ITV

Tag: NP Singh

  • Four original, Indian, animated shows to start with: ‘Local’ to be Sony Yay! USP

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network India is getting bigger and better with time. In just four months, the network has reached up to nine new channels.

    Started with acquiring ZEEL’s Ten Sports bouquet, the network launched music channel Sony Rox HD, Sony BBC Earth, Sony BBC Earth HD, and now the kids channel — Sony Yay!

    With the launch of Sony Yay!, the network has added 29th channel to its growing family. The channel, which will go live on 18 April, will be available in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages across direct-to-home (DTH) and digital cable platforms.

    Promising to be the ‘Destination for Unlimited Happiness’ for kids, the channel has roped in the young cinestar, Tiger Shroff, who has become a phenomenon with kids across the country, as its brand ambassador.

    Targeted towards bringing more happiness to kids between 2 and 14 years of age, Sony Yay! will go live with four original, locally produced, animated shows, a first for any channel in this genre.

    Sony Pictures Networks (SPNI) CEO NP Singh said, “It goes without saying that the Indian television industry is at the interesting crossroads, with the kids genre being a frontrunner in demanding innovation and freshness. Our kids channel, Sony YAY! with its original programming will excite and engage the young audience and leave a lasting impact on their hearts and minds. With the launch of Sony Yay!, the network now offers tailor-made propositions for every member of the family.”

    Broadcasters have been on the continuous lookout to have more channels and programmes for kids in their portfolio. As per the FICCI KPMG report of 2017, there are 15 kids channel which are run by four major broadcasters, that is Disney (Disney, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Hungama), Viacom 18 ( Nickelodeon, Sonic, Teen Nick, Nick Jr), Turner ( Cartoon Network, Pogo, Toonami) and Sun TV (Chutti TV, Kochu TV, Chintu TV, Kushi TV).

    As per BARC data, Nick has been the leader of the genre followed by Pogo TV, Disney, Hungama and Cartoon Network. “Its a highly competitive genre, and, to begin with, being in top five will be the target of this year, and, by next year, the target will be: to be in the top three,” Singh said.

    Talking about the original content, Sony Yay business head Leena Lele Dutta informed, “We are launching the channel with the four original shows. We are looking at 80 per cent of slots to be filled with local shows.”

    The channel is promoting 7am to 10am time band. “Each show is of 22 minutes in which two stories will be shown of 11 mins each. We will have shows play out differently in the morning, a variety of stories at 1pm, and it will be different for the 4pm slot, as well. By the end of the year, we will have 52 episodes of 104 stories each. In October, we will have two more show launches.”

    Dutta further added, “We have done our research before launching the channel. We found that there is dearth of differentiated local content, and our aim is to reach out to the kids, and give them what is missing from their staple diet.”

    Cosmos Maya, Toonz Animation, Frisbee Animation and Softtools are the studios working on these shows.

    A first-of-its-kind musical comedy titled Guru Aur Bhole Mon – Fri at 10am, Sab Jholmaal Hai – A world full of pets that’s nothing short of mischief, mayhem, madness, Mon – Fri at 9am, a classic tale of venturesome friendship Prince Jai Aur Dumdaar Viru Mon – Fri at 11am and a unique laugh-out-loud Ghost Comedy Paap-O-Meter Sat – Sun at 12pm will form the key programming mix of the channel at the time of launch.

    The shows promise to bring unlimited laughter and uninterrupted volumes of fun into the lives of our young generation. Each show explores a different genre in comedy and guarantees uniqueness in terms of its characterisation and narrative, giving the little ones an experience they have not witnessed so far on their television screens.

  • Sony BBC Earth to air 19 hrs of content every week, local programming on the cards

    MUMBAI: Feel alive with science, with technology, with nature, with stories, feel alive with Sony BBC Earth.

    A 75:25 joint venture (JV) between Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and BBC Worldwide, the channel is set to go live on 6 March at 8 pm with 19 hours of original programming every week.  The channel, in its initial phase, will target the urban mega cities constituting of 10 million towns. And is Available across all major DTH platforms and MSOs, in four languages- English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

    Promising to make the viewers ‘Feel Alive’ through its offering of quality  
    visuals, never-seen-before content, and positive insightful storytelling, the channel will introduce local programming in the country.

    As of yet, BBC Worldwide operates around 39 BBC Earth channels across the world, in India, for the first time, the channel is launching as a joint venture with SPN. Through the JV partnership, SPN will make the day-to-day decisions of the new channel.

