ITV

Tag: Hindi news channel

  • News18 India launches campaign; asserts channel’s leadership

    News18 India launches campaign; asserts channel’s leadership

    MUMBAI: News18 India, Network18’s general Hindi news channel, recently launched a campaign with a humorous and quirky film to drive home its leadership position in the crucial primetime band in the highly competitive Hindi TV news segment.

    Conceptualised by RK Swamy BBDO and directed by Rajesh Saathi, the film opens in a police interrogation room. A witness is being questioned. A seemingly stern cop, accompanied by two constables, asks the man about his whereabouts from 6 to 11 PM in the evening. Scared of the cops, the protagonist says that he was at home watching News18 India. When the cops don’t believe him, he re-iterates that he really was watching the channel. As the situation evolves a superior officer chips in to state that the entire nation watches News18India at that time and hence the person being quizzed is indeed stating the truth.

    Commenting on the campaign, Rahul Kansal, Group Brand Advisor, Network18 said, “Over the past couple of years, there has been a surfeit of messages from media brands, claiming leadership. The format of the communication tends to be quite similar: screaming headlines, graphs showing research data etc. Over time, this communication seems to be working less and less, especially amongst over-communicated-to media and marketing professionals. We decided to present News18 India’s leadership story in a cut-through way, using humour and entertainment, instead of brute hard-sell. It seems to have worked well.”

    The channel’s current campaign has an on-ground leg as well with extensive branding across 25 agencies in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore targeting advertisers and media planners with the unambiguous message that clearly positions News18 India as India’s Number one Hindi news channel.

  • R K Arora launches national Hindi news channel

    R K Arora launches national Hindi news channel

    MUMBAI: RK Arora, who is credited with building brands in the news broadcasting space, has jointly launched a new national Hindi news channel – JK 24X7 News under the banner of JK Media Network with Subash Chowdhary and Tapinder Kumar alias Bhanu.

    The network also runs a channel in regional space ‘Gulistan News’ which caters to the viewers of Jammu & Kashmir and is most popular amongst its viewers.

    Inspired with the thought, ‘Aao Badlen Hum’ — spurring change and emboldening the voice of the changing India, is the brand positioning for JK 24X7 News. Believing in the fundamental principle of “You must be the change you want to see in the world”, JK 24X7 news is making an effort and creating a differentiation in the news genre by bringing a change in itself in a positive way and cutting the morass of the market.

    To achieve this, JK 24X7 News has a mix of programs that its programming team has especially designed and produced that will help it make a positive impact in the lives of its viewers.

    JK 24X7 News is available on all major cable networks, and will shortly be available on all DTH platforms.

    The network has plans for expansion of their bouquet of channels in different genres in near future.

    A Chartered accountant by profession, Arora has over 25 years of experience. He recently, stepped down as Executive Director and CEO of Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL). Prior to ZMCL, he has worked with various media houses viz.- News Nation, India News, News 24 and India TV.

  • R K Arora launches national Hindi news channel

    R K Arora launches national Hindi news channel

    MUMBAI: RK Arora, who is credited with building brands in the news broadcasting space, has jointly launched a new national Hindi news channel – JK 24X7 News under the banner of JK Media Network with Subash Chowdhary and Tapinder Kumar alias Bhanu.

    The network also runs a channel in regional space ‘Gulistan News’ which caters to the viewers of Jammu & Kashmir and is most popular amongst its viewers.

    Inspired with the thought, ‘Aao Badlen Hum’ — spurring change and emboldening the voice of the changing India, is the brand positioning for JK 24X7 News. Believing in the fundamental principle of “You must be the change you want to see in the world”, JK 24X7 news is making an effort and creating a differentiation in the news genre by bringing a change in itself in a positive way and cutting the morass of the market.

    To achieve this, JK 24X7 News has a mix of programs that its programming team has especially designed and produced that will help it make a positive impact in the lives of its viewers.

    JK 24X7 News is available on all major cable networks, and will shortly be available on all DTH platforms.

    The network has plans for expansion of their bouquet of channels in different genres in near future.

    A Chartered accountant by profession, Arora has over 25 years of experience. He recently, stepped down as Executive Director and CEO of Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL). Prior to ZMCL, he has worked with various media houses viz.- News Nation, India News, News 24 and India TV.

  • Aaj Tak taps into rural audience with new show

    Aaj Tak taps into rural audience with new show

    MUMBAI: National Hindi news channel Aaj Tak is looking at tapping into rural audiences with its new show titled – Aaj Tak Ka Gaon Connection.

     

    The special series is tailor-made for the rural audience connecting India and Bharat like never before.

