ITV

Tag: India

  • ‘We deliver natural history with a powerful brand at a global level’ : National Geographic Wild senior VP, Development Janet Han Vissering

    ‘We deliver natural history with a powerful brand at a global level’ : National Geographic Wild senior VP, Development Janet Han Vissering

    A new entrant in the infotainment space, Nat Geo Wild launched in India last year to cater to the need for high quality wild life and natural history content.

     

    The channel, which is on two DTH platforms, is looking to push distribution with a clear focus on digital. It is also doing an India specific show called Wild India which goes on air next year.

     

    National Geographic Wild senior VP, Development Janet Han Vissering is responsible for commissioning over 250 hours of original programming per year for broadcast in 166 countries, 330 million homes and 34 languages worldwide.

     

    Vissering manages a team to source and develop all original programming for Nat Geo Wild. Previously she was SVP of Strategic Development and Co-finance for seven years. As part of Development, she has been responsible for developing key programmes such as Engineering Connections, Big Bigger Biggest and Animal Autopsy among other highly rated shows.

     

    Prior to acquiring her current position, Vissering served as vice president of International Acquisitions at NGCI from August 1998 to March 2000. She joined NGCI from Discovery Networks International, where she was Head of Program Acquisitions and Development from 1995 to 1998.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, Vissering talks about the challenges of creating unique content in an increasingly competitive television environment.

     

    Excerpts:

    What challenges do you face as a content production executive with more lifestyle and entertainment channels launching?
    It is the same challenge in India as it is around the world. The expansion of technology and bandwidth is allowing more channels to live together.

    How do you make programming different?
    My job is made easier as we deliver a channel that serves an audience that is begging for animals and natural history. They want family friendly content.

     

    We deliver natural history with a powerful brand at a global level. That is how we differentiate ourselves. At NGC we deliver by expanding genres like science, adventure, history and exploration.

    In terms of how Nat Geo Wild is programmed and scheduled, is there a difference between India and other countries like Singapore and Malaysia?
    It is independent. It is scheduled differently. We do shows to the viewers‘ choice which are relevant. People in Hong Kong love fish based shows. Here shows on snakes and big cats do really well. People are used to seeing these animals. Indians empathise with shows featuring these animals better. It is easier to identify with Wild even if it is not India specific. The flagship is harder as there are more genres.

     

    We have different genres of wildlife film. We leave it to our regions as to how they schedule to conform to the local needs.

    For Nat Geo Wild, what have been the learnings from NGC?
    You learn logistical things. We also learned the priority of customisation. We know what animals have rated better in each region. We know what animals do not rate. It was a great way for Nat Geo Wild to dip its toes into the water to find out what works and what does not. This is not just from a content basis but also from a logistical point of view. We know what the lead time is in terms of scheduling shoots.

    What response has Nat Geo Wild received in India and globally since launch?
    We are number one in our genre in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. We also had record ratings in the UK last week. We are a successful young network. In India we are on two DTH platforms – Dish TV and Tata Sky. Our focus is on digital. It is still young days here.
    ‘Nat Geo Wild is programmed & scheduled differently. In India, shows on snakes & big cats do really well. People in Hong Kong, on the other hand, love fish based shows‘

    What is its USP vis-a-vis other channels and shows dedicated to animals and wildlife?
    We have a foundation of scientific, factual research. No other network offers this perspective. Being part of Nat Geo offers us access to many places that other filmmakers do not gain access to. I think that also we feature scientists that are a part of the National geographic Explorer base. Heinrich Sala is a marine biologist and we are making a show on sharks that features his work. Access and scientific research are our USPs.

     

    We have the foundation of all our shows on factual research and science. We are the only network that has this guarantee. We are always about animals and the wild world. The main goal is to bring viewers closer to that natural world.

    Why didn‘t National Geographic launch a show for wildlife earlier?
    We launched the channel as wildlife is only one of many genres that National Geographic Channel has. Wildlife was a small part of their lineup but it consistently delivered ratings. We looked across the market and saw the channel that would meet viewer needs for high quality natural history content. This need was not being met. Viewers want programming that is safe that everybody in their family can watch. They want a channel that will always deliver high quality visuals, information and be a destination channel. We look at launching later as a benefit. We saw what was not there.

    Could you give me an overview of how the production process works at Nat Geo Wild?
    I work out of the DC office. As part of this, we have eight executives that reach out to over 300 production companies around the world. They work with outsourcing ideas. We also have a global website where anybody can actually submit their projects into. I on behalf of Wild meet with the National Geographic team to sift through the best ideas every two weeks. On a monthly basis, we have greenlight meeting with all departmental heads and the head of programming Jeff Daniel. This is where projects are greenlit and put into production.

    Before giving an idea the go ahead, what do you look for?
    I look for a myriad of things. I look for exclusivity. What is the USP? Why are we doing this show now and why are we using this filmmaker? There has to be great cinematic value. The market is competitive. There are a lot of options. I have to give a show that nobody can do anywhere else. This is key for me. Our shows are shot 100 per cent in HD.

    How much research goes into making a successful show like Engineering Connections on NGC?
    This is a show that I really pushed for. It involved a UK star Richard Hammond. He has passion for engineering. What we wanted to do was show all collections of how a guitar vibrating in a room can relate to an oil platform. The show builds a bridge between different subject matters. It took over a year to do. We picked ideas which were iconic like a Formula One vehicle but had really good connection an odd connection. A+B has to equal C.

     

    Every step of production including the music was important to me. Hammond was immersive. We had to make sure that he was okay in doing stunts. There was one moment where he was strung up on a bridge and he was scared. That made great television.

    Could you talk about the upcoming ‘Wild India‘ series on Nat Geo Wild?
    This goes on air early next year. This will be a three hour special. It is a coffee table celebration of India and its wildlife. We felt that there hadn‘t been a really good natural history series on India for ten years. The last good show was Land Of The Tiger that the BBC has made. Things have moved on since then. A whole new young audience is interested in India‘s natural history. The technology has also moved on.

     

    We have more interesting camera techniques to capture intimate animal behaviour. We have HD cameras, night film cameras, infra red and thermal cameras. We can, thus, film in the night. We want people to experience a much more personal wildlife.

    Did the economic downturn put pressure on budgeting?
    The global economic situation has made everyone think twice. But we continue to do projects. I scrutinise every penny more. It is up to us and the filmmakers to make sure that the investment being made is sound. So we rely on reliable production companies like Icon Films. The production team on Wild India is largely Indian. The crew is from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat. So cameramen can be on the field for longer. We do not have long haul flights to pay for. We can be more responsive.

     

    You have to respond to the natural environment. This is a homegrown product which is important. With any film whether it is from Russia, Asia, Japan or Scandinavia, I want to make sure that filmmakers can get access and give viewers the feeling of being right there next to the environment.
    What have been the learnings from localisation in terms of what works and what does not globally?
    I am in a lucky position that wildlife has few cultural barriers. Everyone loves tigers, big cats, snakes. There are few cultural issues I have to worry about.
    Is it a collaborative effort working with production companies?
    Yes! We always have one of our Nat Geo Wild or NGC executive producers who is working in partnership with an executive producer from the production company side by side all the way through the film. We have an internal production group from National Geographic television that make shows with us often featuring our own scientists.

    How long does it take for a show to be made?
    It depends. Wild India will take a year to make. They will shoot in March and April. It takes at least six months but most shows take nine months. We can do a quick turnaround on a topical subject matter, though. When the Gulf oil spill happened in the US, we did a show within four weeks of that accident.

