ITV

Tag: Network18

  • TV18 launches ETV News Kannada, targets Rs 20 crore revenue

    TV18 launches ETV News Kannada, targets Rs 20 crore revenue

    MUMBAI: With digitization setting in and general elections just round the corner, television networks are increasingly looking to tap regional markets. Not so long ago, Network18 acquired a posse of channels from the Ramoji Rao-founded ETV Group.

     

    And now, its news broadcasting arm – TV18 – has gone ahead with the launch of ETV News Kannada that went live yesterday at 5:00 pm. G N Mohan has been roped in as editor, S Divaakar as business head and Subba Naidu as general manager, with Rajesh Raina as ETV group editor. The channel has 150 full-time employees and nearly 150 stringers on board with the latter to keep a close eye on political developments in each district of Karnataka.

     

    While ETV News Kannada is currently operating out of its Hyderabad studio, the channel will shift base to Bengaluru post-elections and set up five to six bureaus in the state.

     

    Raina sounds confident about the venture.  Speaking to indiantelevision.com, he says,“Ultimately, it is the survival of the fittest. ETV group has always stood for credibility and we are sure we will do well in the market.”. The pay TV channel has already invested Rs 5 crore and will be pumping in another Rs 10 crore in the coming months. “The Karnataka market is very fertile. A 10-second slot in the Hindi market is priced at Rs 500 whereas there, it is nearly Rs 1,500,” says Raina. He added that business worth Rs 50 lakh has already been booked by advertisers.

     

    Official sources say the channel is targetting an ad revenue of Rs 20 crore. 

     

    Promotional campaigns have already begun across Karnataka through radio, transit advertising and digital with print to follow soon. The channel has decided to stay out of outdoor due to the high cost of hoardings in Bengaluru.

     

    Election Express and an election satire are among the shows to be broadcast on the new channel. Initially, the channel will be available on cable TV with DTH platforms yet to be signed on. Karnataka chief minister K Siddaramaiah and Union petroleum and natural gas minister M Veerappa Moily are expected to grace the launch event.

     

    More ETV news channels are expected to follow suit like ETV Himachal/Haryana in March, ETV News Gujarati in April, and ETV News Odia in July.

  • ad:tech announces keynote speakers for its 4th edition

    ad:tech announces keynote speakers for its 4th edition

    MUMBAI: ad:tech,  World’s  largest  digital  marketing  event    announces  its  4th edition of Digital Marketing & Advertising Conference & Exhibition in India to be held on March 20-21, 2014 at The Leela Ambience Hotel and Residences, Gurgaon.

    With less than 2 weeks to go ad:tech 2014 announced participation from renowned industry leaders including Mr. Shivakumar,  Chairman and CEO,  PepsiCo India Holdings, Mr. Bonin Bough, Vice President of Global Media and Consumer Engagement, Mondelez International; Mr Karim Temsamani, President, Asia-Pacific, Google; Mr Sam Singh, VP & Global head of media, GSK and Mr. Raghav Bahl, Founder & Editor, Network 18 who will share their expertise and research on various topics like Marketing and Advertising strategy, SEO Management, Myths about Social media, Planning for the new multi screen . Keynote debate at ad:tech will highlight the much talked about issue of e-commerce in India – Euphoria, Reality & Opportunity that will feature Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder & CEO, One97 Communications ; Ashish Kashyap, Founder & CEO, ibibo Group; Harish Bahl, Founder &Chairman & Smile Group in conversation with Alok Kejriwal, CEO – 2win Group in an engaging debate.

