ITV

Tag: NP Singh

  • Star Sports-Sony spar over World Cup, IPL performances

    Star Sports-Sony spar over World Cup, IPL performances

    MUMBAI: Even as the national sides are battling it out on the pitches in Australia-New Zealand to decide who will take home the World Cup in the quarter final stage, a behind the scenes slugfest is taking place between two rival broadcasters, which have both laid big bets on the sport. We are referring to Star India and Multi Screen Media (which runs the Sony Entertainment Television network in India).

    The former is telecasting the World Cup and has the rights to India cricket internationally, while the latter is gearing up to telecast the cricket league – the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the next two months, apart from Euro 2016 qualifiers, FIFA International friendlies and various Fight sports. At stake is close to Rs 4,500 crore that is likely to be spent by advertisers on sports television this year. Of this ginormous pie, approximately Rs 2000-2,200 crore is estimated to be spent on the World Cup and IPL. It’s no wonder then that the two are resorting to sledging within the confines of advertisers’ and media agencies’ cabins and to journos.

    Star India began its World Cup innings just about three weeks ago – rather shakily. A Sony spokesperson reveals that the Star ad sales team had just about managed to raise Rs 100 -150 crore or so in ad and sponsorship deals before the once-in-four-years tourney began. “They were really desperate,” he says. “India were performing abysmally on their tour overseas.”

    The Star spokesperson is quick to respond, “In the first two weeks only, the advertiser as well as sponsor count for the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup was 50 per cent higher than 2011 edition as well as the IPL.”

    The Sony spokesperson’s rejoinder to this is that India’s stupendous display against Pakistan in their opening encounter helped bail out Star Sports. Advertisers flocked to its doors, cash in hand ready to pay premium to air their TVCs. Estimates are that Star India will raise anywhere from Rs 800 – 900 crore from this year’s contest, which ends late in March.

    And even as Star has been screaming that this year’s edition has generated the highest ratings ever, and in its trail ad revenues, Sony’s spokesperson has been rubbishing the numbers. Says he: “The ratings in this edition have seen a substantial decline when compared to the 2011 edition. Moreover fans had to wait for a week to witness an India match; the decline is constant in the non-India matches too. Whereas in IPL, each and every match is entertaining and is showcased on prime time.”

    He adds, “After 31 matches, the bouts involving India are generating 6.1 TVRs, which was 10.3 during the 2011 edition and the decline is constant in non-India matches too wherein it has dropped from 3.6 TVRs to 1.3 TVR.”

    Terming those figures as absolute no-balls, the Star India spokesperson asserts, “The cumulative reach of the ongoing World Cup touched 534 million viewers after the first 29 matches (TAM data CS4+ extrapolated to the universe using a standard conversion factor). In terms of TVRs, the India vs Pakistan match garnered 14.9 TVR, India vs South Africa got 12.7 TVR, and India vs West Indies managed 13.1 TVR and the non-India match ratings are fluctuating from 2 to 2.5.”

    Media observers also point out to the fact that the reporting of the ratings has also changed since 2011. “In those days, LC1 towns were not factored into the ratings. Hence, a pure comparision is also not possible,” says a media expert. “It’s like comparing apples and oranges.”

    The Star India spokesperson in turn takes a dig at MSM’s telecast record of the IPL, saying the trend is clear. “The IPL reach has declined continuously since season one and sharply in the last three years. Post World Cup in 2011, the tournament suffered as both foot fall and engagement dropped.”

    Terming these allegations as “baseless,” the MSM official shared the cumulative reach of IPL since its inception.

     

     

    The official also added, “Not only in terms of cumulative reach every year but also in terms of ad revenue we witnessed an eight – 10 per cent increase.  IPL is an established entity and considering the fact that the tourney has survived through many ifs and buts in past years, the asset is now beyond question.”

    The Star spokesperson says that MSM has a major challenge on its hands over the next few weeks. It is going to telecast the IPL very soon after the World Cup ends; at a time when the sports ad spends appetites of some advertisers may have been satiated courtesy the World Cup. However, to MSM’s advantage is the fact that most big spenders are beginning new financial years (the year end for most large corporates in India is 31 March) and hence will have fat wallets. Nonetheless, Sony has to raise anywhere from Rs 900 to 1,200 crore to make this year’s IPL outing pay off.

