ITV

Tag: MTV

  • ‘Roadies XI’ is back with a bang

    ‘Roadies XI’ is back with a bang

    MUMBAI: The mother of all reality shows – MTV Hero Roadies – is back with Season XI which promises to be one heck of a roller coaster ride.

     

    With the tagline ‘Ride for Respect’, the new season is slated to hit TV screens on Saturday, 25 January at 7pm. The adventure will see seven boys and seven girls bike riding from desert to desert, starting with Sun City Jodhpur and culminating in the Rann of Kutch. Leading the pack will be the winner of season I of MTV Roadies, Rannvijay Singh and MTV Roadies producer, Raghu Ram.

     

    Hero continues to be the title sponsor for the show. Whereas, the channel has roped in nine associate sponsors on-board including brands like CEAT, Mountain Dew, Spraymintt mouth freshener, Karbonn tablets among others.

     

    Significantly, the new edition of MTV Roadies is all about performance sans the vote outs and group politics. So, all 14 contestants will have to prove their mettle through challenging tasks and only their track record through the show journey will get them closer to winning the title.

     

    “Every year, we try to conceptualise the theme of the show around a trending youth sentiment. It is not just about the show, audiences connect with the Roadies’ spirit of never backing down, perseverance and standing tall against all odds. We are pushing the envelope further this year by making the central theme all about the Roadies’ spirit and confidence,” says MTV India head marketing and insights Sumeli Chatterji. “So, while competition will be more intense and tasks will be more challenging; there will be no vote outs and no group politics. Every candidate will have an equal chance to show his or her mettle and win.”

     

    The reason for going ahead with the no vote-out format, producer and judge Raghu Ram says that it is just to be fair. “In the past, many have complained that deserving contestants are voted out. While for me vote out is an interesting situation, we have been blamed for encouraging politics and thus we have done away with the vote out system altogether.”

     

    But it doesn’t mean there won’t be any eliminations – a lot of other things will be introduced to make the show interesting and unpredictable.

     

    Says MTV India EVP and business head Aditya Swamy: “This year on Roadies, we have seven boys and seven girls and they will have an absolutely equal chance in the Ride for Respect. Fresh twists in the format have made Roadies India’s longest-running reality show and this year’s format breaker ensures survival only of the fittest.”

     

    Raghu, who usually gives goosebumps to the contestants with his stringent remarks, thinks that the reason behind the year after year success of the game is the love of the audience and the sheer belief that the show is a life changer for many. He remarks: “The show has made adventure and bikes a household name in India. The ten years have seen over five million hopefuls, grueling auditions, tough tasks and deserving winners. The new edition is all geared up to introduce an absolutely new avatar to everyone. What I can promise you is a triple dose of thrill, action and a lot more drama.”

     

    However, when quizzed about the flak the show has got in the past for the use of abusive language, Raghu shots back and says: “I think much has been spoken about the language and it is time people should get over it. Language is not a problem because it is a reality show. Still, this year I have tried to make sure that there is no abusive language used from my end and the focus transforms to that instead of the other things in the show.” 

     

    Apart from auditions in Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh and Pune, this year, the channel also tapped Hyderabad and Kolkata. Also, an all-India audition was conducted online.

     

    Marketing and promotion

     

    This year, the strategy is not only about driving reach across the target audience but also engaging with consumers across various touch points.

     

    A college connect program targeted at over 200 colleges sees Raghu and Rannvijay visiting the colleges and integrating with college festivals and college bike rallies across cities. “Our attempt is to integrate Roadies with city-specific events like Marathon in Pune, partnerships with malls, hangouts and clubs,” says Chatterji.

     

    The channel is reaching out to over 150 power towns across UP and Gujarat through several BTL activations.

     

    Roadies is active on social media as well with nearly 20 million visitors on its micro-site and around 7.8 million fans on Facebook. According to Chatterji, the last season clocked 65 million views online and was the most subscribed YouTube channel for a TV show.

     

    Season XI will be consumed by fans through TV episodes, web episodes, on-ground events and Roadies’ branded merchandise including sunglasses, shoes and bags.

     

    Besides, the brain behind the show, Raghu, has penned a memoir of his over-a-decade-long journey titled Rearview: My Roadies Journey, which explores the bright and not-so-bright side of this ride. Launched in Bangalore recently, the autobiography is available at Crosswords bookstores.

