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Tag: HFCL Nine-Broadcasting

  • HFCL Nine-Broadcasting looking at more acquisitions

    HFCL Nine-Broadcasting looking at more acquisitions

    The acquisition of a 20 per cent equity stake in top notch production house Balaji Telefilms is just the first of many partnerships that the Kerry Packer- HFCL joint venture will be doing. In an interview to Business Standard Weekend, HFCL chairman Vinay Maloo revealed that the group was talking to at least five other production companies to take a 20-40 per cent equity stake. “These matters are likely to be finalised in a few weeks from now,” he said to the newspaper. “Our strategy is very clear. We want to ensure that we have the best content quality.”

    Additionally, Maloo said that his group was setting up a cinema division as well and would be producing movies with select directors. Part of that initiative has already started with the Director’s Cut series beginning on DD Metro wherein cinema makers are being called in to make movies for television.

    Maloo added that he was also looking at launching a channel or putting together a DTH platform – in contrast to what his co-promoter Mahendra Nahata told indiantelevision.com (see earlier story HFCL offers set top box in November) – or broadband streaming over the Internet.

  • DD Metro offer gets cold response

    DD Metro offer gets cold response

    Industry sources however, say a bid has been put in for the 11:00 PM to 12:30 PM slot by the Delhi-based Moving Pictures Company (India) Ltd promoted by Ramesh Sharma, its chairman and managing director. The time band covers two slots – 11 PM to 12 midnight and 12 midnight to 12:30 am. The advantage for Moving Pictures is that here there is no floor price, unlike the other time slots from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM This bit of information could not be confirmed at the time of posting the report.

    The pre-qualification bids, which were opened at 3:30 PM today, came up empty for the prime time band. This cold shouldering of the new DD tender offer has sent out a strong message that in these difficult times, with channels having enough hassles running their own operations, the headache of managing DD Metro and more so the mandarins behind it was just not worth the effort. It also makes virtually irrelevant tomorrow’s opening of financial bids which are scheduled for 3:30 PM at Doordarshan Bhavan in Delhi.

    The fact that HFCL Nine Broadcasting, which holds the rights for the prime time slot 7:00 to 10:00 PM on DD Metro till September did not put in a bid means that the HFCL-Kerry Packer promoted company has called DD’s bluff. But a statement put out by Ravina Raj Kohli, CEO, HFCL Nine Broadcasting, still holds out hope that, at the end of the day, it will be Nine Broadcasting that finally ends up renewing its deal for the prime time slot on DD Metro.

    And what of Zee Telefilms’ “interest” in the 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM slot? Partha Sinha, senior vice-president marketing, who had been quoted on 10 June saying: “We are positively disposed. I see no reason why Zee should not make an expression of interest in that channel,” was singing a a different tune today.

    Sinha says that a detailed study of the whole thing in the interim led Zee to conclude that bidding for the slot was not a viable proposition. “And not just in financial terms, but looking at the bigger picture too,” he adds.

    Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea brushed off the matter in a single line response “Star did not not bid, and that’s more than enough said on this issue,” he says.

    In a signed statement Nine Gold CEO Kohli had this to say:
    “We at HFCL Nine Broadcasting are not surprised at the outcome of Doordarshan’s call for fresh bids for time slots on DD Metro. Given the unrealistic terms and conditions proposed by DD, the bid for prime time on DD Metro looked commercially unviable.

    “As stated earlier, HFCL Nine Broadcasting India LTD will be happy to initiate fresh talks with DD on the terms and conditions proposed earlier by us. These terms and conditions have been drafted based on our experience with DD Metro, and offer the best financial terms to DD without diluting the brand image of the national broadcaster.

    “Having kept DD’s best interests in mind for the past 10 months, we at HFCL Nine Broadcasting continue to believe that we are the best partners for DD Metro and look forward to continuing and strengthening our existing relationship.”

    With industry saying nyet to Prasar Bharati, it’s now over to the pubcaster to make the next move.

  • Nine Gold, rivals react cautiously to opening of bids for DD Metro

    Nine Gold, rivals react cautiously to opening of bids for DD Metro

    The industry has reacted cautiously to Prasar Bharati’s (Broadcasting Corporation of India) move throwing open bidding for all time slots on its Doordarshan Metro channel.

