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Tag: NDTV

  • NDTV readies for Profit relaunch

    NDTV readies for Profit relaunch

    MUMBAI: When things are going ok, you still need to fix them to make them fabulous, is an adage some business executives believe in. And that’s exactly what the folks at newscaster NDTV group’s NDTV Profit are doing. On the cards, is a total rejig of the business channel’s FPC – the only thing it will happen post 4 p.m. when business prime time and coverage of the stock market ends.

     

    Says NDTV Group CEO Vikram Chandra: “We have been thinking of revamping NDTV Profit for a while. Though it is good to have business shows during the day, there isn’t much interest in the channel, once business prime time ends at 4 p.m.”

     

    Most business news channels air magazine programming which is related to technology, property and automobiles. And Chandra wants NDTV to refrain from doing just that, he wants programming in the entertainment space to be added on. One show that will continue to be on the channel is The Property Show.

        
    Sources indicate that external and independent TV producers are being called in to pitch in with ideas for programming the late evening slots. Among the business models being considered is the airtime barter model wherein producers and brands can buy time slots and get advertising time in exchange for programming, something which channels like DD and Sun TV have been doing rather profitably. Sources have also said that some programs will also be commissioned for the new channel.

     

    The ‘NDTV Profit’ name is also likely to give way to another moniker. A date has not been set yet, but Chandra says that in the next three or four months, a brand new channel should be up and running. Though he refrained from giving specific details he did say “It will be a completely new channel in the evening. It will stay as a business channel during the day time.”

     

    Some changes have already taken place. For instance, NDTV Profit has over the past months or so put together a special band from 9 to 11 p.m. calling it NDTV Classics. The best episodes of some of its old shows such as The World This Week, 24 hours, Ravish ki Report and Reality Bites are being featured under NDTV Classics.

     

    Chandra says that the reason for telecasting them are two-fold: provide an interim base for the transition process as well as celebrate the completion of 25 years of the NDTV group. “A lot of people have been requesting us to air our old content. It serves two purposes this way,” he says. What he has not mentioned is that it is helping keeping the channel’s costs lower and possibly improving its bottomline. That’s profitable thinking.

  • Aidem Ventures: A comeback tale

    Aidem Ventures: A comeback tale

    Filling someone‘s shoes is never easy and especially when that someone is the person you‘ve always looked up to. Vikas Khanchandani, director of media outsourcing firm Aidem Ventures, who was part of the founding team humbly acknowledges the fact.

    “We all know Raj Nayak the man who started it and had the vision to look at an opportunity keeping in mind the fragmentation that the industry was witnessing. He has left very large shoes for me to fill and I don‘t think it‘s going to be easy doing that. After working with him for 14 years I am glad to make an attempt at fulfilling a dream and I know he is extremely proud of what we have done and continue to do.”

    Aidem Ventures was carved out of NDTV Media which ad veteran Raj had set up as a 26:74 joint venture in 2003 with major TV news network NDTV. NDTV Media‘s role was to do ad sales for NDTV (and any other channels it would launch), Mi Marathi and Sahara‘s TV channels. All was well for a few years.

    But then NDTV launched a Hindi GEC NDTV Imagine in 2008 and did not hand over ad sales to Raj and his team. He waited and watched for a couple of years for things to change, but nothing did.

    Vikas Khanchandani believes obstacles are the best path to take

    Hence, in 2010, Raj decided to quit NDTV Media and with the supposed blessings of both Prannoy and Radhika Roy he set up Aidem Ventures taking its entire sales team and business to the new firm in an effort to build a standalone enterprise. Things were hunky-dory, and Raj roped in some senior industry professionals such as Kaushal Dalal, M. Suku to strengthen the organisation. The venture was cruising until a year later when NDTV decided not to renew its contract. It was almost as if the entire floor collapsed under Aidem as NDTV accounted almost 80 per cent of the new fledgling‘s business. 
    Many of the founding senior management team headed for the exits. Around this time, Raj moved to Viacom18 as the CEO of Colors after finding an investor and well wisher, leaving with the belief that Vikas and team would successfully run with the baton.

