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Tag: Internet Advertising

  • India’s entertainment & media industry to grow 8.8% CAGR by 2026: PwC Report

    India’s entertainment & media industry to grow 8.8% CAGR by 2026: PwC Report

    Mumbai: By 2026, the Indian entertainment & media sector is anticipated to grow by 8.8 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach Rs 4,30,401 crore. These figures are taken from PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media (E&M) Outlook 2022–2026, which is the 23rd annual analysis and forecast of E&M expenditures by consumers and advertisers across 52 territories.

    ”The Indian media and entertainment outlook for the next few years is quite unique. There is an exciting pace of growth of digital media and advertising led by the deeper penetration of internet and mobile devices in our market,” said PwC India partner & leader – entertainment & media Rajib Basu. “At the same time, traditional media will maintain their steady growth rate over the next few years. We shall see a very different profile of media and entertainment related businesses & revenue models emerging in the digital space once we have the rollout of 5G.”

    Key findings for India in this year’s Outlook include:

    OTT Video: The elimination of public entertainment and more time spent at home helped the total OTT revenue more than double in 2020. Revenue nearly doubled once more in 2021 as a result of this pattern. The market would still increase at a remarkable 14.1 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 21,032 crore in 2026, despite slower growth rates. Subscription services, which accounted for 90.5 per cent of revenue in 2021 and are projected to account for 95 per cent of revenue in 2026, are fueling this rapid growth.

    Video games & esports: India’s overall revenue from video games and esports is expected to rise by 18.3 per cent CAGR to Rs 37,535 crore by 2026 from Rs 16,200 crore in 2021. India is the third-fastest-growing market for video games in the world, behind Pakistan and Turkey, although still being a relatively small market given the size and population of the nation. Social/casual gaming accounted for Rs 13,244 crore, or 83.9 per cent, of India’s overall video game and esports revenue in 2021. Revenue from social/casual gaming is anticipated to grow at a 20.6 per cent CAGR and reach Rs 34,581 crore by 2026. The introduction of 5G technology to the market will be a key enabler of this segment.

    TV advertising: India’s TV advertising market had a -10.8 per cent fall over 2019 levels in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 recession, which struck after several years of rapid expansion. This turned out to be a brief setback. This sector increased by 16.9 per cent to Rs 32,374 crore in 2021 as the country’s economy  started to expand again. By 2026, the market would have grown by 6.3 per cent CAGR, reaching Rs 43,410 crore. After the US, Japan, China, and the UK, India will soon rank as the world’s fifth-largest TV advertising market.

    Cinema: India is projected to expand at the highest growth rate among all segments throughout the forecast period, with a startling 38.3 per cent CAGR, to reach Rs 16,198 crore by 2026. India is now the third-largest market globally in terms of admissions after China and the US. More than 379 million cinema tickets were sold in India in 2021, a respectable rise over the 278 million admissions in 2020 (and higher than the 226 million admissions in the US in 2020) but a significant decrease (-85.4 per cent) from the 1.9 billion tickets sold prior to the pre-pandemic.

    Internet advertising: The Indian Internet advertising market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 12.1 per cent to Rs 28,234 crore by 2026. The mobile sector dominates the country’s Internet advertising business, accounting for 60.1 per cent of total revenue in 2021 and rising to 69.3 per cent by 2026 due to India’s market for mobile-first internet access. The mobile sector is dominated by display advertising, which generated 90.7 per cent of total income in 2021 but will drop to 88.9 per cent of the total in 2026. India’s revenue from wired Internet access was Rs 6,379 crore in 2021, and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3 per cent to Rs 8,829 crore by 2026.

    Out-Of-Home Advertising: One of the strongest comebacks globally is being made by the out-of-home (OOH) advertising market in India, which is expected to rise at a 12.57 percent CAGR to reach Rs 5,562 crore in 2026. One of the sharpest market downturns and the largest revenue decline among the main economies of the world, total OOH revenue recovered by 63.4 per cent in 2021 over the levels of 2020. The total OOH revenue in 2021 reached Rs 3,076 crore. The momentum of this rebound will carry over into 2022, and by year-end the market will be at the value Rs 4,084 crore.

  • TV ad spend touched Rs 35, 015 crore in 2020 despite pandemic

    TV ad spend touched Rs 35, 015 crore in 2020 despite pandemic

    New Delhi: Despite the pandemic’s devastating blow to businesses worldwide, the Indian media and entertainment sector showed ‘remarkable resilience’, according to PwC’s Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2021-2025.

