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Tag: Kevin Vaz

  • Disney Channel readies for summer fun with new season of ‘Imagine That’

    Disney Channel readies for summer fun with new season of ‘Imagine That’

    MUMBAI: Disney Channel is all set to kick off a new season of Imagine That, returning in a brand new avatar on 18 April. This second instalment is ringing in a fresh new format led by talented DIY artist Simran Puri and actor Vishal Malhotra.

    Cello ColourUP has come onboard as the presenting sponsor, Byju’s is the powered by sponsor along with ITC Savlon as associate sponsor, while The Lego Group has taken up the role of creativity partner.

    The first season of Imagine That inspired a growing generation of young minds and garnered an unprecedented viewership; reaching out to 12.6 million kids across all its airing. The debut episode of season one was among the top five highest launches in the category in 2020; and the show was sampled by more than 36 million viewers across 2+ YRS TG and 14.1 million across 22-50 YRS TG across all its airings.

    In a similar vein, the new season will showcase different themes of art and DIY activities that will instil the importance of upcycling and utility in kids. The two hosts – Vishal and Simran will bring in a lot of energy, liveliness and fun to the show while helping shape the natural creativity and imagination in a child.

    From megatastic art installations made from recycled materials to two-minute DIY challenges and a magical mystery box that will pop up every episode, the show’s second edition promises a whole bunch of fresh new activities and challenges; reaching out to kids in a wholesome, fulfilling manner. This season will also give an opportunity to DIY experts from across India who will get to showcase their talent on the show as supermakers.

    “With our first season, we concentrated on encouraging kids to imagine, experiment and repurpose everyday items through the imaginative world of DIY and the response was truly overwhelming. This inspired us to explore a whole new format and bring in two new hosts in Vishal and Simran to make the property more engaging for kids while pushing the boundaries of their imagination and creativity,” said Star & Disney India infotainment, kids & regional entertainment channels president & head Kevin Vaz.  

  • ‘Animals Gone Wild’ with Jaaved Jaaferi comes to Nat Geo India

    ‘Animals Gone Wild’ with Jaaved Jaaferi comes to Nat Geo India

    MUMBAI: National Geographic has been on a mission to provide unique insights into the natural world and the amazing creatures that inhabit it. With a whole new approach to its authentic style of storytelling, the network is bringing Animals Gone Wild with the inimitable Jaaved Jaaferi, who will take the viewers into the unexplained and unexpected world of the animal kingdom.

    Premiering on 22 March at 8pm on National Geographic Channel in India, the show will have Jaaferi weave in his signature style of humour, wit and comedy while showcasing the most jaw-dropping and thrilling content captured of the wild animals. Adopting three entertaining, endearing and quirky avatars of Tony Tiewala – an old-school newscaster, Camouflage Ray – a wildlife filmmaker along with Gullu Guide – a dubious guide; he will uncover intriguing animal behaviour while providing fact-based and an in-depth understanding of the beast that will push the boundaries of how the world perceives the world of animals in a fun manner.

    “With Animals Gone Wild with Jaaved Jaaferi, we thought of approaching our storytelling a little differently; taking our viewers on yet another enriching and entertaining journey into the animal world with the witty and humorous touch of Jaaved while staying true to our ethos. We hope that our efforts will help the viewers better understand and care about the wonders of life on earth,” said Star & Disney India infotainment, kids & regional entertainment channels president & head Kevin Vaz.

    “We have all grown up watching National Geographic and I am a fan of how they often adopt a compelling and unique style to narrate their stories of the world we live in. I personally am a firm believer and promoter of wild life conservation and with Animals Gone Wild, we brought in a humorous approach to present and create awareness of the life and behaviour of animals around us. It’s an association that I am really truly happy about,” said Jaaferi.

  • Kevin Vaz appointed Star & Disney India infotainment & kids CEO

    Kevin Vaz appointed Star & Disney India infotainment & kids CEO

    KOLKATA:  Star & Disney India has appointed Kevin Vaz as CEO of infotainment & kids genre. However, he will continue to lead the regional entertainment channels as well. He has been given the responsibility following the stepping down of  Anuradha Aggarwal who was head of English, infotainment & Kids cluster at the company. 

    Vaz has been associated with the broadcaster for a long period. He joined as a sales executive in 1996 and went on to become the sales manager in 2000. By 2009, he was promoted to president – ad sales, where he built the monetisation engine that allowed Star to invest more aggressively in content and remain profitable at the same time.