    The Sony spokesperson quickly reverts that this is a given. “While we don’t comment on internal financial figures, we will meet and maybe even beat the revenue target we have set for this year’s IPL,” he says. “Advertiser interest is rising thanks to the excitement that is building around cricket.”

    Even as they are taking digs at each other’s performances, the fact remains that both broadcasters are well aware of the importance and valuation of the two flagship tournaments. Moreover the fact that Star’s Hotstar platform is the digital partner of IPL and Max was the destination of the World Cup not long back, proves that the two desire both the tournaments equally. Star India probably is hungry for growth in sports. Its CEO Uday Shankar has outlined the broadcast network’s intentions very clearly: it wants to pitch in a big way to grow the sports ecosystem in India. And in the process, also bring in mountains of revenues for his network.

    When the next bidding process for the IPL begins by next year or so, you can be sure Shankar and his team will be on the frontlines making a definitive attempt to acquire its rights. Of course MSM’s NP Singh will be up front too. The rivalry will continue.

  • Sony Pal to bring curtains down on existing shows

    Sony Pal to bring curtains down on existing shows

    MUMBAI: The media industry is abuzz with rumours. And the target this time around is Sony Pal, the newly launched channel from the Multi Screen Media (MSM) stable. If rumours are to be believed, the channel, which went on air on 1 September 2014, has already sent notices to producers and actors of the existing shows to wrap up by 13 February.

     

    When quizzed about the rumours, Sony Pal and Sab TV senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor told Indiantelevision.com, “We are currently drafting a press release, and the official statement will come in the morning. You will know the exact status then.”

     

    As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the channel had said that it would be revamping its content owing to the failure of a few of its shows, which did not connect with its target audience. By the end of December, Sony Pal was airing only four shows, of the nine that it had launched with.  

     

    The nine offerings were Simply Baatein produced by GR8 Entertainment and anchored by Raveena Tandon, Dil Hain Chota Sa Choti Si Asha, produced by SOL Productions and hosted by Ragini Khanna and Jay Soni, Shashi Productions’ Ek Rishta Aisa Bhi, Miloni Films’ Khushiyon Ki Gullakh Aashi, Singhasan Battisi by Creative Eye, Pia Basanti Re by Rashmi Sharma and Pawan Kumar, Tum Sath Ho Jab Apne produced by Sphere Origins, Sister Didi by DJ’s Creative Unit and Yeh Dil Sun Raha Hain by Balaji Telefilms.

     
    The channel had slashed its three and a half hours of original content to two hours starting from primetime 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm. The current running shows include Yeh Dil Sun Raha Hain, Singhasan Battisi, Ek Rishta Aisa Bhi and Sister Didi.

     

    A producer on condition of anonymity said, “Yes, the channel is undergoing a revamp and it will be back with new shows, post the Indian Premiere League.”

     

    Many in the industry feel that Sony Pal was unable to differentiate its content from the network’s flagship channel – Sony Entertainment Television. “The channel could come back with a more segmented content with a hope to catch viewers’ attention,” added a media planner. 

     

    Kapoor, in an earlier interview to this website, had said, “When we went out checking with our core TG (women GEC viewers) to what they found right and not right with the channel in terms of content, the consumers came up with very interesting answers which threw some pointers on what core corrections were required.”

     
    “We are soon going to come back in the same slots, which have been shut down with new programmes in terms of dailies and with consumer feedback on-board. Hopefully, this time around we will go to the next level. We are going to come back with exact consumer expectations as they have articulated after viewing the channel,” he had said. 

     

    Rumours are also rife that post the revamp, Sony Pal could move from being a pay channel to becoming a free to air channel. 

  • Sony Max’s ‘No Talkies Returns’ a box-office hit with media agencies

    Sony Max’s ‘No Talkies Returns’ a box-office hit with media agencies

    MUMBAI: ‘No talkies Returns’- the national level dumb charades competition between media agencies organized by Sony Max, the premium Hindi movies channel concluded on an entertaining note on Friday, 19th September with Mumbai’s Red Fuse team taking away the trophy.

