ITV

Tag: NDTV 24×7

  • NDTV to expand documentary slot from mid-March

    NDTV to expand documentary slot from mid-March

    NEW DELHI: NDTV 24X7, which had commenced a weekly half-hour slot for short films after it entered into a partnership with the Prasar Bharati-supported Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) last month, has now decided to increase the telecast of documentaries from mid-March.

    At present, NDTV telecasts the short and reality films each week on its flagship channel NDTV 24×7 as part of the series Documentary 24×7, every Thursday at 9:30 pm and repeated on Sundays at 1:30 pm.

    NDTV Producer Gunjan Jain – who recently attended the Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short and animation films to scout for good films – told indiantelevision.com that the half-hour and one hour slots may be alternated depending on the length of the films received by the channel for telecast.

    She also clarified that though the initial agreement had been with PSBT, the channel was also prepared to telecast documentaries by other producers. She had seen some good films in Mumbai and submitted her report to the channel.

    According to a PSBT spokesperson, the partnership provides an ideal platform for the exploration of myriad issues that these documentaries deal with, and for enhancing the viewership of powerful and insightful content. The effort will go a long way in creating and encouraging a public culture of documentary appreciation and engagement.

    Renowned filmmaker and PSBT Chairperson Adoor Gopalakrishnan said, “We welcome exposure for the excellent films produced by PSBT on a private commercial channel. With the terrible decline in the standards of commercial television, this is a very praiseworthy effort by NDTV. Our films are produced by independent filmmakers, most of them young, partially funded by Doordarshan. The future for public broadcasting lies in efforts such as these that demonstrate the potential of public-private partnerships.”

    PSBT is a non-profit trust that represents the confluence of energies to foster a shared public culture of broadcasting that is exciting and cutting edge. PSBT’s pioneering work revolves around the creation of independent films that are socially responsive and representative of democratic values. It seeks to situate a new vocabulary and activism at the very heart of broadcasting in India and this endeavour will open up new spaces for engagement with the form and content of documentary films in the mainstream public media.

  • Three-way tussle in the English news channel arena

    Three-way tussle in the English news channel arena

    The English news channel market, unlike the situation existing in the Hindi arena, is not about cutthroat competition and a constant search for new and ever more outrageous attention grabbing news pegs. A three player fight for bragging rights as well as a more broadbased target audience allows for far greater ‘traditional news’ play among the channels.

     

    A detailed analysis of the English news channels using Tam data (All India, C&S 15+, all day parts) during the one-year period beginning January 2007 reveals that there is no clear leader in the genre.

     

    2007 has seen the number one position baton changing hands between the three – NDTV 24×7, CNN IBN and Times Now more than. Still, looking at average annual relative shares it is NDTV 24X7 that is ahead by a nose with 29.75 per cent. In second spot is CNN IBN with 28.5 per cent average annual relative share, just ahead of Times Now which at 27.25 per cent.

     

    Hovering in a range between 28 and 31 per cent, NDTV 24X7 was in the top position in the February to June period. In July-August, with 28 and 30 per cent respectively NDTV 24X7 lost the crowning position to CNN-IBN. Occupying 28 per cent in November, NDTV 24X7 had to give away the top place to Times Now. It rounded off the year sharing 29 per cent each with Times Now to be in the top place.

     

    On the other hand CNN IBN started the year in the top position with 31 per cent but handed over the reins to NDTV 24X7 thereafter. Picking up in the months of July and August with 32 per cent and 30 per cent respectively, the relative share of CNN IBN started falling drastically and hit 25 per cent in November and 28 per cent in December.

     

    CNN IBN editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai said, “I feel that sometimes too much is inspected of the frills, but making the cake is the real challenge. That is my biggest worry: how do you relentlessly make quality news without getting into the ratings war.”

     

    In terms of market share, though Times Now has seen some highs and lows in the year, yet the English news channel has displayed the best progress overall of the three. In its second year since launch, Times Now has been able to break the two-channel shackle in the English news genre.

     

    It started the year with relative share as low as 22 per cent. It gained in February to April period to reach 31 per cent but started slipping down since then dabbling between 25 to 26 per cent. It hit 31 per cent in November and for the first time held the highest position. Even though it fell to 29 per cent in December, yet it retained its top place to end the year on a high note.

     

    Times Now editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami said: “Our idea was to get into the minds of the viewer which we successfully did in 11 months of launch in 2006, the year of our launch. The clear target was to become the default news habit of the country. And we closed 2007 as the unquestionable number 1 news channel in India not just in the English news channel space but even when putting Hindi and English news channels together. It is a good feeling. But what gives me satisfaction as a journalist is that we have set the modus operandi. We have broken 90 per cent some of the biggest stories of 2007.

     

    “Newshour at 9 PM is doing well. We are the clear number 1 in this segment. People watch news channels for news. So instead of having niche shows in an important band time, we have news at 6 pm, 9 pm.

