ITV

Tag: House of Cards

  • Zee Cafe and Zee Cafe HD to premiere season 4 of House Of Cards

    Zee Cafe and Zee Cafe HD to premiere season 4 of House Of Cards

    MUMBAI: Zee Cafe is all geared up to premiere the new season of House Of Cards on 12 and 13 March 2016. The show will air 5 pm onward. The increasing interest around the show prompted the channel to introduce marathon viewing of its third season which went onto become a trend in the English entertainment space. Keeping in with the success, the fourth installment will also have a marathon start to end run over this weekend to keep the viewers glued to their small screens. 

    The channel promoted the show’s latest season through innovative campaigns and social media strategies. An all-round 360 degree campaign was initiated spanning across mediums like print, TV, radio, outdoor and airport branding to garner maximum outreach. The channel introduced series of contests and activities on its social media platforms one month prior to the premiere to create the recall value. 

    A Watch & Win contest sponsored by New Renault Duster will also be launched by the channel. The viewers can answer questions asked during the episodes and tweet them to @ZeeCafe with #HOConZCafe. With one laptop and 4 smartphones up for grabs, House of Cards S4 would surely make for an epic premiere.

    Speaking on the promotional idea, Zee English cluster business head Ali Zaidi said “Bringing our viewers the best in English entertainment has been our forte and House of Cards has always topped that list. While the world is abuzz with talk of House of Cards Season 4, we feel proud to have a marathon run of the show for our viewers. Just like the third season, we hope this one will also live up to the expectations and gain maximum viewership upon its premiere.” 

    The fourth season of House Of Cards will show how the conniving, methodical and vicious, President Frank Underwood played by Kevin Spacey will take Washington by storm and try to retain his position in the White House. 

  • Zee Cafe and Zee Cafe HD to premiere season 4 of House Of Cards

    Zee Cafe and Zee Cafe HD to premiere season 4 of House Of Cards

    MUMBAI: Zee Cafe is all geared up to premiere the new season of House Of Cards on 12 and 13 March 2016. The show will air 5 pm onward. The increasing interest around the show prompted the channel to introduce marathon viewing of its third season which went onto become a trend in the English entertainment space. Keeping in with the success, the fourth installment will also have a marathon start to end run over this weekend to keep the viewers glued to their small screens. 

    The channel promoted the show’s latest season through innovative campaigns and social media strategies. An all-round 360 degree campaign was initiated spanning across mediums like print, TV, radio, outdoor and airport branding to garner maximum outreach. The channel introduced series of contests and activities on its social media platforms one month prior to the premiere to create the recall value. 

    A Watch & Win contest sponsored by New Renault Duster will also be launched by the channel. The viewers can answer questions asked during the episodes and tweet them to @ZeeCafe with #HOConZCafe. With one laptop and 4 smartphones up for grabs, House of Cards S4 would surely make for an epic premiere.

    Speaking on the promotional idea, Zee English cluster business head Ali Zaidi said “Bringing our viewers the best in English entertainment has been our forte and House of Cards has always topped that list. While the world is abuzz with talk of House of Cards Season 4, we feel proud to have a marathon run of the show for our viewers. Just like the third season, we hope this one will also live up to the expectations and gain maximum viewership upon its premiere.” 

    The fourth season of House Of Cards will show how the conniving, methodical and vicious, President Frank Underwood played by Kevin Spacey will take Washington by storm and try to retain his position in the White House. 

  • Zee Café to premiere ‘House of Cards’ season 4 on 12-13 March

    Zee Café to premiere ‘House of Cards’ season 4 on 12-13 March

    MUMBAI: Zee Café will premiere the entire fourth season of the Netflix original show House Of Cards on 12 and 13 March, 2016 from 5 pm onwards.

     

    The channel will be bringing the new season of the Kevin Spacey starrer in India just a week after its international release.

     

    Last year, Zee Café premiered the complete third season of House Of Cards over one weekend, which also marked the beginning of a new trend of marathon or binge viewing.