    TV advertising continued to expand in 2020 as the country emerged from the onslaught of the first wave and reached Rs 35, 015 crore, making India the fourth-largest market globally after the US, China, and Japan. Further expansion at a 7.6 per cent CAGR is likely to take TV ad revenues to the level of Rs 50,660 crore in 2025, according to PwC.

    The outlook for India suggests, multichannel advertising will account for nearly 92 per cent of the total TV advertising market in 2025. Online TV advertising will make modest inroads in the forecast period, with broadband penetration likely to remain extremely low at 7.3 per cent of households.

    The pandemic hit the industry hard, and according to PwC, the total global M&E revenue fell 3.8 per cent year on year in 2020, by far the most significant drop in revenue ever. While sectors like cinema, live music, and trade shows suffered unprecedented setbacks, the persistent growth of digitisation softened the blow for the broader industry.

    Amid all this uncertainty, PwC’s outlook suggests that India’s M&E industry is likely to reach Rs 412656 crore by 2025 at 10.75 per cent CAGR. A significant part of this growth story will be written by demand for great, localised content, increased internet penetration, and the creation of new business models. Technology and internet access will continue to influence the way Indians consume content, says the report.

    The report also shed light on how India is emerging as the fastest-growing Internet advertising market in the world at a CAGR of 18.8 per cent during 2020-2025. Around the world, pandemic lockdowns made home entertainment effectively the only choice, with internet access an essential. Growth in mobile ad revenue overtook wired revenue in 2019 and is expected to be 74.4 per cent of the total internet advertising revenue of Rs 30471 crore by 2025. In 2020 revenue from mobile internet advertising in India was Rs 7331 crore and will rise to Rs 22350 crore in 2025 – increasing at a 25.4 per cent CAGR.

    “This makes India the fastest-growing mobile ad market in the world, reflecting the growth potential, with over half the population yet to take up a mobile Internet subscription in 2020,” says the report.

    One of the worst impacts was seen on the cinema industry, which saw a 70.4 per cent collapse in revenues. With theatres shut, and movies heading to the OTTs, the box-office revenues in India plunged by 75 per cent year-on-year in 2020 to Rs 2,653 crore. However, according to PwC, the box-office revenue is expected to recover and grow at a CAGR of 39.3 per cent grossing up Rs 13,857 crore by the end of 2025.

    “The overall segment comprising box-office and cinema advertising is predicted to grow back to pre-covid level by mid of 2023,” says the report, providing a glimmer of hope to the industry.

    Meanwhile, the gaming market in India continues to enjoy exceptional growth and shows enormous potential. Video games and esports revenue reached Rs 11250 crore in 2020 and is set to expand to Rs 24212 Cr in 2025, at 16.5 per cent CAGR. India’s gaming market is dominated by the social/casual category, which accounted for 77 per cent of all video games and esports revenue in 2020.

    “India’s esports market is small but as awareness grows and, crucially, the mobile esports offering becomes stronger, this sector will see rapid expansion, at a 31.6 per cent CAGR over the forecast period,” it says.

  • Entertainment and media industry to double in five years

    Entertainment and media industry to double in five years

    MUMBAI: India’s entertainment and media industry is expected to double and grow to over Rs 2,27,000 crore by 2018 from Rs 1,12,044 crore in 2013, according to a report by industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and professional services firm PwC.

     

    “The industry growth is expected on account of healthy growth in areas like advertisement and television industry,” the report – India Entertainment & Media Outlook 2014 predicted.

     

    In 2013, the broad entertainment and media industry, anticipated to be Rs 1,12,044 crore rose 19 per cent over the preceding year. The film segment was estimated at Rs 12,600 crore in 2013 and is projected to grow steadily at a CAGR of 12 per cent, on the back of higher domestic and overseas box-office collections as well as cable and satellite rights.

     

    Internet access and internet advertising were the fastest growing segments in 2013, clocking growth rates of 47 per cent and 26 per cent respectively over the previous year. The report added that the companies in the sector will need a business strategy fit for the digital age. The industry needs to get even closer to the consumer and adopt more flexible business models.

