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Tag: Hindustan Times

  • Former Disney boss Eisner enunciates ‘box’ theory at HT summit

    Former Disney boss Eisner enunciates ‘box’ theory at HT summit

    MUMBAI: The success is all in a box. The financial box coupled with micro-management is the key to the success of any enterprise, says Michael Eisner, who used to head US media conglomerate Walt Disney.
    Speaking at the ongoing Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, Eisner complimented India on its success and traced its cultural heritage as a reflection of its potential.

    Speaking about the glorious story of Walt Disney drawn from the concept of ‘Inside Box’, he pointed to the success that creativity could bring to any business. He also highlighted the need to learn lessons fast and to evolve to succeed rather than being bogged down by them.

    “We faced resistance when we entered France and were pelted with eggs. In India we did not get that reception. The Indian film industry is a success story, so I do not wish to suggest how it has to develop. But then we have developed the model that has had tremendous success” said Eisner.

    Stressing on the importance of weaving creativity around the financial box, he said, “Creativity is essential to any industry, not just animation. Creativity has to have a symbiotic relationship with financial aspects.”

    Eisner also pointed out that using the benefits of micro management, Disney achieved success. “We never lost a dime on a single movie, thanks to the financial box. Creativity can flourish within financial limits. It really works,” said Eisner.

    He explained that Disney, which was also involved in other activities, the financial box system had been deployed to achieve maximum benefits.

    Quality, creative products and the ability to bond with the customers was the mantra that Disney adopted in every toy, movie, hotel room, ashtray, Broadway, credit card etc. “Each of it is a dot that symbolises the Disney brand. The brand friendly initiative is also reflected in our hotel initiative (32 hotels) and each hotel is a financial box. We used whimsical icons to bring in creativity. In Star Cruise — it was a floating box –creativity was witnessed in gambling that was introduced,” said Eisner.

    Highlighting the importance of internet, Eisner said, “The world has become a single dot. Time, money or language, internet has impacted every part of the entertainment industry. With a video and internet one can be creative. Internet is the next platform for the entertainment industry. Fantastic things with tremendous potential are possible with internet.”

    “Think inside the box, micro-manage it and have a good time. That is what it takes to become a financial success,” was the mantra of Eisner.

  • HT Media officially launches Fever 104 FM

    HT Media officially launches Fever 104 FM

    MUMBAI: Further strengthening its position as a leading media company, HT Media Ltd today announced the official launch of a FM radio station in Delhi under the brand name Fever 104 FM in collaboration with Virgin Radio.

    The Delhi station would be followed by launch in Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata (need not necessarily in that order).

    Commenting on the launch, business head S. Keerthivasan said in a statement, “Our brand, our focus on quality, and our people will be our key competitive advantages in an increasingly cluttered and undifferentiated radio market place.”

    He added that the station reflects the “evolving tastes of discerning, urban Indians” who are comfortable with both Hindi and English and seek a good music experience more than anything else from their radio.

    “To give the consumer a radio experience comparable with anywhere in the world, Fever 104 has invested in, and ensured through our tie-up with Virgin, the best quality infrastructure and a highly competent and experienced talent pool,” Keerthivasan said.

    According to an official release, Fever 104 FM is an adult contemporary music station that targets consumers in the age group of 15-39 years and offers them a format radio experience.

    The tag line for Fever 104 FM highlights the philosophy of the radio station: more music, less talk.

    The four-ad launch campaign, developed by Lowe Lintas, projects the brand imagery for Fever 104 FM as one that is contemporary, youthful and innovative.

    Virgin Radio, the programming partner for Fever, has its presence in variious markets, including Bangkok, South Africa, London, Paris and Malaysia.

    Fever’s parent HT Media’s flagship brand is the English daily Hindustan Times. The company also owns Hindi daily Hindustan.

    Apart from the newspapers, the media house owns Hindi magazines Nandan and Kadambini and the company is now looking at launching a business paper.

  • Essel to pump in Rs 1 billion into UNI over next 2 years

    Essel to pump in Rs 1 billion into UNI over next 2 years

    NEW DELHI: Essel Group chairman and media baron Subhash Chandra today challenged those criticising his buying of a 51 per cent equity in news agency United News of India (UNI) to put their money where their mouth is.

    “If anybody else, including the government, feels that he can work towards revival and expansion of UNI, then I’ll be happy. I will gladly give up majority shareholding too in that person’s favour,” Chandra told journalists here.
    As an indication of his genuine interest in reviving the financially beleaguered news agency, Chandra gave an assurance that the Essel group would pump in Rs 1 billion over the next two years into UNI to upgrade infrastructure and acquire cutting edge technology.

    “We have identified gaps (read shortcomings) in UNI and are trying to address them along with the other shareholders of the organisation,” Chandra said.

    Essel’s picking up of 51 per cent shareholding in UNI by Mediavest India Pvt Ltd, an investment vehicle floated by Chandra, last month has been greeted by howls of protest from political parties, journalists and the UNI employees’ union.
    Chandra paid approximately Rs 320 million for a majority stake in the news agency. Other shareholders of the agency include media companies like The Times of India Group, Ananda Bazar Patrika, Hindustan Times, The Statesman, Dainik Bhaskar and Indian Express.

    Chandra also assured some journalists from UNI present at the press conference and others in general that there would be “no forced retrenchment.”

    However, a proper human resources development department will be put in place to work out voluntary retirement schemes and other initiatives related to employee redeployment and employment.

    “We have hired a techno commercial person today only to upgrade and strengthen the technology available to UNI employees,” Chandra said, adding that the hunt was on for professionals in other departments of the news agency too.

    According to him, “My interest in UNI is not to make money (the structure of UNI is such that all the revenue earned is to be ploughed back into the organisation itself), but to uphold the objectives of the founding fathers of UNI, which includes having plurality of information in the country from credible platforms.”

    Pointing out that his vision is to turn UNI into a global and competitive news agency providing a spectrum of services, Chandra said Essel Group (owners of Zee Telefilms amongst a host of other media and entertainment related companies) will “leverage” its global media contacts to work for the betterment of UNI.

    Scotching rumours that Zee Telefilms and his other media companies would end up having a direct synergy with UNI, Chandra said, “In life there comes a time when a person looks beyond earning money and doing things for personal satisfaction. I’m doing that. If somebody feels he or she can do better than me, then such people are most welcome to take charge of UNI’s revival.”

    Mediavest was amongst the three bidders for unsubscribed shares of UNI whose other shareholders agreed to bring on board the Essel Group in early September.

    To a specific question whether Mediavest would mop up some remaining preferential shares in case other shareholders shy away, Chandra replied in the affirmative.

    “If nobody else subscribes to those shares, then we’ll pick them up,” he said, adding that such a move would take Mediavest’s holding in UNI up to approximately 58 per cent.

    Chandra also made it clear that “mis-informed people” with vested interests are undertaking a “disinformation campaign” dubbing his company’s arrival on the scene as a total sale of the news agency to one single entity.

    “We have just joined the board of directors and are ready to discuss across the table any issue with anybody from UNI. But I cannot help it if some people continue to hallucinate,” he said.

    UNI was launched in March 1961. Today, it claims to be serving more than 1,000 subscribers in more than 100 locations in India and abroad. They include newspapers, radio and television networks, web sites, government offices and private and public sector corporations.

    UNI has collaboration agreements with several foreign news agencies, including Reuters and DPA whose stories are distributed to media organisations in India through the Indian agency.

    UNI’s wire service is available in three languages, English, Hindi and Urdu. While the Hindi service Univarta was started in 1982, the Urdu service debuted in 1992.