ITV

Tag: Multi Screen Media

  • Sony Six and Kix rope in multiple brands for India VS Sri Lanka series

    Sony Six and Kix rope in multiple brands for India VS Sri Lanka series

    MUMBAI: As Team India under the leadership of Virat Kohli is set to take on Sri Lanka tomorrow (12 August, 2015),Multi Screen Media’s sports expertise Sony Six and Kix have roped in multiple sponsors for the series, which comprise three Test matches.

     

    Sony Six, which acquired the series’ rights for a speculated $3.2 million, has brought on board Cricbuzz as the title sponsor along with other brands such as Idea, Apple, Royal Stag, Cycle Pure Agarbathies and Think and Learn Pvt Ltd. Additionally, the channel’s ad sales team is also in last stages of formalities with a few more brands.

     

    While the India – Sri Lanka series will be Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara’s last encounter with international cricket, it will also be the first real test of Kohli’s leadership skills.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, MSM president Rohit Gupta said, “The series is highly awaited as this becomes the first real test of Virat Kohli. Also this is the final outing for Kumar Sangakkara. Test matches have its own flare and audience and we are sure that it will garner good viewership. We have sold the slots at normal rates and are happy with the reaction from advertisers so far.”

     

    Sony Six and Sony Kix business head Prasana Krishnan had earlier said, “We are delighted to partner Sri Lanka Cricket Board as the official broadcaster of the series. The fixture between the two Asian giants is one of the most sought after and keenly followed contests in cricket and we are proud to be bringing it live to our viewers. And it will be interesting to watch how the Indian squad fares under Virat’s aggressive style of leadership.”

     

    MSM’s new launch Sony Kix will be telecasting the Hindi feed, while Sony Six will air the English version of the coverage. Krishnan is of the opinion that the India VS Sri Lanka series will play a pivotal role is enhancing the reach of the channel. “The three month old channel has already created a huge demand and the series will certainly enhance its presence,” he said.

     

    A cricket expert on condition of anonymity asserted, “The test will not only be of two teams but of the Test format. Test cricket is still the real test of skill; we saw that in Ashes recently but at the same time the format is losing it commercial value, which poses a threat over it in the long run. As a cricket fan, I am waiting for the series to unfold. I feel Harbajjan Singh will come out of the series with flying colours. Also a great of the game will be hanging his boots, which makes it all the more interesting. Overall, I would like to see quality cricket, packed stadium and overwhelming viewership statistics.”

     

    According to sources in the media planning fraternity, MSM is selling a 10 second ad slot for the India – Sri Lanka series between Rs 50,000 – 75,000.

  • Will Ronaldo-Messi heat give Sony Kix wings of fire?

    Will Ronaldo-Messi heat give Sony Kix wings of fire?

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) newest sports channel Sony Kix has been making many a headlines. The three months old mushrooming channel has acquired three ginormous properties from the world of football namely La Liga, SerieA and FA Cup.

    What’s more, its sister channel Sony Six already had international football rights of both FIFA and UEFA international matches, which will now be aired by Sony Kix. This in turn means that the channel will have quality football throughout the year be it domestic or international leagues – an offering that no other channel has in the Indian subcontinent. 

    El Classico remains one of the most watched battle in the history as Real Madrid is considered the representative of Spanish nationalism while Barcelona is viewed as representing Catalan nationalism. Besides that the battle also features Ballon d’or winner Christiano Ronaldo as well as Lionel Messi, who is often argued as the best player to ever play the game. However, what needs to be closely watched is if the battle between the two maestros gives Sony Kix the much needed wings to fly. 

    Football is a continuous game where there is absolutely no room to fit in advertisements while the match is on. Hence in India where subscription revenue is still in its nascent stage, football finds it difficult to emerge as a profitable asset for the broadcaster. 

    Nevertheless the game is widely watched in the country and as per FICCI report, it was slotted second in terms of most viewed sporting event with annual viewership of 215 million GVTs in 2014. Going by these statistics, football acquisitions will certainly help the channel to enhance its presence. 

    Speaking exclusively to Indiantelevision.com Sony Six and Kix business head Prasanna Krishnan says, “We had international action with us but what lacked was quality club football. With these new acquisitions, we will certainly have quality football actions every week, which undoubtedly makes us the footballing destination of India.”

