ITV

Tag: History TV18

  • A new ‘Cloudwalker’ in the virtual world

    A new ‘Cloudwalker’ in the virtual world

    MUMBAI: As the digital ecosystem in India is set to expand, the market for Video on Demand (VOD) platforms is only growing. A new kid on the bloc is Half Ticket, which claims to be India’s first curated VOD megastore.

     

    Launched 45 days ago by CloudWalker Streaming Technologies, the company researched for seven months before giving a go ahead to the beta version of the site. CloudWalker founder Jagdish Rajpurohit says, “We call ourselves as an enabler of one’s content in the digital world. If one has content which has a strong demand, and if people watch this content, then one will earn money.”

     

    But how different is Half Ticket from its competitors? Rajpurohit says as a matter of strategy they decided to curate content across the internet and bring it to the platform. They see themselves as digital exhibitors at par with brick and mortar multiplexes. “The difference between YouTube and other VOD’s is that one has to search content while in our case we make the content available to the audiences with ease,” says Rajpurohit while adding that they didn’t pay for the content.

     

    Besides curating, the company is also creating digital content. Explaining the same he says, “We are offering pre-marketing digital services. If one is making a film, one also shoots a lot of the making of the film which is useless. By using this and adapting our own scripts, we make customised content for producers to use for promotions.” It is also making a digital comedy serial in Hinglish of which the IP will rest with CloudWalker.

     

    The platform is also creating a space for independent cinema which will give them an opportunity to earn revenue for a longer time. “Half Ticket is not a video platform but it’s a digital distribution platform. It works on the strategy to help producers’ monetise better,” he says.

     

    While low bandwidth is one of the biggest challenges, according to Rajpurohit, the biggest opportunity will come when 4G enters the space. He further goes on to say, “Compared to the last five years, I see better days ahead. But the biggest challenge will be to make people aware that premium content is available digitally and one has to pay for it.”

     

    A 12 member team looks after curation of the content. “Our crucial point was that the internet today is uploading close to 220 hours of content every minute. In this scenario there is a 99 per cent chance of one missing the content they wish to see until and unless there is curation involved; one will not be able to choose the best,” the executive informs.

     

    So what is the checklist followed to select the content? Firstly, the content sourced is strictly family oriented. Secondly, the ratings and reviews based on film websites are taken into account before filling the content deck.

     

    The total team strength of the company is 32 and is based in Mumbai. The first level of funding came from the seven promoters of CloudWalker, who have invested a total of Rs 7 crore. It is in talks with two to three more funding companies who have expressed interest in the platform.

     

    The portal, which follows an advertisement driven model, is also reaching out to regional cinema makers. “We are telling regional cinema filmmakers that if they want to reach out to audiences worldwide, it will become much cheaper to bring the new content to a digital platform and release it. And as far as revenue is concerned, it is the same. If a film sells two to four lakh tickets across the world, then the production house can easily earn Rs 4 to 5 crore which is not possible theatrically,” he informs.

     

    The company plans to soon announce a Master Class for film distribution in the independent cinema.

     

    While content from channels like Colors, MTV, Nick, Viacom18, YouTube, History TV18, Dailymotion among others is already available on the platform, it is also in talks with two GECs. “The platform has 23,000 to 24,000 hours of content currently and is attracting a traction of 75,000 to 80,000 users every day. An app released four days ago has so far received 150 to 200 downloads,” boasts Rajpurohit.

     

    As part of its promotions, the platform tied up with My French Film Festival India and had a special screening at PVR wherein celebrities like Digamanshu Dhuliya, Ketan Mehta and Anurag Kashyap were present.

     

    Chalking the road ahead, Rajpurohit concludes, “We are in talks with new film distributors and will continue bringing festivals like ‘My French Film Festival’ to India.”

  • TV channels line up special programming for 66th Republic Day

    TV channels line up special programming for 66th Republic Day

    MUMBAI: The broadcast industry is all set to awaken the masses with ample dose of patriotism coupled with entertainment. An array of special programs have been lined up across channels to celebrate the spirit of India’s 66th Republic Day.