     

    “We have our sports show at 8:30 pm. We do not place a show in a particular slot just to compete with others in the same slot. Only a confident channel can do that. I do not pass off as a sports show where two people sit in a studio and keep blabbering. The game is more dynamic,” he asserts.

     

    For Hindi News channel market leader Aaj Tak’s English sibling Headlines Today though, the story continues to be that of the straggler. With an average annual relative share of 11.6 per cent, it had managed its highest of 14 per cent in November. It gathered 13 per cent each in January, June and August. It has its lowest of 9 per cent in May.

     

    Meanwhile, international news channels BBC World and CNN have an average annual relative market share of 1.3 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively.

     

    Still, as Sardesai correctly points out, the news channel battle is not just about eyeballs but perception. “The future battle will be of perceptions, of influence, or being thought leaders. In CNN IBN. That’s been our aim, to be thought leaders,” he avers.

  • ‘Consumer annoyance with intrusion in their space will take a new turn’

    If there’s anything more challenging than predicting the media scene in India, it’s reviewing them a year later. It does feel good though if you are more right than wrong on your own predictions. Here’s how the reality played out in 2006 and some more predictions for 2007.

    Technology and its impact

    As predicted, the impact of technology on communication in 2006 was rather limited. Consumer pull rather than organizational push continues to determine the rate of acceptance and dissemination of technology. 2007 will see the adoption of newer technology but again, this is likely to be at the very top of pyramid. CAS may be pushed through by legislation but 3G, TiVo and wi-fi zones still appear to be a while away. Value-added SMS services though are likely to thrive.

    Consumers’ annoyance with intrusion in their space will take a new turn. We don’t think consumers are convinced that a “Do Not Disturb” option keeps pesky telemarketers at bay. In 2007, consumers will hit back. Beware all marketers who think they can intrude on consumers’ privacy and get away with it!

    The television medium
    Last year we had predicted that the television media owners would look at sampling the product and then worry about revenue. The resultant of this would be longer gestation periods and fewer media players who will want to enter the space on a whim. True enough, 2006 has seen no significant launches as far as television is concerned.

    To a great extent, this is also impacted by the lack of differentiation in product offerings. We had thought Times Now had the potential to make a dent in the English news segment but it doesn’t seem to have done as well as its competitors. Sticking to the basics though has meant that a NDTV 24×7 continues to hold its own and a CNN-IBN has created a
    niche for itself.

    We had also mentioned that those who do come in will be serious players with deep pockets. Our prediction that Disney’s entry would make players like Hungama feel the heat couldn’t have been truer. Disney went on to acquire Hungama!

  • NDTV 24×7 to telecast Durand Cup semi-finals, final live

    MUMBAI: NDTV 24X7 is telecasting the semi-finals and finals of the 120 Durand Cup 2007. This is for the first time a non-sports channel will broadcast the tournament live.

    This is also the first time that floodlights will be used for the main draw matches at the Ambedkar Stadium. This year’s edition also has a new format with reduced length of the tournament and follows the format of a knockout tournament.

    The Durand Cup is the oldest football tournament in India and the third oldest football tournament in the world, after the English FA-Cup and the Scottish FA-Cup.

  • NDTV to be available in Singapore on SingTel’s mio TV platform

    MUMBAI: NDTV will make its entry into Singapore on the SingTel’s mio TV platform. The channels that are to be available for the Singapore audience from 1 November include NDTV 24X7 and NDTV Profit.

    “The launch of our channels in Singapore is another milestone in our objective to reach out beyond the domestic market to Indian expatriates and to all those who have a deeper commercial and cultural interest in the news and stories from the sub continent. SingTel mio TV’s innovative approach to pay TV will allow subscribers simple and inexpensive access to our channels”, said NDTV head of distribution and affiliate sales Rahul Sood.

    Director of mio TV and Content Low Ka Hoe said, “SingTel mio TV is delighted to partner NDTV who is the leading broadcaster in India. We are sure the Indian community would be very excited about the launch of NDTV 24×7 and NDTV Profit that continuously provide compelling and innovative programming that is relevant to their interests.”

    Meanwhile, NDTV has launched NDTV Arabia in Middle East after conducting a soft launch in September. The 24-hour news and infotainment channel will be a free-to-air channel available on Nile Sat. The English channel will have a mixed content of business, current affairs and lifestyle.

  • News channels back on cable networks in Ahmedabad

    MUMBAI: After facing a blackout in Ahmedabad for showing the Tehelka sting expose, the seven news channels are back on air since late Saturday.

    Aaj Tak, NDTV India, NDTV 24X7, IBN7, CNN-IBN, Tez and Headlines Today were put off air since 26 October.

    Cable operators were ordered by the District Collector of the city, Dhananjay Dwivedi, to put the channels off air, following Tehelka’s ‘Operation Kalank’ sting expose of the Gujarat riots.

