ITV

Tag: Dr Subhash Chandra

  • Zee Magic launches in Indian Ocean Island on Parabole Maurice

    Zee Magic launches in Indian Ocean Island on Parabole Maurice

    MUMBAI: A month after it was launched on the Canal Plus platform in Africa, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) has launched its customised general entertainment channel Zee Magic on Parabole Maurice in the Indian Ocean Island.

     

    Dubbed in French to to accommodate the French African audience, Zee Magic is tailored for all types of viewers from movie fanatics, avid series followers, food lovers and reality show enthusiasts.

     

    Zee Magic will launch on Parabole Maurice with three series namely Remariage, La Promesse and Lien Sacre as well as Bollywood movies. 

     

    The channel has been made available on the Parabole Maurice platform on channel 144 from 5 November, 2015 onwards and will be beamed in Indian Ocean Island Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros, Reunion Island and Seychelles.

     

    The move is in line with Zeel chairman Dr. Subhash Chandra’s vision to bring authentic and entertaining content to the world stage. “We want you to become a part of our growing family,” he said.

     

    “We are excited to bring Zee Magic to the Indian Ocean Island countries.  This is an indication of the hunger Africa has for Bollywood and Indian content. Our expansion on the continent brings me great joy,” added Zee TV South Africa CEO Harish Goyal.

     

    Zeel first ventured into Africa 19 years ago as the brand’s first international territory. Zee TV has been present on DSTV since 1996 and on Canal Plus since 2006.

  • Zee launches customised GEC in Africa for French audience

    Zee launches customised GEC in Africa for French audience

    MUMBAI: After launching its English general entertainment channel (GEC) – Zee World in Sub Saharan Africa early this year, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) is all set to launch another channel in the region called Zee Magic.

     

    Zee Magic is a customised GEC for French audiences in Africa, showcasing French dubbed Indian movies, series, food, reality shows and more. 

     

    The channel will be available on the Canal Plus Overseas platform on #51 from 1 October, 2015.

     

    Zee Magic will launch with three award winning series namely Remariage, La Promesse and Lien Sacre along with a host of Bollywood movies.

     

    Essel Group & Zeel chairman Dr. Subhash Chandra said, “Our corporate philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ meaning ‘The world is my family’ is at the forefront of bringing authentic and entertaining content to our fast growing audiences across the globe.”

     

    “Zee Magic is a dedicated French offering from Zee for Francophone Africa. All content has undergone extensive research and we are very excited to be the first to offer Bollywood in French to our viewers,” added Zee TV Africa CEO Harish Goyal.

     

    With a worldwide presence with over 36 international channels across 169 countries, Zeel first ventured into Africa 19 years ago as the brand’s first international territory. Its flagship channel Zee TV has been present on DSTV since 1996 and on Canal Plus since 2006.

  • “Sports like Pro Kabaddi League will make India a sports nation:” Dr Subhash Chandra

    “Sports like Pro Kabaddi League will make India a sports nation:” Dr Subhash Chandra

    MUMBAI: Star Sports’ Pro Kabaddi League has found many admirers and amongst them is none other than Essel Group chairman Dr Subhash Chandra.

     

    Speaking about Pro Kabaddi League, Chandra said, “Star Sports is doing a great job and is packaging the sport well. It is sports like these, which will make India a sporting nation and not just a cricket nation.”

     

    When asked if Essel Group was mulling at starting something in the league, he said, “I am sure my sports team would be looking at it.”

     

    The second season of Pro Kabaddi League has picked up, not only in terms of sponsorships, but also viewership. According to the TAM Sports analysis, the sport has seen a 60 per cent growth in viewership as compared to the last season for the first 26 matches.

     

    The League, for the first 26 matches, has bagged 1.24 TVR as compared to 0.77 TVR in the last season. What’s more, Pro Kabaddi League season 2 has seen a 13 per cent growth in its average reach as well. This year it registered 4.45 per cent average reach as compared to 3.92 per cent in the last season.

     

    The Time Spent per Viewer (TSV) has gone up from 15.77 in season 1 to 19.91 in season 2.

     

    It can be noted that while in season one Pro Kabaddi League was being telecast on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 4, Star Gold, Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 2, in the second season, it is being aired on Star Gold, Star Sports 3, Star Sports HD2, Star Sports HD3, Maa Movies, Star Sports 2, Plus Suvarna and Star Pravah, thus giving it a larger reach and visibility.