    Commenting on the announcement James Drake-Brockman, Head of EMEA & India, Digital Marketing, dmg:events, said “Digital marketing and advertising is estimated to be Rs 1,500 Cr and growing at 45% constantly over 3 years. ad:tech over the years has proved to be a great platform for various industry giants to meet, highlight and discuss the constantly growing digital industry. To further strengthen the digital era ad:tech comes with the variety of formats specially designed for one and all. With over 60 exhibitors and 3,000+ attendees we are expecting ad:tech 2014 to the biggest ever”

    At ad:tech New Delhi 2014, you can experience two action packed days with keynotes, education session led by digital marketers, knowledge sessions, free workshops and actionable insights to improving ROI from digital advertising and marketing. With more than 30 sessions, from panel discussion to in depths presentations to hands on workshop, ad:tech “Leading with Digital” theme tries to cater as many areas as possible.   This year ad:tech has specially designed an Innovation Zone  for showcasing new technologies in digital marketing and has arranged for various special events, from Pub Crawl, to the Big Networking Bash and  a lot more.

    Rammohan Sundaram, Chairman – ad:tech New Delhi added “ It’s been our constant endeavour at ad:tech to create a platform that provides the perfect ground for the brands and influencers to come together to debate and discuss various topics pertaining to the digital advertising and marketing industry. Digital marketing is witnessing its highest growth point in India right now and ad:tech wth its engaging sessions and prominent participants aims to bring out the best practices for a stable constant growth”

     

    The bustling floors will witness some of the most diverse topics being debated including The Many Flavours of Digital ROI, Planning for the New Multi-Screen World, How modern Retailers are using data from across channels to spot trends, Dispelling Myths – 20 things NOT to do on Social Media, Rise of ‘Second Screen’ and Social conversation around TV, e-Commerce in India : Euphoria, Reality and Opportunity. Ad:tech will also see participation from leading industry heads including Nitesh Kripalani, Executive Vice-President – New Media; Shubhodip Pal, Chief Marketing Officer, Micromax India; Sandeep Aurora, Director,  Intel South Asia,  Tom Bowman, Vice President, Strategy & Operations, Global Advertising Sales, BBC Worldwide, Nishant K. Rao,Country Manager,LinkedIn
    India; Kirthiga Ready,Head of Office India, Facebook various many others.

    Attending brands include – Accenture, Aircel, Airtel, American Express, Amity University, Aon Hewitt, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, Blackberry, British Council, Cleartrip, Colgate Palmolive India, CouponDunia, DealsandYou.com, Ethoswatches, Flipkart, Fox International, Future Group, Google, Groupon, GSK, Haier Appliances, HSBC, Info Edge, Intel, Jabong.com, KMPG, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Kotak Securities Ltd, Mahindra  Holidays,  MakeMyTrip.com,  Marico,  Max  Life  Insurance,  Micromax,  Microsoft  India,  Modi Revlon, Mondelez, Nokia, OLX, Paytm, Raymonds, Samsung, Snapdeal, Schneider Electric, Sony Entertainment Network, Suzuki Motorcycle, Tata AIG General Insurance,Tesco, Unilever, Volkswagen India, Wechat, Yes Bank, Zovi.com, and more

    For More Info: www.india.ad-tech.com

     

  • TV18 Broadcast consolidated Q3 net profit up 142%

    TV18 Broadcast consolidated Q3 net profit up 142%

    MUMBAI: TV18 Broadcast Ltd’s consolidated net profit in the quarter ended December 31, 2013 rose 142 per cent from a year earlier on a fall in programming cost and marketing, distribution and promotional expenses and as its consolidated revenue increased.

     

    TV18’s reported revenues on a consolidated basis stood at Rs 525.5 crore in the third quarter of 2013-14, up 3 per cent from a year ago.

      

    TV18’s consolidated programming cost in the third quarter fell to Rs 142.58 crore from Rs 155.52 crore a year ago. Its marketing, distribution and promotional expenditure in the third quarter was down to Rs 140.78 crore from Rs 166.01 crore a year ago.

     

    The company reported its highest ever quarterly Operating Profit (EBITDA) at Rs 77.5 crore, up 61 per cent year-on-year with both the entertainment and news businesses turning in strong quarters.

     

    On a consolidated basis, the company’s advertising revenues grew 3 per cent year-on-year. While the news and infotainment advertising environment continued to be sluggish, entertainment led by Colors and MTV delivered strong double digit advertising growth.