     

    With engaging regional rounds held across the cities of Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai, the grand finale in Mumbai received a thumping response from media agencies and saw them battle it out to win the much coveted title of ‘No Talkies Returns’2014. Participants put their acting skills to the test as they competed against each other in a series of exciting rounds.  Teams that qualified for the finale round included MEC from Bangalore; Maxus and Lintas from Delhi; and OMD and Red Fuse from Mumbai.

     

    With a quest to find the ‘filmi deewana’ amongst media agencies, the channel carried out this interactive and entertaining initiative for the second year. With registrations having begun from 19th August onwards and lasting for 10 days, the channel received an overwhelming response from media agencies, with more than 150 teams registering this year as compared to a 100 teams in year one. Media agencies that signed up for the event included Maxus, MEC, Mindshare, Motivator, Madison, Zenith Optimedia & OMD to name a few.

     

    Commenting on the success of the event, Vaishali Sharma, VP Marketing, MAX commented, “We are immensely glad with the success of our initiative which had media agencies display their ‘filmy deewanapan’ side.  Seeing how well received this competition was, encourages us to bring it back year on year. We as a channel hope to keep the Bollywood spirit high by inspiring people through our unique endeavors.”

  • Sony seeks ‘Pal’ in housewives

    Sony seeks ‘Pal’ in housewives

    MUMBAI: “I will be seeking the moon,” says Multi Screen Media CEO NP Singh, as he announced the launch of the network’s much talked about new Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC), Sony Pal. The network which had conceptualised the new channel last year is very confident about the channel, its offerings and the packaging. “Now we will see how viewers respond to it,” adds the optimistic Singh.

     

    Targeted at women, mostly housewives, in the age group of 15-34 years, in SEC BCDE, Sony Pal was a dream for Singh, which is now finally taking shape. The target audience was chosen after the result of the research which showed that 88 per cent of viewership for a GEC comes from housewives. “The new channel will complement our other offerings,” he says.    

     

    “Today’s women have started realising that they can not only contribute to the society, but also augment family income. Through Pal, we will celebrate these women,” says Singh.

     

    The network did an extensive research before deciding on the content, the channel packaging and the target audience. “Our research showed that there was latent demand for a content which was progressive and positive,” he informs.

     

    The channel is based on the theme ‘Yeh Pal Humara Hai’. “This is the moment to shine, to evolve, to excel and achieve. This moment belongs to her and her alone,” says Sony Pal and Sab senior EVP and business head Anooj Kapoor while adding that this is not a generic promise, but a personalised one.

     

    The channel will go live from 1 September, with actor Juhi Chawla as its brand ambassador and with content which is empowering and that showcases positive aspects of modern India, while presenting the traditional aspect. “We will showcase family togetherness and not strife, which is what most channels today showcase,” adds Kapoor.

     

    When asked the reason for roping in Chawla, the duo say, “She is a person who is empowered, successful and yet approachable. She was the first name that came to us, and we stuck with her.”

     

    The channel logo, which dons colours pink, purple and yellow and has diamonds, a woman’s best friend, has been designed by an Australian agency.

     

    Sony Pal for Kapoor is mature and the shows will help connect the audience with a life that is beautiful and not a struggle. The channel will initially go on air with three hours of original content, which will be aired from Monday to Saturday between 7:30 pm-10:30 pm. Also, it will have two hours of original programming on Sunday evening. “After a month, we will launch the Balaji Telefilms’ show at the 7pm slot, thus taking original content to 3.5 hours,” informs Kapoor. The slot for the Sunday programming has not yet been disclosed.

     

    The channel launches with nine shows, these include: Simply Baatein which is produced by GR8 Entertainment and  anchored by Raveena Tandon, Dil Hain Chotasa Choti Si Asha, produced by SOL Productions and hosted by Ragini Khanna and Jay Soni, Shashi Productions’ Ek Rishta Aisa Bhi, Miloni Films’ Khushiyon Ki Gullakh Aashi¸ Singhasan Battisi by Creative Eye, Pia Basanti Re by Rashmi Sharma and Pawan Kuma, Tum Sath Ho Jab Apne produced by Sphere Origins, Sister Didi by DJ’s Creative Unit and Yeh Dil Sun Raha Hain by Balaji Telefilms.