  • “Govt. should come up with clear, transparent security clearance guidelines:” Dr Subhash Chandra

    “Govt. should come up with clear, transparent security clearance guidelines:” Dr Subhash Chandra

    MUMBAI: The growing number of television channels and the recent debate over the security clearance of Kalanithi Maran owned Sun TV Network has led the ‘Big Daddy’ of Indian television to come out and speak about ownership and security guidelines of the mushrooming channels.

     

    Essel Group chairman Dr Subhash Chandra said, “From the beginning, I have been of the view, which I mentioned during the UPA 1 regime to Priyaranjan Das Munshi and Dr. Manmohan Singh that licences should not be issued without proper checks.”

     

    According to Chandra, news channel licences should be scrutinized in the manner that the Reserve Bank of India scrutinizes applications before issuing any licence in financial service. “They go to the extent of finding out the ultimate source of funding as well as cleanliness of people involved and check them out before issuing licence,” he informed. 

     

    Chandra has been actively speaking about having a strict and clear guideline before issuing licences from 2001-2006. “But because no one was listening to my point of view, I decided to then remain dormant and listen to the government’s point of view,” he laughed off. 

     

    Ten days ago, Chandra had tweeted rather sensationally saying, “I will not be surprised if for some TV stations, the final money is coming from Dawood Ibrahim.” He feels that the system prevalent currently doesn’t go even one layer beyond what the person has submitted. 

     

    The minimum amount required for starting a news channel today is Rs 5 crore. “As per the guidelines today, the check is done on the person submitting the money. No one tries finding out where the money is coming from. This is eroding our credibility as media,” he said.  

     

    Chandra is of the opinion that the time has come to have strict, clear and transparent guidelines, which will expose the corporate veil and go to the real source of funding. “The government is not doing anything on the issue of media ownership and then says that all media is wrong,” he added. 

     

    Pointing out that no one so far has debated on the issue, he said, “I want the debate to be triggered and then the decision can be taken collectively.”

     

    Calling out to the government to check entities through clear guidelines, he said, “Those who are clean will come out clean, but the government hasn’t checked anyone. We are open to such scrutiny ourselves.”

     

    Stressing on the fact that not having clear security guidelines compromises with the national and economic security, Chandra said, “I want to see clean money coming into the sector.”

  • ZMCL to launch English news channel for global audience

    ZMCL to launch English news channel for global audience

    MUMBAI: Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) is looking at expanding its portfolio of news channels. The network is prepping itself for an English news channel now, albeit for the global audience. 

     

    “I have been harbouring this thought of starting a global news network in English for the global audience but with an India point of view,” said Essel Group chairman Dr Subhash Chandra. 

     

    The network is currently working on the channel. “We will announce the launch soon, it could be any week or any month,” added Chandra. 

     

    The channel could be launched with or without a partner, informed Chandra adding that the channel will first launch in India and then have a global presence. “We will start with our nation and then go global,” he said. 

  • Siti Cable and Dish TV join hands to form ‘Comnet’

    Siti Cable and Dish TV join hands to form ‘Comnet’

    MUMBAI: Dr Subhash Chandra led Essel Group believes in innovation and how. The two companies from the group, multi system operator (MSO) Siti Cable Network and direct to home (DTH) player Dish TV have formed a joint venture (JV) to deal with the ever growing content cost. Christened ‘Comnet’, the JV will help synergise the strengths of both the organisations in dealing with broadcasters.

     

    Essel Group has synergies in broadcast, cable, DTH and over the top (OTT) services. “When we look at either of these platforms, the key to its existence is content. The cost of content today is increasing rapidly and at a pace with which even the connections in the market aren’t growing,” tells Siti Cable CEO VD Wadhwa to indiantelevision.com.

     

    According to Wadhwa, while the consumer average revenue per user (ARPU) levels is increasing in single digits, broadcasters, who sign one-year deals with distribution platforms, expect the revenues grow anywhere between 20-60 per cent. “This is impractical, unsustainable and is no way any business model will evolve or work,” he adds.  

     

    The reason both Dish TV and Siti Cable have come together is to be able to make the best use of each other’s advantages and disadvantages. While DTH doesn’t enjoy as much carriage as cable gets, when it comes to content deals, DTH platforms have an upper hand. “While my input cost, which is the content cost is growing at a fast pace, I am not being able to drive the market price. If consumer ARPUs remain low, we can’t allow the content cost to go up. Also considering both the platforms target the same set of consumers in the market, it made more sense for us to join hands to deal with broadcasters,” informs Wadhwa.

