ITV

Tag: MSM

  • Sony Six bags broadcasting rights to TNA Wrestling

    Sony Six bags broadcasting rights to TNA Wrestling

    NEW DELHI: MSM’s Sony Six is certainly turning up the heat among other leading sports broadcasters and now, further expanding its bouquet of international sporting events, it has acquired the exclusive broadcasting rights to Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling across the Indian sub-continent.

     

    Sony Six will now air all of the best TNA Wrestling programming every week including Impact Wrestling, Xplosion, Greatest Matches and Unfinished Business, along with four episodic Pay per view programs and eight One Night Only specials throughout the year.

     

    TNA Wrestling is one of the leading brands in the world of sports and entertainment, providing high excitement action across the globe. TNA is the home of ‘The Immortal’ Hulk Hogan, ‘The Icon’ Sting, ‘The Charismatic Enigma’ Jeff Hardy, Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Bully Ray, Magnus, AJ Styles, Gail Kim, TNA Knockouts Champion Mickie James and TNA World Heavyweight Champion Chris Sabin.

     

    MSM CEO Man Jit Singh said, “Wrestling is considered one of the ancient sports in the world and India with kushti has a storied tradition in wrestling. India’s recent success in international wrestling has attracted the youth in India and also captured the imagination and interest of audiences across the country. Given this national interest in the sport, we are proud to have acquired TNA Wrestling as one of our premium international sporting events. TNA Wrestling has garnered immense viewership internationally and we believe this association further reiterates Sony Six’s commitment to airing high impact alternative sports in India.”

     

    Commenting on this new initiative MSM COO N P Singh added, “Sony Six will now offer fans more than 500 hours of exciting original wrestling content every year. TNA Wrestling is a global phenomenon, producing exclusive entertainment for more than five million viewers in 14 languages each week and seen in more than 120 countries across the world. We at Sony Six look forward to building on this fascinating sport in the years to come.”

     

    Speaking about the partnership with Sony Six, TNA Wrestling president Dixie Carter said, “Everyone at TNA is thrilled at this exciting venture with Sony Six that will open up new horizons across all of India. The Indian sub-continent is home to some of the most passionate and dedicated wrestling fans on the planet – and they now have more than 500 hours of the very best in professional wrestling to enjoy. Sony Six is the perfect partner for us, thanks to their impressive and diverse range of sporting events, and we can’t wait to debut.”

     

    With Mixed Martial Arts and now wrestling introduced into the bouquet of international sports content, Sony Six will truly broadcast the best of both worlds by providing the finest action packed holistic entertainment programs for the audiences.

     

    TNA Wrestling is a privately held sports entertainment company based in Nashville, Tennessee that specialises in events, products, numerous TV properties, merchandise and music, as well as, the management and promotion of professional wrestlers.

  • MSM enters into association with KEPL to produce ‘Mango’

    MSM enters into association with KEPL to produce ‘Mango’

    NEW DELHI: Bajatey Raho, produced by Multi Screen Media in a co-production with Eros International, is the first of a slew of movies this year through the motion pictures division of MSM.

    The film is being released on 26 July which has been co-produced with Eros International. It is a revenge comedy starring Dolly Ahluwalia, Vinay Pathak, RanvirShorey, RaviKissen and Vishakha Singh.

    The next movie being produced in association with KEPL is titled Mango and has been directed by Abbas Tyrewala. It will star Rannvijay, Harman, Monali Thakur, Chandan Roy Sanyal and Swara Bhaskar.

    Image result for MSM enters into association with KEPL to produce 'Mango'

    Mango also marks the return of KEPL with a romantic comedy after Saathiya. Set in the heart of Goa, Mango is all set to recreate the same magic that Abbas created in his directorial debut movie, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. The cast of the movie includes Rannvijay, the winner of Roadies and an accomplished host who has made his mark in the film industry with his Hindi and Punjabi films. It also stars the critically acclaimed Chandan Roy Sanyal, best remembered for his role in Vishal Bharadwaj‘s Kaminey.

