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Tag: Multi Screen Media

  • MSM gets ready to max it with MAX 2

    MSM gets ready to max it with MAX 2

    MUMBAI: Its good news for movie buffs as Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) long awaited plan to launch one more movie channel is rolling along fine.  And the unveiling of the new service is likely to be once both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and elections are wrapped up and done.

     

    Multi-system operators (MSOs) say they have been approached by the Sony Entertainment Network (led by TheOneAlliance team) to keep aside space on their networks for two channels by May-end- early-June. 

     

    One of these according to MSOs is the movie channel which has been christened as MAX 2 while the other a GEC has not yet been given a name. The GEC is likely to work as a third flanking GEC to both Sony and SAB. And the management is introducing it to take advantage of the monetisation opportunities digitisation is expected to bring with it.

     

    Star India has in recent times been hyperactive by re-launching its Star Sports services under different brands like 1,2,3,4 and also flagging off Life OK to help absorb advertising inventory which cannot be absorbed by the market leader Star Plus. Ditto with Zee TV which has introduced &pictures while Colors debuted Rishtey India. Sony which has relatively been playing low-key was expected to up the ante and its impetus to launch new services such as the two channels is only expected.   

     

    Await detailed report…

  • Sony Liv signs distribution deal with BoxTV

    Sony Liv signs distribution deal with BoxTV

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s video on demand service Sony Liv has inked a deal with Times Internet’s BoxTV to make its video content available on BoxTV’s website. The service will be available to BoxTV users worldwide.

    Speaking on the development, Sony Entertainment Network executive VP – new media, business development and digital/syndication Nitesh Kripalani said in a press statement, “Our vision is to make Sony Liv the leader in Video Entertainment and to reach audiences, both organically and inorganically. We need to expand our reach and be where our consumers are. This distribution partnership with Box TV is a step in fulfilling our vision.”

    BoxTV users will get to see over 18 years of content from Sony’s stable, covering genres including drama, comedy, thriller and many more on the platform. The content will include currently running shows that BoxTV users can watch across MSM’s leading channels – Sony and Sab. In addition to original complete content, the deal will also include content made specifically for the web that include sneak peek videos, “Quickisodes” and “Short-crunch” episodes.

    BoxTV business head Pandurang Nayak added, “We are very happy to bring Sony Liv’s content for BoxTV users. The association is also a big new leap for BoxTV where we’re building more and more on the platform through aggregation of content via unique tie-ups with existing digital brands like Sony Liv. We believe that this enhances the experience for users to get more at a single destination and enables content brands like Sony Liv to reach out to wider base of audience, creating a win-win for both our services, with the end-user reaping the maximum benefit.  It is an exciting step forward for us to build BoxTV as a platform of choice for both premium content owners and users alike.” 

  • Sony Pix’s digital dreams

    Sony Pix’s digital dreams

    If in doubt about the formidable reputation that social media enjoys today, look no further than these figures: There are over 9 crore people on Facebook and 3 crore people on Twitter in India alone.

    Not surprisingly, everyone who is someone is in a tearing hurry to build their equity on this platform. Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) English movie channel, Sony Pix, is no different except that it aims to break the clutter in social media, much as it has done in the television space.

    Sony Pix EVP and business head Saurabh Yagnik says: “We look at social media as an extension of Pix’s personality in that space.

    We believe that the content that we put there is consumed on the second screen, so it’s very important for us to be effective and engage well with social media.”

    Unlike many others who till recently only spoke of the number of fans or likes or followers on a page, Pix believes in more significant metrics like the number of people talking about or engaging in a conversation on the page.  

    “Our focus has clearly been that whenever Pix does something, there is a huge level of engagement that happens and when we look at big campaigns, there is the television, print and digital medium; all of that together constitutes a comprehensive marketing plan,” explains Yagnik.

    “In terms of the overall build up, after television, social media is the most significant. Because with social media, we get a clear 10-15 days window in which, we can establish and keep building the property before its premiere on television. Unlike print, which is more here and now, on social media, you can build up the engagement over a longer period of time in a cost-effective manner.”

    On facebook, Pix boasts 1.77 million likes coupled with nearly 12 to 15 per cent activity, which implies that at any point in time, there are nearly 200,000 plus people actively commenting, sharing, liking and interacting on facebook. On Twitter too, the channel has 37,100 followers with many of its campaigns having trended both in India and world-wide.

