Tag: India

‘Expanding home video relationships with the Hollywood studios into other areas will be a big ticket for us’ : Subroto Chattopadhyay – RPG Enterprises – Ent. Sector president and CEO

Saregama, India’s oldest music company, is in makeover mode. Having slipped into the red with a net loss of Rs 211 million in the nine-month period ended 31 March 2004, the RPG Group company has chalked out a five-year growth plan in music, movies, TV content, home video, events and digital formats.

The man responsible for this new script: RPG Enterprises – Entertainment Sector president and CEO Subroto Chattopadhyay. The company has turned around and in FY06 posted a net profit of Rs 88.7 million on a turnover of Rs 1.19 billion.

The focus so far has been to put in place the management bandwidth for running the businesses. Now it is all set to execute these plans and scale up operations as a content company available on all platforms.

In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Sibabrata Das, Chattopadhyay talks of the efforts made to regain the grand old company’s status as a creative hothouse and of the challenges he faces in establishing Saregama as an entertainment powerhouse with stress on bottomline.

Excerpts:

How has Saregama managed to turn around after slipping into the red?

We have put in place a five-year strategy. We have decided where to place our bets and where to withdraw. We, for instance, have taken a stance that we won’t get into owning radio stations. We have divided our businesses, are getting into adjacent areas and have identified touch points.

What is the plan for the music business with T-series grabbing the lion’s share in acquiring rights to new Hindi movies?

We have decided to be a content company in music and not a distributor of CDs and cassettes. We will create, acquire and make available to consumers music while remaining platform agnostic. We will be exploiting different delivery systems like mobile and radio. That is a positioning we have taken as part of our restructuring strategy. And we are buying music rights for new Hindi movies like Gangster, Bluff Master, Anwar, Kaliyug and Vivah.

Have you tied up with the mobile and FM radio station operators?

We are doing such deals through the Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) and the Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL). That is a strategic decision which we took upfront. We have tied up with all the mobile operators. We also see upside in revenues from radio stations which would soon be springing up across the country. Out of our total revenues, 15 per cent comes from digital format. Our earnings from digital exploitation should go up. Digitisation is critical to our business model.

What are your digital initiatives?

We are launching an entertainment portal and it is likely to be called saregama.com. The aim is to make it the digital supermarket of entertainment. Consumers can download music and later on we will add movies. We are behind schedule by four months as we are adding many other features.

How much of Saregama’s library is digitised?

We have digitised 190,000 out of the 300,000 tracks we own. We will have the remaining content digitised and work on it will start by April-May. This process, in fact, has helped us discover our vast library. We, for instance, came to know that we have 30,000 tracks in Tamil. The challenge is for us to go out and make our products locally relevant.

‘Valuations are too high at this stage for acquisitions. We are in the make rather than buy mode‘

Saregama had stopped producing movies as it started losing money. Why is it making a re-entry?

When we sat down and took stock of the company, we decided that we had to be on the content side of the business. We identified our second vertical should be films because it is adjacent to music. The ecosystem is changing and we believe technology will have an impact. The game will change dramatically and we won’t have to depend entirely on the current star-loaded model.

What is the business model you are adopting?

We have identified creative people to head the business. We have taken on board BR Sharan of Lalita-ji Surf ad fame and noted film actor-director Aparna Sen who will look after the Hindi and Bangla movies. We will be producing movies in these two languages initially. Bangla is a widely spoken language and the overseas population (including Bangladesis) is large. There is shortage of good content and we can create a business out of this market. Noted cinematographer Vijaylakshmi will also be involved.

What will be the budget size and how many movies will Saregama be producing in a year?

We may start with mid-budget movies and see how we can scale up along the way. We have just taken in the people and will be firming up the business plan within three months. We will try and build a financial logarithm to movie making. Our focus will be to make good movies with strong scripts.

Saregama already produces TV content in the southern languages. Will you be expanding into Hindi as well?

We produce 14 hours of programming per week for the Sun group of channels. We will be transferring that capability to the other languages. We have Sharan, Sen and Vijaylakshmi to take care of the TV content business.

Saregama was in negotiations to buy controlling stake in K Balachandar’s TV content company Min Bimbangal, but the talks failed. Is there a conscious decision not to take the acquisition route?

