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Tag: Fox International Channels

  • Nat Geo kicks off the Football Fever!

    Nat Geo kicks off the Football Fever!

    MUMBAI: Gearing up for FIFA World Cup 2014, National Geographic Channel brings the best of the sport through a slew of special shows starting Friday, June 13th. The shows will deliver the most exciting possible combination of facts and fun from the world and history of Football.

    The first series- My Beautiful Game premiers on Friday 13thJune, 2014 at 9pm IST and will air every following Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9pm. The brand new series brings together the best of the beautiful game including the top goals, most talented players, the best saves, the best stadiums and the worst own goals. Featured in the series are the most popular faces from the world of football and entertainment, from David Beckham to Robert Di Matteo to Glee star Mathew Morrison. The series will be followed by a documentary capturing Football’s best moments in the 80s and a reclusive peek into the factory of world’s most popular game- EA Sports FIFA on a special episode of Megafactories.

    Debarpita Banerjee, Vice President, Marketing and Communication, NGC Networks and FOX International Channels, said, “With the onset of Football season, this is the time to celebrate the world’s most beautiful game. At Nat Geo, we want to give that extra kick to the football fanatics in the country by bringing to them the best of football and everything that surrounds the sport. Right from the biggest players to the craziest moments in the history of Football, these special features will ensure the football freaks get enough and more of their favorite game this season.”

    Nat Geo Football Fever kicks off with My Beautiful Game premiering on Friday, June 13th, at 9 pm on National Geographic Channel.

  • NGC set on a photography sojourn with Cover Shot 2

    NGC set on a photography sojourn with Cover Shot 2

    MUMBAI: “Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution.” –Ansel Adams

     

    Adams, who is popular for his heart-touching photography the world over, in these two lines, has best described the art of photography – the perception of which can change from individual to individual and only those with a keen interest and passion can bring out the best in the art.

     

    While there are numerous talent shows on music and dance, one on photography is something really rare. One such show is National Geographic Channel’s Mission Cover Shot produced by Colosceum Media that won many accolades from the industry when its first edition was telecast last year. Set to enter its second season, the show has become bigger and better.

     

    While last year, with eight contestants passionate for photography, it covered the beautiful locales of Sri Lanka, this time the team wanted to tap a picturesque, unexplored local region. A place that is visually captivating, extremely rich in cultural diversities, extends a strong streak of adventure through its diverse terrains and naturally enhances the competitive quotient in the show by all that it has to offer to the aspiring photographers. And thus the team zeroed in on the North East.

     

    “While selecting the location for Cover Shot, one needs to understand, that it is almost like selecting a canvas. The venue practically sets the tone and context of the entire season, let alone the actual photographs. Hence it is but natural that the travel destination gets showcased in all its glory. Sri Lanka worked spectacularly for us, and so will north east,” says National Geographic and FOX International Channels VP Marketing, Debarpita Banerjee.

     

    Besides the new location, there’s not much change in the format of the show. Banerjee says, “Since the show had done well for us in the first season, the format broadly remains the same. However, this year, the competition between the contestants is way tougher and each one has a strategy to get the perfect shot. As a result of this competitive spirit, the show will have interesting snacky fodder for all reality television addicts and hence, will appeal to viewers beyond the infotainment genre.”

     

    While in the first edition, filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor and award winning American photographer Ami Vitale judged the eight contestants, this year the judges include Rajiv Laxman and photographer Lana Šlezic. The number of contestants has also gone up to 10 this time.

     

    Rajiv says that the most fascinating part of the show is shooting it. “To get the frontal view of the contestants, my camera people had to be in front. At the same time whatever the contestants were shooting also needed to be captured and thus it was an interesting as well as challenging process,” says Rajiv, who thinks that the show is a good platform for people who are interested in photography as once getting the exposure on the show and with guidance from international photographers the skills improve.

     

    The first edition of the show was extremely successful. However, it wasn’t easy to convince people to come on board, be it the advertisers or the judges. “Explaining a new concept, without mainline celebrities, is always tough. But three things worked very well for Cover Shot – the fact that it is youthful, the fact that it is based on the very popular obsession called photography and the fact that it is in a reality format. Which is why, lots of brands that find relevance in the above three came on board. This year too we are expecting many such associations,” says Banerjee, also talking about the three sponsors on board last year – HTC as presenting sponsor who was also given in-show mileage; Aircel as the powered by sponsor and Cinnamon hotels as the associate sponsor.

