ITV

Tag: Disney

  • In the brave new digital world, content could really be king

    In the brave new digital world, content could really be king

    “If content is King and distribution is God, then God save the King!” That was Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma speaking at a recent industry seminar.

    In these times of increasing channel influx onto already overloaded analogue cable systems, the distribution God is certainly making the content king do the merry carriage dance. Reminds one of the ever-worsening infrastructural mess that is Mumbai actually, where people are paying more and more for less and worse but with a big difference. Mumbai’s is a story that is looking more hopeless by the day, while in this case there is much optimism about the future.

    True, for the short to medium term, it will be the distribution God in whose hands will lie the fate of the content King. But once the dust has settled on all of this and the new platforms like digital cable, DTH, IPTV and mobile TV have reached critical mass, then it will be content that will hold sway, and how.

    True, for the short to medium term, it will be the distribution God in whose hands will lie the fate of the content King
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    Disney’s ABC network is already pointing one of the ways forward with its new online service of free programming. As part of a two-month-long experiment, Disney-ABC Television Group will be offering ad-supported, full-length episodes of four ABC primetime series online at www.abc.go.com.

    What’s the logic working here? Is ABC getting Get ‘Desperate’ and ‘Lost’ as regards its online strategy. Not at all. It all makes sense if we keep in mind that if there is one place where the dominant culture is to access content for free, it is the Web.

    So if ABC is trying to transpose the “traditional advertising driven network model” onto the Web there is already an inbuilt advantage over television. It is that while the whole TiVo, time-shifting, DVR mentality is now carrying over to the Web, the consumer cannot zap out the ads. And since many of the ads will be interactive, advertisers will be guaranteed even greater value.

    The content creators that stay ahead of the curve and the distribution platform providers most alive to the challenges and opportunities that the digital world offers will be the ones who will reap the benefits
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    Closer to home, companies like Reliance and Airtel expect to start IPTV services by the end of this year. And for a basic package they are promising rates as cheap as your current cable TV charges. No one is trying to say there won’t be teething problems (and knowing the ground realities here, these would probably be pretty severe). In India the biggest problem is going to be unbundling of the so called last mile, which basically means that incumbent operators like BSNL or MTNL should allow other operators to use their copper wires.

    With the imminent arrival of Tata-Sky DTH, Zee’s Dish TV ramping up and the big telecom players aggressively pushing ahead with IPTV and mobile TV, the value of quality content can only go up. We see some sort of shakeout — both on the content as well as the technology side by 2008.

    In the meanwhile, the content creators that stay ahead of the curve and the distribution platform providers most alive to the challenges and opportunities that the digital world offers will be the ones who will reap the benefits.

    There could well be a lesson in this for the cable fraternity too. Market forces could soon make the whole CAS debate irrelevant and the MSOs may well end up “missing the addressability bus”.

    Maybe MSOs should instead be focussing their efforts on attractively packaging and marketing CAS to their direct points to begin with and concurrently convincing their franchisees of the need to get CAS going, government or no government.

    The cable fraternity has a huge first mover advantage vis-?-vis pushing addressability because they own the last mile. Maybe they should as aggressively be chasing market-driven addressability as they are the mandating of CAS. A twin strategy would better cover their bases one would think.

    As for the content game, to quote John Hendricks, chairman of Discovery Communications Inc, from a recent report: “Newly empowered TV consumers will drive networks to improve their offerings, putting a ‘great squeeze’ on ‘marginal quality content’. They’re in control now.”

    Not in India, they’re not. But they will be. Of that nobody need have any doubt.

  • Patni Computers inks deal with Disney Mobile

    Patni Computers inks deal with Disney Mobile

    MUMBAI: Patni Computer Systems Ltd has entered into an IT services agreement with Disney Mobile. This multi-service contract is for Disney’s new mobile phone service, which has been designed just for families.

    The company will be responsible for development of consumer, retail and operational portals and end-to-end system testing across multiple vendors and technologies utilised by Disney Mobile.