     

    But natural history does not work on human timelines. We have to work hand in hand with Mother Nature. A tiger will show up when it wants to. Animals are unpredictable. If they were predictable, my life would be easier bur probably less exciting. It is the moment of capturing that bit of footage that makes it worthwhile. To give you an idea of how challenging making wildlife content can be, on Wild Mississippi the temperature was minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit. We had to use urine to prevent the camera from freezing.
    What are the trends we are seeing in environmental and wildlife film making?
    Having a first point of view, less narration and giving the impression that people are there next to the cameraman is very important now. Less is more. Beautiful cinematic images are important. Having characters that can deliver adventure and the journey of exposition in a very visceral way is also important. People want to be vowed.
    What role is HD playing in boosting the documentary genre?
    Each show is on HD. This is a non negotiable discussion with any show going on air. This is a must before we commission anything. From a visual aspect it is different and an enhancement from Standard Definition. When you watch Wild India, you will feel that you are flying on a plane over India on your own. On Standard Definition images are cloudy. It is like looking through muddy waters. On HD you get the true essence of where you are. You can almost smell where you are. We will deliver 100 hours of premiere HD content every year.
    Balancing traditional story telling techniques with technical innovation is key for the success of factual content. How does NGC manage this?
    We have the ability to film wildlife in HD at night. This gives you the perspective of three cameras that allow you to see how animals work at night.
    What other recent commissions have been done?
    Following Wild India we also have Wild Mississippi, Secret Brazil. These are three part specials like Wild India. That will celebrate the journey into natural areas. We also have hosted shows that are young and contemporary. We will have a show featuring a heli cowboy in Australia. At the end of the year we have our annual Big Cat Week to bring awareness about conservation. We will have shows on the Jaguar, American Cougar and the Indian Cloud Leopard.
    How does NGC use new media platforms like YouTube to leverage its brand?
    We have our site, links and blogs. This is additional information for viewers. We will expand on this as our network grows. As we send filmmakers to exotic places, we will look for conversations on Twitter and other media.
    Are you looking at long term projects?
    Absolutely. We are still in negotiations though. We are also a young network.
  • The tough task of building a non-tabloid news channel in India -NewsX Co-promoter & Editor-in-Chief Jehangir Pocha

    The tough task of building a non-tabloid news channel in India -NewsX Co-promoter & Editor-in-Chief Jehangir Pocha

    Nothing worth doing is easy, and building a genuine, non-tabloid news channel in India is certainly worth doing. But it‘s clearly very difficult.

    It‘s widely put out that the problem is the viewer. It‘s posited that he (and it‘s almost always considered to be a “he”) is of only average intelligence, attracted by gaudy sets, sensational presenters, cluttered screens, and animation that is more animated than a Korean video game.

    Yet, at NewsX, we have seen our viewership and appreciation for our non-tabloid content swell significantly. Shows like Art Talk, the only one of its type that no one would have thought of as a TRP driver, are sometimes the most watched shows of the week! Our reporting from Kashmir, Naxal areas, and bomb blast sites often get more viewers than other channels‘ Bollywood shows. In fact, on weekends, when other channels load up on entertainment, lifestyle and sports, our news bulletins and shows score so well we‘re almost always one of the most-watched news channels.
     
    The fact is that viewers (men and women) are desperate for real, non-sensational, non-tabloid news channels, and a very sizable segment of them are rapidly evolving in their taste, knowledge and interests. One can see this in Bollywood, where these new viewers drive the success of films, such as Peepli Live.

    But it is the broadcast industry itself, with its many distortions, that puts barriers in the way of reaching these viewers and consolidating them.

    This is especially problematic for new entrants.

    The biggest problem is distribution. The cost of distributing a new channel is prohibitive, and the monopolistic nature of distribution means new channels have limited leverage. There is also no incentive for distributors to want to encourage and develop new channels, as their limited carriage bandwidth is already overloaded.

    In fact, too many distributors do the opposite – work with established channels to hinder new ones. Sad. And bad for democracy. A more enlightened approach, that could benefit everyone, would be to introduce digitisation, and end the artificial scarcity in distribution by creating limitless bandwidth. This would grow the entire industry, from the number of broadcasters, to the revenue of distributors, and the quantum of advertising. Yet, the government and industry leaders are failing at this.

    The faults of the Tam system are also well established, but again, the inaction on fixes is worrying. There is always a vested interest in the status quo, but isn‘t there now more advertiser, agency, public and broadcaster interest in revamping and refining Tam? As it is, the final ratings for English news channels is determined every week by just 5 to 7 individuals! They‘re among the most powerful people in the country, except they don‘t know it.

    Tam is like a microscope – when inefficient, it can vaguely show only huge items, or bundles of viewers. This was acceptable when there were only a handful of channels with huge viewership. But the TV industry is now much more fragmented. So there is a need for Tam to become efficient and more clearly show smaller bundles of viewers. Company marketing heads and CEOs I have spoken to all know this. They all have this gnawing feeling that they‘re not necessarily spending their advertising budgets well and not getting the best bang for their buck.

    That‘s one reason India is one of the only countries in the world where print is still heavily favoured by advertisers. There‘s just a greater comfort factor with print, and its substantially better metrics and measurements. So, if anyone wants to grow TV advertising, they should know reforming Tam is the key.
     

  • ‘We are refreshing BBC Entertainment in January’ : BBC Worldwide Channels director South Asia Deepak Shourie

    ‘We are refreshing BBC Entertainment in January’ : BBC Worldwide Channels director South Asia Deepak Shourie

    BBC Worldwide Channels is looking at cracking the Indian market a lot more seriously. The two channels, BBC Entertainment and CBeebies, were almost invisible for three years with a sole presence on Tata Sky, a DTH service provider.

    Now a lot more investments are being planned and the focus will be on beefing up the content and distribution of these two channels.

    BBC Entertainment is being refreshed in January and programming will be designed based on time bands for India.

    A local feed for CBeebies in Hindi is being examined, though a definite plan on this is some time away.

    For BBC Worldwide Channels, Asia is the fastest growing market. And within this region, India is emerging as an important market.

    While India has been flooded with American English entertainment content, BBC believes that the British flavour will be its big differentiator.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, BBC Worldwide Channels director South Asia Deepak Shourie elaborates on the India plans for the two channels.

    Excerpts:
    How has BBC Worldwide grown its channel business over the past couple of years across Asia?
    The BBC Worldwide Channels business is ?262.5 million, up from ?225.5 million in the earlier year. The revenue from Asia grew from ?19 million to ?37 million. Asia is, thus, growing faster compared to the rest of the world.

    BBC is investing in new channels and geographies. About 35 per cent of BBC Worldwide‘s revenue comes from the channel business.

    In India, people say we are too late to enter. Are we? Global media companies are looking at India now. English content is watched by the affluent class. But is there space for everybody? People will have to find their strong propositions. BBC Entertainment will appeal to audiences who watch factual, entertainment and lifestyle content. We are bringing all of these genres into one channel. Our aim is to be a one stop destination.

    How important is India as a market for the BBC compared to that of Hong Kong and Singapore?
    The size is attractive. It is a market that is hot now. The other markets are good, but small demographically. India will be a very important market for us going forward.

    What is the roadmap that BBC Worldwide has set for their channel business in India?
    BBC World News is already there distributed in 34 million homes and holds its own as a premier news channel.

    As far as BBC Worldwide‘s channels are concerned, we have had BBC Entertainment and CBeebies in the market since 2007, but only as a small presence on DTH. They have not been mainstream. These two channels have had no advertising.

    We are refreshing BBC Entertainment in January with the tagline ‘Seriously Entertaining.‘ Our TG is 15-34 SEC A,B. In the daytime, viewing is leisurely. So we have lifestyle shows like Grand Designs that has Kevin McCloud following homebuilders. In the evening, we have factual entertainment like wildlife. Lifestyle content also airs like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. At night, from 10 pm onwards, we have shows like Spooks, Top Gear and Sherlock.

    But why wasn‘t a push made earlier?
    That is always going to be a million dollar question. Should we have pushed earlier or is now the right time? The English market is expanding rapidly. So there is nothing wrong in entering now. The BBC Worldwide team in the UK is looking at India seriously now.

    How much is being invested in India and when do you expect to turn profitable?
    I cannot talk about numbers. However, all that I can say is that we see an opportunity here. Any market takes time to mature. Viewership traction has to be built along with the advertising base.
    ‘Research has confirmed that the audience we look at does not want localisation. There is enough local content around. The English audience wants international content‘

    Is the look and feel of BBC Entertainment being changed?
    The whole look and feel will change. The aim is to make it more vibrant and colourful.

    And from January, we will design programming based on time bands for India. There will also be a lot of fresh content and new shows.

    From 6-11 am, you have will light content like Trish‘s Fresh Country Kitchen. Early evening from 7 pm -10 pm will have a mix of lifestyle and factual shows like BBC Earth. Post 10 pm, we move towards more edgy, fast paced content like Luther which is about a detective who is fascinated by the darker side of human nature. London Live, which looks at the music scene, will also air at this time.

