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  • Q2-2016: TRAI Report: YoY and QoQ Radio ad revenue up 23 per cent

    Q2-2016: TRAI Report: YoY and QoQ Radio ad revenue up 23 per cent

    BENGALURU:  The radio industry in India has reported the highest advertisement revenue so far for the quarter ended September 30, 2015 (Q2-2016) as per the latest TRAI report. Advertisement revenue in Q2-2016 reported to TRAI by 236 radio stations was Rs 481.56 crore, or Rs2.04 crore per station. The ad revenue per station reported in Q2-2016 increased 23.17 per cent year-on-year (YoY) as compared to Rs 1.66 crore in (Rs 399.26 crore reported by 241 radio stations) Q2-2015 and 23.81 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) as compared to Rs 1.65 crore (Rs 393.9 crore reported by 239 radio stations) in the immediate trailing quarter.

    Before Q2-2016, the previous highest ad revenue was Rs 443.17 crore reported by 241 radio stations in Q3-2015 orRs 1.84 crore per station.

    Note (1): (a)100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore

    (b) The author has taken the liberty to introduce a measure – average revenue per radio station. This is a rough yardstick and may not necessarily be indicative of a station or a networks performance, because factors such as geography and market conditions within the area of operations are among many that will also determine performance.

    (c) This report is skewed more towards general financial numbers in terms of revenue and results, and not operational performance.

    Trends across 18 consecutive quarters (four fiscal years, plus two quarters of the current fiscal)

    Please refer to Fig A below – Ad revenue per station has been calculated based on combined ad revenue figures disclosed by TRAI across 18 consecutive quarters starting Q1-2012 until Q2-2016. During the period, in general, ad revenue from radio stations shows an increasing linear trend as is indicted by the broken black trend line. Over the financial years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, it has been noted that ad revenue increases in the following order from lowest to highest – Q1, Q2, Q4, Q3. It may be noted that in fiscals 2012 and 2013 ad revenue per station was actually higher in Q4 than Q3, but in fiscals 2014 and 2015, it was highest in Q3.

    Fig B below shows how ad revenues have changed YoY and QoQ since Q1-2013 until Q2-2016 (across 14 quarters). During this periodboth the YoY and QoQincrease was highest in Q2-2016 at approximately 23 per cent plus each. The previous highest YoY increase was Q2-2014 at 21.31 per cent, while the previous highest QoQ increase was Q3-2013 at 18.85 per cent. While there has never been a YoY decline, in the case of QoQ, revenues have declined in Q1-2013, Q1-2014, Q4-2014, Q1-2015, Q4-2015 and Q1-2016, hence further substantiating the above observations that Q1 of a financial year generally has the lowest ad revenue in a fiscal, while Q3, which is the festival quarter in India, has the highest ad revenue. Further, the QoQ drop in Q4 was not steep, and hence Q4 over the past two fiscals has the next highest ad revenues.

    For the year ended March 31, 2015 (FY-2015), the numbers reported by the radio industry for the year were the probably the best (indiantelevision link, radioandusic link) until then. Despite an 8.88 percent QoQ (quarter on quarter) fall in average ad revenue per station in Q1-2016, the ad average revenue per station of Rs 1.65 crore was the best yet for the first quarter over a period of 4 years. In Q1-2015, YoY ad revenue grew 11.90 percent as compared to Q1-2014.Combined with the great Q2-2016 numbers, historical trends indicate that FY-2016 could be an even better year in terms of average revenue per station and overall revenues.

    As per the latest TRAI data, the sum of average ad revenues per station for the first two quarters of 2016 at Rs 3.69 crore is already 54.4 per cent of the average ad revenue per station of Rs 6.78 crore for fiscal 2015. As mentioned above, Q1 and Q2 generally report the lowest and second lowest ad revenues respectively in a financial year. Results reported by a few companies for the third quarter ended 31 December 2015 (Q3-2016) indicate that YoY and QoQ revenues have risen.  Add to this the revenue of the new stations acquired in phase III auctions if/once they start operations in the fourth quarter, the radio industry should report substantial revenue increases from FY-2016 onwards.