    Post the acquisitions, Krishnan’s main focus now is proper execution, offering consumers an exquisite viewing experience. Throwing light on the primary marketing plan that has been chalked out for the same, he says, “We will curate various special programming to keep the buzz going and keep viewers in the loop. In the initial stages of marketing, we will put efforts to make people aware about the acquisitions and gradually we might venture into various on ground marketing initiatives.”

    A media planning expert asserts, “All the three properties that they have acquired have the potential to garner huge viewership and if smartly planned, they can generate some ad revenue, which obviously won’t be as much as Cricket or Kabaddi. But sports all over the world is run by subscription revenue and I feel India is also taking that route. There can be no bigger brand ambassador for a sporting venture than Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi so I feel it’s the best way for Sony Kix to kick off.”

    While the channel is available across all DTH platforms, its presence is limited to a very few cable operators and hence availability remains a key question.

    Commenting on the opportunity to see of Sony Kix, Chrome Data Analytics and Media founder and CEO Pankaj Krishna says, “The new entrant started off with a relatively low OTS of 11 per cent in Week-16 and is still struggling, according to Chrome DM data. Their current availability is 17 per cent across the 101 million homes that Chrome DM monitors, which translates to 17 million homes, vis-?-vis the leader, Ten Sports, reaching 62 million homes. With Sony’s former sports channel, Sony Six, being at 54 per cent OTS in Week 30 (as per Chrome Track 2.0), Sony Kix is yet to score higher and catch up!”

    One hopes all the football action will give the channel the perfect ratings kick-start.

  • YuppTV takes three Sony channels to Singapore market

    YuppTV takes three Sony channels to Singapore market

    MUMBAI: As part of its endeavor to provide TV viewers globally with Indian TV soaps and serials, YuppTV – the subscription-based internet TV provider, has launched Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) three Hindi channels in Singapore. 

     

    The channels are the Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC) Sony Entertainment TV and Sab as well as movies and special events channel Max.

     

    With this move, YuppTV has strengthened its offering in the Singapore region. YuppTV delivers 200+ Indian TV channels worldwide in 13 Indian languages, as Live TV.

     

    “Meeting the high demand for Indian television offerings, we are pleased to take three of India’s most popular channels to the TV viewers in Singapore. We are confident that the Indian Diaspora will be delighted to watch their favourite shows on Sony Entertainment Television, SET Max and SAB. The premium content that YuppTV is offering to the viewers across the world continues to grow and expand its scope as we add leading channels to our catalogue. This launch we trust will be the source of much pleasure to viewers across Singapore,” said YuppTV CEO Uday Reddy.

  • Arsenal VS Chelsea: When & where can India tune in?

    Arsenal VS Chelsea: When & where can India tune in?

    MUMBAI: Arsenal and Chelsea are two of the fiercest rivals in modern day football and hence the 2015 FA Community Shield is certain to become the perfect curtain raiser for European Club Football fanatics.

     

    FA Community Shield is played between the champions of Barclays Premier League and FA Cup. Chelsea is under the leadership of Jose Mourinho, won the 2014-15 league title, while Arsene Wenger guided Arsenal to their back to back FA Cup title. The duo is renowned for their sideline sillies and whenever they come together, it’s never short of action.

     

    But when and where can India see all the action?

     

    Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports boutique Sony Six and Sony Kix acquired the broadcasting rights of FA Cup and Serie A for three years (2015 – 2017) and hence will be the official broadcasters of the Community Shield match too. The rights of both the tournament were previously with Star Sports. The match will be played in Wembley Stadium and the kickoff is scheduled at 3.00 pm BST, which is 7.30 pm IST on Sunday (2 August, 2015). The SD feed can be watched at Sony Kix, while Sony Six HD will air the High Definition feed.

     

    Speaking exclusively to Indiantelevision.com, Sony Six and Sony Kix EVP and business head Prasanna Krishnan says, “Community Shield match between Arsenal and Chelsea will be the perfect way for us to begin the football year. So far in our portfolio if anything was missing, it was quality club football action. With FA Cup and Italian Serie A, we fill that need gap. Being the official broadcaster of FIFA and UEFA Euro, we already had all the major International Football tournaments in our kitty. Now we can say that we are the only sports broadcaster to provide a quality mix of international and club football action throughout the year.”