    The English GEC space is known for having ‘snacking‘ viewers. How do you plan to build loyal viewers?
    People want quality entertainment. It is not so much about storyline building as it is in the Hindi GEC space. People will come back to the show because of quality – there are shows like Wonders Of The Solar System and Human Planet. The key is to reach the audience with relevant content and, thus, offer advertisers relevant eyeballs. If you do this, then loyalty will automatically build.

    Is having a British flavour going to be your USP?
    That is important. Most content on air is from America. The BBC produces a wide ranging amount of content which has not been seen like Wallander, with Kenneth Branagh playing a detective in Sweden. The channel will give you everything.

    You also have other players coming into this genre like Big CBS. Do you see viewership growth happening as a result or will there simply be fragmentation?
    Viewership will change and grow. The question is whether everybody will get the viewership they are targeting. Fragmentation is a challenge. To counter it we are giving consumers everything in one channel. Our aim is to make an impact in the English entertainment space. The more you fragment by focusing on one genre, the chances are that people will see it.

    Are you selling BBC Entertainment to advertisers?
    Yes! The response is encouraging. We want to fill our inventory with quality clients. You have premium brands coming into the country. The world‘s most expensive car, Bugatti Veyron, has just been launched. They need to reach out to the relevant audience who are upscale. We will provide this audience segment. BBC Entertainment is being pitched as the Best of the BBC.

    The English space is worth $200 million and I see it growing. The nature of the market is such that you will depend more on advertising. Digitisation needs to spread for subscription revenues to really pick up.

    What are the synergies between BBC Worldwide Channels and the other businesses of BBC Worldwide?
    The magazine business has properties that the channels can exploit. An example of this is Top Gear.

    English GECs have started following a stripped strategy where one show airs at a time block across the week as opposed to a different show airing each day. Is BBC Entertainment doing something similar?
    A stripping strategy is good if you have long running shows. If it is not there, then it will not work as a concept. It depends on the concept. You can have factual content at a certain hour across the week, which we do. A documentary, though, cannot have that. The runtime is limited.

    Will localisation play a role in your strategy?
    No! Researchh

    has confirmed that the audience we look at does not want localisation. There is enough local content around. They want international content. The English audience is getting more confident. They are world citizens. They want world programming. Local shows will add a lot of cost for us, but not much value.

    What is being done for CBeebies?
    We could look at launching a local feed for it in Hindi in due course. As of now, we have not come up with a strategy for it.

    Are you launching more channels in India like BBC Knowledge?
    Not at the moment. BBC Entertainment has everything. When the time comes to have a wider bouquet of channels, we will look at it.

    BBC is launching BBC HD in more territories this fiscal. Is HD still some time away for India?
    HD is the future. Right now there is a bandwidth issue. Also, there are not many consumers who have HD ready television sets. When these two issues are sorted out, you will see a push for HD content. There will come a time when SD becomes HD.

    How will you leverage the mobile with 3G coming in?
    We will focus on this when the time comes. We know that people will want not just news but other genres like factual content.There will come a time when SD becomes HD.

  • ‘Japan, India & Australia are our biggest markets in the Asia Pacific region’ : Discovery Networks Asia Pacific executive VP, MD Tom Keaveny

    ‘Japan, India & Australia are our biggest markets in the Asia Pacific region’ : Discovery Networks Asia Pacific executive VP, MD Tom Keaveny

    Discovery is upping the ante in India. Leading the infotainment genre, the company has crafted three channel launches in India this year: Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo and Discovery HD. It has also introduced regional feeds for its flagship channel, Discovery.

     

    While media companies across the world cut down on their costs due to a global economic downturn, Discovery continued with its annual expense of $1 billion on content. The idea: Discovery drives on premium content.

     

    Japan, India and Australia are Discovery‘s top markets in the Asia Pacific region.

     

    For expanding in India, Discovery is taking the organic route. Acquisitions are not on the agenda.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific executive VP, MD Tom Keaveny talks about the company‘s growth plans in the region.

     

    Excerpts:
     
     
    Could you give us an overview of the strategy that Discovery has followed to grow the business across the Asia Pacific region over the past couple of years?
    Having local people run local markets is the first thing. I know that this sounds obvious but it is important to have Indians run the business in India. They know what people want, when they watch it and why they do not watch things.

     

    Secondly, the local people schedule programming on channels according to viewer tastes and feedback; they also do localisation. In India, for instance, we launched feeds for Discovery in Tamil and Telugu this year.

     

    Then there is content creation. It started a few years ago with The Great Indian Wedding on Discovery Travel and Living (now known as TLC). We also had Shah Rukh Khan Living With A Superstar, which also was a success in Malaysia. We do local content on the basis that it can be used in other markets.
     

     
    In the US, there was a certain amount of re-organisation with a clear focus on being more cost efficient. What shape has this taken in the Asia Pacific region?
    We have always been cost efficient. In a recession, you are forced to look at costs but the areas where we carried on investing was content and branding of channels. We spend $1 billion a year on content.

     

    In India, the recession meant slower growth. Australia was having a mineral boom, and so there was ad sales growth. China grew. Japan has had inherent problems, but so much of our business here is based on distribution revenues that we were less affected.

     
     
    What impact did the economic downturn have on your growth trajectory?
    I won‘t say that we were not affected. However, other companies probably cut back more than us. We are seeing the benefits of continuing to invest in content.
     

     
    For the second quarter Discovery reported increased ad revenue growth of 38 per cent for its international networks. Does this mean that the difficult economic climate is behind international broadcasters like Discovery or do challenges and difficulties remain?
    Sales is a difficult job. But we have had ratings growth. Some of this ad revenue growth you mentioned has to do with the fact that last year was a lower base.

     

    Do I think that we have seen the end of the downturn? Well, whatever happens economically, our audiences have grown. We have had a 27 per cent audience growth in India. This has been replicated across other Asian markets.

     
     
    How much revenue comes from the Asia Pacific? Which are your top three markets?
    Japan, India, Australia are our biggest markets. Malaysia and Taiwan come next. India is growing at a good rate. However, I cannot tell you how much revenue comes from the Asia Pacific.

     
     
    ‘With new channels coming in, you would expect to see cannibalisation. But that has not happened for us. With competition, the profile of the genre has got an uplift‘
     
     

    To what extent has Discovery increased the number of feeds over the past year across Asia?
    We have launched more feeds in Australia, Malaysia, Philippines. We are going into more languages. Demand is significant. The assumption is that if you launch more networks, audiences will go down. For us it has been the reverse. The more networks there are, the higher is our viewership.
     
     

    Is fragmentation a worry for Discovery with international broadcasters launching channels in the movie, entertainment and infotainment space?
    With new channels coming in, you would expect to see cannibalisation. But that has not happened for us. When we launched Discovery Science and Turbo around the world, we did not see Discovery Channel‘s audience dip. Instead it grew. With competition, the profile of the genre gets an uplift.
     

     
    What impact do you see the three new channels having on the Indian infotainment landscape?
    I can‘t think of a market in the world where Discovery Science will be better received. India is a technology hub. It is a young nation and there is a thirst for knowledge. So having a channel dedicated to science makes sense.

     

    And Discovery Turbo can take encouragement from the fact that the automobile sector is seeing robust growth in India. But I also see it being important as a male lifestyle channel.
     

     
    Recent research showed that there is still a degree of uncertainty about the benefits of HD for television viewing. How do you see HD as a value add?
    Our content which includes natural history and wildlife fits into HD very well. We launched Discovery HD in Japan in 2005. It has only been in the past two to three years that other channels started investing in this technology. For us investing in technology is in our DNA. It is part of our psychological profile because it is a brand promise as well.

     

    We have a future proof library. For example, Shah Rukh Khan Living With A Superstar was filmed in HD. Once viewers see HD, going back is a difficult proposition. But everybody has to work towards it. It cannot be just one or two networks that are doing the heavy lifting.
     

     
    Have you done any research among the creme de la creme viewers to find out what they expect from a network like yours?
    There is congruity in terms what viewers to want to watch. Travel and cooking are key genres. Shows that combine these genres like Anthony Bourdain also work well. Grooming shows also work. Shows like Man vs Wild, Deadliest Catch, Mythbusters work globally. At the same time, you do have to take into account local tastes.