    Raj also took the efforts to reassure everyone that the company will continue to keep its stakeholders‘ benefit in mind and will work forward to fulfilling its motto.

    “But those were tough times,” recollects Vikas. “We scaled down our operations and had to calm clients apart from making sure that our colleagues were absorbed in other companies. We did not lay off anyone.”

    The Aidem dream team: Alok Rakshit (regional entertainment & news head), Joydeep Ghosh (eBUS business head, India), Lama Choudhury (business development head)

    The investor that came in was none other than a client in his personal capacity: Ashok Gupta of the HDIL group, who was involved in a channel Live India. His entry and financial injection proved to be the proverbial turning point.

    From being a near basket case then, the firm has come back very strongly. And how. Today, Aidem has 100 plus employees and 30 clients across broadcasters and publishers nationally and claims to be more experienced in the outsourced model compared to any of its peers. The reason behind this is nothing but years of experience and practice that has built a whole host of services and IT enabled infrastructure that has given it an edge over some of the larger networks.

    “We spent two years to create extensive resources to have a robust platform which is web enabled giving people opportunity to feed, view and retrieve information on the go. We have experience across platforms and across genres from news – national and regional, regional entertainment, Hindi entertainment and niche and hence have build extensive knowledge and on pricing and strategy which have immensely helped our partners to improve their yields,” explains Vikas.

    He further adds, “We have the finest operations process and teams, something that keeps revenue based errors to negligible levels thereby bringing efficiencies in our service. Aidem also has one of the finest digital sales and operations team offering solutions to our digital publishers. Lastly, we are go-to-market experts, something that we have proven to our technology partners by creating the business model and then executing it as per plan and strategy to create one of the largest service providers in digital delivery of ad commercials within the country.”

    Madison Media COO Karthik Lakshminarayan agrees that there is a need-gap in the market and that is when such media-sales organisations have a huge potential to flourish. “Niche and regional channels don‘t have enough revenues to have a specified sales team and hence, such organisations come to their rescue unlike the large networks which have their own set ups.”

    The Aidem dream team contd: Neena Dasgupta (digital & international business head), Nikhil Sheth (Hindi entertainment & niche channels head) , Shailendra Shetty (systems head)

    Vikas has built a solid team, which is responsible for the Rs 200 plus crore business, Aidem generates across platforms for its clients. Alok Rakshit is the business head across regional entertainment and news. Neena Dasgupta looks after the digital & international businesses as business head. Joydeep Ghosh leads the eBUS Business for India. Nikhil Sheth is business head across Hindi entertainment & niche channels while Shailendra Shetty has been instrumental in devising and developing work flow and system for traffic and sales operations. Lama Choudhury heads the business development team and is actively involved with all commercial negotiations and deal evaluations. He has been with Aidem right from its incorporation.

    “Our hierarchy is simple, each business head has people under them looking after different regions,” explains Vikas.

    Tamil television broadcaster Jaya Network which has been with Aidem for more than an year is not only content but also thanks it for bringing in more clients (read: revenues). “We started with one channel but now Aidem handles the whole bouquet and within a year we have seen a 30 per cent increase in revenue,” proudly proclaims Jaya TV marketing head S Senthil Velavan.

    Similarly, The Economist which is in its second year of association with Aidem never anticipated the results it has got so far. “I knew Neena Dasgupta and when she came with a proposal for our online business, we were open to it. And all I can say is that revenues are now substantial while it was negligible when they came to us,” says The Economist India MD Supriyo Guha Thakurta.