     

    “We are expecting a good response from the advertisers this season as well, since the first one did really well, earning us the most commended reality TV show at the Asian television awards 2013. We have already pitched it to more than 10 brands for association and will soon have them on board,” she adds.

     

    Unlike the last season when Cinnamon hotels became the hospitality partner, this time there are none. However, the team says that they got immense support from The Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region, North-East India.

     

    The focus of this year’s campaign is very contestant-driven and highlights the promise of whatever it takes to get that perfect shot to get to the cover page of Nat Geo Traveller. NGC’s in-house On-Air Promo team has aptly designed the promos keeping this premise in mind. Hence, one could look forward to a campaign that will exude stylish, contemporary, grungy, aggressive, adventurous and reality-led communication.

     

    Since the show is about breathtaking photography, photo exhibition is one of the most important promotional strategies. Other strategies include making the brand a part of the show by showing usage of the product in show. “Something that we did with HTC on Mission Cover Shot by making use of the phone as part of a task and since some stake-holders these days are wanting to do more and more on the digital space, we have different associations for them on our FB page along with other online strategies,” says Banerjee.

     

    Nat Geo Covershot: Mission North East will be launching on 11 April, Friday at 10 pm, which the channel says is one of its strongest slot. The winning shot will still be featured on the cover page of Nat Geo Traveller.

  • Arshad Warsi comes on board with Nat Geo as the face of ‘brain games’ in India

    Arshad Warsi comes on board with Nat Geo as the face of ‘brain games’ in India

    MUMBAI: What happens when you pit the funniest man in India, against the biggest trickster known to mankind? Fireworks and crackling chemistry, of course! And that’s exactly what was witnessed in the battle of wits between Arshad Warsi and Brian – the ‘Brain’ mascot, when Arshad came on board the Nat Geo journey,  as the face of the channel’s latest snacky, infotainment series, ‘Brain Games’, premiering on March 3, 2014.

    With the launch of ‘Brain Games’, Nat Geo is furthering its endeavor to deliver intelligent content in an interactive & witty manner, thus providing ideal food for the brain. ‘Brain Games’ uses an intricate string of mind-boggling experiments, optical illusions, brainteasers and hard science, to size up the ever-fascinating human brain. And when there’s a Nat Geo launch in the offing, how can one expect anything short of ‘out-of-the-box’? To drive home the messaging of the show in a more visual, interactive manner, the channel has introduced a mascot called Brian – the ‘Brain’, an actual 2-meter tall brain with limbs.

    So when actor and comedian extraordinaire Arshad Warsi jumped aboard, for this exciting ride with Nat Geo, the most obvious way to introduce him to Brian, was by testing his inimitable comedic timing against Brian’s wit.

    Commenting on his association with ‘Brain Games’, Arshad Warsi said, “This was a fantastic opportunity – to be part of a show on Nat Geo which literally challenges our perceptions and knowledge of supposedly the most intelligent organ of our body – the brain. Combining hard science with intelligent humor in an extremely fun way, the show is sure to make you think twice before trusting your brain blindly. Shooting for the campaign was a crazy, fun ride in itself – I’ve never spent so much time with a 2 meter tall brain with limbs – ‘Brian’ and tested my own brain against his, the difference obviously being the size!”

    Talking about the show and Arshad, Debarpita Banerjee, VP, Marketing, National Geographic and FOX International Channels, said, “‘Brain Games’ is the sort of show that epitomizes the core philosophy of Nat Geo – entertaining programs for smart people. And to have a personality such as that of Arshad’s associated with the show, makes it even more dynamic and exciting for us. Arshad embodies the key traits of ‘Brain Games’, while additionally assuming the role of the ‘ultimate opponent’ to Brian – the ‘Brain’!”

    Premiering on 3rd March at 9 PM, ‘Brain Games’  will be delving into topics like focus, fear, persuasion, decision-making and neural fitness, to turn your mind’s eye inwards for a profoundly entertaining and revealing journey into the three and a half pounds of tissue that makes you…you!