     

    Dish TV CEO RC Venkateish says, “This move will help both the entities to provide quality content at affordable price to consumers.”

     

    Both, the DTH and cable platform currently is unable to pass on the increased input cost to the customer. “And then there are the additional taxes. The Delhi government recently increased the entertainment tax from Rs 20 to Rs 40, not realizing that it is a price sensitive market. Neither the consumer nor the broadcaster is ready to take the burden of the increasing cost. In order to protect our business model and remain a consumer friendly company and comply with all the rules and regulations, we thought of coming together,” he says.  

     

    The JV will help the duo in not just controlling deals with broadcasters, but also in sourcing equipments. “Both Dish TV and Siti Cable need set top boxes. There are a lot of synergies if we work together,” he adds.

     

    Between Siti Cable and Dish TV, the two currently have more than 2 crore subscribers, which in the next two years, according to Wadhwa will go up to 4 crore. “If we are currently present in 2 crore households, we are talking of almost 9-10 per cent of India’s population. This gives us a lot of leverage,” he says.

     

    According to Wadhwa, while the broadcasters have already come together to work for the advantage of the broadcasting sector, the distribution platforms too need to work in a synergy. “While that is currently not possible, at least the two companies in the group should start working together immediately,” he opines.

     

    As part of the JV, the duo will hold joint discussions with broadcasters, taking joint call on the deals. “If the broadcaster wants to arm twist Siti Cable, it has to be careful that Dish TV may also react or vice versa,” he informs.  

     

    Starting 1 July, 2015, it is ‘Comnet’ that will do the negotiations with broadcasters for both the platforms together. Post that, a direct contract between the broadcaster and the distribution platform will be signed. “The benefit will be shared between Dish TV and Siti Cable,” concludes Wadhwa.

  • Brand Zee valued at Rs 41.94 billion

    Brand Zee valued at Rs 41.94 billion

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) brand, as valued by Interbrand, is estimated to be worth Rs 41.94 billion. The network is looking at increasing its global reach to five times more from its current audience of 959 million viewers. This apart, Zee also plans to increase its content consumption to four times more.

     

    Zee, which recently released its annual report titled ‘Investing in Tomorrow,’ said that it plans to expand its market footprint and its relevance to viewers across a range of ethnicities and nationalities. This reflects in the improvement in Zee’s financial performance – and, along with it, its brand value. Zee with its initiatives is on its way to close the gap in brand value with the global best.

     

    The network is looking at becoming the first global media brand amongst the top 100, with foundations in an emerging market, ensuring greater stickiness and viewer loyalty across the spectrum.

     

    According to the report, Zee is amongst the largest producers and aggregators of Hindi programming in the world. It has over 2,10,678 hours of television content, rights to more than 3500 movie titles and 33 domestic channels.

     

    In pursuit of its ‘Vision 2020,’ Zee aims to invest in adding more channels and offerings to its portfolio.  “At Zee, the Financial Year 2014-15 has been a year of ‘Investing in Tomorrow.’ We envision India playing a major role in the way the entertainment industry, around the world, evolves. Multiple macro factors are driving this growth – stronger internet access, rapid digitisation and increasing globalisation of audience preferences,” said Zeel chairman Dr Subhash Chandra.

     

    Chandra feels that technological advancements in the field of entertainment consumption have bolstered the industry further. “Aspects like 4K, are slated to enrich the viewing experience, and open a whole new arena of premium content consumption. 4G will further empower the consumer to access rich content on the go. These factors are giving the overall entertainment ecosystem a whole new dimension,” added Chandra.

     

    The global media and entertainment industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4 per cent from 2015, reaching around USD 2.3 trillion in 2018. “As part of our ‘Vision 2020,’ we see ourselves being at the forefront; targeting growth at a different scale for your company,” informed Chandra.

     

    Chandra foresees the company being ranked among the top global media brands in the next five years. “We have invested minimum shareholder value to achieve our objective of global leadership. Our initiatives are based on the orbit shifting thoughts and ambitions set for the year 2020, with clear, quantifiable parameters, giving us visibility of how the future will unfold for us, capitalizing opportunities along the way,” he added.