     

    This time round, Hindi general entertainment channel Colors is gearing up to simulcast the historic event with nationalistic zeal and fervour. The channel will telecast live the much awaited parade and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message for Indian and international audiences.

     

    This is the first time Colors and Rishtey will simulcast the celebrations along with the national television channel Doordarshan. The telecast will also reach out to the international markets i.e. MENA, US (Aapka Colors) and UK. Colors CEO Raj Nayak believes that the iconic Republic Day parade and the PM’s message to the nation is the content that drives cohesive viewing in families.

     

    “Being able to bring to our audience the much awaited parade and message from our Prime Minister Narendra Modi LIVE is a privilege and a source of pride for the team at Colors and Rishtey. This is our way to celebrate our 66th Republic Day, by bringing it closer to our audiences, in India and the world. Telecasting this event in markets other than India – and to the US MENA and UK is also a milestone for the network as a whole,” Nayak said.

     

    On the other hand, Zee TV is taking a different route. The channel will be premiering the Shah Rukh Khan starrer – Happy New Year – from 1 pm onwards.

     

    Sony Entertainment Television’s (SET) longest running show – CID completed a milestone of 17 glorious years on 21 January, 2015 and celebrating the landmark this year, CID is all set to entertain its fans with a daylong CID special feature on 26 January.

     

    From 8 am to 10 pm, viewers will get to see the most exciting episodes of CID over the years. In fact, the first episode of the show will also be aired on 26 January. What’s more, the CID team will also spend the day with children and share their experience and memories. These interactions will be showcased in between episodes throughout the day.

     

    SET chief creative director Ajay Bhalwankar said, “Our flagship show CID has over the years responsibly entertained generations of young viewers to recognize and act upon the incidence of crime around them. This Republic Day we want to commemorate this memorable journey with our daylong celebration through a special programming initiative called Jashn-e-CID.”

     

    Big Magic, which is positioned as the one stop destination for humour,  is geared up to celebrate the day with actor Ayushmann Khurrana, as he engages the audience from 7 to 10 pm. The channel has partnered with his upcoming movie – Hawaizaada to celebrate the spirit of ‘Made in India’. The movie releases on 30 January, 2015.

     

    Pumped with fun, humor and patriotism, all the shows on Big Magic will celebrate Republic Day with the special episodes wherein Khurrana will be the anchor link. The actor will also share anecdotes about his movie and will be imparting a distinctive message of believing in oneself.

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network COO Lavneesh Gupta said, “To salute Republic Day, a momentous occasion for Indians, the Big Magic family will come together to entertain our audience with fun-filled episodes. We’re glad to be sharing this special day with Ayushmann Khurrana , lead actor of Hawaizaada, where the film salutes Indianness and will together impart an inspiring message to our viewers.”

     

    History TV18 will host a line-up of shows from 12 to 7 pm. From 12 to 3 pm, the channel will air Gandhi, a series that charts Mahatma Gandhi’s establishment beginnings, his move into politics and his campaign to bring independence to India. Hosted by journalist Mishal Husain, this first definitive series on the life of Gandhi examines his relationship with his wife and his role on the path to Indian independence.

     

    From 3 to 5 pm, the channel will showcase a series called – India on Four Wheels. As the Indian economy booms, the latest must-have accessory is the car. With increasingly affordable models on the market, and growing demand for cars as a status symbol and sign of social development, people’s lives are becoming intertwined with car ownership. Justin Rowlett and Anita Rani join the chaos of India’s roads on a madcap road trip across the country, to find out the truth behind the dream. Whether it’s breaking down by the side of the road, facing suicidal peacocks or tasting luxury in a Maharaja’s vintage Rolls Royce, this is a surprising look at a country on the move.

     

    Last but not the least, from 5 to 7 pm, the channel will air The Birth of Empire: East India Co, a series that reveals how the behemoth that was the East India Company grew into an imperial power and became the hotbed of corruption and greed that led to its downfall.

     

    Comedy Central will commemorate Republic Day by showcasing a one hour special episode of the news spoof The Other Week That Wasn’t at 8 pm. Viewers will get a chance to enjoy more of Cyrus Broach’s tongue-in-cheek spoofs and mouthful of puns.