     
     
    A lot of focus has been given to Animal Planet over the past 18 months. The aim was to make the programming sharper, more edgy. Is this increased investment starting to pay dividends?
    In the digital environment, it has been one of the fastest growing channels. There is a lot of co-viewing happening. We constantly look at the schedule, find out what works and attempt to be contemporary.

     

     
    Are you satisfied with the joint venture relationship Discovery has with Multi Screen Media?
    It was the right deal to do at the right time. We have developed and grown our networks. The deal was a gamechanger and formed a template for others to follow.
     

     
    How do you get a revenue uplift from India quite in line with the success you have had with the audiences here?
    We have a two-pronged strategy in India. We launch new networks that will rate and grow audiences for us in this market. This is how ad revenue will grow. On the distribution side, there is a tipping point where analogue shuts down. Australia went quickly from analogue to digital. In India, how quick will the transition be? At what point do addressability, cable, DTH, number of channels and package costs come into play? That is something we all are trying to grapple with.

     
    Global media companies are setting up JVs with local companies in India. Is Discovery looking at something like this to grow its business in India?
    JVs are being done now by companies that were maybe 10-15 years late in getting into India. The question is whether they are doing a JV because they want to do it or because they have to. Companies that came into India early like Discovery have done it on their own terms.

    Having said that, there are times when a strategic alliance makes sense. In Japan, for instance, we have a JV with JCom. The Hub, our new channel that is set for launch, is another good fit as it brings together two strong brands in production and distribution.

  • ‘2009 was our defining year’ : OMD India managing director Jasmin Sohrabji

    ‘2009 was our defining year’ : OMD India managing director Jasmin Sohrabji

    It was in 2007, when global marketing communications holding company, Omnicom, entered India with its media planning and buying network OMD.

     

    Jasmin Sohrabji, a double post-graduate in Economics and Business Management who had spent 16 years with MediaCom, was taken on board as managing director and the agency went on to make a fortunate start with clients like Ambuja, Parle Agro and J&J in its kitty.

     

    2009 was almost a defining year for OMD as it took up quite a few biggies under its banner, expanded footprints to Delhi and Chennai and set up new offerings in analytics and digital.

     

    And now it’s kicked off 2010 on a high note too. It has bagged businesses like Sony Network, Ferrero and Reliance.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Anindita Sarkar, OMD India managing director Jasmin Sohrabji speaks about her company’s growth plans at large.

    Excerpts:

    In comparison to the other agencies, OMD is still a new player in the Indian market. Has it been a tough journey so far?

     

    OMD launched in India in early 2007, and the experience has been exciting, challenging and gratifying ever since! We kicked off with a very sound base (Ambuja, Parle Agro and J&J) and have built consistently and successfully since. 2009 was OMD India’s defining year where we established ourselves as a strong, top player at a national level.

    Being a new entrant, was facing up with the slowdown heat in the Indian market more challenging to gain clients?

     

    We were very fortunate to have our best year in 2009. We had a record number of wins (HP, Henkel, VISA, Danone, Nissan, etc); we set up two new offices (Delhi, Chennai); we launched our Analytics and Digital offer and we closed the year with global awards and recognition.

    Can you revisit the time when you started off in the Indian market and the transitions that you witnessed through time?

     

    Gosh, I have spent two decades in this industry and witnessed too many changes and transitions! One of the most striking of all has been in the area of availability of research and access to data; technology…both in the medium itself as well as in accessing and interacting with media and consumers; the other noteworthy change has been the shift in the role and definition of what media agencies provided as a service…we moved from a very simple ‘planners and ops executives’ managing client budgets to a much evolved, technologically sophisticated and consumer-centric thinking and creative solutions.

    What has remained consistent through the decades is ‘never having enough talent’!

    How has the first half of the year fared for the OMD in terms of revenues and clientele?

     

    Very well. We kicked off 2010 with the Sony Network win, and followed up with Unilever’s digital biz. More recently we won Ferrero and Reliance, among others. We hope to maintain the growth momentum we have been experiencing through the remainder of 2010.

    Has it been better than last year?

     

    Given the operation is just over three years old, the growth over last year has been extremely high.

    How is dealing with the Indian clients different from the others globally?

     

    Clients differ depending on their needs and experiences with agencies; they differ in the level of interaction and involvement with their agency partners, and on many such and other parameters. However, I really do not have a strong point of view of difference between Indian and global clients. Among our global clients, we have some who operate largely within the local environment and strategic needs; and there are those who are very much aligned to global strategies and/or processes. In fact, we recently won an award (The Internationalist, UK) for best local execution of an international campaign…so it really does not matter how different the client style is, what’s important is whether the teams at OMD India have a keen appreciation for individual working styles and are able to deliver standout strategies and solutions to the briefs we are given.
    ‘We moved from a very simple ‘planners and ops executives’ managing client budgets to a much evolved, technologically sophisticated and consumer-centric thinking and creative solutions. What has remained consistent through the decades is never having enough talent!‘

    How are your other divisions of OMD faring?

     

    Our most successful offer outside traditional is digital. In addition to existing full service clients, we added digital only clients (Unilever, ICICI, HCL, etc). Additionally, we set up Analytics, which has now started gaining momentum. We have two new offerings starting up later this year.

    CPRP is often the final clincher for a pitch and the sole aim for all to target and deliver. Do you see any new change in this methodology?

     

    Not sure why we are focusing on a change in methodology…we should be looking at value adding to the metric with more engaging qualifiers. If the job of the metric is to compare cost to cost, CPRP does its job. If we are looking to add new dimensions of effectiveness to the cost of contact, then let us evaluate other metric options, not just methodology.

    While above 50 per cent of investments for brand building is made towards above-the-line activities, advertisers are also making investments in below-the-line activities. How do you perceive this medium?

     

    Below the line activities have always been a relevant part of the recommended mix. The issues around these activities were largely to do with measurement and scalability. What began as ad-hoc and experimental, has now become a critical piece in the communication mix. One is, and will continue to see a lot more action in this space. The biggest advantage of BTL activation is it allows for flexibility and does not have to be templated. The scale, the message, the execution can be customised to the budget, the market and the core TG!

    Which advertising platform is expected to show the maximum growth?

     

    While digital and radio have the potential to scale up on their currently smaller bases, TV itself will offer newer platforms of addressability and technology through DTH, etc. Radio has never really seen its potential in this market, while digital has already made small dents in traditional media budgets! TV continues to hold out in its traditional avatar…and keeps re-inventing its offer – through content, scale and technology/addressability.
  • Why the content king needs wise counsel

    Why the content king needs wise counsel

    As we mark the anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on 26th November 2008 and the subsequent 60-hours of hostage-taking horror, with murders, mayhem and ensuing chaos unfolding live on national television, it is worth reflecting whether a more regulated news media might have shortened the misery and helped the security mission.

    There was much criticism of the way television networks covered the atrocity as a tacky round-the-clock Bollywood thriller – except that it was for real, claiming nearly 170 lives and many more injuries. Competing news networks vied with each other to provide the most sensational and dramatic reportage from India’s commercial capital. News footage such as live pictures of National Security Guard commandos being airdropped near the Nariman House, seemed highly irresponsible, potentially endangering both hostages and security forces.

    In a report just weeks after 26/11, a parliamentary panel called for greater regulation of real-time broadcasts during such emergencies, claiming that ‘the live footage shown by television channels was free intelligence for those allegedly guiding the attackers from afar through satellite/mobile phones‘. The government proposed 19 new amendments to the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, including the suggestions that in the future there should be ‘delayed carriage of live feed‘ in such emergency situations.

    Partly in response, the News Broadcasters Association – a leading professional body of news organizations – set up a self-regulatory ‘emergency protocol‘ for covering terrorism. However, it is likely that commercial imperatives will still dictate what gets on air. In an excessively market-driven broadcasting ecology, the drive to be first with ‘breaking‘ news can lead journalists and news managers to compromise on content. There are numerous instances of this: one prime example is how television news has invented the sting story – sometimes slanderous, sometimes even fake. How should such content be regulated and by whom? What can we learn from other democracies?