     

    As per TAM Peoplemeter system analysis, FA Cup’s cumulative reach has gone up by 27 per cent in the past two seasons. In 2013 – 14 season, the tourney secured 5.61 million but in 2014- 15 season, it went up to 7.13 million in CS4+ Target Group all over India.

     

    According to a report by KPMG, with 215 million GVTs Football remains the second most watched sports entity in India after cricket, which garnered 254 million GVTs. Sports genre plays a pivotal role when it comes to revenue generation through subscription for broadcasters.

     

    “We have to keep the fact in mind that Sony Kix is just a couple of months old and still in the developing process. With Community Shield, India VS Sri Lanka test series, the reach will get stronger. We are already there in all the DTH players and our presence in cable is also enhancing. Kix is positioned to feature football and fight sports,” asserts Krishnan.

     

    In football, the scope of generating ad revenue is very less. UEFA Champions League, which is aired on Ten Sports, has no brands associated with it. However, there is multiple special programming, which is exclusively curated to explore monetizing avenues. Pre match, post match and half time analytical programs remain the biggest slot to rope in advertisers. Also weekend reviews and previews garner good viewership.

     

    A media planning expert asserts, “Football is not cricket so putting an ad in the middle of the game is not an option. But whenever there is an injury stoppage or celebrations after goals or for that matter when the replays come in, relevant brands can be roped in as side captures or pop ups. Prime time in football begins five minutes before the match, the half time analysis program is also considered prime time in football.”

     

    “In order to monetize and generate revenue we will not intrude into the flow of sport neither will we disturb our viewers. Disturbing viewers with an ad is not how we do business,” informs Kirshnan.

     

    So no disturbances for Indian football fans this weekend, as an action packed match between Arsenal and Chelsea takes centre stage on Sony Kix and Sony Six HD. 

  • OTT platform Sony Liv produces music for ‘Indian Idol Junior 2’

    OTT platform Sony Liv produces music for ‘Indian Idol Junior 2’

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) digital video entertainment brand, Sony Liv has created and produced a musical number for Indian Idol Junior 2.

     

    The song, titled ‘Choona Hai Hume Aasman’ has been sung by the young contestants of the musical reality show. This makes Sony Liv become the first over-the-top (OTT) video on demand (VOD) platform to create and produce a musical composition.

      

    MSM executive vice president and business head – digital entertainment Uday Sodhi said, “We are thrilled at maintaining our position of being pioneers in the industry. With this beautiful melody, Sony Liv becomes the first digital OTT platform to foray into original production. The song dovetails perfectly with the spirit of Indian Idol Junior. “Choona Hai Hume Aasman” underlines the ambition and excellence that a show such as this propels the young participants to strive towards new heights. Our endeavor is to cultivate a deep connection with our viewers by constantly innovating and providing them entertainment through a variety of media and formats and continue to invest into fresh talent and make them popular on the Digital platform supported by our mainline partners.”


    Sony Liv is also the exclusive voting platform for Indian Idol Junior Season 2, besides hosting its digital telecast.

  • AIDCF asks b’casters to create level playing field for OTT & cable TV

    AIDCF asks b’casters to create level playing field for OTT & cable TV

    MUMBAI: The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) is on a roll. The multi system operator (MSO) association, which first submitted its recommendations to the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry and then to the GST Committee, has now written to broadcasters with Over the Top (OTT) platforms.

     

    The Association has written a letter to Star India, Multi Screen Media and IndiaCast Media Distribution. In the letter, AIDCF has stressed on how the broadcaster is giving content free of cost to its OTT platforms, while charging MSOs for the same content.

     

    Giving an example of Star India’s OTT platform hotstar, a source close to the development tells Indiantelevision.com, “Star India, on one hand offers simulcast or immediate transmission of fresh popular content completely free of cost to its OTT subscribers on hotstar and on the flip-side, it charges the MSOs huge sum for the same set of content.”

     

    AIDCF’s letter to broadcasters, a copy of which is with this website, reads:

     

    1) The cable industry is contributing huge subscription revenue to 

    broadcasters for the same set of content and programme.

     

    2) It contributes to a large viewership for the channels the network has.

     

    3) Also helps the broadcaster in gaining higher TRPs, which in turn leads to a better ad rate for the portfolio of channels thus increasing the advertisement revenue.

     

    The letter points out that this scenario of offering simulcast/immediate transmission of fresh content completely free of cost to OTT subscribers is not favourable for the Cable TV industry and its relationship with broadcasters, considering the growth in the subscriber base for the broadcasters’ OTT application.

