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  • ‘We are looking at localising further’ : Sunder Aaron – Pix business head

    ‘We are looking at localising further’ : Sunder Aaron – Pix business head

    Pix is lapping up new movies to shed its image of being an English movie channel that showcases only classic films. Its most prize catch: Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire.

     

    The channel from the Multi Screen Media stable, which is up against stalwarts like HBO and Star Movies, has been able to draw in a slightly younger audience base while having a wider age appeal.

     

    Pix has also been flirting with sports properties to bring more sampling into the channel. It has been showcasing the FA Cup to grow its reach while trying to connect with brands to be constantly visible in the viewer’s eye.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto, Pix business head Sunder Aaron talks about the channel’s focus in content acquisition and its growth plans.

     

    Excerpts:

    How would you describe the progress that Pix has made since launching three years back?
    We have evolved over time in terms of the schedule. In the beginning, we had mainly library films. Today while library films are shown, we air current films as well. While we are not the number one English movie channel at this stage, we are in the top three.

    How is the channel perceived in the market?
    We frequently do dipsticks and studies from time to time to find out what is the perception of the channel. Data shows that we are skewed towards a younger audience. When we launched, we were viewed by an older TG 25+. Today, our TG is 18-44 years.

     

    Earlier, the perception was that Pix shows all classic movies. That has changed with us bringing in current films like Honeydripper, I’m Not There and Slumdog Millionaire.

    Pix has focussed on building up a current crop of films this year. What strategy has been followed in this regard?
    We focussed on bringing in current films without losing the premise of showing very good films. We have to remember that just because a film is new, it doesn’t necessarily make it good. Acquiring new films has helped boost our reach and increase sampling.

     

    Slumdog Millionaire is our biggest acquisition and this airs on 27 June. This kind of acquisition sends a positive signal to the market. We will also air a film called Push.

    Is variety a factor in acquiring titles?
    While variety is important, we find that the action and thriller genres fare the best. We buy from independent producers and distributors; we also source some content from the studios. Studios are already selling to HBO and Star Movies. While this is a handicap, we are able to find other suppliers and also do studio deals. This year we acquired films from NDTV, PVR, MGM, Icon, Pathe, SPTI and AMG.

     

    Our first and foremost aim is to find films that have good stories. We also focus on getting films with recognisable stars. Our aim is to improve the ratio of current films that we air.

    In terms of pricing, what is the scene as far as English films are concerned?
    With the economic slowdown, the entire industry has had to change their budgets. We are a smaller and specialised category. While pricing has not changed much, suppliers abroad are closing deals at lower prices just because they understand that channels might not be as successful as they once were due to the current economic situation.
    ‘Acquiring new films has helped boost our reach. Slumdog Millionaire is our biggest acquisition. This kind of acquisition sends a positive signal to the market‘

    Has Pix been able to improve its viewership performance during the last six months?
    We are looking to solidify our primetime slots as well as the afternoon bands over the weekend.

     

    During the IPL we adjusted our schedule so that we could catch the audience after they finished watching a match. This has done well for us. In some weeks, we could catch up with HBO and even beat Star Movies in Kolkata or Mumbai. But we need to be more consistent.

    Are you refreshing the look and feel of the channel?
    We are looking at refreshing the look of the channel. We want it to remain fresh and contemporary. We are encouraged at the response Sony Entertainment Television has received after its repackaging.

    Did the blackout of Bollywood films on multiplexes boost viewership of the English movie channels?
    No! While viewers would have been at home, there are several viewing options. DVD sales went up.

    What programming innovations is Pix coming up with?
    We are looking at localising further. We are examining two to three concepts that can further build our equity. We have had success with ‘Chicks on Flicks.’ Unfortunately, as not many films were released during the producers’ strike, viewership took a dip. Now that it is over, the ratings should pick up.

    What feedback have you received for the film review show Chicks on Flicks?
    It has done well. In a lot of instances, the two hosts have not agreed with their assessment of a film. It is completely non scripted. The girls attend press screenings. They have a passion for cinema which is key in making the show work. We engage viewers by giving them references of the clips that the reviewers are talking about. Now our hosts are permanent invitees of studios who release films in India.