     

    “The revenue from advertising is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13 per cent and will exceed Rs 60,000 crore in 2018 from Rs 35,000 crore in 2013. Internet access has overtaken the print segment as the second-largest segment contributing to the overall pie of entertainment and media sector revenues,” it said. 

     

    Television and print are expected to remain the largest contributors to the advertising pie in 2018 as well. Internet advertising will emerge as the third-largest segment, with a share of about 16 per cent in the total entertainment and media advertising pie, as per the estimates.

     

    PwC India Entertainment and Media practice leader Smita Jha said, “Digital success does not just necessarily mean better, improved technology. It means applying a digital mindset to build the right behaviours among industry stakeholders. This includes getting ever closer to the customer–across the entire organisation, and in everything it does.”

     

    With the rapidly increasing mobile usage, the gaming sector is also emerging as a promising source of revenue for the industry. Efforts by industry players as well as support from the government are expected to provide a major boost to the gaming sector, which is still in its infancy.

     

    Out-of-home advertising is gradually expected to slide to the last position in terms of revenue contribution to the sector, with its share declining to 1 per cent in 2018, while music remains constant at 1 per cent revenue share between 2013 and 2018.

  • Internet advertising to surpass TV by 2018: PwC report

    Internet advertising to surpass TV by 2018: PwC report

    MUMBAI: With laptops, smartphones and tablets becoming a part and parcel of people’s lives today; internet is bound to become an integral part of advertising and marketing.

     

    And if PwC’s Global entertainment and media outlook 2014-2018 (Outlook) is correct then the total entertainment and media spending on digital services is forecast to grow at a 12.2 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2013 and 2018 and accounts for 65 per cent of global entertainment and media spending growth, excluding spending on internet access.

     

    Advertising is leading the way; in 2018, 33 per cent of total advertising revenue is forecast to be digital, compared to 17 per cent of consumer revenue.

     

    However, profiting from the migration by increasing revenue from digital consumers will not just be about the application of digital technology. It will be about applying a ‘digital mindset’ to build the right behaviours, advancing from a digital strategy to a business strategy fit for a digital age, according to the report.

     

    PwC’s entertainment & media global leader Marcel Fenez said, “The bedrock of a strategy fit for the digital age is the digital mindset: getting even closer to the customer – across the entire organisation, and in everything it does. We now see that mindset embedded in many entertainment and media companies. But the industry needs to get even closer to the consumer and adopt more flexible business models. To do this, companies must exhibit three behaviours: forging trust with consumers; creating the confidence to move with speed and agility; and empowering innovation. This will be an important step in monetising the digital consumer.”

     

    Approaching a significant advertising tipping point

     

    Mobile internet penetration will reach 55 per cent in 2018, which will help drive digital advertising to increase its share of total advertising revenue to 33 per cent by 2018, up from 14 per cent in 2009. With internet advertising growing at a 10.7 per cent CAGR (compared to a total advertising CAGR of 4.4 per cent), the industry is approaching a significant tipping point: in 2018, internet advertising will be poised to surpass TV advertising. In 2009, TV advertising was double than that of internet advertising; in 2018, internet advertising will trail TV advertising by just $20billion. Mobile internet advertising is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 21.5 per cent.

     

    Monetising the digital consumer: challenge and opportunity

     

    Spending on digitally delivered content will account for only 17 per cent of total consumer spending in 2018 (excluding spending on internet access), compared to 33 per cent of total advertising spending. However, the growth of ‘24/7 access’ and micro-transactions suggest that the key to monetising the digital consumer is to adopt flexible business models that offer more choices and better experiences. Electronic home video over-the-top (OTT)/streaming and digital music streaming are two of the fastest-growing consumer sub-segments cited in the Outlook, set to rise at annual rates of 28.1 per cent and 13.4 per cent, respectively.

     

    Nine markets driving growth

     

    Nine high-growth markets are powering global entertainment and media revenue. China, Brazil, Russia, India, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey, Argentina and Indonesia collectively are forecast to account for 21.7 per cent of global entertainment and media revenue in 2018, up from just 12.4 per cent in 2009. Also in 2018, China will overtake Japan as the world’s second-largest entertainment and media market, behind only the US. 

     

    Fenez added, “What all these markets have in common is a growing middle class boosting spending in entertainment and media. But the similarities stop there. Realising the revenue potential of these markets demands a deep understanding of the local context.Given their intimate local market knowledge, domestic organisations are in prime position to realise the opportunity of the emerging middle class. The optimal approach for international players will most certainly be to collaborate with local partners.”