     

    All the series are infinite and the channel will take a call on the number of episodes based on its performance. While no advertisers have currently come onboard, the network is positive about its content. “We have showcased our product to them and they have responded positively. They first want to see the shows and the channel and then decide. And we are in no hurry too,” says Singh.

     

    The channel will look at afternoon slots later. “There is a lot of ground to be covered. This is just the beginning,” adds Kapoor. The shows while initially will be shot at outdoor locations of Patiala, Baroda, Lucknow and other HSM cities, will later move to sets.

     

    The soon-to-go air channel is not free to air and will be available on all the four major multi system operators, DEN Networks, Hathway Cable & Datacom, Siti Cable, Digicable and Fastway in Punjab and all the direct to home (DTH) operators.

     

    On the marketing front, a 360 degree campaign has been designed, which will go live from 10 August. “We have designed a five week campaign with a lot of fresh initiative. One of this is forming women’s club, through which women can identify their talent and can celebrate life,” informs Kapoor.

     

    Manjit Sachdev will be the programming head for the new launch. According to an industry source, the investment in the channel could be anywhere close to Rs 90 crore- Rs 110 crore, including marketing spends. As for the ad rates, a media planner says, “Considering all the shows have been brought in the prime time slot, the ad rate for a 10 second slot could be anywhere close to Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.”

  • AXN and CBS Studios lock multi-year television content deal

    AXN and CBS Studios lock multi-year television content deal

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) English entertainment channel in India, AXN has announced a multi-year content deal with CBS Studios International. The new deal gives AXN access to all content distributed by CBS, including exclusive rights to air some of the studios’ biggest existing television series, Hawaii Five-0 and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. The deal will also give AXN the access to all new shows produced by CBS Television Studios.

     

    Commenting on this occasion MSM CEO NP Singh said, “This acquisition marks a memorable milestone in the journey of MSM. It has been our endeavour to create a differentiation for our viewers through product offering and innovations, both through our marketing and content novelties. The CBS deal allows us to more effectively build and deliver a rich library of content to our viewers, thereby strengthening the commitment of MSM to the Indian entertainment market.”

     

    Talking about the deal MSM English cluster head Saurabh Yagnik commented, “This deal with CBS Studios International has only strengthened our long-standing relationship with them. Increasing our brand presence and reach in key markets is a cornerstone of our growth strategy. Now, with the new deal, we are bringing some of the most cutting edge shows from the US. This deal is all set to strengthen the ever expanding bouquet of AXN programming.”

     

    CBS Studios International president of sales Barry Chamberlain added, “We are thrilled to expand our relationship with AXN India and deliver more of our world class programming to audiences across India and the subcontinent. We have an exciting slate of new and returning content that will be right at home on the channel.”

     

    CBS Studios International distributes some of the best long-running shows, like Blue Bloods, Survivor, Elementary, Beauty and the Beast, NCIS, Hawaii Five-0, among others. Hawaii Five-0 won the favourite new TV drama award at the 37th People’s Choice Awards. Last year, Lucy Liu, who stars as Joan Watson in Elementary, won Best Actress at the Teen Choice Awards and the Seoul International Drama Awards. 

     

    The Studio distributes some of the most exciting new series. Extant, starring Academy Award winner Halle Berry and from Amblin Television, is a mystery thriller about an astronaut trying to reconnect with her family when she returns after a year in space.  Her experiences in space lead to events that ultimately change the course of human history. And in Penny Dreadful, some of literature’s most famous characters – including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula, all re-imagined in a whole new light – have become embroiled in Victorian London. The series stars Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green.

     

    This year’s line-up has shows including CSI: Cyber, a spin-off of the hit CSI franchise focused on the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI and NCIS: New Orleans, a sequel to the popular NCIS procedural set in the Big Easy. Other new CBS dramas include Madam Secretary, which stars Tea Leoni as the newly appointed secretary of state and Scorpion, which is about an eccentric genius and his team of brilliant misfits who help protect against high-tech threats of the modern age.

  • We will launch more channels in next one year: Rajesh Kaul

    We will launch more channels in next one year: Rajesh Kaul

    MUMBAI: It was in February that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released its regulation on the role of content aggregators and since then, several changes have taken place in the structure of the existing aggregators. While MediaPro decided to split post the regulation, good news is that aggregators IndiaCast UTV Media Distribution and TheOneAlliance are still standing strong in their respective joint ventures.