    Has Pix introduced thematic blocks to woo different audience segments?
    While we have festivals, it does not pay off to have too many blocks. Then there is an inventory problem. If every Tuesday, for instance, you have a block dedicated to action, then you need to have enough movies in that genre. You could run out of content after a certain number of weeks and then start to duplicate.

     

    What could also happen is that viewers think that you only have a certain set of films to dip into. The English genre does not have much appointment viewing happening and blocks do not help in this regard. There is a lot of snacking that takes place.

    So how do you build viewer loyalty?
    Viewer loyalty is a challenge that all of us face, particularly film channels that are title driven. In general, you create an environment that viewers find attractive. Then you frequently deliver films that suit their taste.
    Would you look at dubbing and subtitling to boost reach?
    No! Subtitling can distract the viewer. Many channels put incorrect subtitles illegally. They do not use the official subtitles from the supplier’s side. They may not have taken the permission of the film’s distributor to do this. If you watch some of these channels, you will see that the subtitling has been poorly done.
    Pix started airing soccer last year with the FA Cup. Given the escalating costs of sports rights, to what extent does it make sense for a niche channel to showcase such programming?
    It makes a lot of sense. When you want to grow reach, you need to bring in special events. We have done things like concerts. The good thing about the FA Cup is that it is not soccer every week. It happens on one weekend a month. Then the timings do not disrupt our primetime schedule. Also, the TG is a fit. So we increase sampling for the channel.
    Are you looking at other sports events?
    It has to be special enough to raise our profile. I am not actively going out there looking for sports content. We had aired a boxing bout with Oscar De La Hoya live a few months back.
    Should there be a block for A rated content?
    It would be good if this was to come in. Frankly, it is a question the content code has to take a view on. We will have to see what the CBFC comes up with. Some other Asian markets are more relaxed in terms of what is allowed. Others like Malaysia, though, are stricter.

    What kind of marketing activities does Pix do to create awareness?
    We do campaigns periodically around big properties. We will be pushing Slumdog Millionaire actively. We will have visibility in places like Planet M. We have also tied up with a hotel in Dubai called Atlantis. This will be in the shape of a contest and offers viewers the chance to live the life of a millionaire.

     

    The other strategy is to constantly connect with consumers. One way is to constantly spend a lot of money every month. A better way, though, is to tie up with brands.

     

    We are looking at tying up with restaurants like a Firangi Pani or a Sports Bar. We have a tie up with DNA. We are trying to do something with The Times of India. We are also tying up with out of home screens at McDonald’s and Café Coffee Day where our promos run on a continuous basis. These will be yearly tie ups. We have a promotional deal with VH1. We are looking at one with MTV as well. To succeed we need to constantly be in the consumer’s eye.

    What about tying up with studies to promote theatrical releases?
    This is an area that we are increasing our focus on. This is not restricted to just what Sony Pictures is releasing on the big screen. We recently tied up with Fox for the release of Wolverine where we had clips and interviews. We also do contests around upcoming releases.

     

    The marketing, thus, is not just about films that we show. What we bring to the table when a studio wants visibility for a new theatrical release is much more than what a competing channel can offer.

    How do you see new entrants like MGM affecting the scene?
    The category is growing organically. Homes with television sets are growing by about 10 per cent. New channels are coming in, but the English film genre is about three channels – Star Movies, HBO and Pix. The rest of them are in a sort of jumbled up pecking order. MGM and Warner Bros, for instance, are coming in and spending money to get distributed.

     

    The question is whether they will make the necessary investments to do what it takes to become a leading player. It requires a sustained investment on all fronts – programming, marketing and distribution. I feel WB will really have to step up; their campaigns will have to be sustained across the country and not just in a couple of Metros.

    What about the impact of the economic downturn on the genre?
    Obviously we will have to be savvy with how we spend our marketing dollars and also our programming budget. There is at the same time a flight to quality. While advertisers reduce their budgets, the top channels in each category are the ones that are in demand the most.

     

    In a downturn you do not want to spread the money around too much. You want to go with what you know is safe.

    On the ad sales front do you offer customised solutions in addition to spots?
    We try to be creative at a time when clients want more added value. We have Fiama d’Wills doing a campaign in our 4 pm block on Sundays. We air films that target women in this block. We have also done stuff on the ground with clients.