    Let us look at how a few radio networks performed.

    Note (2):  (a) This report considers PAT posted by 2 radio companies (ENIL – Radio Mirchi, 32 radio stations; JagranPrakashan – Radio City – 20 radio stations), along with operating results of DB Corp (My FM, 17 stations); B. A.G. Films (Radio Dhamaal, 10 stations); HT Media (Fever FM, 4 stations); and TV Today (Oye! FM, 6 stations), or a total of 6 radio networks that represent 89, or 36.63 percent of the 243 private FM radio stations in Q2-2016.

    (b) The Q3-2016 numbers of individual players in this report have been obtained from their filings with regulatory bodies, the TRAI number for Q3-2016 has been extrapolated and could prove to be inaccurate.

    (c)Revenues for the sample stations mean Total Income from Operations and generally include ad revenue and other operating revenues.

    (d) Phase III and other radio stations acquisitions: ENIL has received permission from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) to acquire 4 stations from TV Today Network Limited (Oye! FM), viz., those at Amritsar, Patiala, Shimla and Jodhpur – which the company says have been/will be re-branded and re-launched shortly as Mirchi, adding to its North India network strength. With another 7 stations acquired in phase III auctions, the core Mirchi brand will now be available in 43 cities. There are/will be a total of 39 FM radio stations that JagranPrakashan Limited currently has. This includes the existing 20 radio stations plus 11 stations acquired in phase III auctions and 8 radio stations under the brand Radio Mantra.  Radio Mantra was earlier operated by Shri Puran Multimedia, Jagran’s promoter group. Besides, the group also runs a web radio network with 21 web radio streams under Planetradiocity.com.  During the Phase III auctions, DB Corp (My FM) acquired 14 frequencies, through which MY FM will extend its presence to seven states and 30 cities with 31 stations. HT Media acquired 10 radio frequencies during phase III auctions, taking its total radio stations to 14. However these changes are not considered here, for this report pertains to the period before all the new stations have started operations.

    (e) In mid-December 2015, Radio Mirchi added two more station, those at Amritsar and Patalia. It is presumed by the author that the addition of these two mare station brought in no significant addition to income to Radio Mirchi in Q3-2016, hence Radio Mirchi’s revenue per station has been calculated on the basis of 32 stations in this paper for that quarter. However, actual facts could be different.

    Entertainment Network India Limited (ENIL) that operates brand Radio Mirchi is the only separately listed radio company in India and one of the most profitable ones by far. It must be noted that in Q2-2016, ENIL’s revenue made up 50.6 per cent of the combined revenue of the six entities in this paper. In Q3-2016, ENIL contributed to 51.6 per cent of combined revenues. Other stations/radio brands of consequence, whose results are within the public domain have been considered in this report.

    Please refer to Fig C below. It may be noted that the figure of Rs2.30 crore in blue for All India ad revenue per station is a projection based on certain assumptions made by the author, and could be incorrect.

    In Q2-2016 (30 September 2015), combined revenues of the six entities in this report had increased 10.3 per cent YoY and had increased 15.5 per cent QoQ, much lower than the YoY andQoQ increases reported by TRAI (23.17 per cent and 23.81 per cent respectively)

    Combined revenues of the 89 radio stations run by the six entities increased 19.2 per cent YoY to Rs 278.16 crore in Q3-2016 (31 December 2016) as compared to Rs 233.41 crore and increased 21 per cent QoQ as compared to Rs 229.95 crore.

    Combined operating profit/PAT in Q3-2016 of the six entities declined 11.1 per cnt YoY to Rs 60.31 crore as compared to Rs 67.83 crore, but increased 36.6 per cent QoQ from Rs 44.15 crore.

    Music Broadcast Limited (MBL) which runs Radio City reported 14.9 YoY (year-on-year) growth in operating revenue for Q3-2016 at Rs 64.80 crore as compared to Rs 56.39 crore for the corresponding prior year quarter. Revenue in Q3-2016 was 16.7 per cent higher QoQ (quarter-on-quarter) as compared to Rs 55.54 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.