    One venture which the organisation feels was a god-send was that of eBus, a digitial delivery and distribution platform for short form TV commercials, which it set up as a joint venture with a Singapore based company (headed by its CEO Carmine Masiello) of the same name in 2010. eBus is arguably one of the largest providers of this service to the advertising and broadcasting industries and was acquired by media logistics company IMD this year. “The acquisition gave us some good cash which has helped us retire all debt,” says Vikas. “But Aidem has the contract to manage it for the next five years. eBus is one of the finest cloud based delivery service and industry swears by it. We have around 300 clients using it.”

    Karthik Laxminarayan says outfits such as Aidem Ventures help the smaller players

    Like for any other, the journey for Aidem so far has been challenging, trying and exciting at the same breath. Not every client stays and it has had its fair share of losses. For instance, Radiowalla‘s co-founder Anil Srivatsa feels that though they had partnered with Aidem for only six months, the expectations and capabilities didn‘t match. He blames the timing for it, but however hasn‘t struck it off completely and wouldn‘t mind considering it in the future.

    Ups and down are a part and parcel of life and keeping that in mind Aidem sees itself as a platform that will create opportunities for many of its partners to grow and in the process grow with them. It has shortlisted some of the growth areas that it needs to put its energies in to and build them into substantial and valuable business over the next three to five years.

    “Right now, Aidem 1.0 is about trading while Aidem 2.0 will be about building platforms offering solutions across channels using technology as a tool to scale. We will also be building new business/services verticals using technology as a tool/differentiator that will help bridge some need gap within our industry,” says Vikas optimistically.

    He hopes to reduce the revenue dependence on channels too. “We are far better off from the days of the 80 per cent dependency on NDTV for revenues. But I would like it to come down from the 14 per cent to 20 per cent which it is currently. What that means is getting in more channels,” says Vikas.

    What was it that kept him going when everything else around him seemed to be falling apart? “It has been touch and go on several occasions,” he confesses. “But for all of us at Aidem: obstacles are the best path to take.”

    Maybe the quote by Marcel Proust “We don‘t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us” can sum up Aidem‘s journey.

  • Media’s independence needs to be zealously guarded: Narayan Rao Executive Vice Chairperson at NDTV

    Media’s independence needs to be zealously guarded: Narayan Rao Executive Vice Chairperson at NDTV

    Freedom of the media is a fundamental component of a vibrant democracy. It is what differentiates a democracy from a dictatorship and all forms of totalitarianism. Indeed a democracy cannot function without a free media while the latter can only exist in a democratic state.

    As Lord Northcliffe, owner of The Times during the First World War once said, “News is something someone somewhere wants to suppress”. As a free media in the world‘s largest democracy, it is our job to ensure that nothing ever gets suppressed. Also, dissemination of news is really the performance of a public service. We seek to inform and educate and to do it with independence….from Government and from revenue considerations. Our responsibility is not to the Governors but to the governed.

    While a free media is an absolute need, it is also necessary to stress that with freedom comes responsibility. Responsibility to ensure that one is always accurate and credible and respectful of the privacy of an individual.

    It is in this need for freedom with responsibility that talk of regulation comes up every now and then. I would like to state with all the emphasis at my command that the only regulation that is acceptable in a democracy is self regulation. And by this I do not mean that each news organization regulates itself by following its own editorial policy and standards which would naturally be of varying levels from channel to channel, but to have a structured self regulatory mechanism that watches over a common expectation of what constitutes good, responsible journalism.

    While a free media is an absolute need, it is also necessary to stress that with freedom comes responsibility. Responsibility to ensure that one is always accurate and credible and respectful of the privacy of an individual.
    _____****_____

     

    I honestly believe that the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has made remarkable progress in this regard. We created a common code of ethics, a wonderful document of journalistic good practices and expectations, which is available for all to see on the NBA website. We then set up a News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) with a Chairperson and several eminent members to monitor and ensure that this code is followed by all our member channels. Our first Chairperson was the most ethical, learned and highly regarded, late Justice J S Verma. He ensured along with the eminent members, that the NBSA is truly independent. It also needs to be noted that the NBSA is the “standards authority” and not merely the complaints authority.

