ITV

Tag: NDTV Convergence

  • NDTV broadcast operations’ profitable run continues in Q3 2019

    NDTV broadcast operations’ profitable run continues in Q3 2019

    BENGALURU: Indian television media company New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) reported profits for the third consecutive quarter in the current fiscal from its broadcast operations, a record that has happened for the first time in fourteen years claims the company in a press release. Despite a year-on-year (y-o-y) drop in revenues the company has managed to turn fortunes around by paring off of a number of expenses, the most notable being employee cost, which has dropped by more than a third (36.7 percent) in the latest quarter as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter.

    For the quarter ended 31 December 2018 (Q3 2019, quarter or period under review), NDTV has reported consolidated profit after tax of Rs 8.31 crore (8.1 percent of operating income) as compared to a consolidated loss of Rs 21.04 crore for the corresponding year ago quarter (Q3 2018). NDTV’s consolidated total comprehensive income (TCI) for the quarter under review was Rs 8.31 crore as compared to a consolidated total comprehensive loss of Rs 22.42 crore for Q3 2018.  The company’s consolidated operating profit (operating EBITDA) for the period was Rs 17.3 crore (16.9 percent of operating revenue) as compared to a consolidated operating loss (negative EBITDA) of Rs 2.58 crore) in Q3 2018.

    Segment numbers

    NDTV has two segments – television media and related operations (Television) and retail/ecommerce. Television revenue for Q3 2019 declined 8.1 percent y-o-y to Rs 100.54 crore from Rs 109.40 crore. Television segment reported results of Rs 20.35 crore in Q3 2019 as compared to Rs 7.46 crore in Q3 2018.

    Retail/ecommerce segment had operating revenue of Rs 2.20 crore in Q3 2019 as compared to Rs 4.55 crore in Q3 2018. The segment’s loss for the period declined to Rs 2.09 crore from Rs 9.50 crore.

    Let us look at the other numbers reported by the company

    NDTV’s consolidated operating revenue for Q3 2019 declined 8.2 percent y-o-y to Rs 102,64 crore as compared to Rs 111.68 crore for the corresponding year ago quarter. Total revenue including other income also dropped by 8.2 percent y-o-y in the period under review to Rs 106.50 crore as compared to Rs 116.05 crore for Q3 2018.

    Total expenses in Q3 2019 reduced 22.7 percent y-o-y to Rs 95.21 crore (92.9 percent of operating revenue) from Rs 128.22 crore (110.3 percent of operating revenue). The company has reduced most of the major expenses, however, amongst the major ones, finance costs increased 36.1 percent y-o-y in Q3 2019 to Rs 6.97 crore (6.8 percent of operating revenue) from Rs 5.12 crore (4.6 percent of operating revenue) crore during the corresponding period of the previous year.

    As mentioned above, employee benefit expense reduced 36.9 percent y-o-y in Q3 2019 to Rs 31.26 crore (30.5 percent of operating revenue) from Rs 49.38 crore (44.2 percent of operating revenue) in Q3 2018. Operating and administrative cost in the quarter under review increased 27.9 percent y-o-y to Rs 18.06 crore (17.6 percent of operating revenue) from Rs 25.06 crore (22.4 percent of operating revenue) in Q3 2018. Marketing distribution and promotional expenses in Q3 2019 was 29.9 percent lower at Rs 11.64 crore (11.4 percent of operating revenue) as compared to Rs 16.6 crore (14.9 percent of operating revenue)

    The NDTV Group

    The company’s financial statements claim that the NDTV Group has made profits for the quarter under review as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter. Further, profit for Q3 2019 has gone up by Rs 7.72 crore as compared to the preceding quarter (Q2 2019). Similarly, losses for the nine-month period ended 31 December 2018 (9M 2019) have gone down to Rs 1.58 crore from Rs 67.82 crore for 9M-2018. NDTV says that based on current business plans and projections, the company/group expects growth in operations and improvement in operational efficiency. To meet long term and short-term working capital requirements, which includes certain overdue payments, the management continues to implement various options like rationalising costs, negotiating extended credit terms and divestment of non-core businesses address these matters and building efficiency in collections.