    Until very recently, broadcasting content was tightly monitored within the European Union. Steeped in the tradition of public service, broadcasting was managed by governments as well as by self-monitoring by internal institutions within the broadcasters themselves. With the opening up of the airwaves to commercial – especially satellite and cable and later digital – broadcasting, this system has been considerably undermined by the forces of the market. As digitalization and technological convergence became a reality, it became difficult, if not impossible, to regulate content and as a result authorities opted for ‘soft touch regulation,‘ letting industry regulate itself in the public interest, while retaining control on broad policy outlines, as well as through judicial review.

    One reason that such an arrangement seems to generally work is that the regulators – such as Office of Communication (Ofcom) in Britain – are, and more importantly, are perceived to be, autonomous from government control, and therefore carry greater credibility both within the industry as well as among the general public. The content of such broadcasters as the BBC is also monitored by its Board of Governors and as a public broadcaster, it is also under parliamentary scrutiny, for periodic approval of the licence fee.

    What is more, the public have a greater say in terms of feedback on programme content – particularly on the public service television, unlike the commercial sector which is more often than not hostage to advertisers.

    Though the ratings-driven commercial model remains the dominant one in the United States and while the First Amendment ensures a high degree of independence to the media, the Federal Communications Commission requires broadcasters to follow certain restrictions in relations to content such as what is deemed as ‘harmful to minors‘.

    Though television in India was established in the European public broadcasting tradition, it has continued to veer towards a commercial model where Content is the King. As the world‘s largest and its most vibrant democracy, the notion of a free flow of information and freedom of expression is deeply entrenched in India. However, freedom of information and expression should come with a high dose of social responsibility, particularly relevant in a nation where more than 400 million people remain illiterate – despite huge progress in many areas including unprecedented growth in broadcasting industry – making India a country with the largest number of dedicated news channels (soon to touch three figures).

    As the Guidelines for Broadcast Regulations suggested by UNESCO state, the freedom of speech is ‘subject to such conditions and restrictions as are prescribed by law and necessary in a democratic society. The exclusions cover: the prevention of disorder or crime, the protection of health or morals, the protection of the reputation and rights of others (including the right to privacy), preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, and maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.‘

    For a balanced dynamic to emerge between the freedom to report and social responsibility, there is a pressing need for an autonomous national regulator. The Indian government has been toying with such an idea for nearly two decades now and, despite promises, nothing concrete has been done. In the absence of a professional and credible content regulator, competitive commercial interests have pushed the envelope further and further in the process of creating television empires, while debasing public discourse. As we remember those who lost their lives on 26/11, it is high time that the king of content had some wise counsel.

    (Daya Thussu is Professor of International Communication and the Co-Director of the soon to be launched India Media Centre at the University of Westminster in London. Among his key recent publications are Internationalizing Media Studies (Routledge) and News as Entertainment: The Rise of Global Infotainment (Sage). He is founder and Managing Editor of the journal Global Media and Communication.)

    (Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author and Indiantelevision.com need not necessarily subscribe to the same)

  • ‘Discovery identifies India as a growth market’ : Discovery Communications India SVP Rahul Johri

    ‘Discovery identifies India as a growth market’ : Discovery Communications India SVP Rahul Johri

    Discovery Communications India is readying for a major expansion to ride on India’s rapidly growing digital pay-TV environment. The roadmap includes the launch of three channels – Discovery Science, Discovery HD and Discovery Turbo.

    The existing three channels – Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Discovery Travel and Living – have built distinct brand propositions. And as the viewership pattern is shifting particularly in the non-fiction genre, Discovery hopes to capitalise.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto, Discovery Communications India senior vice president Rahul Johri talks about the company’s growth plans.

    Excerpts:

    Having got the government nod, when are you planning to launch the three new channels?
    We are finalising the launch plans. Discovery Turbo will be India‘s first male lifestyle channel. Discovery Science will be dedicated to make science programming accessible, relevant and entertaining. Discovery HD, on the other hand, offers programming in 1080i with 5.1 surround sound, far superior to both NTSC and PAL. It lends itself perfectly to the type of rich and spectacular images that Discovery is renowned for.

    How are you going to tackle distribution?
    We have planned to launch Discovery Science and Discovery Turbo on both analogue and digital platforms. Discovery HD will be launched on the digital platform.

    Do you see niche channels gain as the digital environment grows?
    We currently have three distinct networks in India, each with immense brand equity. Digital platform, besides offering an enhanced viewing experience and an increased choice to viewers, demonstrates the real value of the brands and their unique propositions. Companies with strong bouquet of channels, be it mass or niche, will certainly stand to gain as the digital penetration goes up in India.

    Do you see the new channels broadening the audience base for infotainment?
    Viewers today are looking for distinct and credible content. We are witnessing a dramatic shift in the viewing patterns in India, especially in the non-fiction genre where our channels dominate.

    Considering that 60 per cent of India‘s population is under 30 years of age, this trend should only get amplified in the coming years. Each of our channels, existing and planned, has a distinct brand proposition and will resonate with viewers, advertisers and affiliates alike.

    There has been a lot of talk about how HD is changing the television viewing experience globally. But at the moment the infrastructure is not there to support this in India. How does this impact the launch plans for Discovery HD?
    India is witnessing a substantial increase in the sale of HD-technology TV sets. With the growth of digital delivery platforms, HD would emerge as a premium offering.

    Besides, we like to be ahead of the curve, be it in our programme offerings or production technologies.
    ‘Viewers today are looking for distinct and credible content. We are witnessing a dramatic shift in the viewing patterns in India, especially in the non-fiction genre where our channels dominate‘

    In terms of revenue where does India stack up vis-a-vis other Asian markets like Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea?
    India has a considerable viewer and advertiser base and has been identified as a growth market for Discovery.

    Do you expect revenue growth this year given the economic downturn?
    It is my belief that leaders in respective categories will be least affected. Going by the current environment, we would be able to achieve our targets.

    What are the challenges that Discovery and other players in the infotainment space face this year?
    The challenge is to continuously refresh the programming to suit the viewers‘ changing demands. At the same time you have to maintain the brand‘s core propositions.

    Last year Animal Planet re-branded itself globally with a more adult-centric focus. How has this been reflected in India?
    Animal Planet revealed its fresh brand identity last year. Its new show line-up reflects intense drama, rich humour, unexpected choices and wonders of the animal kingdom.

    In order to strengthen its prime time slots, the channel introduced two new programme bands. Masters Of The Jungle at 9 pm takes viewers to meet the most celebrated wildlife experts from around the world who have dedicated their lives to animals.

    The Hunt at 8 pm presents nature‘s predators in their raw and merciless form every night. There has been a ratings increase.

    Has the look and feel been changed to reflect the channel‘s aggression?
    The new logo, communication and content allow viewers an immersive experience. Introducing new time bands, Masters of the Jungle, The Hunt and multiple new titles like Jockeys and Animal Gladiator; the channel today offers a close-up encounter with wildlife.

    What are the major programming properties coming up on the channel?
    From this month, Animal Planet‘s new series, Stranger Among Bears, will reveal the isolated life of a teacher who has received national attention for his unique but controversial relationship with the black grizzly bears for last 20 years.

    We will launch a new series in the Master of the Jungle band – Into The Pride in which the host Dave Salmoni will land himself in the middle of a ride of lions with just a walking stick. In a remarkable story of the bond between man and animal, we will present a reunion between two young men and a 500 pound pet lion in A Lion called Christian.

    Discovery Travel and Living has completed five years in India. What progress has it made in boosting lifestyle programming in the country and serving the SEC A+ demographic?
    Discovery Travel and Living has emerged as the definitive lifestyle channel in India. Surpassing all lifestyle television benchmarks, it has continuously added new genres, bringing the finest experience to its discerning audience. Even this year, it added three new genres – music, dance and relationship.

    On the Indian programming front, it explored unique Indian lifestyle themes – wedding, travel, food, fashion and hotels. It recently premiered a new series with one of India‘s leading columnists and food writer Vir Sanghvi. And in the biggest of all shows, we will present a series on India‘s biggest superstar Shah Rukh Khan, where for the first time ever viewers will be taken into his private and exclusive world.

    Has there been any change in strategy compared to previous years?
    Our focus has been to expand the existing genres like food, travel, fashion and makeover while at the same time adding new genres like music, fitness and relationship. We strengthened our prime time offerings with two strong bands – What A Life at 9 pm and Turn It On at 10 pm. Our efforts to up the weekend offerings with Brunch on Sundays and day time properties like Chew at 1 pm presented good results.