     

    “Bringing our viewers the best in English entertainment is especially true with a high-impact show such as House Of Cards. That is why we consider it particularly important to give the audience a chance to watch the entire fourth season just one week after its international release, while the world is abuzz with talk of House Of Cards. Moreover, the audience’s desire for marathon viewing has grown significantly lately. Hence, we encourage fans of the show to #StayImpatient and experience it all together on Zee Café,” says Zee English cluster business head Ali Zaidi.

  • Zee Café to premiere ‘House of Cards’ season 4 on 12-13 March

    Zee Café to premiere ‘House of Cards’ season 4 on 12-13 March

    MUMBAI: Zee Café will premiere the entire fourth season of the Netflix original show House Of Cards on 12 and 13 March, 2016 from 5 pm onwards.

     

    The channel will be bringing the new season of the Kevin Spacey starrer in India just a week after its international release.

     

    Last year, Zee Café premiered the complete third season of House Of Cards over one weekend, which also marked the beginning of a new trend of marathon or binge viewing.

     

    “Bringing our viewers the best in English entertainment is especially true with a high-impact show such as House Of Cards. That is why we consider it particularly important to give the audience a chance to watch the entire fourth season just one week after its international release, while the world is abuzz with talk of House Of Cards. Moreover, the audience’s desire for marathon viewing has grown significantly lately. Hence, we encourage fans of the show to #StayImpatient and experience it all together on Zee Café,” says Zee English cluster business head Ali Zaidi.

  • Netflix’s Hastings expects linear TV to diminish like landlines have

    Netflix’s Hastings expects linear TV to diminish like landlines have

    MUMBAI: Do you know what’s driving Netflix as it continues on its mad rapid expansion around the globe? Well, CEO Reed Hastings gave some insights to German TV anchor Claus Keiber in an interview to Digital Life Design (DLD) station recently. Hastings indicated that he believed that linear television is on the brink of extinction.

     “It has been a breakthrough for 50 years and has enabled consumers to watch movies at their own comfort rather than going to a theater,” he said. “However, today people want to watch content on different screens. There used to be a lack of diversity and of different voices during the era when the three major networks dominated the entertainment space in the US. Today, consumers want to make it personalized with updated and improved applications which are the aspects of internet TV. Eventually, these new forms will replace the linear television TV just like fixed lines were by mobile phones.”

    When asked if the linear TV will manage to retain a viewership niche, he agreed, saying that “there is always a tendency to romance the past.”
     

    He rued the fact that internet TV has no authoritative voice, but that shortcoming is more than made up by the fact that it is a platform which offers a broader diversity including more opinions and experimental content.

    “Every technology has its losses and gains. These days, anyone can produce and can also have a television network”, added the IT engineer. “Linear TV networks are adapting and putting their content out on the Internet. The other international networks might also convert themselves into internet networks.”

    Netflix’s big challenges going ahead – after its recent expansion into 130 countries – are producing locally in the markets it has launched, getting the right price points for consumers and finally getting a leg in to China. Hastings revealed that the company is already in talks with local partners as well as government departments to get a license.

    “We need to be patient. Apple took six years from 2005 to 2011 in negotiating and binding relationships in China before launching their I-phone. We are looking forward to a decade where Chinese middle class would want to embrace the content that we provide”, he pointed out.  “Currently, bloggers in China think that House of Cards is a documentary on the US.”

  • Netflix’s Hastings expects linear TV to diminish like landlines have

    Netflix’s Hastings expects linear TV to diminish like landlines have

    MUMBAI: Do you know what’s driving Netflix as it continues on its mad rapid expansion around the globe? Well, CEO Reed Hastings gave some insights to German TV anchor Claus Keiber in an interview to Digital Life Design (DLD) station recently. Hastings indicated that he believed that linear television is on the brink of extinction.

     “It has been a breakthrough for 50 years and has enabled consumers to watch movies at their own comfort rather than going to a theater,” he said. “However, today people want to watch content on different screens. There used to be a lack of diversity and of different voices during the era when the three major networks dominated the entertainment space in the US. Today, consumers want to make it personalized with updated and improved applications which are the aspects of internet TV. Eventually, these new forms will replace the linear television TV just like fixed lines were by mobile phones.”

    When asked if the linear TV will manage to retain a viewership niche, he agreed, saying that “there is always a tendency to romance the past.”
     