    Patni Computers Systems is an IT services major for the telecom industry. The company brings a deep knowledge of wireless technology and processes, especially about MVNOs, where it continue to extend its worldwide market leadership position.

    “Disney Mobile’s selection of Patni for their MVNO launch is further validation of our capability to deliver quality IT services in complex telecom environments under aggressive deadlines to a globally recognised brand such as Disney,” said Patni Computers vice president telecom and digital media Rohit Bedi.

  • Toon channels hit the ground running

    Toons have smashed through the TV screens and have come out in the flesh, ummm… fur more likely.

    As more and more kids‘ channels resort to ground events to lure kids; the kids are having a field day and are actually getting to touch and feel their favourite toons.

    Toons come looking for kids

    This touch and feel factor is increasingly becoming important for channels to have a direct connect with their target audience.

    Indian kids have never had it better and the excitement and promise is only going to get bigger from here on. With seven kids‘ channels in the country, there is a wide array of entertainment options available to a child. And it‘s not just the programming on the channels that we‘re talking about here. Ground events and live shows have started featuring on the ‘must have‘ lists of almost all kids‘ channels.
     

     

    Cartoon Network has Toon Cricket and Toon Yatra, Pogo has Pogo Amazing Kids Awards, Pogo Funtakshri, M.A.D Workshops and Hungama TV has Hungamathon, Hungama Express, Hungama Captain‘s Hunt and the latest to join on the field is Disney Magic. Rest assured there‘s more to come as Nick too is planning to launch ground events this year.

    The investment that goes in organizing these events is no child‘s play for sure. Sample this: According to industry estimates, Walt Disney Television International (India) spent close to Rs 23 million – Rs 25 million (approximately $550,000) for their six city Disney Magic event that was held in India earlier this year. Out of this, Rs 5 million was spent on advertising the event through various media across the country. An event like Toon Cricket would also entail a budget of approximately Rs 25-odd million.

    Doremon thronged by kids at the Hungamathon in Mumbai

    On the other hand, industry analysts informed that for the Hungamathon event in Mumbai and Delhi, Hungama TV would have spent in the region of Rs 15 million (Rs 7.5 million per city). However, the actual cost of organizing just the ground event would be somewhere between Rs 7-8 million; the rest comprise marketing and advertising costs.

    On completing one year of operations in the country, Walt Disney Television International (India) kicked off a huge scale on-ground event – Disney Magic – in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore. For the first time ever in India, Disney Channel presented the Disney stars in a musical extravaganza that took Indian kids on a magical journey packed with song and dance. What‘s more, Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy along with Chip and Dale even danced on a couple of popular Bollywood songs like ‘Just Chill‘ and ‘Dus Bahaney‘ from the movies Maine Pyaar Kyon Kiya and Dus respectively.

    The channel took three to four months just to put the event together. The show was held in various cities over a period of three months. The result: over 100,000 people witnessed the Disney Magic show and approximately Rs 250 million ($5.5 million) worth of ad equivalent coverage in the print and electronic media spanning close to 25 hours in four weeks.

    Walt Disney Television International (India) director marketing Tushar Shah says, “Events are a key ingredient to build a brand as these allows consumer interactivity and connect. This in turn strengthens the bond between the consumer and the brand. While the events‘ space is cluttered in India, there is a huge need-gap for kids‘ events as it is an undeserved category. Kids are exposed to other events, which are targeted at adults. It is difficult to put together a niche event, which will cater to kids as well as their parents. With Disney Magic, our aim was to build loyalty among our target audience.”

    It‘s time to play Toon Cricket with Mark Waugh and the toons!

    Cartoon Network has been organising a unique sporting event Toon Cricket since 1999. Last year, more than 45,000 toon and cricket lovers in Mumbai gathered for Toon Cricket 2005. Toons like Scooby Doo, Johnny Bravo, Dee Dee, Jerry, Fred, Bob the Builder, Mojo Jojo, Popeye, Olive Oyl, Tom, Dexter and Noddy had a field day playing cricket.

