ITV

Tag: JD Majethia

  • Sony Pictures Networks India ups safety bar on TV sets

    Sony Pictures Networks India ups safety bar on TV sets

    MUMBAI: TV production in India has been a bit of a bummer over the past few years: hazardous material constructed sets, loosely put together electrical connections, below par sanitation, and shoddy facilities have been the hallmarks of shooting floors. Safety measures for TV actors and crews have been sub-par. Accidents have sometimes got out of hand, and there have been several incidents over the years where crew have been injured or lost their lives. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) is changing that at least on one front: having ambulances and clinics on all sets where TV shows or films are being shot.

    Apparently, the company has hired one of India’s top emergency response services TopsLine to deploy 11 mobile clinics and ambulances at the sites of 16 shows where shooting is under way in Mumbai and its periphery. Why is SPN India suddenly getting a shot of corporate social responsibility?

    Well, it’s part of its efforts to raise the bar and provide protection to those who work on the front lines to churn out the content that brings it ratings and revenues. A while ago SPN India officials had conversations with these folks on how they felt on the sets, and the reaction was pretty eye-opening. Most respondents said that, apart from wages, what they wanted was better hygiene and ablution facilities, apart from safety. That prompted the network to spring into action, taking the first of many more steps it intends to take in this direction.

    The mobile medical vans are likely to cover around 1600 people at a stretch if one were to assume 90-100 people working on an average at each of its different sets at a time.

    While TV industry professionals have lauded SPN India’s initiative, a lot more needs to be done says Hats Off Productions co-founder and the Indian Film & TV Producers Council TV division head JD Majethia. However, there are challenges, he admits.

    “The nature of business is so different — the shooting sites are temporary structures; it’s difficult to make arrangements. Sites keep shifting, and sometimes the sets are on wheels,” says Majethia.

    There is the lack of basic hygiene amongst the crew at times who chew tobacco, spit betel nut juice (pan) on the sets, which tends to dirty the area. Of course actors have their vanity vans, which keeps them ring fenced from the mess. But the crew has to bear with it all the same.

    A problem that is faced by many a producer and production supervisors is providing proper lunch tables on locations. “On large shooting floors, if there are 100 people at work and everybody needs to be accommodated during lunch, it becomes difficult to manage, say 10 tables, in an hour’s time,” explains Majethia. Then, potable water, for example, is one of the issues that needs careful planning.

    At times there is the mosquito menace at the shooting locations. And when the Dengue fever scare has been running rampant, this is indeed concerning. “In such situations, we often take the help of pest control services and also provide safety creams such as Odomos to all the actors and workers,” Majethia said.

    Majethia once again lauded SPN India’s ambulance drive and added that the industry is constantly working with the various trade craft bodies to improve the lot of those on the sets. “And things can only get better from here,” he said.

  • Sony Pictures Networks India ups safety bar on TV sets

    Sony Pictures Networks India ups safety bar on TV sets

    MUMBAI: TV production in India has been a bit of a bummer over the past few years: hazardous material constructed sets, loosely put together electrical connections, below par sanitation, and shoddy facilities have been the hallmarks of shooting floors. Safety measures for TV actors and crews have been sub-par. Accidents have sometimes got out of hand, and there have been several incidents over the years where crew have been injured or lost their lives. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) is changing that at least on one front: having ambulances and clinics on all sets where TV shows or films are being shot.

    Apparently, the company has hired one of India’s top emergency response services TopsLine to deploy 11 mobile clinics and ambulances at the sites of 16 shows where shooting is under way in Mumbai and its periphery. Why is SPN India suddenly getting a shot of corporate social responsibility?

    Well, it’s part of its efforts to raise the bar and provide protection to those who work on the front lines to churn out the content that brings it ratings and revenues. A while ago SPN India officials had conversations with these folks on how they felt on the sets, and the reaction was pretty eye-opening. Most respondents said that, apart from wages, what they wanted was better hygiene and ablution facilities, apart from safety. That prompted the network to spring into action, taking the first of many more steps it intends to take in this direction.

    The mobile medical vans are likely to cover around 1600 people at a stretch if one were to assume 90-100 people working on an average at each of its different sets at a time.

    While TV industry professionals have lauded SPN India’s initiative, a lot more needs to be done says Hats Off Productions co-founder and the Indian Film & TV Producers Council TV division head JD Majethia. However, there are challenges, he admits.

    “The nature of business is so different — the shooting sites are temporary structures; it’s difficult to make arrangements. Sites keep shifting, and sometimes the sets are on wheels,” says Majethia.

    There is the lack of basic hygiene amongst the crew at times who chew tobacco, spit betel nut juice (pan) on the sets, which tends to dirty the area. Of course actors have their vanity vans, which keeps them ring fenced from the mess. But the crew has to bear with it all the same.