We are in the phase where we realise that capability build up is crucial to us. We were in the buy mode, but now have decided to be rather in the `make your own product’ mood. Valuations are too high at this stage and the overall company philosophy is that we make rather than buy. It is because of a mix of both these reasons that we are not acquiring.

Do you have plans to ramp up your home video business?

We are exclusive partners with some major Hollywood studios like Paramount, Warner Bros, Universal, Dreamworks and MGM for distribution of their home videos in India. We have access to 20,000 films and it contributes around Rs 250-300 million to our revenues. It is a nice business to be in. If we can expand our relationships with the studios into other areas, it will be a big ticket for us. We also distribute Hindi movies but our fundamental positioning in the home video segment is that we provide the best of international flavour.

Moser Baer has entered the home video segment and drastically dropped down prices of VCDs and DVDs. How do you see that impacting the industry?

We don’t believe in price drops as a competitive strategy if we can hold them firm. People, after all, buy content. They will pay more for better content.

Will you be getting into event management as well?

We will have a presence in this vertical as it brings consumers and entertainment together. Our broad plan is to be available for music, home video, theatrical, domestic and international consumers.

Saregama was earlier thinking of merging its two overseas subsidiary companies RPG Global Music and Saregama Plc. Is that plan dead now?

We are happy being in the state of status quo. Our focus is to first fix the business and create clean surpluses in each subsidiary company so that they become robust. We use them to deliver products to consumers in different areas of the world. While Saregama Plc focuses on the UK, US, Europe, Canada, Caribbeans and South Africa, RPG Global looks at Middle East, South East asia and New Zealand. And as India globalises, our subsidiaries will become good and strong.

What is the status of HamaraCD.com?

We are changing the positioning and it will become B2C. Consumers can place an order and we will get it delivered to them.

How much will Saregama be investing for expanding its business?

We will be firming up our fund requirement after we decide what we will make and what we will buy. We are evaluating our options and haven’t taken the decision yet. We have been busy cleaning up our operations and strategising to be in businesses where our performance not only becomes successful but also sustainable.

Won’t Saregama forego a big opportunity by chalking out a slow process of growth while some media companies are taking an aggressive route?

We have been funding our growth from internal operations and internal accruals. Our purpose is to keep tight control and make the businesses sustainable. Our ability to accelerate will be better two years later. We have not yet become a creative hothouse as we were earlier. We are preparing ourselves towards that. The entertainment industry needs management bandwidth to run the businesses. None of that was required in this industry earlier. But those days are gone.

Will you not then be left with too little space in the marketplace?

We will be moving fast in the areas of exploitation, music and cinema content. We have formed business units and are building competitive advantage and strategy for them. If those dots join up, then it will be very exciting for us.

January 8, 2007

ESPN Star Sports wins broadcast rights to Uefa Euro 2008

MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports has won exclusive broadcast and internet rights for the Indian subcontinent for the 2008 European Football Championship (Uefa Euro 2008).

The territories that are covered in the deal are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and the Maldives. With this acquisition, ESPN Star Sports will be broadcasting all 31 matches from the tournament live and exclusive.

Uefa Euro 2008 is the most prestigious tournament in the football calendar after the World Cup. The competition will feature the top 16 national teams from Europe and will be held in Austria and Switzerland in June, 2008. In addition to its live coverage of matches, ESPN Star Sports will be producing exclusive pre-game, post-game, and halftime shows around Uefa Euro 2008 as well as other localised content designed to broaden the base of football viewers in the Indian subcontinent. This commitment to broadcast Uefa Euro 2008 continues the 14-year association between ESS and Uefa which goes back to the inaugural season of the Uefa Champions League in 1992/3.

Commenting on the acquisition, ESS managing director Jamie Davis said: “I am delighted that the Uefa European Championship is returning to our networks in 2008. The fact that we are working directly with Uefa for the first time affirms their confidence in our efforts to deliver the best football programming to South Asian fans.”

“We have expanded the football-watching audience in India through concentrated marketing efforts and programming initiatives such as the introduction of Hindi commentary. Viewers can expect an exciting presentation and fresh innovations for Uefa Euro 2008.” Davis added.

Uefa director of marketing and media rights Philippe Le Floc’h said: “ESPN Star Sports is one of the most experienced sports broadcasters in the Indian subcontinent. We are excited to work again with ESPN Star Sports whose expertise and market position will further enhance the Uefa European Championship brand in the Indian subcontinent.”

