ITV

Tag: OTT

  • Why Uday Sodhi launched Liv Kids

    Why Uday Sodhi launched Liv Kids

    MUMBAI: First there was VootKids from the Viacom18 stable. And now Sony Pictures Networks India’s OTT service SonyLiv is tip-toeing into the kids entertainment space with the launch of its video on demand service Liv Kids.

    The content on the section features popular nursery rhymes like Pop Goes the Weasel, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Humpty Dumpty, Wheels on the Bus, etc. The section currently boasts 100+ videos (shows and rhymes) in English and Hindi free of cost and plans to add substantial amount of content around kids in sometime. The idea is to add more regional languages later apart from interesting kids content from international producers over time.

    “We studied the content consumption pattern of kids on various platforms like YouTube and in several international markets. The content that the kids use, time-spent and their loyalty towards that particular content which makes them come back to it again and again is great. It is higher than the consumption by our other normal users. The stickiness is very high. With the category offering an exciting range of nursery rhymes which are both fun and informative, we are confident that our younger audience will enjoy our latest addition to the fullest,” says SonyLiv EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

    Though the platform does not have sponsors as yet, it is confident that advertisers will get on board pretty soon. Currently, run of site (ROS) ads can be viewed on the kids section.

    “The audience is very sensitive and the market is huge. With the penetration of internet in India getting higher, the kids segment is only set to grow. Once they get hooked, the content consumption will keep increasing. As far as advertisers are concerned, we do not want to put content or advertisements which do not fit completely in this space,” adds Sodhi.

    The videos can be viewed on SonyLiv’s website and mobile application, as well as on its YouTube channel.

    Being fast adopters of technology, kids are the first ones to become the digital consumers which often worry their parents. Digital streaming services like YouTube Kids and Voot, have come up with various parental control features so that they can keep an eye on what is searched by the child, timers to limit screen time and content restrictions.

    Though, Liv does not offer any such options as of yet mainly due to its kids oriented content, it will develop such options if there is a need. “It is too early for us to say whether we will have such options or how many hours of content will we have. If there is feedback, which we think can be applied to our platform, we will,” asserts Sodhi.

    As far as promotions are concerned, Sodhi opined that the conversations have already started and the OTT service will soon launch a complete marketing plan though he was chary of revealing any details.

    “SonyLiv’s commitment to providing the best and most relevant user-centric entertainment content is the reason behind the launch of Liv Kids. We are very hopeful of this and will see how this turns out to be for us,” concluded Sodhi.

    He surely isn’t kidding!

  • Why Uday Sodhi launched Liv Kids

    Why Uday Sodhi launched Liv Kids

    MUMBAI: First there was VootKids from the Viacom18 stable. And now Sony Pictures Networks India’s OTT service SonyLiv is tip-toeing into the kids entertainment space with the launch of its video on demand service Liv Kids.

    The content on the section features popular nursery rhymes like Pop Goes the Weasel, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Humpty Dumpty, Wheels on the Bus, etc. The section currently boasts 100+ videos (shows and rhymes) in English and Hindi free of cost and plans to add substantial amount of content around kids in sometime. The idea is to add more regional languages later apart from interesting kids content from international producers over time.

    “We studied the content consumption pattern of kids on various platforms like YouTube and in several international markets. The content that the kids use, time-spent and their loyalty towards that particular content which makes them come back to it again and again is great. It is higher than the consumption by our other normal users. The stickiness is very high. With the category offering an exciting range of nursery rhymes which are both fun and informative, we are confident that our younger audience will enjoy our latest addition to the fullest,” says SonyLiv EVP and head digital business Uday Sodhi.

    Though the platform does not have sponsors as yet, it is confident that advertisers will get on board pretty soon. Currently, run of site (ROS) ads can be viewed on the kids section.

    “The audience is very sensitive and the market is huge. With the penetration of internet in India getting higher, the kids segment is only set to grow. Once they get hooked, the content consumption will keep increasing. As far as advertisers are concerned, we do not want to put content or advertisements which do not fit completely in this space,” adds Sodhi.

    The videos can be viewed on SonyLiv’s website and mobile application, as well as on its YouTube channel.

    Being fast adopters of technology, kids are the first ones to become the digital consumers which often worry their parents. Digital streaming services like YouTube Kids and Voot, have come up with various parental control features so that they can keep an eye on what is searched by the child, timers to limit screen time and content restrictions.