    Read more news on Kevin Vaz

    Back in 2018, he was elevated to CEO of regional entertainment and was given the charge of heading Star India regional channels portfolio across Maharashtra, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra & Telangana, Kerala and Karnataka.

  • Star will continue to focus on existing regional channels: Kevin Vaz

    Star will continue to focus on existing regional channels: Kevin Vaz

    MUMBAI: The broadcast space is continuously evolving, with players today no longer solely focused on Hindi general entertainment channels (Hindi GECs); they’re taking to regional content in a big way. Leading broadcast networks are introducing regional channels to their network bouquet. Industry experts have also admitted that the language market is where the growth is coming from, and this will hold in the future. Indian audiences are more than willing to consume content in their respective vernacular languages.
     
    In recent developments in the regional horizon, Star and Disney India launched Vijay Music, targeting Tamil music lovers. Star Pravah, the Marathi GEC from Star Entertainment Media, has garnered the highest ratings in viewership week after week, outstripping competitors and old horses in the game like Zee Marathi. Along with this, Star has gained the leadership position in Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengal markets.

    The company attributes its string of successes in the regional space to its strong content line up. In 2018, the network put Kevin Vaz in charge of its content slate in the regions of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. He has spent more than two decades serving Star India before heading the entertainment channels in the southern market. 

    In conversation with indiantelevision.com’s Shikha Singh, Star & Disney India infotainment kids and regional entertainment channels CEO Kevin Vaz shared his perspective on the evolution of regional content in the broadcast space, the formula for success, and the plans ahead for 2021.

    Edited Excerpts:

    How do you think regional content has evolved in the Indian broadcast space? Also, how important is the regional market for you?

    Regional content has evolved manifold in the past decade due to three main factors: content innovation across screens, growth of the M&E regional ecosystem, and expansion in hours of content which has led to higher consumption.

    We have seen tremendous innovation in the regional content space – whether it is in terms of the kind of stories told, experimentation with new formats, enhancement of look and feel using technology, etc. We have also witnessed multiple players enter the regional markets and this has led to higher investment in content overall. Programming hours in regional have grown over the last few years, today the top regional GECs each have about eight to nine hours of original content in a day.

    Star India is one of the oldest players in the regional space. From investing in Vijay in 2001 to launching Jalsha and Pravah in 2008, acquiring Asianet that same year and then Maa in 2015 – we have been consistent in our regional ambitions for 15+ years.
     
    How have you seen the content and marketing strategy translate in terms of revenues and viewership? 

    Great storytelling remains the bedrock of great entertainment. Audiences are fundamentally attracted to a good story that is well told. The unmatched strength of our regional brands combined with their unique style of storytelling gives us the opportunity to forge a connection with audiences of all ages. With the right content strategy in place, everything else falls in place for the success of a channel. To give you an example, in Kerala, Asianet has been a clear leader in the Malayalam GEC space. This is a result of rich content offering (fiction and non-fiction) that continues to emotionally engage with our viewers.
     
    Can you tell us more about how each channel is performing?

    In our regional bouquet of channels, we operate in six markets and we are delighted with the stupendous performance of the channels.

    ·   In Kerala, Asianet has a 47 per cent market share (Kerala Urban 15+).

    ·   Star Maa is ruling the roost with a 41.2 per cent prime time market share within Telugu GEC AP/Telangana urban 15+. The introduction of non-fiction shows like 'Bigg Boss' has helped bring in new audiences which have contributed significantly to the overall channel performance. Star India network is the clear leader in Telugu (GEC + movies + music) with a 38 per cent market share.

    ·    In the Bangla GEC space, Star Jalsha has had a strong performance and has maintained its leadership position in West Bengal (U+R 2+)

    ·    Star Pravah has continued its strong streak and has emerged as the preferred Marathi GEC in Maharashtra and Goa (U+R 2+)

    ·    Star Vijay has always been a strong brand in Tamil Nadu, known for its non-fiction shows. Over the last two or three years, with the introduction of strong fiction programming, the channel grew by close to 300 per cent

    ·   Star Suvarna has emerged as a strong #2 in Karnataka (Urban 15+)

    Which is the strongest regional market for you?

    For us, the entire regional offering is of great significance and we continue to push the boundaries to unlock its potential in every market we are present in and offer great stories and narratives to the local audiences.  
       
    Sun TV is clearly dominant across genres, what will it take to crack the Tamil market?