This latest acquisition follows the recent three-year extension of rights for the English Premier League for the Indian subcontinent. ESS football coverage also includes the Spanish Primera Liga and the English FA Cup. ESS also annually produces over 1,000 hours of original football programming, including Nokia Football Crazy, Football Focus, Goals, Tiger FC Locker Room, Here We Go, First Edition and Football Extra.

December 8, 2006
India outshines China in media business: Credit Suisse

NEW DELHI: Media companies in India are achieving double the advertising revenue than in China due to a favourable regulatory regime, says the Credit Suisse report titled “Opportunities of Hollywood in Bollywood.” This is despite China enjoying a larger economy, 2.5 times the per capita GDP and a higher spending in advertising.

The Indian media market is experiencing a double-digit growth in advertising revenue, fuelled by a strong GDP growth and supported by the emergence of a strong consumer market and introduction of new product categories.
The report says that progress would be much higher in the coming years due to the government-mandated shift to conditional access systems (Cas), with additional competition coming in from direct-to-home (DTH).

While the growth in advertising revenue will be higher than at present, the report predicts that the revenue growth from subscriptions will be even faster with the transition to Cas and the available choice of DTH.

More interestingly, the benefit to the broadcaster will be more in actual terms because the Cas and DTH systems both help solve the problem of “perennial underdeclaration” of number of households by cable operators.” At present, the actual subscription revenue stands at $2.4 billion with the broadcasters receiving as low as only 18 per cent of that amount, the report says.

It, however, observes that broadband is unlikely to emerge as a mass platform in the foreseeable future due to difficulties in last-mile access. As mobile phone platforms become increasingly sophisticated, it will become a better environment “for broadcasters to exploit their video content further”.

The cable industry is expected to experience considerable consolidation as the last mile operators sell out to Multi-Systems Operators (MSOs) due to inability to fund digital upgradation.

There has been a significant shift of advertising revenue over the past 15 years from newspapers to TV, though “estimates suggest a stabilisation of shares” (between TV and print media in India) “as growing literacy rates support newspaper readership growth (in India) not supported in other parts of the world”, the reports comments.

It also says that the growth of the radio sector will be higher “supported by issuance of new licenses, even as the government moves close to the public sector”.

Regarding the Cas tariff restrictions (Rs 77 for free-to-air channels, plus Rs 5 per pay channel of choice) does not seem to be a long term regime. The report comments that it seems that the freeze in tariff is a temporary issue, with the government determined to protect the consumer over the transitory period.

Once the CAS reaches five to six million households, “pricing caps will be removed”, is asserts.

The report notes that the “fragmentation of the cable industry results in significant challenges in rolling out digital infrastructure. Last mile operators have limited capability to fund rollout of STBs due to lack of access to finance. The consolidation of LMOs is highly difficult but inevitable, (as it is) driven by government mandated transition to Cas in notified parts of Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai and entire Chennai… plus the competition from DTH.”

Of the subscription revenue, the report says that news segment takes in 4 per cent viewership and 11 per cent of advertising, but it is a highly competitive arena, with 15 players in the fray. Annual revenue from sport events stands at around $125 to 150 million, “excepting mega events like World Cup/ Champions Cup”, which together add another $100 m annually.

Disney, which has entered the market in a multi-faceted manner (with consumer products, books, magazines and TV broadcasting) has “rapidly achieved dominance in the kids’ space, and should benefit from growing market share of advertising, supported by subscription revenue”.

With foreign ownership rules expected to ease progressively, “India looks to be an important country for the expansion of Disney’s global footprint”. About Sony, the report cryptically says that “restructuring opportunities may provide for greater transparency of business.”

December 6, 2006
CNN-IBN celebrates spirit of the cities of India in its series ‘Eye On’

The first city to be featured is Aamchi Mumbai

Mumbai: What is best for your city? Who is making your city proud? What is the agenda of its residents? All these and more questions will be answered by the people of India on CNN-IBN’s new series “Eye on”. The series will focus on cities across India. A week long series will cover various topics related to the city through public opinion polls, contest, online poll etc.