    A problem that is faced by many a producer and production supervisors is providing proper lunch tables on locations. “On large shooting floors, if there are 100 people at work and everybody needs to be accommodated during lunch, it becomes difficult to manage, say 10 tables, in an hour’s time,” explains Majethia. Then, potable water, for example, is one of the issues that needs careful planning.

    At times there is the mosquito menace at the shooting locations. And when the Dengue fever scare has been running rampant, this is indeed concerning. “In such situations, we often take the help of pest control services and also provide safety creams such as Odomos to all the actors and workers,” Majethia said.

    Majethia once again lauded SPN India’s ambulance drive and added that the industry is constantly working with the various trade craft bodies to improve the lot of those on the sets. “And things can only get better from here,” he said.

  • Twitter, broadcasters & brands: Building a win-win partnership

    Twitter, broadcasters & brands: Building a win-win partnership

    MUMBAI: For some time now, the popularity of Facebook and Twitter has majorly concerned broadcasters and other industry stakeholders for its impact on the viewership ratings. The second screen can distract its audience easily and chip away at the already reduced attention span of this attention deficit hyperactivity disorder  (ADHD)  generation.

    Naturally companies like Twitter are mostly seen as competition, especially now that it is equipped with its own video arm. But if we were to say TV audience’s exposure to social media, and the digital chatter over Twitter is actually a plus for the broadcasters, would anyone agree?

    A fine example is the reception that the singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa got for its  finale episode. It notched  up record ratings for Zee TV, and the latter says it owes a good part of the success to the role Twitter played.

    “We were pleased to partner with Twitter India and set new benchmarks in terms of digital engagement. Twitter’s real-time, conversational capabilities helped audiences connect with the show and experience its world like nothing else can. This collaboration has also helped our contestants and mentors engage better with our viewers,” a Zee Tv spokesperson had earlier shared.

    The show had gained over 25 million tweet impressions, establishing itself as the biggest singing reality TV show on the platform in India and Zee Tv’s twitter handle, @ZeeTV gained more than 100K followers in just three months.

    “#SaReGaMaPa is a great example of how a TV show can leverage a platform like Twitter to celebrate the talent of a reality show, and to foster collaboration between a TV channel, talent and fans. For the first time, a multitude of voices in the TV ecosystem (TV channel, contestants, judges and fans) came together to provide a complementary experience to the reality TV show. Twitter lit up with more than 300,000 Tweets during this iconic social TV moment, and it brought viewers closer to the show via Tweets, behind-the-scenes and highlight videos,” said Twitter India head of TV partnerships Viral Jani.

    In fact the 12 final contestants were given special attention from Twitter team as part of this partnership with Zee TV. “We got them on board the platform and gave them individual training sessions on how to use twitter better, and leverage their stardom with it. We also gave them an idea of how international singing reality stars use twitter both when live and behind the scenes,” Jani explained.

    The result was phenomenal. Contestants tweeted twice the times of  videos than the @ZeeTV handle

    And added 115 per cent more Tweet impressions to @ZeeTV handle through the season (@ZeeTV  with 9.5 million impressions), as per the data shared by Twitter India.

    Zee TV and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa aren’t the only examples of a successful twitter + TV partnership in India in the recent past.

    In July 2015, EPIC TV  and Twitter launched a unique innovation for the channel’s new campaign – #EPICat10, where in the broadcaster used the Twitter Alarm letting followers set a reminder for the 10pm shows for the first time. ColorsTV and BiggBoss created massive engagement with #BB9 viewers using native video uploads on Twitter powered by SnappyTV – including sneak peeks, uncensored videos and live tweeting with fun videos, with Twitter being the only external platform showcasing Bigg Boss videos. India Today Television has joined hands with Twitter in an exclusive partnership to conduct Twitter Town Halls that gives an opportunity to followers on Twitter to engage with newsmakers, opinion makers and other eminent personalities. Apart from  this Twitter also works in regional markets with other partners such as the Sun Network in the south and ZEEL’s  certain regional channels.

    Apart from this Star Plus, CNN IBN and IBN7 have regularly used Twitter’s live-streaming app Periscope to engage with audiences. SPNI’s SAB has also collaborated with Twitter for  brand as well as several show promotions.

    “In fact, for our recent show launches like Khidki and Y.A.R.O Ka Tashan we had collaborated with Twitter at a more comprehensive level. For Khidki, we actively scouted comic content from consumers. We partnered with the micro-blogging site to run a contest titled ‘#Tweetyourfunnystory’ and also did a live Q&A session with the producers of the show JD Majethia and Umesh Shukla on Twitter’s video-streaming app Periscope. This initiative sure got the viewers excited enough to share some of their funniest stories. We received over 12000 plus stories,” shared SAB TV EVP & business head Anooj Kapoor.