     

    Its net distribution Income continued its steady growth at Rs 43.6 crore, a rise of 145 per cent year on year.

     

    TV18’s broadcast operations turned in a very strong quarter with an operating profit of Rs 91.1 crores, up 110 per cent on a year over year basis.

     

    TV18’s proforma results assuming financial consolidation of 100 per cent of ETV News  and 50 per cent of ETV Entertainment, showed its revenues were up 5 per cent at Rs 595.9 crore in the third quarter and pperating profit (EBITDA) was up 79 per cent year on year at Rs. 94.5 crores  led by a strong performance in ETV News.

     

    TV18 said on a proforma basis, this was a landmark quarter for TV18 with broadcast operations turning in an EBITDA of Rs 108.1 crore. ETV Entertainment reported a sharp reduction in losses compared to the previous two quarters as programming and marketing investments made in the first half led to an upswing in ratings and revenues.

     

    On 22 Jan 2014, after receiving the required regulatory approvals, TV18 completed the acquisition of the ETV channels  –  100 per cent of ETV News, 50 per cent of ETV Entertainment and 24.5 per cent of ETV Telugu.

     

    Raghav Bahl, Managing Director of Network18, the promoter of TV18, said, “…..the strong performance of TV18 (was) despite the continued uncertainty in the macro-economic landscape…. The environmental risks may continue in the medium term.”

     

    Bahl said the company’s pre-tax profits almost tripled due to the robust operating performance of the broadcast operations and a significantly deleveraged balance sheet.

     

    Network18’s Group CEO B. Saikumar, said, “Entertainment operations at Viacom18, led by Colors delivered a healthy performance even as Motion Pictures saw losses in this quarter. Infotainment operations at A+E Networks I TV18 broke into positive territory and IndiaCast continued on its robust growth trajectory.

     

    Click here for full report

  • Network18 launches India’s local news portal www.News18.com

    Network18 launches India’s local news portal www.News18.com

    MUMBAI: News from India goes deeply local in the latest online news website from Network18: News18.com. India’s first web, mobile and tablet service to focus on news at the state and city level, News18.com was launched on January 26.  

    Available on the web, on mobile phones and tablets, and as downloadable apps for iOS and Android devices, News18.com currently covers seven states: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It will expand to the remaining states of the country over the next 18 months.

    News18.com draws on the unparallelled local news-­gathering expertise of the ETV network of news channels, whose Hindi services cover these seven states. The deep reach of ETV News into every corner of these states generates a rich and unique stream of news, updated by the minute.

    People can now follow all of these news reports, in the form of engaging video clips, instant updates, and snappy text stories, on News18.com. Local news will break fast – and first -­ on News18.com, and in-­depth coverage of local developments and issues will keep users fully informed about their home state and city.

    Highlighting the importance of local news, Lakshmi Narasimhan CEO, Web18 said, “News18 is a completely fresh approach to covering news online. With Internet penetration and smartphones users galloping in tier 2 & 3 towns, it is important to provide a convenient platform to consume news. This is the information century, with content consumption at an all time high. For somebody living in Bihar or Rajasthan it is no longer sufficient to simply know what is happening in Delhi. News18 brings you closer to your world and gets you news that truly matters to you.”

    Arunava Sinha, Head, IBNLive.com & News18.com is confident that readers will enjoy the interactive user-­experience of the site. “News18.com will give readers a totally fresh and unique content experience. Watching live TV on the mobile and on the dektop, keeping track of the latest developments through live tickers and smart app alerts, sharing the news of one’s choice with friends on Facebook and Twitter – users will be able to do it all.”

    By taking local news beyond its borders and making it available everywhere, News18.com turns the local into the national and international. And with its availability of computers, tablets and mobiles – the first online news offering from India to be available on all three devices from day one – it brings local news within easy reach of people wherever they are.