     

    On the international front, Zee has aggressively forayed into new territories. “Zee holds ambitions of emerging as an entertainment and media leader in rapidly developing newer markets. Despite challenges, we have emerged as a global content powerhouse, catering to the varying aspirations of audiences in a seamless world of entertainment. And we will continue to move forward with confident, determined steps, to make the most of future opportunities,” asserted Chandra.

     

    The network has maintained a steady progress across all quarters and reported revenue of Rs 48,837 million (Y-o-Y growth of 10.4 per cent) with EBITDA of Rs 12,538 million (Y-o-Y growth of 4 per cent) and net post-tax profit of Rs 9,775 million (Y-o-Y growth of 10 per cent). “Despite pricing challenges, and increasing costs, we were able to maintain a healthy net margin of 20 per cent. This outcome indicates that our operations were based on a prudent strategy, and bear testimony to our know-how and expertise. We are confident that we will be able to continue on the path of augmenting shareholder value,” said Zeel MD and CEO Punit Goenka.

     

    According to Goenka, the implementation of digitisation (phase I & II), despite a few delays, has resulted in the creation of new opportunities throughout the media value chain.

     

    “During FY 2014-15, we took many steps towards this very end. We expanded aggressively in the American, European, APAC and Middle East markets. We launched new channels with a clear view on rich and engaging content, customized to specific audience groups. We are also investing in further training our existing talent, together with nurturing new people across diverse competencies,” informed Goenka.

     

    The key elements of Zee’s strategy going forward will be to consistently invest in growth opportunities to safeguard and grow its leadership, in a competitive environment. “We will concentrate on the opportunities that digitisation presents and seek to maximise revenue from this, while operating in a prudent environment. We will consistently seek out newer markets globally, and fortify our existing ones. And through all of this, we will maintain the highest standards of corporate governance and ethics while creating superior value,” he said.

     

    Zee is also geared to offer its entertainment content through ‘Now Media’ i.e. through digital tools and over the top (OTT) platforms, among others. It is also adopting cutting-edge, advance formats like ‘high definition’ and ‘4K’.  The network foresees these formats transforming the viewing experience in the near future. It also predicts that content producers will have to be nimble-footed and geared up to address the technology paradigm, in addition to the content quality. The demarcation between ‘on-air’ and ‘online’ is rapidly disappearing, with almost all devices getting backward and forward integrated using the internet.

     

    Zee aims to become a global content company and in keeping with this launched Zindagi in India and Zee Hiburan in Indonesia, last year. “This helps us remain the preferred entertainment provider to a large audience across the world enhancing our revenue and visibility. The future will see further empowerment of the viewers, and we are investing in making ourselves relevant to this trend,” the company said in its annual report. 

  • ‘Dr. Subhash Chandra Show’ travels to Manipal

    ‘Dr. Subhash Chandra Show’ travels to Manipal

    MUMBAI: Dr. Subhash Chandra, chairman, Essel Group and Zee, today addressed the students of T.A. Pai Management University (TAPMI), Manipal for the next episodes of India’s popular youth show – Dr. Subhash Chandra (DSC) Show. The DSC Show has successfully completed over 40 episodes travelling to various cities across India, including Mumbai, New Delhi, Noida, Kolkata, Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Ghaziabad, Pune, Jalandhar, Chandigarh and now Manipal.

    Speaking on the topic ‘Has media lost its credibility?’, Dr. Chandra stated, “News media is a tool which in a large democracy like ours creates public opinion so that the other pillars of the society like the executive, the legislature, the judiciary and even business, do not use the democracy for their own gains. Today, so much information is available on the internet which helps people to decipher the difference between right and wrong. Social media is keeping the mass media in check and helping the news media to stay honest.”

    Interacting with the students on the topic of ‘Gratitude’, Dr. Chandra emphasized, “The expression of gratitude to the environment makes life beautiful. When we do good work, we like our reflection in the mirror in the morning. This sense of gratitude also makes us feel more positive, better and younger.”

    Sharing insights on the newly launched DSC Club, Dr. Chandra said, “We have started the DSC Club to identify talents of each individual through a scientific method which will help in career guidance. The DSC Club aims to create a talent pool in different parts of the country and become a bridge between potential entrepreneurs and financial institutions. We want to identify the change agents in the country who will become a part of the editorial team of an e-newspaper for their own city, assembly or constituency.”