    Campaigns

    Pix has carried out campaigns around premieres including Men in Black 3, The Amazing Spiderman, Hobbit and Skyfall both on television and on social media. “We always witness lot of traction on social media when we have big premieres. We always have certain themes to the premieres,” says Yagnik.

    MIB 3 was about anti-alien day, where Pix said eliminating various kinds of aliens from society was the need of the hour. Hash tags were displayed on the TV screen during the premiere, encouraging people to tweet about the film.

    “We were trending through the day at number one and two in India. The anti-alien day campaign trended even worldwide at number four, so it was really encouraging,” beams Yagnik.

    With The Amazing Spiderman, Pix pitched the campaign around the amazing people in each person’s life, creating a web of amazing characters and stars.

    In case of Hobbit, the prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the campaign was based on the thought, ‘where it all began’ and conversations were built around this. “We gave a lot of trivia around the sets, locations, costumes, kind of prosthetics that were used. And we went a step ahead with the campaign by getting Hollywood celebrities to say ‘where it all began’,” recalls Yagnik. Pix then posted stories of Sylvester Stallone facing such dire times that he had to sell his dog for Rocky and Jennifer Lopez travelling in buses and trains singing songs, thus giving the whole thing a human touch.

    Skyfall had an interactive game around the mission to save MI-6 and it went so far as to call every player and inform him/her of his mission as a build-up to the premiere. During the premiere, a code was required to be entered as the finale to the game and winners were ferried to the Warner Motion Pictures exhibition in London.

    In a separate initiative, Pix’s very own Hollywood insider, Notty Pixy, was received very well, along with her fashion tips and Hollywood inside gossip. Pix got Notty Pixy to take over twitter on one particular day of the week with her personality reflecting in the posts going out on facebook as well.

    Finally, the Premiere Pixathon was around the ‘power of four’. “We chose movies that had four big stars, or spoke about Hollywood’s four big stars and what makes them click with the audience, four big cricketers and their achievements, and with this, we used the message of the ‘power of four’ for our big Premiere Pixathon. We also used a hash tag, which was trending worldwide,” says Yagnik.

    “On television, the conversation is a monologue where only the channel is conversing with the audience, but on the digital platform, there is a second screen and people love to talk about what they are watching and what they would love to watch and what they are doing and so on.”

    Strategy

    Explaining the strategy behind leveraging social media as a platform, Yagnik says: “The moment we engage on social media, it’s no longer a monologue but a dialogue.  So one can talk and demonstrate his personality and at the same time, the audience responds and talks back, which is always healthy for the channel.

    It acts as a barometer on how posts are being received and what is being liked or disliked by our audience on the digital front.”

    While television is all about talking to the audience, social media gives a chance to listen to the audience. “We are in the process of using it as a listening tool and we have already implemented it at Sony Pix and we will do it across the organisation as well, using net-based SAP,” he explains. “For us, social media is a very important tool for demonstrating and engaging our personality to the viewer on an alternate screen, which beautifully complements television.”

    Four of Pix’s campaigns made it to the facebook hall of fame. Says Yagnik: “It really makes us feel good that even facebook is recognizing our campaigns. It also tell us that we’ve put in a lot of thought and rigor to ideate and create a very cogent

    communication around a property both on- and off- air. The idea is to build intrigue around the property we are trying to market.”

    About Tonic Media, Pix’s digital agency, he says: “We leverage collective minds to come up with outstanding ideas and Tonic Media is an extension to the Sony Pix family.”

    All of Pix’s campaigns go through its content, marketing and on-air promotion team as well as Tonic Media before being further debated, ideated and sharpened. “It’s always good to have the devil’s advocate, which keeps one on the guard because one often falls in love with his/her own idea and loses focus of what the viewer wants, so it’s a very dispassionate view that one gets,” explains Yagnik.

    The channel ensures that the communication is streamlined and reflects Pix’s personality. “We ensure that the on-air, off-air and digital campaigns are all carrying the same message and not misleading the viewers,” says Yagnik. “And finally we need to see the scaleability of the campaign, whether it can be applied across the three platforms. Thought leadership is the centre of what we have to do, and whenever we do something, we need to demonstrate that we are thought leaders and our communication is considered cutting-edge.”

    For such a well planned digital strategy, it could well end up being a case study for other channels.