    SPN CEO NP Singh said, “Sony Pictures Networks is known to create compelling and differentiated brands across all genres that it operates in. I am confident that this channel will be a major player in its category. A year down the line, I wish to see the channel in the top three list.”

    Singh refused to mention the two companies that he thought were in the race.

    The channel will bring award-winning, premium factual content from BBC to over 500 million of SPN’s viewers across India, and will feature some of the world’s famous factual film-makers and storytellers such as Sir David Attenborough – The Godfather of Natural History and other well-
    known BBC Earth personalities like Bafta-winning English naturalist, writer and television presenter Steve Backshall, author, broadcaster and writer, Ben Fogle, Dr Michael Mosley – a medical doctor and an award-winning science journalist as well as award-winning wildlife cameraman, presenter and film maker, Gordon Buchanan. As a key differentiator in its category, the channel will have defined programming slots – Why, How & What on Earth at 8 pm for fun and insightful science, Wild Wild Earth at 9 pm for nature and wildlife, and Earth Explorers at 10 pm for adventure and human interest stories.

    Weekends will showcase distinctive stories with a special slot; Earth Specials. Key launch shows include The Hunt, Where The Wild Men Are with Ben Fogle, Trust Me I’m A Doctor, Snow Chick and the iconic, greatly anticipated series, Planet Earth II amongst others.

    BBC Worldwide president – global markets Paul Dempsey asserted, “Our relationship with Sony has been a long one, built in the first instance on our production business, and one that has since grown across all key areas of BBC Worldwide’s operations. We partner with them to bring top programmes like Sherlock, Orphan Black and Top Gear on AXN to our fans in India, and now, this joint venture which is a pioneering model for us. By working with a respected local partner of the caliber of Sony Pictures Networks, we look forward to bringing BBC Earth’s world class content to a new audience who we know has a huge appetite for premium factual programming.”

    The channel has created a unique brand film with its Feel Alive ambassador Kareena Kapoor-Khan. The campaign will be launched on a massive scale across multiple mass media and social media platforms. Though, it has no advertisers on boards as of yet and are in the the process of locking few deals.

    SPN EVP and business head English Cluster Saurabh Yagnik added, “SPN’s philosophy is to create brands based on deep consumer understanding. We have worked extensively with viewers to sharpen our insights into what they want and have synergised this understanding with our compelling content and storytelling. Our brand positioning of ‘Feel Alive’ captures the emotion of subliminal happiness which viewers experience when they consume our content. We are getting a tremendously positive response from the advertisers and will be locking few of them in couple of weeks time.”

    The channel will primarily compete with powerful channels in the genre, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and History TV18, owned by a joint venture between A+E Networks and  TV18. The three channels are undergoing several programming changes by providing local, cutting edge content to the viewers.

    According to media pundits, the entire factual entertainment genre in India is valued at Rs 1500 crore (by revenue) and is continuously growing at the rate of 13-15 per cent annually. It’s entertainment viewership accounts for 1-1.2 per cent of the total television viewership market share.

    This partnership has definitely opened several doors for BBC making its way to the infotainment genre in India. Perhaps, the network may also consider launching its other channels – BBC Lifestyle, BBC Entertainment, BBC Kids, etc, in India. What next does the network plan to do in the Indian market, only time will tell…

    Also Read :

    Sony BBC Earth gets regulatory approval, to launch in India soon

    BBC Worldwide’s factual entertainment successful in India

    Sony BBC Earth is just an approval away: NP Singh

    BBC Worldwide India: Women team makes fiction push

  • Sony Pictures’ new CSR for underprivileged

    MUMBAI: Supporting the cause of empowering India’s underprivileged youth through sports, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has partnered with an NGO ‘Slum Soccer’ to launch The National Inclusion Cup, the only national football tournament of its kind for underprivileged youth. This is a CSR initiative of Sony Pictures Networks India.

    ‘Slum Soccer’ aims to change life in the slums, where the game of football is used as a means to connect individuals, teaching life skills and working towards improving overall quality of life for underprivileged youth. Initiated by the Slum Soccer team in 2001, The National Inclusion Cup has steadily grown over the years, with teams from all over the country competing to win the prestigious title. With SPN’s support, this year the Slum Soccer team will be able to expand participation and provide better training facilities to the youth.