    The company’s media release says that NDTV Convergence, the company’s digital arm, has, for the first time, earned more than Rs 40 crore in one quarter. In December, the company disclosed that it has signed a five-year advertising deal worth more than Rs 300 crore with native advertising platform Taboola.

  • NDTV, Taboola ink 5-year deal worth more than Rs 300 crores

    NDTV, Taboola ink 5-year deal worth more than Rs 300 crores

    MUMBAI: In the latest evidence of the unparalleled market leader position of NDTV Convergence, the company has struck an unprecedented five-year deal with Taboola, the world’s largest content discovery platform.   

    The five-year deal ties NDTV Convergence exclusively to Taboola and involves a minimum guarantee of more than INR 300 crores for NDTV Convergence, making it one of the largest deals not just for digital content but for the media space in its entirety.   

    “Like NDTV, Taboola operates with the user at the centre of its universe which is what makes this such a natural fit,” said NDTV Group CEO Suparna Singh. “Taboola’s energy and innovation allow us to enlarge our own goals; we share their pride and excitement in learning, redefining, and then recreating all over again.  And this deal proves that Brand NDTV remains unchallenged and the go-to for world-class companies.”  

    The new partnership is vastly north of the last NDTV-Taboola arrangement that lasted three years and was worth INR 100 crores based on traffic projections.   

    NDTV.com has 200 million uniques (source: Google Analytics, October 2018), making it India’s largest news website and the 23rd-largest in the world, ahead of Washington Post, Huffington Post and others (source: Similar Web, Unique Visitors for News and Media Category, October 2018).  

    This is the largest deal that Taboola has ever signed in the APAC region. Taboola uses its presence on sites like NDTV to recommend content from across the internet to the audience and to offer highly-personalized native advertising.  

    “The growth of the mobile internet in India is skyrocketing, and with over half a billion smartphone users, its mobile adoption is second only to China. Mobile users are continually looking for those “moments of next,” and publishers such as NDTV are well positioned to deliver a dynamic, personalized content experience to their readers,” said Taboola founder and CEO Adam Singolda. “We are humbled that NDTV, our oldest and largest partner in India, has made a long-term, five-year commitment to joint innovation in this most exciting market.”  

  • NDTV Convergence records best-ever Q2

    NDTV Convergence records best-ever Q2

    MUMBAI: The NDTV Group and NDTV Ltd, the broadcasting operations under the group, both have declared profit in the second quarter of this financial year. From the same quarter of last year, the companies have made a big turnaround. NDTV's broadcast operations have declared a profit of Rs 19 lakh.

    In the second quarter, the EBITDA or operating profit stood at Rs 6.32 crore as compared to a loss of Rs 9.12 crore for the same time last year. On the other hand, operating costs for the broadcast operations have reduced by Rs 26.27 crore year-on-year. Since the Q1 of this FY, the same has reduced by nearly Rs 7.4 crore.

    EBITDA at the group level stood at Rs 11.70 crore, a turnaround of Rs 21.49 crore y-o-y as EBITDA losses for the same quarter last year were Rs 9.79 crores.

    Notably, the company's digital arm NDTV Convergence recorded its best-ever Q2 with the highest revenue for this period. While the traffic has grown by 45 percent over the same period last year, ndtv.com is India's biggest news website according to SimilarWeb data.

  • NDTV reports operating profit after curbing op costs in Q1

    NDTV reports operating profit after curbing op costs in Q1

    BENGALURU: New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) reported consolidated operating profit (EBIDTA) of Rs 5.99 crore for thefor the quarter ended 30 June 2018 (Q1 2019, quarter or period under review) as compared to an operating loss of Rs 14.25 crore for the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal year Q1 2018. The company’s consolidated operating revenue during the period under review declined 6.6 percent year on year (y-o-y) in Q1 2019 to Rs 98.18 crore from Rs 105.12 crore in Q1 2018. Consolidated total income for Q1 2019 declined 7.7 percent y-o-y to Rs 101.16 crore from Rs 109.60 crore.