    On the advertising front, are clients more cautious in terms of committing spends?
    We value our advertisers and believe in long term associations. Just like in the past, we will continue to offer higher values to our advertisers.
     

    On the advertising front, are clients more cautious in terms of committing spends?
    We value our advertisers and believe in long term associations. Just like in the past, we will continue to offer higher values to our advertisers.

    Has there been any change in strategy compared to previous years?
    Our focus has been to expand the existing genres like food, travel, fashion and makeover while at the same time adding new genres like music, fitness and relationship. We strengthened our prime time offerings with two strong bands – What A Life at 9 pm and Turn It On at 10 pm. Our efforts to up the weekend offerings with Brunch on Sundays and day time properties like Chew at 1 pm presented good results.

    On the advertising front, are clients more cautious in terms of committing spends?
    We value our advertisers and believe in long term associations. Just like in the past, we will continue to offer higher values to our advertisers.

  • Indiantelevision.com’s interview with You Telecom CEO EVS Chakravarthy

    Indiantelevision.com’s interview with You Telecom CEO EVS Chakravarthy

    Citi Venture Capital International-owned You Telecom India has resized its investment plan amid the economic downturn.

    The trimmed-down plan will mean a fresh investment of Rs 2.5 billion over two years, instead of Rs 4 billion as earmarked earlier.

    Narrowing down the spread, the expansion plan will focus on depth and consolidation of the business in the cities where You Telecom runs operations.

    The redrawn map will mean that You Telecom stays as a niche player in the market for at least two years, shunning away from a frenzy among many multi-system operators (MSOs) to land grab and build scale.

    You Telecom is in talks to rope in Indian investors for Digital Outsourcing, its cable TV arm. Tulsi R Tanti and his family members, promoters of wind power company Suzlon Energy Ltd, hold 49 per cent stake in the company. You Telecom has 36 per cent stake while the balance is held by high net worth Indian individuals.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Sibabrata Das, You Telecom CEO EVS Chakravarthy talks about how important it is for cable TV companies to work on their business models, stay away from reckless acquisitions, conserve capital and penetrate deeper into last mile services.

    Excerpts:

    Two MSOs are in the process of tapping the capital market. Do you think the cable TV sector has reached a stage of maturity for listing?
    The two preliminary draft prospectus filings are the first in the cable TV sector of significance for raising money from the capital market. The outcome of these two IPOs will send strong signals for the future. Investors will watch carefully the pricing of the issues, the intrinsic value of the business it captures and the sustainability of it. Hathway Cable & Datacom and Den Networks need to do everything to make sure that the sector becomes attractive for current and future investors.

    How does this impact companies like yours?
    We are not in a hurry to capitalise on the high valuations in the market today. We want to see if this is sustainable. We prefer to go to the market as a profitable company with a strong business model and management bandwidth. We want to time the IPO appropriately.

    Are you saying that Hathway and Den are in a hurry to raise money via the IPO route?
    Both the MSOs expanded aggressively through acquisition of cable networks. They need further capital to fuel their growth.

    Will these two listings aid digitisation?
    Consolidation will happen faster than digitisation. As a process of consolidation, I wouldn‘t be surprised if Hathway buys Den – or the other way round. Besides, more and more cable companies will get listed.

    Will the climate be favourable for foreign strategic investors like Comcast?
    Foreign strategic players will still stay away because no single Indian cable TV company has built that scale. Post consolidations, they will show interest. For Comcast and others to come, it is 3-5 years away.

    ‘Post listing of the two MSOs, consolidation will happen faster than digitisation. As a process of consolidation, I wouldn‘t be surprised if Hathway buys Den – or the other way round‘

    Since the IPO is throwing open early exit options for private equity firms, won‘t they find the cable TV sector attractive?
    Some of them came into the sector with the hope that the government-mandated Cas (conditional access system) will spread to other cities. That has not happened. Still the sector attracted further private equity investments as everybody saw an opportunity in the distribution business. New PE players will wait to see if the market price of the listed companies is sustainable. The calls that they will take now will be more informed due to the last two years of collective experience of the industry.

    You Telecom had plans to expand in the bull phase and had decided to invest Rs 4 billion over two years. What made you scale back your investment plans?
    We have decided to pump in Rs 2.5 billion over the next two years to boost our cable TV and broadband business (the investments for cable TV are made through a subsidiary company, Digital Outsourcing). Our focus will be on depth and consolidation of the business in the cities where we run operations. We had earlier planned to expand into 15 new cities, including 10 for cable TV services. But in a capital scarce scenario, we will go to six more cities in the first phase. For cable service, we will be adding 2-3 cities to our existing operations in Mumbai, Bangalore and Vizag. After that, we will rework on our fund requirement.

    So you plan to stay as a niche player in the market for at least two years?
    We have seen how some MSOs have been pursuing a high-growth subscriber universe by recklessly acquiring cable networks. Having a large universe can become a liability. The capital has dried up for them and there is no change in their business models. It is important to be consistent, strong, stable and profitable.

    We are looking at an optimum size of 4-5 million in the first phase, up from our current reach of two million. You can‘t just focus on the reach universe when there is just a 20 per cent revenue share (due to under-reporting). Our focus will be to penetrate deeper into last mile services.

    But if government announces a policy for HITS (Headend-In-The-Sky), will you scale up?
    When the regulation comes, we will be one of the applicants. We are ready as far as the rest of the infrastructure is concerned. We will partner with Cisco on technology; we already have an existing head-end infrastructure with them. We have also signed an MoU for the transponder. We plan to invest an additional amount of Rs 1.5 billion for HITS.

    Will Tulsi R Tanti and his family members (Suzlon promoters) commit investments for such expansions?
    They currently hold 49 per cent stake in Digital Outsourcing and stand committed. We might also bring in other Indian investors.

    You Telecom acquired a majority stake in Scod18 Networking to have a cable TV presence in Mumbai. What are the expansion plans under this entity?
    Scod18 has been a Mumbai-centric MSO. We will continue to be a significant player with a significant market share in Mumbai. We will expand in areas around Mumbai and in parts of Maharashtra along with them, if and when we get the right opportunities. Our focus will be on digitisation and other value-added services like on-demand and TV-commerce.

    And for Bangalore?
    We acquired a 50 per cent stake in Digital Infotainment, a small-sized local cable network, and our investments in this venture so far has been Rs 500 million (out of a total investment of Rs 5.5 billion). We will expand in Bangalore and other areas in Karnataka through this joint venture.

    Will acquisition be the only growth route for you?
    Yes, that is how we will grow. We are planning to offer stock in lieu of last mile acquisition. This is how Cisco grew from a $2 billion to a $22 billion company – by offering stock. Pragmatic cable companies, after all, have to start a trend. But for this listing is important.

    Having taken the position of a niche player, how important is it for you to launch premium products to drive in higher ARPUs (average revenue per user) as a strategy?
    The market today is not matured for premium products. The content cost is exorbitant and pricing is a big issue. The MSO that could have monetised on value-added services is Hathway Cable & Datacom as it has a million digital subscribers. But as this has not been a focus area for them, there must be compelling reasons for this.

    What will the focus area for MSOs this year?
    MSOs will have to make sure that they have enough capital with them.

  • ‘Our top three international markets are the UK, Australia and India’ : Dixie Carter – TNA Entertainment president

    ‘Our top three international markets are the UK, Australia and India’ : Dixie Carter – TNA Entertainment president

    In 2002, TNA Entertainment found a gap in the marketplace to compete with WWE. TNA Wrestling was born and is now seen in 120 countries globally.

    TNA has carved out a separate positioning for itself. While WWE is entertainment, TNA is professional wrestling.

    Spending the first five years of its existence on establishing the brand in the US, the focus has been to expand TNA‘s global reach. And India is TNA‘s one of the top three markets outside the US.

    In order to complement its roster of events, ESPN Star Sports (ESS) signed a deal with TNA Wrestling a few years back to broadcast their programming. The sports broadcaster renewed its deal for TNA content last year.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, TNA Entertainment president Dixie Carter elaborates on the company‘s plans to up its game in India.