    For its show, Y.A.R.O Ka Tashan, SAB  created a unique Twitter BOT representing the Humanoid – Y.A.R.O, a lead character in its new show. The BOT replicated the characteristics of Y.A.R.O by answering all kind of question thrown at it.

    “Adding to this online campaign, we also had live outdoor hoardings in several high-traffic vantage points. Wherein, if someone was around the vicinity and happen to ask a question on Twitter with #SABKaYaro, his/her tweet and the response got displayed on this outdoor medium,” Kapoor said, adding that the broadcaster has attempted several other Twitter centric promotions in the recent past.

    The natural question is: did it have any significant impact in the channel or the shows’ popularity?

    “While we would be unable to directly measure the growth in ratings or viewership being driven from Twitter or any social medium for that matter, we can certainly say one thing that such collaborations and engagement with viewers on the online platform does drives home more youth and newer audiences for our shows. It also helps us gauge their interest levels for our concepts, opinions, feedback and these insights together help us deliver better,” Kapoor states frankly.

    When it comes finding a direct correlation between twitter engagement and a channel’s viewership ratings global info measurement leader Nielsen and  its TV and social media measurement output SocialGuide has the industry covered. In 2013, a study released by data scientists identified Twitter as one of three statistically significant variables (in addition to prior-year rating and advertising spend) to align with TV ratings.

    “Increases in Twitter volume correlate to increases in TV ratings for varying age groups, revealing a stronger correlation for younger audiences. Specifically, the study found that for 18-34 year olds, an 8.5% increase in Twitter volume corresponds to a 1% increase in TV ratings for premiere episodes, and a 4.2% increase in Twitter volume corresponds with a 1% increase in ratings for mid-season episodes,” the study read.

    Albeit the observation was sampled from 32 million unique people in the US, but similar inferences can be drawn from the study for the Indian market as well, as youth in India aren’t a world removed from the global youth when it comes to their online behaviour especially since the explosion in smartphone penetration in the country in the past three years.

    If Tweeting frequently, in greater volume and gaining traction is all there is to it, what advantages does a partnership with Twitter India give any broadcaster that its social management team can’t master on its own?

    “It’s true that being an open platform, anyone can launch their own handle and tweet. When we partner a broadcaster for a brand or show promotion, there are a bunch of advantages that come with it. Firstly we invest time with our partners to create creative strategies that they can follow on Twitter, which includes sharing data and global case studies that help them get a better idea. Secondly, we also give our partners access to certain tools and accessories that are helpful in creating inherently viral content,” answers Jani.

    This includes access to the Twitter India Blue Room that is a great platform for brands, TV personalities  to come and interact live with the twitterati. Twitter Challenger app, the Twitter Q & A app, Twitter Challenger App, Vine and the Twitter Mirror app are some of the other accessories that could be a part of the deal with each broadcaster/ brand.

    “Preferred partners are also given access to tool called Snappytv specially created for broadcasters  to allow them to beam short videos through its handles picked up from its broadcast feed in real time,” adds Jani. Twitter also gives access to its co-monetised product Amplify available to only select partners, that helps them monetise broadcasters/brands its premium content on Twitter.

    Interestingly, not all of these partnerships are commercial contracts per say, but ‘relationship building’ on the social media platform’s part. Most often Twitter only plays the role of a consultant explaining to the broadcaster on how it can use the platform better and more efficiently, without any promised monetary deal. “We work with our partners with the aim of audience growth,” Jani quips.

    So is there anything there for Twitter in these ‘philanthropic’ endeavours?

    “Globally we have seen the TV viewers tweet while watching TV, and carry the conversation online way after the show is over by following their favourite shows, or stars online. We have identified it as one of the verticals that is good to invest in. it is a mutually beneficial initiative as the broadcasters get to grow their audiences, and we get more traction and our users get good content on the platform,” Jani explains.

    And how can broadcasters leverage this to  their commercial benefit? A media planner says that the TV-Twitter metrics can be incorporated in the media planning and buying presence to identify shows with high audience engagement.

    Brands and advertisers either sponsoring or taking up FCT on a show on television can also work with the broadcasters social teams  to forge deeper conversations and engagements about the brand with the series’ audience on Twitter and vice-versa to further build buzz.

    “Collaborations such as this can build brand or show love,” says the planner.  “And it is this love of a brand which drives transactions and engagement with it.”

    Now isn’t that a win-win situation?

    (With inputs from Sonam Saini )

  • Twitter, broadcasters & brands: Building a win-win partnership

    Twitter, broadcasters & brands: Building a win-win partnership

    MUMBAI: For some time now, the popularity of Facebook and Twitter has majorly concerned broadcasters and other industry stakeholders for its impact on the viewership ratings. The second screen can distract its audience easily and chip away at the already reduced attention span of this attention deficit hyperactivity disorder  (ADHD)  generation.