    Based in the calm atmosphere of modern Goa in the monsoons, this frenzied film traces one night in the life of five manic individuals, whose stories intertwine in a completely unlikely manner. It is a story of love, life, friendship, relationships and betrayal. Primary, secondary and even incidental romances share the spotlight here with the main characters where while some chase love, the others chase money here.

    Image result for MSM enters into association with KEPL to produce 'Mango'

    MSM CEO Man Jit Singh said, “We realise that there is a huge untapped market in the motion picture business and the sector has immense growth potential. We have the expertise and experience in this domain and hence it was a logical extension for us. We plan to produce movies across different genres.”

    MSM COO NP Singh added: “Mango is a rom-com with a twist. Shot in the beautiful locales of Goa the film captures the tale of five youngsters whose lives are entwined by destiny. Mango is a young film and will appeal to masses. It will break the clutter through its refreshing content and fresh casting.”

    Bobby Bedi from KEPL added, “One of my most successful films was my first foray into mainstream Bollywood – that is Saathiya – a rom-com with a difference. Today I re-enter the same space with some of my best colleagues – Abbas, who wrote Maqbool, Aradhana, who designed Fire, Allan – action director for Bandit Queen and Mulchand who has lit every single work I have ever done. Together we are producing what we believe is a really funny and fast paced film, deliciously called Mango”.

    Tyrewala said, “I‘ve never had more fun making a movie”

    Mango, with its engaging storyline portrays lives of five youngsters in the city of Goa. But, soon things are about to change in their lives.

  • TAM-Broadcaster face-off: Media agencies give their perspective

    TAM-Broadcaster face-off: Media agencies give their perspective

    MUMBAI: The mighty fallout between broadcasters and TAM Media which has left the entire television and media fraternity in a tizzy, will take some time to be mended. While leading broadcasters including MSM, Star India, Viacom18, Zee TV and Network18 obviously think it is okay to unsubscribe from TAM‘s TV ratings service, some media agencies believe that such a sudden halt is not ideal, or rather unfair.

    As ZenithOptimedia managing partner Navin Khemka puts it: “There needs to be an industry metric, a consensus has to be reached. However, just stopping something, which has been in the industry for the past 14 years, is very abrupt and I don‘t agree with it. It could take four to five months to resolve all the issues and there can be a blackout until then. But at the end of everything, an amicable solution has to be reached.”

    A media planner on condition of anonymity said that not subscribing to TAM will not solve any problem. “I expect clients to continue using TAM data. The system is not perfect but there is no alternative. You need some measurement in place. Media buying cannot be done only on the basis of perception.”

    On the contrary, Big CBS business head Anand Chakravarthy says that the company has not yet taken a decision on whether or not to continue with TAM. “We have had issues with data. We have noticed vagaries and we raised it with TAM in the past.”

    He further adds: The issues with data are obvious. A change is needed. It is good that the large broadcasters have noticed it as well. If action can result in a positive change in the ratings system then it is good. A measurement system has to serve a purpose which is helping channels understand what viewers are watching so that they can plan their content better and also help companies plan their ad and marketing campaigns better. If the measurement system is flawed then it does not help either party. You cannot have a measurement system for the sake of it.”

    Khemka throws some light on the contributing factors of this sudden decision taken by the broadcasters: “I think there are a lot of environmental factors responsible for this fallout by the broadcasters- DAS, LC1 and many other factors are at play because of which gauging the viewership has become an issue.”

    Following the fiasco, TAM Media CEO LV Krishnan proposed this morning that he was open to doing away with LC1 markets and deploying people meters elsewhere where they are needed. Asked if removing LC1 cities is a wise solution, most agencies replied in the negative.

    “If you ask me, I think that there should be national representation. Doing away with LC1 is not right and probably not the best solution,” says Khemka.

    Another media planner tells us: “The representation according to me is the issue. The sample size needs to be larger. One thing that the broadcaster‘s decision will do though is wake TAM up and make them do something. If the industry had concerns then TAM should have addressed them.”