     

    Announcing the strong allegiance is the MSM Discovery (MSMD) joint venture TheOneAlliance which will continue to be the authorised sole and exclusive distribution agent for Multi Screen Media, Discovery Communications India and TV Today Network to various distribution platforms – Cable (both analogue and digital), DTH, HITS, IPTV and hotels and commercials establishments.

     

    “As per the TRAI regulation, we will now be the exclusive agents for MSM, Discovery and TV Today,” informs TheOneAlliance president Rajesh Kaul.

     

    While the distributor earlier had 28 channels in the bouquet, with Times Television Network (Times Now, ET Now, Movies Now and Zoom) moving out from the bouquet, to set up its independent distribution team, TheOneAlliance will now have 24 premium channels to distribute.

     

    “It was a mutual decision to part ways. We have a strong bouquet and we would like to concentrate on that,” adds Kaul.

     

    Apart from the current 24 channels distributed by MSMD, the network will be making heavy investments in the form of new channels such as Max 2 – a contemporary Hindi movie channel showcasing Indian cinema, Pix HD, AXN HD and a new entertainment channel from the MSM stable.

     

    “We have one of the most stable and dynamic distribution partnerships in the industry. Given the current strength and the aggressive future investment plans of our partners, TheOneAlliance will continue to excel as the powerful leader in the industry,” he says.

     

    TheOneAlliance’s plate seems to be very tempting with MSM acquiring premium sporting properties for its sports and entertainment channel, Sony Six. The channel currently broadcasts sporting events like NBA, UFC, TNA Wrestling and Australian Open tennis along with the Indian Premier League and is home of international football for the next five years with exclusive rights to telecasting the world’s largest sporting spectacle FIFA World Cup 2014 – Brasil & FIFA World Cup 2018 – Russia along with UEFA EURO 2016.

     

    It is not just MSM that is launching new channels, but Discovery Communications India too is set to increase its channel offerings with: Investigation Discovery (ID), a suspense Hindi entertainment channel, TLC HD and Animal Planet HD. 

     

    Over the course of the next one year, both the networks are looking forward to launching new channels in both SD and HD across different genres. “We have huge plans of launching many more channels in different genres in the next one year. Our bouquet will only grow from strength to strength,” says Kaul.

     

    “We believe in nurturing and fostering positive and strong relationships with our partners which is mutually beneficial to both and we are happy to extend this partnership to the future also. We are very confident that TheOneAlliance is perfectly enabled to monetise the valuable and exclusive premium content that we produce and acquire,” MSM CEO N.P Singh said through a statement.

     

    Added Rahul Johri, EVP and general manager – south Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific and head of revenue, pan-regional ad sales and southeast Asia, “Discovery has a very strong partnership with Sony and we are fully committed to TheOneAlliance. It is Discovery’s endeavour to provide the Indian viewers with the finest entertainment and TheOneAlliance will continue to distribute our eight current channels and our new launches across India.” 

     

    The 24 premium channels distributed by TheOneAlliance include: SET, Max, Max 2, Sab, Mix, Pix, Six, AXN, Animax, Aath, Discovery Channel, Discovery Channel Tamil, Animal Planet, TLC, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Kids, Discovery HD World, Sony HD, Six HD, Pix HD, Headlines Today, Aaj Tak and Tez.

  • Sony bets big with Big B’s ‘Yudh’

    Sony bets big with Big B’s ‘Yudh’

    NEW DELHI: After actor Anil Kapoor hit the small screen with the limited episode series  ‘24’, megastar Amitabh Bachchan is all set to launch himself as an actor on television with the series ‘Yudh’ commencing on Sony Entertainment Television (SET) next month.

     

    While ‘24’ on Colors was confined to just 24 episodes, Bachchan’s series will run for 20 episodes.

     

    Though the telecast schedule is not out yet, the series is expected to be aired at prime time from Monday to Thursday. Bachchan’s ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ is also slated to commence around the same time.

     

    ‘Yudh’ also stars senior actress Sarika along with Aahana Kumra, Pavail Gulati, Avinash Tiwari, Nawazuddin Siddique, Kay Kay Menon and Tigmanshu Dhulia among others.