    Naturally companies like Twitter are mostly seen as competition, especially now that it is equipped with its own video arm. But if we were to say TV audience’s exposure to social media, and the digital chatter over Twitter is actually a plus for the broadcasters, would anyone agree?

    A fine example is the reception that the singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa got for its  finale episode. It notched  up record ratings for Zee TV, and the latter says it owes a good part of the success to the role Twitter played.

    “We were pleased to partner with Twitter India and set new benchmarks in terms of digital engagement. Twitter’s real-time, conversational capabilities helped audiences connect with the show and experience its world like nothing else can. This collaboration has also helped our contestants and mentors engage better with our viewers,” a Zee Tv spokesperson had earlier shared.

    The show had gained over 25 million tweet impressions, establishing itself as the biggest singing reality TV show on the platform in India and Zee Tv’s twitter handle, @ZeeTV gained more than 100K followers in just three months.

    “#SaReGaMaPa is a great example of how a TV show can leverage a platform like Twitter to celebrate the talent of a reality show, and to foster collaboration between a TV channel, talent and fans. For the first time, a multitude of voices in the TV ecosystem (TV channel, contestants, judges and fans) came together to provide a complementary experience to the reality TV show. Twitter lit up with more than 300,000 Tweets during this iconic social TV moment, and it brought viewers closer to the show via Tweets, behind-the-scenes and highlight videos,” said Twitter India head of TV partnerships Viral Jani.

    In fact the 12 final contestants were given special attention from Twitter team as part of this partnership with Zee TV. “We got them on board the platform and gave them individual training sessions on how to use twitter better, and leverage their stardom with it. We also gave them an idea of how international singing reality stars use twitter both when live and behind the scenes,” Jani explained.

    The result was phenomenal. Contestants tweeted twice the times of  videos than the @ZeeTV handle

    And added 115 per cent more Tweet impressions to @ZeeTV handle through the season (@ZeeTV  with 9.5 million impressions), as per the data shared by Twitter India.

    Zee TV and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa aren’t the only examples of a successful twitter + TV partnership in India in the recent past.

    In July 2015, EPIC TV  and Twitter launched a unique innovation for the channel’s new campaign – #EPICat10, where in the broadcaster used the Twitter Alarm letting followers set a reminder for the 10pm shows for the first time. ColorsTV and BiggBoss created massive engagement with #BB9 viewers using native video uploads on Twitter powered by SnappyTV – including sneak peeks, uncensored videos and live tweeting with fun videos, with Twitter being the only external platform showcasing Bigg Boss videos. India Today Television has joined hands with Twitter in an exclusive partnership to conduct Twitter Town Halls that gives an opportunity to followers on Twitter to engage with newsmakers, opinion makers and other eminent personalities. Apart from  this Twitter also works in regional markets with other partners such as the Sun Network in the south and ZEEL’s  certain regional channels.

    Apart from this Star Plus, CNN IBN and IBN7 have regularly used Twitter’s live-streaming app Periscope to engage with audiences. SPNI’s SAB has also collaborated with Twitter for  brand as well as several show promotions.

    “In fact, for our recent show launches like Khidki and Y.A.R.O Ka Tashan we had collaborated with Twitter at a more comprehensive level. For Khidki, we actively scouted comic content from consumers. We partnered with the micro-blogging site to run a contest titled ‘#Tweetyourfunnystory’ and also did a live Q&A session with the producers of the show JD Majethia and Umesh Shukla on Twitter’s video-streaming app Periscope. This initiative sure got the viewers excited enough to share some of their funniest stories. We received over 12000 plus stories,” shared SAB TV EVP & business head Anooj Kapoor.

    For its show, Y.A.R.O Ka Tashan, SAB  created a unique Twitter BOT representing the Humanoid – Y.A.R.O, a lead character in its new show. The BOT replicated the characteristics of Y.A.R.O by answering all kind of question thrown at it.

    “Adding to this online campaign, we also had live outdoor hoardings in several high-traffic vantage points. Wherein, if someone was around the vicinity and happen to ask a question on Twitter with #SABKaYaro, his/her tweet and the response got displayed on this outdoor medium,” Kapoor said, adding that the broadcaster has attempted several other Twitter centric promotions in the recent past.

    The natural question is: did it have any significant impact in the channel or the shows’ popularity?

    “While we would be unable to directly measure the growth in ratings or viewership being driven from Twitter or any social medium for that matter, we can certainly say one thing that such collaborations and engagement with viewers on the online platform does drives home more youth and newer audiences for our shows. It also helps us gauge their interest levels for our concepts, opinions, feedback and these insights together help us deliver better,” Kapoor states frankly.