     

    Verdict

     

    All said, with so many youth-oriented shows from the same channel, what makes Roadies the brand it is? “This is a journey where the underdog can emerge a winner if he survives the game. This series generates intense emotions, not only from the participants and judges but also from the audience. The eliminations, tasks, contestants are always a topic of debate. You can love it, or hate it… but the youth can never ignore Roadies. This drives the social buzz and fan following,” says Chatterji.

     

    However, a media planner says: “There are a lot of youth reality shows on Indian television today. No doubt, Roadies has gained popularity over the years but people now want to see some fresh shows. Though, it’s a good property for advertisers to invest in as the show has a brand value. Having said that, it’s not really going to grab enough eyeballs as the choice of the youngsters has evolved and they would like to watch something new rather than run-of-the-mill stuff.”

     

    However, Raghu thinks that the TG identifies with the format. “The show is very young at heart. It explores human emotions very interestingly. It is not about the tasks, not about the vote-outs, but about facing circumstances and adapting to different dynamics.”

     

    Roadies will be competing with shows like Emotional Atyachar: Love, Shaq aur Dhoka on Bindaas and the repeat telecast of Dil Dosti Dance (D3) on Channel V. Media analysts think that the show doesn’t really have a competition as nothing close to the similar format will be on air on the rival channels.

  • Chrome Data: Week 3 of nothingness

    Chrome Data: Week 3 of nothingness

    MUMBAI: It looks like that TV viewers are taking a break for a while. In the week three of opportunity to see (OTS) collated by Chrome Data Analytics & Media, no major changes were witnessed.

     

    As per the data provided by the media advisory consultancy, only music channels in the Hindi speaking market (HSM) saw a rise of 1.3 per cent. MTV took over Sony Mix with a small margin as it garnered 98.1 per cent OTS.

     

    Hindi News genre in the HSM continued to be where it was last week with Aaj Tak leading the way with 93.1 per cent OTS.

     

    As for the bottom four genres, English entertainment in the eight metros saw a fall of 3.5 per cent. However, AXN continued to rule with 76.6 per cent OTS.

     

    The genre was closely followed by English movie channels which fell by 3.1 per cent. In the eight metros, Pix remained on top with 88.1 per cent OTS.

     

    English and business new channels, both in the eight metro region, witnessed a drop of 2.5 per cent and 2.4 per cent respectively.

     

    Nevertheless, Times Now continued its winning streak with 88.1 per cent while CNBC Awaaz garnered 82.8 per cent OTS.

  • Music, Hindi news genre on top in OTS week 2

    Music, Hindi news genre on top in OTS week 2

    MUMBAI: It seems the New Year celebrations are not going to fade away so easily. The TV viewers gave thumbs up to the music channels as they claimed the first position in the week two of the opportunity to see (OTS) as per Chrome Data Analytics & Media. Either too many good songs were released that kept the adrenalin-pumping of the music lovers, or they couldn’t get enough of the older songs. The genre rose by 1.3 per cent with MTV toppling over Sony Mix to top the charts with 89 per cent OTS.

     

    In fact, the genres catering to the Hindi speaking market (HSM) were on a roll this week.

     

    Call it the AAP effect or something else; the Hindi news channels too turned tables. From being in the bottom four, last week, the genre in the HSM took the second place in the top four with 1.1 per cent. Aaj Tak remained the undisputed king of the genre as week after week it has topped the ranks. This week, the channel garnered 93.9 per cent OTS.

     

    Hindi movies too saw a marginal rise with 0.4 per cent in the HSM with Sony Max being the blockbuster with 96.5 per cent OTS. Hindi GECs also didn’t stay behind and rose 0.1 per cent with DD National showing who is the boss when it comes to entertaining with 97.6 per cent.

     

    As for the bottom four, English entertainment channels failed to impress its viewers even after launching new shows. The genre saw the maximum drop with 3.5 per cent in OTS with AXN continuing to rule the roost with 79.4 per cent OTS.

     

    English movies channels too didn’t do well. The genre saw a drop of 3.1 per cent with Pix again topping the charts with 86.1 per cent OTS in the eight metros.

     

    English news as well as Business news in the eight metros were in the bottom four by registering a drop of 2.5 per cent and 2.4 per cent OTS respectively.

