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Tag: International Women’s Day

  • AXN celebrates international women’s day in style with ace shows, movies and activities

    AXN celebrates international women’s day in style with ace shows, movies and activities

    MUMBAI: AXN, the no.1 channel in the English general entertainment category (GEC), is also the consistent leader in Female viewership with 26% share. To celebrate the day dedicated to its loyal fan base, AXN has used the mix on-ground activities, movies and shows to mark the International Women’s Day.

    In a one-of-a-kind initiative, AXN is honoring all women employees in workplaces across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. The channel has set up rejuvenation zones in multiple trade and media offices where all women employees can indulge in special makeovers by hair stylists and nail artists. In addition to this, all employees are encouraged to write a Thank-you message to the one woman who has inspired them in the workplace. The best message will win exciting AXN goodies.  

    Apart from the stimulating on-ground activity, AXN is airing movies with strong, powerful and inspirational women characters every weekend in the month of march. Watch women who slayed the Oscars Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer in the movie The Help as they set new friendship goals. Witness the startling chemistry between legendary actresses Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts as they showcase the story of an unlikely friendship between two remarkable women in the movie ‘Step Mom’. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams will surely bring out the inner chef in you with the inspiring real life story – ‘Julie and Julia’. Witness the remarkable Julia Roberts once again in a never seen before avatar with the legal drama ‘Erin Brockovich’.

    Also watch the leading ladies of the biggest shows being aired on AXN who are also game changers. Katheryn Winnick, protagonist of the most talked about show, Vikings marks her debut as a director in season 5. Elizabeth Moss’ who was nominated six times at Emmy awards, finally won the Primetime Emmy for her gripping role in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. Elizabeth McCord broke all the stereotypes by portraying the role of United States secretary of state in ‘Madam Secretary’.

    AXN dedicates the month of March to the women who not only love edgy content but derive inspiration from the future-defining characters.

  • Women media pros speak out about gender equality in the workplace

    Women media pros speak out about gender equality in the workplace

    MUMBAI:  Women’s Day commemorates the movement for women’s rights. First organised by The Socialist Party of America, the earliest women’s day observance, called National Woman’s Day, was held on 28 February 1909 in New York. 8 March was then suggested by the 1910 International Woman’s Conference and labeled International Woman’s Day.

    Over the past decade, a lot of brouhaha has been created about 8 March – Women’s Day – as a day to celebrate eves all over the world. Even as an increasing number of womenfolk are joining the workforce in India, the perception is that the shift to positions of power has happened for a handful only. Yes there are a few women achievers who have made it to the top rungs of corporations and they feature in flashy features in business magazines and newspapers but the number that has made it to the very top is limited.

    Therefore, Indiantelevision.com spoke to a few industry professionals who have made a mark in the Indian media industry on what Women’s Day means to them and about the status of Indian women in media and entertainment organisations and most of them were blunt that corporate India and especially media and entertainment companies have a lot of distance to cover on the issue of gender equality in the workplace. Read on:

    public://Anita Nayyar_CEO Havas Media Group India & South Asia.jpgAnita Nayyar, CEO India & South Asia  at Havas Media Group

    Women’s day is just another day that reminds me how lucky I am to be a woman and to be one among the many inspiring and accomplished women across the globe. Our (advertising agency’s) work reflects our thinking and mindset which further determines workplace equality. As an industry, we’ve come a long way since the #MeToo movement and with more campaigns like #LikeAGirl, #JaneWalker, #UnitedbyHalf we are surely and swiftly moving in the right direction, towards gender equality. Women, across the world, are expected to play a larger part in handling a household and taking care of their family. Long working hours especially in industries like advertising and media, become a hindrance and affect the overall work-life balance. Although our country boasts of a number of successful women entrepreneurs who have created successful business brands across the world, their journeys have not been easy. Women are still considered as a weaker section of society than men and given less importance.