  • We are just focused on creating an identity for ourselves in the space: Prasana Krishnan

    We are just focused on creating an identity for ourselves in the space: Prasana Krishnan

    He is the man with a plan for Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports channel Sony Six, and he is ensuring the channel continues to remain at the top of the game in all aspects. 

     

    Ever since he moved to the MSM stable from Neo Sports in early September 2013, Sony Six business head, Prasana Krishnan, has not only endeavored to bring in a wide array of sports which have their own loyal fan base, he has left no stone unturned in acquiring some of the biggest international sports properties such as the European Qualifiers for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, The FIFA World Cups of 2014 and 2018, the Australian Open and Total Non-Stop Action (TNA) to name a few.  

     

    Krishnan further opens up on Sony Six’s journey thus far and its strategy to navigate the road ahead in a tete-a-tete with indiantelevision.com’s Sidharth Iyer. Excerpt: 

     

    Q. It’s been six months since you took charge of Sony Six. How has the journey been thus far?  

     

    It’s been a very exciting first six months. The channel is still in its nascent stage and we are trying to create an identity for ourselves to stand out from the competition. The idea is to identify niche areas we want to operate in and figure out how we are going to attain long term growth in this business. 

     

    Q. This is your second stint with a sports broadcaster after being with Neo Sports for over seven years. Is there any change in your role and responsibilities? 

     

    Well, it’s a given that different organisations face different types of challenges, depending on the situation. Like in 2006 when I was with Neo, the market was not this competitive and it was a very different landscape. The market has evolved with time and the competition is now extremely aggressive. With Sony being one of the largest broadcasters in the country, it’s a whole new ball game for me personally. 

     

    Q. Has sports broadcasting changed over the years? 

     

    There have been significant changes in the space over the last few years. Back in the day when I entered this industry, there was no Indian Premiere League (IPL) and no leagues existed; test and ODI cricket were still dominant forms in the sport. A format such as Twenty-20 was unheard of globally. Cable digitisation was many years away and direct-to-home (DTH) was still in an experimental stage.  

     

    So if we really turn back the clock, the last eight years have witnessed a dramatic transformation in the media landscape in terms of distribution, DTH, cable digitisation and regulatory changes. The entire sports landscape too has changed with T-20 becoming a predominant format and leagues emerging not only in cricket but in other forms of sport as well. 

     

    Q. What is Sony Six’s strategy to grow as a sports broadcaster, given the fact that it is a highly competitive business? Is Sony considering launching more sports channels to offer a wider choice to viewers?

     

    We are still in the first year of operations; we’re just 18 months old and trying to get a foothold in the market. So, as far as the idea of new channels is concerned, it’s a bit too early to comment on the same. But Sony Six the brand is clearly focused on a select number of sports, which we believe have latent potential but are underserviced. 

     

    If you look at basketball, it is one of those sports with the largest infrastructure facilities; schools encourage it, participation on ground level is very high and yet its potential hasn’t been tapped.

     

    So, along with NBA in India, we are much focused to try and grow that sport in the country and we already have encouraging numbers to support our drive. We’ve found the number of people who sampled basketball this season have grown seven to eight fold that of the previous season.  

     

    Fight sports is one more focus area which other broadcasters have shied away from. India is traditionally known for its fight sports such as boxing and wrestling and the country has continually shone in the same at the Asian Games as well as the Olympics. So, what we have done is focused on fight sports as a category and included a daily programming block called ‘Action Ka Blockbuster’. TNA has grown by over 170 per cent in the past month and half. TNA ratings have peaked at 384 TVTs which is its highest ever rating in the past one year; Kurt Angle’s episodes have always rated the best amongst all so far. We have a mixed bag of fight sports including wrestling, boxing and mixed martial arts so the idea is if these sports interest you as a viewer, then Sony Six is the destination for you. 

     

    Additionally, we have some of the largest properties including the IPL, FIFA World Cups of 2014 and 2018, and the Australian Open beginning next year. So what we have done is assembled very high profile marquee properties and other sports where we see a lot of development potential. Our positioning is such that apart from IPL, we are the home of football in India, so anytime you see famous footballers, they are all on Sony Six. Plus we focus on national sides and not club football so every time there is a major event in this sport, you can view it exclusively on Sony Six. 