    Dr. Subhash Chandra (DSC) show is aired every week on Saturday at 10 pm on Zee News and 7pm on Zee Business and on Sundays at 11 am on both Zee News & Zee Business.  This show is also aired on other channels of Zee Media Corporation Limited.

    A self-made man, Dr. Subhash Chandra has consistently demonstrated his ability to identify new businesses and lead them on the path to success. From trading goods, setting up a packaging industry to opening up theme parks and multiplexes, and creating India’s largest and most profitable TV media group, Dr. Chandra has travelled a long way. It was Dr. Subhash Chandra’s vision that helped give birth to the satellite TV industry in India with the launch of Zee TV in the year 1992.

    Dr. Subhash Chandra (DSC) Show Timings:

    Learn how to innovate, set up and make your business flourish from the expert himself, a man of a thousand ideas, Dr. Subhash Chandra. Don’t miss the Dr. Subhash Chandra Show for an enterprising and entertaining weekend!

  • International Yoga Day, Father’s Day, World Music Day keeps TV channels busy

    International Yoga Day, Father’s Day, World Music Day keeps TV channels busy

    MUMBAI: If you think, you’re going to spend this Sunday, 21 June, watching show repeats or movies on entertainment channels… think again!

     
    It’s a busy Sunday for TV channels as we celebrate World Music Day, Father’s Day and International Yoga Day on 21 June. To keep viewers glued to their TV sets, channels will be showcasing relevant content pertaining to the three occasions.

     

    International Yoga Day

     
    Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being.

    With International Yoga Day around the corner, Zee Group’s media & entertainment companies are gearing up to actively participate in the same. The companies, which are lending support to this initiative are Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel), Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL), Z Living, Zee Learn Limited and Zee Digital Convergence. The network plans to make this a major national and global event.

     
    Among Zee Entertainment’s bouquet of channels, Zee TV will feature Yoga-based content integration in its popular shows, Satrangi Sasural and Neeli Chhatri Waale while &TV will be integrating the essence of International Yoga Day through its shows – Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls, Bhaghyalakshmi and Gangaa.

     
    Zindagi, the premium Hindi GEC, will espouse the effectiveness of practicing Yoga through its afternoon show Simply Beautiful, which is based on healthy living. The network’s free-to-air (FTA) channel, Zee Anmol will run fillers, each of which will focus on one Chakra of the body and how a particular type of Yoga cleanses that chakra, infusing energy into the body and bringing about a positive change.

     
    Zeel’s Hindi movie cluster will integrate Yoga and Bollywood to commemorate International Yoga Day. The channels will urge audiences to adopt Yoga as a lifestyle choice by showcasing advice from Yoga instructors as well as trivia and quotes from stars practicing Yoga.

     
    Truly living up to the name ‘International’ Yoga Day, Zeel’s international territories will also be supporting and celebrating this ancient Indian tradition in Zee Americas, ZLiving, Zee UK & Europe, Zee TV Russia and Zee TV Africa.

     
    The various channels of ZMCL like Zee News, Zee Business, Zee 24 Taas, Zee Sangam etc are also participating in the International Yoga Day celebrations.

    Speaking on the importance of International Yoga Day, Zee & Essel Group chairman Dr. Subhash Chandra said, ”The ancient Indian practice of Yoga nurtures the mind, working through the medium of the body. Yoga enhances the body and soul with additional strength, zeal and beauty. It is a beautiful act of nurturing the divinity within you. I strongly believe that it is a gift to all of us, and it is essential that we work towards making it a mass movement globally. I am confident that the International Yoga Day which our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has initiated will have a strong impact on humanity, maybe not immediately but definitely in the next five to ten years.”

     
    Elaborating on the Group’s participation in the International Yoga Day, Zeel MD & CEO Punit Goenka added, ”Yoga is a way of living, which recharges the body and promotes the balanced development of the physical, mental and spiritual being. As the excitement around International Yoga Day builds up, we, at the ZEE Group, have lined up a range of yoga-based activities to engage with our viewers across the world. Our channels and brands will feature yoga content integration, expert advice from yoga gurus, useful trivia, celebrity bytes and yoga cuisine, among other interesting initiatives throughout the day. Apart from this, we are celebrating Yoga Week across all our offices where employees will perform yoga sessions led by expert instructors.”

     
    News channels are also busy preparing their special bulletins and features around Yoga. NewsX’s Cover Story celebrates the first World Yoga Day with its senior executive producer Priya Sahgal, who will focus on the art of Yoga with the well-known Yoga expert, Ira Trivedi. On this Yoga special episode, Trivedi will take viewers through some quick fix exercises for healthy living while we are struggling hard with our urban lifestyle.

