ITV

Tag: Indo-Pak

  • No Indo-Pak series in 2017, confirms Najam Sethi

    No Indo-Pak series in 2017, confirms Najam Sethi

    MUMBAI: It is a well-known fact that Indo-Pak matches get a significant share of revenues compared to other matches in the cricketing world, irrespective of the venue and the tournament. PCB executive committee (EC) head Najam Sethi has ruled out the possibility of an Indo-Pak bilateral series in 2017.

    Sethi told reporters that the existing circumstances will take time to change and he hopes India does not avoids playing them in the Champions Trophy next year in England. The 67-year-old former journalist also said that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will follow government-issued directives to boycott all sporting ties with India, likely to be passed by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination of Pakistan.

    Inflicting a major blow to sponsors and advertisers in India, Sethi also ruled out any possibility of Indo-Pak cricket on Indian soil. The cricket head said that the Pakistan Cricket Team will never go to play on Indian soil again, saying that the Indian Cricket team will have to play at a venue of their choice, as Pakistan will be hosting the series, if any. After the terror attack on Sri Lankan Cricket team in March 2009, no major cricketing nation has toured Pakistan due to security concerns.

    In 2004, the PCB was bankrupt before the Indian cricket team traveled to the neighboring country. At the end of the year, the organization reported a profit in excess of INR 200 crore that year. It has been reported that the PCB has lost over US$80 million in terms of broadcasting and other commercial rights not playing against India.

    The 2011 World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan had 988 million television viewers, attracting over a million viewers on some instances in the past according to TV rating firms. Ad experts say that the rate of a 10-seconder for an Indian match is usually 10-13 lakh, which soars up to 20 lakh in an Indo-Pak game.

    Sethi re-iterated that India should not boycott Pakistan at ICC events, as it will see a drop in large chunk of the revenues which is dependent on this never-ending rivalry. Sethi told reporters that it would be a huge financial loss for everyone including the ICC if India boycotts Pakistan at ICC events, and both countries shouldn’t take any such step to receive their shares from cricket’s governing body.

    This might serve as a little breather to the advertisers and sponsors who gain a majority of their sporting revenue from Indo – Pak cricket matches. The rivalry between these two countries is one of the most awaited sporting events in the world and the cricket-frenzy fan-base on both sides of the border ensures it becomes an issue of national pride.

  • No Indo-Pak series in 2017, confirms Najam Sethi

    No Indo-Pak series in 2017, confirms Najam Sethi

    MUMBAI: It is a well-known fact that Indo-Pak matches get a significant share of revenues compared to other matches in the cricketing world, irrespective of the venue and the tournament. PCB executive committee (EC) head Najam Sethi has ruled out the possibility of an Indo-Pak bilateral series in 2017.

    Sethi told reporters that the existing circumstances will take time to change and he hopes India does not avoids playing them in the Champions Trophy next year in England. The 67-year-old former journalist also said that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will follow government-issued directives to boycott all sporting ties with India, likely to be passed by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination of Pakistan.

    Inflicting a major blow to sponsors and advertisers in India, Sethi also ruled out any possibility of Indo-Pak cricket on Indian soil. The cricket head said that the Pakistan Cricket Team will never go to play on Indian soil again, saying that the Indian Cricket team will have to play at a venue of their choice, as Pakistan will be hosting the series, if any. After the terror attack on Sri Lankan Cricket team in March 2009, no major cricketing nation has toured Pakistan due to security concerns.

    In 2004, the PCB was bankrupt before the Indian cricket team traveled to the neighboring country. At the end of the year, the organization reported a profit in excess of INR 200 crore that year. It has been reported that the PCB has lost over US$80 million in terms of broadcasting and other commercial rights not playing against India.

    The 2011 World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan had 988 million television viewers, attracting over a million viewers on some instances in the past according to TV rating firms. Ad experts say that the rate of a 10-seconder for an Indian match is usually 10-13 lakh, which soars up to 20 lakh in an Indo-Pak game.

    Sethi re-iterated that India should not boycott Pakistan at ICC events, as it will see a drop in large chunk of the revenues which is dependent on this never-ending rivalry. Sethi told reporters that it would be a huge financial loss for everyone including the ICC if India boycotts Pakistan at ICC events, and both countries shouldn’t take any such step to receive their shares from cricket’s governing body.

    This might serve as a little breather to the advertisers and sponsors who gain a majority of their sporting revenue from Indo – Pak cricket matches. The rivalry between these two countries is one of the most awaited sporting events in the world and the cricket-frenzy fan-base on both sides of the border ensures it becomes an issue of national pride.