     

    Q. How would you describe competition from rival sports broadcasters? 

     

    It is an intensively competitive market but everyone has their own brand and identity, and the Indian market is big enough to accommodate multiple players, so it’s not necessary to take the competition head on in case of each and every property. Speaking of identity, Ten Sports has its own identity where it is focused more on international cricket while Star Sports is dominant in a variety of sports. We are just focused on creating an identity for ourselves in the space. 

     

    Q. Ten Sports acquires the rights for matches hosted by boards of other countries. Do you intend getting into that space? If so, what will be your strategy for entry?

     

    We will look at it on a case-by-case basis instead of running in all directions to pin down whatever cricket telecast rights we can acquire. We have our core focus areas in place and we are positioning ourselves as the home of international football, along with basketball and fight sports. We have a good mix of quality content on offer. So, we just don’t want to go hammer and tongs in acquiring cricket properties just for the heck of it. However, when an opportunity presents itself, we will certainly take it up.

     

    Q. What kind of numbers are you generating in terms of viewership and who are your viewers really? 

     

    Sports viewership sees a lot of fluctuating numbers primarily based on the event that is being telecast at that point in time. But what we have noticed is that our profile is younger than the competition and that’s our view, and we do believe that numbers are supporting that because of the nature of sports we have identified and picked. 

     

    The India vs New Zealand series has averaged 2.6 million TVTs with a peak TVT of 3.0 million TVTs for the third ODI.  49 million viewers have seen the ODI series on Six, this figure is far better than any other series in the recent past. With cricket, Six’s average TVTs have grown exponentially to a career high 459 average TVTs in Week 4 2013. It’s the first time Six became the no.1 sports channel in a non-IPL week. The channel’s share grew to 60 per cent from average seven per cent in the past four weeks.

     

    Our reach and distribution has never been a cause for concern as we are part of a large network like Sony and are also ably distributed by The OneAlliance Group. The channel is pretty much available across the country to whoever needs it. But absolute numbers will always vary, because if you look at IPL, the numbers could well be in excess of 200 million viewers. So there really can’t be a fix on the viewers. 

     

    Q. How big is the advertising market for sports broadcasting? What is your share within the same? Which categories of advertisers spend the most on advertising on your channel? Are there any new emerging spenders?

     

    The share of the advertising pie varies a lot depending upon the number of big events in a particular year, so if you get a year where you have the FIFA World Cup or Cricket World Cup, the amount of money pumped in at that point in time is significant. 

     

    We are definitely a major player in the sports market on account of IPL, but in absolute and not IPL-related areas, we are still in an early stage and yet to get to our first big event which will be the FIFA World Cup 2014. 

     

    So while we have made a string of acquisitions in the past few months, we are yet to prove our mettle with the first big event to be hosted and telecast exclusively on Sony Six. Advertising on sports channels is generally very male-skewed; apart from FMCGs, banking and financial services, telecom has always been prevalent, so also automobile and insurance.

     

    Though there are subtle differences between advertiser profiles on GECs and sports channels, the big brands are always present across categories and it’s just a question of where they apportion a higher portion of their expenses. 

     

    Q. Sony spends thousands of crores on the broadcast of IPL on Max as well as Six, so what do you think of Star Sports jumping into the fray and bagging the online streaming rights for IPL by spending just a few hundred crores?

     

    See the rights for IPL that Starsports.com has acquired are not for live streaming; they were with Indiatimes for the past three years, and YouTube was doing the telecast along with Indiatimes so the product itself is not new. Instead of YouTube, Starsports.com has now partnered Indiatimes. There is no fundamental shift at ground level, but because it is Starsports.com that has come into the fray, it is being looked at as a big development.

     

    YouTube as a platform would have been even more formidable with its reach and availability, and an even bigger threat. Our focus is the television broadcast of IPL, and I believe we have been doing a good job of that year after year. From the viewers’ perspective, they will still be coming onto Set Max and Sony Six to catch all the live action and we really don’t see a problem in that sense.

     

    What is the way forward for Sony Six? 

     

    The future is certainly quite bright. As I mentioned, we have our focus areas in place and we are going in a particular direction with a set plan. We are trying to carve out a niche identity, and we have a fairly robust and youthful audience in terms of viewership because of the kind of content we have on offer. The focus will now be on the execution and monetisation of plans already in place.

  • MSM moves to court over exclusive media rights for IND-NZ cric series

    MSM moves to court over exclusive media rights for IND-NZ cric series

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports arm Sony Six bagged the exclusive broadcast rights for the highly anticipated India’s tour of New Zealand just 10 days prior to the first match.