     

    Kids genre is also leaving no stone unturned to celebrate the spirit of nationality. A puppet show, relevant to the day’s theme and an explorative session with Dora the Explorer will be aired on the channel from 5.30 to 7 pm.

     

    Vh1 celebrates yet another moment of patriotism with a countdown to the top Indian videos that have emerged in recent times from 10 am to 5 pm. On the other hand, 9X Jalwa will play a special playlist of all patriotic songs between 7 to 10 am on the band Hits Forever. The repeat telecast be aired on the same day from 7 to 10 pm.

     

    #fame, a multi channel network, will dedicate the day to womanhood. Orville Richard Burrell CD, best known by his stage name Shaggy, once chanted, “So amazing how this world was made I wonder if GOD is a woman; the gift of life astounds me till this day; I give it up for the woman.” Taking cue from the song, singer Abhiruchi Singh has penned down and sung an awe inspiring song ‘Ud Chali’ to celebrate womanhood, which will be aired on #fame.

  • History TV18 launches ‘In Search of Aliens’

    History TV18 launches ‘In Search of Aliens’

    MUMBAI:  Do the waters of the Scottish Highlands really hide a mysterious creature, the legendary Loch Ness Monster? Are the geoglyphs of Peru a work of humankind or do they have an extra-terrestrial accomplice? Join Giorgio Tsoukalos of Ancient Aliens fame, on History TV18’s brand new show ‘In Search of Aliens’ as he shifts facts from fiction, inspects bizarre occurrences and makes shocking discoveries. Premiering on Monday, 1 December 2014 at 11 pm, find out if science is powerful enough to explain unresolved mysteries, and validate the presence of life from outer space.

     

    Lost civilizations like the Atlantis and unfamiliar phenomena have long since intrigued mankind – whether it’s conspiracy theory believers or a scientific community trying to debunk the same. In Search of Aliens inspects the unknown and the uncharted with celebrated television personality Giorgio Tsoukalos, who will unravel the truth about interactions between aliens and ancient astronauts, the enigma of the Roswell Rock, and the much-debated presence of Bigfoot.

     

    Join Giorgio on a fascinating voyage across the world, examining locales of outlandish events and speaking to scientists, witnesses and experts. Dive into an exciting world of possible extra-terrestrial involvements and investigate ancient ruins and cryptic writings. In Search of Aliens is your ticket for a ride that is out of this world.

  • The World Wars premieres first on History TV18 app

    The World Wars premieres first on History TV18 app

    MUMBAI: While for most people a book would be the first choice to know about the world wars, times are definitely changing. As the world marks the 100th anniversary of the First World War, History TV18 is showcasing a special six part series examining the two wars as one continuous timeline starting in 1914 and concluding in 1945.  For the first time in India the series called The World Wars has premiered on the newly launched History TV18 app this week followed by its television premiere on 11 August.

     

    When asked why the channel decided to launch the series on the app first, A+E Networks-TV 18 vice president and marketing head Sangeetha Aiyer informs that she was quite surprised to know that the channel was the first in the category and among the first in the business to initiate the move. “Every study shows that consumption is shifting by leaps and bounds to mobile. The future belongs to content which is platform agnostic. By premiering it on the app first, we are taking baby steps in this direction” she adds.

     

    The iDubba designed app was launched in June 2014 and since then has been downloaded over 3,60,000 times with 7,000 people having rated it with an average of 4.4 on the Google Play Store. “Even on iOS where the standards are extremely high, 60+ people have reviewed the app, a majority of whom have given it a rating of 5/5” says  Aiyer.

     

    The series will be narrated by  two time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner and features gripping dramatic scenes, stunning CGI visuals and interviews with contemporary leaders like  John McCain, Colin Powell, John Major and David Miliband, along with world historians.

     

    A treat to regional viewers of the east would be the Bengali feed for the show. The channel has roped in veteran Bengali actor Sabyasachi Chakrabarty as narrator for the Bengali language. Commenting on this move Aiyer says “The feedback we get on social and other mediums indicate that our viewers enjoy watching our content in regional languages which is why for the first time we have a superstar like Chakrabarty dubbing for our shows.”