    When it comes finding a direct correlation between twitter engagement and a channel’s viewership ratings global info measurement leader Nielsen and  its TV and social media measurement output SocialGuide has the industry covered. In 2013, a study released by data scientists identified Twitter as one of three statistically significant variables (in addition to prior-year rating and advertising spend) to align with TV ratings.

    “Increases in Twitter volume correlate to increases in TV ratings for varying age groups, revealing a stronger correlation for younger audiences. Specifically, the study found that for 18-34 year olds, an 8.5% increase in Twitter volume corresponds to a 1% increase in TV ratings for premiere episodes, and a 4.2% increase in Twitter volume corresponds with a 1% increase in ratings for mid-season episodes,” the study read.

    Albeit the observation was sampled from 32 million unique people in the US, but similar inferences can be drawn from the study for the Indian market as well, as youth in India aren’t a world removed from the global youth when it comes to their online behaviour especially since the explosion in smartphone penetration in the country in the past three years.

    If Tweeting frequently, in greater volume and gaining traction is all there is to it, what advantages does a partnership with Twitter India give any broadcaster that its social management team can’t master on its own?

    “It’s true that being an open platform, anyone can launch their own handle and tweet. When we partner a broadcaster for a brand or show promotion, there are a bunch of advantages that come with it. Firstly we invest time with our partners to create creative strategies that they can follow on Twitter, which includes sharing data and global case studies that help them get a better idea. Secondly, we also give our partners access to certain tools and accessories that are helpful in creating inherently viral content,” answers Jani.

    This includes access to the Twitter India Blue Room that is a great platform for brands, TV personalities  to come and interact live with the twitterati. Twitter Challenger app, the Twitter Q & A app, Twitter Challenger App, Vine and the Twitter Mirror app are some of the other accessories that could be a part of the deal with each broadcaster/ brand.

    “Preferred partners are also given access to tool called Snappytv specially created for broadcasters  to allow them to beam short videos through its handles picked up from its broadcast feed in real time,” adds Jani. Twitter also gives access to its co-monetised product Amplify available to only select partners, that helps them monetise broadcasters/brands its premium content on Twitter.

    Interestingly, not all of these partnerships are commercial contracts per say, but ‘relationship building’ on the social media platform’s part. Most often Twitter only plays the role of a consultant explaining to the broadcaster on how it can use the platform better and more efficiently, without any promised monetary deal. “We work with our partners with the aim of audience growth,” Jani quips.

    So is there anything there for Twitter in these ‘philanthropic’ endeavours?

    “Globally we have seen the TV viewers tweet while watching TV, and carry the conversation online way after the show is over by following their favourite shows, or stars online. We have identified it as one of the verticals that is good to invest in. it is a mutually beneficial initiative as the broadcasters get to grow their audiences, and we get more traction and our users get good content on the platform,” Jani explains.

    And how can broadcasters leverage this to  their commercial benefit? A media planner says that the TV-Twitter metrics can be incorporated in the media planning and buying presence to identify shows with high audience engagement.

    Brands and advertisers either sponsoring or taking up FCT on a show on television can also work with the broadcasters social teams  to forge deeper conversations and engagements about the brand with the series’ audience on Twitter and vice-versa to further build buzz.

    “Collaborations such as this can build brand or show love,” says the planner.  “And it is this love of a brand which drives transactions and engagement with it.”

    Now isn’t that a win-win situation?

    (With inputs from Sonam Saini )

  • Sony SAB heralds its new show, ‘Khidki’ in an innovative way

    Sony SAB heralds its new show, ‘Khidki’ in an innovative way

    MUMBAI: Sony SAB has undertaken an innovative and unique approach in promoting one of its new shows –‘Khidki’. What defines the new mini-series is that ‘real’ life funny stories sourced from audiences from all parts of Indiawill be dramatized, developed and adapted for the small screen. With the intention of crowd sourcing such genuineand cherished stories from viewers, thec hannel has embarked on a phase-wise campaign to create awareness about the show and invite entries.

    ‘Khidki’s ongoing publicity campaign has met with considerable success generating a total of 12,345 (twelve thousand and three hundred forty-five stories), thus far! The first phase of this campaign was devised to actively scout for comic content from consumers. From partnering with the micro-blogging site – Twitter to run a contest titled ‘#Tweetyourfunnystory’, to a live Q&A session with the producers of the show JD Majethia and Umesh Shukla onTwitter’s video-streaming app Periscope, the channel has pulled out all stops in ensuring that it stokes excitement amongst consumers in sharing some of their funniest stories. Sticking to its promise of presenting viewers ‘interesting, real life stories from every corner of India’, SAB has conducted an activation program in long-distance trains like Rajdhani, Shatabadi and Garib Rath. In addition, SAB has also run multiple promos on its home channel encouraging consumers to upload their funny stories on the microsite.