    B. A. G. Films Limited Radio segment Radio Dhamaalreported 1.8 per cent QoQ drop in operating revenue growth at Rs 2.18 crore as compared to Rs 2.22 crore and 10 per cent YoY decline in revenue as compared to Rs2.43 crore.

    HT Media’s radio segment Fever 104 FM reported a 25 per cent YoY increase in operating revenue to Rs 32.26 crore as compared to Rs 28.81 crore and grew 10 per cent QoQ as compared to Rs 29.34 crore.

    ENIL reported 22.9 percent YoY increase in Total Income from Operations (TIO) in the quarter ended December 31, 2015 (Q3-2016, current quarter) at Rs 143.57 crore as compared to the Rs 117.69 crore and 23.5 percent higher QoQ as compared to Rs 116.27 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.

    DB Corp’s My FMrevenue increased 25.8 percent YoY at Rs 32.32 crore as compared to Rs 25.69 crore) and a  34.9 percent QoQ  growth as compared to Rs 23.96 crore.

    TV Today’s Network Limited radio segment Oye! reported49.4 percent YoY decline in operating revenue at Rs 2.02 crore as compared to Rs 4.00 crore, and 22.5 percent lower operating revenue as compared to Rs 2.61 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.

    MBL’s (Radio City) profit after tax (PAT) in Q3-2016 declined 5.4 per cent YoY to Rs 16.17 crore (25 per cent margin) as compared to Rs 17.10 crore (30.3 per cent margin), but increased by more than a third (increased by 34.2 per cent) from Rs 12.05 crore (21.7 per cent margin). PAT for 9M-2016 declined 30.7 per cent to Rs 25.99 crore (15.5 per cent margin) from Rs 37.53 crore (24.9 per cent margin) in the corresponding period of the previous year.

    Dhamaal’s operating profit in Q3-2016 was less than a third (down 68.1 per cent) QoQ at Rs 0.23 crore as compared to Rs 0.73 crore and less than a fourth (down 75.5 per cent) YoY as compared to Rs 0.94 crore in Q2-2015.

    Fever reported 21 per cent decline in operating profit in Q3-2016 at Rs 7.46 crore as compared to Rs 9.44 crore, but was 94.3 per cent more QoQ than of Rs 3.84 crore.

    ENIL’s profit after tax (PAT) in Q3-2016 declined 18.8 percent to Rs 26.99 crore (18.8 percent margin) as compared to Rs 32.84 crore (28.1 percent margin) and was flat QoQ as compared to Rs 26.97 crore (23.2 percent margin) in Q2-2016. The company had entered the Rs 100 crore PAT club in FY-2015 with a PAT of Rs 105.98 crore (24.2 percent margin) on a TIO of Rs 483.48 crore.

    My FM reported almost double the operating profit (grew by 98.7 percent) QoQ at Rs 12 crore as compared to Rs 6.04 crore and increased 27.1 percent YoY as compared to Rs 9.44 crore.

    Oye! loss in the current quarter was higher at Rs2.54 crore as compared to the operating loss of Rs1.94 crore in Q3-2015 but lower than the operating loss of Rs 5.48 crore in Q2-2016.

  • Zee TV’s India’s Best Dramebaaz bids adieu; Kapil Sharma hosts the grand finale

    Zee TV’s India’s Best Dramebaaz bids adieu; Kapil Sharma hosts the grand finale

    MUMBAI: Comedian Kapil Sharma brought to close season two of India’s Best Drameebaz (IBD) on Sunday, March 6 by hosting its grand finale. Produced by Frames Productions, season two completed its 26 episode journey. On 12 December 2015 Zee TV had once again brought back the second season of this home grown laughter dose which had children in the age group of 5 to13 years. . 

    Zee Enterprises Entertainment Ltd (ZEEL)’s flagship channel Zee TV has always provided platforms that have contributed talented performers to the entertainment industry. Being a pioneer in making its own home grown reality shows, Zee has always given some of the best entertaining reality shows. After producing a series of talent reality shows like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Dance India Dance, Dance India Dance Li’l champs, India’s Best Cinestar Ki Khoj, the channel had launched India’s Best Dramebaaz (IBD) in 2013.  