     

    The aim is to improve standards of news broadcasting over a period of time and we are well on the path to realizing that aim. In probably the only such example of its kind in the world, every member channel carries a scroll several times a day, exhorting viewers to approach the NBSA if they have any complaint against a channel. The decisions of the NBSA can be seen on the NBA website and over time action has been taken against several of our channels. We also have some Editors sitting on the NBSA for fixed terms and on a rotational basis as it is believed that self regulation flourishes and standards improve when it is known that, among others who will look at the quality of your content, will be your own peers.

    We will miss Justice Verma immensely. But the show must go on and I am honoured and delighted to announce that Justice R V Raveendran, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, has very graciously accepted our invitation to be the next Chairperson of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority.

    Justice Raveendran brings with him incredible legal and judicial ability, a wealth of experience and outstanding reputation in upholding democratic institutions and values through strict and fair implementation of the law of the land. He very ably takes the baton from the late Justice Verma to chart out the next leg of our mission to establish that the media must function through structured self regulation.

    In such a robust system where is the need for a media council? With all due respect to our Parliamentarians in the Standing Committee and some others, very erudite people who have pushed for such a Council, my counter question to them is what for? When we have the NBSA which is doing such magnificent work in an independent and strict manner, what is it that a media council will do? Who will appoint such a media council? Government? How can that be acceptable?

    We will miss Justice Verma immensely. But the show must go on and I am honoured and delighted to announce that Justice R V Raveendran, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, has very graciously accepted our invitation to be the next Chairperson of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority.
    _____****_____

    The media is the fourth estate, the fourth pillar of democracy, and has to be independent of the other three. And like the three zealously guard their independence of each other and safeguard their positions, as they must and should do, so should the media zealously guard its independence.

    That in part means, no Government appointed body to oversee the media. 
    Some complain that the NBSA does not have statutory powers. I would urge that they only take a look at the NBA website to look at the powers that the NBSA has been given. These range from censure to asking offending channels to carry apologies, retractions and corrections on the same slot where the offense was first carried (if, for example, the offending story was in the 9 pm news, the retraction/apology has to be carried in the 9 pm news as well), a fine that can be up to Rs one lakh, and finally, the power to recommend to the licensing authority that the license of a particular channel should be suspended, even cancelled. Isn‘t that power enough?

    (To take a dekko at some of the decisions that the NBSA has taken click here)

    Also, it needs to be noted that in the Cable Act, when it comes to the advertising code, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has been mentioned as the standard under which advertising can take place. Similarly, for programming, why can‘t the same be the case with the NBSA for news and the BCCI for other categories of television? In fact this has been one of our long pending requests to the Ministry of I&B.

    What is necessary is to ensure that all laws are implemented strictly and speedily by our courts. We have laws against defamation and libel but the general feeling is that there will be no decision in most such cases for 20 years. That can sometimes make our journalists complacent about essential things like accuracy. If one knows that the law will be applied with effect and expeditiously, one will be far more conscious of the need for absolute accuracy. We have the laws. Please implement them.

    (The views expressed in the comment are in author‘s personal capacity and do not represent the corporate viewpoint)

  • NY court dismisses NDTV law firm’s defamation suit against WPP’s Martin Sorrell

    NY court dismisses NDTV law firm’s defamation suit against WPP’s Martin Sorrell

    MUMBAI: Indian newscaster New Delhi Television (NDTV)‘s law firm Sabharwal & Finkel (S&F – its legal representative in the Nielsen-TAM India case in New York) suffered a setback recently.

    A New York court dismissed a defamation suit the firm had filed against Sir Martin Sorrell in August 2012, claiming that he had made libelous and slanderous statement against it in an interview with Indian financial publication livemint.com.