     

  • Unlock desire with Supercars season-3

    Unlock desire with Supercars season-3

    MUMBAI: Get ready to drool over the most envied cars as Supercars season three kicks off tonight at 10 pm. The show will be aired every Monday-Friday at National Geographic channel.

     

    Nat Geo’s Supercars is a series, based on the world’s most gorgeous and lust-worthy machines that are aesthetically stunning and boast of sheer engineering genius. In an all new season, the show will give viewers exclusive access into the awe-inspiring world of the most envied cars from the Aston Martin to the Ferrari FF, and what goes into making these marvels tick.

     

    For the first time ever, Supercars will also feature special episodes from Speedmakers – a series that takes a look at what happens off the track and roads, with people who build, innovate and accomplish feats in engineering.

     

    Commenting on the series, motorsport and moto-tech enthusiast, and face of the campaign, John Abraham said, “The way I see it, a supercar can be defined as this contraption consisting of wheels and metal, carved as if by the ‘Hand of God’, to inspire at least one out of the seven cardinal sins: envy! The head-rush that you experience when you get behind the wheel of a powerful machine, the revving of the engine, the surge in speed – it’s almost a spiritual experience for me. And with the third season of the show, the channel has ensured that despite all the restraint that you might impose on yourself, Supercars will have you drooling on these beauties of the 4-wheeled variety. I am thrilled to be associated with the show.”

     

    National Geographic and FOX International Channels vice-president, marketing Debarpita Banerjee asserted, “From the word go, the popularity of Supercars has been palpable. There is a reason why we strive to bring a new season of Supercars each year. Apart from the fact that every episode brilliantly showcases the manufacturing details of these engineering marvels, it is also a great opportunity that we offer our advertisers to associate with the world’s most classy and exclusive line-up of machines, ranging from the Maserati to the Lamborghini Aventador.”

  • Nat Geo airs docu on air traffic controllers

    Nat Geo airs docu on air traffic controllers

    MUMBAI: Ever wondered about the ease with which we travel by air, without the added concern of traffic or safety? Ever wondered how some of the busiest airports in the world bid farewell and simultaneously welcome thousands of people in the same breath? Ever spared a thought for the person responsible for the safety of millions? Well there’s more to the mere thoughts than meets the eye. National Geographic Channel (NGC) takes its viewers on an eye-opening journey into the world of Air Traffic Control with its half-an-hour special show titled Inside ATC that premieres on 10 November at 6:00 pm.

     

    National Geographic and FOX International Channels VP marketing Debarpita Banerjee said: “With each of our shows, we try to get our viewer to reflect on the world around them with a fresh perspective – a perspective that challenges them to think more, know more, engage more. With Inside ATC, the viewer gets a never-seen-before insider’s access to the hectic world of Air Traffic Control. With this half-an-hour special, our viewers would catch a glimpse of the time and effort that goes into guaranteeing the safety of all those who are air-bound.”

     

    Known for its innovative content and programming that inspires viewers to broaden their imagination and think out of the box, NGC, in association with the Airport Authority of India, gives viewers yet another riveting show that captures the world of Air Traffic Control in India. The half-an-hour special coverage tells the story of a dedicated team of controllers, stationed at 80 control towers across India, with a single agenda on their mind – avoiding mishaps at any given point of time, be it in air or on the ground.

     

    AAI chairman V P Agrawal said: “The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is entrusted with the responsibility of creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure, both on the ground and air space in the country. With Inside ATC, we are glad to provide viewers a close look at the functioning of the ATC; and showcase the dedication and precision with which these controllers function. AAI is proud to be associated with the country’s leading infotainment channel – National Geographic Channel – to develop and present this special show.”

  • Gourmet superstars coming to Fox Traveller

    Gourmet superstars coming to Fox Traveller

    MUMBAI: Travel and Lifestyle channel is launching a latest international show- The Taste.

    Fox Traveller is teaming, for the first-time ever, with internationally acclaimed culinary geniuses – Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Brian Malarkey and Ludo Lefebvre who will get down to what truly matters, the way the food tastes!

