ITV

Tag: Multi Screen Media

  • “In next 3 months, we will launch female skewed shows”: NP Singh

    “In next 3 months, we will launch female skewed shows”: NP Singh

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (SET), the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) from the Multi Screen Media (MSM) stable has for long been perceived as a male skewed channel, but no longer. The channel is working on a content strategy, which will change the perception of the channel, and all this over the next three months.

     

    “A lot of our recent shows were clearly launched keeping the female audiences in mind, but it was perceived to be male centric. In the next three months, we will be launching shows, which will be focused on female audiences,” MSM CEO NP Singh tells Indiantelevision.com.

     

    It can be noted that MSM’s third GEC Sony Pal, which launched in September 2014, is currently airing repeats from Sony and Sab. The strategy has helped the channel double its viewership. So is Sony looking at reviving its old content strategy in order to improve its viewership numbers? Informs Singh, “While we have always tried making content, which is inclusive, there have been a few shows that are more male skewed. Our objective is to get more women on our channel and therefore the new lineup will have a greater appeal to female audiences, to achieve balance between male and female viewers.”

     

    Sony towards the end of June will launch Suryaputra Karn, which according to Singh will see greater traction from female audiences. “The story of Karan has never been shown on TV as a standalone and has always been a part of Mahabharat. I am sure that it will do well,” opined Singh.

     

    Of the current programming lineup, shows, which have been doing well for the channel are Maharana Pratap, Itna Karo Na Mujhse Pyaar, Hanuman, Indian Idol Junior, CID and Aahat.

     

    Sony Pal: Content Strategy

     

    The channel, which currently is airing old shows from Sony and Sab will continue with its strategy. “We will continue with it till we reach a threshold where we believe that the channel can start introducing original content. Our objective of launching the channel was to appeal to audiences in the heartland and to some degree, Pal has been able to achieve that and we are reaching out to those audiences. With the repeats of shows from Sony and Sab, we have been able to actually double our viewership on the channel. We will proceed with that strategy for some more time and then bring in original content for the channel,” says Singh.

     

    MSM and Sports

     

    The network, which currently has few of the biggest sports properties including FIFA World Cup and Indian Premiere League (IPL), apart from National Basketball Association (NBA) is looking at acquiring a lot of other new sports properties. “The announcement will be made in a couple of months,” informs Singh.

     

    When asked which sporting properties the network was looking at, Singh said, “Football is becoming very popular with the youth today, which is what we are focusing on. But, apart from that, we are also focusing on the other properties.”

     

    Talking about the just concluded IPL season eight, Singh said that the property had seen a 20 per cent plus jump in revenue as compared to season six. “We cannot really compare season seven and eight, since the last season was unique as it came in the midst of the general elections. But if we compare season six and eight, the growth has been encouraging,” he informs.

     

    While the network aired this season of IPL in six different languages, it did not sell the property separately for different language feed. “We will continue airing IPL in different languages in the future seasons, but in terms of sales, we will see if we can sell some languages separately than Hindi,” he said.

     

    The highest viewership for the league came from Sony Max, followed by Sony Six. “Within IPL, High Definition (HD) has done well as we saw growth in both revenues and viewership. There is demand for HD content in the market,” opines Singh.

     

    It can be recalled that the network launched a new channel, Sony Kix, right before IPL kick started. Throwing light on the channel Singh said, “In the past three years, MSM has aggregated a lot of sports content, which we showcased on Sony Six and in some cases on Pix. With Kix coming in, it gives us the flexibility of multiple language feeds and that’s what we did with IPL. It also gives us another platform on which we can actually showcase content, which erstwhile were sitting on other channels of the network,” he points out.

  • CPL takes a leap with SRK as franchise owner; Hero as title sponsor

    CPL takes a leap with SRK as franchise owner; Hero as title sponsor

    MUMBAI: With two-wheeler manufacturer Hero MotoCorp as title sponsor and actor Shah Rukh Khan as the owner of Trinidad and Tobago franchise, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is emerging as a substantial entity in the franchisee cricket fraternity.

     

    Both developments are of huge magnitude for the mushrooming league as Khan’s involvement will drive his fans to the sports too, which will result in increased viewership.

     

    The broadcasting right of CPL is with Multi Screen Media’s sports and entertainment channel Sony Six, which also telecasts Indian Premier League (IPL). A viewership boost will only help the channel generate more revenue.