     

    We recently did a ‘Hollywood Picks Your Brain’ initiative and ITC was a big sponsor. This was done across six metros and one could win prizes like ipods. We are now looking at doing a similar initiative targetted at media outlets.

  • English movie channels will have to battle for reach

    The fight for audience attention in the English movie genre is getting fierce as fresh competition arrived with the launch in February of World Movies from UTV. Market leaders Star Movies and HBO built their strategy on blockbuster content during the first half of the year. Pix carried out localisation initiatives while Zee Studio added more titles to provide “refreshing” content.

    Industry trackers say the genre, pegged at Rs 1.7 billion last year, is expected to grow by 15 per cent this year. New channels will expand the market even as Star Movies and HBO continue to dominate the genre.

    Tam data (C&S15+ six Metros) shows that while Star Movies has a viewership share of 36 per cent during the period 1 January to 30 June 2008, HBO is nipping at its heels with a 33 per cent share.

    The gap was wider for the same period last year. While Star Movies pocketed a 43 per cent share, HBO’s stood at 29 per cent.

    Pix’s share, on the other hand, has stayed steady at 17 per cent while Zee Studio has a share of seven per cent this year. World Movies which launched in February, has a six per cent share.

    Star Movies has 12 films in the top 20 ranking, while HBO has eight of its films in the list. The titles are a mix of action and martial arts films that are easy to relate with like Commando, Rob B Hood, Superman Returns and Enter The Dragon.

    Says Star India VP marketing and communications Prem Kamath, “The highlights of Star Movies’ performance included The X Men trilogy festival. We continued to bring in big properties like Oscars and blockbusters like Last King of Scotland, Night at the Museum, Little Miss Sunshine. The channel also focussed on consolidating its existing brands Friday Night Premiere and Movie of the Month to consistently build big properties and provide a better viewing experience.”

    Star Movies has also added variety to its content. A case in point: VIP Access, which features forthcoming theatrical releases. There are a few other things planned in this area, adds Kamath.

    And what of arch rival HBO? The channel’s mantra of ‘Big, New, Most’ has helped it gain ground. The programming has been a mix of blockbusters like Superman Returns, critically acclaimed films like Munich and original shows like Entourage, the third season of which has just kicked off.

    HBO South Asia country manager Shruti Bajpai says, “What is also important is our focus on entertaining themes. These are conceptualised for the channel every month. They attack different TGs and advertisers.” Some examples of these are HBO Animation Fest, Mad About Diamonds, Fast Cars and Gorgeous Babes, HBO Earth Day.

    Also playing a role are tentpole events. “We did a ‘Hollywood’s Best’ initiative which featured Oscar nominated/winning movies. We also had ‘HBO is Summer’ during May and June, which featured Summer of 60 Nights. Here, a blockbuster movie was shown every night. There are also mini-stunts under this umbrella like ‘Entrapment’, ‘Martial Arts Specialists ‘Codename: SuperKids’ etc. All these have resounded with our target audience,” says Bajpai.

    As part of its expansion strategy, HBO bought out the stakes of the partners in the joint venture in Asia except Paramount. And to have access to the big studios, it continued to maintain exclusive licensing arrangements with Sony, Universal, Warner Bros. and Paramount/ Dreamworks.

    Pix’s boat rocked steady in the ratings game, holding third spot in the English movie genre space. During the year, Pix carried out its local initiative Gateway in association with Ashok Amritraj. This has helped boost the profile and reach of the channel.

    Says Pix business head Sunder Aaron, “We delivered on our promise of being a Hollywood film channel that would localise in some ways. The winner Bejoy Nambiar heads to Los Angeles. He goes through a two-month boot camp under the tutelage of Ashok Amritraj. After that he goes into a project which is already under production.”

    Pix’s content strategy is to stick to its basic tenet of telling great stories. Pix also has slots for different genres like thrillers and dramas.

    Aaron says the late night slot is gaining viewership. Even the Sunday afternoon slot has grown. “Going forward, Pix will focus on strengthening the afternoon band,” Aaron adds.

    The year also saw the launch of World Movies in February. Armed with 650 movies, UTV Entertainment Television COO Dilshad Master says the initial response has been good. “Our research at the time of launch showed that language would not be a barrier for our audience. This has proven to be the case. We have also chosen films correctly. They need to have global appeal and also be contemporary in nature.”