     

    Rural India is a large, underserved market amounting to around 70 per cent of India’s total population (Census 2011) and contributing to about half of the India’s GDP. The villages in India play a crucial role in not just making or breaking governments but also play a defining role in the economy and growth of the nation as a whole. The rural audience is going through a metamorphosis and is changing at a sociological and cultural level. Understanding the need to give apt coverage to this very important and wide section of India, the channel launched the new show. 

     

    With Aaj Tak Ka Gaon Connection, the channel plans to provide a full spectrum of rural news – from hard subjects to inspirational stories, problems, issues and a perspective that is fresh and uniquely rural.

     

    The show will be hosted by senior journalist, lyricist and scriptwriter Neelesh Misra, who is also the founder and editorial director of India’s first ever rural newspaper Gaon Connection.

    India Today group CEO Ashish Bagga said, “The launch of Aaj Tak Ka Gaon Connection is just another step that underlines our channel’s thought leadership and the consistent effort to break new ground. The series will fill a long standing void that this vast audience base has been feeling.”

     

    The series will not  only keep rural India updated on issues that matter but will also give a glimpse of their world to the viewers across towns and cities.

  • News Nation’s Radio Campaign

    News Nation’s Radio Campaign

    MUMBAI: Country’s premium Hindi News channel News Nation has once again embarked on a brand campaign. The activity will start with a burst on top radio stations across the country. The theme of the campaign is to empower and educate people to take their own informed decision at the ballot box for Lok Sabha election 2014.

     

    The target audience of the campaign is youth and decision making audience who want to bring a change in the society. The campaign will start form 3rd March’14.

     

    Speaking of the campaign Mr. Shailesh Kumar, CEO & Editor in Chief said, “Radio is one of the popular mediums which address our target audience. Our creative conveys the significance of empowerment and informed decisions at the onset of the most important democratic process…Lok Sabha Elections 2014”

     

    It may be noted that News Nation which celebrated its 1st anniversary on 14th Feb’14 has walked up the ladder of ratings and is well placed in the Hindi News genre. News Nation had decided to make itself a reporter led channel with extensive field reporting. The channel has gradually emerged as a serious player with pure news content and traditional style of presentation.

     

    Mr. Abhay Ojha, Sr. VP- Sales & Marketing said “Radio was one of mediums which were used in our launch campaign; the current campaign is aimed to act as reminder of the values of News Nation. This is the most appropriate time for the activity as general elections are close by.”

     

    News Nation today is available on DTH platforms like Tata Sky (LCN-472), Airtel DTH(LCN-294), Dish TV(LCN-568), Videocon D2H(LCN-304),DD Free Dish (LCN-59) apart from all major MSOs/LCOs across the country like DEN, Hathway, GTPL, Fastway, Digicable, Siti Cable, In-digital etc.

  • Zee News targets Gen Y

    Zee News targets Gen Y

    MUMBAI: ZMCL’s (ZEE Media Corporation Ltd) main Hindi news channel Zee News is targeting the youth demographic.

     

    For starters, the management has given the channel and programming packaging a total makeover with bright and peppy colours being added. Fresh, zingy promos have been hitting the airwaves as part of a campaign titled ‘Khabrein apke rangon mein’ which tries to drive home the point “that news is never black and white, there are several hues to it.”

     

    For some time now, the channel has been pitching that the Indian youth need to change their thinking to change the nation (soch badlo desh badlo). And this new campaign is another effort on the part of Zee News to lure the fickle but curious youth to tune in to its daily bulletins.

     

    Says ZMCL CEO Alok Agrawal: “The aim is to be their eyes, ears, and conscience. The channel will be in tandem with their world, in sync with their energy. With ‘Khabrein Apke Rangon Mein’, we will interact with them, touch their life and wear their pride. We aim to empower, influence and impact the opinion of this youthful and vibrant India.”

     

    “In today’s scenario the youth is interested in what is happening nationally and globally,” says ZMCL editor Sudhir Chaudhary.  “Our efforts will be to reach and connect with the viewers, especially youth and provide them with news that is contemporary, vibrant and topical.”

     

    Many have tried but few have succeeded in hooking the quickly evolving young viewer – for too long. Will Zee News’ fresh push yield results?

  • Journalists, anyone?

    Journalists, anyone?

    MUMBAI: The past few months have seen established news channels showing their employees the door; be it a TV18 Broadcast or UTV Bloomberg or NDTV, which took the cake when it shut down the entire Mumbai office as cost-cutting measure. Media as a whole – particularly English news channels – has sunk into a lull. However, all’s not lost. There’s still hope for aspiring journalists in the form of a smattering of channels that are out to hire in the time of widespread lay-offs.