     

    Bachchan revealed that he had approached the channel with the aim of doing a television series, after which he had been put in touch with Endemol. Though he had taken on Anurag Kashyap as the creative director, Shoojit Sircar also joined in as creative director. Bachchan’s Saraswati Creations is also a co-producer of the new show.

     

    The thespian said in reply to a question that the story of any film or TV series is of prime importance, followed by the director who is the captain. The actors were only puppets who followed the directives of the director.

     

    He denied that he was ever satisfied with what he had done or achieved. “Feeling satisfied is like ‘death’ for any creative artiste,” he said, adding it was erroneous to think that a senior actor did not need much preparation. “I take every performance as a new test,” added Bachchan.

     

    “Working on a TV series is a unique experience, compared to the big screen,” Bachchan said, revealing the first poster of the serial.

     

    “I would be prepared to work on television again if I get the right story and a good chance,” he added.

     

    The story revolves around a businessman who suffers from an incurable disease but does not want to reveal it to his family.

     

    Sarika, who has appeared on screen with Bachchan for the fourth time and the second time since her return to Bollywood said, “Working with him was always a novel experience as he helps the other artistes and puts them at ease.”

     

    “The series is different from the work I have done so far on the big screen,” she added.

     

    The series has been made like a movie on the small screen.  “It is like a film shown in episodes,” said Kashyap and Sircar.  “All the stereotypes that TV series have so far been associated with have been avoided,” informed Kashyap.

     

    MSM CEO N P Singh said that the marketing of the series will not be done through the normal route and there would be no hoardings. Apart from the promos on TV and use of social media like Facebook, there would be ground events in various cities where he expected Bachchan and other stars to be present.

     

    Informing about the on-ground activities, Singh said, “The next event is at the Bombay Stock Exchange.” When asked for the reason, he said the series has Bachchan as the head of a construction business empire with around 10,000 employees and “therefore it is appropriate to release the poster at the BSE.”

     

    Not revealing the exact marketing spent, Singh informed that 50 per cent of the total expenses reserved for the series were aimed to be spent after the completion of the entire shooting.

     

    “The expenditure on the series is the highest ever for a fiction show which is close to 200 times more than the normal expenses,” informed Singh.

     

    The series will be aired only after the entire shoot is complete. Singh said that while talks were on with sponsors and advertisers, “Cadbury has a special bond with Bachchan and is on board as title sponsor.” He admitted that the advertising tariff will be somewhat higher than the normal series as it demanded a premium rate as compared to other shows.

     

    MSM senior EVP and business head Nachiket Pantvaidya  informed that the entire shooting had taken five to six weeks during which 20 hours of filming was done.   

     

    He said that the series hoped to break new ground as far as advertisers were concerned as the channel was now being seen in more than 70 countries and could also be accessed on the app that came free.

  • After IPL, it’s FIFA time for broadcasters, advertisers

    After IPL, it’s FIFA time for broadcasters, advertisers

    MUMBAI: It’s been a busy year so far for broadcasters and advertisers. First came the election campaign of major political parties in the fray followed by that annual extravaganza called the Indian Premiere League (IPL) and now comes the mother of all sports tournaments, the FIFA World Cup 2014.

     

    If Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) Sony Six hit a six with the recently concluded IPL, it will most likely score a goal with FIFA as well.

     

    As MSM president Rohit Gupta says, “FIFA is clearly getting bigger and bigger in the country. In 2010, the tournament attracted almost 65 million viewers while this year, we expect the reach to touch 100 million.” Gupta feels football in India is touching T20 World Cricket levels when it comes to popularity. Even when it comes to revenue, Sony Six sold 10 second ad spots for Rs 4.9 to Rs 5 lakh and the final IPL match for Rs 18 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, for FIFA, it is selling 10-seconders for Rs 2 to Rs 2.50 lakh. (Media planners, however, said that the spot rates for the IPL final were between Rs 14 lakh to Rs 16 lakh).

     

    The channel has already got on board big advertisers, with Hero MotoCorp as the presenting sponsor and Xolo Mobile and Microsoft as powered by sponsors. Sony Six is also in talks with e-commerce sites that bombarded the online space during IPL.