    In that interview, Sorrell had said that the law firm was trying to extort money as a settlement from WPP on behalf of its client NDTV, which had named WPP and Nielsen in a suit relating to TV ratings irregularities by their joint venture in India TAM Media.

    Secondly, S&F had stated, Sorrel had incorrectly mentioned that it was based in Florida, suggesting that the firm was violating laws by practicing there.

    Thirdly, he had also said that S&F specialises in the restaurant business, whereas its specialty is “complex, commercial litigation, arbitration and banking law.”

    S&F had then alleged that Sorrell comments had gone viral on the internet, and, in the process, caused tremendous damage to the firm‘s reputation as it “had been charged with crimes of extortion and or practising law in Florida without a license.”

    Hence, it and its principals Rohit Sabharwal and Adam Finkel had no recourse to but to file the defamation suit.

    But New York State supreme court judge Cynthia Kern dismissed their charges recently saying that no cause for libel or defamation can be found in the statements that Sorrell had made earlier. She highlighted that “no reasonable reader” would decide that S&F was unethical and incompetent after reading his comments; that they would understand that his statements were “an opinion about the merits of the lawsuit.”

    Meanwhile as reported last week, NDTV and S&F have filed a fresh appeal last week in the TV ratings irregularities case against Nielsen in a New York, excluding WPP from the suit.

    (See story: NDTV files fresh appeal against Nielsen in New York supreme court )

  • NDTV files fresh appeal against Nielsen in New York supreme court

    NDTV files fresh appeal against Nielsen in New York supreme court

     MUMBAI: New Delhi Television (NDTV) ain’t giving up on its law suit against global research agency Nielsen on account of the TV ratings service it runs in India with global advertising powerhouse WPP under TAM Media Research. Last week, the newscaster filed fresh papers with a New York state supreme court appealing against its decision earlier this year to dismiss its $1 billion suit against Nielsen and WPP.This time, however, it has named only Nielsen group companies in the appeal, whereas earlier it had included both in its suit.

    While dismissing the suit, the New York court had then said that NDTV’s claim and complaint should be filed and contested in Indian courts where TAM, the Nielsen-WPP joint venture is based and not in New York.

    NDTV’s nine month old lawsuit states that it has lost hundred of millions of dollars in ad revenues on account of the inaccuracies in TAM’s TV ratings service in India and that it needs to be compensated for the loss. It had alleged that TAM staff took bribes in exchange for overstating ratings.

    In its fresh appeal (a copy of which is with indiantelevision.com) which it filed with the court on 15 May, NDTV sought a reversal, annulment or modification of the trial’s court’s dismissal of its application earlier as it has mistakenly ruled that the Big Apple is not a proper venue for the suit because it “failed to accept as true the allegations” that the New York-based Nielsen owns and controls the “Nielsen process” upon which its ratings services around the world operate.

    Additionally, the NDTV appeal has stated that the court has disregarded the fact that Nielsen’s hq and “senior management (and several key witnesses and thus evidence) are located in New York and the court wrongly concluded that the defendants were foreign.”

    The court has also erred earlier in dismissing its amended complaint, NDTV has stated in its appeal, “for its failure to include an indispensable party (TAM)..the court wrongly concluded that its claims address TAM’s misconduct in India when in fact NDTV’s claims are based solely on the conduct of the New York-based Nielsen.”

    “The Indian courts likely lack jurisdiction over Nielsen,” as it is based out of New York, pleads the new NDTV filing. “Contrary to the trial court’s rulings..we properly pled that Nielsen breached a duty it owed to NDTV and the breach resulted in a compensable injury.”

    NDTV has pointed out that it had brought the bugs in TAM’s ratings process in India to WPP’s and Nielsen’s notice. Both had promised to have these rectified, but did nothing about it forcing it to take the matter to the US courts.

    WPP and Nielsen had denied NDTV’s claims and said that the case should be argued in India and the not in the US, which the New York court had accepted while dismissing the case.