    “Events are a window for consumer interaction with the network. They enable children and their families to experience the brands in a different environment and to become a part of their lives and culture. With Toon Cricket, we have established an inimitable and indelible association with India‘s national passion and hence extended the appeal of the brand beyond television,” explained Cartoon Network and Pogo India director marketing Vivek Krishnani.

    Apart from this, channels also look at promoting “family time” with such events, wherein kids and parents alike can experience the excitement and fun together. “Events are an extremely important brand extension for Cartoon Network and Pogo. They are organised with dual objectives of increasing current viewer involvement with the network by enabling them to actively participate across multiple platforms – on-air, online, and on-ground, by telephone and SMS,” added Krishnani.

    To throw in some figures, over 65,000 people enjoyed Toon Cricket; over 5,000 entries were received for the Pogo Amazing Kids Awards and Pogo Funtakshri received 90,000 entries within the first three weeks itself.

    Thousands of kids run at the Hungamathon

    Hungama TV senior vice president marketing and communications Siddhartha Roy Kapur points out the objectives with which ground events are launched. “The touch and feel factor with the viewer is of immense importance in order to create a brand experience with them and also to put across what we embody. We are the only homegrown kids‘ channel in the country and that is our USP. With these ground events, we get to interact with our audience, learn from these experiences and put them to use,” he says.

    Buoyed by the response that Hungamathon received in Mumbai and Delhi, the channel also launched the event in Kolkata last month.

    Look at that smile! Time for a “real” handshake with the toons

    Moreover, it‘s also the “awe factor” that channels look to capitalise on by bringing the toons face to face with kids. Watching toons on TV is surely different from watching them live in action… at least from the kids‘ perspective. We, adults, would probably want to watch a film award function in the sanctity of our drawing rooms far way from the madding crowd. But we‘re talking kids here. Krishnani says, “The aim for all events and initiatives is to extend the magic of our brands beyond the confines of the TV set. It‘s a platform that offers fantastic active and non-passive interaction opportunities to involve fans in a unique and fun way.”

    Also, most ground events have a contest tied around it and therein comes the “fame factor.” Kids can win goodies and also have a chance of being featured on television and in print. Moreover, these days most parents encourage their children to be active in extra curricular activities and even more if these activities are related to the media.

    But do these live ground events actually help in raking in eyeballs for the channels and strengthening the brand? While, ground events may not have a direct correlation to the increase in ratings or viewership on the channel, they do help in increasing the reach of the channel in the cities where they are being held.

    “Cartoon Network and Pogo‘s channel shares grew in January – December 2005 over January – December 2004 and was responsible for 22 per cent of the overall growth of the kids‘ channels in this period. Over 97 per cent of all transmissions that delivered 1.0 TVR or more in the whole of 2005 on all kids‘ channels were aired on Cartoon Network or Pogo,” says Krishnani.

    Hungama TV has an annual event Captain‘s Hunt through which the channel selects the board of directors of the channel. The channel gives kids across the country the chance to be a part of selecting what‘s right and what‘s not for the channel. “Empower them” is the buzz word!

    Disney India MD Rajat Jain welcomes the stars at Mumbai airport

    Apart from these factors, there is this entire “dreamland proposition” that channels promise the kids. It‘s all about childhood being a carefree and happy-go-lucky stage in one‘s life (try telling that to kids in the big metros with their dawn to dusk schedules though). “We want to create the Disney Magic hype to bring Disney Channel and Toon Disney top of mind and to rub off on the overarching Disney brand in India. The classic Disney characters were presented as contemporary and treated like stars. This created a desire to be a part of it – ‘let the magic touch everyone‘ proposition of Disney,” says Shah.

    Disney India VoluntEARS say cheese!

    At the same time, ground events can also be used for a worthy cause. Disney used the Disney Magic event as a platform to launch its VoluntEARS, where every Disney employee works towards fulfilling kids‘ wishes across the country. In the four weeks that the Disney stars were here in India, Disney employees put in close to 500 hours of service. The company has a long standing association internationally with Make-A-Wish Foundation. In India, Walt Disney‘s social service arm ‘Disney Outreach‘ became active with Disney Magic. More than 100 children from various hospitals in Mumbai gathered at the Tata Memorial Hospital for a special visit from Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Donald.