     

    Media planners however are doubtful about how many brands will shell out the kind of money demanded by the channel. “If we compare last year’s IPL with the just concluded one, we can see that there were a lot of new advertisers. Online retailers leveraged the sporting event well. However, the same cannot be said about FIFA. Yes, it is true that the sport is gaining viewership and hence, increase in ad rates but we cannot be sure how many will be ready to shell out so much money,” says one media planner on condition of anonymity.

     

    Another media planner believes that while big advertisers and sports brands for whom, the tournament is a perfect occasion to advertise, may shell out big money for ads, but there won’t be much increase towards the end. “The rates are already too high and with the Indian Super League (ISL) too coming up, I wonder how much brands will be ready to spend with such exorbitant rates,” he says.

     

    Moreover, they feel that football, unlike cricket, is not an advertiser friendly game where a break comes not before half time i.e. 45 minutes into the game. Therefore, there is only so much an advertiser can do on television.

     

    Keeping this in mind, a lot of brands will be taking the virtual route to connect with the audiences.

     

    All ‘out’ on social

     

    In an official statement early last week, FIFA director of communications and public affairs, Walter De Gregorio said, “We aim to provide an all-round digital companion so that billions of fans can join in and share their excitement. Only the World Cup and digital can create this worldwide conversation.”

     

    FIFA officials have launched Global Stadium, a social, online and mobile hub for the event, which will help football fans across the world stay connected and updated. FIFA’s website has also been redesigned in the run-up to the tourney with football fans in mind and this is complemented by a strong presence on social media. The website has been optimized for mobile and the official World Cup app that went live early this month.

     

    In April alone, FIFA’s Facebook page reached over 280 million users, the World Cup page currently has more than 18 million fans, and there are over seven million FIFA followers on Twitter, who frequently re-tweet and engage in conversation across six language accounts. All these efforts have been undertaken after understanding the changing consumption habits and the “second screen” assuming prime importance in viewers’ lives.

     

    Similarly, MSM too has announced the launch of ‘LIV Sports’, a digital sports entertainment destination called www.LIVSports.in. LIV Sports will be the official mobile and internet broadcaster of the tournament. The platform will show both live and video-on-demand match content, with informative statistics and analysis.

     

    In a statement, MSM CEO NP Singh commented, “The idea was to create a premier digital sports entertainment destination where we will offer quality content which is mass inclusive and not designed to cater only to ardent sports fans. We have attempted to redefine the way sporting content is presented and consumed. With LIV Sports we will attempt to keep every cross section of our consumers actively engagement through high quality interactive sports content with informative data and analytics.”

     

    The official beer partner, Budweiser, has revealed ‘Rise As One’, the brand’s global creative campaign, to celebrate the moments that unite and inspire fans of the beautiful game around the world.

     

    “Most football fans come under a certain age group and hence, are very active online. So, it will be good if brands take that route to connect with them,” says a digital creative head of an agency. “And cheaper as well,” he laughs and signs off.

  • MSM launches www.LIVSports.in

    MSM launches www.LIVSports.in

    MUMBAI: Making a giant foray into the digital space, Multi Screen Media (MSM) has announced the launch of ‘LIV Sports’, a digital sports entertainment destination called www.LIVSports.in.

     

    The website promises to present one-point access of the right mix of sports and entertainment across devices. Coming from the Sony Network, LIV Sports aims at targeting both avid sports fans as well as entertainment seekers.

     

    The launch has come right after the Indian Premier League, but on time before the most awaited 2014 FIFA World Cup of which Sony Six is the official broadcaster.

     

    LIV Sports will be the official mobile and internet broadcaster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup which starts from 12 June. The platform will show both live and video-on-demand match content, with informative statistics and analysis.

     

    MSM CEO NP Singh commented, “The idea was to create a premier digital sports entertainment destination where we will offer quality content which is mass inclusive and not designed to cater only to ardent sports fans. We have attempted to redefine the way sporting content is presented and consumed. With LIV Sports we will attempt to keep every cross section of our consumers actively engagement through high quality interactive sports content with informative data and analytics.”

     

    For the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup, LIV Sports will have features like live matches with four different camera angles, interactive timelines, live Statistics, match centre, heat maps, match highlights, best goals and team features. The sports website will also have LIV Sports’ football fantasy league, a ‘Pehchaan Kaun’ section, News and Sports editorials along with archive football videos.