     

    Arnab’sTimes Now, however, never fails to impress its viewers. This time too it topped the list in the genre with 91.2 per cent OTS. As for the business news, CNBC Awaaz garnered 85 per cent OTS to be ranked one in the genre.

  • IndiaCast issues public notice about Dish TV

    IndiaCast issues public notice about Dish TV

    MUMBAI: Dish TV subscribers might have been a wee bit surprised today when they saw an IndiaCast notice in newspapers and on their TV channels informing them about a possible channel unavailability from 1 January.

    Last month Dish TV went on a hyper drive promoting its “on request channels” campaign that was designed to give TV consumers freedom of choice and give them the option of taking up a flexible package and allow India’s oldest DTH operator to generate savings.  

    As part of that scheme (which is still going on), Dish TV subscribers need to SMS or telephone its call centre and opt for the IndiaCast channels they want. Subscribers who choose not to SMS or choose to unrequest the IndiaCast channels have a reward waiting for them in the form of 100 bonus points (Rs 100) per unrequested channel, which they can redeem against the movies on demand service that Dish TV is offering. 

    The DTH operator had said that it is looking at increasing revenues and reducing content costs over a period of time. The initiative of knowing what channels consumers want would help it bring down satellite transponder and bandwidth consumption costs as it would help it decide which channels it can take off. This unbundling of packages would be a win-win situation for itself as well as subscribers.

    Now, IndiaCast has been running TV promos on all its channels and has also issued a public notice on the same issue in select newspapers.  The newspaper notice has cautioned general TV viewers who are subscribers of Dish TV “that several IndiaCast channels might not get carried on Dish TV from 1 January 2014 and that Dish TV would be offering its movies-on-demand instead.” 

    In the notice, IndiaCast has asked Dish TV subscribers to call up the DTH operator’s call centres if they want these channels to be included in their packages. Additionally, it has informed subscribers that alternatively they can get a “new connection from service providers such as Tata Sky, Airtel, Videocon, Hathway, DEN and InCable.”

    IndiaCast, reportedly, has five different agreements with Dish TV for TV18-Viacom18, Disney, UTV, Eenadu and HD channels. Out of these, three deals namely TV18-Viacom18, Disney and UTV are slated for renewal on 1 January 2014. 

    The channels that are mentioned in the advertisement – Colors, CNBC TV 18, MTV, CNN IBN, Bindass, Nick, IBN7, CNBC Awaaz, UTV Movies, History TV, Disney, Hungama, Sonic, Disney XD, UTV Action, Comedy Central, VH1, UTV World Movies, Nick Jr, Disney Junior and IBN Lokmat are a part of the three deals coming for renewal.

    Earlier this week, a case filed in The Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) by Dish TV came up for hearing in which it claimed that IndiaCast was refusing to provide signals to the DTH provider on account of the carriage fees it was charging the aggregator. The case was dismissed and a settlement was reached between the two that Dish TV will get the channels on a reference interconnect order (RIO) basis. 

  • Dish TV threatens IndiaCast with legal action

    Dish TV threatens IndiaCast with legal action

    MUMBAI: The Dish TV vs IndiaCast battle has just taken an ugly turn. India’s oldest DTH operator has fired a salvo at the aggregator by issuing a statement that claims that it has issued a legal notice to it for “the false and malafide advertisement that it issued today.”

     
    It has asked IndiaCast to cease and desist from “spreading false and malafide information” regarding channels on DishTV. 

    “All necessary steps including criminal and civil actions against Indiacast UTV and its functionaries are being contemplated,” says a Dish TV spokesperson.

    However, an IndiaCast spokesperson said that they haven’t yet received any notice from Dish TV.

    Readers may recollect that leading Indian newspapers today carried a public notice from IndiaCast stating that channels it distributes might be discontinued from Dish TV subscribers’ packages from 1 January and replaced with movies on demand unless customers message or call the DTH operator clearly saying they wanted to continue receiving them. The ads asked them to call up Dish TV or in the alternative subscribe to another cable TV or DTH service. Promos along the same lines have also been running on all the IndiaCast channels. 

    IndiaCast had issued the ad keeping in mind that DishTV is running an “on-request channel” campaign which will see channels being unsubscribed unless subscribers opt for them. The DTH operator is also rewarding subscribers with points if they choose to unsubscribe from IndiaCast channels which they can use to watch movies. 