    At workplaces, women need to first believe in themselves, participate more without hesitation and speak up for their rights. At an organisational level, companies should develop and implement comprehensive anti-discrimination policies, as a starting point. Such policies allow employers to make clear to its employees the types of behaviour that will not be tolerated in the workplace.

    public://anita_0.jpgAnita Kotwani, Leader of Client Leadership at Mindshare

    Why should the significance of women be restricted to a day? Her significance to me is “everyday” where she rises to the occasion and excels both personally and professionally. I think one makes a mark in any industry by the sheer outcome that you drive on the business.  At that time, it’s about results and not about gender bias. You deliver, you leave your mark. The only challenge that I faced in my career was how can I better my performance year on year such that I stand proud of my achievements?

    public://Soniya Kulkarni.jpgSoniya Kulkarni, Creative and Business Head for Formats and Productions at BBC Worldwide India

    The media industry is one of the industries where women have done relatively well as compared to many other industries. It requires lateral thinking, creativity, multitasking and democratic methods of operation, these are the things that most women have long proven to be excellent at. We have several instances of women who are leaders in production houses, programming, writers and designers. However, in the larger corporates you definitely see fewer women in senior and strategic positions.

    I don’t believe that women look for any special concessions at the workplace. We only expect to be treated equally, to be paid as much as our male counterparts are and given the same opportunities and the rest is on us to prove our best abilities.

    public://tata.jpgMegha Tata, Chief Operating Officer at BTVI

    Every day is a reminder to pause and reflect on the achievements of womenfolk around the world. There are many women employed in the media industry but I don’t see too many women as business heads or at the board level. It’s not about males dominating this industry, but there is something fundamentally wrong in the way we function of not making the environment more conducive for women to grow

    In this competitive atmosphere, striking a balance between your work and personal life is not an easy job for working women. A demanding career makes things even more difficult. Even as a mother I adjusted, not compromised in my life. There are times when a PTA meeting was more important than a business meeting and at times vice-versa. That’s the balancing you need to do, this can’t be taught but comes from within you, by your experiences, understanding and prioritising what is important at that moment.

    To ensure a healthy workplace for women, the industry needs to implement an egalitarian work culture, starting with equal opportunities and equal pay. There are some work roles that are less explored by women and organisations should encourage women to take forward such opportunities and support her on every possible step.

    public://Ms Leena Lele Dutta (1).jpgLeena Lele Dutta, Business Head at Sony Pictures Networks India for Kids Genre

    Why do we need to celebrate women for just for a day? I believe the key lies in being more gender neutral. I hope we have a day, in our near future, where women and men are both celebrated, free from prejudices where equality comes through in its true form. Indian media has a very healthy mix of both the genders. Women have been celebrated amongst all the sectors and business sectors especially have always enjoyed a strong presence of women professionals, and often in leadership roles. I believe the glass ceiling is cracked, but it’s yet to be broken.

    There is the adage that ‘she would get judged in whatsoever she does’ and that has been hammered in our minds since the start. Working women essay many roles; a mother, wife, daughter, boss and a team member. It is multi-dimensional, pressured, and unfortunately many succumb to the ‘choice’ they need to make. In my case, I have been blessed with an encouraging husband and family. They have been instrumental in calming my anxieties every time I’m faced at the crossroads of making the ‘choice’ – the decision; especially more so after the birth of my twin boys.

    public://rubeena.jpgRubeena Singh, CEO, iProspect India.