    The show will feature the chefs who will in return select 16 contestants – both amateur and professional cooks – by tasting just one spoonful of their food while they are blindfold. The judges then mentor their team of four contestants, but the blind tasting continues, meaning a judge may unwittingly vote off their own team member.

    Elaborating on FOX Traveller’s decision to bring ‘The Taste’ to India, Fox International Channels vice president marketing Debarpita Banerjee said, “We continue to introduce different twists and perspectives to travel, food and lifestyle. With this show, we are confident of breathing a fresh lease of life into the way cooking reality shows are seen, in our country.”

    The Taste will air every Friday at 9:00 pm starting 18 October 2013 only on Fox Traveller.

  • Hathway’s HD rush; launches Fox International Channels in Bengaluru

    Hathway’s HD rush; launches Fox International Channels in Bengaluru

    MUMBAI: It‘s getting hot on HD. One of India‘s leading MSOs Hathway Cable & Datacom is looking at taking its HD subscriber base to 200,000 in a year‘s time and has just signed a deal to roll out Fox International Channels (FIC) HD channels into its HD packages.

    The service provider has currently launched the FIC channel HD bouquet only in Bangalore initially but will be extended to Hyderabad soon and then to the rest of the country by end of the year.

    Hathway currently caters to a modest HD subscriber base of approximately 25,000 nationwide (out of which most number of subscribers reside in metros).

    Says Hathway CEO Jagdeesh Kumar: “We have currently launched the HD zapper box only in Bengaluru because we are using the city as a test case to gauge response. But we will soon unveil the DVR box as well in the next six to eight months.”

    The HD service costs Rs 4,500 and comes with a set top box (STB) with a package of 20 HD channels that excludes the recently acquired Fox International Channel (The set includes: National Geographic Channel (NGC), FOX Traveller, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Adventure, Nat Geo Music and Baby TV in HD.)

    “We have plans to carry 35 HD channels,” adds Kumar. “We aim to get in a bulk of the DTH subscribed audience back to cable in time to come, and we are confident of doing so as we have more bandwidth at our disposal hence giving a better picture to our subscribers. We can deliver consistent and better quality pictures and our viewers would not have to worry about interruptions in signals during torrential rains.”

    For Bengaluru, Kumar is pushing a promotional campaign to sign up HD subscribers early. Says he, “We are trying to keep very competitive prices and offer a good discount for early bookings. We are confident that with our superior quality and better clarity, we would be able to deliver the best for our viewers.”

    All the content available with FIC is being shot in HD and Ultra HD and the channel currently has close to 100 hours of content to showcase. The group banks on its prime property NGC, being the oldest channel in the cluster, to get in the viewers and to build a loyal fan base.

    “We are delighted to partner with Hathway in offering a better viewing experience to our audience; our channels would be available in enhanced picture quality across Hathway‘s extensive network,” says NGC Network India and Fox International Channels MD Keertan Adyanthaya. “We are currently looking at activation plans and thus do not have many advertisers on board to boast of, but we are sure that once we start getting an audience, the advertisers will follow.”

  • Fic secures pay-TV rights to ‘Iron Man 3’ in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia

    Fic secures pay-TV rights to ‘Iron Man 3’ in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia

    MUMBAI: Fox International Channels (Fic) has secured the exclusive pay-TV rights in Hong Kong and south east Asia for Marvel Studio‘s film ‘Iron Man 3‘. The film will be broadcast on Fox Movies Premium. The third film in the superhero franchise is expected to be a summer blockbuster.

    ‘Iron Man 3‘ recorded the highest opening weekend ever across most markets in south east Asia, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, even eclipsing ‘The Avengers‘, which itself was one of the most successful film releases of recent years. In the US, ‘Iron Man 3‘ grossed a reported $175.3 million, making it the second biggest domestic opening ever, behind only The Avengers.

    The film is part of Fox Movies Premium‘s line-up of blockbuster movies.

    ‘Iron Man 3‘ will also be available on Fox Movies Play, the channel‘s authenticated online catch-up service to complement the linear experience. Fox Movies Play is available to Fox Movies Premium channel subscribers at no additional cost and features content, including movies, series, live events and documentaries.