     

    Advertising is spearheading the migration to digital as it follows eyeballs online:

     

    • Internet TV advertising will double its share of total TV advertising revenue in the next five years. Internet TV advertising revenue from traditional broadcasters will increase from $3.7bn in 2013 to $9.7bn in 2018, and more than double its share of total TV advertising from 2.2 per cent in 2013 to 4.5 per cent in 2018. Traditional broadcasters still dominate and are adapting to the internet video opportunity, creating a significant new revenue stream despite competition from internet rivals.

    • Mobile advertising will overtake classified internet advertising in 2014. Global mobile internet advertising revenue is forecast to leapfrog classified internet advertising to become the third-largest internet advertising channel with revenues of $18.9bn in 2014. But after four particularly strong years, driven by the launch of a range of tablets, the annual rate of mobile revenue growth is falling back to the levels seen prior to their introduction. Advertisers now must do more than simply migrate large-screen banners to handhelds to sustain such growth.

    • Digital consumer magazine advertising revenue is much larger than digital circulation. Global digital consumer magazine advertising revenue will be $12.4bn in 2018, rising at a 17.6 per cent CAGR; digital circulation revenue will be just $5.7bn in the same year. This compares to a decline of 3.9 per cent CAGR for consumer magazine print advertising revenue. Currently advertising is centered on magazine websites, but, as digital circulations increase, electronic editions will become increasingly popular for advertisers.

    • Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising revenue will see significant growth in fast-growth markets. DOOH advertising is driving overall OOH advertising growth globally at a CAGR of 16.2 per cent. However, in certain fast-growing markets, DOOH advertising revenue is forecast to grow even more rapidly, with CAGRs in excess of 30 per cent. China is set to become the largest DOOH advertising market in the world by 2017.

    Success in making money from the digital consumer can be found in offering choice and better experiences

    • Subscription TV will not be daunted by the rise of OTT as it grows across global markets. Global subscription TV revenues (excluding licence fees) will grow at a CAGR of 3.5 per cent over the next five years to $236bn in 2018. This growth demonstrates that subscription TV is in a healthy position, assisted by the initiatives it has implemented to counter the impact of OTT and other disruptive influences.

    •    Box office resilience underscores the continuing popularity of cinema. Global box office revenue will exceed revenue from physical home video in 2014 and grow to $45.9bn by 2018, from $36.1bn in 2013, a 4.9 per cent CAGR. In many growth markets, cinemas are being built to cater to the growing middle class.

    • Digital newspaper payments are taking off, but won’t prove transformational. Digital newspaper circulation revenue grew by 66.2 per cent through 2013. But although individual publishers report improved fortunes, few are hailing a transformation. Digital circulation will make up just 8 per cent of total circulation revenue globally by 2018.

    • Rising digital consumer revenue may be driven by 24/7 access. Two of the best-performing consumer sub-segments use a model in which consumers pay for round-the-clock access: digital music streaming revenue will grow at a 13.4 per cent CAGR, and electronic home video OTT/streaming will rise at a 28.1 per cent.These growth rates will not only offset a slow-moving non-digital consumer market, but may also point the way forward for other segments.

    • Global electronic home video revenue will exceed physical home video revenue in 2018. Globally, the total combined revenue from OTT/streaming services and broadcasters’ video on demand services will grow at a CAGR of 19.9 per cent. This will overtake physical home video revenue (the sale and rental of DVDs and Blu-ray discs) in 2018.

    • Digital recorded music revenue will surpass physical recorded revenue in 2014. Global total digital recorded music revenue of $10.18bn will exceed physical recorded music revenues of $10.17bn for the first time in 2014.  Greater service appeal for consumers will improve sales and by 2018, the year-on-year decline in total recorded music revenue will be just -0.1per cent.

    • All-you-can-read subscription services are yet to take off but will be transformational. While they are still to gain traction, users of subscription services and aggregators will soon reach critical mass. With growing magazine circulations will come rising circulation and advertising revenue.

    • Internet gaming is widening gaming participation and micro-transactions are helping to grow revenues. Internet gaming (including social gaming) has opened markets previously considered lost to piracy, with the business model enabling greater freedom and choice in how much gamers pay. China is the second-largest market for internet gaming ($4.2bn in 2013).In 2017, Russia will overtake Germany to become the seventh-largest market for internet gaming. Micro-transactions will help grow total video games revenues to $89.0bn (6.2 per cent CAGR) in 2018 and total console games revenues to $31.9bn (4.9 per cent CAGR) in 2018.