    Targeting Sec A, one of the key slots for the channel is Platinum Collection. The segment focuses on high profile award winning films from around the world, boasting of titles like The Counterfeiters from Austria (the Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film this year), Twilight Samurai from Japan, Zelary from Czech Republic, and Hidden Blade from Japan. It has also got thematic slots for comedies, thrillers, etc.

    The channel will also create a Friday Premiere slot later this month.

    To add variety, World Movies covered the Cannes film festival in-depth with the initiative ‘Cannes Calling.’ It is now looking at doing something around the upcoming Toronto Film Festival. “We will launch our home video division in the coming months. We will also focus on the strategy of releasing films into cinema halls. Having said that, the core of our business will be the television channel,” adds Master. 

    One of the challenges for this genre is to build reach. While distribution in the metros is in place, there is an audience in the smaller cities that is not being tapped sufficiently enough because of availability issues of the channel. “The reach and relevance of English movie channels has to increase,” notes Aaron.

    As the market evolves one can only expect increased competition and fragmentation. Says Kamath, “Each player will not only try to stay ahead of the game, but also maintain an effective cost structure. However the game will always remain to be driven by the titles shown on the channels.”

    Mindshare’s Amin Lakhani agrees with the fact that a lot depends on titles. “Star Movies has held fort while HBO has picked up the pace this year. Both these channels do good stuff around their films. Zee Studio has tried a lot of things like refreshing their line up with more titles. However they have struggled as far as numbers delivery is concerned. The world cinema genre will grow steadily. It is bringing a new experience to the viewers. However it is mainly the elite who will tune in to this due to the subtitles,” opines Lakhani.

    Channels with compelling and consistently ‘winning’ content will continue to flourish while the others will just about manage to survive at the periphery.

    Says Bajpai, “A larger Indian audience than ever before is viewing Hollywood movies and the appetite for such content seems to be increasing. Breaking through the clutter and being able to hold on to the attention of the audience, which is usually short due to the ample choices available, will be a rising phenomena in this category.”

    Rank Channel Film Rating
    1 Star Movies Commando 0.37
    2 Star Movies Rob B Hood 0.29
    3 HBO Enter The Dragon 0.28
    4 Star Movies The Breed 0.27
    5 HBO Mr. Bean’s Holiday 0.27
    6 Star Movies Predator 0.26
    7 Star Movies Night At The Museum 0.26
    8 Star Movies Tremors 0.25
    9 Star Movies Rang De Basanti 0.25
    10 HBO Superman Returns 0.25
    11 Star Movies Winners and Sinners 0.24
    12 Star Movies Pirates of the Carribean 0.24
    13 Star Movies The Mummy Returns 0.24
    14 HBO The Mummy 0.24
    15 HBO Ghost Rider 0.24
    16 HBO Son Of The Mask 0.24
    17 Star Movies Spy Kids 0.22
    18 Star Movies Tom Yum Goong 0.22
    19 HBO King Kong 0.22
    20 HBO The Mask 0.22
    Source: Tam c&s 15+ Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad
  • Rahul Shaw is INX News SVP ad sales

    Rahul Shaw is INX News SVP ad sales

    MUMBAI: Rahul Shaw has joined INX News as senior vice president ad sales. Based in Delhi, he will be reporting directly to INX News COO Vynsley Fernandes.

    In his new post, Shaw will be responsible for driving the revenue function of English news channel NewsX and the other upcoming channels from INX News.

    Shaw was earlier with NDTV Imagine where he was working as senior VP ad sales.

    Commenting on the appointment, Fernandes said: “Rahul has a wide experience of handling advertising sales across several genres in print and television. He has proven expertise of driving revenue growth in start ups as well as building and leading strong sales teams. We are delighted to have him on board.”

    Prior to NDTV Imagine, Shaw was in Star India where he held various roles in the sales function. Shaw also had a stint in Set India, where he was managing revenue for their English language channels.

    Shaw started his career with Bennett, Coleman & Company Ltd. and later moved to Turner International where he handled HBO, Cartoon Network and CNN before joining Set India.