     

    Not long back after Hero invested heavily on Indian Super League (ISL) and bagged the title sponsors tag speculations were drawn that the automobile company will permanently move away from cricket and endorse other emerging leagues. However, the one-year deal with CPL quashes all speculations. As part of the deal, CPL will now be called as Hero Caribbean Premier League, which is synonymous with other sports properties like Hero Indian Super league and Hero Hockey India League.

     

    Hero has been associated with cricket for over two decades in various capacities. In 2007, Hero was the Global Partner of the ICC World Cup, held in West Indies.

      

    Speaking to Times of India after signing the deal with CPL franchise Trinidad and Tobago, Khan said, “This is in line with our vision to expand globally. We are thrilled to become part of the cricketing tradition of Trinidad & Tobago. The passion for franchise cricket in the Caribbean is evident with the success of CPL and we hope to bring all the best practices of KKR to the T&T franchise.”

     

    Speaking about the deal, Hero MotoCorp CEO and managing director Pawan Munjal said, “Hero MotoCorp has been associated with sports, and particularly cricket, for well over two decades. The game of cricket has for long remained the most popular sport in India, and also in the Caribbean. As Hero rapidly expands its global footprint, we have been forging strong associations with sporting icons and events as part of our global brand building initiatives. Caribbean cricket and cricketers have always been highly popular in India and in many other parts of the world, and our title sponsorship of the CPL is a logical extension of our long-term association with the game. We look forward to a highly exciting month of cricket in the Caribbean.” 

     

    Hero Caribbean Premier League chairman Richard Bevan added, “It is our pleasure to have the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp, as title sponsor of CPL. Hero has been one of the leading sponsors of cricket throughout the game’s history, and it is a testament to CPL’s growing success that the event will now be known as the Hero CPL. We look forward to Hero’s support and to making season 3 of the CPL the biggest yet.

     

    CPL started two years back and has been growing in terms of both players’ participation and global viewership. Renowned international cricketers like Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi will join the Caribbean’s finest cricketers namely Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo. The tournament will also witness participation of talented local players from the Caribbean region.

     

    CPL 2014 attracted a massive global audience in excess of 65 million. This number is expected to break all previous records to post record participation of spectators from around the world.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com a senior cricket expert asserts, “Caribbean cricketers have always been the best entertainers of cricket. If we see in recent times in the IPL, it has been Gayle. Pollard and Bravo have always been crowd pullers. Indian cricketers not participating will hamper viewership in India but if quality cricket is exhibited, then people will tune in provided there is no India match happening simultaneously.”

     

    He further added, “Shah Rukh Khan owning a franchise is a big boost for the league, as he will make efforts to promote the franchise. KKR was the first franchise to start generating profit from IPL so with his business mind, he will make sure he gets good returns.”

     

    A veteran media planning expert feels that though there are big names associated with the league, it is highly unlikely that the brand interaction will go anywhere close to IPL or any other India involved cricket match. “The game is clear, you have India playing cricket… it’s a festival. You have matches played in India, it is a celebration but cricket without Indian players will find it tough to garner viewership. Hero and Shah Rukh joining the league is good news for the league as well as for the broadcaster. However, at the end of the day, it’s the quality of cricket and cricketers that will get brands and viewers.”

  • Sony Six looks to chase viewership and not brands for NBA

    Sony Six looks to chase viewership and not brands for NBA

    MUMBAI: With the National Basketball Association (NBA) telecast rights for the season in its kitty; Sony Six is taking a distinctive approach towards the sports property.

    While traditionally broadcasters chase brands to rake in ad sales revenue from its big-ticket sports franchises, Sony Six is looking at pulling in viewers for the game, which is telecast early morning on the channel.

    The channel is all set to premiere the NBA Finals featuring the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers and the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors. The NBA Finals is the championship series of the 2014–15 season of the NBA and the conclusion of the season’s playoffs.

    Speaking on the channel’s strategy to grow ‘breakfast viewership’ for the game in India, Sony Six and Sony Kix EVP and business head Prasana Krishnan tells Indiantelevision.com, “We are in the developing process now and the prime goal is not to get brands and sell inventory at this stage. Currently, we are concentrating on developing a substantial following for the sport, which will help us in the long run. We are looking at a long-term deal with NBA India and the key is viewership now. I believe it’s better not to sell instead of selling at a low rate.And that’s the reason why we never went aggressively to sell. That is not our priority at this stage.”