    Though, Liv does not offer any such options as of yet mainly due to its kids oriented content, it will develop such options if there is a need. “It is too early for us to say whether we will have such options or how many hours of content will we have. If there is feedback, which we think can be applied to our platform, we will,” asserts Sodhi.

    As far as promotions are concerned, Sodhi opined that the conversations have already started and the OTT service will soon launch a complete marketing plan though he was chary of revealing any details.

    “SonyLiv’s commitment to providing the best and most relevant user-centric entertainment content is the reason behind the launch of Liv Kids. We are very hopeful of this and will see how this turns out to be for us,” concluded Sodhi.

    He surely isn’t kidding!

  • Content piracy making b’casters invest in good tech for security: Tata Communications VP Brian Morris

    Content piracy making b’casters invest in good tech for security: Tata Communications VP Brian Morris

    Somebody had aptly said that a new development brings along with it not only benefits, but also various downsides. If technology is opening up new frontiers of content delivery to consumers, the menace of content piracy too is rising globally. So, it’s almost always a race against time to find neutralizers to a menace like piracy for content owners and technology & security companies. 

    And, Tata Communications is one such company that not only helps its customers deliver content, but also does continuous research in safety methods. That’s just one of the many reasons why the company continually makes major investments in building and improving state-of-the-art global communications network. One such example of investments is the $1.19 billion spent on the company’s global subsea fibre network — the company claims it is one of the world’s largest and most advanced —- that covers 700,000 km or more than 17 times around the world; the only Ethernet ring serving the Middle East; more than 400 points of presence on five continents, apart from ownership and operation of over 1 million sq. ft. of data centre space in 44 locations worldwide.

    In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, Tata Communications VP and GM – Global Media and Entertainment Services Brian Morris holds forth on various aspects of content delivery, tackling content piracy and the need to have a good technology partner for broadcasters.

    Excerpts:

    As broadcasters deliver content on multi-platform like social media and OTT, how can they ensure that they have the highest levels of content security integrated within the core of their business operations and across various delivery platforms?

    Today, content owners, enabled by technology providers, are taking control in a world where the viewing patterns of consumers are dramatically changing due to advances in mobile and flexible content provisioning. The broadcasting counter-revolution is about staying ahead of the game and providing viewers with the platforms and services that give them more control when it comes to dictating their own viewing experiences.

    For broadcasters and Over the Top (OTT) and streaming network providers, this means enabling content to be delivered via non-traditional distribution channels, to support on-demand and catch-up services that allow viewers to watch whatever content they want, whenever they want, on any device.  It is also enabling the disruption of regionalization and rights management as content owners seek to extend reach and distribute their content on a global basis.

    Hence, emergence of OTT and streaming players and growing adoption of various smart devices, in an increasingly growing connected world, has forced pay-TV operators to offer their content on multiple networks and multiple devices. This gradual transformation has led to roll out of parallel systems requiring adoption of multiple service delivery and content security platforms resulting into management complexities.

    To manage the multi-service / multi-platform environment, media service providers need to adopt unified security approach to meet security requirement on any device and any type of content (live or on-demand). Below are the key trends in unified content security space:

    # Single security client combining CAS (conditional access systems) and DRM (digital rights management) functionalities to support DVB, IPTV STB and OTT based media distribution

    # Adaptive security solutions compatible with any devices (including device with HWRoT, Open STBs like Android STB, Legacy STBs without HWRoT and Open CE devices)

    # Security solutions to meet requirements for enhanced content (UHD, HD HDR, early release content) – MovieLabs , an R&D JV of six major motion picture studios, has come with new content security ECP guidelines

    # Security solutions to support open consumer devices – software based security solutions compatible with customer owned devices.

    Is forensic watermarking a step in the right direction when it comes to content security?

    It is the prerogative of content owners to do any kind of watermarking. We, at Tata Communications, are fully supportive and capable of carrying any watermarking through our infrastructure. Forensic watermark is a great help when it comes to content security. It offers a range of benefits to broadcasters and content providers and some of them are the following:

    # Single solution to fight against content redistribution across the value chain– For the content owner, the source of leak can be found out; while for the licensee, session-based watermarking enables them to identify which OTT account or smart card the pirate stream is originating from.

    # Lower total cost of ownership with easy deployment and scalability – all consumers (irrespective of the device they use) receive watermarked content, and not just those users who own watermarked enabled devices.

    # Fast time to market on deployed devices and existing workflows – there is no need for specific client side hardware, which makes it easier to deploy to existing devices.