    NDTV reported lower consolidated loss of Rs 0.81 crore during the quarter under review as compared to a loss of Rs 18.38 crore in Q1 2018. Consolidated total comprehensive loss for Q1 2019 was lower at Rs 2.64 crore as compared to Rs 22.01 crore in Q1 2018.

    Let us look at the other consolidated numbers reported by NDTV

    Consolidated total expense in Q1 2019 reduced 20.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 102.08 crore from Rs 128.56 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Consolidated production expenses and cost of services increased 5.1 percent in Q1 2019 to Rs 18.83 crore from Rs 17.91 crore in Q1 2018. Consolidated employee benefit expense during the quarter under review reduced 35.2 percent y-o-y in Q1 2019 to Rs 38.77 crore from Rs 59.80 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. Consolidated operation and administration expense reduced 17.2 percent y-o-y in Q1 2019 to Rs 19.94 crore from Rs 24.07 crore in Q1 2018. Consolidated marketing, promotion and distribution expense during the period under review reduced 16.7 percent to Rs 14.65 crore from Rs 17.59 crore in Q1 2018.

  • NDTV reports lower operating loss for fiscal 2018

    NDTV reports lower operating loss for fiscal 2018

    BENGALURU: The Prannoy and Radhika Roy-led New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) reported lower consolidated operating loss for the year ended 31 March 2018 (FY 2018, year under review) as compared to the corresponding periods of the previous fiscal. The company has brought down its expenses during the year under review across major parameters such as employee costs, production expenses and cost of services, operating and administration expenses, marketing promotion and distribution expenses as compared to the previous year.

    NDTV reported 12.4 per cent decline in consolidated operating revenue for FY 2018 at Rs 429.01 crore as compared to Rs 489.99 crore in FY 2017. Consolidated total revenue declined 12.3 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 439.71 crore from Rs 501.45 crore in the previous year. Consolidated operating loss (EBITDA) in FY 2018 at Rs 35.97 crore was lower than the consolidated operating loss of Rs 42.32 crore in fiscal 2017. Total comprehensive loss (TCL) for the fiscal under review was slightly lower at Rs 84.35 crore as compared to Rs 86.18 crore in FY 2017.

    The company suffered a consolidated operating loss  for the fourth quarter ended 31 March 2018 at  Rs 9.45 crore as compared to a consolidated operating profit of Rs 16.63 crore (11.4 per cent of operating revenue) in the corresponding year ago quarter Q4 2018. NDTV reported consolidated TCL of Rs 20.40 crore during the quarter under review as compared to a consolidated total comprehensive income of Rs 7.14 crore in Q4 2017.Consolidated operating revenue in Q4 2018 fell 25.7 per cent yoy to Rs 108.40 crore as compared to Rs 145.92 crore in Q4 2017.

    Let us look at the other consolidated numbers reported by NDTV

    Total expense in FY 2018 reduced 12.5 per cent to Rs 501.06 crore from Rs 572.55 crore in the previous year. Production expenses and cost of services reduced 23.3 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 83.64 crore from Rs 109.05 crore in FY 2017. Employee benefit expense during the year under review reduced 9.5 per cent in fiscal 2018 to Rs 212.59 crore from Rs 234.90 crore in the previous year. Operation and administration expense reduced 7.5 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 106.61 crore from Rs 115.30 crore in FY 2017. Marketing, promotion and distribution expense during the year under review reduced 14.9 per cent to Rs 62.14 crore from Rs 72.06 crore in FY 2017.

    Also Read:

    NDTV to reduce workforce by up to 25%

    NDTV puts top management in place

  • Retail, e-com biz eat into NDTV’s TV media profits for Q3

    Retail, e-com biz eat into NDTV’s TV media profits for Q3

    BENGALURU: Prannoy and Radhika Roy-led New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) reported consolidated operating profits–simple EBITDA including other income–of Rs 1.88 crore (1.6 per cent margin) for the quarter ended 31 December 2017 (Q3 2018, quarter under review). For the corresponding year ago quarter (Q3 2017) and the trailing quarter (Q2 2018), the company had reported consolidated operating losses of Rs 14.90 crore and Rs 9.74 crore respectively.  