    Star Vijay is a very strong brand in Tamil Nadu today. It has had phenomenal growth of close to 300 percent over the last few years which is a significant achievement. The channel has attained the leadership position in prime time and we are happy that our viewers are enjoying high-quality entertaining shows like Bigg Boss, Super Singer, Start Music, Mr & Mrs Chinnathirai, Enkitta Modhadhe, Cook with Comali, and more. We will continue to innovate and present content that the viewers can relate to.

    Which other markets look like a white space to you?

    Currently, we have a strong and well-spread regional market presence. We will continue to focus on these and bring in rich and compelling programming for families to enjoy.

    Star Pravah has acquired a leadership position in Maharashtra, what led to the success?

    Star Pravah has always strived to provide an eclectic mix of entertaining content to Marathi-speaking viewers. Every show we have launched in the past year is based on deep-rooted consumer insights and every story has relatable characters that break a social stigma. We have introduced shows which offer entertainment to its viewers, which includes Comedy Bimedy, a laugh riot for the family, Jai Deva Shree Ganesha, an 11-part mythological show based on Lord Ganesha’s most popular stories, and Jyotiba, a mythological show revolving around one of the most revered gods in Maharashtra especially in the regions of Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara.

    You already have two channels in the West Bengal market. How is the audience response?

    In our Bangla offering, we have a Star Jalsha (GEC) and Jalsha Movies (movie channel). Both the channels enjoy great affinity and are the top two channels in the market. We continue to expand on content offering that resonates with the Bangla-speaking viewers.

    With Star Jalsha, how difficult it was to gain a leadership position in the West Bengal market?

    Star Jalsha has been an iconic brand in West Bengal from its early days. It shook up the Bangla GEC market in 2008 and steered to the top position within eight months of launch. In 2019, we felt it was time to reinvent the wheel and change the overall offering to stay relevant. We asked the Bangla viewers what kind of content were they looking for and the answer we received was they want to watch strong, yet rooted female protagonists and a milieu that had a greater local flavour. So we wanted our shows to focus on three things – relevant, relatable, and progressive. From these insights were born the iconic shows – Sreemoyee, Mohor, Debi Choudharani and Mahapith Tarapith. Of these, Sreemoyee has been remade across the network, including on Star Plus, and has become a hit.

    Star Vijay has recently launched a music channel, considering the pandemic, do you think it’s a viable option to launch a new channel?

    We believe there is always scope for us to grow in the markets we are present in. In Tamil Nadu, the young generation is very musically inclined and we felt there was a gap for a dedicated music channel suiting their needs. Vijay Music is targeted at the new generation of Tamil music lovers and the channel is also determined to be a platform for nurturing new talent with an exciting line-up of reality shows. Enga pulingo lam bayangaram, Kanna paatu paadam asaiya are a few of the shows in this genre, and expect many more soon.

    The Gujarati ad revenue market size is pegged at Rs 100 crore, it is a growing market. Do you have plans to expand to new markets?

    At present, our focus is to bring wholesome quality programming for families to enjoy in the markets we are present in.

    Regional languages are predicted to be the growth driver for all the brands. How well-placed are you across the regional languages to leverage the opportunity?

    We are happy with the performance across all the regional markets we are present in. We believe that there is a lot of scope for growth and we will continue to provide high-quality content and tap into the next tier of markets for further growth.

    What growth targets do you have from regional businesses?

    As per our company policy, I will not be able to share this information.

  • How Star Pravah has emerged as the leader among Marathi GECs

    How Star Pravah has emerged as the leader among Marathi GECs

    MUMBAI: Marathi general entertainment channel Star Pravah has been on a hot streak lately. The channel, which was launched in 2008 by Star Entertainment Media, has been leading the pack for the past six weeks as per BARC India ratings and has now raced past rivals, including Zee Marathi, to clinch the title of most viewed Marathi GEC, that too by a yawning gap.

    While regional GECs have witnessed a sharp rise in viewership amid the Covid2019 pandemic, Star Pravah has managed to consistently engage more Maharashtrian viewers than its competitors over the last six weeks. According to BARC, the channel has registered 354112 impressions in million, a notch higher when compared to other Marathi GEC channels. In week 43, the channel clocked 10, 6 watch times in a billion minutes. What is the winning formula behind the channel’s recent string of successes, we wondered.

    Star Pravah credits its line-up of popular shows like Aai Kuthe Kay Karte, Rang Maza Vegla, Phulala Sugandha Maticha, and Sukh Mhanje Nakki Kay Asta. Four of its serials have featured in the top five in the last five weeks. In the non-fiction genre, Me Honar Superstar has consistently bagged the honour of best singing reality show in Marathi GEC for the last two years. 