During February 20th to 25th, the first city to be featured on the show is nation’s financial capital Mumbai. In ” Mumbai Talks”, every day one central question will be posed covering the issues that concerns Mumbai: from messy traffic to crumbling infrastructure. An online vote on IBNLive.com and an SMS poll will find that One Mumbaikar who makes all others the most proud. The status of the poll is revealed every day during 9 p.m. news and the grand Mumbaikar will be announced on Sunday, February 26 th.

The breakfast news will be special all through the week, served with a unique mix of studio and live telecast from a popular Mumbai early morning hang out joint everyday. ‘Spirit of Mumbai’ a visual rich miniseries run thru the week will reflect the never-say-die-spirit of the citizens – from Dabbawallahs to train drivers, to vada pav and pav bhaji kings.

“State of the city”, the grand finale, will be anchored by CNN-IBN’s editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai along with a top notch panel and hundreds of Mumbaikars discussing over top 10 key questions.

“Eye on’, a fortnight series, will also focus on cities like Bangalore, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.

GBN, a TV18 Group Company, is a 74:26 joint venture between the TV18 Group and professionals – Rajdeep Sardesai, Sameer Manchanda and Haresh Chawla. GBN’s charter is to launch channels in the general news space under the editorial leadership of Sardesai, one of India’s most renowned TV journalists. The TV18 Group is India’s leading and most successful business news broadcaster in both English and Hindi.

December 1, 2006
Rainbow Media in representation deal with Zonemedia for Voom HD

MUMBAI: On the heels of the luanch of the channel Vom HD launch at the recently concluded television trade eevnt in Mipcom, France Rainbow HD Holdings, a subsidiary of Rainbow Media has broadened the global channel’s reach with a new distribution agreement.

Rainbow has tapped Zonemedia to sell the channel throughout much of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia.

Voom HD offers the international marketplace a lineup of high-definition (HD) programmes selected from Voom HD Networks’ 15 thematic HD channels in the US. Its content includes signature programming from Equator HD ( places and people), Gallery HD ( stories from the art world), Gameplay HD (video gaming in HD), Rave HD, (live music in 5.1 surround sound), Rush HD (adventure sports), Treasure HD (people with a passion for collecting) and Ultra HD (fashion and luxury lifestyle).

Rainbow Media senior VP business development Glenn Oakley says, “As we strategized the best possible distribution for Voom HD, Zonemedia emerged as a particularly solid choice because of its strong track record in successfully delivering third-party channels throughout the world. Voom HD’s vast array of quality high-definition programming has great appeal to the international marketplace, and we believe Zonemedia will exploit this to the fullest.”

TVOOM HD is already set for a November 1 launch in Scandinavia through a deal made by distribution company NonStop Television with Canal Digital. Today’s news opens the channel for business throughout even more of the world, with carriage deals already in the works for possible announcement over the next few months.

In addition to its impending launch in Scandinavia, three Voom branded channels have been launched in Canada, operated by High Fidelity TV: Treasure HD, Equator HD and Rush HD. Korea’s SkyHD recently deployed a daily primetime Voom HD branded programming block this past September.

Since launching its global expansion initiative at Mipcom last year, Rainbow Media has also sold over 1,000 hours of programming from its Voom HD, WE tv, Mag Rack and sportskool brands to broadcasters around the world, including India, China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, UK and Australia.

October 30, 2006
India not on EchoStar radar ‘in the near term’

HONG KONG: Regulatory blips and other on-ground problems notwithstanding, India is too big a market to be ignored for long by investors, says Scott Zimmer, senior advisor to EchoStar chairman Charlie Ergen.

“Both India and Vietnam are big markets… (however) it also means bigger opportunities, bigger challenges and bigger hurdles,” Zimmer says.

Headquartered in Colorado in the US, EchoStar Communications Corporation is a public company with approximately 21,000 employees. The company and its subsidiaries deliver direct broadcast satellite (DBS) television products and services to customers worldwide, apart from recent interests in mobile television.

“We are always looking for opportunities in various parts of the world and India is no exception,” Zimmer told Indiantelevision.com here today on the sidelines of the annual convention of Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (Casbaa).

However, he added that there are no immediate plans from EchoStar to invest in India, though Zimmer spent a few days recently in Mumbai to have first-hand information on Asia’s largest market after China.

In the short to medium term I don’t see ourselves making any commitment in India. But it’s too big a market to be ignored for too long by anybody,” Zimmer said.