    He also thinks that there will be conflict in the future if advertisers rely on TAM but the channels do not. “Things will become clearer in the coming days. But in doing deals if one party (channels) is not using TAM data and the other party (advertisers, agencies) is using TAM data then arguments will happen.”

    Commenting on Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the alternative suggested by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), Vivaki exchange CEO Mona Jain says: “I am fine with any organisation until they provide me an authentic viewership data. The idea for BARC has been only conceptualised. So, I won‘t be able to comment anything on this.”

    She also added that “Removing TAM in LC1 markets is not going to help anyone or the data,”

    Either way, probability hints at no ratings in the coming months. In that case, on what basis will advertisers make an informed decision? Khemka tells us the way forward: “For now, we haven‘t received an official statement about the ratings but yes, if all major broadcasters pull out, it will be very difficult for TAM to sustain itself. In the absence of ratings, we would decide on the basis of historical benchmarks and trends. Past records will be our guide.”

  • Six bags rights for Uefa Euro 2016

    Six bags rights for Uefa Euro 2016

     MUMBAI: MultiScreenMedia’s (MSM) sports channel Sony Six has added a feather in its cap in its bid to bag marquee properties that appeal to the youth.

     

    It has won the rights for the Uefa Euro 2016 soccer tourney across the Indian sub-continent. The channel will telecast live all 51 matches of the tournament. Last year’s edition aired on Neo. It has been learnt that Neo had paid around $10 million for it and the MSM deal was a substantial jump.

     

    The Euro, it is worth noting is the third most valuable soccer property behind the soccer World Cup and the English Premier League (EPL). The top European nations take part in it to find out which is the best in soccer. This acquisition is significant for Six as this marks its first entry into international football. The channel has aired the 2014 Fifa WC Qualifiers. The Euro 2016 event is the first successful acquisition of a major professional football competition by the channel.

     

    MSM CEO Man Jit Singh said, “Football has grown immensely in India over the past few years and has found great interest amongst the youth. With the successful acquisition of the Uefa Euro 2016 tournament broadcasting rights, we look forward to attracting viewership to Sony Six by leveraging on the growing popularity of European football in the country.”

     

    MSM COO NP Singh said, “We are delighted to bring one of football’s elite tournaments to the Indian viewers exclusively on Sony Six. As a broadcaster we are always in pursuit of the best of international sport and through our latest acquisition we will take the fans closer to the high impact action that the Uefa Euro 2016 promises to deliver.”

     

    Uefa marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein said, “We are pleased to welcome Sony Six to the family of broadcasters for the Uefa Euro 2016. Uefa believes that the Sony Six channel and its commitment to high quality programming and sport is an excellent home for Uefa’s flagship national team competition.”

     

    Euro 2016 will be held in France with provisional dates of 10 June – 10 July 2016. For the first time in the tournament’s history, the 2016 finals will be a 24 team tournament, having been expanded from the 16 team format that had been used since 1996. At the finals, it is proposed that teams will be eliminated using a new format of six groups of four, followed by three knockout rounds, followed by the final. France has inherited direct entry into finals.

     

    In terms of other big soccer properties the 2014 World Cup rights are coming up for grabs as well and there would be competition for that as well. MSM president network sales, licensing and telephony Rohit Gupta said that the aim is to acquire marquee properties that appeal to the youth. “We already have the IPL which is the biggest property. We have identified soccer as a sport that we need to have. Euro was a big opportunity. As other properties come along like the World Cup we will evaluate them.”

     

  • Delhi High Court directs MSM to reconnect signals of Kanpur MSO

    Delhi High Court directs MSM to reconnect signals of Kanpur MSO

    New Delhi: The Delhi high court today directed Multi Screen Media to reconnect the signals of a multi-system operator in Kanpur after it was argued that Broadcast Engineering Consultants (India) Ltd (Becil) was the only authority to certify the genuineness of a digitized set up for cable television. Justice Rajiv Shakdher directed that Becil should give its report by 17 May when the case will be heard.

    Vishal Mishra of Vishal Cable Network of Kanpur had filed the case after MSM cut off the signals without any notice on the ground that the MSO had not digitized his operations.