  • IBN7 to ride on ICC World Cup T20 wave, ties-up with channels from Pakistan for Indo-Pak clash

    IBN7 to ride on ICC World Cup T20 wave, ties-up with channels from Pakistan for Indo-Pak clash

    MUMBAI: With ICC World T20 round the corner from 15 March 2016 onwards, cricket aficionados from around the world will be glued in front of their TV sets cheering for their respective teams. In a cricket crazy nation like India, interest in cricket explodes for a tournament as big and as prestigious as the World Cup. The country comes to a standstill each time the Men in blue hit the lush green field to clinch the world championship and this time the excitement is a notch higher, given that India is hosting the tournament.

    To go along with the mood of the nation news broadcaster IBN7 has created an exclusive programming titled T20 Ka King Kaun that started from 8 March 2016. The new show featuring India-Pakistan clash under T20 Ka King Kaun will hit the television screens from 16 March between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm, on 17 March between 6:30 and 8 pm, on 18 March between 7 and 9 pm and on 19 March between 5 and 7:30 pm. 

    With the entire news space equipped with exclusive sets of programming during the T20 World Cup, IBN7 promises to give its viewers an unmatched perspective right through the tournament with all the latest updates, analysis and insights on every single match of this cricketing extravaganza.  

    On days that India will be playing, the channel will extend its programming duration. For the India-Pakistan clash scheduled on 19 March, the channel has planned integrated shows with three news channels from across the border. 

    IBN7 has tied up with Pakistan based channels like Dunya TV, ARY Digital and Samaa TV to present the unique joint show with each of these channels providing a preview of the key India – Pakistan match and will capture unique scenes. Experts on Dunya TV will include Kamran Akmal, Aaqib Javed and Zainab Abbas while the panel of experts on Samaa TV will include Aamer Sohail and the panel on ARY Digital the will include Basit Ali.

    Talking about the tie-ups, IBN7 deputy managing editor Sumit Awasthi says, “The shows will run live on the channels, giving viewers a unique experience of witnessing cross border debates and discussions between anchors and experts”.

    The channel has roped in top former cricketers and analysts to share their expertise and  discuss  the strengths, preparations and the chances of winning. Kris Srikkanth and Lalchand Rajput will be seen sharing their own experiences from past matches while Aakash Chopra, the former Indian cricketer turned cricket analyst and commentator, brings to the table his knowledge of cricket stats and technicalities of the game, along with reputed expert Ashok Malhotra.

    IBN7 has positioned the show as a one stop shop for all T20 World cup related updates and analysis, led by the four cricketing legends.

    “Sports are an important content area for us and experts are an important part of the programming plan. Undoubtedly they bring in a unique and often a personal perspective to the analysis of the game,”says Awasthi.

    With former cricketers and top analysts to share their expertise, the programming on IBN7 will comprise of preview and review shows bringing detailed analysis of every match. “We will also bring in viewer comments as also other entertaining elements to truly take our coverage to the next level”, he adds.

    He further elaborates, “A standout part of our line-up is the integrated shows with 3 of the most popular Pakistani news channels. This is sure to add a new dimension to our programming.”

    The channel has structured its content after an extensive survey of the market. Given the penetration of Hindi news channels in Hindi speaking markets, the channel is more inclined towards the regional market and the male population.

    In India, everyone has a strong opinion when it comes to cricket. The channel will also execute a viewers’ connect initiative around T20 World Cup this year by giving them a chance to analyse the game and be an expert on IBN7’s T20 world cup shows along with the eminent experts on board.

    With the promo of the show already on-air, IBN7 will also push the buzz a step further through their social media assets. Further consolidating its position in the space with this show, the communication will put the cricket experts at the centre attracting more viewers.

    The channel is also leveraging the popularity of the experts through a ‘predict and win’ contest that enables the winner to be a cricket expert on IBN7. The promos of the contest will be on-air from India’s first match of the T20 World Cup and will be promoted heavily on social media.

    “We will also target out of home media vehicles like outbound dialling, cinema screens, etc.,” concludes Awasthi.

  • IBN7 to ride on ICC World Cup T20 wave, ties-up with channels from Pakistan for Indo-Pak clash

    IBN7 to ride on ICC World Cup T20 wave, ties-up with channels from Pakistan for Indo-Pak clash

    MUMBAI: With ICC World T20 round the corner from 15 March 2016 onwards, cricket aficionados from around the world will be glued in front of their TV sets cheering for their respective teams. In a cricket crazy nation like India, interest in cricket explodes for a tournament as big and as prestigious as the World Cup. The country comes to a standstill each time the Men in blue hit the lush green field to clinch the world championship and this time the excitement is a notch higher, given that India is hosting the tournament.

    To go along with the mood of the nation news broadcaster IBN7 has created an exclusive programming titled T20 Ka King Kaun that started from 8 March 2016. The new show featuring India-Pakistan clash under T20 Ka King Kaun will hit the television screens from 16 March between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm, on 17 March between 6:30 and 8 pm, on 18 March between 7 and 9 pm and on 19 March between 5 and 7:30 pm. 