    Dwivedi, who is also the District Election Officer, on 26 October issued an order to all cable television operators not to telecast the Tehelka expose of the Gujarat riots “Operation Kalank.”

    The Friday order quoted the cable television network rules and regulations, 1995, clause five, sub-sections 1(C) and 1(E), under which the operators must not telecast any programme that could incite communal hatred or come in the way of maintenance of the law and order.

  • NDTV Group elevates Shyatto Raha to CEO of Emerging Markets BV

    MUMBAI: NDTV has appointed Shyatto Raha as the CEO of NDTV Group’s subsidiary company Emerging Markets BV. Heading the company’s business and operations, Raha will report to the NDTV board.

    Emerging Markets BV is responsible for the setting up of local news, current affairs executive and business channels targeting the local population, in the local language in emerging markets across the world.

    Shyatto was the channel head of NDTV 24×7 since its launch and has been the vice president for strategy and business development for the group. “A major in Economics from Delhi University, he recently completed the prestigious Advanced Management Program at The Harvard Business School where he was the youngest in the batch,” a NDTV release said. 

    Shyatto has been with NDTV for over 12 years as an essential part of NDTV’s strategic team and has helped develop new growth areas. He has spearheaded the launch of NDTV Arabia in the Middle East and the two Astro Awani channels in Indonesia and Malaysia.

  • NDTV 24×7 to kick off documentary series on 18 October

    MUMBAI: NDTV 24×7 is launching a series of documentaries at the 9:30 pm slot on Thursdays. Kicking off on 18 October, Documentary 24×7 will explore contemporary issues from across the globe.

    The series will feature a mix of award winning works by filmmakers both from India and abroad. The list of filmmakers include Amar Kanwar, Mike Pandey, Safina Uberoi, Sonali Gulati, Vivek Mohan, Pankaj Butalia and Paromita Vohra, utapa Deb, Shikha Trivedi, Radhika Bordia, Swati Thiyagarajan, Sampad Mahapatra, Uma Sudhir and Tisha Srivastav.

    The documentary films will reflect a wide range of subjects, style, content and form. Some of the chosen films include Sonali Gulati’s Nalini by Day, Nancy by Night which is based on the BPO industry; Safina Uberoi’s Brides of Khan, which portrays Sydney-based photographer Alan Khan; Many Faces of Madness by Amar Kanwar focusing on the wide-scale ecological devastation in India; and Where’s Sandra by Paromita Vohra which delves into Christian stereotypes.

  • NDTV 24X7 now available in Europe on World TV

    MUMBAI: NDTV has expanded its presence in Europe with the launch of its English news channel NDTV 24X7 on GlobeCast’s WorldTV platform.

    “The channel launches as part of WorldTV’s bouquet of pay television channels across continental Europe. NDTV 24X7 is the only English news channel from India to be available in the region,” states an official release.

    With this, NDTV’s presence covers the UK, US, Europe, Canada, Middle East, South Africa, Australia-New Zealand and South Asian countries.

    NDTV head of distribution and affiliate sales Rahul Sood said, “With the channel having already established its presence in the UK on BSkyB, fulfilling the growing demand for a quality English news channel from India in continental Europe was our priority. Our alliance with WorldTV will now enable viewers across the region get live news and analysis from the subcontinent.”

    GlobeCast Asia CEO David Justin said, “With the addition of NDTV 24X7 in our bouquet for World TV Europe, we will be in a position to provide our World TV subscribers premium quality news and current affairs programs from India in the English language. We look forward to working closely with NDTV and expanding our relationship in the near future.”

    The World TV service currently delivers more than 210 television and radio channels in 35 languages, representing 42 countries from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, via direct-to-home satellite on Galaxy 25 in USA and IS 905 in Europe.

  • Barkha Dutt is Commonwealth Broadcasting Assoc’s ‘journalist of the year’

    Barkha Dutt is Commonwealth Broadcasting Assoc’s ‘journalist of the year’

    MUMBAI: NDTV journalist and the managing editor of NDTV 24X7 Barkha Dutt has been honoured with the prestigious Commonwealth Broadcasting Association -Thomson Foundation, ‘Journalist of the Year Award’. The category included nominations from 53 Commonwealth countries, including the BBC and Channel 4.

    The award was presented for her reporting in the last one year where she covered issues from the Kashmir earthquake, which united the two neighboring countries in tragedy, to the campaign for Justice for the Jessica Lall Murder case and the communal violence in Vadodara.

    Accepting the awards Dutt said, “This award means more than any other because you know that you are up against the best in the business. It’s a great honour and I thank CBA for this recognition”

    The CBA was founded in February 1945 as the Commonwealth Broadcasting Conference. The first meeting, held in London, brought together representatives of a number of broadcasting organizations that had co-operated closely in reporting the Second World War. It began with only six members but today it is an association of more than 100 broadcasting organizations in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Australasia, the Pacific, North and South America.