    Zee TV roped in a number of brands for the season 2 of IBD. These included Surf Excel as the title sponsor and Patanjali Atta Noodles as co-powered by sponsor. Besides, the channel also had other brands including Britannia Tiger Crunch, Yamaha Fascino, Epson, Vistaprint.in and Dabur Chawanprash as associate sponsors. 

    A source informed indiantelevision.com that the production cost for the show was Rs 70-80 lakh per episode, and the ad rate for a 10 second slot was Rs 1.5 lakh.

    Zee marketed IDB season 2 aggressively. The campaign posed a distinctive challenge because it had kids at the forefront and hence would have been perceived as a kids show and would not appeal to the other audiences.

    To specifically counter the unique challenge that IBD faced, a unique strategy was devised. All communication on IBD was contextual via customized communication for TGs and specific markets which was carried across all media vehicles including TV, radio and cinema.

    Special promos resonating with various genres of TV audiences were created and run across different mediums including cinema, music, news and kids channels. Clutter-breaking and entertaining radio spots were specifically created for each market highlighting issues. A special print innovation was carried across key publications.

    On the digital front, various innovations were a part of this campaign. Zee TV tied up with Facebook and conducted a Facebook bus activity wherein fun content was generated with the judges and participants and populated across social media.

    As the show approached the finale week, Zee TV tied up with Twitter to provide a unique social media experience to its fans. The Twitter Challenger App was a unique initiative that brought forth the fun side of its participants through various challenges. The judges, anchors and the top 6 finalists created pictures and videos that were funny, topical and fresh. The same were populated across social media during the finale week.

    The efforts put in by Zee TV to market the show seem to have paid off handsomely. In week 6 of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), IBD emerged as the number one non-fiction show in Hindi GEC space with 8148 TVTs while in week 7 the show continued to be the number one non-fiction show with 7057 Impressions’ 000. In week 8 IBD remained at the top with an increase in viewership from 7057 to 7382 Impressions ‘000. 

    Frames Production’s Ranjit Thakur said, “India’s Best Dramebaaz has really won the heart of Indian audiences. The kids were fabulous and fantastic, also all the three judges Sonali Bendre, Vivek Oberoi and Sajid Khan, we all are like a big family now. Also working with Zee after a couple of years was amazing. I am happy that we have delivered this beautiful show.”

     

  • Zee TV’s India’s Best Dramebaaz bids adieu; Kapil Sharma hosts the grand finale

    Zee TV’s India’s Best Dramebaaz bids adieu; Kapil Sharma hosts the grand finale

    MUMBAI: Comedian Kapil Sharma brought to close season two of India’s Best Drameebaz (IBD) on Sunday, March 6 by hosting its grand finale. Produced by Frames Productions, season two completed its 26 episode journey. On 12 December 2015 Zee TV had once again brought back the second season of this home grown laughter dose which had children in the age group of 5 to13 years. . 

    Zee Enterprises Entertainment Ltd (ZEEL)’s flagship channel Zee TV has always provided platforms that have contributed talented performers to the entertainment industry. Being a pioneer in making its own home grown reality shows, Zee has always given some of the best entertaining reality shows. After producing a series of talent reality shows like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Dance India Dance, Dance India Dance Li’l champs, India’s Best Cinestar Ki Khoj, the channel had launched India’s Best Dramebaaz (IBD) in 2013.  

    Zee TV roped in a number of brands for the season 2 of IBD. These included Surf Excel as the title sponsor and Patanjali Atta Noodles as co-powered by sponsor. Besides, the channel also had other brands including Britannia Tiger Crunch, Yamaha Fascino, Epson, Vistaprint.in and Dabur Chawanprash as associate sponsors. 

    A source informed indiantelevision.com that the production cost for the show was Rs 70-80 lakh per episode, and the ad rate for a 10 second slot was Rs 1.5 lakh.