    With the entire news space equipped with exclusive sets of programming during the T20 World Cup, IBN7 promises to give its viewers an unmatched perspective right through the tournament with all the latest updates, analysis and insights on every single match of this cricketing extravaganza.  

    On days that India will be playing, the channel will extend its programming duration. For the India-Pakistan clash scheduled on 19 March, the channel has planned integrated shows with three news channels from across the border. 

    IBN7 has tied up with Pakistan based channels like Dunya TV, ARY Digital and Samaa TV to present the unique joint show with each of these channels providing a preview of the key India – Pakistan match and will capture unique scenes. Experts on Dunya TV will include Kamran Akmal, Aaqib Javed and Zainab Abbas while the panel of experts on Samaa TV will include Aamer Sohail and the panel on ARY Digital the will include Basit Ali.

    Talking about the tie-ups, IBN7 deputy managing editor Sumit Awasthi says, “The shows will run live on the channels, giving viewers a unique experience of witnessing cross border debates and discussions between anchors and experts”.

    The channel has roped in top former cricketers and analysts to share their expertise and  discuss  the strengths, preparations and the chances of winning. Kris Srikkanth and Lalchand Rajput will be seen sharing their own experiences from past matches while Aakash Chopra, the former Indian cricketer turned cricket analyst and commentator, brings to the table his knowledge of cricket stats and technicalities of the game, along with reputed expert Ashok Malhotra.

    IBN7 has positioned the show as a one stop shop for all T20 World cup related updates and analysis, led by the four cricketing legends.

    “Sports are an important content area for us and experts are an important part of the programming plan. Undoubtedly they bring in a unique and often a personal perspective to the analysis of the game,”says Awasthi.

    With former cricketers and top analysts to share their expertise, the programming on IBN7 will comprise of preview and review shows bringing detailed analysis of every match. “We will also bring in viewer comments as also other entertaining elements to truly take our coverage to the next level”, he adds.

    He further elaborates, “A standout part of our line-up is the integrated shows with 3 of the most popular Pakistani news channels. This is sure to add a new dimension to our programming.”

    The channel has structured its content after an extensive survey of the market. Given the penetration of Hindi news channels in Hindi speaking markets, the channel is more inclined towards the regional market and the male population.

    In India, everyone has a strong opinion when it comes to cricket. The channel will also execute a viewers’ connect initiative around T20 World Cup this year by giving them a chance to analyse the game and be an expert on IBN7’s T20 world cup shows along with the eminent experts on board.

    With the promo of the show already on-air, IBN7 will also push the buzz a step further through their social media assets. Further consolidating its position in the space with this show, the communication will put the cricket experts at the centre attracting more viewers.

    The channel is also leveraging the popularity of the experts through a ‘predict and win’ contest that enables the winner to be a cricket expert on IBN7. The promos of the contest will be on-air from India’s first match of the T20 World Cup and will be promoted heavily on social media.

    “We will also target out of home media vehicles like outbound dialling, cinema screens, etc.,” concludes Awasthi.

  • ESPN to sell ad spots on DD for Indo-Pak series with Rs 220 mn minimum guarantee bid

    NEW DELHI: ESPN Star Sports will sell advertisement spots on Doordarshan for the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket series, having bid an amount of Rs 220 million as minimum guaranteed revenue.

    DD Director General Tripurari Sharan told indiantelevision.com that the public broadcaster had bid an amount of Rs 180 million.

    ESPN, which holds the telecast rights for the one-day international and twenty20 series, also agreed to provide Doordarshan match feed without any embedded advertisement for terrestrial transmission.

    Under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007, ESPN will share 25 per cent of the revenues with Doordarshan.

    The deal covers both the Pakistan series and the one-day international and twenty20 series with England next month. The series with Pakistan starts next week.

    Sharan, in reply to a question, said no decision has been taken yet by the government on a plea by Prasar Bharati that its share should be more than 25 per cent.

    The bidding process was conducted after the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry officials intervened to settle Doordarshan‘s differences with ESPN and the BCCI over providing feed without embedded advertisements.

    Sharan said “ESPN had said there will be ‘digital commercial enhancement‘ of the feed coming from the BCCI.” This meant logos and other promotional material of the sponsors were to be part of the feed. Consequently, DD asked the Ministry to intervene, and the latter wrote to ESPN and BCCI saying that there would be no advertisements.

    According to the Act, it is mandatory for the rights holder of any sporting event of national importance to share the feed with the public broadcaster. Doordarshan, in turn, is required to share 75 per cent of the advertisement revenue with the rights holder.