    TAM, on its part, in recent times, has been making efforts to spruce up its act, aiming to guarantee impartiality of its ratings service. It has set up a vigilance desk’, headed by a former senior policeman, and a ‘transparency panel’ of regulation experts. But some broadcasters have said these changes have come too late.

  • TV news industry awaits 4G telco services

    TV news industry awaits 4G telco services

    MUMBAI: Zip, zap, zoom – high speed! Don‘t most of us love it – especially when it concerns data transfer speeds? India‘s new TV broadcasters too eagerly await the rapid speed that comes with 4G LTE services. India‘s telecom landscape is going to undergo some drastic changes once 4G LTE starts spreading in more cities and starts gaining traction amongst users, courtesy licensees such as Reliance and Airtel and other telcos.

    And amongst the customers who are just counting down the days to 4G‘s rapid uptake and spread are Indian news broadcasters. Reason: they are looking to use the data pipe to get the video footage to their studios and master control rooms, faster and cheaper, replacing clunky and very expensive outdoor broadcast (OB) vans.

    In fact, what‘s heartening for the industry are reports that more than five news crews including the Beeb reported lived on the UEFA Championship using 4G LTE services on 15 May. In their case, they used Dutch based Mobile Viewpoint‘s 4G technology. Mobile Viewpoint is a subsidiary of Dutch company Triple IT focusing on the development of mobile video solutions for the security and broadcast industries. But there are others such as TVU Networks, SeekFit Technology, AVIWest, which are also offering solutions which entail a shift in live video acquisition away from the super expensive satellite transmission, delivering a cost effective cellular alternative that offers resilient broadcast quality video uplink while enhancing freedom of mobility in the field for TV news journalists.

    Currently, most Indian news broadcasters are functioning on a combination of OB vans and 3G mobile technology. According to industry sources, 3G technology provides a bandwidth of around a maximum of 700 KBPS to one MBPS. Multiple sim data cards are clubbed together in a special 3G unit to stream live footage. It is estimated that compared to that 4G technology would enable a massive bandwidth of up to 2 MBPS.

    Says leading Indian news broadcaster NDTV CTO Dinesh Singh: “4G technology would bring in better clarity as compared to OB vans and 3G technology. Currently, we at NDTV are functioning on a 50:50 ratio of OB vans and 3G mobile technology. 4G technology in India will be a welcome advancement.”

    What gives mobile technology an edge over traditional OB vans, is the cost effectiveness and the convenience it offers. Think about the parking constraints that news broadcasters have to deal with while transmitting live events in a bustling and congested city area through an OB van! With mobile technology, it is a matter of a convenient ‘backpack.‘

    In terms of costs, mobile technology or digital mobile news gathering systems are way less heavy on the pocket as compared to OB vans. Explains Singh: “An OB van would require an investment of around Rs 6 million to Rs 8 million. On the other hand, establishing an infrastructure for mobile technology involves an investment of roughly Rs one million. The difference in costs is quite substantial and hence very attractive.”

    Apart from establishment costs, OB transmissions require access to satellite uplink bandwidth. This burns another hole in the broadcaster‘s pocket at an estimated Rs 5 million a year. Whereas, all one needs for 3G or 4G mobile technology is a couple of supportive mobile handsets and a good data packet plan which would cost a meager Rs 5,000- Rs10,000, says one of the broadcasters.

    However, all is not hunky-dory as far as using 4G LTE services are concerned. â€?OB vans offer a success rate of 99.9 per cent as opposed to mobile technology which leaves scope for an error. In a competitive industry like news, there is no tolerance for an error,” points out a media observer. â€?Mobile technology is ideal for news gathering and live streaming, however not entirely dependable.”

    Network18 CTO Piyush Gupta reasons: “We will all happily welcome 4G technology, if all the telecom providers sort out the loopholes. Many a times, the mobile towers get choked up because of congestion. While OB vans ensure us a dedicated bandwidth, that‘s not the case with mobile technology.”