    To be held in Mumbai for the first time, the five-day football tournament will commence on 13 February at the Andheri Sports Complex. This year teams from Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Vidharbha, Orissa, Gujarat, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttar Pradesh will participate. For this event, Slum Soccer also invites several local non-profit organizations such as Dream a Dream, Cequin, Oscar, YFC Rurka Kalan, Maher, Jeet Foundation, Khelduar, Childreach International, Karmic Foundation, Sparky Football, Leher Foundation, amongst others to bring teams to participate in the cup.

    The league-cum-knock out tournament is designed to be competitive, but its special structure lays emphasis on fair play. This year’s tournament will see a total participation of 40 teams (24 men and 16 women teams) from India. For the first time an international men’s team from Nepal will also be a part of this event.

    Once the tournament in India concludes, the final selected teams comprising of 8 men and 8 women players each, will represent India at the 15th Homeless World Cup in Oslo, Norway from August 29 to September 5, 2017. The selected players will receive intensive coaching, practice and social skills training for the Homeless World Cup, where 63 nations meet every year for the World Championship.

    Staying true to its commitment of supporting Empowerment through Sports, this year, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) will support over 400 participants of the tournament including coaches, volunteers and support staff. With SPN’s support, a soccer arena of international specifications has been imported from Scotland, so that participants can practice, train and prepare for the international championship.

    Popular Bollywood actor, youth icon and avid football fan Siddharth Malhotra, has also joined the cause and will kick off the tournament. Former Homeless World Cup director Andy Hook of StreetSoccer, Scotland will be the tournament director, Anju Turambekar, Grassroots Director, All India Football Federation (AIFF) will referee and oversee the competition.

    Sony Pictures Networks India CEO NP Singh said, “Sony Pictures Networks India is proud to take up initiatives of empowering India’s youth. True to its name, The National Inclusion Cup, offers its participants the opportunity to engage and improve lives through one of the world’s most popular sport, football. Our long-term vision is to support more such initiatives that inspire, motivate and provide equal opportunity to our country’s young underprivileged talent. In the process, we aim to continue facilitating the spirit of ‘Ek India Happywala’, which is the theme for our CSR initiatives. I wish the participants and organizers the very best for the tournament.”

    Actor Siddharth Malhotra says, “It is a pleasure to inaugurate The National Inclusion Cup 2017. I believe that it is of paramount importance for the underprivileged youth to engage in outdoor activities and there should be equal opportunities available to them everywhere. I am pleased to support such a program that empowers our youth and acts as a catalyst to create a better life for them.”

    Slum Soccer founder Vijay Barse says, “Slum Soccer fosters sustainable development within the marginalized population of India, using football to bring about a change in the lives of street dwellers. We aim to provide long term solutions to combat homelessness and improve living standards in underprivileged areas. Sports is therapeutic and we aim to give these youth hope and purpose. With the support of Sony Pictures Networks India, we will be able to increase our reach, the number of individuals we can impact as well as improve the quality of that impact. We are grateful to Sony Pictures Networks for believing in this cause of connecting individuals, teaching life skills and working towards improving the overall quality of life through football.”

    In addition to The National Inclusion Cup, SPN supports Slum Soccer with other worthy projects such as EduKick and Game Changers. EduKick aims to improve educational outcomes by instilling physical fitness and facilitating personal development in children especially young girls, through the medium of football. Game Changers prepares youth with life and leadership skills by engaging them in challenging societal improvement projects.

    Project Objectives

    Improving participation amongst underprivileged girls and boys in a football tournament

    Scout for young talent to represent India at the prestigious international tournament ‘Homeless World Cup’

    Create a platform to share ideas, learnings and challenges with other grassroots organisations that work in the space of Sports4Development

  • Ajay Bhalwankar-led Sony’s maiden inhouse show partners Beyond Dreams

    Ajay Bhalwankar-led Sony’s maiden inhouse show partners Beyond Dreams

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network India is all set to produce its first show in-house for the network which will be led by the industry veteran Ajay Bhalwankar.  Also, Sony’s internal production house has partnered with Yash Patnaik’s Beyond Dreams for their first show.

    A source close to the development informed indiantelevision.com that the production house will be headed by the creative director Bhalwankar.

    Bhalwankar, an industry veteran of 20 years, was earlier the content head of Zee TV. Prior to joining to Zee TV, he worked as the programming head for SET from November 2009 to June 2011.  In 2014, he rejoined SET as the chief creative director.