    NDTV has two segments–television media and related operations (television); and retail/e-commerce. The company reported operating profit of Rs 7.54 crore for its television segment against revenue of Rs 109.96 crore for the quarter under review. Year-on-year (yoy), Q3 2018 television segment revenue was 7 per cent lower than Rs 118.27 crore for Q3 2017. The company had reported an operating loss for the television segment of Rs 4.29 crore for the corresponding year ago quarter. NDTV reported 18.2 per cent higher yoy operating revenue of Rs 4.55 crore for Q3 2018 as compared to Rs 3.85 crore for Q3 2017 for its digital/e-commerce segment. Digital/e-commerce segment incurred lower operating loss of Rs 9.50 crore in the quarter under review as compared to Rs 15.18 crore in Q3 2017.

    NDTV said in its earnings release for the quarter that the fact that the company is EBITDA positive proves that its turnaround plan is quickly progressing.

    Let us look at the other numbers reported by NDTV

    NDTV reported a 78.5 per cent drop in consolidated revenue for the quarter under review at Rs 112.24 crore as compared to Rs 121.3 crore for Q2 2017. The company reported consolidated net loss of Rs 22.42 crore for Q3 2018 as compared to a net loss of Rs 26.26 crore for Q3 2017.

    Consolidated total expenditure for the quarter declined 16.3 per cent yoy to Rs 123.13 crore from Rs 147.03 crore. Production expenses and cost of services declined 14 per cent yoy to Rs 23.16 crore from Rs 26.93 crore. Employee benefit expenses reduced 20.5 per cent yoy to Rs 49.38 crore from Rs 62.11 crore. Operating and administrative expenses for Q3 2018 declined 16.4 per cent yoy to Rs 24.97 crore from Rs 29.87 crore. Marketing, distribution and promotional expenses declined 7.6 per cent yoy to Rs 16.60 crore from Rs 17.95 crore.

    Also Read :

    NDTV puts top management in place

    NDTV Profit to be shut down, to move business & finance segments on NDTV 24×7

    NDTV promoters get clean chit from SEBI in disclosure case

  • NDTV Digital narrows NDTV loss in second quarter

    NDTV Digital narrows NDTV loss in second quarter

    BENGALURU: Operating profit at NDTV Digital has enabled New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) to narrow consolidated operating loss (EBIDTA) to Rs 137.7 million for the quarter ended 30 September 2017 (Q2 FY 2017-18). An NDTV earnings release mentions a rounded off operating loss of Rs 20 million incurred by the company. The release also states rounded off operating losses by NDTV’s television and allied and ecommerce businesses to the extent of Rs 135 million and Rs 1 million, respectively, and operating profit of Rs 12 million from its digital business during the quarter.

    During the corresponding quarter a year ago, operating profit from the digital business was Rs 10 million (rounded off). An analysis of the numbers put out by NDTV on the stock exchanges shows that the company had incurred lower operating consolidated loss of Rs 106.9 million during Q2 FY 2016-17. On contacting NDTV about the discrepancy, the company responded on email saying, “The difference in the EBITDA in published results versus press release is primarily due to Ind AS adjustment for ESOP cost, which is being shown as one-line item just prior to PAT.”

    NDTV reported a 3.1 per cent drop in consolidated revenue for the quarter under review at Rs 1,025.5 million as compared with Rs 1,162.9 million for the year ago quarter. Net loss stood at Rs 231.40 million for Q2 FY 2017-18 as against net loss of Rs 229.1 million for Q2 FY 2016-17. Consolidated total comprehensive loss for the quarter declined slightly to Rs 233.7 million from Rs 236.40 million in the corresponding previous year’s quarter.