     

    According to AIDCF, this is a threat to the pay TV cable business model, which defeats the purpose of paying huge license fees to broadcasters. “Some of our subscribers have started complaining saying, ‘Why should we pay you for the content, which is available free of cost via say hotstar or Sony Liv,’” informs the source.

     

    Giving free of cost content to OTT platforms is affecting the average revenue per user (ARPU) of the cable TV industry, subsequently hampering the growth of business at large.

     

    AIDCF in its letter has asked broadcasters to create a level playing field amongst respective distribution platforms. “We have requested the broadcaster to make content available on their OTT platform a paid service with a subscription fees. Alternatively, the same content should also be made available free of cost to other distribution platform,” the source reaffirms.

  • After Serie A MSM bags broadcasting rights of FA Cup

    After Serie A MSM bags broadcasting rights of FA Cup

    MUMBAI: When Multi Screen Media (MSM) CEO NP Singh said that the network was looking at building an ecosystem for football in the country, he had a foolproof strategy to back it up. The network has bagged the exclusive three-year broadcasting rights for The Emirates FA Cup from the 2015-16 to the 2017-18 season and Italian Seire A.

     

    Indiantelevision.com was the first to report about the channel acquiring the telecast rights for Italian Seire A. It can be noted that both the assets were earlier with Star India’s sports channel Star Sports.

     

    Following an agreement with MP & Silva, The Emirates FA Cup and Serie A Tim rights holder for the India sub-continent, Sony Kix will exclusively showcase live coverage from the two football properties in a bid to tap into the growing popularity of the sport in the region. These acquisitions strengthen the current portfolio of live football programming which already boasts of a strong line-up of marquee properties including the UEFA Euro 2016, Qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2016, European Qualifiers for 2018 FIFA World Cup, 2018 FIFA World Cup and Copa America.

     

    With the consistent increase in viewership for football witnessed in the past decade in India, the channel is looking to capitalise on this opportunity and provide Indian viewers with a slice of the best in football across the globe. The acquisitions come as a mode to bolster the group’s football portfolio, consolidating their position as the ultimate destination for international football. The Italian jewel of premier division football – the Serie A, along with the oldest and most historic association football competition in the world – The Emirates FA Cup, will surely add a new dimension to the channel’s library of iconic sports properties.

     

    Starting 2 August, 2015, Sony Kix will broadcast the traditional curtain raiser to the English football season, the FA Community Shield which will be played between FA Cup champion Arsenal and Barclays Premier League winner Chelsea, followed by The Emirates FA Cup.

     

    The Italian Serie A Tim Football Championship, the topmost division in professional league in Italian football, kicks-off the 2015 season on the weekend of 22 August 2015. This will be the 114th season of top-tier Italian football, featuring some of the best teams and players in international football. The channel will also showcase in-depth post-match highlights accompanied by a weekly highlight bulletin providing exclusive insights into the league.

     

    This comprehensive and holistic offering of the league will be accompanied by high quality audio and visual feed of the live matches, providing viewers with an unparalleled and enhanced viewing experience.

     

    Sony Kix and Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan said, “We are witnessing a golden era of sports viewership transition in the country, and are proud to be offering two of the world’s most renowned events in football. We have seen an overwhelming demand for football viewership in the country, and through these acquisitions, we wish to cater to that need and reiterate our commitment towards providing high quality sports content for our viewers.”

  • MSM to acquire telecast rights of Italian Serie A?

    MSM to acquire telecast rights of Italian Serie A?

    MUMBAI: Italy’s premier football championship Serie A, which was jointly aired by Star India’s Star Sports and Zee Entertainment Enterprises’ Ten Sports so far, is all set to change airwaves in India.

     

    Sources close to the development tell Indiantelevision.com that the asset is no longer associated with Star Sports and Ten Sports and will most definitely be on another network. Pertinent to note here is that while Star acquired the broadcasting rights of German Bundesliga earlier this year, it also has the English Premier League, Football Association Cup and La Liga (Spain) in its plump kitty. Besides the international assets, Star also owns the broadcasting rights of the burgeoning home-made Indian Super League (ISL).

     

    On the other hand, Ten Sports has the rights to UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, which are both continental based football championship featuring top ranked teams of leagues across Europe.