    From ushering the need for people to share some of their heartfelt stories in the first phase of the campaign, SAB has now decided to add momentum to its campaign movement by undertaking initiatives to drive tune-ins for the show in the second phase. Leaving no stone unturned in creating a buzz about the new show, the channel has embarked on a 9-series illustration-based print advertising campaign, each depicting the kind of story that will be featured in Khidki. The 9-insert campaign is being released across 23 national and regional publications. Further, illustration based outdoor hoardings will be put up across 10 towns. A radio jingle sung by Actor Raghubeer Yadav will be played across Hindi speaking market (HSM) stations and local trains.

    True to its personality of successfully connecting, entertaining and engaging with viewers, SAB has decided tolaunch ‘Khidki’ in a manner no different. For a show who’s USP is ‘real’ stories, the channel has decided to ride high on the ‘relatability’ aspect by getting its SAB Family Club members to unveil the show in different cities across India.

    ‘Khidki’s’cast will feature a set of recurring actors like Sarita Joshi, Rajeev Mehta and Lubna Salim to name a few who will portray different characters in different stories, along with narration by host JD Majethia, who is also the producer of the show. Each story will be weaved in episodes designed to last for minimum of three to eight episodes, depending on the length of each story.

  • Sony SAB heralds its new show, ‘Khidki’ in an innovative way

    Sony SAB heralds its new show, ‘Khidki’ in an innovative way

    MUMBAI: Sony SAB has undertaken an innovative and unique approach in promoting one of its new shows –‘Khidki’. What defines the new mini-series is that ‘real’ life funny stories sourced from audiences from all parts of Indiawill be dramatized, developed and adapted for the small screen. With the intention of crowd sourcing such genuineand cherished stories from viewers, thec hannel has embarked on a phase-wise campaign to create awareness about the show and invite entries.

    ‘Khidki’s ongoing publicity campaign has met with considerable success generating a total of 12,345 (twelve thousand and three hundred forty-five stories), thus far! The first phase of this campaign was devised to actively scout for comic content from consumers. From partnering with the micro-blogging site – Twitter to run a contest titled ‘#Tweetyourfunnystory’, to a live Q&A session with the producers of the show JD Majethia and Umesh Shukla onTwitter’s video-streaming app Periscope, the channel has pulled out all stops in ensuring that it stokes excitement amongst consumers in sharing some of their funniest stories. Sticking to its promise of presenting viewers ‘interesting, real life stories from every corner of India’, SAB has conducted an activation program in long-distance trains like Rajdhani, Shatabadi and Garib Rath. In addition, SAB has also run multiple promos on its home channel encouraging consumers to upload their funny stories on the microsite.

    From ushering the need for people to share some of their heartfelt stories in the first phase of the campaign, SAB has now decided to add momentum to its campaign movement by undertaking initiatives to drive tune-ins for the show in the second phase. Leaving no stone unturned in creating a buzz about the new show, the channel has embarked on a 9-series illustration-based print advertising campaign, each depicting the kind of story that will be featured in Khidki. The 9-insert campaign is being released across 23 national and regional publications. Further, illustration based outdoor hoardings will be put up across 10 towns. A radio jingle sung by Actor Raghubeer Yadav will be played across Hindi speaking market (HSM) stations and local trains.

    True to its personality of successfully connecting, entertaining and engaging with viewers, SAB has decided tolaunch ‘Khidki’ in a manner no different. For a show who’s USP is ‘real’ stories, the channel has decided to ride high on the ‘relatability’ aspect by getting its SAB Family Club members to unveil the show in different cities across India.

    ‘Khidki’s’cast will feature a set of recurring actors like Sarita Joshi, Rajeev Mehta and Lubna Salim to name a few who will portray different characters in different stories, along with narration by host JD Majethia, who is also the producer of the show. Each story will be weaved in episodes designed to last for minimum of three to eight episodes, depending on the length of each story.

  • Sab TV opens its mini-series ‘Khidki’ from 28 June

    Sab TV opens its mini-series ‘Khidki’ from 28 June

    MUMBAI: Tell your funny story and relive it along with the world all over again on television! Sony SAB will now give a sneak peek into the funny incidences of the lives of their viewers with its new show, Khidki. The show’s concept revolves around stories that have been sent in by viewers all over India. Some of these select stories are being adapted into mini-series of episodes for the small screen. Khidki is slated to go on air onTuesday, 28th of June 2016, every Monday to Friday, 21:30 hours only on Sony SAB.

    The channel in partnership with well-known television producer JD Majethia and Bollywood director Umesh Shukla of Oh My God fame had called in for entries for the show in the month of March 2016. Over 8000 entries have been received by the channel, of which, some of the shortlisted stories are now ready to be presented to the world.