     
    On the other hand, CNN-IBN has planned an extensive programming lineup with World Bows to Yoga. The programming will cover various elements of Yoga ranging from its origin and history to its commercialization and diversification.

     
    The special programming will also bring together Yoga and spiritual gurus such as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Baba Ramdev, Jaggi Maharaj and volunteers from Parmarth Niketan who will share their experiences with the viewers. The channel will also telecast special segments featuring politicians, celebrities and activists who practice Yoga on a regular basis and will highlight their take on the same.

     
    CNN-IBN has collaborated with OBVI (Overseas Volunteers for Better India) and TV Asia to bring its viewers an international perspective on the celebration from more than 100 cities in the United States as well as the live telecast of the Yogathon.

    IBN7 will telecast exclusive programming titled Yog Ka Mahakumbh for its viewers. The programming will cover all aspects of Yoga extensively and will demonstrate its history and culture, different techniques and its therapeutic effect. The special programming will also bring together Yoga experts from the country and exhibiting Yoga Asans for our audience. The programming will also feature prominent public figures and celebrities who practice Yoga on a regular basis and their take on the same.

     

    World Music Day

    Music is timeless and the song always remains the same. This World Music Day, 9XO will celebrate hits from across the decade featuring legends like Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, Backstreet Boys and One Direction. Commenced from 19 June, it runs over three days (till 21 June) and gives viewers a chance to discover great music with 20 artists.

     
    9X Jalwa will be celebrating different moods of Hindi film music, from melodious romantic ballads to upscale, groovy dance numbers to fun, naughty songs all through the day.

     
    Taking viewers closer to the most successful, loved and sensational youth boy band of the decade, One Direction will be AXN India. Viewers will witness the superstars come alive in their concert film One Direction: This Is Us.

     
    The band came in limelight when it participated in the British show X Factor. One Direction: This Is Us will take viewers to the stunning live concert footage, showcase their meteoric rise to fame, from their humble hometown beginnings and competing on the X-Factor, to conquering the world and performing at London’s famed O2 Arena.

    Martin Scorsese, Chris Rock and Alexis Petridis, who have been part of the band’s journey will be making guest appearances in the film. It will air on 12 pm and 6 pm on AXN India.

     
    Vh1 will be hosting a first-of-its-kind online music festival – Vh1 Relay Music Festival on Twitter from 12 noon onwards. Each artist associated with the festival will take over the Vh1 Twitter ID for an hour and a half each and consistently share YouTube video links along with a one-line description. The artists will engage with Vh1 fans following the handle and revert to comments and tweets related to World Music Day.

     

     
    Father’s Day special

     
    English Entertainment channel, Sony Pix will celebrate Father’s Day with three back-to-back movies on 21 June from 6 pm onwards. The channel will air The Lion King at 6 pm, followed by the beautiful bond of a father-son relationship in The Pursuit of Happyness at 8 pm, and the transformation of a young boy into a confident warrior in The Karate Kid at 10.30 pm.

  • Zee group gears up to celebrate the International Yoga Day

    Zee group gears up to celebrate the International Yoga Day

    MUMBAI: With the International Yoga Day around the corner, the ZEE Group’s Media & Entertainment companies are gearing up to actively participate, making it a huge success. The companies which are lending support to this initiative are Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, Zee Media Corporation Limited, Z Living, Zee Learn Limited and Zee Digital Convergence.

     

    Last year, our  Prime Minister, Narendra Modi while addressing the 193-member UN General Assembly at the United Nations said, “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness within yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day.”

     

    Commenting on the importance of International Yoga Day, Dr. Subhash Chandra, Chairman – ZEE & Essel Group said, “The ancient Indian practice of Yoga nurtures the mind, working through the medium of the body. Yoga enhances the body and soul with additional strength, zeal and beauty. It is a beautiful act of nurturing the divinity within you. I strongly believe that it is a gift to all of us, and it is essential that we work towards making it a mass movement globally. I am confident that the International Yoga Day which our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has initiated will have a strong impact on humanity, maybe not immediately but definitely in the next five to ten years.”