     

    Sony Entertainment Network executive VP– new media, business development and digital/syndication Nitesh Kripalani reiterated, “LIV Sports is the first and only digital destination to offer a unique mix of live sports, live statistics and engagement, thereby catering to multiple user groups and their preferences. With LIV Sports we are aiming to create a new category of ‘Sport-ainment’ or ‘Sports Entertainment’.”

     

    He added, “One can either watch the live match, with the deep statistics overlaying the video, or can just click a selfie with the team’s jersey using the ‘Jerseyfy Me’ application. We have also brought back the digital avatar of the player cards, combined with educating fans about the different athletes with ‘Pehchaan Kaun’. The objective is to empower the sports fan with deep statistics on video; as well as engage with the fence sitters.”

     

    Over the next few months, viewers will be able to catch up with the widest range of sporting content, including football, NBA, UFC, tennis and cricket on LIV Sports. The digital destination will offer live and exclusive video content along with a complete coverage of the latest sporting content present, across devices.

     

    Considering the fact that data and statistics makes sports interesting, LIV Sports will aim at giving its viewers a comprehensive and in depth sporting data and info- graphics.

     

    The digital medium will involve its viewers through engagements for the sports loyalist, personalised content and fun applications on social media. So while activities like ‘Mohit Bana Messi’ will help viewers customize their look, ‘Pehchan Kaun’ will help one enhance their knowledge about sports.  

     

    One can login to LIV Sports online – www.LIVSports.in or via the iTunes and Google Play app stores.

     

    This move by MSM propels it to join the league of its rivals like Star Sports and Ten Sports that have a strong digital presence on their sports websites.

  • 2014 FIFA World Cup commentary to get sweeter in Bengali!

    2014 FIFA World Cup commentary to get sweeter in Bengali!

    MUMBAI: As the countdown for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil begins, Indian fans, especially the ‘bong’ football enthusiasts are in for a special language treat.

     

    While Sony Six is the official broadcast partner for the World Cup, Multi Screen Media (MSM) has also decided to telecast the matches on its Bengali channel Aath. That apart, Aath viewers will be in for a Bengali live commentary treat for the matches telecast on the channel. “This is for the first time that we will be having a Bengali live commentary for a sporting event of this scale,” confirmed MSM India CEO NP Singh to indiantelevision.com.

     

    Singh also informed that a studio will be set up for the same. “56 of the 64 matches will be aired on Aath and have Bengali commentary,” he added.

     

    This eastern most state of India is known to have a mass fan base which is crazy and enthusiastic about football.

     

    According to BPN Lintas Media group Kolkata executive vice president Mahesh Motwani, “This move will definitely help increase viewership numbers for the channel as Bengal is the Mecca of football in India. The kind of domain knowledge about football that exists here is large and not found elsewhere. I feel that having commentary in the local language during the FIFA World Cup will help increase eyeballs to a large extent.”

     

    Of the other major plans around the big game, Sony Six aims at tapping into the prime time slot featuring the live games from the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The channel will exclusively broadcast nearly 38 per cent of the total live games in the prime time slot of 9.30pm across the Indian subcontinent (24 games in the 9.30pm time slot out of the total 64 matches). The telecast which will begin at 8pm with one of a kind studio show, (leading up to the match kick off at 9.30pm) will have popular anchors and guests providing interesting and unique insights about the players and the tournament. The 9:30pm slot will showcase some of the most exciting match-ups of the group stages including Germany vs Portugal. Viewers can also catch some of their favourite teams including Spain, England, Uruguay, Netherlands and few of the most exciting knock out stage games in the same slot.

     

    In a nation where prime time slot is dominated by soap operas, will creating a prime time band for football help increase viewership? Said Singh, “Well, India is a nation where prime time is a slot for entertainment, and that is what we are providing. But, this is entertainment of a different kind. Also the reason for creating a studio show before the match is to get the viewers in the 8:30pm time band on the channel, who then stick to it for the match.” 

     

    The network is setting up a studio for the Bengali live commentary. “The work is in full force. We will announce more details soon,” he added.

     

    Sony Six had recently launched an Indian promo video featuring Bollywood actor John Abraham where he is seen watching the football matches on a large screen with many other football fans and viewers.