     

    However, after the first One Day International (ODI) which was played at Napier on 19 January where the Kiwis decimated the boys in blue by a margin of 24 runs, MSM discovered that few website operators and a radio operator were providing live and contemporaneous text and audio commentary and detailed ball-by-ball update of the match without obtaining any authorisation from MSM.

     

    While ESPNCricinfo was providing live and simultaneous text commentary over the internet, Cricbuzz was providing audio and text commentary online, and RadioOne was providing audio commentary through internet and mobile. Since the Network has exclusive copyright over the content, MSM moved the Delhi High Court (HC) against these three entities seeking inter alia for permanent injunction restraining violation of its exclusive media rights, damages and rendition of accounts.

     

    The New Zealand Cricket Board had granted exclusive media rights including television, internet, mobile and data rights pertaining to the India tour of New Zealand cricket matches series being played in January/February 2014 to Multi Screen Media along with its affiliates (MSM) for telecast in the Indian subcontinent.

     

    MSM general counsel Ashok Nambissan says, “We are happy that the Hon’ble High Court has granted us an injunction preventing the flagrant violation of the exclusivity of our rights in the ongoing cricket series between India and New Zealand. These rights are acquired at great cost in our efforts to bring international sports events live to our viewers. We will continue to be vigilant and take action as per law to protect our rights.”

     

    The above-mentioned matter came up before Justice GS Sistani of the Delhi High Court on 21 January, 2014. Upon hearing the submissions made on behalf of MSM, the Judge – plaintiff – issued a notice to the operators (ESPNCricinfo, Cricbuzz and RadioOne) – defendants – and passed an ex-parte ad-interim orders.

     

    The relevant portion of the aforementioned order reads as below:-

     

    “Accordingly, defendant, its agents, servants, employees are restrained from:

     

    * Making available, through any medium whatsoever, live/contemporaneous audio commentary of the matches played in the cricket series between India-New Zealand;

     

    * Exploiting or authorising the exploitation of cricket match-related material/information/details including but not limited to current cricket score, ball-by-ball updates, score cards, score updates, alerts etc, contemporaneous with match situations/events, as they happen in relation to the matches played in the cricket series between India- New Zealand.”

     

    The Delhi High Court has directed these websites and radio channel to obtain licenses from MSM if they wish to provide live commentary on their websites and apps and/or provide score updates, scorecards or any other match information.

  • Watch India’s Tour of New Zealand Live and Exclusive, on Sony LIV

    Watch India’s Tour of New Zealand Live and Exclusive, on Sony LIV

    MUMBAI: Watch the much awaited New Zealand vs India cricket series on all digital platforms, with Sony LIV – Multi Screen Media (MSM)’s premium video-on-demand service. Along with LIVE streaming of the entire series, Sony LIV offers you a chance to catch up with a complete package of match highlights, fours, sixes, wickets, best catches and fielding moments, 100’s/ 50’s and 10/5 wicket hauls and the ‘Man of the Match’ moments. Additionally, viewers can also enjoy the special fun moments on and off the field.

    The series will be held in New Zealand and is scheduled from the 19th January 2014 to the 18th February 2014. The 30 day tour starts with five ODIs followed by two Test Matches. Sony LIV is the single-point of entry into the World of Sony Entertainment Network. Viewers can watch the match live on SonyLIV.com or mobile phones and tablets by downloading it from IOS, Android, Windows and Java app stores.

    Speaking on the availability of the cricket series on Sony LIV, Nitesh Kripalani, Executive Vice-President – New Media, Business Development and Digital/Syndication at Sony Entertainment Network, commented, “We want to make 2014’s first India series available to our viewers on multiple digital platforms. Viewers can log on to Sony LIV via any connected device and enjoy the cricketing action live. We have also introduced special content packages from the series to give cricket enthusiasts a complete immersive and engaging viewing experience.”

    SONY SIX, India’s premier sports and entertainment channel has acquired the exclusive broadcast rights to this cricket series.

    Mr. Prasana Krishnan, EVP & Business Head, Sony SIX said, “It gives us immense pleasure to partner with Sony LIV for the series. Sony LIV has been successfully catering to the entertainment needs of the online users across segments. With this association, we wish to extend our commitment to deliver the best of sports entertainment to our viewers across platforms. Our viewers will now be able to follow live cricket action while being on the move.”