    The party responsible for selling advertisements, called revenue management company, is decided through a bidding process. Doordarshan lost money on the India-Sri Lanka T20 series earlier this year when it bid Rs 200 million against ESPN‘s bid of Rs 20 million. Although it managed to earn the bid amount, it had to pay 75 per cent to ESPN and so lost revenue from the normal telecasts.

  • Shoiab Mansoor developing film on Indo-Pak relations

    Shoiab Mansoor developing film on Indo-Pak relations

    MUMBAI: Pakistani director Shoiab Mansoor, known for his hard-hitting films like Khuda Ke Liye and Bol, is gearing up to make the third, this time on Indo-Pak relations.

    It may be remembered that Mansoor’s earlier two films having dealt with the socio-cultural, religious and political malaise in Pakistan. He was threatened for raising his voice against Islamic fundamentalism in the country.

    “I’ve been deeply troubled by the deteriorating relations between the two countries. For too long now, we have been blaming extraneous forces and a third party for the decline in friendship between the two nations. Why can’t we look within ourselves on why the bond across the border has taken such a beating,” Mansoor reportedly said.

    Giving a brief outline of his upcoming film Mansoor said, “It can’t be a superficial boy-meets-girl across the barbed wire story. Vinema in both countries needs to go deeper to pin down reasons for the rapidly deteriorating India-Pakistan relations.”

    It is being said that Mansoor has Imran Khan and a new Pakistani actress in mind for the Indo-Pak love story.

  • CNN-IBN and IBN 7 to conduct Indo-Pak poll in ‘State of the Nation’

    MUMBAI: To celebrate the 60 years of Independence, IBN 7 and CNN-IBN is re-starting the channels’ flagship public opinion series State of the Nation. The opinion series will involve a two nation simultaneous opinion poll conducted by Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) in India and AC Nielsen in Pakistan.

    Beginning on 12 august in CNN-IBN and IBN 7, the three half-an-hour episode series will have a final one-hour show on 15 August.

    The bi-nation poll divided into four parts includes the Kashmir question, opinion about India, Pakistan and the World, the political debate — UPA in India, General as dictator in Pakistan and people to people show, Indian and Pakistani citizens on each other.

    The bi-nation opinion poll will be based on face-to-face interviews with about 2500 respondents each in India and Pakistan, broadly representing the regional and social diversity of each country.

    CNN-IBN and IBN 7 editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai said, “Both India and Pakistan have come a long way since Independence in 1947, despite once being a single entity. While myriad socio-political and economic differences have arisen between the two countries in the past 60 years, our cultural and historical links are nonetheless still the same. Our attempt at such a poll is to understand these very differences and commonalities from both sides of the border and possibly work towards a more affable future.”

    IBN 7 managing editor Ashutosh said, “Don’t you ever wonder what our Pakistani counterparts think about us? Do they hate us, like us or are indifferent to our existence? What about the Kashmiris? This particular edition of State of the Nation is one of its kind and will attempt to provide answers to these questions straight from the horse’s mouth.”

    CNN-IBN and IBN national sales head Sanjay Dua said,”State of the Nation has always been extremely popular with our viewers. However, this particular version is in a league of its own as it involves the first-ever bi-nation opinion poll of its kind. This property speaks for itself and will prove a lucrative platform for those looking to advertise with us.”

  • Sahara One plans to raise up to $50 million

    Sahara One plans to raise up to $50 million

    MUMBAI: Sahara One Media & Entertainment Ltd has plans to raise up to $50 million in one or more tranches. The board, which met on 5 April, has given the green signal to offer and allot in foreign markets equity shares or other instruments like foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs).

    Sahara had bid around $176.25 million for the telecast rights to 25 one-day matches played by India at neutral venues for the next five years ($ 7.05 million per match). This means Sahara would have had to cough out $14.1 million for the two Indo-Pak Friendship Series matches to be held in Abu Dhabi later this month. But since Zee Telefilms bagged the rights, Sahara’s fund requirement would be less than $50 million in the immediate run.

    “It is just an enabling resolution for us to raise up to $50 million. If cricket rights would have come to us, our requirement to raise money would have been more immediate. We may raise the money in tranches. We haven’t decided when and how much money we are going to raise. All this will depend on how the business rolls out for us,” said an official in the company.

    Sahara has informed the BSE that its board has approved the issue, offer and allot in course of International offering, in one or more trenches and in foreign markets equity shares / preference shares / convertible debentures / convertible notes / FCCBs / secured premium notes (SPNs) and / or any securities convertible into equity shares at the option of the company and / or holder of the securities and / or securities linked to equity shares through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and / or Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) up to a maximum amount of $ 50 million.”

    The board has also approved the calling of Extra Ordinary General Meeting of the company on 8 May to get the consent of shareholders.