    Make-A-Wish Foundation India CEO Sharmistha Adyanthaya says, “We are delighted to be associating our foundation with the ‘Disney Magic‘ Outreach initiative that has brought the first ever magical experience in India to our wish children. The number of these children in India is rapidly growing and the long-term association with various Outreach initiatives of the Disney Worldwide Outreach in India will allow us to reach many more of them. A wish fulfillment makes a sick child believe that anything is possible – even the future, making the impact of this association immeasurable.”

    Apollo Hospitals Group executive director (operations) and Apollo Hospitals Hyderabad managing director Sangita Reddy says, “Walt Disney created their legendary and endearing characters to bring magic into the lives of children and adults. They have shared this magic with children at a time when they needed it the most – Apollo Hospitals thanks them for this. It is our common endeavor to improve the quality of life for all and therefore this partnership is meaningful.”

    Ground events no doubt help in building reach and helps channels interact with their target audience and vice versa. It‘s a medium that helps building brands unlike passive media like print and radio.

    There are new ground initiatives that are also in the pipeline from Hungama TV and Nick. Kapur informs that Hungama TV is planning to launch a new on-air property this summer, which will have a grand on-ground component.

    The time is right to hit the grounds!
  • Disney donates $2.5 mn toward building of Martin Luther King, Jr. national memorial

    Disney donates $2.5 mn toward building of Martin Luther King, Jr. national memorial

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company Foundation led a Hollywood effort to raise awareness and financial backing for the building of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial by donating $2.5 million and underwriting the “Dream Dinner” fundraiser.

    With $47 million now raised by the foundation, a Congressional match kicks in that brings the total to $57 million of the $100 million needed for the project.

    The Walt Disney Company president and CEO Bob Iger said, “Everyone can do his or her part to help make sure this great man’s legacy will do more than endure, but will grow, and that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s story will be known and inspire generations to come. That is why it is my privilege and honor to present a $2.5 million check from The Walt Disney Company Foundation that will go towards realizing the dream of this magnificent memorial.”

    Those who attended to support the Dream Dinner included: Morgan Freeman, Alfre Woodard, Jack Valenti, Tommy Hilfiger, Gary Cowger of General Motors, Clarence Avant, Usher, Holly Robinson Peete, Rodney Peete, Victoria Rowell, and Antwone Fisher.

    Other companies and individuals who donated to the memorial alongside Disney were: News Corporation, the David Geffen Foundation, Steven Spielberg, Warner Bros., NBC Universal, Intel/Revelations Alliance, Jeffrey Katzenberg, the William Morris Agency, Norman Lear, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLC, Nu Image/Avi Lerner, Robert Day, Lynda and Stewart Resnick, Jewish Federation, Jarvis Stewart, and Mosaic Sales Solutions, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, and Interior Music Publishing.

    “I am proud that the entertainment industry and the citizens of Los Angeles turned out in full force to support a long overdue national memorial to Dr. King,” said Jack Valenti, former president of the Motion Picture Association and a member of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation Executive Leadership Cabinet.

    The Los Angeles Dream Dinner is the third in a series of dinners to raise awareness and funds for Dr. King’s Memorial. J.W. Marriott, Jr. and Colin Powell co-hosted a Washington, D.C. Dream Dinner in October 2005. George Lucas, Deborah and Carlos Santana, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell and Bill Walton participated in a November, 2005 San Francisco Dream Dinner.

    Los Angeles Dream Dinner donors will join the following major contributors to the project: General Motors, Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation, The Ford Motor Company Fund, Toyota, Procter & Gamble, NBA/WNBA, George Lucas, WalMart, Victor MacFarlane, AFLAC, Fannie Mae and its Foundation, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Horowitz Family Foundation, Federated Department Stores Foundation, Bell South, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Delta Airlines Foundation, and Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson. Among national figures supporting the memorial are the Honorable Andrew Young, General Colin Powell, the Honorable Jack Kemp, and David Stern.