    At the launch of Sony’s historical show Peshwa Bajirao, SPNI CEO NP Singh informed, “The first show of our production house is going into production early next month. It will be a fiction series and will go on air in 3- 4 months time.”

    This is not the first instance that a broadcast network is getting into TV production. Zee Network has its Essel Vision, which has been involved in many of its marquee properties. Star India had taken a 25.99 per cent stake in Balaji Telefilms in April 2004, only to exit it on 5 August 2015.

    ALSO READ :

    Sony Pictures Networks India to foray into TV production

    DD sets up ‘War Room’ to revitalise programming & revenues

  • Ajay Bhalwankar-led Sony’s maiden inhouse show partners Beyond Dreams

    Ajay Bhalwankar-led Sony’s maiden inhouse show partners Beyond Dreams

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network India is all set to produce its first show in-house for the network which will be led by the industry veteran Ajay Bhalwankar.  Also, Sony’s internal production house has partnered with Yash Patnaik’s Beyond Dreams for their first show.

    A source close to the development informed indiantelevision.com that the production house will be headed by the creative director Bhalwankar.

    Bhalwankar, an industry veteran of 20 years, was earlier the content head of Zee TV. Prior to joining to Zee TV, he worked as the programming head for SET from November 2009 to June 2011.  In 2014, he rejoined SET as the chief creative director.

    At the launch of Sony’s historical show Peshwa Bajirao, SPNI CEO NP Singh informed, “The first show of our production house is going into production early next month. It will be a fiction series and will go on air in 3- 4 months time.”

    This is not the first instance that a broadcast network is getting into TV production. Zee Network has its Essel Vision, which has been involved in many of its marquee properties. Star India had taken a 25.99 per cent stake in Balaji Telefilms in April 2004, only to exit it on 5 August 2015.

    ALSO READ :

    Sony Pictures Networks India to foray into TV production

    DD sets up ‘War Room’ to revitalise programming & revenues

  • Anooj Kapoor bids adieu to Sony Pictures Network India

    Anooj Kapoor bids adieu to Sony Pictures Network India

    MUMBAI: After championing the growth of channel Sab within the fabric of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), Sab TV business head Anooj Kapoor has decided to move on to pursue an independent venture. He will serve his last day tomorrow.

    SPNI CEO NP Singh said, “Anooj has played a key role in the curation of SAB as a family humour channel. His contribution has been instrumental in creating a strong viewer base for SAB. As he moves on to embrace a new future, I wish him the best in all his endeavours.”

    Kapoor added, “My best memories have been shaped at SPN. As I move on to pursue other dreams. I thank my team at SAB for being one of the best teams anyone can get to work with.”

  • Anooj Kapoor bids adieu to Sony Pictures Network India

    Anooj Kapoor bids adieu to Sony Pictures Network India

    MUMBAI: After championing the growth of channel Sab within the fabric of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), Sab TV business head Anooj Kapoor has decided to move on to pursue an independent venture. He will serve his last day tomorrow.

    SPNI CEO NP Singh said, “Anooj has played a key role in the curation of SAB as a family humour channel. His contribution has been instrumental in creating a strong viewer base for SAB. As he moves on to embrace a new future, I wish him the best in all his endeavours.”

    Kapoor added, “My best memories have been shaped at SPN. As I move on to pursue other dreams. I thank my team at SAB for being one of the best teams anyone can get to work with.”

  • Sony Entertainment TV plans to expand its early prime time to 6pm

    Sony Entertainment TV plans to expand its early prime time to 6pm

    MUMBAI: With the launch of its new offering Peshwa Bajirao, Sony Entertainment Television has entered the 7.30 pm time slot. The channel has expanded its prime time to 7.30pm, and plans to expand it further to 6pm time band in coming 12-18 months.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Sony Pictures Network India CEO NP Singh said, “With this show, we begin our prime time to 7.30pm, and soon we will have a show at 7pm time-band. Our objective is to start prime time at 6pm in 12 to 18 months’ time.”

    Singh further added, “Sony TV’s weekend shows are running successfully. We are focusing on the growth and reach of viewership of our weekday property and that will happen by launching the new slots on the channel and the launch of new shows on those channels.”

    Sony Entertainment Television EVP and business head Danish Khan said, “The intention is to expand the prime time from 6pm to 11.30pm but one thing at a time. 7.30 pm time slot we are opening now, and, hopefully by April, we will open the 7pm time band. The programming philosophy for Sony is novelty, variety and quality. We are working on banking a writing script in advance also we are shooting in advance. Like we are launching Peshwa Bajirao on Monday with 20 episodes in bank that is to drive the quality. Also we are hoping that we will bring some novel concept.”