    Vikram Singh, counsel for the MSO argued in Court that Becil was the only authority to take a decision on such issues. In any case, he said that notice should have been issued to the MSO.

  • MSM launches Sony Mix in US on Dish Network

    MSM launches Sony Mix in US on Dish Network

    MUMBAI: Sony Mix, Multi Screen Media‘s (MSM) Hindi music channel, has launched on leading US direct-broadcast satellite service provider, Dish Network.

    Moving into the gap created by erstwhile music channels rechristened as ‘youth channels‘ and other music channels dishing out non-music content as interstitial programming, the channel is confident that viewers shall enjoy Mix as a channel that remains true to the music genre.

    Mix also aims to maintain its focus on content by producing packaged shows offering right from user generated content to people profiles executed in the most unmistakably musical fashion.

    Says Sony Entertainment Television (SET) SVP International Business and Head of North America Jaideep Janakiram, “We are proud to announce the launch of our music channel – Mix on DISH Network for the discerning South Asian lovers of Hindi film music. We are confident that MIX will connect with every viewer with its variety of music and special programming. Mix is and shall stay true to music.”

    Dish Network Director of Programming Sruta Vootukuru states, “Sony Mix‘s unique theme-based music format helps Dish deliver a better experience to our customers. Adding the Sony MIX channel compliments Dish‘s robust international programming and enhances our South Asian offerings.”

    In a related development, SET has launched its flagship HIndi general entertainment channel Sony Entertainment on RCN, the all-Digital Cable, Internet & Phone provider in New York City effective 2 April.

    The channel is part of the brand-new RCN “Sona” tier, including other premium South Asian networks.

    “We‘re very excited to announce the launch of Sony Entertainment Television in New York City,” said RCN New York General Manager Bruce Abbott. “It falls perfectly in line with our goal to continually add more networks that provide maximum entertainment and value for our customers.”

    Adds Janakiram, “At Sony Entertainment Television, we continue to lead in ways to make our programming available to the widest possible audience. We are proud to announce the launch of SET Asia on RCN and are committed to bring our viewers the best family entertainment and Bollywood blockbusters.”

  • Sony, Sab witness big leap in ratings

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television and Sab are the only Hindi general entertainment channels to have seen sizeable jump in viewership in week 13.

    As per TAM data (HSM including 5 new LC1 markets, C&S, 4+) sourced from a channel, the two Multi Screen Media (MSM) channels have become the major gainers in the week ended 30 March.

    Sab benefited from the telecast of ‘Sab Ki Holi’ on 27 March that rated a 3.1 TVR for a two-and-a-half hours run, contributing to around 15 GRPs to the channel’s total tally of 159 GRPs (last week 142 GRPs).

    Sab EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor said, “More and more families seem to be joining the SAB family with every passing week. The magic of “Asli mazaa SAB Ke Saath Aata hai” is indeed spreading. We are committed to this extended family of ours and will continue to offer exciting and entertaining content that families can sit together and enjoy. Sab ki Holi was one such initiative and we are thrilled to see the way our viewers have loved it, taking it to a unprecedented rating of 3.1 TVR.”

    Meanwhile, Set gained from the television premiere of Amir Khan-starrer ‘Talaash’ that notched a 2.3 TVR for a three-and-a half hour telecast on 30 March, fetching around 16 GRPs for the MSM flagship Hindi GEC. The channel garnered 175 GRPs (last week 155), and its new fiction show Chanchan that debuted on 25 March clocked a 1.7 TVR.. The show replaced Honge Juda na hum at the 9 pm slot, which registered a TVR of 0.4 on 21 March, its closing episode.

    Star Plus maintained the status quo with 291 GRPs, continuing to rule the Hindi GECs’ flock. The channel had aired its first ever Star Guild Awards, hosted by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, that notched up 3.7 TVR on 24 March. Almost all the fiction shows on the channel like Yeh Rishta Kya kehlata Hai (3.5 TVR), Diya Aur Baati Hum (4.6 TVR) saw a marginal dip in viewership.