    If you go back in history, you will note that roots of Women’s Day lie in Russia where during the World War 1, where driven to despair by the long lines for food, women went on strike. Much later the UN declared 8 March as Women’s Day to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. For me, the fact that we observe Women’s Day means that true gender equality is yet to be attained. In India, the media sector is one of the most gender diverse. Across content creation, marketing, creative, advertising women have been continuously making their mark. That said, at the senior and leadership levels we have a long way to go. 

    public://gada.jpgKranti Gada, SVP at Shemaroo Entertainment

    There are many women out there who know that it is not a level playing field for them and who in their own manner want to change it. Women’s day celebrates and recognises women, their solidarity and support for each other.  This is a day that celebrates their collective interests. I feel women have made some commendable progress in the media industry and continue to make a significant mark for themselves. We now see so many women behind the camera on television sets, in news channels and donning different hats in other creative fields. But what we can’t ignore is that, this industry has its own set of challenges. Media is a dynamic, 24X7 industry and has no fixed hours and day offs. A journalist can be summoned at any hour of the day if there is a news break. Films and television shoots almost always go beyond their twelve hours shift and wrap up into the wee hours of the day. 

    There is a high dose of uncertainty involved in this profession and it does become difficult for women to dabble with work, personal commitments and duties at home. It is up to us to decide whether we will ape the masculine or underline the feminine.

    public://ARCHANA-ANAND (1).jpgArchana Anand, EVP & Head of Digital at ZEE5 India 

    The fact that we need to call out and celebrate this gender with a specific day indicates that we still have some way to go before we claim true equality. Patricia Arquette in her Oscar acceptance speech last year spoke about the need for ‘equal wages’, cheered on by Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez. It is really intriguing that even today, women’s equality is being discussed and debated in hugely public forums of the first world. If Madonna and Meryl Streep feel the inequality strong enough to talk about it, that says a lot.

    People also assume that women will not be able to give their full potential as they have to balance work with usual life breaks; marriage, kids, home management, etc. Then there are often assumptions about women not being analytical enough. Women also have a higher EQ which is often underestimated, as is their ability to multi-task. Just stop seeing them as women and start seeing them as professionals, the way you would any man.
  • The men of media celebrate the women in their lives

    The men of media celebrate the women in their lives

    MUMBAI: Women have the power to create, nurture and transform. The very word ‘woman’ conjures up the images of selfless love, care and affection. International Women’s Day is a worldwide event that celebrates women’s achievements – from the political to the social, professional to the personal – while calling for gender equality. It has been observed since the early 1900s and is now recognised each year on 8 March.

    Men, today, do a higher share of chores and household work than any generation before them. Yet working women, especially working mothers, continue to do significantly more. However, a real man always appreciates the important women in his life and celebrates their presence every day.

    Indiantelevision.com spoke to some of the men in the Indian media industry about their views on the subject.

    public://sunil.jpg

    ALTBalaji COO Sunil Nair

    I don’t think I need a special day to realise how important the women in my life are. At home, every day is women’s day since I live with three women—my daughter, wife and mother-and they ensure that I never forget who the real boss in house is. I believe we all can celebrate the women in our lives by respecting them, their opinions, treating them as equals and considering their views and choices as equally important.

    At workplaces, most Indian men do not know how to deal with a female coworker who is more intelligent or is more qualified. A deliberate policy that ensures that workplaces have good gender diversity helps in the longer run.

    public://rajiv_1.jpg

    Green Gold Animation founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka

    I personally believe that women are superior to men, but unfortunately even today, most women across India are struggling to have their voices heard and are fighting hard to secure their rights. In India, gender inequality is a huge problem and that has to be fixed. Most kids TV shows today are targeted towards boys with the message that boys/men are more important than girls/women. This has to change and we need to treat boys and girls as equals. I feel we shouldn’t just dedicate a day to celebrate but rather give them respect, importance, love and independence every day. In India, we all pray to goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati for power, wealth and education but yet when it comes to our households we don’t look up to our women and we treat our women shabbily. 

    At workplaces, we need to hire more women and companies need to provide security and safe transport to women who work late hours. More importantly, families need to understand that the women can also aspire to have a successful career along with a fulfilling family life.

    public://tolia.jpg

    Bodhi Tree Multimedia founder Mautik Tolia

    Women’s day is deeply significant for me as I stand the man I am today because of the women who have influenced my life in various ways by helping me evolve and grow into the person I am today. I celebrate the women in my life by constantly making them feel how special and important they are to me. Although I don’t do this enough and feel I must do this more.