     

    The multiple Emmy award nominated show will focus on how the lives of history’s notable shakers like Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, George S Patton, Hideki Tojo, Charles de Gaulle and Douglas MacArthur were shaped during the war.

     

    The series is being promoted in a traditional way through promos on the networks channels like CNN-IBN and CNBC-TV18. The show promos were created in-house and a heavy digital thrust across social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook is being pursued. The channel has planned a late night quiz on Twitter for World War aficionados as part of the channels overall social media strategy.

     

    Hero Karizma is the presenting sponsor for the TV screening while Paytm is the co-presenting sponsor and Honda Mobilio is associate sponsor.

     

    The series will premiere on TV from 11 August from Monday to Saturday at 9 pm while the repeat will be aired from 18 to 23 August at 9 am.

  • History TV18 bags seven awards at the 5th CMO Asia Awards

    History TV18 bags seven awards at the 5th CMO Asia Awards

    MUMBAI: HISTORY TV18, the leading Factual entertainment channel,bagged multiple awards at the 5th CMO Asia Awards in Singapore.  The channel was honored with awards across categories for their outstanding work in promoting key properties on the channel.

    The channel won various digital and social media awards for promotion of their shows in the country. ‘Pawn Stars (India Tour)’won two awards viz Best Use of Social Networks and Best Integrated campaign. ‘Tamas’, a popular TV series around the migration of Sikh and Hindu families to India during partition won the award for the Best Marketing Campaign of the year.The channel won an award in the Best Use of Social Media in marketing category for their popular series, ‘Dynamo’. Alongwith this, the network initiative on ‘Bat of Honor’was also recognized for the Best Use of Twitter.

    Sangeetha Aiyer, Vice President and Head Marketing at A+E Network | TV18 was also felicitated as the Marketing Professional of the year and Woman Super Achiever for Brand Marketing and Management.

     

    On this momentous occasion, Ms. Sangeetha Aiyer, Vice President and Head Marketing, A+E Networks|TV18 said, “We are extremely pleased to have received these recognitions, which are testament to our brand excellence. HISTORY TV18 has redefined the Factual Entertainment genre through its revolutionary content showcasing a heady mix of nail biting drama, panoramic visuals, epic journeys and captivating stories, all captured in High Definition.”

    The CMO Asia Awards were judged by an independent jury comprising senior and accomplished professionals from Marketing, Branding, Advertising, Public Relations, Brand Strategy, and Corporate Communications.

  • Reliance Industries’ execs meet Network18 employees

    Reliance Industries’ execs meet Network18 employees

    MUMBAI: The Network18 office in Empire Mills Complex, in central Mumbai had some new visitors on 8 July 2014. Alok Agrawal who has been appointed as group COO of Network18, non-executive director Rohit Bansal and Reliance Industries Ltd’s media director Umesh Upadhyay held a town hall meeting with the entire staff of TV18 that includes CNN-IBN, IBN7, IBN Lokmat and History TV18.

     

    Attendees say it was a feel-good meeting and to reassure the employees about RIL’s honorable intentions for them all. The employees were told that the megacorp has full faith in them and hence had invested in the Network18 group and the objective was to make it a global brand.

     

    “There is no oil beneath your ground, if you are concerned about our motive,” is what one of them was heard to have said. Narrating an incident of the day founder Raghav Bahl finalised the deal, one of the members said, “Raghav on that day told the RIL executives that he had brought up the company to Rs 5000 crore and now you see if you can take it to Rs 50,000 crore.”

     

    They were further told that going forward the road ahead would be shared with them.  “It has been only 30 hours since the announcement of us acquiring Network18 has been made,” said one of them. “But you should know that 4G is very important for us as in the future smart phones are going to become very powerful. We are all happy that Raghav (Bahl) is continuing to give his support to the company.”