    Speaking about the final, Krishnan says, “Overall it has been a great season for NBA fans as uncertainties orchestrated the season. Ecstasy, agony, passion… everything was there in the series so far and if the final goes to the 7th game it will be a perfect ending for us as a broadcaster because viewers will have a worthy treat.”

    Breakfast viewership is a relatively new concept and NBA India in association with Sony Six has been pushing aggressively across different mediums to promote it.

    Upbeat about the finals, NBA India managing director Yannick Colaco says, “The love for NBA in India is growing at a brisk pace and the finals will certainly help it.We have launched various social media campaigns to garner as much traction as possible. We have also organised breakfast viewing get together with our clients.So the finals are going to be utterly exciting.”

    Speaking on the growth of the sport in India, Colaco says, “We are growing at triple digit percentile in every aspect whether it is merchandising, social media impressionsor television viewership, which is very encouraging as we see good prospect in long run.”

    While the sport may have a good prospect, it is suffering due to lack of endeavor made to promote the sport feels Madison Media Omega COO Dinesh Singh Rathod. “NBA, which is a part of breakfast viewership is there since a long time but it has been treated as another brick in the wall and no aggressive efforts were made by any broadcasters till date to properly promote a sport like NBA. Timing is another factor that plays a vital role against the development.Cricket too, if played in a time slot like this will face problems and the ad rates will go down. So overall for fans,the NBA final is a treat to watch but from a business perspective I feel lot of hard work has to be done to sell slots at a high rate,” he says.

    This is the first time since 1998 that none of the participants in the Finals are the Los Angeles Lakers, the San Antonio Spurs, or the Miami Heat. Coincidentally, this is also the first NBA Finals to not feature Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, or Dwyane Wade since 1998 and the fifth consecutive NBA Finals appearance for Cleveland teammates LeBron James and James Jones, who both played for the Miami Heat the previous four seasons. The finals feature two teams with title droughts of four decades, with the Cavaliers having never won since their 1970–71 inception and the Warriors’ last title in 1975.

  • IPL 8: MSM rakes in Rs 1000+ crore in revenue

    IPL 8: MSM rakes in Rs 1000+ crore in revenue

    MUMBAI: After defeating Chennai Super Kings by a huge margin in the final of the Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL) 2015, Mumbai Indians emerged as the champion for the second time! However, it’s not only the Reliance owned Mumbai Indians that is celebrating. IPL 2015 was also a champagne opener for Multi Screen Media (MSM), as the official broadcaster is speculated to earn an unprecedented Rs 1200 crore from the tourney.

     

    IPL 8 came in right after the ICC Cricket World Cup, which started with substantial performances from team India, which made brands go ballistic. Naysayers speculated that IPL might face the plight of brand’s fatigue. Also the Supreme Court intervention raised several questions over the integrity of the tournament.

     

    The speculations and controversies were anything but a hurdle for the progressive league feels a senior media expert. “This is the best IPL Sony has ever had since inception. They had Rs 1000 crore before the first ball was bowled. More brands associated with them and hence the inventory was packed. Hence the argument of fatigue and integrity was null and void. In fact, in my opinion, they raised more than Rs 1200 crore so IPL is here to stay and will grow bigger and better,” he said.

     

    However, a senior official from MSM says that the broadcaster fetched around Rs 1000 crore this IPL, which is on a ‘slightly’ conservative side from the speculated Rs 1200 crore figure!

     

    Not only in terms of brand engagements, IPL 2015 was a pioneer for cricketainment too, GroupM ESP national director Vinit Karnik told Indiantelevision.com, “This year I think we had the most number of last over finishes. In fact, the number of last three balls finishes was relatively high, quality of cricket was great and naturally the positive aspects reflected in the ratings, which were also higher than before. Overall, IPL just exhibited another year of exquisiteness and left a subtle answer who doubted the longevity of the tournament.”

     

    “IPL 2015 was an enlightening year, which sent a strong message about the coming generation of Indian cricket. Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Pawan Negi showed their talent and that’s the beauty of IPL. This year, the experience was even better because five teams had opportunities till the last ball of the final league match was played and only two teams were declared eliminated before the last week of the tournament. So all this signifies that the tournament is becoming more unpredictable and competitive, which is exactly what cricket lovers want. This IPL is a step back for critics and forward for the tournament,” opined former first class cricketer and veteran cricket analyst Hemant Kenkre.