    The India tour of New Zealand 2014 bilateral series is a part of the Future Cricket Tour Program (FTP) prepared by International Cricket Council (ICC). This is the first series for the Indian team in the 2014 calendar. The two teams last met in New Zealand five years back in 2009 where India were able to register a series win in New Zealand after 41 years.

     

  • Sony LIV is now on BlackBerry smartphones

    Sony LIV is now on BlackBerry smartphones

    MUMBAI: After making its content available on various digital platforms, now Sony LIV, Multi Screen Media (MSM), has announced that its premium video-on-demand service will now be available as a free download on the BlackBerry World storefront for the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Z30 smartphones.

     

    With the new app, the customers can enjoy over 18 years of rich and exclusive content from Sony’s stable, covering genres including drama, comedy, thriller, reality shows and many more on the Sony LIV platform – anytime and anywhere.

     

     

    Sony Entertainment Network EVP, new media, business development and digital/syndication Nitesh Kripalani said: “At MSM, we want our rich content to be easily and conveniently available to users; our alliance with BlackBerry is another step in fulfilling our vision.”

     

    Blackberry director, alliances and business development Annie Matthews said: “BlackBerry’s all-touch smartphones pack performance coupled with HD resolution displays, as well as and the ability to display content from the smartphone directly on an HDTV, giving customers a great platform for consuming video content on demand. We are pleased to have Sony LIV available for the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Z30 smartphones, offering customers access to another great channel of entertainment and rich content.”

     

    BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Z30 smartphone customers can now catch all the action across the Sony spectrum including Sony Entertainment Television, Max, Sab, Mix, and a whole host of movies also in the pipeline.

     

  • Sony gets permission to downlink more channels into India

    Sony gets permission to downlink more channels into India

    NEW DELHI: The government has approved a proposal by Multi Screen Media for increasing the foreign equity participation for production of television programmes in India.

     

    The approval has also been given to the company for downlinking certain TV channels, following a recommendation by the Foreign Investments Promotion Board.

     

    However, the Finance Ministry said this will not require any fresh inflow of foreign direct investment.

  • Sony gets permission to downlink more channels into India

    Sony gets permission to downlink more channels into India

    NEW DELHI: The government has approved a proposal by Multi Screen Media for increasing the foreign equity participation for production of television programmes in India.

    The approval has also been given to the company for downlinking certain TV channels, following a recommendation by the Foreign Investments Promotion Board.

     

    However, the Finance Ministry said this will not require any fresh inflow of foreign direct investment.

  • Sonys Maha gamble

    Sonys Maha gamble

    MUMBAI: A look at Sony Entertainment’s TAM TV ratings from week 33 to week 34 shows that the channel has slipped to number six position with 292,684 television viewership ratings (TVTs) from its earlier score of 349,377 TVTs.

     

    With yo-yoing TVTs to contend with, Sony is betting big on the seventh season of Kaun Banega Crorepati, which comes to drawing rooms in a new and improved avatar.

    Big B to play Sapt Koti Mahadhani… Kaun Banega Maha Crorepati starting 6 September

     

    Sapt Koti Mahadhani… Kaun Banega Maha Crorepati premieres on Sony on September 6 at 8.30pm and will be aired over 13 weekends, with the aim of creating a platform of opportunities for Indians across ages, genders and socio-economic groups.

     

    The channel is looking for a big change in viewership numbers through the show. “Yes, we are not satisfied with a few of our currently running shows. Also the TAM TV ratings have moved to a new currency and we will take time to stabilise. The show will surely help us gain momentum,” says Multi Screen Media CEO Man Jit Singh.

     

    A measure of just how much is riding on the show is the many changes it has undergone in terms of its format, level of audience engagement, prize money and so on.

     

    For starters, not only has the set moved base from Film City to Yash Raj Films Studio, the set design too has had a complete makeover.
    Sneha Rajani is hopeful that the format, its simplicity and Big B will surely make it tick

     

    This time round, audiences will get to hear a different sound track as well. While the music has been scored by Sawan Dutta, Varsha Jain has done the set designing.

     

    Explaining why they’ve changed the set, Sony EVP & business head Sneha Rajani says: “We had booked YRF Studios last year to shoot this season of KBC. The set this time is bigger, better and grander. We have added more elements.”