     

    A similar meeting had taken place a day earlier with the employees in the head office in Delhi where special assurance was given to the CNBC TV-18 employees that “they need not fear publishing any story.” Employees in both places were told that they can even report about RIL but not publish stories without any facts.

     

    One of the executives said that the main point in the whole RIL-Network18 deal was an exchange between two people (referring to Mukesh Ambani and Bahl) but everything else stays the same.

     

    A source from RIL says that the exercise is being conducted so that employees are personally met and assured rather than have them believe false rumours through the media. A few more meetings are expected to be held in the coming days.

  • History TV18 embarks on a treasure hunting road trip with ‘Extreme Collectors’

    History TV18 embarks on a treasure hunting road trip with ‘Extreme Collectors’

    MUMBAI: Get set for unbelievable experiences as HISTORY TV18 takes viewers on a part road trip, part treasure hunt with its new series ‘Extreme Collectors.’ Premiering on Monday, 5th May at 10:30 pm, this new series follows host Andrew Zegers, a professional appraiser with a sharp eye and 30 years of experience, as he travels in search of truly incredible and unique collections. Another great show in the new Prime Time band, the show features Andrew touring through meticulously cared-for collections in homes all across North America.

     

     

    Tapping into the fascinating world of collectors, Extreme Collectors is an entertaining wild ride as each episode showcases four amazing collectors and their stunning collections.Andrew’s knowledge and skills come into play as he appraises each collection and their true value, satisfying the curiosity of audiences and answer the secretly thought in every viewer’s mind – “what’s this all really worth?” The show features everything from pop culture (Coca Cola, Barbie and GI Joe) to the unusual (medical antiques, showgirl costumes and the largest collection of yo-yo’s in the world).

     

     

    Get set to witness some of the absurd collections, and maybe start one your own. Join Andrew Zegerson ‘Extreme Collectors starting Monday 5th May at 10:30 pm on HISTORY TV18 every Monday to Friday.

  • JAINHITS commences dual language voice feeds

    JAINHITS commences dual language voice feeds

    NEW DELHI: JAINHITS has started providing voice feeds in dual languages on its platform at no additional cost for its customers.

     

    While initially, it is providing the dual language feed to four of its channels; it will later expand this proposition to other channels.

     

    Consumers will be able to avail dual language voice feeds for the channels namely Discovery, History TV18, Animal Planet and Nickelodeon. Through this offering, JAINHITS customers can choose to have audio voice feeds in Hindi or English. The language options from English to Hindi or vice versa can be switched using the remote.

     

    According to JAINHITS head Rakesh Gupta, “Spreading happiness is JAINHITS’ motto. This is one more effort to spread the happiness amongst our ISO (Independent Service Operator) partners and their customers. This is one more step towards JAINHITS’ endeavour to offer the most advanced and enriched digital cable TV services.”

     

    JAINHITS provides consumers with more than 250 channels and plans to increase it to 500 in the near future. The company provides MPEG-4 quality digital cable TV services including SD/HD channels from national, regional and International broadcasters.

     

     JAINHITS will soon roll out its full HD and multi-screen services for consumers. The key proposition of the HITS platform is its cost-effective investment for cable operators which stands at a minimum of only Rs 25,000 per month. With this, they expect to do business with 400 plus partners and install over 1000 Mini Downlink Headend’s across 640 districts of India by the end of 2014.

     

      

    The HITS platform is the only Direct-to-Network (DTN) service in India. This system has an advantage of having a centralized Conditional Access System (CAS) and Subscriber Management System (SMS). JAINHITS offers Triple Play Service throughout India – Video, Data & Voice. 

  • Dish TV, History TV18 to telecast concert for Hurricane Sandy

    Dish TV, History TV18 to telecast concert for Hurricane Sandy

    MUMBAI: Zee Network‘s DTH company Dish TV India will air the global event ‘12-12-12 Concert‘ to contribute to the Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts.

    The Concert for Sandy Relief will take place at the Madison Square Garden, New York City December 12, 2012. It is expected to run for over four hours.