    He rued the fact that internet TV has no authoritative voice, but that shortcoming is more than made up by the fact that it is a platform which offers a broader diversity including more opinions and experimental content.

    “Every technology has its losses and gains. These days, anyone can produce and can also have a television network”, added the IT engineer. “Linear TV networks are adapting and putting their content out on the Internet. The other international networks might also convert themselves into internet networks.”

    Netflix’s big challenges going ahead – after its recent expansion into 130 countries – are producing locally in the markets it has launched, getting the right price points for consumers and finally getting a leg in to China. Hastings revealed that the company is already in talks with local partners as well as government departments to get a license.

    “We need to be patient. Apple took six years from 2005 to 2011 in negotiating and binding relationships in China before launching their I-phone. We are looking forward to a decade where Chinese middle class would want to embrace the content that we provide”, he pointed out.  “Currently, bloggers in China think that House of Cards is a documentary on the US.”

  • Relativity Media acquires Trigger Street; Kevin Spacey & Dana Brunetti to run studio

    Relativity Media acquires Trigger Street; Kevin Spacey & Dana Brunetti to run studio

    MUMBAI: In what can be called a shocker of a development, Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity Media, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, has now acquired Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti’s entertainment production company Trigger Street Productions.

     

    Effective mid-February, Spacey will become chairman of Relativity Studios, whereas Brunetti will become the company’s president. Together, they will oversee all creative content and film production for the company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

     

    “I am thrilled to welcome Kevin and Dana to Relativity. Kevin’s incredible creative success as a two-time Academy Award winner and star and producer of the critically acclaimed House of Cards speaks for itself. Dana has remarkable instincts and an impressive track record of producing films such asFifty Shades of Grey and Captain Phillips. Both men share my passion for film and Relativity’s unique 360 degree content engine, and I could not be more excited to partner with such talented professionals,” said Relativity chairman and CEO Ryan Kavanaugh.

     

    “They thought we were crazy when we chose to do House of Cards with an online streaming service; they thought I was crazy when I went to run The Old Vic Theatre when no one thought it could be saved; and this move with Relativity will be proof for some that we really are crazy,” said Spacey. “This is an incredible opportunity to make great entertainment. I’m thrilled at this next evolution in my career, having run an independent production company to now be able to run a studio is a great challenge, and I’ve learned that in the end it’s the risk takers that are rewarded.”

     

    “While other studios are focusing on tentpoles and franchises, there is a void with an eager audience for films that are character driven with great storytelling that can be made at a reasonable budget,” added Brunetti. “Being a disruptor at heart, I look forward to the opportunities that being inside a studio system will present.”

     

    Trigger Street Productions’ credits include Academy Award-nominated Captain Phillips, Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning The Social Network, and the Emmy nominated House of Cards, Bernard and Doris and Recount, as well as numerous other films including 21, Shrink,Fanboys and the stage production The Iceman Cometh.

  • “Television will move to Internet completely:” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings

    “Television will move to Internet completely:” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings

    MUMBAI: As the digital era ushers in with full gusto, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is of the opinion that in a few years’ time, television will move to the internet completely, which has made many a international players in the cable and television broadcast industry shifty in their positions.

     

    In a recent interview with CNBC, Hastings said that in the next 10 to 20 years, television will shift completely to Internet, and his two cents are on the fact that Internet will be one of the fastest growing industry.

     

    Hastings may come off as bold, but his statement are in fact backed by facts and figures. The recent drop in subscription rates seen by television giants like Disney and Fox clearly indicates how rapidly the consumer is choosing internet as their staple platform for content consumption, be it entertainment, fiction or non-fiction. On the other hand, Netflix confirmed an addition of 3.3 million new subscribers in their quarter ending in July.

     

    When asked for his opinion on more and more people choosing to watch television on the internet rather than cable TV, Hastings told CNBC, “There are a few people that have cut the cord, but it is very, very small still today. But it’s a worry about the long term.”

     

    Considering its humble beginnings as a mail-order DVD company in 1997 to being an internet colossus worth over $32 billion, it will be right to say that Netflix is in for the long haul may even outrun some of the world’s biggest cable networks.