    Excerpts:

    When TNA Wrestling started out in 2002, what were the key goals?
    In the late 1990s, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Federation (WWF) combined for approximate gross revenues of $800-$900 million per year. By the time TNA started in 2002, WWF had the only major international professional wrestling company in the world.

    So there was not only room, but a need for competition in the marketplace. Thus, our goal was to establish TNA as a premiere professional wrestling company worldwide.

    To what extent have these goals been accomplished?
    TNA just celebrated its seventh anniversary and we are now seen in more than 120 countries globally. For the last four years, we have had a tremendous relationship with our US cable TV partner Spike TV and we just signed a new three-year deal with them.

    During the second quarter of this year, more than 1.8 million viewers on an average tuned in to TNA: iMPACT! on Spike TV each week. Overall, TNA: iMPACT! saw a 31 per cent overall growth with double digit increases in the key demographics of M18-49 (+33 per cent) and P18-49 (+40 per cent). TNA now routinely exceeds those ratings of WWE‘s ECW brand and we are closing the gap with their Smackdown brand.

    Additionally, we have grown our international business exponentially in the last two years. By developing relationships with broadcasters in the UK, Australia and with ESPN Star Sports (ESS), TNA has become a global entity.

    We have also assembled a talent roster that can compete with any promotion out there. As far as challenges are concerned, I think that adequate capitalisation is the biggest challenge for any start up. We have had to be smart with our resources and prioritise them. The other main challenge was to convince people that we were going to be around for the long-term, and I think we‘ve done that.

    At the time of launch on one hand you had the success of the WWE. On the other hand, you had the failure of Turner‘s WCW. What were the learnings from this?
    We learned that the fan base will support two professional wrestling companies. Obviously, it is a sobering lesson when a company that generated the revenue and had the success that WCW had, could and would go out of business just a couple of years later. You have to learn from those mistakes made.

    How is TNA positioned vis-a-vis the WWE?
    A couple of years ago, I read a transcript of a Vince McMahon (WWE chairman) interview where he said that WWE is entertainment and TNA is professional wrestling, and I couldn‘t agree more. We want to emphasise our athletes and their athletic ability, and we don‘t run from what we are.

    Could you talk about the strategy TNA is following to grow its reach globally?
    TNA spent the first five years of its existence focussing on establishing the brand in the US. Once we felt that that we were on firm footing, we began to expand our reach. I think that the United Kingdom is a good case study for what we are trying to accomplish globally.

    First, we established a successful relationship with a top TV partner, and then built the brand through promotional appearances and then eventually live events and consumer products.
    ‘TNA needs to provide ESS with more content such as TNA Epics and regularly scheduled promotional appearances with TNA superstars in India‘

    How much of a challenge is it to grow fan loyalty for the brand given the competition from the WWE and an increasingly fragmented media environment?
    In four years, we have doubled our average audience on Spike TV in the US and are beating our competitors programming in key countries worldwide. By that alone, we are the fastest growing wrestling company in the world.

    WWE is the gold standard in the professional wrestling business, but a lot of people have stopped watching wrestling. And as the upstart company, we have the opportunity to offer something different.

    In how many homes is TNA seen globally and what new television deals were signed recently?
    TNA is seen in over 120 countries around the world with many millions of viewers tuning in each week. We recently signed new deals with Foxtel in Australia, Canal 9 in Denmark and W9 in France.

    Where does India fit in the scheme of things for TNA?
    India offers a tremendous opportunity for TNA. From a consumer index standpoint, if India continues its recent financial growth it will become the fifth largest consumer economy by 2025 and we want to be a part of that.

    Aside from television licensing revenues, we have to activate our strategy for live events and other commercial opportunities.

    What are the different shows that TNA offers and has this been increased over the past year?
    TNA‘s flagship show is the weekly two hour series TNA iMPACT! In addition, we produce 12 monthly three hour pay-per-views per year. TNA Xplosion is a one-hour edited version of iMPACT! airing outside the United States with some exclusive content added. We also recently launched a one-hour show in a ‘best of‘ format called TNA Epics. This show highlights the best matches, moments and superstars in TNA history.

    In the ratings sweepstakes TNA is behind the WWE in India. What is the game plan to close this gap?
    TNA needs to provide ESS with more content such as TNA Epics and regularly scheduled promotional appearances with TNA superstars in India. We currently are on a one week delay in terms of the content broadcasted in India versus the United States.

    We hope to close that gap and have our programmes airing within the same week. And obviously, planning live events in India is a major piece of our strategy.

    We are planning a promotional tour in India in conjunction with ESS. TNA superstars haven‘t visited since 2005, so we are long overdue to return. We are also creating customised station IDs and bumper breaks.

    In terms of revenues what growth do you see this year? How much of it comes from outside the US?
    We are looking for a 10 per cent growth this year. This year, approximately 15 per cent of our revenue will come from international markets. Our top three markets are the UK, Australia and India.

    Is new media playing a more important role in TNA‘s brand building strategy?
    TNA was an early adopter of YouTube, and subsequently we are now one of their most all-time viewed channels with close to 200 million views. We continue to strive to stay on the cutting edge of new media and social networking technologies such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and whatever forms of communication can best help TNA reach out to its fans.

    We also reward our die-hard fans with opportunities available exclusively online and not to the general public. For instance, if you follow TNA on Twitter, at live events we hide a backstage pass in the venue and then reveal its location exclusively on our Twitter account. The fan who finds it gets to go backstage during the show.

    What plans does TNA have in the licensing and merchandising space?
    We have learned to be patient and selective in choosing our licensing partners. Aligning with great companies is what will create successful licensing programmes, create great products for our fans and bring TNA the most revenue.

    Jakks Pacific is our new worldwide master toy licensee and we will launch our first action figures and play sets together starting in summer 2010. We are very excited about adding this to our licensing and merchandising mix. TNA has been out of the toy category for two years and our fans have been asking for these products. For this reason, we expect great success when we launch our toys next year.

    We released our first video game in September 2008 with Midway Games which to-date has sold close to 1.5 million units. We are currently evaluating our options for our next video game partner due to the Warner acquisition of Midway and expect to make an announcement soon.

    For our trading cards and sports memorabilia our partner is Tristar. In particular our trading cards have been a great success. We‘ve just launched our third series to retail this month.

    Internally, we create our own merchandise across several categories and sell it directly to our fans at live events and via shoptna.com. We specifically focus on designing and creating our own apparel. We also handle the creation of our replica belts, and specialty collectible merchandise like the Sting bats, Superstar programs and collectible TNA books.
    TNA has stars like Kevin Nash, Jeff Jarett who have wrestled for years in other organisations. Does this familiarity make it easier for fans to connect with the TNA brand?
    TNA tries to strike a balance between recognisable names from other companies and our own homegrown talent. We‘ve found that the combination of both seasoned veterans and the next great superstars of tomorrow elevates our entire brand.
     

    Have fans‘ attitudes towards sports entertainment changed over this decade as per research?
    There is an old saying — “for those who believe, no explanation is necessary; and for those who don‘t believe, no explanation is possible.” The mission for TNA in 2009 and beyond is to attract more people who believe that professional wrestling is a great form of entertainment, and that TNA is their preferred brand of professional wrestling.

    When WCW closed down, there was worry that wrestlers and fans would not have an alternative apart from the WWE. To what extent has TNA managed to emerge as a healthy option?
    After seven years we have emerged as the only healthy option for both talent and fans alike. Since TNA started, several people have tried and failed to develop an alternative or competition to WWE and TNA.

    One challenge is to cultivate new talent. What is TNA‘s strategy in this regard?
    Since we don‘t currently have a developmental territory, we have to keep a close eye on the best unsigned talent around the world.

    Recently, we signed Ayako Hamada from Japan and Sarah Stock from Mexico, both female talents who are going to do great things for our Knockouts division. We are actively looking for Indian talent as well.

    Hamada from Japan and Sarah Stock from Mexico, both female talents who are going to do great things for our Knockouts division. We are actively looking for Indian talent as well.

    When WCW closed down, there was worry that wrestlers and fans would not have an alternative apart from the WWE. To what extent has TNA managed to emerge as a healthy option?
    After seven years we have emerged as the only healthy option for both talent and fans alike. Since TNA started, several people have tried and failed to develop an alternative or competition to WWE and TNA.