     

     

    Source : BARC, Mah/Goa U+R, All NCCS 2+, (All Days | 24 hrs)

    Source: BARC, Mah/Goa U+R, All NCCS 2+, 24 hrs

    Be it a story centered around relatable people or a hard-hitting narrative on breaking social stigmas, the channel ensures it has something that caters to everyone’s tastes, said Star India regional entertainment CEO Kevin Vaz. “Star Pravah has always strived to provide an eclectic mix of entertaining content to Marathi-speaking viewers. Every show we have launched in the past year is based on deep-rooted consumer insights.”

    Recently, the channel has introduced programs which offer entertainment cutting across genres to viewers. These includes Comedy Bimedy, a laugh riot for the family, Jai Deva Shree Ganesha, an 11-part mythological show based on Lord Ganesha’s most popular stories, and Jyotiba, a mythological show revolving around one of the most revered gods in the regions of Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara in Maharashtra.

    Vaz further highlighted that a year back (Week 39-42’19) Star Pravah had 16 hours of original programming per week. With the determination to provide more original content, the channel has upped it to 26 hours per week. Extensive programming line-up has also helped Star Pravah to retain the top spot.

    Star Pravah has partnered with leading production houses for different shows. Rajan Shahi’s Director Cut is producing Aai Kuthe Kay Karte. The story revolves around Arundhati, a caregiver for her family, whose kids start taking her for granted  as they grow older and independent. The show deeply resonates with homemakers who face a similar attitude within their own household.

    Rang Majha Vegala produced by Right Click Media Solutions is about breaking the colour bias, inspired by a social experiment which revealed that during matchmaking, 50 per cent of the time girls are rejected on the basis of their skin colour. The show’s plot focuses on a dark-skinned girl finding her true love.

     Phulala Sugandh Maticha created by Shashi Sumeet Productions is the story of Kirti, who with the help of her husband aspires to build a career for herself post marriage.

    Panorama Entertainment’s Mulgi Zali Ho deals with the social evil of female foeticide. Maharashtra is in the top three states with the lowest female sex ratio when it comes to the second child. Mulgi Zali Ho is about one such unwanted daughter and her journey to gain acceptance from her father.

    In terms of advertising, Star Pravah has a healthy mix of both national and regional advertisers. Vaz concluded, “In fact, with the recent increase in the ratings, we are seeing an upsurge in demand for the channel not only from existing brands but also from new brands who had not advertised with us before, both at a national and regional level.”

  • Star Pravah is the preferred Marathi GEC in Maharashtra and Goa

    Star Pravah is the preferred Marathi GEC in Maharashtra and Goa

    MUMBAI: In testimony to the quality and power of its compelling content offering and the four new shows launched recently, Star Pravah has received an overwhelming response and interest from viewers in Maharashtra and Goa garnering 292 million impressions.

    Star Pravah’s commanding performance has been powered by the return of its engaging and entertaining original content in July 2020 — Sukh Mhanje Nakki Kay Asta, Jai Deva Shree Ganesha, Phulala Sugandha Maticha and Mulgi Zali Ho. These helped the channel’s content bouquet of world-class quality to connect deeply with audiences across Maharashtra and Goa, helping it become the fastest growing Marathi GEC in Maharashtra with a growth rate of 121 per cent. 

    Star India regional entertainment CEO Kevin Vaz said, “Star Pravah has always strived to provide an eclectic mix of entertaining content to Marathi-speaking viewers and we are elated at the response we are receiving from across markets. The quality of our content combined with the meticulous creative execution of storylines has made a pivotal contribution to creating a special bond with our viewers. We are committed to deepening this connection through continuous engaging content initiatives."

    Star Pravah launched four new shows in August-September 2020 to offer astounding entertainment to its viewers – Jai Deva Shree Ganesha, an 11-part mythological show based on Lord Ganesha’s most popular stories, Sukh Mhanje Nakki Kay Asta, a heartwarming story with a message – true happiness lies in the feeling of being loved, Phulala Sugandha Maticha, the story of a determined girl to achieve her dreams, and whose ambition finds support in her husband, and Mulgi Zali Ho, a poignant story of an unwanted daughter who yearns for her father’s love.

    Star Pravah plans to launch another epic mythological show Dakkhancha Raja – Jyotiba, on 23 October 2020 at 18:30 hrs. The show, featuring Jyotiba, one of the most revered Gods in Maharashtra especially in the regions of Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara, will help Star Pravah add another slot to prime time.