     

    The credit goes to internet, says the CEO of one of the world’s largest online video streaming platform. “It’s really the Internet. The Internet is transforming so many sectors of our economy, and we are Internet TV; and that sector has grown from very small 15 years ago to starting to be significant now,” Hasting asserted enthusiastically in his interview.

     

    Armed with analytics tools, Hastings stressed the importance of learning and evolving through time and new technology updates to survive in the market. “We are just a learning machine. Every time we put out a new show we are analysing it, figuring out what worked and what didn’t so we get better next time,” he adds.

     

    He also mentions that Orange is the New Black and House of Cards — Netflix’s two original shows – are the platform’s trump cards. With their ambition to spread their reach in Asia Pacific and the Indian subcontinent, the question remains if this formula will have the same impact as it did in America and Europe, especially in India, where broadband speed is still not up to international standards.

  • Piracy notwithstanding, English Entertainment genre charts growth story

    Piracy notwithstanding, English Entertainment genre charts growth story

    MUMBAI: That there are as many as 20 English entertainment channels in India today is alone testament to the fact that there is a chunk of audience out there who are happily lapping up English shows and movies on television. In a country where Hindi and regional general entertainment channels (GECs) account for almost 49 per cent of the total viewership pie, the English GECs and movie channels genre survive on a measly 0.9 per cent.

     

    Notwithstanding, overhear snatches of conversation of today’s youngsters and you’re most likely to hear show names such as Orange is the New Black, Homeland, House of Cards and Game of Thrones. However, a couple of pertinent questions to ask here are: Where are they consuming this content from and whether there is much scope for a genre like this to grow in a country as diverse as India?

     

    Even as piracy is rampant specially for English entertainment content, Indian broadcasters are going around with a fine-tooth comb in order to offer viewers the best content in order to feed their insatiable demand.

     

    The English Entertainment Growth Story

     

    According to the FICCI-KPMG 2015 report, English entertainment genre, which includes both English GECs and English movie channels, accounted for 0.9 per cent viewership in 2014 as compared to the 1.1 per cent in 2013.

     

    With the recent addition of Viacom18’s Colors Infinity and Colors Infinity HD, the number of English entertainment channels in India today has touched 20, as per TAM Media Research data. Of these, there are seven HD channels with the first half of 2015 alone seeing as many as five HD launches.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Times Network CEO and managing director MK Anand says, “With DAS phase I and II complete, as we go to phase III and IV, the potential to launch more and more niche channels and to reach out to specific people has become better and cheaper. With analog one could reach 100 channels through a network, whereas with digital we can technically and theoretically reach 500 channels.”

     

    While the niche English entertainment genre has seen content acquisition cost rising almost three-fold in the last couple of years, the fact remains that the advertising rates are nothing to write home about. Even as media planners suggest that there has been close to 43 per cent jump in the commercial time sold on English entertainment channels, the ad rate for the genre ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 2,500, which is considerably below the rates that Hindi GECs command. In a scenario like this, the question that looms large is whether it is even profitable to enter the space?  

     

    Viacom18 EVP head – English Entertainment Ferzad Palia says that close to 250 million Indians now are English literates, which was anywhere between 25-30 million, 10 years ago. Not just this, English entertainment genre currently reaches to 200 million consumers, with close to 60 per cent of English entertainment consumption coming from non-metros. While currently, the genre has only 4.6 per cent AdEx share of the whole television pie, Palia feels that the genre is lucrative from an advertiser’s perspective, as English entertainment consumers have 35 per cent higher disposable income.

     

    While the above figures and the liking for high quality content by youngsters justifies the many new launches in the English entertainment space, what is interesting to note is that networks today are investing not just on an English entertainment channel, but are also looking at catering to their HD audiences, by simultaneously launching the HD feed of the channel or only coming up with an HD channel.

     

    The HD Push

     

    GroupM head – trading & partnerships Jai Lala believes that there is scope for more HD channels in the market as the viewing pattern is changing. “With better TVs, and better availability of content, people want to watch the content in HD. The way we had SD, over a period of time, people would want to move to HD and that is where the opportunity exists,” he says.