  • English movie channels bank on digitalisation for growth

    English movie channels have seen an almost flat ad revenue growth in 2007. The challenge has also been to innovate programming slots even as viewers have spent less time on these channels. The bright spot, though, is the signs of maturity that the genre is showing. New players like Anil Ambani’s Reliance and NDTV Imagine are also eyeing this space.

    Star Movies is the clear leader in the segment with a share of 47 per cent, according to Tam data (C&S 15+) for 2007. HBO follows with a share of 30 per cent. After that come Pix and Zee Studio with shares of 13 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.

    More interesting, though, is the time spent on English movie channels. Data shows that time spent has fallen with HBO showing the worst dip. Its share has gone down from 4.68 to 3.05 minutes each week. Star Movie’s share has also dropped from 5.9 minutes each week to 4.91 minutes.

    Players attribute the fall partly on the distribution scenario as more channels have jostled for space on clogged cable networks. This has meant higher carriage or placement fees. Then, of course, there is competition from other genres.

    In terms of the top films of the year, HBO’s King Kong with a rating of 0.75 topped the list. Star Movies’ The Mythhad a rating of 0.47. HBO’s Hindi dubbed King Kong took the third spot.

    Facing an intensely competitive environment, it is crucial for players to understand their audiences better. The aim in some cases is to boost the non-primetime area and look at areas like presentation. Differentiation through innovation is also important.

    Keeping all this in mind, Star Movies undertook various initiatives. It revamped the late night movies to cater to the male audience. It also focussed on the Sunday afternoon slot. Films that air are chosen so that the audience enjoys a relaxed weekend. Star VP marketing and communications Prem Kamath adds that the channel also re-looked the evening slots.

    “The aim has been to bring in more family movies. In addition to that we also constantly feature film festivals like our X Men Trilogy during the year end, the Star Wars marathon, 15 nights of Bond to name a few.”

    Kamath attributes the channel’s leadership to the focus on striving for variety without compromising on quality of offerings. So you have a serious film like Crash and blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean 2, X Men 3.

    And what of HBO? The channel’s tagline for the year was Big! New! Most! HBO South Asia country head Shruti Bajpai expresses satisfaction in terms of how the plans were achieved. For this channel too it is a combination of raters like Mission Impossible 3, The Da Vinci Code, Batman Beginsand King Kong and critically acclaimed, path breaking movies like Brokeback Mountain and Syriana.

    A lot of focus went into seeing that different viewer segments were tuning in at different slots. So Midday Matinee every weekday at noon was introduced. Wicked Hour which is every weeknight after the 9 pm movie was also launched. “In addition, HBO also caters to the youth with Whazzup every weeknight at 7 pm, a special family treat for the whole family in Family Sunday, an action packed entertainment package for the guys in “It’s a Guy Thing”.

    HBO also revamped its on air look. The aim was to make the channel brighter and racier. Bajpai goes on to explain that there are new features like an On-air EPG of sorts, which offers the viewers a sneak peek of the upcoming titles in the next few days and a Countdown clock indicating the time left to watch the next film. Bajpai attributes the dip for the genre in part to the fact that more channels are entering other genres.

    “According to me there are only two real players in this genre (Star Movies and HBO) and there will always be a toss up of who is number one and who’s not. This is all a part of the game and we welcome it as it helps us stay on our toes. Ultimately the viewer benefits the most as he/she gets to see the best from the best,” she concludes.

    Still with more players coming in, there are signs that the genre is starting to mature. The feeling in the industry is that English movie viewing for non-blockbuster content is now starting to grow. A case in point is Pix. It launched in April 2006. The channel’s business head Sunder Aaron says that the aim last year has been to get films that push its tagline of telling good stories. For the channel it does not matter when a film is made. The aim was also to differentiate itself through local content. Therefore in association with noted Hollywood producer Ashok Amritraj it started an initiative called Gateway. This gives an aspiring filmmaker the chance to make a movie with Amritraj.

    The shows go on air next month. Aaron notes that the response has been better than the channel expected. “We have had one thousand entries to the competition, and you would be impressed by the quality and variety. We had a similar response to the Pix Short Film Festival. We have got a couple of other initiatives and programmes in development, so we are eager to continue with our strategy at this point, particularly because the Pix viewers are responding well.”

    The channel has more local ideas on the table which it will roll out later this year, he adds.