    The industry needs to do more about the safety of women especially at sets, which are located in far-flung areas with late pack up times by providing them transport and ensuring their safety. The industry is very demanding on young women especially who come from smaller towns with no safety net and hence a strong support system needs to be created by the seniors in the industry to ensure their physical and mental well being.

    public://frank.jpg

    PwC India entertainment and media leader Frank D’souza

    Women’s day is a reminder of the fact that much needs to be done for women around the world, at various levels — socio, economic and political. A true test of the endeavours in this regard would be the time when we don’t feel the need anymore to celebrate a day in particular! A mother, wife, sister and daughter helps an individual to grow and flourish. I seek to recognise this contribution in the women in my life. There are times I do it well, and at times, I could do it better.

    But what needs to be done at workplace to ensure women are on equal footing as men is a debatable and tough question. Equality demands that all be treated similarly. However, one needs to be cognisant of the different needs of women at workplace, and create and implement policies to recognise such differences, primarily in issues related to career advancement. The challenge here to get the male workforce to appreciate the need for such distinction and not to feel reverse discriminated.

    public://ali.jpg

    Eros Digital COO Ali Hussein

    Women’s day is a big day for me, as it’s a good way to take a step back and recognise their contribution in my life both personally and professionally. I have two very important women in my life: my wife and daughter and I celebrate the day by taking them out for a meal.

    At Eros, we try and maintain an equal men-to-women ratio in the team. This not only ensures great productivity but more so being a consumer brand allows us to maintain a tone and culture with our viewers largely. 

    public://manav.jpg

    ALTBalaji CMO Manav Sethi

    Every day is women’s day when you live with your mom, wife and daughter. I look forward for men’s day! I celebrate the women in my life by giving them space, freedom, enablement and reinforcement that they are better than men.

    At workplace, we need to treat them as equals, give them opportunities, skill enhancement, learning and risks. Management/workplace is never a function of sex. It’s all about people, passion, commitment, common sense and brains.
  • New initiatives at FICCI Frames 2018

    New initiatives at FICCI Frames 2018

    MUMBAI: The 19th edition of FICCI Frames to be inaugurated by the I&B and Textiles minister Smriti Irani on March 4 is all set to be a grand event.

    There are a lot of interesting sessions lined up with few new initiatives this year.

    The annual media and entertainment global convention will kick-start on the 4th evening with the launch event, which will be followed by the CEOs round-table addressed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

    The 4-day event that will commence from the 4th and conclude on the 7th will see the who’s who from the media and entertainment industry attend, including the likes of Karan Johar, Shabana Azmi, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Nandita Das among many others.

    One of the major attractions will be the launch of a content market, which is expected to bring over 70 buyers and sellers of content from across the world to this platform.

    FICCI FRAMES CONTENT MARKET – A CONTENT BUYER AND SELLER PARADISE

    The 1st edition of the Content Market is aimed at facilitating the business of Content. Over 70 buyers from across the globe have been invited for the bazaar, including the likes of 102 Distribution, Edko Films, Shoreline Entertainment, Spuul, Top Entertainment, Aurora Global Media Capital, Front Row entertainment, Alpha Violet Sarl and Indian companies like Zee enterprises, Star, Eros Now, Reliance entertainment among others.

    In the first edition of the market, a special screening facility has also been set up to introduce festival programmers and key buyers to a highly curated slate of new Indian films. Festival programmers from International film festivals such as London, Venice, Edinburgh among others will also be in attendance.

    With over 100 sellers and over 70 buyers of content expected to be part of the 1st content market organized by FICCI, this sets the ball rolling for greater content exchange.

    Speaking about the 1st content market Leena Jaisani, FICCI said “This is being organized with the support and advise from the media and entertainment industry professionals. There was a dearth for such a market and with this first step, we hope to move ahead towards filling this void and facilitating more business for content.”