    Holding on to the second spot is Zee TV with the same numbers as last week at 207 GRPs. Its Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke Holi Event recorded a whopping 3.5 TVR for three hours run on 25 March. Like Star Plus, Zee TV also suffered loss in numbers of few of its daily soaps like Qubool Hai (2.9 TVR) and Punar Vivah (1.8 TVR).

    Colors, the number 3 Hindi GEC channel lost just one GRP to conclude the week with 191 GRPs. The Viacom18 channel had aired Femina Miss India 2013 on 24 March that registered a 0.8 TVR at the 10 pm slot. The loss in numbers can be because of the audience fragmentation to Star Plus as it clashed with the Salman Khan hosted Star Guild Awards on that day. The channel‘s other shows witnessed minor changes in the ratings.

    Following Sab, at No. 6 is Life OK that lost eight GRPs to close the week with 119 GRPs. Sahara One remained at the bottom of the ladder with 22 GRPs (last week 24).

  • Industry airs views on Phase II digitisation “grace period”

    Industry airs views on Phase II digitisation “grace period”

    MUMBAI: What does the industry think about the government‘s decision to allow a grace period of 15 days for the rollout of phase II digitisation in some cities? Well, we at indiantelevision.com decided to find out by speaking to a cross section of industry to find out.

    Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) president and Multi Screen Media (MSM) CEO Manjit Singh, who is in Kolkata for the first match of the IPL, is clear that “as a broadcaster I would have preferred the government not giving any grace period. But since the ministry is more aware of the ground situation, I will go with its decision.”

    Hinduja Ventures Ltd whole time director Ashok Mansukhani believes that “if the government wanted to give a grace period of 15 days, it should have been after consultation with the MSOs who have been entrusted with the task of majorly implementing digitisation. Where it has been substantially implemented, there was no need to give a grace period. Where deployment is below 20 per cent, discussion could have been held on a longer timeline than 15 days.”

    Mansukhani adds that he would like the digitisation numbers of Phase II which are being released to be revisited for some localities. “There is some dispute about the numbers,” he says.

    He highlights that the objective of digitisation is to end under-declaration by cable TV operators. “If DAS Phase II deployment is uneven then government could have taken a two step process where pay TV channels could have been switched off first and the free to air channels later to allow for a smooth transition,” he says.

    Hathway Cable & Datacom MD & CEO Jagdish Kumar is of the opinion that from his network‘s perspective he would have preferred not to have a grace period at all. “From our perspective, we are well prepared with the ability to deploy set top boxes to almost 90 per cent of our and our joint venture networks,” he says.

    He points out that the lack of initiative on the part broadcasters to sign “digital agreements for phase II towns has been disappointing. We are working with broadcasters to get them moving. Basically, the industry is toying with a fixed fee or cost per subscriber deals.”

    DEN Networks COO M.G. Azhar is of the view that it was good the government has given the grace period keeping the consumers in mind. “Where set top boxes (STBs) have not been deployed effectively, the consumer should not face an analogue blackout,” he says.

    Tata Sky MD & CEO Harit Nagpal has the final word. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com yesterday, he had said that there was “no need for a grace period as the DTH operators are more than equipped to meet the STB demand wherever there is a shortage.”

  • Sony to buys out private equity firm’s residual 6% stake in MSM

    Sony to buys out private equity firm’s residual 6% stake in MSM

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) will buy out private equity firm Capital International‘s six per cent stake in Multi Screen Media (formerly known as Sony Entertainment Television India) to take full ownership of the Indian broadcasting company which is on a growth path.

    Earlier, SPT had bought out 32 per cent stake of the Indian shareholders in Multi Screen Media (MSM) for $271 million, taking its shareholding to 94 per cent.

    "We are going to buy out the six per cent stake of Capital International in MSM. We hope to do it by the end of this year," Sony Pictures Television president Worldwide Networks Andy Kaplan tells Indiantelevision.com.

    Kaplan, however, ruled out a public listing of the company.
    In 2000, Capital International had picked up eight per cent stake for $200 million.