     

    MSM holds the rights to the IPL till 2017 until it goes under the hammer again. When asked if there are possibilities of an increase in the broadcasting rights of the tourney, when it comes up for bidding again, Karnik said, “I certainly think it will go up and by a significant margin because the ratings are going up and in two years, it will manage to reach more people, which will naturally add to the value.”

     

    New sporting leagues in the heart of India are establishing the nation’s vision on sports but all the mushrooming leagues are dependent on a solitary revenue source and that is advertising. The first edition of Indian Super League (ISL) succeeded to garner huge publicity and hence will be in the mind of brands and so will the soon to be played Pro Kabaddi League. With this, the revenue pie is no doubt getting distributed among various avenues.

     

    When queried if this division of pie could impact cricket and whether BCCI’s low revenue generation in the previous financial year was due to that, Karnik informed, “BCCI’s low revenue was due to lack of international cricket in domestic conditions and has nothing to do with emerging leagues. Cricket in the near future is unlikely to get effected by any other sporting event. The new leagues will find a new source and at the same time new brands will associate with cricket. At this point of time, there is no competition to cricket and events like IPL with safely prevail.”

     

    MSM, in association with BCCI, launched Fan Park initiative to bring IPL action closer to cities not hosting IPL matches and that venture also saw good success. Apart from that, the broadcaster took the multilingual feed route to target regional audiences but did not monetize it separately and went for similar inventory. However, rumours are rife that after garnering good ratings from the regional feeds, MSM may have different inventories for different feeds in the coming year.

     

    Overall it remains to be seen if this mix of new and old, cricket and entertainment, brands and viewership continues to propel and establish itself as a goose that laid the golden eggs for fans, broadcasters and BCCI. 

  • Sony Six acquires telecast rights for 2015 Copa América

    Sony Six acquires telecast rights for 2015 Copa América

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s sports channel Sony Six has acquired the live telecast rights to the 2015 edition of Copa América in South Asia.

     

    The tournament serves as the international football championship for South America and is organized every four years by the CONMEBOL, the governing body for the sport in the continent. 

     

    This year’s tournament will be held in Chile from 11 June – 4 July 2015 and will be telecast on Sony Six and Sony Kix.

     

    The Copa América is one of the most prestigious and widely followed sporting events in the world, due, in large part, to the participation from football superpowers such as Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay among others. This year’s event will be the tourney’s 44th year in competition and will feature twelve teams, including the ten members of CONMEBOL and two guest sides from North America – Mexico and Jamaica.

     

    Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan, said, “The Copa América is an iconic competition with almost a centenary-long heritage behind it and we are elated to broadcast the property on our channel. With Copa America, we stand to strengthen our South American offering along with Copa Libertadores, the region’s premier club competition. The telecast of the tournament also reaffirms our position as the ‘home for international football.”

     

    The 2015 Copa América will feature some of the biggest names in football including Lionel Messi (Argentina), Luis Suarez (Uruguay), Neymar Jr. (Brazil), James Rodríguez (Colombia) and Alexis Sanchez (Chile) apart from many others. Moreover, the current titleholders, Uruguay will look to defend their crown and extend their lead in terms of the number of Copa América titles won i.e. 15, the most for any team in the competition.

  • MSM bags six Gold trophies at PromaxBDA India Awards 2015

    MSM bags six Gold trophies at PromaxBDA India Awards 2015

    MUMBAI: The second day of PromaxBDA ended with the PromaxBDA India Awards 2015 in Westin Garden City on 13 May, 2015. Shining bright was Multi-Screen Media (MSM), which managed to tot the maximum number of Gold awards for their creative showcase.

     

    UTV Entertainment Television’s Disney Channel brand campaign won Gold in Most Outstanding Station Image Campaign category while MSM’s Max 2 Brand Campaign  #JabDekhoTabNaya won the Silver in the category.

     

    MSM’s Sony Entertainment Television also won Golds galore. The first one was for Encounter_Dhobi Ghat in the Best Drama Promo category, whereas Sony bagged the second Gold for Itna Na Karo Mujhse Pyar in the Best Drama Campaign category. KBC – Neighbours also picked up a Gold in the Best Reality Promo.