    Following its packaging refresh in 19 October some of the other popular shows launched were Rang Maza Vegala and Aai Kuthe Kaay Karte – both extremely relatable social and family dramas respectively. The channel had also launched the non-fiction, singing show, Me Honar Superstar, which went on to become the best singing non-fiction show in Marathi GEC in the last two years. 

  • Star Jalsha launches family game show ‘SuperStar Parivaar’

    Star Jalsha launches family game show ‘SuperStar Parivaar’

    MUMBAI: Star Jalsha has launched SuperStar Parivaar, a one-of-its-kind family game show where the woman along with her husband and relatives from her parents side, as well her in-laws, will participate as two separate teams. The uniqueness of the show lies in the fact that no matter which team loses, the family wins truckload of gifts, at the end of every round. The battle of the Bengali ‘poribaar’ airs from Monday to Sunday, at 4.30 pm only on Star Jalsha SD and HD.

    Each team will comprise of four members each. One team will be led by the wife and the other by the husband. They will be participating in four exciting gaming rounds. The winners of each round will get to choose from a host of exciting gifts that’ll be on display at the set. Star Jalsha has made it possible for the participants to walk back home with these presents on the day of participation itself. 

    Every episode will celebrate the spirit of togetherness and promises lighthearted banter, perky anecdotes, heartwarming and inspiring stories for the viewers.

    Produced by Double Half, the show is hosted by Tollywood’s leading lady, Srabanti Chatterjee, who is sure to raise the bar of the show with her sheer presence and charm. Srabanti, who has given numerous blockbuster hits over the years, was last seen as the judge in Star Jalsha’s dancing reality show, Dance Dance Junior.

    Speaking on the occasion Regional Entertainment CEO Kevin Vaz said, “With hectic schedules and busy lifestyles, people often lose out on spending quality time with family. SuperStar Parivaar from Star Jalsha is an effort to recreate fun & excitement that can be cherished by families together. It is a perfect blend of wholesome family entertainment and amusement. Our aim is to inspire family members to come together and spend quality time with each other.”

  • Star Jalsha to launch cookery show ‘Rannabanna’ on 16 March

    Star Jalsha to launch cookery show ‘Rannabanna’ on 16 March

    MUMBAI: Star Jalsha has come up with a new delicious offering for its viewers. It is all set to host “Rannabanna”- a one of a kind cookery show which will teach the viewers an array of new delicacies from across the world including local delicacies which they can cook and relish with family and friends.

    Capturing the love for food, Rannabanna, is a unique cookery show featuring a grandmother as the show host. In every episode the lovely grandmother will whip up two mouthwatering dishes for her foodie grandson. The recipes will have a traditional touch, revealing grandmother’s way of cooking as well as contemporary dishes well suited to the changing taste of the new Bengali. The warm, fun filled grandmother-grandson relationship with their common love for food will be seen for the very first time on television screen.

    Star network regional entertainment CEO Kevin Vaz said, “We are supremely attentive to the continually evolving tastes of our audience. In step with their discerning preferences, our new show, Rannabanna, promises to bring a new dimension to the otherwise routine cookery shows. We are delighted to have Adani as the presenting sponsor for Rannabanna, wherein their products under the brand Fortune, will be showcased. As a strategic partner, we look forward to a long-term association with them on the project.” “We are confident that this concept will appeal to the taste buds of our audience.”, he added.

    The show is being produced by Windows Production one of Bengal’s leading production houses. Windows has produced multiple successful cookery shows in the past featuring celebrities. Windows has also recently produced the blockbuster filmPosto, capturing the warm relationship between grandparents and a grandson.

    Fortune Rannabanna features popular actress Tanima Sen,who will be seen as the grandmother and Star Jalsha’s popular character “Gopal bhar” aka Raktim Samanta as the grandson. While Tanima adds to the love and warmth of the show, Raktim in his innocent style adds to the fun factor of the show through light hearted banter.

    Adani has come on board the show as ‘Presented by’ Sponsor showcasing their plethora of products under the umbrella brand Fortune in an integrated manner in the show. Adani Wilmar deputy chief executive officer Angshu Mallick said, "Fortune Oil always stood by the philosophy that there is nothing like home cooked food. We found Rannabanna as a concept fresh, engaging and it takes the brand ahead. The show puts the kitchen at the centre of the home and Fortune at the centre of the kitchen.With Star Jalsha and Rannabanna we found a unique proposition to reach out to the food loving Bengali audience in the true Fortune way.”