    Firstly, it was Star Plus which opened the early prime time slot and later followed by other Hindi GECs entered the space but most of the channels failed to get the positive ratings in those early prime time specially 6pm and 6.30pm. But 7pm and 7.30pm time band became the prime time for all the channels and the space become more competitive with time.

    “There are seven Hindi GEC channels, and India is a huge country with a different set of audience fragmentation. It’s important to have a variety in GECs. In small towns, the prime time starts early, whereas in urban India people watch television slightly late. The overall HSM numbers might not look very big but, in the sub groups of geography, some shows are blockbusters. I think there is huge appetite for early prime time,” informed Khan.

    Well, how successfully Sony is able to encash the expanded prime time, only time will tell.

  • Sony Entertainment TV plans to expand its early prime time to 6pm

    Sony Entertainment TV plans to expand its early prime time to 6pm

    MUMBAI: With the launch of its new offering Peshwa Bajirao, Sony Entertainment Television has entered the 7.30 pm time slot. The channel has expanded its prime time to 7.30pm, and plans to expand it further to 6pm time band in coming 12-18 months.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Sony Pictures Network India CEO NP Singh said, “With this show, we begin our prime time to 7.30pm, and soon we will have a show at 7pm time-band. Our objective is to start prime time at 6pm in 12 to 18 months’ time.”

    Singh further added, “Sony TV’s weekend shows are running successfully. We are focusing on the growth and reach of viewership of our weekday property and that will happen by launching the new slots on the channel and the launch of new shows on those channels.”

    Sony Entertainment Television EVP and business head Danish Khan said, “The intention is to expand the prime time from 6pm to 11.30pm but one thing at a time. 7.30 pm time slot we are opening now, and, hopefully by April, we will open the 7pm time band. The programming philosophy for Sony is novelty, variety and quality. We are working on banking a writing script in advance also we are shooting in advance. Like we are launching Peshwa Bajirao on Monday with 20 episodes in bank that is to drive the quality. Also we are hoping that we will bring some novel concept.”

    Firstly, it was Star Plus which opened the early prime time slot and later followed by other Hindi GECs entered the space but most of the channels failed to get the positive ratings in those early prime time specially 6pm and 6.30pm. But 7pm and 7.30pm time band became the prime time for all the channels and the space become more competitive with time.

    “There are seven Hindi GEC channels, and India is a huge country with a different set of audience fragmentation. It’s important to have a variety in GECs. In small towns, the prime time starts early, whereas in urban India people watch television slightly late. The overall HSM numbers might not look very big but, in the sub groups of geography, some shows are blockbusters. I think there is huge appetite for early prime time,” informed Khan.

    Well, how successfully Sony is able to encash the expanded prime time, only time will tell.

  • Sony Pictures-Ten Sports deal cleared by CCI

    Sony Pictures-Ten Sports deal cleared by CCI

    MUMBAI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) yesterday tweeted its approval to the proposed acquisition of the sports broadcasting business of Ten Sports by Sony Pictures Networks India. Acquisitions beyond a threshold need approval from CCI, which keeps a check on business practices across sectors.

    In August-end 2016, ZEEL had informed the BSE about the approval by its board of directors for the proposed sale and transfer of Zee’s sports broadcasting business to Sony Pictures Networks in an all-cash deal worth US$385 million. SPNI CEO NP Singh had then said that the acquisition of Ten Sports Network would strengthen SPN’s offering for viewers of cricket, football and fight sports, complementing their existing portfolio of international and domestic sporting properties.

    Ten Sports network is currently held by two subsidiaries of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL)—Taj Television Ltd, Mauritius, and Taj Television (India) Pvt. Ltd. Sony Pictures Networks India is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, which owns and operates the Sony Entertainment network of channels.

    Ten Sports channels being acquired are — Ten  Cricket, Ten Sports, Ten 1, Ten 1 HD, Ten 2, Ten 3, Ten Golf HD which operate in many countries including the Indian sub-continent, Hong Kong, Maldives, Singapore, the Middle East and the Caribbeans.

    Also Read:

    Sony Networks looking to change face of Indian football in ’17

    Sony to add 10 channels in 2017

    Sony Pictures to acquire Ten Sports from Zee