ITV

Tag: indiantelevision.com

  • GTPL Hathway IPO proceeds may help increase subs base & penetration, hike stake in JVs

    MUMBAI: GTPL Hathway, India’s leading cable TV distribution company reaching an estimated eight million households in 10 states, proposes to open on 21 June an initial public offering of equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 each for cash (including a share premium) comprising a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to Rs. 2,400 million and an offer for sale of up to 14,400,000 equity shares – comprising up to 1,136,000 equity shares by Aniruddhasinhji Jadeja, up to 440,000 equity shares by Kanaksinh Rana, up to 5,480,000 equity shares by Gujarat Digi Com Private Limited, up to 7,200,000 equity shares by Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited and up to 144,000 equity shares by Amit Shah (collectively the “selling shareholders”). 

    The bid will close on 23 June, 2017. The price band of the IPO has been fixed at Rs 167 to Rs 170 per share. 

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, GTPL Hathway head – investor relations Piyush Pankaj said that they planned to increase its cable television subscriber base as well as penetration into the markets. “There are joint venture (JV) companies where we are considering to increase our stake — (it is a) pipeline where we would need the board’s approval,” Pankaj said. On stake dilution, Pankaj said that it was a strategic decision by the promoters to dilute only around 25 per cent stake, and not up to 30 per cent. As stated in the official parlance, GTPL Hathway would use the proceeds for debt reduction and general corporate purposes.

    The book-running lead managers to the offer are: JM Financial Institutional Securities Limited, BNP Paribas, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors Limited and Yes Securities (India) Limited.

    Also Read:

    GTPL Hathway gets SEBI nod for Rs 600-cr June IPO, to repay loans, expand cable & b’band with new tech

    GTPL Hathway files listing prospectus

  • HC rejects TV Today plea against publishing Republic TV’s ratings

    MUMBAI: The Delhi high court on Thursday evening rejected TV Today’s plea against Republic TV, channel sources told indiantelevision.com.

    Before pulling out of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC India), TV Today Network had approached the Delhi High Court to prevent the publication of Republic TV’s BARC ratings. In a plea under the civil extraordinary writ jurisdiction, the network sought an urgent hearing of the matter on 17 May, a day before BARC India released the data for week 19 (6 –12 May, 2017).

    The prayer had accused Republic TV of telecast on multiple logical channel numbers (LCNs) in violation of of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) regulations.

    TV Today said the court should direct TRAI to finish its investigation in a limited time bound period. The court denied that plea too.

    The court said that this is a matter between broadcasters, MSOs and TRAI. The court did not go into maintainability of TV Today’s case. Said this is a matter for TRAI to look into and take action as per current laws.

    TRAI confirmed in court that it has received complaints against Republic TV and also several including TV Today. It will investigate and take appropriate action.

  • Mirrow Now aims to engage viewers in 34-36 urban cities

    MUMBAI: A short-term void is being turned into an opportunity. Times Network seems to be upping its news game with more, distinct and differentiated channels, creating more intellectual properties, with the involvement of the most critical stakeholder – the viewer. Strategies and leadership at the network have seen a significant change in the last few months which has enabled them to achieve sustainable growth despite growing competition in the news space. 

    With Mirror Now reaching to 3,65,000 viewers per week in five weeks and Times Now leading the general news category week by week, the nation’s most affluent television network is geared up for another successful year. “Mirrow Now’s aim is to involve and engage the viewers in the 34-36 urban cities with a million-plus population in India,” Times Network MD and CEO MK Anand told indiantelevision.com.

    Mirror Now, which claims to have a relative percentage growth of 6% since its launch on 22 March, is committed to making lives better for the people of the nation each day. Being a channel which takes up the consumer’s issues and discussing and analysing government policies which directly impact the common man, it is differentiated by its content. “Discussing the everyday issues of life, from crime and corruption to roads and traffic congestion and to grave issues such as women’s safety, Mirror Now aims to demand accountability from powers that can drive improvement,” Mirrow Now editor Faye D’Souza said. Her distinctive news reporting with the ability to simplify complex concepts with ease has made every news story impactful. 

    With an aim to mobilise and actualise the plans, Mirror Now takes into consideration the citizen’s opinion to look for an opportunity for action and ensures accountability at all levels. Mirror Now is striving to work on the agenda for change and works towards giving better living conditions to the citizens of India. “We would actually track how much time it takes for an office-goer driving from Churchgate or Bandra to reach his home, say, in Borivali — and bring this to the notice of the concerned authorities,” D’Souza said.

    The channel has already started making the difference that it set out to make with a lot of results driven through impactful stories on Mirror Now. As viewers relate to stories that have closely have a bearing on them — physically and emotionally, Mirror Now is aiming to reach the ideal average viewership per week required to stabilise a channel (4,50,000 – 5,00,000). To a question on a general lack of rigorous follow-ups of news stories, Anand reassured that all the critical stories were being definitely followed up.

    Discussing threadbare and questioning policies that impact people at the city-level and taking up the real-life issues of the common man is uncommon on a national English channel. Mirror Now seems to be doing just that.