    Zee Studio did two major innovations last year. One has been subtitling which even some rivals concede was a good move. That is because it builds more comfort with viewers. The other has been to show foreign films. This has been an area that has been ignored for a while by the English film channels. Zee Studio did, among other things, a festival with Palador. Films like the Mike Leigh classic Secrets and Lies as well as Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai aired.

    Ad Revenue stagnates in 2007:

    Data available withIndiantelevision.com shows that ad revenue plateaued for this genre last year. Star Movies made around Rs 770 million compared with Rs 740 million in 2006 and Rs 671 million in 2005.

    HBO followed a similar revenue trend. The channel is estimated to have made around Rs 560 million last year. This was a slight increase over the Rs 557 million made in 2006.

    Like Star Movies, 2006 was a better year for HBO on the ad revenue growth front as it only made Rs 436 million in 2005.

    For Zee Studio ad revenue was Rs 238 million in 2007.

    Pix, on the other hand, made around Rs 60 million in 2007.

    Mediaedge:cia’s Manas Mishra notes that besides Star Movies and HBO, the other two players are starting to find their own level. Since Pix caters to an evolved movie viewer aged 25+ it makes sense for certain brands to consider it. He also opines that Zee Studio has managed to get viewers from outside the core English movie viewing demographic on account of the subtitling. As a result, it can become more diverse in its offerings with foreign language fare.

    Digitisation to boost subscription earnings:

    The key for these players is the spread of digitisation this year. With Bharti and Reliance launching direct-to-home (DTH) platforms this year, English movie channels are expected to get a boost in terms of subscription revenue. A channel like HBO, after all, is purely subscription driven abroad. The hope is that the dependence on ad revenue which is anyway small will decline.

    New players eye the space:

    Digitisation means place for new channels One of them will come from Reliance. UTV and NDTV Imagine are also entering. The focus for the last two is world cinema. NDTV will be doing a World cinema initiative called NDTV Lumiere. This will span not just the launch of a channel but also release films into theatres, home video as well as provide space for on-ground activation. The aim is to bring in a culture of world cinema.

    Just how important subscription revenue will be can be gauged from the fact that NDTV Imagine CEO Sameer Nair says that the focus of NDTV Lumiere is entirely digital and it is not a question of counting TRPs to appease media buying agencies.

    Aaron seconds this view. With the economy growing so rapidly, and the number of cable and digital television (DTH, IPTV, digital cable etc.) households increasing as well, the pie will undoubtedly continue to grow, he says.

    By how much is the question. Positioning will also be key for new entrants. It is not just a case of buying titles and putting them on air; understanding, addressing and attracting English viewership is also important.

    There is also the issue of digital cable penetration. If it spreads across the country, then many channels can come in. In case that doesn’t happen, then carriage fees will stay a big obstacle.

    Pricing issues on addressable platforms also have to be sorted out. Bajpai says that even DTH is still in an “everything for everybody” format and “one pricing system for all channels” kind of model. “Once these things change, the benefit will start becoming more apparent. Broadcasting business, after all, needs to be viable,” she adds.

  • 2nd most significant year in broadcast media history

    2nd most significant year in broadcast media history

    The media space has always been explosive over the past years but this year, in my opinion, has been the second most significant year in the history of media (since the launch of cable TV in the early nineties).

    DTH, though having being launched in 2005/06 really became “noisy” and aggressive this year.

    CAS, though with more than just teething troubles, was finally implemented this year.

    Lastly, one also saw launches or impending launches of channels in the general entertainment space and other important categories and therefore creating more networks other than the 3-4 networks that rule currently. Overall, with the launch of channels, change in the viewership habits and DTH & CAS taking off, the industry has been extremely dynamic.

    Of course, the audience still continues to have limited time now that with a crazy set of choices. Moving forward, this will automatically mean that launching a platform or a channel will be the easiest part of the story. Competing well and sustaining the respective businesses will be the biggest challenge in the coming years. I, for one don’t believe that all new entrants are here for the long term so it will be interesting to see how this space pans out in the next five years and what consolidation of businesses take place.

    With regards to HBO, the channel has been growing year on year and is more than a channel …it is a brand that epitomizes quality Hollywood entertainment. We will continue to offer the best in Hollywood entertainment. However, we too, will need to be mindful of the changing viewing “formats” if you like and the plethora of choices that viewers now have and that will form an important part of our game plan for the next few years.