     

    Elaborating on the Group’s participation in the International Yoga Day, Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) said, “Yoga is a way of living which recharges the body and promotes the balanced development of the physical, mental and spiritual being. As the excitement around International Yoga Day builds up, we, at the ZEE Group, have lined up a range of yoga-based activities to engage with our viewers across the world. Our channels and brands will feature yoga content integration, expert advice from yoga gurus, useful trivia, celebrity bytes and yoga cuisine, among other interesting initiatives throughout the day. Apart from this, we are celebrating Yoga Week across all our offices where employees will perform yoga sessions led by expert instructors.”

     

    As the world prepares to celebrate the International Yoga Day, and with India leading the charge, the ZEE Group is committed to making this a major national and global event.

     

    Some of the key initiatives that will be showcased across the ZEE Group companies and channels are as follows:

    ·         Among Zee Entertainment’s bouquet of channels, Zee TV, the flagship Hindi GEC will feature yoga-based content integration in its popular shows, Satrangi Sasural and Neeli Chhatri Waale while &TV will be integrating the essence of International Yoga Day through its shows – Dilli Wali Thakur Gurls, Bhaghyalakshmi and Gangaa.

     

    ·         Zindagi, the premium Hindi GEC will espouse the effectiveness of practising Yoga through its afternoon show ‘Simply Beautiful’ which is based on healthy living while our FTA channel, Zee Anmol will run fillers, each of which will focus on one Chakra of the body and how a particular type of Yoga cleanses that chakra, infusing energy into the body and bringing about a positive change.

     

    ·         ZEEL’s Hindi Movie Cluster will integrate yoga and Bollywood to commemorate International Yoga Day. The channels will urge audiences to adopt Yoga as a lifestyle choice by showcasing advice from Yoga instructors as well as trivia and quotes from stars practising yoga.

     

    ·         ZEEL’s Regional Channels have also planned a slew of yoga-based activities. The leading Marathi GEC, Zee Marathi will advocate the benefits of Yoga through content integration in leading fiction and non-fiction shows like Julun Yeti Reshimgaathi, Honaar Sunn Mee Hya Gharchi, Dil Dosti Duniyadaari, Chala Hawa Yeu Dya and Ka Re Durawa. Similarly, Zee Bangla’s shows like Kojagori, Didi No. 1 and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will inspire viewers to be fit and practice yoga through Yoga integrations within the content.

     

    ·         In the South, Zee Telugu, with an aim to promote health and well-being will showcase the importance and benefits of practicing Yoga for a well-balanced mind, body and soul through integration of information related to Yoga in the following shows – Muddu Mandaram, Abhishekam, Subhamastu, Vahreva, Lakshmi Raave Maa Intiki and Omkaram. Zee Telugu is also associating with Siti Network for a ground event based out of Hyderabad where celebrities will interact with participants to demonstrate and practise yoga. Yoga-based content integration will also occur on Zee Kannada’s top two fiction shows, LoveLavike and Jothe Jotheyalli and on Zee Tamizh’s shows Parambariya Maruthavam and Enga Veetu Penn.

     

    ·         Among the Regional Movie Channels, Zee Bangla Cinema will be positioning its family drama, Maach Mishti & More as the face of the Yoga practice movement while Zee Talkies will be featuring ‘Cinema-Asan’ – A Filmy way of celebrating Yoga where celebrities will perform asanas, share tips and engage with consumers on the topic of Yoga.

     

    ·         On the occasion of International Yoga Day, ZEEL’s English Cluster, Zee Café and Zee Studio, will feature yoga trivia and quotes from famous shows like Desperate Housewives and The Big Bang Theory and Hollywood movies like Pretty Woman, Aeon Flux, Iron Man 3 and The Lincoln Lawyer. 

     

    ·         Among ZEEL’s Niche Channels, ZETC will be running a mini-campaign ‘Bollywood GuruCool’ which will propagate yoga, highlight different actors who practice yoga and suggest suitable music for yoga while Zing will feature Bollywood Yoga vignettes throughout the day. Zee Khana Khazana, India’s premium 24-hour food channel will be showcasing ‘Yoga Cuisine – Spiritual Foods’ on its shows – Suryanamaskar Starts, Saatvik Bites, Jiyo with Jia and The Beauty Fridge. To build interest in Yoga among kids, our edutainment channel, Zee Q will telecast an episode of its show ‘Bandbudh Aur Budbak’ titled ‘Yoga Se Hoga’ at different timeslots during the day.