    NDTV reports numbers from two segments–television and media related operations (television) and retail ecommerce. The company reported operating revenue of Rs 1,002.2 million and operating loss of Rs 65.2 million for its television segment and operating revenue of Rs 350 million and an operating loss of Rs 89.3 million for its retail ecommerce segment for the quarter. Corresponding numbers for the year ago quarter were – revenue Rs 1,138.2 million and operating profit of Rs 0.6 million for the television segment and revenue of Rs 30.7 million and operating loss of Rs 136.1 million for the retail ecommerce segment.

    Let us look at the other numbers reported by the company

    Consolidated total expenditure for the quarter declined by 9.4 per cent y-o-y to Rs 1,254.1 million from Rs 1,384 million. Production expenses and cost of services decreased by 34.9 per cent y-o-y to Rs 172.1 million from Rs 264.3 million. Employee benefit expenses increased by 10.2 per cent y-o-y to Rs 573.9 million from Rs 520.70 million. Operating and administrative expenses declined by 21.6 per cent y-o-y to Rs 251.3 million from Rs 320.4 million. Marketing, distribution and promotional expenses reduced by 4.7 per cent to Rs 155.4 million from Rs 163.1 million.

     

  • NDTV Convergence Q1 revenue jumps by 65%; parent company reports loss

    MUMBAI: NDTV’s digital business, NDTV Convergence, has enjoyed spectacular growth. Its revenue has jumped by 65 per cent to Rs. 380 million from Rs. 230 million in the same quarter last year. However, the parent company, NDTV, reported a consolidated loss of Rs 220.01 million for the quarter ended 30 June 2017 (Q1-18, current quarter) as compared to a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 76.1 million in the immediate trailing quarter (Q4-17) and a loss of Rs 445.5 million for the corresponding year ago quarter.

    NDTV Convergence now has 135 million unique visitors a month,which is more than 100 per cent increase over same period last year. Profit after Tax improved to Rs. 70 million compared to a loss of Rs. 30 million in the same quarter last year

    The company launched RailBeeps,a new offering which allows users the fastest possible experience in tracking updates on their railway bookings. The product currently tracks live data on over 12,000 Indian trains, and allows users to discover the best trains, organize all their routes and trips in one place.

    NDTV’s consolidated total income was almost the same year-on-year in Q1-18 at Rs 1,096 million as compared to Rs 1085.7 million, but declined sharply quarter-over-quarter from Rs 1,525.2 million.

    NDTV’s consolidated total expenditure in the current quarter at Rs 1,284.3 million was substantially lower y-o-y than the Rs 1,477.6 million in Q1-17 and also lower q-o-q than the Rs 1,393.2 million in Q4-17.

    The company’s television segment reported slightly lower y-o-y revenue in Q1-18 at Rs 1034.8 million as compared to Rs 1064.1 million in Q1-17 and lower q-o-q than the Rs 1,459.2 million in the immediate trailing quarter.

    The group EBITDA improved by Rs. 19 million compared to same quarter last year. EBITDA from Television & Digital segments achieved break-even in this quarter, says the company.

    The Group EBITDA loss was reduced from Rs. 210 million last year same quarter to Rs. 2 million in current quarter due to improved contributions from the digital business, cost reduction initiatives, improved productivity and reduction of losses in e-Commerce business.

  • NDTV’s revenue improves further in third quarter

    BENGALURU: Though New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) reported lower year-on-year (y-o-y) numbers across all important parameters in the quarter ended 31 December 2017 (Q3-17, current quarter), the company’s quarter-over-quarter (q-o-q) numbers have improved further. NDTV’s consolidated Total Income from Operations (TIO, revenue) in the current quarter declined 10.9 percent y-o-y to Rs 132.20 crore from Rs 148.41 crore, but increased 7.2 percent q-o-q from Rs 123.31 crore.  The company’s Q2-17 revenue numbers were better than those in Q1-17.

    However, net loss in Q3-17 was higher both y-o-y and q-o-q. NDTV reported loss of Rs 18.49 crore in Q3-16; Rs 12.54 crore in Q3-16; and Rs 17.22 crore in the immediate trailing quarter Q2-17.