  • ‘For strong ROI in India’s TV biz, price controls must go’ : Fox International Channels president & CEO Hernan Lopez

    ‘For strong ROI in India’s TV biz, price controls must go’ : Fox International Channels president & CEO Hernan Lopez

    Price controls are limiting the revenue growth for broadcasters in India as they earn net income of $700 million from subscription after paying out carriage fees of $400 million. Investments in programming are muted and, as a result, India is not able to export television formats and finished content while software, music and animation is travelling overseas.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, Fox International channels president, CEO Hernan Lopex says price controls have to go if the industry is to see strong ROI. He also talks about the company‘s growth plans worldwide.

     

    Excerpts:

    Q. Do you see India‘s television broadcasting industry growing at the right pace?
    Broadcasters in India earn net income of $700 million from subscription after paying out carriage fees of $400 million. This is holding back investments in programming. India, as a result, is not able to export television formats and finished content while software, music and animation is travelling overseas. If the industry is to see strong ROI which would encourage greater investments in programming, then price controls must go.

    Q. What you are suggesting is that pay-revenues should scale up. What is the ideal revenue mix between subscription and advertising revenues?
    It should be in equal ratio, which is what it is in the US. But in India it is heavily skewed towards advertising. Broadcasters generate $2.6 billion a year in advertising. Subscription income is dismally low in comparison.

     

    Relative to the size of the Indian economy as measured by GDP, this is only 0.04 per cent, and this ratio keeps declining. By contrast, in Colombia, a country with 1/25th of the population, broadcasters get over $200 million in subscriber fees. That is equivalent to 0.07 per cent of the GDP in Colombia, and that ratio keeps rising – partially due to the efforts that Colombia is doing to fight content theft and subscriber under-declaration.

    Q. So India should learn from Colombia and allow its content industry to flourish?
    Price controls lead to creative shackles. At Fox we buy formats and content from different markets, but India is not there. This is surely not due to lack of talent, ambition and vision.

     

    In Colombia a TV episode costs $150,000 compared to India where an episode costs around $20,000. The turnaround there was the emphasis on creating a dual revenue stream. New channels were launched for underserved audiences. Consumers also wanted content in Spanish and Portugese.

     

    That is because Colombia has a strong system of TV production, has great writers, animators, actors and the country also fights strongly against piracy. In India under declaration, along with controls, means that the broadcasters are getting squeezed.

     

    Q. But ARPUs (average revenue per subscriber) are low in India. How do you make consumers pay more for quality content?
    When consumers see that spending more money results in better content, then they will be happy to pay more. In some markets, initially consumers thought that cable and satellite services were not worth paying for. But as more options were added, they realised that they were getting value. I am looking forward to a time when my children, when searching for content, find choices that come out of India. I am keen on buying Indian formats that can be shown elsewhere.
    ‘We have seen double-digit growth year-on-year. We run a profitable business in India that is based on strong fundamentals with dual revenue streams of affiliate and advertising‘

    Q. So you are not happy with FIC‘s growth in India?
    We have seen double-digit growth year-on-year. We run a profitable business that is based on strong fundamentals with dual revenue streams of affiliate and advertising, which are both showing a steady upward trend. Currently, we have six of our channels in the Documentary and Lifestyle space in India.

    Q. As a market how is India different from the rest of Asia in terms of challenges and opportunities?
    We run our channels in over 100 countries around the globe. While there are big similarities across markets, each has some of its own peculiarities and challenges. I think that the challenge of scarce bandwidth for channels coupled with price control and carriage fees put a limit on the revenue potential. However, India is a land of huge opportunity and with mandatory digitisation in the Metros slated to kick off in 2012, we believe that a very bright future is ahead.

    Q. With digitisation set to take off in India, do you see the carriage fee structure being rationalised based on the experience in other markets or will disputes happen with big operators like what happened in the US with Comcast?
    We believe that digitisation will help all the stakeholders in the business to realise the true value – Last Mile Operators, MSOs and broadcasters.

     

    There will be teething issues like in any new technology, but market forces will aid the stakeholders in arriving at an understanding.

    Q. News Corp restructured the Fox Networks Group last year. What was the aim and how did this impact Fox International Channels?
    The goal was to foster stronger cooperation between various units. As a result, Fox International Channels has strengthened its ties with the US networks in entertainment, factual and sports.