    One challenge is to cultivate new talent. What is TNA‘s strategy in this regard?
    Since we don‘t currently have a developmental territory, we have to keep a close eye on the best unsigned talent around the world.

    Recently, we signed Ayako Hamada from Japan and Sarah Stock from Mexico, both female talents who are going to do great things for our Knockouts division. We are actively looking for Indian talent as well.

  • ‘Global animation studios will set up shop in India for captive backend facilities’ : Ronald D’Mello – Maya MD and CEO

    ‘Global animation studios will set up shop in India for captive backend facilities’ : Ronald D’Mello – Maya MD and CEO

    Two years back, Maya Entertainment Ltd. was in trouble with two of its business verticals in the red. What followed was a restructuring and the education vertical since then has seen exponential growth to post over Rs 1 billion in FY‘09.

    The studio business has also grown and Maya is in the midst of releasing its first animated movie, Ramayana The Epic.

    Promoted by Bollywood filmmaker Ketan Mehta, the company went through an ownership change. Enam Securities holds 45 per cent stake, Bhukhanwala Holdings 20 per cent and Intel Capital, with three rounds of funding, around 12 per cent.

    The company faces new challenges as it scales up and plans to raise funds.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com, Maya MD and CEO Ronald D‘Mello, who is preparing for a new innings, reflects on how the company managed to turn around in the last two years.

    Excerpts:

    When you took over as CEO of Maya Entertainment Ltd, there was a need to restructure the company. What are the measures you took?
    There were substantial corporate hygiene issues which threatened the very structural stability of Maya as a company. In November 2007, we engineered a major restructuring exercise in our education vertical, risking almost half of our business, to eliminate conflict of interest positions of some of the key executives and employees of Maya, the group which went on to form a competing business. Thankfully, the exercise not only resulted in a clean and transparent Maya but also laid a strong foundation for substantial growth.

    On the studio side, the challenge was both on business development and internal operational disciplines which we were able to overcome.

    Did this mean that the key management of the education business changed?
    We terminated 13 educational franchise centres in north India which collectively contributed to 50 per cent of our turnover. The result was extremely satisfying. We were able to grow the education vertical billings by over 300 per cent over the last two years to make it an over Rs 1 billion activity in billing in FY‘09. In terms of number of franchise centres, we grew from 38 ( at the end of the restructuring exercise in 2007 ) to 70 by June 2009.

    We consolidated our position in animation education to become the largest player in career-oriented animation education. We created an Advisory Board comprising the stalwarts of animation industry to build a constant interaction between industry and academia so that the courses we offer are suited to industry needs. We converted the outlook of our courses from software to creativity- focussed. We also created a product ( MAAC Junior Toon Club ) for young students in the age group 7 to 14 as a creative enrichment platform to integrate with art and craft curriculum of schools across India. Association with IGNOU for degree program in animation and VFX was also a feather in our cap during this period.

    And on the studio front?
    We went on to have the most productive year in FY‘09 where the total output between international service work, own IP and domestic service work was amongst the largest in Indian animation studios.

    When you joined two years back, animation was on a high-growth curve. Did that help Maya ride the tide in any way?
    All industries go through highs and lows. Challenge is to get the best out of it when the industry is on a growth curve and to pro-actively future proof your business for industry lows. We did have the benefit of industry highs as much as everyone else in the segment did. But our growth probably outperformed industry and competition.

    are the challenges the Indian animation industry faces today as the global economy is in the midst of a downturn?
    I would rather not get too influenced by the downturn in global economy as it is the ‘uncontrollable” factor all are faced with. In isolation, I see Indian animation industry far slower than the hype it has created for itself. If we believe the global animation and VFX consumption numbers at over $60 billion, what India has managed to get in terms of service outsourcing is abysmally low even if you assume content production constitutes 10 per cent of the global animation consumption pie. Also, the demographics of India population indicate a good future for more youth friendly animation, gaming and VFX content.

    Unfortunately, most of the early entrants in Indian animation production space lack a long term strategy to sustain market penetration and growth over a longer period of time. Even the development of talent has suffered due to this short term approach. If you see the IT sector and how it grew over the years, you will find sustained long term stay over decades by some of the dominant players to make India the hub of IT services and create a large industry today.
    ‘Indian animation studios may not be in the position of strength, both creatively or in market reach, to be up on the value and risk chain on co-productions‘

    Several companies have ventured into animated movies for the domestic market as a scale up strategy. But most of them have flopped at the box office. How do you think this is going to impact the business?
    This is what I meant by short term approach. If anyone thought of producing an animation movie thinking it would be a huge success, it is a wrong base to start with. Animation movies, like any other movies, are not free from the risks familiar to film producers. Moreover, you have the task of playing in an unestablished segment of viewership. I am afraid it would take few more movies to fail and learnings from those taken, before we see the domestic industry evolving in animation. Till someone takes that risk and has a sustained agenda to create this segment, it would be hard to imagine the domestic industry to mature.

    In a period of hype, even Disney entered into a joint venture with Yash Raj Films for an animated movie Roadside Romeo when one thought they didn‘t require a local partner to aid them in what they are best at. Since the movie bombed, this may discourage international companies making animated movies for the Indian market. Are we entering a different phase of the business cycle?
    I don‘t think any international studio considers failures as end of the road. I am sure Disney and Yash Raj Films have drawn considerable learnings from their first attempt which will only help them to make it better next time, both in terms of content creation and market exploration.

    Is getting into co-production arrangements for international movies and TV series a more viable business model?
    It all depends where you place yourself in the value and risk chain. If you are the last man standing in the chain, no international co-production can change the game for you. I am afraid, Indian studios may not be in the position of strength, both creatively or in market reach, as of now to be up on the value and risk chain on co-productions. Hence, it may be a while before it happens to its spoken potential.

    What are the steps you took at Maya to prepare the company for producing an animated movie?
    Ramayana The Epic, Maya‘s first animated film, was already in its baby steps when I joined. We decided to provide a development budget to the director and team so that the idea can be taken to a script, few key character designed and a three-minute sample fully animated and composed sequence developed. At the end of this exercise, we were fully convinced that the team can deliver an astounding product and decided to move on.

    What is the budget for Ramayana and how have you de-risked the project?
    We would have loved to have some co-producer coming in through its production phase. But the overall economic slowdown and Indian film ( specifically animation films ) sector dampness did not help us. The film is now complete and being shown to potential distributors.

    How much does Maya depend on outsourced projects? How does it scale up its studio business?
    Maya is predominantly a service studio, barring the first IP we produced over the last year. I cannot really comment on the future strategy for the studio scale up as it would be now left for Maya board to drive the company.

    Are there too many animation companies fighting for too small a pie?
    The pie is big, but someone needs to take a really long term view of the potential and have sustained existence to bear the desired fruit. Meanwhile, I see international animation producers and studios setting shops in India for captive backend facilities which will open new avenues for talent.

    How tough is it for the small-sized animation companies to raise capital and survive?
    Raising capital is dependent on the industry perception, company fundamentals and overall investment market climate. I presume in the present scenario it would be difficult for an animation production player to raise funds as none of the above three are in favour. Education industry will attract investor interest for businesses which have good fundamentals and clear future focus.

    Is Maya planning to raise funds? How much, how and for what?
    Yes, we have been on it since last year. But I can‘t give you more details.

    You are quitting Maya at a time when it has still to grow. What do You think is the future of such companies?
    I suppose I cannot comment on this. I am sure Maya will be able to attract the next anchor and drive the business forward.

    You are quitting Maya at a time when it has still to grow. What do You think is the future of such companies?
    I suppose I cannot comment on this. I am sure Maya will be able to attract the next anchor and drive the business forward.

    How tough is it for the small-sized animation companies to raise capital and survive?
    Raising capital is dependent on the industry perception, company fundamentals and overall investment market climate. I presume in the present scenario it would be difficult for an animation production player to raise funds as none of the above three are in favour. Education industry will attract investor interest for businesses which have good fundamentals and clear future focus.

    Is Maya planning to raise funds? How much, how and for what?
    Yes, we have been on it since last year. But I can‘t give you more details.

    You are quitting Maya at a time when it has still to grow. What do You think is the future of such companies?
    I suppose I cannot comment on this. I am sure Maya will be able to attract the next anchor and drive the business forward.