    Zee marketed IDB season 2 aggressively. The campaign posed a distinctive challenge because it had kids at the forefront and hence would have been perceived as a kids show and would not appeal to the other audiences.

    To specifically counter the unique challenge that IBD faced, a unique strategy was devised. All communication on IBD was contextual via customized communication for TGs and specific markets which was carried across all media vehicles including TV, radio and cinema.

    Special promos resonating with various genres of TV audiences were created and run across different mediums including cinema, music, news and kids channels. Clutter-breaking and entertaining radio spots were specifically created for each market highlighting issues. A special print innovation was carried across key publications.

    On the digital front, various innovations were a part of this campaign. Zee TV tied up with Facebook and conducted a Facebook bus activity wherein fun content was generated with the judges and participants and populated across social media.

    As the show approached the finale week, Zee TV tied up with Twitter to provide a unique social media experience to its fans. The Twitter Challenger App was a unique initiative that brought forth the fun side of its participants through various challenges. The judges, anchors and the top 6 finalists created pictures and videos that were funny, topical and fresh. The same were populated across social media during the finale week.

    The efforts put in by Zee TV to market the show seem to have paid off handsomely. In week 6 of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), IBD emerged as the number one non-fiction show in Hindi GEC space with 8148 TVTs while in week 7 the show continued to be the number one non-fiction show with 7057 Impressions’ 000. In week 8 IBD remained at the top with an increase in viewership from 7057 to 7382 Impressions ‘000. 

    Frames Production’s Ranjit Thakur said, “India’s Best Dramebaaz has really won the heart of Indian audiences. The kids were fabulous and fantastic, also all the three judges Sonali Bendre, Vivek Oberoi and Sajid Khan, we all are like a big family now. Also working with Zee after a couple of years was amazing. I am happy that we have delivered this beautiful show.”

     

  • Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    New Delhi, 6 March: Information & Broadcasting Secretary Sunil Arora said today that the Film and Television Institute of India should strengthen its activities and improve on its functioning to become an Institute of Excellence in the country.

    Arora, who was in Pune to attend the concluding function of the National Film Archives of India Workshop on Film Preservation and Restoration, also planted a sapling at the Kothrud site of FTII wherein 32 new staff quarters are being constructed. He also visited the legendary Prabhat Studios at the Law College campus of FTII. He met the dean (Films) Kedar Awasthi, Dean (Television) and the faculty members as well as the staff.

    Director Prashant Pathrabe and Awati shared with him the details of the activities conducted by the Institute in the past four months.

    In the morning, he attended the condolence meeting at NFAI arranged on the demise of film archivist and former NFAI Director P.K.Nair who passed away two days ago.

    Arora said “P K Nair’s contribution was big in setting up the film archive. I hope his work would inspire and help build up larger momentum in the film archiving and preservation movement of the country.”   He said there was no greater tribute to Nair than to hold this workshop and carry on diligently with preservation/restoration work.

    Around sixty persons were present at the meeting including NFAI director Prakash Magdum, filmmaker Amol Palekar and former director Suresh Chabria. Ashay Film Club on behalf of FFSI hoped a scholarship in the name of Nair would be instituted.

     

  • Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    New Delhi, 6 March: Information & Broadcasting Secretary Sunil Arora said today that the Film and Television Institute of India should strengthen its activities and improve on its functioning to become an Institute of Excellence in the country.

    Arora, who was in Pune to attend the concluding function of the National Film Archives of India Workshop on Film Preservation and Restoration, also planted a sapling at the Kothrud site of FTII wherein 32 new staff quarters are being constructed. He also visited the legendary Prabhat Studios at the Law College campus of FTII. He met the dean (Films) Kedar Awasthi, Dean (Television) and the faculty members as well as the staff.

    Director Prashant Pathrabe and Awati shared with him the details of the activities conducted by the Institute in the past four months.

    In the morning, he attended the condolence meeting at NFAI arranged on the demise of film archivist and former NFAI Director P.K.Nair who passed away two days ago.