    Network18 is currently functioning on 80 per cent OB vans and 20 per cent 3G technology. It uses mobile technology for gathering and relaying footage to its studios.

    Besides, compatibility issues may also arise. “3G had high hopes pinned on it. The industry invested in special units which act as receivers and transmitters. And advanced 4G technology would imply advanced transmission units,” Gupta adds.

    Another area of concern is the need for pan India connectivity. TV Today Network general manager Amit Gemini points out: “Mobile technology is not consistent. The moment you go beyond the four metros, the connectivity gets bleak. It would be great only if we are assured pan India connectivity.”

    But a couple of aspects aside, 4G is the way ahead. “4G as a technology is very good for news gathering and distributing content. Currently television consumption is linear. With 4G coming in, the streaming of an entire show could take just a few minutes.”

    All in all, 4G may not entirely replace the good old OB van, but it will definitely revolutionise live broadcasting. Are TV news journos licking their chops?

  • NDTV Good Times brings Yogasutra DVDs in collaboration with Saregama

    NDTV Good Times brings Yogasutra DVDs in collaboration with Saregama

    MUMBAI: Did you know that any movement, even blinking your eyes, requires the coordinated activity of several different muscles? NDTV Good Times’ first health and fitness show – Yogasutra is now available in a DVD format, to reveal many more secrets of the ancient discipline of yoga. Launched in collaboration with Saregama, one of the biggest Indian music companies in the country, the DVD is designed as a visual treat so that the discipline sits easy on the eyes and works as the perfect inspiration to better health.

    Yogasutra showcases the art and science of yoga in all its beauty and strength and introduces its nuances, up close and personal. The DVD features short episodes of different practices pertaining to specific needs of the body, helping you align your physical, mental, and spiritual senses in perfect harmony.

    The series is presented by Samara Chopra, a student, practitioner and teacher of yoga who has been practicing the art since the tender age of 13. Samara firmly believes that yoga is a part of basic human existance, a way of being and a journey to discover your true self.

    Talking about the concept and thought behind launching the DVD Smeeta Chakrabarti, Chief Executive Officer, NDTV Lifestyle said, “As the pioneer in our domain, our endeavour is to constantly innovate and connect with our audiences. We recently launched our first show merchandise – Highway on My Plate Diary and now we are collaborating with Saregama to launch the Yogasutra DVD, an extension to the brand’s philosophy of living the good times.”

    Talking about the initiative, Atul Seth, VP –Development (International & New Business ), NDTV Lifestyle Limited said, “In its five years of existence, NDTV Good Times has acquired a large fan following. With the launch of this DVD, we aim to extend our brand beyond the show and reach a larger section of our target audience. Considering the show is about Yoga we have used the visual media [ DVDs ] so that the viewers can follow the exercise and do them when they feel like. The initial pack has the first 3 episodes and we shall be releasing more additions as we move along.”

    Talking about the show DVD and collaboration with NDTV Good Times, Mr. Adarsh Gupta. Sr. V.P – Music, Saregama said,“We are proud to be associated with India’s premier lifestyle channel for their pathbreaking programing initiative with Yogasutra. Besides being an extremely effective work out Yogasutra was one of the most beautifully presented and esthetically packaged TV show in the history of Indian TV Programing. We believe this DVD will find a place as a permanent seller in Saregama’s vast catalogue.”

    Priced at Rs.299/-, the Yogasutra DVD is now available at all leading music stores across metros.

    Adopt yoga as an extension to your lifestyle, a pursuit to self-discovery, wisdom and freedom of spirit; open your world to a novel experience of a healthy body, clear mind and tranquil spirit with the Yogasutra DVD.

  • WPP welcomes lower court dismissal of NDTV law suit

    MUMBAI: Global media communications conglomerate WPP has issued a statement welcoming the lower court of New York’s decision to dismiss the law suit filed by Indian news broadcaster New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV).