     
    The Network18 Group is a media and entertainment company with interests in television, Internet, films, e-­commerce, magazines, mobile content and allied businesses. Through its subsidiary ‘TV18 Broadcast Ltd.’ [BSE: 532800, NSE: TV18BRDCST], the group operates news channels -­ CNBC-­TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC-­TV18 Prime HD, CNN-­IBN, IBN7 and IBN-­Lokmat (a Marathi regional news channel in partnership with the Lokmat group). TV18 also operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18, which houses a portfolio of popular entertainment channels – Colors, Colors HD, MTV, Comedy Central, Vh1, Nick, Sonic, Nick Jr./Teen Nick and Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the group’s filmed entertainment business.

    TV18 has also forayed into the Indian factual entertainment space through A+E Networks | TV18 (a joint venture between A+E Networks and TV18 Broadcast) and operates HistoryTV18. TV18 and Viacom18 have also formed a strategic joint venture called IndiaCast, a multi-­platform ‘content asset monetization’ entity that drives domestic and international channel distribution, placement services and content syndication for the bouquet of channels from TV18, Viacom18 and other broadcasters. Through ‘Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.’ [BSE: 532798, NSE: Network18], the group operates its digital, publishing and e-­commerce assets including moneycontrol.com, ibnlive.com, in.com and firstpost.com.

    ‘Network18’ also operates e-­commerce properties like HomeShop18 and bookmyshow.com and publishes Forbes India, the nation’s first local edition of a foreign news magazine title, in collaboration with Forbes Media. In addition, through ‘Network18’, the group operates Network18 Publishing, a player in the special interest publishing space. ‘Network18’ has investments in Yatra, Stargaze and other Capital18 portfolio companies.

     

  • Network18 to spin off Cell18 as a separate company

    Network18 to spin off Cell18 as a separate company

    MUMBAI: Cell18, Network18 group’s creative division, is planning to establish itself as a separate company, providing services to clients only outside the network group.
     

    The Cell, Network18’s specialist promo and packaging unit, will continue making ad films and promos apart from packaging design for outfits within the Network18 group.
     

    “Cell18 was already working for clients outside the company. However, now with our capabilities growing day by day, we want to establish Cell18 as a separate revenue generating body for ourselves. Hence Cell18 is migrating to become a company,” said an official source.
     

    The company will be establishing itself as a creative production house, also specialising in brand design and documentary making.
     

    “For the past few months we have been producing work for the clients of many top line agencies like Lowe, JWT and Mudra.To understand the revenue generating capacity of the creative division, Cell18 underwent an experimental phase during January, February and March during which it clocked Rs 25 million, making a profit of Rs 14 million. Now that we have expanded across the industry, we want to create Cell18 as a creative production company also specialising in brand design and documentary making,” added the source.
     

    Cell 18 hopes to excel in competitive pricing. Hence it has installed in-house equipments. It has brought in 12 FCPs, 40 graphic work stations and two online machines-two smokes and one flint. Thus, starting from the pre-production process till the post-production stage, nothing will have to be outsourced, thereby lowering the entire cost of production.
     

    Cell 18 is also venturing into making mobisodes, audio visuals for mobile phones. It will be launching its first mobisode sometime next month.

    “Web and mobiles are the new interactive media that need to be exploited immensely to reach out to today’s audience. We have already made 20 webisodes (web films) for Pepsi and our latest is the one on IPL’s Kolkata Night Riders. Now we will be venturing into making mobisodes and the first one will be launching next month,” stated Network18 Group Network creative director Zubin Driver.
     

    Cell 18 has recently finished making a documentary on Gulbarg Museum in Gujrat for social activist Teesta Setalvad.
  • Colors to experiment with social thriller genre, Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat to air from 19 March

    Colors to experiment with social thriller genre, Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat to air from 19 March

    MUMBAI: Colors is experimenting with the social thriller genre with the launch of a fiction show, Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat.

    Depicting betrayal and mystery, the daily show will go on air on 19 March at 9 pm. It will add to Colors’ programming lineup representing dramas, romantic comedies, sports entertainment and scripted reality.

    Produced by 24, it will air from Monday- Friday.