     

    ·         Truly living up to the name ‘International’ Yoga Day, ZEEL’s International Territories will also be actively supporting and celebrating this ancient Indian tradition.

     

    o   ZEE Americas and ZLiving will be engaging with audiences through their popular shows like Rock Your Yoga, Yoga Sutra Now with Jai Sugrim, Yogapalooza, Yogi Cameron: A Model Guru and Yoga for Life. 

     

    o   ZEE UK & Europe is dedicating an entire week to promote Yoga and will bring in various Yoga experts on its live TV show, Zee Companion to demonstrate the practice, interact with viewers and answer their queries about Yoga. ZEE UK & Europe will also be participating in the UK’s biggest International Yoga Day event which is being held at the Alexandra Palace.

     

    o   Additionally, Zee TV Russia has partnered with the yoga centre ‘Organic People’ to arrange a mass celebration for yoga lovers under the guidance of famous Russian yoga guru Rauf Asadov which will be aired live on Zee TV Russia’s website.

     

    o   In the Asia-Pacific region, ZEEL’s channels will air a special AV on Yoga, hold various contests for viewers and also broadcast the International Yoga Day events being held in major cities in Thailand, Australia and China.

     

    o   Zee TV Africa has partnered with the Consulate General of India in Durban and High Commissioner of India in Johannesburg on a range of activities in support and celebration of International Yoga Day including an on-air awareness campaign and eighteen on-ground events across various regions of South Africa.

     

    o   ZEEL channels in the MENAP region are also creating awareness about Yoga and its benefits by running an on-air and social media campaign.

     

    ·         Zee Digital Convergence will extend support to the different channels and amplify their yoga-based content in the digital space. Furthermore, ZEEL’s OTT platform, DittoTV, will highlight special live yoga features run by different news channels, yoga shows and videos from ZLiving and a brand new show-‘Yoga for Life’.

     

    ·         The various channels of Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) are also enthusiastically participating in the International Yoga Day celebrations.

     

    o   Zee News is celebrating International Yoga Day through special programming, ‘Yoga Living’ which features demonstrations by renowned yoga gurus, yoga documentaries, bytes from famous celebrities like director Mohit Suri, wrestler Sushil Kumar and actress Shilpa Shetty, and yoga advice and tips.

     

    o   Zee Business is inviting business honchos, entrepreneurs, politicians and yoga experts to be a part of their special Yoga show. Prominent personalities who will be sharing their Yoga advice and recommendations include Jayant Sinha, MoS Finance, Government of India, Anand Rathi – Founder & Chairman, Anand Rathi Financial Services Ltd., Amish Tripathi, Author of The Shiva Trilogy and Bharat Thakur, the famous Yoga Guru.

     

    o   On Zee 24 Taas, a campaign named as ‘Zee 24 Taas Yog Abhiyan’ is being run to promote the practice of Yoga in daily life. News stories featuring Yoga experts highlighting the importance of Yoga in today’s time is being showcased along with celebrity wishes for the campaign. On-ground, students from more than 100 schools from Vidarbha, Marathwada, Western Maharashtra, Konkan and Khandesh will take the pledge that they will practice Yoga everyday, which will help them build their bodies and minds in a positive way, thus building a healthier society. Also, as a part of this initiative, lakhs of students from various schools will voluntarily perform different asanas of Yoga at the same time across the cities and villages of Maharashtra.

     

    o   In Rajasthan, Zee Marudhara is highlighting the State Govt.’s initiatives on Yoga including the Live coverage of the state’s IYD function in which Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje will be participating. The channel is also running regular stories on ‘How yoga can be beneficial in our day to day Life’ and broadcasting a series of chat shows with Yoga Experts, Teachers, Ministers, etc. on the importance of Yoga and its benefits.

     

    o   Zee Sangam has done a series of shows with yoga gurus who have spoken on its importance and also demonstrated various ‘asanas’. Case studies on individuals who have benefited from yoga are also being aired on the channel.

     

    o   Zee Punjab Haryana Himachal will broadcast the live coverage of the IYD functions across the major cities as well as discussion programmes on Yoga, ZLiving yoga tips and content integration in major bulletins.

     

    ·         To educate students about the importance of Yoga, the educational division of the Group, Zee Learn Limited will be organizing lectures, demonstrations, Yoga shivirs and sessions across its various schools and institutes – Kidzee, Mount Litera Zee School, ZICA, ZIMA as well as at Himgiri Zee University.