     

    Adding to this, Big Synergy Media CMD Siddhartha Basu says: “It was a challenging task, but we achieved it. The licensors loved the changes and accepted the change in format and set. They have also suggested that it be used in other countries, if affordable.”

     

    The biggest change comes in the form of the prize money, which has been increased from Rs five crore to Rs seven crore. About the figure, Singh says, “Seven crore in the seventh season, is the right amount.”

     

    Elaborates Basu: “We had to increase the engagement level of the audiences. With the changes in format, the drama has risen and so has the engagement of the audience,” and points out that the show needed a change. “It has been accepted by people for 13 years. But now, the viewers deserved evolution, development and variety. Keeping the fundamentals same, we have given our audiences the change,” he says.

     

    Speaking at the show’s press launch at ITC Grand Maratha in Mumbai, Rajani says, “Big B is roaring in this season. The format, its simplicity and Big B will surely make it tick.”  

     

    What’s new?

    ·The money tree will now consist of 15 questions.

     

    ·Introducing Sapta Koti Sandook, which will give contestants a chance to win anything from Rs one crore to three crore, five crore and seven crore.

     

    ·The Fastest Finger First round will now be a ‘best out of three’ with the winner at the end getting to the hot seat.

     

    ·More choice of lifelines – Flip the question (Alat Palat) replaces Ask the expert and 50:50 replaces Double Dip.

     

    ·A brand new lifeline called ‘Power Paplu’ that will aid those who seek to revive an already used lifeline.

     

    ·In the entire game play however, a hot seat contestant may use only four of the five lifelines on offer.

     

    ·Introducing Play along for the Fastest Finger First contestants, who do not make it to the hot seat. These contestants can now play along with the hot seat contestant and the one who answers the maximum number of questions in the minimum amount of time gets to win Rs one lakh at the end of the episode.

     

    ·The time limit for the Phone a friend lifeline will now be 45 seconds instead of 30 seconds.

     

    ·Audiences can win by playing Ghar Baithe Jeeto Jackpot.

     

    As things stand, the first three episodes have already been shot and Sony is going the whole hog in terms of marketing and promoting the show. “It is a 360 degree market campaign on radio, TV, print and hoardings,” informs Rajani while a highly placed media planner reveals, “KBC is the biggest show for Sony. The channel hopes to improve its position in the ratings chart through this. It would have spent anywhere between Rs 10-12 crore on promotions.”

    The team brings a better, bigger and grander Kaun Banega Maha Crorepati

     

    Digitally-speaking, the channel is leaving no stone unturned to promote the show. It has launched its flagship KBC 2013 website (www.kbcsony.com) and the KBC official mobile application. On the cards is a host of rich and immersive video content and games that will see users take home Apple iPads.

     

    The website will include entire episodes of the show and an AB special, where users can watch Big B rendering poetry and catchy one-liners. Joyous moments of contestants on winning large sums of money and glimpses of interactions with stars and celebrities will also feature on the website. Surfers will be able to play games like Globe Quiz, where they can scroll and move round the earth’s axis, click on any part of the world and answer a trivia question. Other highlights will be the KBC Web Game, where users can test their speed and accuracy online, Insta Hot Seat and Prize meter & Heat map to name some.

     

    Elaborates SET executive VP-new media, business development and digital/syndication Nitesh Kripalani: “KBC is one of the most admired and loved game shows on television today. The popularity quotient is huge and the fan base is getting bigger every year. Our digital platform is especially designed to give our users much more than what they can get from their television sets – a whole new immersive on-demand second screen experience right at their fingertips.”

     

    He explains that the idea is to bring “the KBC experience up, close and personal, across multiple platforms, be it mobile, tablet or online.”

    With the changes in format, the drama has risen and so has the engagement of the audience, says Siddhartha Basu

     

    Says the top-placed media planner, “The channel will look strong with the show in the ratings chart,” and points out that with an airing time of one and a half hour, it will rake in money from advertisers. “The channel should have sold its advertising slot at Rs 3.5 crore (approximately) for per ten second advertisements. They would be targeting getting close to Rs 200 crore through ad sales,” he says.

     

    While Sony is sure hoping Big B’s charms reflect on its ratings, “The real competition will come from Bigg Boss and 24, both to be aired on Colors. Though the show will get good viewership in its first week,” he adds.

     

    Now whether this Maha Crorepati will have a maha effect on Sony’s rating, is something we will have to simply wait and watch…