  • ‘India is among CNN’s top 3 markets in Asia Pacific’ : CNN International VP ad sales news William Hsu

    ‘India is among CNN’s top 3 markets in Asia Pacific’ : CNN International VP ad sales news William Hsu

    CNN is banking on India to boost its ad revenue this year as the international news outfit hunts for fast-growing economies in a downturn environment.

     

    CNN expects a 10 per cent growth from the Asia Pacific region. India, away from recession, will grow the fastest this year as the news network plans to tap into more clients. .The target is to keep posting 20 per cent growth over the next couple of years as Indian companies go global.

     

    The recession has affected CNN the least as it tweaked its strategy. The news network built a 360 degree solution around TV and the Internet. The focus on digital, which makes up 20 per cent of CNN‘s revenues, also helped CNN to combat the global downturn.

     

    CNN is growing its India content. Eye On India is ready for launch and CNN is dedicating a lot of its daily news output towards Indian business, which will be aired across the world.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, CNN International VP ad sales news William Hsu talks about how the global news network has insulated itself from recession and how it plans to grow its business in India.

     

     

    Excerpts:

    Which are the key markets for CNN and how has the Asia Pacific region been faring for the global news network?
    CNN has grown in the region and 30 per cent of its revenue is coming from the Asia Pacific region, up from 25 per cent three years back.

     

    The top three markets are Korea, Southeast Asia and India. Over the past decade, CNN has been growing at about 11 per cent compounded a year.

     

    The recession has affected us the least. We had a good digital product; and we deal with government entities – whether it is investment or tourism. Governments actually spend more money during a recession to stimulate growth.

    So what targets have been set for the year?
    We expect 10 per cent growth from the Asia Pacific region. India will grow the fastest this year in terms of revenue and getting in more clients. We expect 20 per cent growth from India over the next couple of years, up from 17 per cent.

     

    North Asia‘s contribution in terms of Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong will still be the most.

    CNN International has seen profit growth for the past seven quarters. What factors have contributed towards this?
    We have a strong distribution revenue stream. This insulates us in terms of a recession. Another driver has been new media. Internet advertising has grown quite a lot.

     

    One of the biggest opportunities is our CNN branded portfolio. You might think of us as a TV channel; I think of CNN as being a news provider. We have a TV channel. And we have the largest news site in the world. We have just launched a series of mobile products starting with the iphone, ipad and Android 3.0 in the US. There is an opportunity to build the 360 degree solution. The challenge is how fast advertisers will embrace this.

    But did you have to tweak your strategy during the downturn?
    One of the things we did was that we anticipated the recession before it happened. Throughout 2007, we expected something to happen without knowing when. This allowed us to tweak our strategy. We approached more governments. We built up a 360 degree solution around TV and the Internet.

    How has CNN been able to broad base its revenue stream as it is key for any broadcaster to survive in a difficult global economy?
    From a product base, I just mentioned three of them – and they are all growing. Internet and mobile are experiencing fast growth, which is good. Incidentally, new media contributes 20 per cent of CNN‘s revenues.
    ‘The Asia Pacific region accounts for 30 per cent of CNN’s revenues, up from 25 per cent three years back. CNN expects to post a 10 per cent growth from the region, with India growing the fastest‘

    Does that give you an advantage in India?
    In terms of an advertiser base, we are focusing on Asian companies that are expanding internationally. Suzlon is an example. We are also looking to work with Just Dial which has just launched in the US. Essar is another company that is expanding its global footprint. We are tapping a wave of Indian companies that are going overseas.

    Even global clients are increasingly preferring local news channels. Does this pose a challenge to CNN?
    No! We deal with corporate branding; our clients are high end corporates.

     

    If you look at the type of advertising on news channels here, I don‘t think that a company like Rolex would want to advertise in that environment. The quality is dodgy. A Rolex watch will cost as much as a car here. Would they be in an exclusive group with CNN International or would they rather be with the mass targeted brands?

     

    There is a certain purity that CNN International offers. My TG is that top three per cent of India‘s population. They are internationally focused; they are very well traveled; they do business overseas frequently. I tell clients that this is my profile. Which channel do you think this TG is watching in India?