    The channels that are mentioned in the IndiaCast notice include:  Colors, CNBC TV 18, MTV, CNN IBN, Bindass, Nick, IBN7, CNBC Awaaz, UTV Movies, History TV, Disney, Hungama, Sonic, Disney XD, UTV Action, Comedy Central, VH1, UTV World Movies, Nick Jr, Disney Junior and IBN Lokmat.

  • MTV gears up to spread election fever

    MTV gears up to spread election fever

    MUMBAI: For all those youngsters who are rather vocal about their disenchantment with the present administration but fail to exercise their right to vote, MTV is all set to drive political awareness and the need to vote among the country’s youth.

    ‘MTV Rock the Vote’, sponsored by Hero, sounds a wake-up call for all those above 18 years of age who have their own opinion to express. With India poised for general elections, there couldn’t have been a better time for MTV to launch the campaign in partnership with Rock the Vote, a US-based non profit, non partisan organisation founded 21 years ago which pushes political awareness among youth in USA, Canada and Chile.

    MTV India, EVP and business head Aditya Swamy says: “Apart from playing a huge role in pop culture, MTV has always led young people in the area of social activism. Young people have the power more than ever to make a difference. Hero MTV Rock the Vote is a movement that aims to make young people aware of this power, and to act on their right to be heard. Our partnership with Hero is truly special as both brands are genuinely committed to working with the youth to build an even more incredible India.”

    Having registered over five million young people to vote, Rock the Vote has become a trusted source of voting information for young people.

    Rock the Vote USA president Heather Smith says: “Rock the Vote is thrilled to be partnering with MTV India in this effort to encourage young people to get engaged in the upcoming elections. Rock the Vote has a long standing history with MTV and has worked to elevate the voice and concerns of young people in the United States for over 20 years. We are excited to bring this partnership to India to ensure that young people in this country are being heard by those they elect.”

    Young people have the power more than ever to make a difference, says Aditya Swamy

    MTV India head – marketing, media and insights, Sumeli Chatterjee believes youngsters today are very vocal and expressive and have a very strong point of view on things happening around them. “If they see something and are influenced by certain trends, they talk it out in social media,” she says. “Look at MTV, the way we are positioned, we entertain, we lead, we educate the youngsters about the trends that are happening across the world. We have launched this campaign to further educate people to vote in India, to further believe that you have the power to vote and bring about a change in India.”

    Apparently, the findings of a survey conducted by MTV include:

    ·  In 2014, 12 crore first-time voters will be eligible to vote, which is more than the votes won by any party during the last election.

    ·  While 32 per cent of the Indian electorate is under 30 years of age, less than 12 per cent voted during the last election.

    ·  While 97 per cent of youth agree they can bring about a change in the society, only 15 per cent claim they have a say in choosing the government

    Rocking the boat
    With a cheeky tagline that reads ‘Dabao na… button’, ‘MTV Rock the Vote’ puns on the voting button to urge first time voters to cast their vote.

    The channel has launched a series of hard-hitting, satirical five short films that re-emphasise on the need to vote; the first of which was aired on 6 December on the website  http://mtv.in.com/rockthevote/  and on Facebook and Twitter with hashtag #RockTheVote. Plans are afoot to release a new short film every Friday online and on the following Monday from 7am onwards on MTV and will be played almost every hour. 

    All the films and creatives are done by MTV’s in-house team. The funny creatives include: ‘Aur Khilao Suar ke bachon ko’, ‘You could either hand it over or show them the finger’ and ‘Sharing an ice-cream is cool but only when you can afford it’ among others.

    Sumeli Chatterjee believes youngsters today are very vocal and expressive

    Explains Chatterjee: “We will be discussing issues that are strictly confronts the youth and what is affecting their life – corruption being one. If freedom and social media is one thing that they want in India, we will discuss that. If we are saying women’s security really affects them, then we will discuss that.”

    But how is the campaign different from other election-based ad message? “If you look at our campaign and the whole movement, we have built it on three pillars of popular youth culture – Bollywood, music and humour. Humour is something which is weaving the entire campaign together,” replies Chatterjee.

    In the coming weeks, MTV plans to take its “vote” message across multiple cities through college festivals, concerts and panel discussions with policy makers. The target: 300 colleges nationwide.