    # Renewable, robust security based on a centralized design – central architecture is more secure, in order to make it impossible for pirates to exploit the client device and easy to renew if a breach occurs.

    The main limitation of forensic watermarking technology is the occasional occurrence of false positives in which legal copies of a document, image, video or program are tagged as unauthorized. Forensic watermarks have gained acceptance in the software and digital video industries. Other applications in which the technology holds promise include digital music and electronic books (e-books).

    With the rise of number of OTT platforms in India, are the players taking security breach or its possibility seriously as Indian security systems generally tend to be lax?

    A mega-trend noticed in the broadcasting industry in India is the rise in non-traditional content viewing and distribution. With the growing adoption of smart devices and the millennial audience of the country, with 50 per cent of the population under the age of 25, looking to consume videos on-the-go, the video-on-demand is on an exponential growth. This growth has raised a number of concerns around public safety and privacy issues, both at an organizational and a national level.

    OTT players are, therefore, looking to adopt a unified security approach that can meet the security requirement on any platform and any region. An important change noticed amongst the Indian broadcasters is the investment made in technology partners who can keep up with the demand of maximum uptime, reach and security. A strong network player can carry the content applications securely and smoothly. 

    Do you feel that the level of piracy of Indian content within and outside India is growing?

    Piracy has become a major issue for broadcasters globally. One example of this would be the final episode of Game of Thrones’ season five in 2015; it was illegally downloaded 1.5 million times before it had even aired. This shows that there is a complete breakdown of geographical boundaries and India is seeing a boom in online piracy too. The recent addition of Netflix and other big OTT players in the country is an additional reason of worry for the industry. 

    According to a study conducted by Evisional and America’s Motion Pictures Association (MPA), Indians form the largest group to download Indian copyright content from torrent sites. So, broadcasters are not only looking to harness the power of non-traditional distribution methods to get their content to the consumer, they also face a battle to decrease illegal broadcasting.

    If piracy is a growing phenomenon, are Indian broadcasters and content owners really alive to the problem and taking safety measures or these are just ad hoc moves? 

    The biggest challenge for broadcasters is: how do they make content available to global audiences in real-time and in different file formats ranging from HD TV, to tablets and smartphones to protect their content and minimize piracy? Cases like the Game of Thrones are a wake-up call. While there is no foolproof way to completely block content piracy, but iinnovative broadcasting organizations are increasingly looking to fibre to run their content on. The readily available bandwidth of fibre enables the transport of live video in higher resolutions, with more security and more potential for customization than other methods. Fibre is also ideal for moving large video files.

    Content transcoding and delivery technology in the cloud is also making headway. It enables broadcasters to move content files to the cloud and transcode them into broadcast quality formats ready for immediate transmission and secure delivery to selected destinations. This means that it is possible to make authorized content available for simulcast in HD format. with the aim of helping broadcasters and content creators transcode media files into broadcast quality formats ready for immediate delivery and transmission globally. This drastically reduces the delivery time compared with traditional solutions that rely on the physical transport of media, meaning the time to view can be reduced across all regions.

    Considering that Tata Communications also operates in APAC region, how seriously piracy is taken by players in that region?

    According to a recent report by digital TV research, OTT TV and video revenues for 17 countries in the Asia Pacific region will reach $18,396 million in 2021. Another finding shows that Game of Thrones has been crowned as the most pirated television show for a few years with data collected from the first 12 hours during season six’s premiere episode showing that India stood as the second country in top downloads. Content piracy clearly ignores geographical boundaries and the unauthorized distribution of premium content is here to stay. 

    However, with the entry of global players like Netflix, RedBull Media House, OTT players are realizing that content offering and content security are two important factors that will help them differentiate from each other. A technology partner that can help with their global distribution requirements over a secure network is becoming a need. Tata Communications’ partnership with Red Bull Media House or distribution of live Formula1 races over Sky television are some of the recent partnerships we have seen as a result of these requirements.

  • Content piracy making b’casters invest in good tech for security: Tata Communications VP Brian Morris

    Content piracy making b’casters invest in good tech for security: Tata Communications VP Brian Morris

    Somebody had aptly said that a new development brings along with it not only benefits, but also various downsides. If technology is opening up new frontiers of content delivery to consumers, the menace of content piracy too is rising globally. So, it’s almost always a race against time to find neutralizers to a menace like piracy for content owners and technology & security companies. 