    NDTV had negative EBIDTA (operating loss) of Rs 6.67 crore in the current quarter; negative EBIDTA of Rs 4.45 crore in Q2-16; negative EBIDTA of Rs 3.64 crore in Q2-17.

    Segment numbers

    NDTV’s Television Media and related operations (Television) segment reported 12.4 percent y-o-y decline in revenue in Q3-17 at Rs 129,53 crore from Rs 147.86 crore but 7 percent more y-o-y as compared to Rs 121.03 crore. The segment’s operating loss has been mentioned above.

    Television segment reported higher loss at Rs 7.39 crore in the current quarter; Rs 3.44 crore in Q3-16 and Rs 3.94 crore for Q2-17, current quarter. as compared to the operating loss of Rs 8.41 crore during the corresponding quarter of the previous year (y-o-y).

    NDTV’s Retail/eCommerce (eCommerce) segment reported 2.3 percent y-o-y decline in revenue at Rs 3.76 crore from Rs 3.85 crore, but 17.5 percent q-o-q increase from Rs 3.20 crore in Q2-17.  The eCommerce segment reported lower y-o-y operating loss in Q3-17 at Rs 4.29 crore as compared to an operating loss of Rs 6.50 crore in Q3-16, and lower q-o-q than the Rs 4.98 crore in Q2-17.

    Let us look at the other numbers reported by NDTV

    Total Expenditure (TE) in the current quarter declined 9.4 percent y-o-y to Rs 144.92 crore (109.6 percent of TIO)  from Rs 159.89 crore (107.7 percent of TIO) but was 7.5 percent more  q-o-q than Rs 134.84 crore (109.4 percent of TIO).

    NDTV’s consolidated Production Expense (PE) reduced 5.8 percent y-o-y in Q3-17 to Rs 30.54 crore (23.1 percent of TIO) from Rs 32.43 crore (21.8 percent of TIO), but increased 3.1 percent q-o-q from Rs 28.62 crore (23.2 percent of TIO).

    The company’s Marketing, distribution and promotional expense (Marketing expense) in the current quarter reduced 35 percent y-o-y to Rs 22.44 crore (17 percent of TIO) from Rs 34.50 crore (23.2 percent of TIO) but increased 14.1 percent q-o-q from Rs 19.67 crore (16 percent of TIO).

    NDTV’s Employee Benefit Expense (EBE) in Q3-17 increased 8.1 percent y-o-y to Rs 54.85 crore (41.5 percent of TIO) from Rs 50.72 crore (34.2 percent of TIO) and increased 21.4 percent from Rs 45.19 crore (36.6 percent of TIO).

    Operating and administration expenses (Admin expenses) in Q3-17 reduced 8.2 percent y-o-y to Rs 31.76 crore (24 percent of TIO) from Rs 34.60 crore (23.3 percent of TIO) and reduced 8.5 percent q-o-q from Rs 34.71 crore (28.1 percent of TIO).

    Finance Costs in the current year increased 4.3 percent y-o-y to Rs 5.52 crore (4.2 percent of TIO) from Rs 5.29 crore (3.6 percent of TIO) and declined 16.7 percent q-o-q from Rs 6.63 crore (5.4 percent of TIO).

    NDTV’s Digital Business: www.ndtv.com

    The company says that Ndtv.com posted strong results with an EBITDA profit of Rs 7 crore vs 2 crore in the previous year, driven by revenues which grew by 25 percent y-o-y.

    NDTV’s Ecommerce Business: www.Gadgets360.com

    NDTV says that Gadgets 360 becomes profitable in third quarter after a break-even second quarter and posted a PAT of Rs. 73 lacs in Q3-17

    The total GMV Moved (marketplace e-commerce + Affiliate) since April 2016 – was Rs.100 crore

    NDTV claims that Gadgets 360 is now ranked among top 20 technology news websites in the world.

    Note: (1) The unit of currency in this report is the Indian rupee – Rs (also conventionally represented by INR). The Indian numbering system or the Vedic numbering system has been used to denote money values. The basic conversion to the international norm would be:

    (a) 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10,000,000 = 10 million = 1 crore.