According to him, whenever EchoStar gets into India it would be with a local partner and it’s “important to find the right partner.”

“India does have some DBS services (read DTH platforms) and I expect some more players to come,” Zimmer said, adding that the Zee group should have its work cut out to take on a “gorilla” like Tata Sky.

While Tata Sky, India’s second pay DTH platform, is a joint venture between the Tatas and News Corp, the Subhash Chandra-controlled Dish TV is chugging along without a foreign partner.

Indian media norms allow foreign direct investment of up to 20 per cent in a DTH venture and it is a subject of much debate within the industry whether this percentage should be increased or not.

Zimmer, however, refused to make any comment when asked whether he had held exploratory talks with the Essel/Zee group during his last visit to Mumbai.

“It would be improper on my part to make any sort of comment … (but) both the Zee Group and EchoStar share same sort of heritage in the sense that both grew from scratch,” Zimmer said.

Still, the man advising the legendary Ergen points out that while EchoStar’s competitor’s during the early stages were also growing in the US, the Zee group in contrast has a “gorilla like the Tatas” competing with it.

Zimmer also feels that what could be shying away some foreign investors from India is the presence of “strong and dominant” Indian companies like the Tatas and Reliance.

As per EchoStar’s website, the company story began in 1980 when chairman and CEO Charlie Ergen entered the satellite television industry as a distributor of C-band TV systems. Joined by his wife, Candy, and friend, James DeFranco,
EchoStar Communications Corporation was formed.

In 1987, EchoStar filed for a DBS license with the Federal Communications Commission and was granted access to orbital slot 119° West Longitude in 1992. The company started its own DBS service on 28 December, 1995 with the launch of EchoStar I satellite.

That same year, EchoStar established the Dish Network brand name. EchoStar II, launched on September 10, 1996, and expanded Dish Network’s capacity. Presently, the 14 owned or leased satellites that make up the EchoStar fleet have the capacity to provide thousands of channels of digital video, audio and data services via Dish Network service to homes, businesses and schools throughout the United States.

October 26, 2006
Nokia unveils TV enabled Nokia N92 mobile phone

HONG KONG: Nokia stamped its commitment to broadcast mobile TV by live simulcast demonstration of pay-TV channels on its Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H) enabled Nokia N92.

Being showcased for the first time at the Casbaa convention, which brings together the leading participants in the Asia-Pacific region’s television industry, the demonstration includes the first-ever broadcast of Casbaa TV channel that is broadcasting the conference proceedings live, and several other international pay-TV channels during the convention.

“The first-ever broadcast of the Casbaa TV channel and several pay-TV channels on the Nokia N92 at the annual Casbaa convention gives the industry further proof that broadcast mobile TV using DVB-H technology is a reality,”
an official statement quoted Jawahar Kanjilal, Director, Multimedia Experiences, Asia-Pacific, Nokia, as saying.

“With pay-TV subscriptions approaching saturation in many countries, the industry’s leading participants now have first-hand evidence of how the mobile device can help extend their broadcast footprint across the region,” he added.

During the week of the convention, Casbaa delegates and officials have been issued with Nokia N92 multimedia computers, which will enable them to stay connected with the conference while enjoying the personal television experience.

“Nokia is fully committed to broadcast mobile TV and the DVB-H technology, and we will strive towards an open and competitive ecosystem similar to the one that has made GSM/WCDMA-based mobile telephony so successful today,”
added Kanjilal.

In September this year, Nokia and the Vietnam Multimedia Corporation, Vietnam’s leading national broadcaster and operator in digital broadcasting, announced the decision to launch commercial broadcast mobile TV services to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi by the end of 2006.

Consumers in both cities will enjoy seven digital TV channels and a near video-on-demand service – on the Nokia N92, from a catalog of selected titles offered by VTC.

In June this year, the DVB-H Asia Pacific Alliance (DAPA), comprising Australia’s The Bridge Networks, MECA from Indonesia, Malaysia’s MiTV, and Nokia was established to promote the sharing of best practices and to keep member companies appraised of new business and technological developments in broadcast mobile TV.

The group will also support regulatory preparation and discussion to facilitate the adoption of DVB-H as the standard for mobile TV in the Asia Pacific region.

Nokia also announced interoperability agreements with Sony-Ericsson and Motorola earlier this year.