  • Star Jalsha to air new show ‘Dhrubotara’ in primetime slot

    Star Jalsha to air new show ‘Dhrubotara’ in primetime slot

    MUMBAI: This January, Star Jalsha brings to its viewers a heart wrenching tale of love, passion and sacrifice with “Dhrubotara”. It promises to tug at viewers heartstrings with its simple yet powerful depiction of complex human emotions- love,envy and hope through its engaging narrative and dynamic characters. Dhrubotara will air from 27 January onwards, every Monday to Friday at 9.30 pm, on Star Jalsha SD and Star Jalsha HD.   

    Dhrubotara revolves around the story of three contrasting personalities- Dhrubo, Tara and Agni. The story weaves together the complex relationship between the three characters. Tara has been raised by Agni’s family. She loves Agni since her childhood, so does Agni but circumstances have pulled them apart. They again get a chance to come together but influential businessman Dhrubo makes a shrewd move. Will Tara sacrifice herself to save the love of her life Agni and his family?

    Produced by Acropolis Entertainment, Dhrubotara will explore the different shades of love through intricate storytelling. The show boasts of an extremely versatile cast with Shyamoupti Mudly as “Tara”, Indrajeet Bose as” Dhrubo” and Suvajit Kar as “Agni” in the lead roles.  

    Dhrubotara Producer Snigdha Basu said, “Our relationship with Star goes back to 2013. Ever since Bodhuboron, Acropolis and Star have enjoyed a very strong relationship and we as a house have always been too keen to extend it further. With every show the bond has grown stronger. Star as a channel has always been supportive. This is proven by the fact that today from producing one show on their platform we have gone up to producing three shows. We sincerely hope that this relationship grows even further, and we keep on putting up shows that will entertain our audience for years to come.It is often said that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. This is a statement that holds true for our upcoming show Dhrubotara. On the surface of it Dhrubotara might seem like a simple love triangle, involving Tara, Agni and Dhrubo but the magic of the show lies in the intricacies of each of these relationships. The story tries to weave together the emotional and economical conflict of its characters in a way that has been rarely explored in most of the television soaps. Love, nostalgia, pride and prejudice come into play in telling a story that is unique yet rooted to its true-blue middle-class Bengali values."

    Star India regional entertainment CEO Kevin Vaz said, “Our association with Acropolis Entertainment has been nothing short of extraordinary. Together Star Jalsha and Acropolis Entertainment have presented unforgettable shows like Bodhuboron, MilonTithi and now IrabotirChupkothaand SanjherBaati,which the viewers have loved and adored. We team up yet again this time to present another unique love story to enthrall the audience once more. Dhrubotara is a modern-day love story where viewers will encounter and experience bittersweet emotions of life.We invite the viewer to be a part of this journey as our protagonists experience the familiar emotions of love, passion and of course heartbreaks. We are very excited to see the viewers reaction to the show.”

  • Star India elevates Kevin Vaz as CEO of regional entertainment channels

    Star India elevates Kevin Vaz as CEO of regional entertainment channels

    MUMBAI: Star India has promoted Kevin Vaz as CEO of regional entertainment channels. The regions include Maharashtra, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Karnataka.

    Previously, Vaz was CEO of South entertainment channels. He has spent 22 years serving Star India. Before heading the entertainment channels in Southern market, he was the business head of English cluster. In 2015, he was roped in to head the youth and entertainment channel, Channel V.

    Vaz, who has also worked as Star India’s president ad sales, became head of English channels (FX, Fox Crime, Star World, Star World HD, Star World Premiere HD, Star Movies, Star Movies Action) and Star Jalsha and Jalsha Movies in March 2013.

    Star India has a very large bouquet of regional entertainment channels which includes, Star Jalsha, Star Pravah, Jalsha Movies, Maa Movies with their HD versions, Maa Gold, Maa Music to name a few.

    Regional channels are outpacing many other genres in terms of growth and all large broadcasters have or are planning to enhance their regional channel bouquets. Most are entering markets not with just a GEC, but with a combined offering across entertainment, movies, kids and music.

    In FY18, however, the ad expenditure on Hindi GECs declined by 9 per cent while the regional channels saw a spike of 5.4 per cent, outlining the overall growth of the regional market in India, according to KPMG in India’s Media and Entertainment report 2018.

    According to FICCI 2018 Re-imagining India’s M&E sector report, the top 10 channel genres accounted for 47 per cent of total ad volumes. Of these, 30 per cent of all ad volumes were on Hindi channels, while the balance 17 per cent were from Tamil, Telugu and Bangla.