  • HBO, American Girl in multi-platform deal

    HBO, American Girl in multi-platform deal

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster HBO and American Girl a direct marketer, children’s publisher and experiential retailer, have entered into an overall relationship to develop a variety of multi-platform ventures including theatrical films, series, specials and documentaries.

    The first project to be greenlit by HBO Films will be an American Girl live-action theatrical film based on the popular historical character Kit Kittredge. The film will tell the story of the clever and resourceful Kit Kittredge, a nine-year-old girl growing up in 1934 during America’s Great Depression. HBO Films senior VP Julie Goldstein is the executive in charge of the production, which is scheduled to go into production this summer.

    HBO Films president Colin Callender says, “We are thrilled to be working with Ellen Brothers and the team at American Girl, whose brand has become an extraordinary phenomenon in recent years.

    “This is an unprecedented opportunity to align the forces of both the HBO and American Girl brands in a groundbreaking collaboration that will enable us to take advantage of the rapidly expanding, multi-platform, multi-faceted promotional opportunities spanning all areas of distribution.”

  • Delta, HBO in alliance

    Delta, HBO in alliance

    MUMBAI: Bolstering its efforts to transform the in-flight travel experience and offer customers more choices, Delta Air Lines will become the first airline to offer HBO content and popular programs on worldwide flights.

    In a few months time, customers can view a 30-minute block of HBO content composed exclusively for Delta. Passengers can also view a new dedicated HBO channel, available on Delta’s seatback in-flight entertainment system, that will offer 40 to 50 hours of content.

    This includes programming, ranging from original series, movies, theatrical films, mini-series, TV movies, stand-up comedies and family programming. This will all be available on flights featuring Delta’s digital on-demand entertainment system. The HBO channel will be available to First class and international BusinessElite customers at no cost and to domestic Economy class customers for $5 per feature film or movie and $2 for all other television programmes.

    The half an hour programme blocks, composed exclusively for Delta, will feature material such as ‘behind-the-scenes’ footage from HBO original series and interviews with actors and directors from the network’s programming slate.

  • HBO launches SVoD service in the UK

    HBO launches SVoD service in the UK

    MUMBAI: Home Box Office (HBO) has launched a subscription video on demand (SVoD) service in the UK.

    The launch marks HBO’s first entry into the UK marketplace bringing its renowned programs to audiences in the region under a stand alone HBO branded destination.

    HBO president, programming distribution and international Simon Sutton says, “HBO’s programming has always done very well in the UK and the arrival of an HBO service has been long desired and anticipated. We are very excited to offer HBO programming in a subscription video on demand format, where we can deliver our acclaimed series and specials to UK audiences on their schedule. This opportunity enables us to raise our profile in the region, while providing viewers with a distinct HBO environment.”

    With launch dates to be determined by each of the distributors, the HBO SVoD service will be made available on BT Vision, Tiscali TV and Virgin Media. The service will provide at least 50 hours of HBO’s acclaimed original programming upon its full rollout, including award-winning series, miniseries, documentaries and comedy specials.

    On 1 July, 2001, HBO first launched its SVoD service, HBO On Demand, in the US. HBO On Demand not only allows subscribers to watch HBO programming when they wish and as much as they like, they can also enjoy the benefits of pausing, rewinding and fast-forwarding their selections.

    The programming line-up on the UK HBO on demand service will be updated on a weekly basis and will provide consumers with the freedom to enjoy HBO programming whenever they want. Over time, the library on the service will build to include all episodes of the featured HBO series, starting with the first episode of season one and growing each consecutive week.

    Included among the programs available at launch will be the shows The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

    The service will also feature miniseries Band of Brothers, Angels in America and From the Earth to the Moon.

  • Star Movies to come back on Mumbai’s airwaves from Monday

    Star Movies to come back on Mumbai’s airwaves from Monday

    MUMBAI: This should spell good news for English film buffs. After having been off air for nearly five months, Star Movies will be back on air in Mumbai from Monday, 5 February.

    The channel has submitted an application before the Mumbai High Court stating that it will only air films with a U or a U/A certificate. It might be recalled that archrival HBO had also been off air for some time. However it came back on air in November after submitting an application.