    Big names in the music industry have come together for the concert. It will be aired online as well as on-air. Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, Dave Grohl, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Chris Martin, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Eddie Vedder, Roger Waters, Kanye West, The Who and Paul McCartney will take part. Also on the bill are actors and comedians including Billy Crystal, Jon Stewart, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kristen Stewart, Chris Rock, Susan Sarandon, Adam Sandler, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jimmy Fallon, Steve Buscemi and Quentin Tarantino.

    The event will be telecast on 13 December 2012 from 5:30 am onwards (IST) and the repeat will telecast at 8 pm on the same day. It will be available to all Dish TV customers free of cost.

    Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor said, "Being the pioneer and industry leader Dish TV has always endeavored to stand strong with the global community in times of need. We are extremely pleased to be a part of the Relief Efforts organized by Robin Hood Relief Fund for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. By broadcasting this concert to be held on the historic date of ‘12-12-12‘, we are glad to take a step towards spreading awareness among Indian masses about the relief campaign for the hurricane victims."

    Robin Hood organisation is organising this concert at 7:30 pm (EST). This four-hour concert is expected to reach over 1 billion people worldwide, while Dish TV will be broadcasting the entire event for its customers in India on channel no. 90 for HD subscribers and channel no. 252 for SD subscribers.

    Infotainment broadcaster History TV18 will also air the concert on 13 December at 5:30 pm. The concert will also be live streamed on Youtube, Hulu, AOL, iHeartRadio and Time brands‘ websites.

  • History TV18 plans to add two language feeds, boost rev

    History TV18 plans to add two language feeds, boost rev

    MUMBAI: History TV18, a joint venture between A+E Networks and TV18, is targeting to launch two more language feeds as it expects a wider regional presence will give it an edge over competitors and boost its ad revenues.

    The factual entertainment channel already has a presence in seven languages, the only one in this genre to have such a wider regional spread. A few days back, History TV18 announced the launch of its Gujarati feed – the others being Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi and English.

    “While we are looking at two more language feeds, the size of the market is key as it has to make economic sense,” said AETN-18 JV GM marketing Sangeetha Aiyer.

    The drive is to offer advertisers a choice. “The business model for the regional feeds is not distribution but to grow ad revenue by increasing yields. The yields in the industry are low at Rs 1800-2200 per 10 second spot for the tier one channels and Rs 800-1200 for the tier two channels in this genre. Our aim is to take the effective yield up to Rs 2500-3000. Our focus is on brands that do national campaigns. But at the same time regional brands that want a national presence will also find us useful,” averrd Aiyer.

    There is also the viewership perspective in this approach. Said programming VP Sudheer KG, “In the factual genre, things are explained and sometimes explanations in English are beyond the comprehension of regional viewers. That is why History had launched regional feeds at the start.”

    So how effective is this regional plan? Explains Aiyer, “The JV has given itself a three-year break-even time frame for the channel, keeping in mind that this genre dependends heavily on advertising. For the regional feeds, a four to six week period is needed to show clients consistency in delivery. We already have around 60 clients including Maruti, Volkswagen, Amul, Sony and Samsung.”

    The viewership is skewed towards males. Sixty per cent of the viewers are men and out of this, most are in the age group 15-40, according to Aiyer.

    Around 50 per cent of the channel’s viewership comes from the Hindi feed. “Apart from the North belt, even people in Hyderabad and Bangalore watch it in Hindi. After that, comes Marathi and Tamil. The size of the Maharashtra market is big while people also consume the channel a lot in Tamil. After these languages, come the others like English,” said Sudheer.

    Sudheer admitted that Gujarat is a tough market as there are few multi-system operators. “We are the first international channel to offer a local language feed in Gujarati. We are, thus, hopeful that they will see us as offering value. We get inquiries from people who want to carry us. Gujaratis watch news, GECs and movies. But the reason why infotainment has not penetrated there much is that content was not available in their language,” he said.

    What is needed for the regional feeds? “For our regional feeds, we don’t do translation. We do transcreation. This means communicating to viewers in a simple way so that they understand what is happening. When they understand what is happening, they will return again and again to watch. This is how viewership grows as they spend more time on us. On all our regional feeds we have executive producers and language managers who work with studios,” said Sudheer.