    And, Tata Communications is one such company that not only helps its customers deliver content, but also does continuous research in safety methods. That’s just one of the many reasons why the company continually makes major investments in building and improving state-of-the-art global communications network. One such example of investments is the $1.19 billion spent on the company’s global subsea fibre network — the company claims it is one of the world’s largest and most advanced —- that covers 700,000 km or more than 17 times around the world; the only Ethernet ring serving the Middle East; more than 400 points of presence on five continents, apart from ownership and operation of over 1 million sq. ft. of data centre space in 44 locations worldwide.

    In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, Tata Communications VP and GM – Global Media and Entertainment Services Brian Morris holds forth on various aspects of content delivery, tackling content piracy and the need to have a good technology partner for broadcasters.

    Excerpts:

    As broadcasters deliver content on multi-platform like social media and OTT, how can they ensure that they have the highest levels of content security integrated within the core of their business operations and across various delivery platforms?

    Today, content owners, enabled by technology providers, are taking control in a world where the viewing patterns of consumers are dramatically changing due to advances in mobile and flexible content provisioning. The broadcasting counter-revolution is about staying ahead of the game and providing viewers with the platforms and services that give them more control when it comes to dictating their own viewing experiences.

    For broadcasters and Over the Top (OTT) and streaming network providers, this means enabling content to be delivered via non-traditional distribution channels, to support on-demand and catch-up services that allow viewers to watch whatever content they want, whenever they want, on any device.  It is also enabling the disruption of regionalization and rights management as content owners seek to extend reach and distribute their content on a global basis.

    Hence, emergence of OTT and streaming players and growing adoption of various smart devices, in an increasingly growing connected world, has forced pay-TV operators to offer their content on multiple networks and multiple devices. This gradual transformation has led to roll out of parallel systems requiring adoption of multiple service delivery and content security platforms resulting into management complexities.

    To manage the multi-service / multi-platform environment, media service providers need to adopt unified security approach to meet security requirement on any device and any type of content (live or on-demand). Below are the key trends in unified content security space:

    # Single security client combining CAS (conditional access systems) and DRM (digital rights management) functionalities to support DVB, IPTV STB and OTT based media distribution

    # Adaptive security solutions compatible with any devices (including device with HWRoT, Open STBs like Android STB, Legacy STBs without HWRoT and Open CE devices)

    # Security solutions to meet requirements for enhanced content (UHD, HD HDR, early release content) – MovieLabs , an R&D JV of six major motion picture studios, has come with new content security ECP guidelines

    # Security solutions to support open consumer devices – software based security solutions compatible with customer owned devices.

    Is forensic watermarking a step in the right direction when it comes to content security?

    It is the prerogative of content owners to do any kind of watermarking. We, at Tata Communications, are fully supportive and capable of carrying any watermarking through our infrastructure. Forensic watermark is a great help when it comes to content security. It offers a range of benefits to broadcasters and content providers and some of them are the following:

    # Single solution to fight against content redistribution across the value chain– For the content owner, the source of leak can be found out; while for the licensee, session-based watermarking enables them to identify which OTT account or smart card the pirate stream is originating from.

    # Lower total cost of ownership with easy deployment and scalability – all consumers (irrespective of the device they use) receive watermarked content, and not just those users who own watermarked enabled devices.

    # Fast time to market on deployed devices and existing workflows – there is no need for specific client side hardware, which makes it easier to deploy to existing devices.

    # Renewable, robust security based on a centralized design – central architecture is more secure, in order to make it impossible for pirates to exploit the client device and easy to renew if a breach occurs.

    The main limitation of forensic watermarking technology is the occasional occurrence of false positives in which legal copies of a document, image, video or program are tagged as unauthorized. Forensic watermarks have gained acceptance in the software and digital video industries. Other applications in which the technology holds promise include digital music and electronic books (e-books).

    With the rise of number of OTT platforms in India, are the players taking security breach or its possibility seriously as Indian security systems generally tend to be lax?

    A mega-trend noticed in the broadcasting industry in India is the rise in non-traditional content viewing and distribution. With the growing adoption of smart devices and the millennial audience of the country, with 50 per cent of the population under the age of 25, looking to consume videos on-the-go, the video-on-demand is on an exponential growth. This growth has raised a number of concerns around public safety and privacy issues, both at an organizational and a national level.

    OTT players are, therefore, looking to adopt a unified security approach that can meet the security requirement on any platform and any region. An important change noticed amongst the Indian broadcasters is the investment made in technology partners who can keep up with the demand of maximum uptime, reach and security. A strong network player can carry the content applications securely and smoothly. 