    Sony‘s aggressive growth plans in India include the acquisition of regional broadcaster Maa Television Network. "We are working on it. It is a bit complicated. The acquisition will give us a foothold in the Telugu market," avers Kaplan.

    In 2012, SPT entered into a strategic alliance with Hyderabad-based Maa Television Network to acquire a 30 per cent stake. Maa TV Network operates four Telugu-language channels.

    Sony will also eye other regional acquisition opportunities in India. "We are looking at building on our own and acquiring companies. We are weighing both the options. We are looking at each region and trying to figure out what the best strategy is," Kaplan says.

    In 2009, SPT acquired Bengali channel, Channel 8.

    MSM‘s other new growth pillar would be its sports broadcasting business. The company launched Six, a sports entertainment channel, last year. It has the Indian Premier League (IPL), cricket‘s most lucrative property, as its driver content.

    “We are also looking at other sports in which the audience interest will grow. We have the NBA rights and UFC, among others. We will be aggressive for the right property if we feel that it will be a good fit for our channel. But we will not overbid,” says Kaplan.
    In terms of rights, he said that both cricket and movie acquisition costs from an industry perspective are on the higher side. “We try to be aggressive but disciplined at the same time. India is the only market where we are in the sports genre. So it is unique for us in that sense."

    Kaplan admits that India is a big international market for Sony. "As a TV market, India has been friendly towards outsiders," he says.

  • Prime Focus to showcase its Clear and digital content services technology at Nab show

    Prime Focus to showcase its Clear and digital content services technology at Nab show

    MUMBAI: Prime Focus said it will showcase some of its newest Cloud technologies, made in India for the world, at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show 2013.

    At the annual industry event, scheduled to be held in Las Vegas in April this year, Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), the technology arm of Prime Focus, will highlight how the organisation is bringing the best of its Clear Hybrid Cloud technology platform and Digital Content Services to address a new enterprise digitisation opportunity – multi-platform content production (TV, feature film and digital media).

    Created at the company’s R&D centre in Bangalore, PFT’s new solution aims to bring the production process on to a single digital platform, transforming the very manner in which producers interact with their content, partners and vendors.

    “As the technology evolves and businesses transition to the ‘new normal’, PFT continues to invest heavily in its R&D to provide solutions to its customers that put them ahead of the technology evolution curve,” says Prime Focus Technologies Founder, President and CEO Ramki Sankaranarayanan.

    He further adds “Currently, Clear is managing more than 250,000 hours of content for the broadcast industry. Our 200+ R&D employees have now brought alive the latest innovation from the PFT stable –a fully integrated content, workflow and project management solution that addresses the customer’s production process, enabled by our Hybrid Cloud technology platform. It will allow content producers to leverage digital technologies, and gain control over the production process, thereby leading to a considerable reduction in cost, and greater efficiencies.”

    India is the hub for Prime Focus’ innovation and product development. Set up in 2008, the company’s R&D centre develops the Clear Hybrid Cloud enabled enterprise digitisation platform. PFT’s focus areas include multi-platform content operations, enterprise digitisation, mobility, contextual advertising, cloud editing and content analytics.

    PFT aspires to be the unified content hub for media firms leveraging its global technology infrastructure. Since its launch major functionalities and features like cloud editing, iPad access, HTML5 player, and B2B sales and fulfillment portal have been added to the current solution at the same time developing new solutions ground-up for clients. The current investment in R&D by Prime Focus is $6 mn, and is expected to increase year-on-year over the next few years as the business scales up further.

    For content producers, the content has become digital, but the supply chain is still offline, posing challenges to unlocking inherent efficiencies. Prime Focus Technologies’ platform Clear and digital content services help broadcasters, studios, advertisers, sports bodies, news agencies, government or service providers, drive creative enablement, and enhance ecosystem efficiency.

    Prime Focus Technologies works with major content owners such as News Corporation owned Star TV network, Eros International, Sony Music, Viacom 18, MSM, BCCI, Indian Premier League, Hindustan Unilever Limited, The Associated Press, A+E Networks, Netflix, Schawk!, and WPP.