     

    Colors fiction head Prashaant Bhatt said, “This is the first time we’re exploring the social thriller genre and we are happy to have Abbas Mustan supporting our first step. Chhal in our way is a tribute to their kind of film making which forces audiences to think and keeps them on the edge of their seats.”

    Chhal – Sheh Aur Maat is the story of a newlywed bride who is entwined in a situation where her life changes dramatically. While on honeymoon, a strange man stakes claim on her as his wife leaving behind a mystery on her marriage and life ahead. The story takes the viewers through the trials in the girl’s life as she tries to demystify the truth.

    “It may sound like a simple story of a newly-wed bride, but on the contrary, it will take you through twists and turns that have been carefully woven to create the web of mystery and thrill,” said Bhatt.

    24 Frames producers Bhairavi Raichura and Nandita Mehra added, “Chhal’s story involves a lot of action, where audiences can expect to see an interesting combination of suspense, thrills and daredevil stunts. It is a story that will force you to think and make you question whether what you see is really the truth. While discussing the script, we constantly tried to think like the audience to ensure that the story was not getting predictable at any point.”

  • Explore the corporate world with Sir Martin Sorrell

    Explore the corporate world with Sir Martin Sorrell

    MUMBAI: Network18’s business channel CNBC-TV18 has got a date with one of the most powerful man in the world of media and advertising. WPP chief executive of advertising services group Sir Martin Sorrell – under whose leadership the company has escalated to the position of the world’s largest agency network – will give viewers an insight in to the world of media, advertising and marketing with a programme, 30 Minutes with Martin Sorrell.

     

    It is a monthly half an hour show that will go on air on CNBC-TV18 from Friday, 29 November at 7:00 pm. The show will be hosted by Anant Rangaswami, editor of Storyboard and senior editor of Firstpost where he will speak to Sorrell on recent and imminent developments in the world of media, advertising and marketing.

     

    Sorrell is an astute businessman with an instinctive understanding of economics, finance and markets. He has changed the landscape of the communications industry through WPP’s consolidation drive over the last decade and more.

     

    With this show, the channel adds another topical show to its illustrious line-up to provide programming that its viewers can continue to benefit from. By leveraging its global edge, CNBC-TV18 brings Indian audiences Sorrell’s first exclusive monthly appearance on an Indian business news channel.

  • moneycontrol.com editorial shuffled; moves to integrated news room

    moneycontrol.com editorial shuffled; moves to integrated news room

    KOLKATA: From today, the skeleton editing staff of moneycontrol.com, a business and finance news portal, which operated from Matunga (West), will be operating from the television unit at Lower Parel.
    It is learnt from industry sources that more than six reporters who were engaged in the financial news writing have been asked to leave.

    “Network18 Group won’t be producing any original content for moneycontrol.com. It has adopted a rationalised move by laying off all the reporters engaged in financial news writing. More than six reporters have been asked to resign and made to cite that they are walking out from the news organisation on personal reasons, the release letters of the employees disclose,” revealed the highly placed media source.

    TV18 Broadcast which has laid off around 300-400 people as a part of its restructuring exercise and has merged the operational teams of CNN IBN and IBN7, will now be producing the content for moneycontrol.com too. The young team would be editing the copies filed by the television bureau, sources added.

    The portal’s editor Santosh Nair has been asked to report in the Lower Parel office, but there is no clarification regarding whom he will be reporting to. Earlier, Nair reported to R Jagannathan, editor at Firstpost.com.

    Also, it is interesting to note that the portal’s chief executive officer Joyson Thomson was mulling to list the entity but it seems he has changed his plans overnight. “Though of late, moneycontrol.com was driven by marketing strategies and not hard core news perspective which it adopted earlier,” sources said.

    There were talks the news portal would set up an editorial team at Delhi and Kolkata. “In fact a year ago, the company was eagerly looking to hire an editorial staff for the Delhi bureau,” sources said.

    “The first carnage happened in the second week of August when TV18 said it would ask around 300-400 employees to leave. We got the notice in the last week of August,” recounts an employee.