    Do you feel that the level of piracy of Indian content within and outside India is growing?

    Piracy has become a major issue for broadcasters globally. One example of this would be the final episode of Game of Thrones’ season five in 2015; it was illegally downloaded 1.5 million times before it had even aired. This shows that there is a complete breakdown of geographical boundaries and India is seeing a boom in online piracy too. The recent addition of Netflix and other big OTT players in the country is an additional reason of worry for the industry. 

    According to a study conducted by Evisional and America’s Motion Pictures Association (MPA), Indians form the largest group to download Indian copyright content from torrent sites. So, broadcasters are not only looking to harness the power of non-traditional distribution methods to get their content to the consumer, they also face a battle to decrease illegal broadcasting.

    If piracy is a growing phenomenon, are Indian broadcasters and content owners really alive to the problem and taking safety measures or these are just ad hoc moves? 

    The biggest challenge for broadcasters is: how do they make content available to global audiences in real-time and in different file formats ranging from HD TV, to tablets and smartphones to protect their content and minimize piracy? Cases like the Game of Thrones are a wake-up call. While there is no foolproof way to completely block content piracy, but iinnovative broadcasting organizations are increasingly looking to fibre to run their content on. The readily available bandwidth of fibre enables the transport of live video in higher resolutions, with more security and more potential for customization than other methods. Fibre is also ideal for moving large video files.

    Content transcoding and delivery technology in the cloud is also making headway. It enables broadcasters to move content files to the cloud and transcode them into broadcast quality formats ready for immediate transmission and secure delivery to selected destinations. This means that it is possible to make authorized content available for simulcast in HD format. with the aim of helping broadcasters and content creators transcode media files into broadcast quality formats ready for immediate delivery and transmission globally. This drastically reduces the delivery time compared with traditional solutions that rely on the physical transport of media, meaning the time to view can be reduced across all regions.

    Considering that Tata Communications also operates in APAC region, how seriously piracy is taken by players in that region?

    According to a recent report by digital TV research, OTT TV and video revenues for 17 countries in the Asia Pacific region will reach $18,396 million in 2021. Another finding shows that Game of Thrones has been crowned as the most pirated television show for a few years with data collected from the first 12 hours during season six’s premiere episode showing that India stood as the second country in top downloads. Content piracy clearly ignores geographical boundaries and the unauthorized distribution of premium content is here to stay. 

    However, with the entry of global players like Netflix, RedBull Media House, OTT players are realizing that content offering and content security are two important factors that will help them differentiate from each other. A technology partner that can help with their global distribution requirements over a secure network is becoming a need. Tata Communications’ partnership with Red Bull Media House or distribution of live Formula1 races over Sky television are some of the recent partnerships we have seen as a result of these requirements.

  • Zee Mundo hires Steinbranding

    Zee Mundo hires Steinbranding

    MUMBAI: Steinbranding, the international design agency with headquarters in Buenos Aires, responsible for the image of more than 50 channels worldwide, was chosen by the major Indian media group, Zee Entertainment Enterprises to create the brand, naming and on-air & off-air branding for Zee Mundo, the new Bollywood movie channel which was recently launched in the US Hispanic Market.

    Steinbranding has been delivering successful branding projects in Latin America, US and Asia, for more than 16 years. In addition to the channel branding, the company is in charge of producing daily and monthly promos for ZEE Mundo, with special campaigns and stunts.

    Zee Mundo provides exclusive and original HD Bollywood movies from the Zee library to the Hispanic audience in the US. It was recently launched in Dish Latino and Sling Latino. The programming offering includes titles that cover five genres (action, suspense, romance, drama and comedy), all dubbed completely in Spanish.

    “The fact that we were chosen as partners for Zee Mundo’s arrival in the USH market is very important for us, especially after having produced 15 projects exclusively in India and more than 35 in Latin America. We are pleased to create new commercial opportunities in the region”, said Guillermo Stein, Steinbranding CEO.

    Furthermore, he added: “Our experience is mainly focused on the creation of brand architecture. We work together with the networks’ in-house teams and produce promos, graphic packages, full-on rebrandings, design for Over-The-Top services (OTT), Subscription VOD (SVOD), news graphic packages, sport events, Idents, special promos, upfronts, trailers and other audiovisual media.”

    Zee Mundo programming manager David Cabán emphasized: “Steinbranding consistently gives us the highest level of creativity and production. Its work reflects the outstanding quality values of modern Bollywood cinema presenting our audience a complete product full of elegance and magic.”