    News channels in India are struggling as the ad pie is not growing against the backdrop of Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) and sports. How do you see things shaping up here?
    I don‘t look at the general news channels as competitors. The market is totally saturated; there should be consolidation. In any case, sport is the most attractive genre on cable TV anywhere in the world.

     

    Our focus rests on international advertising. I bring a platform to an Indian company which is looking to promote itself overseas. We have around 20 Indian advertisers with us. And we aim to grow this.

    Have the ad categories grown for CNN over the last couple of years beyond just tourism?
    Travel covers airlines and hotels, but we have gone much beyond that. We have clients like Rolex, Nokia and Longines. We have quite a few companies from the Middle East. Banks also advertise on CNN.

     

    Our USP is that we are pervasive. We are on Internet devices, television homes and hotels. Many news channels may have a strong distribution. But how many of them also have a strong website? How many can rank No. 1 on ipad downloads? We are in a good position.

    So you approach advertisers across platforms?
    Yes! One of the benefits is that it allows an advertiser to constantly engage with the consumer. In the morning, the consumers drive to office. In the office, they use the Internet. During the tea break, they use their mobile phones. Then when they go back home and watch us on TV. We follow the consumers everywhere.

    Could you give me examples of integrated solutions?
    Cartier advertises with us on the net and the TV. They were the first advertisers on the ipad.

    What work has CNN done online?
    We have invested in social media. For any story, you have five different social media links which you can send to a friend. You can also follow a report on Twitter. We push citizen journalism through i-report. This has been integrated into television news.

     

    A great example of that is Iran. The student protests happened six months ago. The government sealed all access to Iran for journalists. What we did was have citizens do filming and reporting for us.

     

    On a platform basis, we invest heavily on the mobile. We have CNN mobile Web which allows you to surf a mobile version of CNN. Then we have iphone, ipad apps and Android. That is where our consumers are digitally. The itunes interface is its own marketing platform.

    What is the strategy in terms of lifestyle content?
    A typical news consumption pattern is that you watch half an hour to an hour of news and then you are done for the day. The lifestyle content is designed to keep you watching for up to an extra hour by having content that is designed for an international businessperson. He/she would be interested in Golf, sport, design. I categorise this as news and information.

     

    Eco Solutions, which is about environment, has done well. CNN Go is a travel lifestyle programme sponsored by Korean Airlines. We, in fact, have diversified our news programmes. We have a show called Backstory in the morning. What we have found out is that people do not only want news headlines; they want to understand what is happening behind the scenes.

     

    On I-report we have found a way to take content that people send and create a news show around it. It is a different way of portraying the news. This is not just feature programmes.

    How did the idea of CNNGo come about?
    One thing that is common about upscale business people is that they are well traveled. They have a desire to know unique things about countries. Travel is one of the most interesting things for them. This is what CNN Go is about. It offers you insights on things to see, do and buy. There isn‘t a travel programme quite like it. There is a site as well that is quirky and interesting.

     

    The site is about six countries being featured including India. On television, one country and a different city is featured every month. Online, we have Citibank as a sponsor. For television, it is Korean Airlines.
    How are you growing your India content?
    Eye On India is coming up and we are promoting it. We are dedicating a lot of our daily news output towards Indian business, which will be aired across the world. We have, for instance, filmed the Birla Group.
    What role has Eye on India played to boost your perception here?
    It does generate a lot of interest. We are promoting it through the press. We are using outdoor hoardings – we have a big presence in the international Airports of Mumbai and Delhi. We are also using social media.
    Al Jazeera is looking at India with content focused here. Your views on this in terms of the impact it will have on the existing global players?
    We welcome competition; it keeps us on our toes. They have a good product, which is undeniable. But we are the No. 1 news network across the region. We aim to keep it that way.
    You recently announced sponsorship of the ISPS Handa Senior World Championship. How many events does CN sponsor and what role does it play in building brand awareness?
    Sports content is popular on CNN. We have Living Golf. Sports is an important platform. We sponsor five to 10 events a year.
    Organisations trimmed costs in the global recessionary environment. What did CNN do?
    We did not have any salary freeze and we did not layoff anybody. Being a part of Time Warner, we are always cost conscious. During the downturn, we actually invested more in our newsgathering operations. We boosted our staff and added more bureaus.