ITV

Tag: flagship channel

  • Aaj Tak preparing for a makeover

    Aaj Tak preparing for a makeover

    NEW DELHI: After having caught the fancy of the middle class and set new trends in news watching, arguably countries subse tez channel, Aaj Tak, is now preparing for a makeover. Reason: target newer set of viewers and become classy.

    According to sources in the Aroon Purie-controlled TV Today Network, the parent organisation for Aaj Tak and English sibling Headlines Today, preparations are underway to give the Hindi news channel a new look, which would include programming and on-air changes.Though a date hasn’t been fixed yet for the changes to be effected, but the sources indicated it’s likely to happen some time in September.

    What are the changes that are being contemplated in Aaj Tak? Details are being closely guarded, but news bytes filtering out of the organisation indicate that news anchors, presenters, reporters and programming line-up would all undergo changes to present a more upmarket look and feel.

    Without taking names, the sources hinted that Aaj Tak’s brand positioning (unlike that of, say, NDTV India) has been that it is a product for the masses and which has yielded tremendous dividend. But it is now increasingly felt that the time has come to even tap the `class’, apart from the mass.

    Keeping this basic theory in mind, the changes are being planned, which may also include getting some hipper-looking news anchors on to the channel and that may herald the arrival of new faces and also return of some more old guards.

    Meanwhile, Aaj Tak is also exploring furthering its ties with Sony Entertainment TV’s flagship channel, Sony, for marketing alliances, which would include cross-promotions on some popular programmes on both the channels.

    For example, Aaj Tak’s health programme, Subse Fit, has featured some artistes from Sony’s popular soap Saakshi and, in return, Aaj Tak’s pop-ups have appeared during the airing of Saakshi.

    Now, Aaj Tak is looking at ways how such initiatives could be taken forward that may entail weaving in references to Subse Fit on Aaj Tak in the storyline of other Sony serials like Jassi or Aayushman.

    It’s action time at Aaj Tak because only the subse fit would corner viewership and advertising revenue, even though NDTV India has been constantly snapping at Aaj Tak’s heels.

  • Motilal Oswal report says CAS unlikely to impact Zee Telefilms till 3FY04

    Motilal Oswal report says CAS unlikely to impact Zee Telefilms till 3FY04

    MUMBAI:The Motilal Oswal Inquire Indian Equity Research (MOSt Inquire) report dated 20 December 2002 has stated that CAS is unlikely to have any financial impact on Zee Telefilms before 3QFY04 as the first phase would only get completed by December 2003.

    Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Motilal Oswal Securities’ Subhabrata Majumder elaborated, “The passage of CAS in the Rajya Sabha will ensure that the longer term impact would be favorable to Zee Telefilms. We have maintained our FY04 estimates and Buy recommendation.”
    The reasons, Motilal Oswal gives for not changing its position on the Zee stock include: 

    Ø Zee’s higher rural bias compared to competitors protects it from any adverse impact on advertising revenues due to possibly low set top box penetration in the metros.
    Ø It is possible that the set top box penetration might show a substantial increase and surprise the sceptics.

    Ø Broadcasters could float a mass general entertainment free-to-air channel to enhance their advertising revenues and to give viewers a laddering option to graduate to their respective pay offerings. (Zee may actually take this route by having a free to air, second run programming channel.)

    Ø Zee is a broadbased player with the viewership of its flagship channel, Zee TV having a higher rural bias than its competitors. The regional language Alpha channels also give it a broader revenue base from the non-metro cities and towns. Therefore, for Zee, the implied share of advertising revenues from the metros would not be more than 20 percent.
    In the longer term, with improving penetration of set top boxes, Zee could derive higher pay revenue grow the post-CAS. We maintain our advertising and pay revenue estimates for FY04, till the time the final guidelines are out and reiterate our Buy recommendation.