    Q. Aren‘t you looking at doubling operating profit and reaching $1 billion by 2015? 
    The gameplan is very simple: to continue to deliver to platforms, advertisers and viewers a portfolio of must-have brands.

     

    This is what we call “brands with fans” – and get a fair share of wallet for it. In order to do that, we are investing more in content (both global and local), marketing and our teams.

    Q. How much revenue does Fox International Channels contribute to News Corp’s TV business and what growth has been experienced year on year?
    In FY‘11, we made a little over $1.5 billion in revenues and we‘re growing at double-digit rates.

    Q. How do you split up the global market into regions and which are your three biggest markets globally?
    We run Latin America and US Hispanic; Italy and Germany; the rest of Europe and Africa; and the Asia/Pacific/Middle East. We don‘t disclose the ranking at the country level.

    Q. Globally what is the split between subscription and ad sales and which area do you see growing faster?
    About two-third of our revenues come from subscription, with the balance coming from advertising, syndication, and other fees. We strive to make all revenue sources grow at the same rate.

    Q. Pay TV you have said is turning from a “nice to have” to “must have” service. How is this changing the dynamics of your business?
    Whereas in the past we programmed primarily shows produced in the US, we are now broadening the scope of our lineup. The aim is to include more local shows, as well as different genres.

    Q. What challenges is the current economic slowdown posing?
    In a handful of cycles we‘ve seen ad revenues decline, but overall our profits continue to increase.

    Q. Has Fox International Channels done recent research to find out what consumers globally want and how they view your brands?
    We are indeed finalising a brand audit in 10 countries as we speak.

    Q. Digitisation globally is allowing FIC to have more specialised offerings in genres like Crime. How has their offtake been?
    Very positive! Fox Crime, for instance, is the number one channel in Italy, surpassing even Fox.

    Q. Are there any genres that are currently underserved globally? If so, how do you plan to service them?
    Our portfolio globally includes entertainment, sports, factual and lifestyle – we‘re quite content with it.

    Q. What role does sports play in your portfolio as it is a challenge to control costs given the intense competition for rights?
    Sports is the ultimate must-have content. But because of it, there is intense competition for rights.

     

    We simply must be disciplined in our approach, but we have the benefit of a wide portfolio of channels – includingentertainment channels – that can both contribute to and benefit from having sports in the portfolio.

    Q. Globally, how has FIC expanded?
    These are exciting times! We now have 1.1 billion cumulative subscribers, and have a presence in 57 offices. I have been to 40 of them.

     

    We have added Fox Sports to our portfolio in Latin America, and continue to increase ratings at the National Geographic Channels. And yet there is still so much more to be done.

    Q. How difficult is China due to government regulation?
    We have a small but profitable business in China.

    Q. New media is growing globally. Are you launching channels for the mobile and Internet?
    We are launching mobile extensions of our TV brands, like the Fox Movies Premium Player in Asia.

    Q. How is Fox International Channels leveraging high definition?
    My goal is to launch nearly every TV channel from now on simultaneously on HD and SD.
  • Fox International Network ropes in Grey as its creative partner for India

    Fox International Network ropes in Grey as its creative partner for India

    MUMBAI: Fox International Channels (FIC) has roped in Grey Worldwide as the creative partner for its business in India.

    TapRoot India, the network‘s creative partner in key Asian markets, will continue to provide strategic and creative expertise to the Fox Network channels at Asia level.

    In February 2011, Fox International Network had announced that it is looking for an additional creative partner in India, as a result of an active expansion spell, with seven new channels added to its Indian basket.

    Says Fox International Channels vice-president marketing Debarpita Banerjee, “We are pleased to announce the appointment of Grey Worldwide as our new creative partner and look forward to working with them. We are sure that they will be able to keep pace with our growth targets and usher in innovative and refreshing brand solutions.”

    Grey COO Jishnu Sen added, “We are really excited to be chosen as the agency for the National Geographic Network. Its an iconic brand that gives fabulous opportunity to do superb work. Having this brand as a part of our stable huge testament to Grey. We are looking forward to terrific times and a long successful partnership.”