    “Music is something that really brings this youth community together.  We are creating a music video with Yo Yo Honey Singh which will be released early next year and will be about the issues that the youth face. It will be out the whole power of youth coming together. They can decide the future of the nation; they can come in and vote together,” says Chatterjee.

    ‘MTV Rock the Vote’ will run till the end of the general elections 2014 and even after that. “This is the campaign which has been created only to ensure that the youth community is conversing about elections, conversing about the biggest thing that is happening next year and participating in it,” says Chatterjee.

    “The communication at this stage is focused on urging the youth to register for voting; we are telling them that it is the only way you can actually go and cast your vote. Closer to the date when the general elections are on, it will be a reminder to vote, and after the elections, it will be a gratification for all those who have actually fulfilled their responsibility and gone and voted.”

    As part of the initiative, MTV plans to host a series of panel discussions with the youth on one side and spokespersons from political parties on the other. But it will have a fun flavour to it, according to Chatterjee, who says: “This is going to be fun. It is going to be light-hearted, a very informal way because that is the younger way of discussing issues. However, at the core it is essentially a very serious discussion where we are saying that these are the issues that are given by the youth, can we find answers.”

    Youth icons Rannvijay Singh and Yo Yo Honey Singh will encourage the youth to go to their nearest voting booths and vote through a music anthem. This will be a crowd-sourced music video, and will imbibe the essence of the initiative. Many celebs have come on board as supporters. The channel hopes that rock the vote initiative will serve as a call to action. Will the fickle youth respond?

  • MTV and Rayban collaborate for upcoming bands

    MTV and Rayban collaborate for upcoming bands

    MUMBAI: Upcoming bands that are looking at getting more audiences hooked to their songs got a boost with MTV India’s partnership with Rayban on a nationwide contest called MTV Rayban Never Hide Sounds. Five best bands across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata got a chance to get mentorship from renowned musicians like Raghu Dixit, Benny Dayal, UdayBenegal, Harshdeep Kaur and Shilpa Rao.

    Genres such as sufi, rock, folk and pop were included in the contest. The five bands – Parvaaz, Rang, Frisky, Pints, Life and Nasya got a chance to collaborate on their mentors’ best tracks. The end result was a gig in each city of the bands with their mentors on their original tracks as well.

    Shilpa Rao performing live at the gig

    Speaking about the initiative, MTV India EVP and business head Aditya Swamy said, “Every young musician needs a mentor to go to the next level and this initiative does just that. Bringing together talent from two different generations has been an incredible experience and I look forward to this becoming a calendar event on the Indian music scene. It’s been an absolute pleasure working hand in hand with Ray Ban in building new talent and giving them a platform to take their music to the people.”

    Ray-Ban emerging markets business manager Shirley Gong said, “Ray-Ban Never Hide Sounds is an initiative to put forth upcoming talent.  This year we were set out to search the most unique and talented voices across various genres of Music. I am delighted to see that this approach has brought a brand new dimension to the latest edition and we have successfully completed this musical journey.”

    The Mumbai leg of the tour was on 30 November at Hard Rock Café in Andheri.

  • MTV, VH1 show-off their digital chops

    MTV, VH1 show-off their digital chops

    If you’re a television channel targeting the youth of today, there’s no way you can ignore the digital medium; be it social media or the Internet. Exactly the mantra that Viacom18’s youth entertainment channels – MTV and VH1 – hitherto positioned as general entertainment channels, are following. And we at indiantelevision.com found out just how much…

    Beginning with MTV India, it’s arguably the brand which focuses entirely on Indian youth in the age group of 15-34 years. Having started off as Music Television in 1996, the channel has lately shifted focus to reality shows with the triumvirate of MTV Roadies, MTV Unplugged and MTV Splitsville topping charts among MTV’s reality properties.

    Digitally speaking, MTV’s official facebook page boasts 5.5 million likes, with over 36 lakh fans talking about it at the same time. The channel has a presence across Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest and more than 95,000 followers at @MTVIndia on Twitter.

    Additionally, MTV India makes and promotes shows that trigger conversations on the Internet including MTV Webbed and Coke Studio as also shows which are exclusively for the web audience.

    MTV India’s official YouTube page scores more than 27 lakh subscribers with 4,019 videos including recent uploads of MTV Unplugged season three, Saturday Night Alright, Rann VJ Run, Bollywood Jasoos, MTV Webbed and so on.