    (b) 10,000 lakh = 100 crore = 1 arab = 1 billion.

    (2) The numbers in this report are consolidated unless stated otherwise.

     

  • Times Internet forays into content marketing with ‘Spotlight’

    Times Internet forays into content marketing with ‘Spotlight’

    MUMBAI: When conventional modes of communication are failing marketers, they are increasingly looking to reinvent the old formulas in a new light, content marketing being one of them. Not just the media and creative start-ups but digital media behemoths like Times Internet have invested in the content game. Times Internet has recently launched a one stop digital content solutions studio -‘Spotlight.’ With an aim to be strategic partners with brands, Spotlight will cater to branded content needs of the clients.

    “Spotlight will help marketers define their content strategy, create it and distribute it, not only on our platforms but across their own and others. We will also help them understand how to measure their return on their branded content efforts by helping them translate them into traditional marketing metrics. What makes Spotlight stand out will be its ability to create branded content not only in English, but 9 other Indian regional languages across 150 million users,” said Times Internet, CRO, Gulshan Verma.

    The company is banking on its massive reach in the country through multiple content based platforms like Times of India, Economic Times, NavBharat Times, iDiva Gaana, MagicBricks, and many more. Spotlight intends to tap into the interest graph of its client’s target audience and drive brand recall and preference through contextualizing reach.

    “It’s been on our mind for a while and we finally had a robust plan together and got all the experts we needed to start the process and we did! With some of the best minds in the business across genres it’s makes absolute sense to give the very best we have to offer to our clients. Neha Gupta, who comes from NDTV Convergence will be heading the operations at Spotlight and I’m positive she will do a stellar job,” he added.

    When it comes to production, Verma informed that Spotlight will produce a huge chunk of the content in-house backed by capabilities in terms of photos, videos and articles, while also exploring commissioning options as well. “We have our in-house team of experts with in-depth knowledge across industries who work with the brand to understand the key result areas and building content with them, and thereafter they ideate and create the final product with the production team, who have been specially brought in the Spotlight team. We provide end to end solutions,” he said.

    Though digital videos are often synonymous with short form content, Spotlight will explore a ‘bit of both.’ With an intention to go beyond engaging audience over snack-sized content, Verma shared that they don’t mind investing in long term projects that may give rise to an extended storyline or even a web series.

    “We would prefer to work with marketers on a comprehensive plan and sometimes that may involve building a long term story including a video web series, but also articles, questionnaires, photo shoots. As to whether it would be long or short form – it depends on what the goal is – initially, the focus for a marketer is to do bite size content that can be consumed quickly and spark interest, but as you draw audiences in, it could be taken forward. We even partner with our brands to create on the ground events such as the one we recently did with GE at the ET Health World launch where CEOs and decision makers in that space got together for an evening,” explained Verma.

    Since the video boom, advertisers are jumping on the content marketing bandwagon. However, more often than not they make one time small investment that doesn’t give them the promised result from the medium, which in turn affects the adopt-ability of the marketing form.

    When asked how Verma intends to handle this trend within advertisers, he shared, “It’s a complicated and tedious process to coordinate one activity for a marketer and get content producers, execution and promotion across to a large audience in one place today. The power of content marketing is being realized through increasing adoption of native advertising already. The slower adoption rate is a function of lack of content experts who can create meaningful and qualitative content on a large scale and engage mass audience within the defined TG. Most marketers need to connect with one unit for content and another for reach. Spotlight intends to bring every aspect of content marketing as a one stop creative powerhouse.”

    With its brand new content marketing arm, Times Internet plans to become an umbrella under which all types of brands can seek solutions, rather than taking the specialisation route.

    “In the Industry we can see the first movers being mostly consumer brands but education, finance and real estate are also getting into content space extensively. Times Internet can help you along every stage of the sales funnel. From creating awareness, to driving trials, to point of sale conversions and re-targeting loyal consumers. This makes Spotlight the partner of choice for most industry categories. We have the capability of combining content marketing with the desired impact at any stage of sales process,” Verma shared, adding that they already are in talks with several brands to sign deals.