    Arora said “P K Nair’s contribution was big in setting up the film archive. I hope his work would inspire and help build up larger momentum in the film archiving and preservation movement of the country.”   He said there was no greater tribute to Nair than to hold this workshop and carry on diligently with preservation/restoration work.

    Around sixty persons were present at the meeting including NFAI director Prakash Magdum, filmmaker Amol Palekar and former director Suresh Chabria. Ashay Film Club on behalf of FFSI hoped a scholarship in the name of Nair would be instituted.

     

  • Shop CJ has been launched in Tamil Nadu as Shop CJ Tamil

    Shop CJ has been launched in Tamil Nadu as Shop CJ Tamil

    MUMBAI: Shop CJ Network has been launched in Tamil Nadu as Shop CJ-Tamil, on a 24X7 home shopping channel in Tamil Nadu.

    Shop CJ Tamil will offer tailored content for the audience including exclusive offers on popular regional brands like Butterfly India and Preethi.

    In India, Shop CJ says that it reaches over 8.5 crore households currently. Several leading brands such as United Colours of Benetton, Thomas Cook, Samsung, Electrolux, Prestige, Reebok, Maharaja, Puma and Intex are associated with Shop CJ.

    Shop CJ CEO Kenny Shin said, “We are pleased to expand further via the fourth home shopping channel in such a short span of time. The Tamil channel will not only enhance our customer base, but will also offer a great platform for regional brands to expand their penetration. Our strategy is to build on the principle of bringing great choices with quality assurance, at the doorstep of our viewers”.

    Shop CJ network CFO N. Ramakrishnan said, “The home shopping market is growing in India and Shop CJ is poised to cross Rs 1200 crores gross merchandise value this year, recording a 40 percent growth over its gross merchandise value  of Rs 850 crores last fiscal. We are confident that the Tamil channel will be one of the major contributors to our revenue growth.”

    Unveiling Shop CJ-Tamil, actress Trisha Krishnan said, “I am thrilled to be launching the foray of Asia’s No. 1 home shopping network in the Tamil region. People from Tamil Nadu will now have access to world class shopping experience from the convenience of their home with a connect and comfort of our own language.”

    Commenting on the Tamil Nadu expansion, Shop CJ chief operating officer Dhruva Chandrie said, “Television shopping helps customers appreciate the features and benefits of the products and coupled with amazing offers makes better and trendier living affordable. Shop CJ will bring a range of products that are tried, tested and well researched to match local preferences. Shop CJ-Tamil will strengthen its presence in India and we are expecting to generate Rs. 500 crores GMV from Tamil Nadu in the next couple of years.”

  • Shop CJ has been launched in Tamil Nadu as Shop CJ Tamil

    Shop CJ has been launched in Tamil Nadu as Shop CJ Tamil

    MUMBAI: Shop CJ Network has been launched in Tamil Nadu as Shop CJ-Tamil, on a 24X7 home shopping channel in Tamil Nadu.

    Shop CJ Tamil will offer tailored content for the audience including exclusive offers on popular regional brands like Butterfly India and Preethi.

    In India, Shop CJ says that it reaches over 8.5 crore households currently. Several leading brands such as United Colours of Benetton, Thomas Cook, Samsung, Electrolux, Prestige, Reebok, Maharaja, Puma and Intex are associated with Shop CJ.

    Shop CJ CEO Kenny Shin said, “We are pleased to expand further via the fourth home shopping channel in such a short span of time. The Tamil channel will not only enhance our customer base, but will also offer a great platform for regional brands to expand their penetration. Our strategy is to build on the principle of bringing great choices with quality assurance, at the doorstep of our viewers”.

    Shop CJ network CFO N. Ramakrishnan said, “The home shopping market is growing in India and Shop CJ is poised to cross Rs 1200 crores gross merchandise value this year, recording a 40 percent growth over its gross merchandise value  of Rs 850 crores last fiscal. We are confident that the Tamil channel will be one of the major contributors to our revenue growth.”

