. NBA has asked all member news channels to telecast special programmes to create awareness among the public about precautions to be followed to counter the Coronavirus threat.

    Photo by Tyler Casey on Unsplash

  • Retail industry implores govt for respite from COVID-19 impact on biz

    Retail industry implores govt for respite from COVID-19 impact on biz

    NEW DELHI: Various state governments have ordered complete shut-down of shopping centres, malls, multiplexes/cinema halls etc. until 31 March 2020, in major metros like Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurugram and others following suit to arrest the spread of coronavirus.

    Welcoming the move, Shopping Centres Association of India (SCAI) founder-chairman Amitabh Taneja says that shoppers are obviously extremely cautious so is the shopping centre industry. “The fact that fears itself is contagious becomes a very tricky situation for all. The utmost priority is the safety of people,” he says.

    About the measures undertaken by the industry, he says, "Today most of our malls are equipped to handle emergency situations and go through end number of audits and checks. Our members are personally making rounds of operational malls driving special sanitisation and cleanliness programs and ensure that we set benchmarks and assure all stakeholders of our commitment to fight the challenge in hand. We hope that the situation stabilises and normalcy is restored at the soonest."

    Talking about the uncertainty about the extent of the closure, Taneja says that there is a possibility of further extension, as the exact time frame for controlling this pandemic can’t be defined. Nearly around 700 to a 1000 malls across India may be asked to close down till further notice.

    “The impact of the shut-down of the shopping centres across various cities has been beyond comprehension,” says a mall official. “Monetary losses would, of course, be huge. Sales are already down anywhere between 25 to 50 per cent for retailers. Fashion is seasonal so spring merchandise will suffer badly. Cinema, entertainment and restaurant businesses are already bleeding. Rumours, lack of clarity and awareness and fear of uncertainties add to the shoppers' confusion,” he adds.

    The cash flow is the biggest challenge for malls as the only source of income of these centres, feel industry experts. The rental income has come down to zero since the closure of malls. With expenses remaining constant, their debt serving and interest payment obligations remain. Unlike all other businesses, they do not have any goods or merchandise to sell or reduce inventory holding or other such measures, which other industries can take. Their collections have completely dried up during this period, while they continue to bear a high fixed cost towards personnel, utilities and ongoing routine expenses.

    Commenting on the operational centres, Nexus malls CEO Dalip Sehgal says, “Pursuant to the enforcement of stringent measures, which is the need of the hour, shopping centers and housing occupants from industries like hospitality, retail, tourism etc. are worst affected due to lock-down. Scarce footfalls are resulting in lower sales but overheads have increased for deploying specially trained personnel, extensive sanitisation, increased customer frisking etc. This has resulted in a huge pressure on the viability of shopping centres due to delay in collection of license fees /rents from the retailers/ outlets. To add to the woes, the current situation has also adversely impacted the employment and the livelihood of the employees (direct and indirect – approximately 3500 to 5000 at each establishment/mall) at every level."

    Thus, overall working capital cycle has been adversely impacted and hence, in order to sustain the mall business and the employment of the individuals as stated above during these unprecedented and testing times, the Shopping Centres of India (SCAI) on behalf of its members and also non-member malls has already made representation regarding the finance, regulatory and other major issues faced to the prime minister, finance minister and the governor and executive director of RBI.

    The association has also sought appointments for personal meetings with concerned authorities to discuss following measures to help shopping centres sail through this challenging phase:

    • Allow a moratorium period during continuation of pandemic, in repayment of bank loans, interest, EMI, etc. without levy of any penalties including penal interest. Further, one-time loan restructuring with lower rates of interest may be permitted for shopping centres.

    • Provide short-term financing option for a period of 6 to 12 months, at lower interest rates to meet the increased working capital requirements.

    • Grant GST rebates to offset the losses on account of and for the period of closure of business and/or in the alternative permit flexibility in deposit of Goods and Services Tax (GST) since GST needs to be deposited immediately upon raising of invoice, however, corresponding payments are likely to be delayed, resulting in an additional cash flow burden on shopping centres.

    • Provide relief so that credit rating of shopping centres is not adversely affected due to delays in repayment of bank loans, interest, EMI, etc.

    • Issue appropriate directions to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) to include insurance against loss of profits on account of epidemic – which is not currently included in the policies.

    • Any other relief which may be deemed fit in the present scenario.