     

    Digitisation and the growing emphasis of direct to home (DTH) players on HD is another reason for broadcasters concentrating on strengthening their HD bouquet. “The HD part is extremely small right now and at a very nascent stage. With an increase in the seeding of HD set top boxes, things will change. While currently HD penetration is mainly in SEC A cities, over a period of time, it will become mass,” opines Lala.

     

    Increasing penetration of premium, ad free channels like HBO Hits, HBO Defined and Star World Premier has given a major fillip to subscription revenues significantly for the English entertainment genre. Premium HD channels last year recorded 10X topline growth with DTH accounting over 95 per cent of the premium channel subscriber base.    

     

    The advertising revenue from HD channels, according to media experts is approximately Rs 250 crore. Lala estimates the English general entertainment HD market to be in the tune of Rs 100 crore.  

     

    Agreeing that the genre currently is not profitable, Madison Media Omega chief operating officer Dinesh Rathore says, “There is so much content available internationally and it is quite popular. Thanks to digitisation and digital penetration that people are watching this content through different avenues. This gives an impression that there is a demand for such content, but this is specialized content meant for a niche audience.”

     

    Giving examples of channels like Big Thrill and CBS, Rathore says that these did not work because they were not viable monetarily. “Today, every network wants to be available in every genre and with better quality. It is like building a portfolio in order to cater to your clients in every niche,” he opines.

     

    The Road Ahead

     

    While the English entertainment channels genre currently is a small player in the vast broadcast game, it has a chance to pick up with growing digital homes. Once a strong pipe is created, broadcaster will have to concentrate on bringing good quality content to viewers, preferably at the same time as its US release. They will also have to create enough room for sampling of content by viewers.    

     

    The key area of concern for English entertainment genre in India still remains that of piracy. According to Palia, the habit of ‘torent’ing amongst viewers has been inculcated by broadcasters themselves. “We have forced consumers to go and download. Research shows that people do not download just because they want to watch content immediately after the US launch. The real reason is that they aren’t getting enough content that they should be. There is a plethora of content that is not even brought to the country,” Palia had earlier said. 

     

    Media analysts are of the opinion that the English entertainment genre in the country should pick up in the next two-three years. Moreover, the huge time gap between the US and India release of a show is what eventually leads to downloading. If broadcasters can deal with this issue and develop appointment viewing amongst customers, the genre, which has immense potential given India’s high youth and English speaking population, stands to bloom.

  • Zee Café to air entire ‘House of Cards’ season 3 in two days

    Zee Café to air entire ‘House of Cards’ season 3 in two days

    MUMBAI: Whoever said too much of anything is bad, clearly didn’t know how to binge on TV shows. After months of anticipation, everyone’s favourite power-hungry, fourth-wall-breaking politician from House of Cards will be on Zee Café, not just for an hour but hours in a row!

     

    House of Cards is back and how! Zee Café will be airing all 13 episodes of the latest season (Season 3) of House of Cards, the popular political drama, on 28 and 29 March, 5 pm onwards.

     

    This is the first time ever that an English GEC is telecasting all the episodes of the latest season at one go- a strategic move to address the Indian viewers’ desire to binge watch several episodes instead of having to wait a week to see another installment.

     

    House of Cards season 1 and 2 on Zee Cafe received tremendous response from the Indian viewers breaking all records and now with the marathon telecast, the anticipation for the third season will be highly justified.

     

    This unique concept adapted by Zee Café is part of a new programming innovation that will showcase latest new shows in a marathon format. House of Cards is the maiden show in this offering with several more exciting shows lined up for the upcoming year.

     

    Speaking on the concept, Zee Café head –content & marketing Sharlton Menezes stated, “House of Cards already ranks among the most influential series in television history. The marathon of Season 3 on Zee Café is sure to give the channel the viewership clout and further transform how the audience watches and defines ‘television’. With this, we aim to leverage this insight by adding value to an Indian viewer’s individual experience.”

     

    The proposition for House of Cards S3 marathon is #GearUp which will be integrated in all of Zee Café’s communication across platforms – on-air & digital, thus focusing on the idea to highlight the ingenuity of this programming format which has been derived from the viewer insight that people hate waiting for episodes of their favorite shows on a weekly basis.