    The show will have a set of recurring actors like veteran Sarita Joshi, Rajeev Mehta, Lubna Salim, Aishwarya Sakhuja to name a few who will portray different characters in different stories, along with narration by JD Majethia, who is also the host of the show. Each story will be weaved into episodes designed to last for minimum of three to eight episodes, depending on the length of each story.

    SAB TV senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor said, “We at SAB have always brought unique and different concepts for our viewers. With this project we are opening the doors to those Indian families who want to share their funny stories with the world. SAB TV will provide a platform on which these stories which will be showcased, a new story every week.”

  • Sab TV opens its mini-series ‘Khidki’ from 28 June

    Sab TV opens its mini-series ‘Khidki’ from 28 June

    MUMBAI: Tell your funny story and relive it along with the world all over again on television! Sony SAB will now give a sneak peek into the funny incidences of the lives of their viewers with its new show, Khidki. The show’s concept revolves around stories that have been sent in by viewers all over India. Some of these select stories are being adapted into mini-series of episodes for the small screen. Khidki is slated to go on air onTuesday, 28th of June 2016, every Monday to Friday, 21:30 hours only on Sony SAB.

    The channel in partnership with well-known television producer JD Majethia and Bollywood director Umesh Shukla of Oh My God fame had called in for entries for the show in the month of March 2016. Over 8000 entries have been received by the channel, of which, some of the shortlisted stories are now ready to be presented to the world.

    The show will have a set of recurring actors like veteran Sarita Joshi, Rajeev Mehta, Lubna Salim, Aishwarya Sakhuja to name a few who will portray different characters in different stories, along with narration by JD Majethia, who is also the host of the show. Each story will be weaved into episodes designed to last for minimum of three to eight episodes, depending on the length of each story.

    SAB TV senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor said, “We at SAB have always brought unique and different concepts for our viewers. With this project we are opening the doors to those Indian families who want to share their funny stories with the world. SAB TV will provide a platform on which these stories which will be showcased, a new story every week.”

  • TV meets digital; Sab TV ties up with Twitter

    TV meets digital; Sab TV ties up with Twitter

    MUMBAI: Gone are the days when the social media platform Twitter was just for a casual chit chat, it is now an important tool for mainstream media. Breaking the stereotype trend, Sab TV staying true to its brand belief of ‘Differentiation through Innovation’, brings to its audience yet another unique concept- Khidki.  The channel in partnership with television producer JD Majethia and Bollywood director Umesh Shukla has called in for entries i.e. stories from the common man through Twitter – #TweetAFunnyStory.

    The brief is that entries should encompass unique yet funny stories that one has experienced in life, something that holds a special place in one’s memories and brings out the laughs. The shortlisted stories will then be presented to the world in the form of an episodic series on the channel.

    Sab TV will give an opportunity to millions of families to tell their funny stories to the world. The viewers can submit their entries on Twitter or email them to humarifunnykahani@setindia.com. The most interesting and entertaining story will be told on-screen and the family will also get a chance to be a part of the series as the story heads towards the climax.

    Until now, the channel has received around 4,000 stories.  The show Khidki will be a half-hour weekday show. Though the channel has not finalized the date as yet, it is planning to launch the show post IPL.

    Speaking with Indiantelevision.com, Sab TV senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor said, “The show will be based on real life stories. So we are asking them to send their stories and incidents to us which we shall develop into an episode. At the end of that particular episode, the person who sent that incident will get a chance to appear on the show and get to talk little more about it. This will be not only give a chance to the viewer to get the sense of complete engagement, it will also make the story extremely relative to the audiences.”

    Kapoor further added, “We have to attract such stories from various platforms and therefore the partnership with Twitter became a very obvious choice because it is very easy for twitterti to tweet the story and same could be evaluated by us.”   

    The channel is following a robust marketing strategy for Khidki. Sab TV is going all out to aggressively promote the show and invite stories through innovative marketing.

    Using a unique concept, the channel is conducting marketing activation programs in the Rajdhani Express and the Shatabdi Express and some long distance trains to engage with family commuters and invite stories.  Further, window-structured ‘Khidki’ outdoor innovations have been installed to generate a buzz around the initiative. These are in addition to the traditional media mix which includes television, print, radio and outdoor. “Besides our partnership with Twitter for #TweetAFunnyStory, we are collaborating with multiple digital platforms to generate stories,” revealed Kapoor.

    Twitter is complementary to the full experience of viewing a TV channel today, with each tweet being an opportunity for channels to strengthen relationships with their audiences. Twitter India continues to build strategic partnerships with broadcasters helping them amplify their message, drive more viewers and generate more user engagement with their content on the platform

    On the partnership between the channel and Twitter India, Twitter India TV partnership head Viral Jani said, “We are coming together and inviting stories from the platform to give consumers a platform. We amplify their effort on our platform and with this initiative we want to tell to the world that it is a great example how you can use Twitter to reach out to your consumer. There is no deal per se, but it’s a partnership which can be mutually beneficial and also beneficial for our consumers.  Sab TV is not only engaging with our users, but also giving them an opportunity to be a part of a TV show. It is just a first step in the long term relationship with Sab TV. We will be in partnership with Sab TV for more events that it is planning to launch in few months, this is just a beginning.”  