    Over and above all this is MTV’s official website; the channel’s mainstay in the digital space with picture gallery, video uploads, trends and show trivia as well as snaps of hot properties like MTV Webbed, its new series Saturday Night, and many more.

    Coming to VH1; launched nearly a decade after MTV in 2005, the 24×7 pay channel caters to youngsters in the age group of 13-35 years. VH1’s official facebook page boasts 2.5 million likes, with xyz fans talking about it simultaneously. Whereas, it has nearly 36,000 followers at @Vh1India on Twitter. Recently, the channel has initiated a new activity for its show called Vh1 Throwback Thursdays, where the twitterati can suggest old songs VH1 can then play on air.

    This year, VH1 has expanded its digital reach with the launch of Vh1 HUB, Vh1 Pulse and Vh1.in; destinations where the youth can set CRBTs, stream music for free on facebook, watch hours of programmed content and stay up to speed with the happenings in the music universe.

    VH1 India’s official YouTube page has only 1,004 subscribers, and telecasts promos of its properties such as Indian Musical Compass, Karbonn Smart and Big Hit Katy Perry to name a few.

    VH1’s official website tops its comprehensive digital presence with sections like music, entertainment, videos, events, culture and contests. A special tab showcases what is trending on VH1 as well as updates of upcoming events.

    On VH1’s cards is a rhythm-based mobile game; one of the first for any music channel in the country. To be made available on Apple and Android phones and tablets, the game features fresh, never heard before pieces of music that would play in the background and add power to it.
    MTV India head digital Ekalavya Bhattacharya
    VH1, Viacom18 Media VP and business head – digital media Rajneel Kumar

    There will be a contest too titled ‘Games of Tunes’, with participation from some of the most talented independent DJs and musicians in the country who’ve worked on original compositions in the electronic music genre

    So what lies behind the digital success of these channels?

    Says MTV India head digital Ekalavya Bhattacharya: “One of MTV India’s biggest achievements is being recognized as a channel which talks back and cares for the audience. You can’t talk or give feedback to your TV set but you can talk to us via our social networks. We not only listen in to compliments by fans, we pay closer attention to things that our audience hasn’t appreciated. We’ve often actually tailored our on-air content based on the online commentary.”

    About VH1, Viacom18 Media VP and business head – digital media Rajneel Kumar says: “It is a symbiotic relationship with our viewers, where we engage with them across content, artistes, events and everything which makes their life musical.”
    VH1 not only promotes British music, it airs American reality shows on pop stars from different countries. It screens music documentaries and concert specials, live telecasts and repeats of shows like the Grammy Awards, American Music Awards and MTV Music Awards.”

    Kumar calls it a two-way process. “Since we have had a long-term interaction with our audience on social media, we now know their pulse. We understand what kind of music and lifestyle content they like and how our innovations in content and technology can suit their palate.”

    Not surprisingly, the channel has ramped up its programming with on-air and on-ground initiatives like Global Music Xpress, Dance 101, Big Brother, Vh1 Playlist, Jazz Masters, Yo Momma and tickers.

    What purpose does the channels’ social media presence serve, really?

    Explains Bhattacharya: “MTV’s digital destination isn’t just a place where an MTV fan comes to consume repeats of on air content; it is a place where we echo their interests and serve them content that is tailored to their needs. The popularity of our digital assets has changed the way we serve and develop content, massively, as well as the perception of our audience. The success of our digital platform has ensured that digital is no longer just a marketing support but a considerable revenue generating function.”

    Says Kumar: “Vh1’s social media networks are an important element of the channel’s daily engagement with its core audience. In fact, the social networks are the primary touch point for all initiatives and interactions. The channel has done and will continue to create socially-driven content for its target audience.”

    Speaking of the people who handle both channels’ digital presence; the VH1 team is based out of Mumbai and has multi-faceted resources spanning editorial, technology, creative, graphics, product and marketing while MTV India too has a 20-strong team based out of Mumbai.

    Says Bhattacharya: “MTV does not believe in compartmentalizing everyone in specific roles, because there is so much to digital, and there is a lot of creativity and science involved. We have technology, marketing, content buckets and all are bound with the thread of creativity, with a strong focus on revenue.”

    What are the channels doing to draw greater traffic to the websites?