     

    It may be recalled that Multi Screen Media (MSM) recently launched Sony Kix – a paid sports channel and has been looking to acquire quality content. While the company has the broadcasting rights of the FIFA World Cup and Euro Qualifiers, it is currently relaying Copa America. Moreover, in the recent past, the broadcaster also aired the Africa Cup of Nations. The missing feather in MSM’s kitty is quality club football.

     

    During a recent interaction with this website, MSM CEO NP Singh had said, “Football is garnering huge viewership in India. Whenever and wherever there are opportunities to acquire any other football properties, we will aggressively go for it. We are working to settle a deal, which we will be able to announce in a couple of months.”

     

    Given the scenario, it is most likely that Serie A will soon be reaching viewers through MSM’s sports channels. However, when contacted to confirm the news, MSM officials refrained from giving a statement.

     

    Sony Six registered high viewership last year courtesy to FIFA World Cup, India’s tour of New Zealand. What’s more, 2015 has also been action packed so far. Serie A has many renowned players and league champion Juventus made substantial mark in European Level too as they played the final in Berlin against Spanish La Liga champion Barcelona. The league did not manage to garner high viewership in the past, since no serious coverage was done and it was often suppressed by other leagues. However, if the league is telecast by Sony Six and Kix, it will get special treatment as the tourney will be the only club league is MSM’s kitty.

     

    Football in India is opening avenues for advertisers and there are huge revenue generating possibilities that the sport offers broadcasters. A senior sports media planner opines, “We have seen pop-up banners in the bottom of the screen during EPL matches, so this can be one mode of advertising for broadcasters to look out for. Italian SerieA won’t be as popular as EPL but a Milan Derby or a match involving Juventus is certain to get eyeballs. Viewership also depends on the treatment given by broadcaster. If planned properly, it can be beneficial for the broadcaster that pockets the rights.”

     

    It now remains to be seen if indeed MSM seals the deal and whether Sony Six and Kix become the new screens for Serie A lovers in India.

  • United Mediaworks ropes in Satish Mundhe as VP – media sales

    United Mediaworks ropes in Satish Mundhe as VP – media sales

    MUMBAI: United Mediaworks has appointed Satish Mundhe as its VP – media sales, where he will be responsible in getting newer associations resulting in advertising and marketing revenue.

     

    Mundhe joins United Mediaworks after a stint of nearly a decade at Inox Leisure where he was a senior member in the ad-sales and marketing department. He was instrumental in carrying out innovative strategies for various clients and was also responsible in conducting premiers and special screenings for clients to generate additional revenue and get brand mileage.

     

    Mundhe said, “I am very glad to join United Mediaworks. They have been doing some great work and now are looking to expand their presence across markets in India. This gives me an opportunity to apply my knowledge and expertise and help them build a stronger business model. I am looking forward to working with them.”

     
    United Mediaworks co-founder and joint managing director Ashish Bhandari added, “We are glad to have Satish on-board with us. He is a highly accomplished and competent media professional. With his level of focus, dedication and commitment, we are sure United Mediaworks will achieve greater heights sooner than imagined.”

     
    With more than 15 years of experience in the marketing and sales field, Mundhe has worked with a wide range of brands like Multi Screen Media’s television channels, Axis Bank and Adlabs Imagica amongst others.

  • Sony LIV to premiere Aamir Khan’s ‘PK’

    Sony LIV to premiere Aamir Khan’s ‘PK’

    MUMBAI: Sony LIV, Multi Screen Media’s (MSM’s) digital video entertainment brand serving and streaming content both on mobile & web, is all set to bring the movie that created history.  An exceptionally well crafted movie ‘PK’ directed by Rajkumar Hirani will be premiered on 22 June onwards for a week at Sony LIV app and web. So now one can watch their favorite movie end number of times for free!

     

    Cinema lovers and Aamir Khan fans now have the chance to delve into the rib-tickling histrionics of the lovable alien played by the superstar as he questions the religious dogmas and superstitions that plague India. With Anushka Sharma, Sushant Singh Rajput, Boman Irani, Saurabh Shukla, and Sanjay Dutt in supporting roles, viewers will journey with PK as he makes satirical observations about the peculiarities of human behavior and beliefs.

     

    So whether you missed the film on the silver screen or you’d like to immerse yourself in its comical moments and applause-worthy dialogues all over again, don’t forget to tune into Sony LIV!