During the FIFA World Cup in Germany this year, multivendor interoperability was showcased with the Nokia N92 multimedia computer and DVB-H enabled devices from other manufacturers, in a pilot project run by German mobile network operators E-Plus, O2, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

In the Asia Pacific region, Nokia has participated in broadcast mobile TV trials in Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and Taiwan (R.O.C).

Globally, pilots and market research studies so far have shown high positive feedback for broadcast mobile TV services.

October 26, 2006
India leads in pay TV piracy in Asia-Pac

HONG KONG: Pay television piracy continues unabated in the Asia-Pacific region, with total loss in revenue estimated to be $1.13 billion in 2006, out of which India’s dubious contribution is a whopping $ 668 million.

According to study on piracy in Asia-pacific released by Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (Casbaa) here today ahead of their three-day annual convention, for the fourth consecutive year pay TV piracy has shown an increase with illegal pay TV subscription across the region growing by 20 per cent in 2006 to 5.2 million.
The report, undertaken in association with Standard Chartered bank, also highlights that pay TV piracy will result in net estimated tax revenue loss of $ 158 million to the region’s governments in 2006.

In particular, the piracy situation in India (considered the biggest accessible market, though), Hong Kong and Vietnam continues to worsen, the report said.

Asked by Indiantelevision.com whether the Indian and foreign players operating in India have undertaken any concrete anti-piracy initiatives in India instead of just blaming the government, Casbaa CEO Simon Twiston Davies said, “The industry is constantly in talks with the government and the regulator on the issue.”

He added that Casbaa has also exhorted the government to “review” existing regulations and strengthen digital infrastructure.
The grey market deficit in India due to under-reporting by cable operators has grown from $ 632 million in 2005 to $ 667 million in 2006.

Thailand also suffers from rising cost of piracy and at $ 160 million revenue loss has the second highest rate of piracy in the Asia-Pacific region

Other markets facing an uphill pay TV piracy battle include Vietnam and the Philippines.

The “Greenfield” market of Vietnam has the worst ratio of piracy in the region with one legal pay TV subscriber for every 15 illegal connections.

In the Philippines, estimated net piracy costs due to illegal distributors, largely in provinces, has risen by 24 per cent in 2006.

Indonesia is not far behind with revenue leakage of $ 23.8 million as government and industry insiders indicate a substantive piracy growth.

Singapore is the only market covered by the report that brings some cheer to the industry reeling under piracy.

As a result of ongoing digitization of cable networks, the number of pirated pay TV subscriptions remains low with a 15.8 per cent decline in piracy costs.

Macau, covered in the study for the first time, has the unenviable distinction of having the region’s second highest piracy rate with 10 pirated connections for every one legal subscriber.

The study notes that the Macau government’ anti-piracy measures announced last year have been inadequate to arrest rising piracy.

The new study estimates that the cost of piracy in Hong Kong for 2006 will be $ 32.4 million, a hike of 29 per cent over last year.

“This could have a genuine impact on Hong Kong’s reputation as an intellectual property rights hub,” Davies said.

Pointing out that pay TV piracy is “corrosive” in nature and undermines investments in various markets of the Asia-Pacific region, Davies, however, said growth prospects remain good in the region.

Interestingly, piracy also results in huge losses to governments too with the study estimating that at least $ 158 million being annually lost to regional governments. The losses corporate profit tax ($ 127 million) and VAT/GST ($ 31 million).

The governments in the region taking the maximum hits due to loss in tax revenue include those in Thailand ($ 59 million), the Philippines ($ 38 million), Australia ($ 14 million) and Vietnam ($ 12 million). The India figure for this segment was not available.

No wonder, Standard Chartered head of media and entertainment Lee Beasley said, “Pay TV piracy should raise an alarm not only in the pay TV industry, but also for a range of Asian governments.”

Meanwhile, the annual Casbaa convention where industry people from the broadcasting and cable industry, investors and regulatory authorities from round the globe are converging kicks off Wednesday.

Apart from the usual rounds of seminars and debates on issues of relevance, a tech exhibition too is being organized.