    Says Bhattacharya: “We are not only present and active on all social platforms, we also pioneer digital innovation. For example, we are the first brand in India to have a show on Vine (Pick Me Up) and the first brand to use Whatsapp and Pinterest, heavily, in campaigns like Nano Drive with MTV and Ceat and MTV Chase The Monsoon. By engaging our audience on multiple platforms, we ensure we are constantly top of mind which consequently increases consumption of not only digital content but consumption of our shows on television.”

    Kumar says: “Vh1 is constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to social media. We work very closely with social platforms at both the product level and engagement. The next wave of innovation on social will be around the television screen and social platforms seamlessly integrated. We also continuously innovate on our campaigns for brands that work with us to deliver very strong engagement and brand message delivery.”

    For Bhattacharya, there is no specific demographic the channel caters to. “As far as a brand is concerned, everyone is a fan and each of them has an opinion and preference. The content doesn’t choose its audience; the audience chooses the content. The idea is to cater to all types of viewers with differentiated content,” he says. The problem is one property does not appeal to everyone and you can’t get everyone to love everything. Also, a viewer who is very vocal about his dislike for a certain show may not be as vocal about his liking another show on the channel.

    What are the achievements in terms of social media?

    MTV has won multiple awards for social and digital campaigns at pretty much every event. One of the biggest was when Roadies won the title of the Most Social TV Show in the world, beating the likes of Supernatural, The Glee Project, Pretty Little Liars, WWE etc. “The amount of work we put in on Roadies, specifically, on digital, is of course worth a whole new story,” says Bhattacharya.

    While Kumar says: “Vh1 has been the first mover to mark its presence on most social media platforms and continues to grow. Maintaining such a dynamic community is no less than a challenge. It has the biggest network of international music lovers in India in the shortest span of time. Plus we have multiple big ticket contests, taking our fans to the biggest gigs all over the world, there has not been a single quiet day for Vh1 online.”

  • Bindass climbs the rating ladder with content that connects

    Bindass climbs the rating ladder with content that connects

    MUMBAI: It seems content and digitisation has helped Bindass in a big way. The channel climbed the TV ratings ladder in week 46 of TAM TV ratings with 20,533 GVTs, leaving its rivals MTV and Channel [V] far behind with 14,160 and 16,576 GVTs respectively.

     

    “Both our content as well as digitisation has helped our channel to a great extent. It has helped us reach out to our core TG which is the youth,” says Disney executive director content media networks Indrajit Ray.

     

    Digitisation, according to Ray, has led to democratisation of channels. “Earlier there was limited penetration of channels and thus only the popular channels with better resources could reach every household. Digitisation has helped us to increase our reach,” he says.

     

    According to the ratings provided by Bindass, the top five shows for the week in the youth space were: Yeh Hai Aashiqui (1,852 TVTs), Channel [V] Gumraah Season 3 (1,056 TVTs), Emotional Atyachaar on Bindass (882 TVTs), MTV Webbed (628 TVTs) and [V] Crazy Stupid Love (208 TVTs).

     

    The channel has been working towards improving its GVTs for a long time now. “It is not a week’s work, but a long process. The ratings are not a result of one single promotional activity,” remarks Ray, attributing the growth in ratings to Yeh Hai Aashiqui. He also informs that the channel’s team has formulated an aggressive plan to offer more. “Currently, we have two hours of original content, we plan to increase this,” he adds.

     

    The growing number of GVTs is an indication for the channel that brand Bindass is being accepted among newer audiences. “We believe this was largely on account of its popular mass narrative based on youth themes,” remarks Ray, who also thinks that the channel has been able to strike a chord with its audience because the content reflects the thought of today’s youth in the best way. “Our content is a reflection of what the youth feels today. Relationships, which are the most important part of any youngster’s life has been underserved,” adds Ray, emphasising that Bindaas is a platform for many youngsters to raise their concerns on issues that interests them.

     

    Talking about the reach, Ray says, “We have a fair equitable reach in the Hindi speaking market. We are strong in the north and now have also become popular in west and central India. Our core TG is between 15-24 years, but we do not restrict our programming to this age group. Our shows also cater to older people.”

     

    Bindass, for Ray, is a channel that brings to the fore issues that are brushed under the carpet. “We do not sensationalise but reflect the truth,” he says with hope that the channel will continue to be on the growth trajectory.