    With television being one of the largest conversation generators on the platform, Twitter aims to become the second screen to TV in India engaging audiences in real-time with the best of television content. “Twitter has always been a second screen app for TV viewers, globally and as well as in India. People watch shows on television and tweet about those shows on Twitter. They love to engage with the shows, channels and celebrities who are the part of the television series. They are interested in behind the scenes, pictures, videos, and they love to do interactions, be it for a reality television show or a new show. Twitter is like a unique platform where all of them can interact with each other. Considering this, there was a hunger from the users and the TV partners, and we believe that it’s a great thing for us and for them,” concluded Jani.

     

  • TV meets digital; Sab TV ties up with Twitter

    TV meets digital; Sab TV ties up with Twitter

    MUMBAI: Gone are the days when the social media platform Twitter was just for a casual chit chat, it is now an important tool for mainstream media. Breaking the stereotype trend, Sab TV staying true to its brand belief of ‘Differentiation through Innovation’, brings to its audience yet another unique concept- Khidki.  The channel in partnership with television producer JD Majethia and Bollywood director Umesh Shukla has called in for entries i.e. stories from the common man through Twitter – #TweetAFunnyStory.

    The brief is that entries should encompass unique yet funny stories that one has experienced in life, something that holds a special place in one’s memories and brings out the laughs. The shortlisted stories will then be presented to the world in the form of an episodic series on the channel.

    Sab TV will give an opportunity to millions of families to tell their funny stories to the world. The viewers can submit their entries on Twitter or email them to humarifunnykahani@setindia.com. The most interesting and entertaining story will be told on-screen and the family will also get a chance to be a part of the series as the story heads towards the climax.

    Until now, the channel has received around 4,000 stories.  The show Khidki will be a half-hour weekday show. Though the channel has not finalized the date as yet, it is planning to launch the show post IPL.

    Speaking with Indiantelevision.com, Sab TV senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor said, “The show will be based on real life stories. So we are asking them to send their stories and incidents to us which we shall develop into an episode. At the end of that particular episode, the person who sent that incident will get a chance to appear on the show and get to talk little more about it. This will be not only give a chance to the viewer to get the sense of complete engagement, it will also make the story extremely relative to the audiences.”

    Kapoor further added, “We have to attract such stories from various platforms and therefore the partnership with Twitter became a very obvious choice because it is very easy for twitterti to tweet the story and same could be evaluated by us.”   

    The channel is following a robust marketing strategy for Khidki. Sab TV is going all out to aggressively promote the show and invite stories through innovative marketing.

    Using a unique concept, the channel is conducting marketing activation programs in the Rajdhani Express and the Shatabdi Express and some long distance trains to engage with family commuters and invite stories.  Further, window-structured ‘Khidki’ outdoor innovations have been installed to generate a buzz around the initiative. These are in addition to the traditional media mix which includes television, print, radio and outdoor. “Besides our partnership with Twitter for #TweetAFunnyStory, we are collaborating with multiple digital platforms to generate stories,” revealed Kapoor.

    Twitter is complementary to the full experience of viewing a TV channel today, with each tweet being an opportunity for channels to strengthen relationships with their audiences. Twitter India continues to build strategic partnerships with broadcasters helping them amplify their message, drive more viewers and generate more user engagement with their content on the platform

    On the partnership between the channel and Twitter India, Twitter India TV partnership head Viral Jani said, “We are coming together and inviting stories from the platform to give consumers a platform. We amplify their effort on our platform and with this initiative we want to tell to the world that it is a great example how you can use Twitter to reach out to your consumer. There is no deal per se, but it’s a partnership which can be mutually beneficial and also beneficial for our consumers.  Sab TV is not only engaging with our users, but also giving them an opportunity to be a part of a TV show. It is just a first step in the long term relationship with Sab TV. We will be in partnership with Sab TV for more events that it is planning to launch in few months, this is just a beginning.”  

    With television being one of the largest conversation generators on the platform, Twitter aims to become the second screen to TV in India engaging audiences in real-time with the best of television content. “Twitter has always been a second screen app for TV viewers, globally and as well as in India. People watch shows on television and tweet about those shows on Twitter. They love to engage with the shows, channels and celebrities who are the part of the television series. They are interested in behind the scenes, pictures, videos, and they love to do interactions, be it for a reality television show or a new show. Twitter is like a unique platform where all of them can interact with each other. Considering this, there was a hunger from the users and the TV partners, and we believe that it’s a great thing for us and for them,” concluded Jani.