    On 4 March, the New York court ruled in favour of dismissing the case lodged by NDTV against WPP, Kantar and Neilsen regarding corruption in the television ratings system in India by Television Audience Measurement (TAM).

    WPP’s statement reads –

    “As previously noted, NDTV‘s case was dismissed 4 March 2013 by the court on jurisdiction (“forum non conveniens”) grounds, on the basis that there were “minimal contacts” with New York.

    “Further, the court did in fact address the causes of action raised by NDTV. According to a transcript of the oral argument and the decision rendered by the Court, Judge Sherwood stated that if he were to look at the various claims he would dismiss those claims as well.

    “The Court could go on and look at the claims aimed at dismissing the individual causes of action. In the interests of time I am not going to do that. Although, I will tell you that were I to go through them all I would dismiss those claims, as well[…] I could go on and talk about the other causes of action for fraud and breach of contract and so on […] And were I to go through those The Court would dismiss those, as well.

    WPP is pleased with the Court‘s decision and welcomes the complete dismissal of this ill-founded and inappropriate law suit. WPP is confident that if NDTV elects to appeal this decision in New York, the judge’s well-reasoned decision will be affirmed.”

  • New York court wants TV ratings case to move to India; NDTV to appeal against verdict

    MUMBAI: The lower court in New York, which was hearing arguments on whether the US or India is the appropriate forum for the case that New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) had filed against Nielsen and Kantar over TV ratings manipulation, has ruled that India would be a more convenient forum than the US.

    The Indian news broadcaster has decided to appeal against this verdict. NDTV said that the lower court‘s decision is based on “several misconceptions, legal and factual errors”, and “this would be outlined in the appeal.”

    NDTV said, “The New York lower court did not go into the merits of the case on corruption in the Nielsen Process as used by Nielsen and Kantar through TAM, (Nielsen and Kantar are the owners of TAM). The court merely looked at where the location of the case should be heard. NDTV firmly believes it must be heard in New York and we will pursue this on appeal in New York.”

  • NDTV turns profitable in Q3 on back of digital gains and cost tightening

    NDTV turns profitable in Q3 on back of digital gains and cost tightening

    MUMBAI: News broadcaster New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) has turned profitable in the fiscal-third quarter due to gains from digitisation and internal cost controls.

    The company posted a small profit in the three-month period ended 31 December against a loss a year earlier, as cost reduction outstripped fall in income.

    NDTV earned a profit of Rs 23 million in the third quarter ended against a net loss of Rs 23.9 million a year ago.
        
    NDTV’s total income from operations in the third quarter was Rs 967.7 million, down 4.9 per cent from Rs 1.07 billion a year earlier. Its total expenses for the third quarter fell 8.13 per cent to Rs 912 million from Rs 992.7 million a year earlier.

    The news broadcaster cut sharply expenses in marketing, distribution and promotions. The broadcaster spent Rs 160.4 million on marketing, distribution and promotions in the third quarter, down 41.91 per cent to Rs 276.1 million a year earlier.

    For the nine months ended 31 December, NDTV’s net loss widened significantly to Rs 356.7 million from Rs 32.8 million a year earlier, while total income for the period was Rs 2.58 billion, 7.8 per cent lower than Rs 2.79 billion a year earlier.

    On a consolidated basis, NDTV reported a profit of Rs 148.7 million in the third quarter against a loss of Rs 60.5 million a year earlier. Its total income for the third quarter was flat at Rs 1.3 billion compared with Rs 1.27 billion a year earlier.

    In a statement, NDTV said “Profit this quarter is a result of gains from digitisation and internal cost controls.”

    A buoyant NDTV CEO Vikram Chandra said, “Yes, it’s been a good quarter. It comes on the back of cost rationalisation and by streamlining the business. Also, the benefits of digitisation are starting to flow.”