     

    A senior official from HFCL Nine Broadcasting, which currently holds the rights for the 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm slot, said the company’s managers were looking at the implications of the development, when asked for their reaction to the turn of events. “We are studying the tender document and will consider it accordingly,” the official said.

     

    HFCL Nine’s 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm slot expires in September, while the 10:00 to 11:00 pm one completes its run in October.

     

    “We would have to study the financial implications of the whole thing before we can make any comment,” RK Singh, chief executive (corporate affairs), Zee Telefilms, said, when asked if the DD Metro offer was of interest to Zee.

     

    But a company source said in private that the offer was a “no brainer” if it did not extend beyond three years or so and the broadcaster would not really be interested in pitching for the slots unless more attractive terms were offered.

     

    Star, however, did not completely rule out making a pitch. “We are looking at it (the bid offer),” an official spokesperson said.

     

    Sony Entertainment Television CEO Kunal Dasgupta, while indicating he was adopting a wait and watch stand on the issue, said the Prasar Bharati offer was interesting.”

  • Balaji-HFCL Nine merger off?

    Balaji-HFCL Nine merger off?

    The board meeting that Balaji Telefilms will be holding tomorrow on whether to go through with a merger with HFCL Nine Broadcasting will be nothing more than a formality, if industry sources are to be believed.

    According to the industry grapevine, the decision has already been taken that there will be no merger between the two companies.

    Balaji CEO Sanjay Dosi, queried about the rumours doing the rounds that the deal was off, declined to comment on the issue and said an official statement would be made available after tomorrow’s board meeting.

    Balaji, in a notice to the National Stock Exchange last week and the Bombay Stock Exchange yesterday, had said the meeting was being convened to consider a review of the proposed merger of Nine Network Entertainment India (a wholly owned subsidiary of HFCL Nine) with the company.

    HFCL (Himachal Futuristic Communication Ltd) Nine Broadcasting is a 51:49 per cent holding company held by Vinay Maloo and Australian media magnate Kerry Packer. HFCL Nine was to take a 20 per cent stake in Balaji Telefilms.

    The markets were also buzzing with the rumours. The Balaji scrip closed at Rs 144.90 after it hit the 8 per cent upper limit of the circuit breaker for the second straight day. It opened at RS 133.50.

    The market sentiment is that the merger is likely to be called off and this would be good for the company because a merger would have entailed earnings dilution.

    Balaji board to meet on merger with HFCL Nine tomorrow

  • As DD Metro improves presence, HFCL Nine seeks 10-year deal

    As DD Metro improves presence, HFCL Nine seeks 10-year deal

    MUMBAI: Twenty weeks since Kerry Packer’s HFCL Nine Broadcasting launched their serial on Doordashan Metro, the INTAM Television Viewer Ratings (TVRs) reflect that many of Nine Gold’s serials are increasingly making their presence felt in cable and satellite homes.

     

    Hoping to build on its gains, Nine Broadcasting has pitched for a 10-year contract for DD Metro with Prasar Bharati, the Economic Times reported on Saturday. It remains to be seen how newly installed CEO Anil Baijal responds to the offer. Considering how the profile of DD Metro has improved in this period, it will be an offer he finds difficult to refuse.

     

    The TVRs indicate that Channel 9’s programmes are scoring over that of DD1 with nearly 26 of its serials among the top 50 in all television homes. Telecast for three hours every day on DD Metro’s prime time segment between 7.00 PM to 10.00 PM, 14 programmes are among the top 20 with two of its serials – “Superstars” and “Kundali” – sharing the second position with DD1’s “Jai Hanuman” at 9.4 per cent TVR. In all non C&S homes DD1’s “Suraag” leads with 27 per cent TVR followed by “Kundali” at 23 per cent.

     

    Nine Broadcasting’s five soaps figure among the top 50 in Ahmedabad (all C&S homes), with “Chonch Ladi Re Chonch” aired on Sundays at 8.33 PM with 8.9 TVRs while Star Plus’s family soap “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi” tops the chart at 21 per cent (Wed 10.32 PM).

     

    Nine Broadcasting has paid Rs 1.21 million for the three hours of air-time on DD Metro.