    “The implementation of these measures can immensely help the shopping centres and industries referred hereinabove, which are already stressed due to the prevailing financial conditions, in mitigating the effects of this unforeseen and presently untreatable pandemic. Once the country is free from the virus malls that have emerged as the most vibrant social spaces for Indians to celebrate their leisure time will play a critical role to bring back life and uplift sentiments of the masses. Hence, it is all the more important to ensure that necessary support is provided to the shopping centre industry to cope up with the challenge and be ready to welcome visitors once the restrictions are lifted,” concludes Taneja.

  • From Fevicol to Dettol, brands play active role in creating awareness on COVID-19

    From Fevicol to Dettol, brands play active role in creating awareness on COVID-19

    MUMBAI: As confirmed novel coronavirus cases have reached 167 in India, brands across different sectors have started creating social awareness campaigns to educate consumers about the disease. Streaming giant Netflix, Zomato, Hindustan Unilever’s Lifebuoy, Reckitt Benckiser’s Dettol and Amul, among others, have joined the bandwagon to stay relevant and express solidarity with people during COVID-19 scare.

    Lifebuoy

    Sensing the fear among people, personal hygiene brands have started posting precautionary tips. HUL’s Lifebuoy has been actively promoting the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer to stay safe. The campaign was praised for its message, as it mentioned key competitors such as Dettol, Lux, Godrej No 1, Santoor in its ad and urged people to buy any product which is easily accessible to them.

    Dettol

    Reckitt Benckiser, a consumer health and hygiene company, has launched a Paigham-e-Sehat campaign around its brand Dettol. To drive behaviour change communication, the programme is aimed at 550,000 Madrasas across India. Prior to this campaign, Dettol in partnership with TikTok launched #HandWashChallenge to raise awareness about washing hands.

    @urvashirautela

    Wash Hands and Stay Cool ##HandWashChallenge @dettol_india

    ♬ Hand Washing Song – Viruss

    Amul

    Dairy brand Amul never misses a chance to stand out. For instance, the brand featured a topical ad with Amul girl washing hands as the caption read ‘Better saaf than sorry’. The ad appeared on all social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

    Fevicol

    Fevicol is known as a brand which has mastered the art of ‘moment marketing’. During the times of COVID-19 scare, Fevicol tweaked its iconic logo of two elephants and increased the distance between them to convey the message of social distancing.

    Zomato

    Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal through his twitter handle talks about the precautionary measures taken at Zomato.


    Viviana Mall

    Viviana mall in its social media campaign urges people to spread information and not panic.
    It has collated a few important tips to protect ourselves from COVID-19.

    Mad Over Donuts

    MOD through its social media post builds confidence among people by talking about the hygiene maintained while preparing food. It has mentioned how the entire staff wears gloves and masks while cooking.

    Balaji Motion Pictures

    With the COVID-19 pandemic becoming increasingly prevalent around the globe, Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures requests people to stay indoors.

    Red Chillies Entertainment

    Red Chillies Entertainment through its post explains the importance social distancing.

    Treize Communications

    As the novel coronavirus outbreak grows, companies are asking their employees to work from home for their safety and work efficiency. Treize Communications brings in some tips for making work from home easy and fun.

    Viacom18

    Viacom18 in through Instagram post are educating people to stay safe amidst novel coronavirus scare. They have set out certain precautionary measures to create awareness around the disease

  • Evreka Offers Its Technology Free of Charge For The Fight Against COVID-19

    Evreka Offers Its Technology Free of Charge For The Fight Against COVID-19

    MUMBAI: As a start-up from Turkey, Evreka, announces that in the light of their global experience urban cleaning/disinfection/sterilization, until the COVID-19 pandemic is over, they will provide their technology appealing to both people and to operations, completely free of charge to all relevant institutions and organizations all around the World.

    Evreka, who is the leader in its sector, has announced that it will provide its technologies free of charge and calls on all humanity to support the fight against the pandemic.

    Real-time process management, location-based job tracking, the involvement of citizens, resource planning and management capabilities, which are part of the company's solutions for waste management and city cleaning processes, play a supportive role in managing this crisis situation. With the technology that Evreka will provide free of charge to all relevant institutions and organizations: 

    • Cities can be disinfected more effectively, and operations can be tracked,

    • The symptoms faced by people can be controlled and monitored,

    • People can report their medication needs.

    With this move, Evreka displayed an attitude that could set an example for all companies in this regard. Thus, a big step was taken to overcome these challenging times as soon as possible. Evreka invited all humanity to be part of the solution, in order to grow and strengthen the fight against the virus.