October 24, 2006

‘Sony’s agenda is to focus on prime & then take on the rest’ : Sandiip Sikcand – Sony chief creative director take on the rest’

Sony Entertainment Television India’s chief creative director Sandiip Sikcand is the newly appointed man in the newly created position, tasked with the job of scripting a turnaround in the ratings fortunes of the network’s flagship channel Set. And it is a task cut out for the experienced hand from Balaji Telefilms, who has been the creative head for projects such as K Street Pali Hill, Kkusum, Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii.

After a four-year stint with Balaji working under the overarching leadership of Ekta Kapoor, Sikcand is tuning himself to a corporate structure, wherein he will be steering the creative aspects of Sony and also concentrating more on fiction. Geared to making a mark and getting the channel going, Sikcand talks about his plans and the road ahead in a conversation with Indiantelevision.com’sManisha Bhattacharjee.
Experts:

You are handling Sony, but the network also has Sab, so how do you differentiate and segregate the shows between the two channels?
The operations between the two channels are different and very clear. Though part of the same network, the guidelines inscribed for Sab TV is poles apart from Sony. The latter is into hardcore soaps, melodrama, while the former is more youthful, catering to a more niche audience. It will be on Sab where the network can experiment with different kinds of concepts or shows. Sony will continue to offer a hardcore soap diet. It is broadly chalked out and chances of overlap are minimal.

With Sony now in third position, what is the course of action that the channel is planning?
Well, we have lined up new shows and are strengthening the 8 pm to 11 pm band. The shows will be rolled out over the next six months. We have tied up with Tony and Diya Singh for Jeetiya Hai Jis Ki Liye, which will star Renuka Shahane. We have Also tied up with the Anuj Saxena’s Maverick productions for a drama titled Akhand Sau Bhagyawati. There is Khamoshi, Durgesh Nandini, Viruddhwith Smriti Irani. A Variety show with Anupam Kher, which is a talk show.

You are looking at launching only soaps, does that signify that reality will take a back seat?
No, Sony has always maintained that reality will be an important component. Reality shows are likely to be relegated to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, while the rest of the week will see soapy dramas taking centre stage.

We are presently running Jhalak Dikkhla Jaa. And will be launching Bigg Boss on November 3. In May, we have scheduled the launch of the third season of Indian Idol. We are also devising our own little reality show, which will be aired twice a week, which we are targeting to launch in February or March.

‘I do not see Sony coming back to number 2 or number 1 position overnight‘

So what is this reality show that is homegrown?
I can’t speak much at the moment as we are yet to finalise on certain aspects of the show.

Not being on a strong wicket as of now, and launching so many shows, isn’t it too much too soon?
No. These will be spread across and launched in a phased manner. The emphasis is on the strengths Sony has already shown. It has been structured accordingly so we are confident we can succeed. The idea is not to shock the audience.

Likewise, I do not see Sony coming back to number two or number one position overnight. It is process, which we have already started working towards. I am not saying either that all the shows are going to be stupendous successes. Some of the shows might not even work, we might have to pull them off and replace them with some other products. We are all geared for that. But it is a definitive step towards changing the number position of the channel.

It is a tough battle for Sony, as it has to fight the leader Star Plus and Zee, which has bounced back after a long while?
I think we have to fight it out with everybody. I have to even fight Sab, Zee Café, Star One, Zee Cinema, Star Plus and Sahara One. Every channel is competition. Sony is not going to be pulled back by its competitors. Sony is first going to stand up on its own feet and in that process if there is competition so be it.

So what is the strategy you are looking at employing to help the channel stand up?
There is no strategy. I think in the television and entertainment business, the essential ingredient is just entertainment. As an audience, if I find a show entertaining, whether it may be appearing on ABC or XYZ channel, I will watch it. The endeavour and the aim of Sony is to give wholesome entertainment; that’s the strategy.

Besides looking at strengthening you prime band. Are you looking at the other bands?
We will be focusing on the afternoon band and launching a slew of shows there too. As of now, we run movies for Saturday and Sunday, we may look at having movies only on Sunday. But that will be once we get our other line-ups fixed. The agenda really is to focus on prime and then take on the rest.

What’s this obsession networks in general seem to have with reality shows?
It is a trend. You can’t discount it. It has always happened in India. For example, in Bollywood, if you have one film of Nagin (snake) succeeding, there will be 10 other films based on the same. As I said earlier, Sony has always maintained that we will be doing reality shows, which we are and will continue doing.