    International Women’s Day Celebrations with Women Leaders at FICCI FRAMES

    On 5th March, few women leader will get together to discuss women empowerment in the digital era, the rise of women movements, and how the community can support the development of more women leaders in the future.

    Led by Maya Hari, Managing Director of Asia Pacific at Twitter, who will be moderating the session, the panel will feature Director of Lipstick under my burkha Alankrita Shrivastava Actor Gul Panag, Author of Face at the window Kiran Manral; Deputy Editor of Rolling Stones India, Nirmika Singh and film producer and founder of IconicBot, Vishakha Singh

    Other Important sessions
    Few of the other important sessions would include discussions on Film Tourism, The future of TV in India, Box Office Collections of films, Biopics made in India, Women Power in Films, Screen density in India, Digital Revolution, Investments in Sports, Fake News, Low budget content heavy films, Regional Films going beyond regions, Films making money internationally, GST in Entertainment sector and Cyber security.

    There will also be a masterclass with Director Anand L Rai, a case study on web series Breathe along with a workshop on Facebook.

    Annual Media and Entertainment reports to be launched

    The annual media and entertainment report on figures related to entertainment industry and an Economic Contribution Report (ECR) for 2018 will also be launched.

  • Twitter to stream women leaders panel live at FICCI Frames

    Twitter to stream women leaders panel live at FICCI Frames

    MUMBAI: Twitter is the best reflection of “What’s Happening” in India and across the world, and where powerful voices and movements come together to speak up for women’s rights. In celebration of International Women’s Day,  Twitter will host and live stream the women leaders panel at FICCI Frames to discuss the state of women empowerment in the digital era.

    Twitter is hosting a panel of women leaders at FICCI Frames (@FICCI_India) on 5 March to discuss women empowerment in the digital era, the rise of women movements, and how the community can support the development of more women leaders in the future.

    Led by Maya Hari (@maya_hari), Managing Director of Asia Pacific at Twitter, who will be moderating the session, the panel will feature Director of Lipstick under my burkha Alankrita Shrivastava (@Alankrita601); Actor and media owner Gul Panag (@GulPanag); Author of Face at the window Kiran Manral (@KiranManral); Deputy Editor of Rolling Stones India, Nirmika Singh (@nirmika); and film producer and founder of IconicBot, Vishakha Singh (@vishakhasingh55).

    Twitter will live broadcast the session from @TwitterIndia and @FICCI_India. The live stream will be available for free to logged-in and logged-out users on Twitter and connected devices globally. People will be able to watch the panel discussion and join the conversation to celebrate women empowerment with the hashtag #SheInspiresMe.

    “Twitter is the best place to see what’s happening around the world and to talk about it. In celebration of International Women’s Day, Twitter is launching a month-long celebration to recognize inspirational women on and off Twitter, starting with FICCI Frames in India,” said Twitter MD Asia Pacific  Maya Hari. She added, “We are excited to amplify the stories of these women who are strong, powerful, and inspirational to all and share them around the world with live streaming on Twitter.”
     
    FICCI secretary general Dr Sanjaya Baru sais, “FICCI FRAMES, Asia’s largest convention on the business of Media & Entertainment, is proud to be associated with Twitter in its campaign on women’s day. FICCI has always been an active supporter of initiatives taken for women leadership. Issues faced by women in Media & Entertainment industry have been a center stage topic of discussion in Frames over the years. With Twitter & FICCI Frames coming together in this edition of FICCI Frames, it would help further delving deep into & highlighting the issues of women leadership in this digital era.” 

    In the past year, Twitter has developed several initiatives in support of women movements in India and globally, including #PositionOfStrength. The #PositionOfStrength initiative which started first in India, is a movement to engage and empower women online while educating them on how to use Twitter as a platform to build a profile, have a voice, and create their own unique and influential personal brands. The initiative began in March 2015 for women to learn how to use the platform safely with confidence, and to network with other career-minded women.