    Unveiling Shop CJ-Tamil, actress Trisha Krishnan said, “I am thrilled to be launching the foray of Asia’s No. 1 home shopping network in the Tamil region. People from Tamil Nadu will now have access to world class shopping experience from the convenience of their home with a connect and comfort of our own language.”

    Commenting on the Tamil Nadu expansion, Shop CJ chief operating officer Dhruva Chandrie said, “Television shopping helps customers appreciate the features and benefits of the products and coupled with amazing offers makes better and trendier living affordable. Shop CJ will bring a range of products that are tried, tested and well researched to match local preferences. Shop CJ-Tamil will strengthen its presence in India and we are expecting to generate Rs. 500 crores GMV from Tamil Nadu in the next couple of years.”

  • Second digital India summit to be launched by Times Network

    Second digital India summit to be launched by Times Network

    MUMBAI: In a bid to help speed up the transition to a vibrantly Digital India, Times Networkannounced the launch of the Second Digital India Summit (SDIS). The Network claims that the summit will lead the country on the path to digitalization by providing the leaders and digital evangelists a platform to ideate on important areas and issues, and also by recognizing and honouring individuals, businesses and organizations that are harnessing the power of information, communication and technology and digital tools.

    SDIS will be telecast on Times Now and ET Now. The summit will get under way on 22 March 2016, with a day-long event in New Delhi, which will begin with a keynote address from the union minister of communications and information technology, Ravi Shankar. The session will be addressed by Dell’s Asia Pacific and Japan president Amit Midha and Dell emerging markets chairman.

    Times Network managing director and CEO M K Anand said, “India is surging ahead on the path of progress, powered by young, creative, digitally-savvy people and a strong government emphasis on the best use of information, communication and technology to usher in digitization across cities and platforms. As the nation’s most influential network with the biggest English and business news channels that inform and empower viewers, Times Network is proud to announce the second digital India summit. Our goal is to contribute to transforming India into a global economic superpower over the next decade, and we are confident that the second digital India summit will create a significant positive impact.”

    The day will conclude with the Digital India Summit awards being given out to those leaders whose efforts and initiatives have contributed the most to the Digital India Summit’s primary objectives to help India on the path to transform business processes, improve delivery of public services and thereby to create a positive impact on society. SDIS works to identify and honour the top individual torchbearers harnessing the power of ICT and digital.

    To promote SDIS, Times Network says that it will run and exhaustive high-decibel call-for-entries campaign to invite participation from businesses and organizations that are harnessing the power of technology and transforming businesses and lives of people. The entire process, from call for entries to the selection and short listing process, through an eminent jury meet, and finally, the winners’ announcement and felicitation on the awards night, will flow across a month.

    The awards are divided into two parts, Good For India and Good For Organizations.

    While the Good For India awards recognize the initiatives taken by stakeholders towards the accomplishment of the digital India dream, on other hand the Good for Organizations awards will recognize organizations that have made the first move towards digital India by using ICT in integrating people, processes and data to achieve business transformation and growth.

    Good for India has seven categories – e-governance solutions, e-education learning solutions, e- healthcare delivery solutions, skills and employment solutions, energy solutions, environmental solutions and agricultural solutions. Good for organizations has four categories under digital enterprise which are manufacturing, services, digital start-up innovators and digital social innovation.

    Supporting the event are the lead and award partner Huwaei, lead partners GTL Infrastructure and Union Bank of India, knowledge partner MAIT and Tech 4 good partner NASSCOM foundation.

  • Second digital India summit to be launched by Times Network

    Second digital India summit to be launched by Times Network

    MUMBAI: In a bid to help speed up the transition to a vibrantly Digital India, Times Networkannounced the launch of the Second Digital India Summit (SDIS). The Network claims that the summit will lead the country on the path to digitalization by providing the leaders and digital evangelists a platform to ideate on important areas and issues, and also by recognizing and honouring individuals, businesses and organizations that are harnessing the power of information, communication and technology and digital tools.