     

    Times Network won a Gold for its Social Network campaign in the Best Movie Promo category. Star India also bagged a Gold for their 1st Champion – Indian Super League in the Best Sports Promo category. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited bagged a Gold for Saregama Pa Lill Champs launch in the Best Children’s Programme Category.

     

    NGC Network India’s Brain Games – 9.02 Campaign won Gold in the Most Outstanding Programme Image Campaign. Viacom18 Media’s MTV bagged Gold for Indiepedia – Hipster in the Best Interstitial category.

     

    Click here to view the detailed winners list

  • Tonic Media looks to boost brands’ growth on social media

    Tonic Media looks to boost brands’ growth on social media

    MUMBAI: Traditional marketing comprised being heard on radio and television and being seen on print and Out of Home (OOH) as part of brand campaigns. However, today a brand campaign is considered incomplete without a presence on social media. After this, sustenance through constant engagement too is key as new brands make inroads. In a scenario of clutter and cutthroat competition, digital agency Tonic Media has been aiding brands to achieve this and more. The portfolio for Tonic is quite diverse ranging from entertainment, FMCG, to quick service restaurants.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Tonic Media founder and CEO Chetan Asher says the agency had a first mover advantage since it launched in India when the digital space had not really grown here. “We did a lot of work outside the country as we have a presence in the Middle East. Trends generally break in the western part of the world first. We picked up those trends and started applying it here,” he informs.

     

    Some of the brands that complete its roster include the Multi Screen Media bouquet of channels including Sony Pix, AXN, Sony Max, Sony Entertainment Television and Sony Mix. It also works with the National Basketball Association (NBA India), eBay India, McDonald’s India and Neutralite amongst others. Tonic also works with various mobile apps and websites.

     

    Elaborating on how the team goes about designing a digital campaign, Asher says that each campaign is different and they closely work with clients as partners. “There is a lot of understanding on how inter departments work. For example, we work very closely with Sony Entertainment Television with their programming and marketing teams. They also bring in their consumer insights and research. We have a common creative pool that then brings together solutions that can be applied,” informs Asher.

     

    Tonic Media prides itself on coming up with a number of firsts like the browser – mobile integrated game for Pix. One could play a game on the browser using their mobile phones. On the ninth anniversary for eBay, it did a live interactive show with Suresh Menon, wherein he donned the hat of a bouncer and in order to get invited to a party, fans had to make him laugh. “He would personally respond to each comment and tweet that came. It was live streamed. We have done a lot of creative work, which is a first of sorts. That differentiates us from the rest,” he states.

     

    Asher is of the opinion that other digital agencies largely execute but they don’t go beyond a strategy or research that is handed over by a client. Tonic Media, on the other hand, has already built capabilities to do research and deep dives a lot into the target audience and then comes up with a robust strategy. “We have also got a lot of main line learnings and applied it to digital as finally it is about communication but the medium might differ,” Asher says.

     

    In the Middle East, Tonic Media has a team of five people while in India, it boasts of 62 employees. At any given point Tonic Media works with close to 20 to 25 brands each year. Industry experts suggest that each digital account win is approximately Rs 1 crore per year. Going by this figure, Tonic Media most likely sees minimum revenue of Rs 20 – 25 crore per year.

     

    Asher credits his young and energetic millennial team at spotting various trends.

     

    According to Asher, Tonic Media witnessed a growth of 100 per cent last year. “With some big brands already on board and our presence in the Middle East, our plan is to grow these aspects. We will also be focusing on local and international acquisitions,” he informs.

  • IPL Season 8’s growth has been unprecedented: Rohit Gupta

    IPL Season 8’s growth has been unprecedented: Rohit Gupta

    MUMBAI: The eighth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has offered all that it is known for – full houses, power packed performances and nail-biting last over match finishes.

     

    While the million dollar league offers a lot of players a chance to showcase their prowess, it also offers brands a platform that promises to multiply their reach and visibility. While Amazon India has upped itself as a presenting sponsor, brands like Hero Moto Corp, Cardekho.com and Vimal Pan Masala are debutants.

     

    Official broadcaster Multi Screen Media (MSM) started the eighth edition with a packed ad inventory. When queried as to whether there was a possibility of new brands coming on board, MSM president Rohit Gupta said, “We have an absolutely packed inventory and there is no room for new brands to explore the option this year.”