    Also Read:

    Times Now leadership continues, new launches notwithstanding, says MK Anand

    Times Network MD & CEO MK Anand speaks out on l’affaire Arnab 

  • Sun TV: Broadcasting vet Joshi hired on ‘temporary assignment’

    NEW DELHI: Broadcast Audience Research Council (India)’s former tech-com member and industry veteran Paritosh Joshi has joined the Chennai-based Sun TV Network to oversee and drive the revenue growth prospect of the Network Channels across four south Indian languages Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

    Although Joshi denied having ‘joined’ Sun TV while talking to www.indiantelevision.com, Sun TV sources told this media portal that Joshi, who has helped the growth of several channels, has joined on a temporary assignment.

    His last assignment was with India TV as the CEO till August 2016. In this new assignment, he will be working towards increasing the revenue generation capabilities of the network channels.

    Sun TV has 34 channels including news and non-news channels. Paritosh is expected to function as a Strategic consultant who will be guiding both GEC and Non GEC network channel’s sales teams towards better realisation of revenues.

    Joshi has vast experience of more than three decades in Brand Portfolio, Advertising, Media & Broadcast sector in Indian and South Asia. He also specialised in Consumer Product and Service Sales and Marketing, Business Negotiation, Team leadership and motivation, Goal setting and budgeting, Vision articulation.

    He has been associated with Shop CJ, Star India, Business Standard, ITC Limited, Lintas India and P&G. He also plays mentoring and advisory role in MRUC and served for Indian Broadcasting Foundation.

    An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad with graduation in Statistics and Mathematics, he was among those who helped the roll-out of BARC India and took part in several workshops all over the country to familiarize the media and the TV industry with its work.

  • Industry surprised on Deepak’s transfer from DoT, Jio connection refuted

    NEW DELHI: Senior Indian Services officer J.S Deepak, who is to take charge as the next Indian ambassador to the World Trade Organisation in June this year, has been removed from his post of telecom secretary in the Department of Telecommunications.

    He has been temporarily moved to the Department of Commerce as Officer on Special Duty (OSD).

    A telecom ministry official, when contacted by indiantelevision.com, sought to play down the change, saying it was a routine transfer. However, he declined to answer questions on why this was not announced the way other transfers are announced through the personnel ministry.

    Although the official denied any connection with the Jio controversy, industry experts expressed surprised at the abrupt transfer and said it appeared a very clearly motivated act.

    Interestingly, Deepak was moved shortly after he wrote to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India asking it to restrict the period of promotional packs offered by telcos, which is currently has a maximum validity of 90 days. He added that the Reliance Jio’s free offers have cost the government almost Rs 8 billion and that has affected the telecom industry. He pointed out to TRAI’s regulation which mentions that any kind of pack which is “promotional in nature” cannot be offered beyond 90 days.

    Deepak has earlier played the role of chief negotiator (India) at the WTO while signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, a global free trade agreement. Deepak also held an administerial position at DoT when it first introduced e-auctions during the 2010 spectrum auctions.

    Deepak joined the DoT first in 2008 as Joint Secretary and has also worked with various government departments overlooking policy. He earlier served as the chairman and managing director of State Trading Corporation (STC) of India, member of the board of directors of state-owned telcos BSNL, and MTNL.

    Deepak also holds a board position at the Board of India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) and the Governing Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

    He has also worked as a consultant with The Policy Project, a group of US-based institutes that looked into framing population and health policies. He holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

  • Hinduja Group’s Ashish Kaul joins Prakash Jha Productions as CEO

    MUMBAI: Prakash Jha Productions has appointed the media and entertainment vet Ashish Kaul as the CEO for its television and digital business.

    Kaul has taken up this role after being the business head for IN Entertainment India Limited, the digital cable broadcasting & content business of Hinduja Group. He had joined the group in 2012 as the vice-president.

    Kaul has over 23 years of experience in leadership roles across managing businesses across entertainment, news, ITES, retail and consumer goods. He has served in executive governance roles with conglomerates such as the Essel Group / Zee Network, Credence International, BAG Films, Bajaj Herbals and Golden Medias. He was also the CEO for Association of Motion Pictures & TV Programme Producers in India.

    Prakash Jha Productions is a brand incorporated by the well-known director of topical cinema Prakash Jha, to take his unique brand ‘Cinema with Power’ forward.

    Prakash Jha Productions has been synonymous with the production of quality films for over 20 years. He is a multiple award-winning filmmaker known nationally and internationally for his critically acclaimed and popular films including Amitabh Bachchan starters Satyagraha & Aarakshan, and Raajneeti, Apaharan, Gangaajal, Mrityudand, Parinati and Damul as well as award-winning documentaries such as Sonal, Faces After The Storm, Kudiattam, and Looking Back. Other feature productions include Rahul (2001), Dil Kya Kare (1999) and Hip Hip Hurray (1983).

    Confirming the news to Indiantelevision.com, Kaul said, “Television and digital media is a sunrise industry with tremendous potential of reach and value for the advertisers. I believe the approach to content production and management for television and digital space is not yet understood by the industry and I believe Prakash Jha Productions will be that catalyst of change. Personally, I would like to bring in a collaborative effort to content creation that delivers reach, popularity and ultimately value to the advertisers.”