    SDIS will be telecast on Times Now and ET Now. The summit will get under way on 22 March 2016, with a day-long event in New Delhi, which will begin with a keynote address from the union minister of communications and information technology, Ravi Shankar. The session will be addressed by Dell’s Asia Pacific and Japan president Amit Midha and Dell emerging markets chairman.

    Times Network managing director and CEO M K Anand said, “India is surging ahead on the path of progress, powered by young, creative, digitally-savvy people and a strong government emphasis on the best use of information, communication and technology to usher in digitization across cities and platforms. As the nation’s most influential network with the biggest English and business news channels that inform and empower viewers, Times Network is proud to announce the second digital India summit. Our goal is to contribute to transforming India into a global economic superpower over the next decade, and we are confident that the second digital India summit will create a significant positive impact.”

    The day will conclude with the Digital India Summit awards being given out to those leaders whose efforts and initiatives have contributed the most to the Digital India Summit’s primary objectives to help India on the path to transform business processes, improve delivery of public services and thereby to create a positive impact on society. SDIS works to identify and honour the top individual torchbearers harnessing the power of ICT and digital.

    To promote SDIS, Times Network says that it will run and exhaustive high-decibel call-for-entries campaign to invite participation from businesses and organizations that are harnessing the power of technology and transforming businesses and lives of people. The entire process, from call for entries to the selection and short listing process, through an eminent jury meet, and finally, the winners’ announcement and felicitation on the awards night, will flow across a month.

    The awards are divided into two parts, Good For India and Good For Organizations.

    While the Good For India awards recognize the initiatives taken by stakeholders towards the accomplishment of the digital India dream, on other hand the Good for Organizations awards will recognize organizations that have made the first move towards digital India by using ICT in integrating people, processes and data to achieve business transformation and growth.

    Good for India has seven categories – e-governance solutions, e-education learning solutions, e- healthcare delivery solutions, skills and employment solutions, energy solutions, environmental solutions and agricultural solutions. Good for organizations has four categories under digital enterprise which are manufacturing, services, digital start-up innovators and digital social innovation.

    Supporting the event are the lead and award partner Huwaei, lead partners GTL Infrastructure and Union Bank of India, knowledge partner MAIT and Tech 4 good partner NASSCOM foundation.

  • The Gillette India Flexball challenge on Twitter

    The Gillette India Flexball challenge on Twitter

    MUMBAI:  Since it launched the Fusion Proglide Flexball  razor, Gillette India has been coming up with various promotional strategies,  with one of the strategies being promoting it through social media .

    The new Gillette razor is different from the previous razors launched by the brand. It has five blades on the front and one blade at the back that allows it to swivel back and forth. The movement of this razor is quite similar to how one’s wrist works. The new Flexball technology helps men to shave without twisting their face in awkward ways.

    The brand now has an ongoing campaign for its Fusion Proglide Flexball  razor on Twitter – The Flexball Challenge that challenges its patrons. To enter The Flexball challenge, one has to tweet to Gillette India with #Flexiballchallenge and wait till Gillette India makes its first move. (For example; ‘I am ready for #TheFlexballchallenge @GilletteIndia’)

    Once Gillette India has made its first move by sending a chart which is divided into three rows and three columns -A1-A3,B1-B3,C1-C3, the participants have to reply to the move by choosing the desired position. (For example A3#TheFlexballchallenge). The game is a clever way of explaining the flexibility of the product as players do not have to use pen or pencil to play the game. 

    Before getting started with the game, participants have to keep its in mind. For instance only one game at a time can be played. Furthermore participants can always ask for a rematch. The hashtag has to be used always and one must wait until Gillette India responds back, resending or changing of moves are not allowed. The challenge has taken Twitterti by storm. Over a hundred participants have tweeted and taken part in the challenge so far.  Here are a few examples:

    sujoy_kapur tweeted, “C1 is my first move team @GilletteIndia #TheFlexballChallenge.”

    avdesh_roy tweeted, “Friends lets take #TheFlexballChallenge Play & win  @GilletteIndia @saraf_silky

    Amol_77 tweeted, “I am ready for #TheFlexballChallenge join me and play it @GilletteIndia guys.”