But, the point being that the ratio with be 80:20 (in favour of soaps). We will have specific reality show making sure that we do not bring in the fatigue factor and also that we do not overkill it.

The channel will be shortly launching Bigg Boss. There are many who are skeptical about the chances of success in India of a show that is so in your face voyeuristic as Bigg Boss is? What makes you confident the Indian public will like such a concept?
Well, we all have a peeping-tom somewhere, which we do not accept. But, the reality show Bigg Boss has all the elements that any other soap holds. We are confident that the success Big Brother has enjoyed (elsewhere) will be visible here too.

I do not believe in bifurcating my programmes into reality or fiction. Eventually, it is all about entertainment. It is important to understand that if soaps give you a certain amount of interest, so does the reality show.

The fact remains that reality shows are clicking and drawing in viewers and that soaps have always brought in audiences.

So are you saying it is not reality vs soaps?
All I am trying to say is that the kind of entertainment a Bigg Boss will provide is not to say that watch Bigg Boss and not Kaajjal. The shows provide you different elements of entertainment. The viewer has to be entertained. I do not think that the audience will say “I will not watch reality show because I never watch a reality show.” For the audience, what matters is entertainment.

CAS is likely to change the dynamics of the television market? Your thoughts?
Well, being on the creative seat, what can only be a deterrent for me is if I tell them that you have to pay more to be entertained?

How do you view the whole general entertainment market?
The whole television market has a lot to offer and the entertainment business is growing. The audiences will have an amazing offering to chose from in the future. Although we are growing rapidly, but by the time we grow to reach the standards that are followed outside, it will involve a lot of hard work. I believe across the line producers have to realize what television is all about and give a lot of importance to creativity. I think it is happening. Thus there is lots to look forward to.

You were present at Mipcom. What were the formats that you enjoyed?
Well, there was this Endemol game show where one can win a fixed amount of money for his entire life span. Another show that I enjoyed was a reality show where a girl has to spot an eligible guy out of three where you have a gay, one already taken and a single guy. It is a show that can never be made in India. But the concept was interesting.

So have how many formats are you buying?
We are still in the process of weighing the pros and cons. We have not yet locked any deal.

Has the tie-up with Smriti Irani affected your channel’s relationship with Balaji?
Yes, it has already affected it. But, I must say that I am proud to be a product of Balaji. I left the production house for some personal reasons. Reasons I would not like to go into.

Now that I am with Sony, anything that I have to do, I will do for the betterment of the channel. Smirit had an amazing concept. So I see no reason why I should not do that show.

In fact, Sony had been approaching Balaji for the last two months even before I joined. Ekta had her own reasons for not doing a show for Sony as she said that she is tied up somewhere else. But she is to do a show for Sab, for which she has time, which is great. That she has no time to do a show for Sony, is absolutely fine and acceptable. As and when she has a concept for Sony, all she has to do is dial my number.

Today, Sony is third, Zee had been lurking in this position for long. Zee’s soaps have given them a fresh lease of life?
The journey of Zee is very motivational. After seven years, it is really something to talk about. If Zee can do it, Sony can well do it. Competition keeps you going. I was the creative head on Kasamh Se and my interactions with Ashwini (Zee programming head Ashwini Yardi) have been great. It is very inspirational.

In the current situation, with your experience is it a tough battle to manage a channel’s programming?
It is a whole new corporate world. I feel at home. In this world of entertainment it is a combination of competitiveness and fun. I belief I too need my fair chance to prove myself.

What is the road map for Sony for 2007?
Well, all efforts will be towards bouncing back.

October 24, 2006

VSNL plans cable link to India, Middle East, Western Europe

MUMBAI: Tata group company Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) has inked an MoU with global telecom firms to construct a new submarine cable linking India, Middle East and Western Europe (IMEWE).

The company has joined hands with Etisalat, Saudi Telecom, Telecom Egypt, Telecom Italia Sparkle to work jointly on the new submarine cable.

The cable will connect the major countries in the region including India, UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Italy and France to provide interconnection facilities with several existing and emerging systems in the regions.

The telecom consortium expects to get the IMEWE cable ready for service by mid 2008. The construction contracts are expected to be being awarded by end 2006.

The network, upon its commissioning, will provide high-speed connectivity to the Asian, Middle East, North & East Africa and Western Europe regions, and meet their exponentially growing bandwidth requirements.

October 23, 2006