    Star Entertainment India executive VP Ajay Vidyasagar stated, “We are happy that Star Movies is back on air in Mumbai. All the titles that will be showcased, have been cleared as per the rules of the High Court. We look forward to entertaining our viewers in the New Year with exciting properties and titles and sustain the excitement, further strengthening our position in the English movie entertainment category.”

    Star Movies’ big event for this month is the 79th edition of the Oscar Awards which will air on 26 February 2007. This year there should be more interest than normal as Deepa Mehta’s Water is competing in the foreign film category.

    Before that on 18 February 2006 at 8 30 pm host Terence Yin presents the preview show Opening Night. It will have scenes from Dreamgirls which got eight oscar nominatiobns but surprisingly did not get a best picture nomination.

    It is a story of loyalty, fame and betrayal that tracks the struggle of a music group of African Americans carrying their sound into mainstream America. The Broadway phenomenon has been made into a film with Oscar nominees Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx.

    In addition to this, the channel will be premiering some big blockbusters like The Myth, Hotel Rwanda and Proof.

  • Warner’s revenues for the year rise marginally

    Warner’s revenues for the year rise marginally

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Time Warner has announced that its revenues rose four per cent over 2005 to $44.2 billion, reflecting increases at the company’s cable and networks segments.

    Time Warner chairman and CEO Dick Parsons said, “I am delighted that 2006 proved to be a good year for Time Warner. Taken together, our businesses performed well, and we achieved all of our announced financial objectives. We successfully executed on our strategy – enabling us to lead our industry and lay the foundation for creating significant new value. At the same time, we returned billions of dollars directly to our shareholders through dividends and stock repurchases.

    “We expect 2007 to be another superb year for Time Warner. Our businesses are well positioned to generate strong operating and financial performances. On the strategic front, we aim to create substantial incremental value by completing the integration of our recently acquired cable systems, further developing AOL’s online advertising business, and driving digital initiatives across the entire company.

    “In addition, we will continue to allocate our capital effectively, including the expected completion of our current $20 billion stock repurchase programme during the first half of 2007.”

    Fourth-quarter revenues climbed by eight per cent over the same period in 2005 to $12.5 billion, driven by increases at the cable and networks segments. In its networks division which comprises of Turner Broadcasting and HBO revenues for the year rose by seven per cent ($703 million) to $10.3 billion, benefiting from growth in subscription, ad and content revenues, including the consolidation of Court TV ($253 million) from January 1, 2006.

    Subscription revenues climbed nine per cent ($498 million), due to higher rates and, to a lesser extent, increased subscribers at Turner and HBO, as well as the consolidation of Court TV ($84 million). Included in the prior year results was a $22 million benefit from the resolution of certain contractual agreements at Turner. Ad revenues were up four per cent ($111 million), led by a 13 per cent increase at Turner, including Court TV ($164 million), offset primarily by the cessation of The WB Network’s operations in September 2006.

    Content revenues increased seven per cent ($70 million), due mainly to higher sales of HBO’s original programming, including the domestic cable sale of The Sopranos, offset partially by lower syndication sales of Sex and the City and the prior year licensing revenues from Everybody Loves Raymond, which ended its broadcast run in 2005.

    At AOL revenues for the year declined by five per cent ($417 million) to $7.9 billion, due to a 14 per cent decrease ($971 million) in Subscription revenues, offset in part by a 41 per cent increase ($548 million) in ad revenues.

    The lower subscription revenues resulted mainly from a decline in domestic AOL brand subscribers, which related partially to AOL’s strategy, implemented in August 2006, of offering its e-mail, certain software and other products free of charge to Internet users. Ad revenues reflected strong growth in display advertising, advertising run on third-party Web sites generated by Advertising.com and paid-search advertising.

    In the film segment revenues decreased by 11 per cent ($1.3 billion) to $10.6 billion, due to difficult comparisons to the prior year record performance at Warner Bros. In 2005, Warner Bros. finished number one in worldwide theatrical box office, driven by the success of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Batman Begins.

    In addition, a strong theatrical slate contributed to a record performance at Warner Home Video during 2005. These difficult comparisons and the lower performance of the theatrical slate in 2006 led to a decline at Warner Home Video in 2006.