    When asked about the compensation package, he said: “The compensation package is up to the mark as we have been offered three months CTC and not in hand salary.”

    Media analysts said that TV18 has restructured its operations and reduced its workforce significantly, as part of a cost cutting exercise due to the lackluster advertising environment and government regulations like the 12 minutes advertising cap on broad asters.

    Now going forward with this downsizing, journalists are required to work across both internet and TV medium, as the group has created integrated newsrooms.

  • Dilip Venkatraman bids adieu to TV18, to pursue entrepreneurial interests

    Dilip Venkatraman bids adieu to TV18, to pursue entrepreneurial interests

    MUMBAI: CNN-IBN and IBN7 CEO N. Dilip Venkatraman has decided to move on from his role in order to pursue his entrepreneurial interests. During his eight year stint, Venkatraman managed a variety of mandates on the general news side of the group. Prior to his current role, he led marketing operations for CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat and also managed IBN Focus, the customised media solutions unit for these news channels.

     

    Apart from his leadership role in building CNN-IBN into one of the country’s most reputed news brands, Venkatraman is well-known for conceptualising benchmark properties at the IBN News Network. Network18 COO Ajay Chacko will oversee the operations of the IBN News Network in the interim.

     

    Speaking on this development, Network18 group CEO B. Sai Kumar said “Dilip has played a pivotal role in building our general news network, right from the outset. Today, CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat are benchmark brands in the general news space and Dilip has contributed significantly to laying such a strong foundation for the future. We thank him for his invaluable contribution and commitment to the group.”

     

    Commenting on this, IBN News Network editor-in-chief Rajdeep Sardesai added “Dilip’s passion and leadership has been instrumental in making the IBN News Network into one of the most trusted news voices in the country today. He has been a great colleague and we wish him the very best for his future endeavors.”

     

    N. Dilip Venkatraman added “The past few years have been one of the most fulfilling and exciting phases of my professional career. I’m thankful to all my colleagues who have been a part of this enriching journey and I now look forward to taking on newer challenges.”

     

    Venkatraman has over two decades of corporate experience and prior to joining TV18, he held leadership positions at the India Today Group and Zee Network. Venkatraman is a graduate in public administration and holds management qualifications from IIM Bangalore and Harvard Business School.

  • IBN7 dons a new look from today

    IBN7 dons a new look from today

    MUMBAI: IBN7, the Hindi news channel of Network18 is now ‘Bebaq. Bekhauf‘. The channels‘ new slogan which went on air today, replaces its previous slogan ‘Khabar har keemat par‘, which had defined the channel for nearly seven years. The channel has also perked up its logo and altered its colour as well as the font. The changes have been made to keep pace with the changing times.

    IBN7 CEO Dilip Venkatraman said, “The channel has been fearless in its reporting. The new slogan has a sharper focus which is clear in stating what it wants to offer to its viewers. The logo has been designed keeping in mind different screens with the rise of convergence of media. The new font, which has been designed especially for IBN7 will be used across the channel and is also designed to appear outstanding on the digital platform.”

    Speaking to www.indiantelevision.com CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai said, “The rebranding of IBN7 is to re-emphasise its core values as a Hindi news channel committed to fearless and independent journalism and qualities which have given IBN 7 a distinctive appeal in the Hindi news universe. Our aim is to keep the look direct and classy.”

    The campaign titled ‘Nidar. Atal. Prachanda. Satya.‘ is only being done for IBN7 and not for the remaining channels of Network18. IBN7 Managing Editor Ashutosh said, “The revamped look of the channel celebrates many glorious years of bringing the untold truth to our viewers. The move is aimed to reiterate the channel‘s vision and philosophy and convey its message in a firm manner.”

    “The defining value of IBN7 which projects fearlessness, boldness and an unbiased approach will now reflect in the channel‘s everyday reporting. India‘s Channel of Impact, with its refined positioning, will continue to stand out from the rest,” reiterated to Network18 Media CEO Sanjay Dua.