    A case in point is the ITV Network – comprising English news channel News X and Hindi news channel India News – which is currently hiring people both in its editorial and management departments. Not so long ago, the network roped in known faces such as Rahul Shivshankar and Diptosh Majumdar as Managing Editor and National Affairs Editor, respectively. “We ensure team structure and size is controlled in order to optimise cost,” says ITV Network HR Shikha Rastogi.

    Popular news channel India TV too is looking to fill vacancies in editorial and digital media. About 20-30 people have already been hired in various departments in the last quarter.

    Even in these difficult times, many new channels are making their way into the ecosystem, paving the road for hiring more people. So, while English news channels have started containing themselves, a number of new Hindi and regional news channels have cropped up.

    Just launched Hindi news channel, Jia News, will complete its second phase of hiring within the next two or three months. News Nation, another Hindi news channel which was launched earlier this year, did a significant amount of hiring to reach its current 350 staff strength. Hereon, the channel will hire as per specific requirements. There are also instances of new channel additions, where hiring is not really a prerogative except when the need arises.

    MCCS (Media Content and Communication Services) is adding a Punjabi news channel to its existing flock of ABP News, ABP Majha and ABP Ananda but no hiring is taking place in the ABP channels presently. Ditto for ZMCL, which added Zee Rajasthan Plus to its portfolio and recently acquired Maurya TV that runs in Bihar and Jharkhand. “We only hire when we need to. No attrition has taken place so no addition will either,” says MCCS CEO Ashok Venkatramani.

    Anurradha Prasad says that the situation can be much better once pay TV kicks in

    BAG Films and Media MD Anurradha Prasad, which owns the channel News 24 agrees that the scenario is not too good but since elections are approaching they will be looking at hiring competent people to cover it. Overall, there isn’t any such post vacant in the channel.

    Again, many channels are looking at getting their staff to multi-task to restrict hiring to the minimum. Sahara Samay Editor (Network Operations) Sanjay Banerjee says that their company has not fired any employee since their hiring itself is kept to a bare minimum. “Only when we have vacancies will we fill them as we did with the recently re-launched Sahara Samay NCR as Samay Rajasthan,” he adds. The Samay Rajasthan re-launch took place in mid-September and a good number of reporters and cameramen were hired in many cities of Rajasthan.

    Meanwhile, industry insiders feel the whole ruckus has been caused due to hiring more people than required. “A lot of unnecessary hiring has happened. Where just two people could do the work, six people have been taken in,” says an industry source. “The field hasn’t matured in all these years. There’s no formula to reach the top and there’s no benchmark either. At the same time, recession is happening and then if you aren’t a strong team, you are going to be in a mess,” opines a channel editor.

    Asked about what could be the reason for this sudden lull Prasad points out :”The cost of producing news has not come down in all these years and the system of pay TV has not yet kicked in.” Most channels say they are incurring losses rather than making a profit out of the business. The wait is on for digitisation to set in which will see news channels getting a better share of revenue.

    And though the gloom hasn’t passed yet, journalists would do well to hold on to whatever they have or look for and accept any opportunity as a stepping stone till an established name in the business is ready to hire once again.

  • Real estate firm Sahana Group to launch two news channels

    Real estate firm Sahana Group to launch two news channels

    MUMBAI: Sudhakar Shetty-promoted real estate company Sahana Group is set to foray into television broadcast business with two news channels.

     

    The Marathi news channel, Jai Maharashtra, will launch on 1 May, which is also the Maharashtra Day. Sahana News, a Hindi news channel, is planned for launch by the end of the year.

     

    The test signal for Jai Maharashtra will start by first week of April.

     

    The television business is housed under Sahana Films, a subsidiary of Sahana Group. Waahiid Ali Khan, who is the Consultant Editorial Director for Sahana Films, will oversee the operations of the Group’s television business.

     

    “We have received licence for two news channels. The Marathi news channel will launch on 1 May while the Hindi one will be available by the year-end,” Khan tells Indiantelevision.com.

     

    Undeterred by the presence of channels like Zee 24 Taas, ABP Majha, IBN Lokmat and TV9 Maharashtra, Khan feels that there is still space for a new Marathi news channel.

     

    He is also confident about Sahana News despite the fragmented nature of the Hindi news genre.
        

    Mandar Phanse is the editor of Jai Maharashtra while Tulsidas Bhoite and Ravi Ambekar are the executive editors of the channel. The news gathering for the channel has already begun with an active YouTube channel and an online portal, which will also web stream the channel.

     

    The company is in talks with Aidem Ventures to handle ad sales. While Yezdi Sodabottlewala, who was earlier with Sri Adhikari Brothers, will head the distribution of the channel.

     

    The hunt for putting in place the editorial team at Sahana News is also in progress.

     

    The launch of Jai Maharashtra couldn’t have come at a better time, feels Khan, as the country is moving towards digitisation with three metros Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata already going digital.