     

    It may be recalled that Sony, in association with BCCI, took an initiative to give on-ground experience to spectators who could not make it to the stadiums with Pepsi IPL Fan Park. Terming the initiative a huge success, Gupta said, “Fan Park was a joint initiative to make spectators feel more engaged. IPL is an event of happiness and joy, which can only come with mass gathering in India and Fan Park is the platform, which caters to that need of followers. There is no motive behind monetising or putting ads in Fan Parks. It’s just a joint initiative to give audience an enhanced experience.”

     

    As the television industry goes through a rating dull phase due to unavailability of official records, Pepsi IPL season 8’s reach and viewership figures cannot be determined. Not the one to be perturbed by it, Gupta opined, “There is no problem with the non-availability of ratings. We have social media analysis, which signifies much more engagement. Not only that, IPL always offers something new and extraordinary and fans closely follow the tournament.”

     

    On the response so far, he said, “The growth has been unprecedented so far and by the end of the tournament, we will have one of the best IPL in its history. All the advertisers are happy with the progress so far and that certainly makes me happy.” 

     

    IPL in its history. All the advertisers are happy with the progress so far and that certainly makes me happy.”

     

     

     

  • TAM TV Ratings: Sab moves to fourth position as Life OK topples

    TAM TV Ratings: Sab moves to fourth position as Life OK topples

    MUMBAI: Amidst speculations of a ratings dark period, the weekly TAM TV ratings have been rolled out. While Star Plus continues to rule the ratings ladder in week 15 of TAM TV ratings, the channel has seen a significant drop in its ratings along with the others.

     

    Star Plus in week 15 of TAM TV ratings scored 601567 GVTs down from the 633437 GVTs it recorded in week 14.

     

    Colors continues its strong hold at number two, even though it fell by 6719 GVTs in week 15 recording 409767 GVTs. The channel had received 416486 GVTs in the previous week.

     

    Positioned third, Zee TV registered 388914 GVTS, down from 405532 GVTs in week 14.

     

    Multi Screen Media’s comedy channel Sab has seen an improvement, as it jumped to the fourth position in the rankings chart. The channel bagged 295542 GVTs, down from 325559 GVTs that it scored in week 14.

                            

    Life OK, on the fifth position, recorded 287837 GVTs in week 15, down from 301685 GVTs in week 14.

     

    Sony Entertainment Television (SET), even with the new show launches has not been able to regain its position. The channel fell by 13918 GVTs managing 221219 GVTs in week 15 as compared to the 235137 GVTs in week 14.   

     

    Last, but not the least, the new entrant in the Hindi general entertainment space &TV saw a marginal dip in its ratings. The channel bagged 88321 GVTs in week 15 compared to the 92563 GVTs in the previous week.

  • IPL8 garners 11,983 average TVTs; witnesses 43% jump from previous edition

    IPL8 garners 11,983 average TVTs; witnesses 43% jump from previous edition

    MUMBAI: India ka Tyohaar, the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 8 is being celebrated not only by the teams on the ground, but also by its official broadcaster Multi Screen Media (MSM). According to the data released by TAM Media Research for the channels Sony Max, Sony Six and Sony Aath for the matches played between 7-11 April, this season of the IPL has seen a 43 per cent growth in the average TVTs as compared to the seventh edition.

    IPL8 has garnered 11,983 average TVTs, which is 43 per cent more than season 7 which had reported 8,364 average TVTs.  

    In the All India CS 4+, the first five matches of IPL8 were sampled by 105 million unique viewers, 9 per cent more than the 96 million that sampled IPL7. Not only this, the Time Spent by Viewers (TSV) per match was 51 minutes and 44 seconds, 22 per cent more compared to IPL7 which reported a TSV of 42 minutes 27 seconds.

    The first five matches have garnered 4.5 per cent average TVR which was 42 per cent more compared to its previous edition which had managed 3.1 per cent average TVR. The TAM data also revealed that 39 per cent of the All India Universe tuned to watch IPL8 matches.

    Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders have so far emerged as the most preferred team as the top two rated matches were played by the team. While the highest rated match was the Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Mumbai Indians held on 8 April which reported 5.4 per cent TVR, the Kolkata Knight Riders Vs Royal Challengers Bangalore held on 11 April garnered 5.3 per cent TVR.