  • FM wants DTH to help Swayam, industry skeptical

    FM wants DTH to help Swayam, industry skeptical

    NEW DELHI: The Government today said linkage to direct to home platforms would help widen the Swayam platform to be launched with at least 350 online courses. 

    Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his budget for 2017-18 said this would enable students to virtually attend the courses taught by the best faculty; access high quality reading resources; participate in discussion forums; take tests and earn academic grades.

    He noted that access to Swayam would be widened by linkage with DTH channels, dedicated to education.

    However, sources in the DTH industry told indiantelevision.com that the implications of this would have to be seen as it was not clear whether the linkage had any monetary aspect to it.

    Also Read:

    DTH channels being launched by September to impart education: Javadekar

    Only Dish TV carrying HRD ministry’s educational TV channels

    PSLV-C34 successfully launches 20 satellites in a single flight

  • FM wants DTH to help Swayam, industry skeptical

    FM wants DTH to help Swayam, industry skeptical

    NEW DELHI: The Government today said linkage to direct to home platforms would help widen the Swayam platform to be launched with at least 350 online courses. 

    Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his budget for 2017-18 said this would enable students to virtually attend the courses taught by the best faculty; access high quality reading resources; participate in discussion forums; take tests and earn academic grades.

    He noted that access to Swayam would be widened by linkage with DTH channels, dedicated to education.

    However, sources in the DTH industry told indiantelevision.com that the implications of this would have to be seen as it was not clear whether the linkage had any monetary aspect to it.

    Also Read:

    DTH channels being launched by September to impart education: Javadekar

    Only Dish TV carrying HRD ministry’s educational TV channels

    PSLV-C34 successfully launches 20 satellites in a single flight

  • TRAI violations query: Reliance Jio mum on ‘response’

    TRAI violations query: Reliance Jio mum on ‘response’

    MUMBAI: Reliance Jio chose not to respond to queries regarding its reply to TRAI that was expected today (29 December) in connection with questions raised against alleged violations in extending its free offer till 31 March 2017 much beyond its introductory offer. After two emailed queries and phone calls from indiantelevision.com, Jio chose not to respond.

    Airtel had last week filed a petition before TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal) accusing TRAI of being ‘sleeping trustee’ and a ‘mute spectator’ to the violations carried out by Jio. Airtel had filed the petition after TRAI questioned Jio over its extended free services as Happy New Year offer.

    Reliance Jio had sought time till 29 December before it responds to the above-mentioned query.

    Soon after Jio announced its offer earlier this month, TRAI came up with a statement assuring that it will closely examine the new offer. However, TRAI failed to come to any conclusion on its examination which is why Airtel then filed the petition.

    As a result, TRAI asked Jio company to explain why its extended free services should not be seen as a violation of existing regulation which restricts promotional offers to 90 days.

    Jio, in a meeting with TRAI, had reportedly said that the latest offer was different from the previous offer as, in the former, the company provided 4GB of free data per day, but in the latter case, it restricted the free internet up to 1GB under Fair Usage Policy. Jio also stressed the fact that in the new offer if the data limit was exhausted, then one had to buy recharge vouchers, which was not the case in the initial offer.

    The petition was presented before the TDSAT bench last Friday, where TRAI sought 10 additional days to take a decision. The next date of hearing has been set on 6 January whereas Jio was expected to respond by 29 December.

  • TRAI violations query: Reliance Jio mum on ‘response’

    TRAI violations query: Reliance Jio mum on ‘response’

    MUMBAI: Reliance Jio chose not to respond to queries regarding its reply to TRAI that was expected today (29 December) in connection with questions raised against alleged violations in extending its free offer till 31 March 2017 much beyond its introductory offer. After two emailed queries and phone calls from indiantelevision.com, Jio chose not to respond.

    Airtel had last week filed a petition before TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal) accusing TRAI of being ‘sleeping trustee’ and a ‘mute spectator’ to the violations carried out by Jio. Airtel had filed the petition after TRAI questioned Jio over its extended free services as Happy New Year offer.

    Reliance Jio had sought time till 29 December before it responds to the above-mentioned query.

    Soon after Jio announced its offer earlier this month, TRAI came up with a statement assuring that it will closely examine the new offer. However, TRAI failed to come to any conclusion on its examination which is why Airtel then filed the petition.

    As a result, TRAI asked Jio company to explain why its extended free services should not be seen as a violation of existing regulation which restricts promotional offers to 90 days.

    Jio, in a meeting with TRAI, had reportedly said that the latest offer was different from the previous offer as, in the former, the company provided 4GB of free data per day, but in the latter case, it restricted the free internet up to 1GB under Fair Usage Policy. Jio also stressed the fact that in the new offer if the data limit was exhausted, then one had to buy recharge vouchers, which was not the case in the initial offer.

    The petition was presented before the TDSAT bench last Friday, where TRAI sought 10 additional days to take a decision. The next date of hearing has been set on 6 January whereas Jio was expected to respond by 29 December.