     

    With Mumbai fully digitised, Khan reckons that the carriage cost for the news channel has halved. “The distribution cost of Marathi news channels has become 50 per cent because of digitisation in Mumbai. In the second phase a lot of cities in Maharashtra are going digital,” he adds.

     

    A typical Hindi news channel requires a capital expenditure of Rs 700 million to Rs 1 billion while the cost for running a regional news channel is less than half of that, says Khan.

     

    Khan also revealed about the company’s ambition to become a national network by launching region-specific channels in future. “Sahana Films has applied to the government for six more licences to launch regional channels,” he reveals.

     

    Jai Maharashtra Editor Mandar Phanse said that youth of Maharashtra will remain the focus of the channel. The existing Marathi news channels, he said, mostly cater to 45 plus age group.

     

    The channel also aims to give equal coverage to urban and rural issues besides focusing on youth related issues like jobs and education. Phanse also bemoaned the fact that Marathi news channels focus too much on political issues.

     

    “We want to represent the aspirations of the youth of Maharashtra with our news coverage. Sadly, what we see today on Marathi news channels is too much of political news which although required should be backed by focus on issues that impact common man,” avers Phanse.

  • New Hindi news channel to spend Rs 400 mn on distribution

    New Hindi news channel to spend Rs 400 mn on distribution

    MUMBAI: Sai Prasad Media, part of the Rs 15 billion Sai Prasad Group, has earmarked Rs 400 million for the distribution of its upcoming national Hindi news channel on cable TV networks and DTH.

    News Express, the full high definition (HD) format channel, will launch in July.    
         
    “We are gearing up to launch the channel by mid-July. We are spending Rs 400 million on distribution. All our distribution deals are done and it is our biggest cost,” said the channel CEO and editor Mukesh Kumar.

    The channel has already signed carriage deals with all major multi-system operators (MSOs). “We have also signed up the direct-to-home (DTH) operators barring Tata Sky,” said Kumar.

    Sai Prasad Media is headquartered at Noida, the hub for most national news channels.

    “We have over 300 reporters across eights states,” said Kumar.

    On the content front, Kumar said that the channel will focus on politics in every walk of life. “We will have special programming based on hardcore politics, politics in a corporate setup, politics at home, in social life, etc.”

    Sai Prasad Group has varied interests in foods & beverage industry, agricultural products, petroleum, real estates, infrastructure, constructions, green energy, education and media and entertainment.
     

  • NDTV forecasts faster growth from Q3

    NDTV forecasts faster growth from Q3

    MUMBAI: NDTV’s first-quarter net loss from news business has widened over the year-ago period as it increased its employee expenses while revenue dipped on absence of political advertising.

    The company, which operates English news channel NDTV 24X7, Hindi news channel NDTV India and business news channel NDTV Profit, suffered a net loss of Rs 241.2 million for the three-month period ended June compared to a loss of Rs 23.9 million a year ago.

    Income from operations at Rs 670.8 million fell 12.11 per cent, as against Rs 763.2 million in the year-ago period. In the previous fiscal, revenue had jumped on the back of political advertising due to general elections.

    “The first quarter has generally not been good for anybody so far as ad revenue goes. Companies are just walking out of recession and there is an air of caution. We expect a slight improvement in the second quarter and better growth over the subsequent quarters. Our subscription revenue for the first quarter has seen good growth,” says NDTV Group CEO Narayan Rao.

    On consolidated basis, the subscription income has gone up 22 per cent to Rs 116 million, as against Rs 95 million in Q1 FY 10 on the back of increased DTH penetration.

    NDTV’s expenses jumped 20 per cent to Rs 889.1 million, from Rs 741 million a year ago. This was mainly because of personnel cost, increase in marketing expenses and special bonuses the company awarded to its employees.

    The rise in personnel cost even without the one-time expense of bonus and gratuity has been sharp over the trailing quarter.

    Explains Rao, “We have got to a headcount that is similar to 2007 – prior to our expansion. That is a good development. Besides, salaries had to be corrected after the recession.”

    On a consolidated basis, NDTV has narrowed its net loss to Rs 311.1 million, as against Rs 834.1 million a year earlier. However, the previous fiscal included NDTV Imagine financials, which NDTV sold to Turner International, and is thus not strictly comparable.

    Income from operations stood at Rs 835.6 million compared to Rs 1.31 billion a year ago, while expenses were at Rs 269.7 million (from Rs 667.7 million).

    The company’s lifestyle channel, Good Times, is performing well. “Good Times should be able to do a revenue of over Rs 650 million this fiscal and is profitably poised. The core news business could remain under a bit of a strain unless ratings improve,” says a media analyst who tracks the company.