    Likewise, Zee Mundo marketing and communication manager Rolando Figueroa stated: “We are very satisfied with the support Steinbranding‘s creative team gives us. It is a very professional company and they are helpful with all our requirements.”

    Steinbranding has been in charge of several projects in Latin America such as the creation of Doki, Discovery Kids’ brand character, graphic campaigns for Discovery Channel, the complete re-branding for Canal (á), TV Azteca 7 and Azteca 13, Telefé, TV Pública Argentina, Elgourmet.com, Encuentro, Fox, Film &Arts, Fox sports, Paka Paka, Studio Universal, Yups, Cosmopolitan, DeporTv, Ecuador TV and HBO, among other channels. Stein branding has also created the visual language for projects such as Cablevisión, América, Utilísima, Hallmark, CityMundo, CityFamily and MovieCity.

  • Zee Mundo hires Steinbranding

    Zee Mundo hires Steinbranding

    MUMBAI: Steinbranding, the international design agency with headquarters in Buenos Aires, responsible for the image of more than 50 channels worldwide, was chosen by the major Indian media group, Zee Entertainment Enterprises to create the brand, naming and on-air & off-air branding for Zee Mundo, the new Bollywood movie channel which was recently launched in the US Hispanic Market.

    Steinbranding has been delivering successful branding projects in Latin America, US and Asia, for more than 16 years. In addition to the channel branding, the company is in charge of producing daily and monthly promos for ZEE Mundo, with special campaigns and stunts.

    Zee Mundo provides exclusive and original HD Bollywood movies from the Zee library to the Hispanic audience in the US. It was recently launched in Dish Latino and Sling Latino. The programming offering includes titles that cover five genres (action, suspense, romance, drama and comedy), all dubbed completely in Spanish.

    “The fact that we were chosen as partners for Zee Mundo’s arrival in the USH market is very important for us, especially after having produced 15 projects exclusively in India and more than 35 in Latin America. We are pleased to create new commercial opportunities in the region”, said Guillermo Stein, Steinbranding CEO.

    Furthermore, he added: “Our experience is mainly focused on the creation of brand architecture. We work together with the networks’ in-house teams and produce promos, graphic packages, full-on rebrandings, design for Over-The-Top services (OTT), Subscription VOD (SVOD), news graphic packages, sport events, Idents, special promos, upfronts, trailers and other audiovisual media.”

    Zee Mundo programming manager David Cabán emphasized: “Steinbranding consistently gives us the highest level of creativity and production. Its work reflects the outstanding quality values of modern Bollywood cinema presenting our audience a complete product full of elegance and magic.”

    Likewise, Zee Mundo marketing and communication manager Rolando Figueroa stated: “We are very satisfied with the support Steinbranding‘s creative team gives us. It is a very professional company and they are helpful with all our requirements.”

    Steinbranding has been in charge of several projects in Latin America such as the creation of Doki, Discovery Kids’ brand character, graphic campaigns for Discovery Channel, the complete re-branding for Canal (á), TV Azteca 7 and Azteca 13, Telefé, TV Pública Argentina, Elgourmet.com, Encuentro, Fox, Film &Arts, Fox sports, Paka Paka, Studio Universal, Yups, Cosmopolitan, DeporTv, Ecuador TV and HBO, among other channels. Stein branding has also created the visual language for projects such as Cablevisión, América, Utilísima, Hallmark, CityMundo, CityFamily and MovieCity.

  • Times Network in 100 countries now; launches two channels in Europe

    Times Network in 100 countries now; launches two channels in Europe

    CANNES: Times Network, a part of India’s largest media conglomerate, The Times Group, is set to launch two of its channels in Europe, marking its presence in over 100 countries.

    The network will launch Times Now, India’s most popular English News Channel and Zoom — India’s No. 1 Bollywood channel, on the Bobbles Media GmbH DTH and OTT platforms in Europe. This will enable them to reach into territories like Europe including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

    Backed by Bennett, Coleman & Co, the Times Networks’s International Business recently received the ‘Porter Prize 2016’ for ‘Creating Distinctive Value’. It will be the fastest Indian TV network to cross the 100 country mark in under five years. Within under a year of its launch in the UK, where it reaches Engliand’s 1.4m Indians, the network is all geared up for further expansion in Europe.

    Times Network head, international business, Naveen Chandra, said, “From Times Now’s commercial launch in Australia in early 2011 to its launch in Western Europe this month has been an incredible journey for the Network. We now reach over 10mn Indians globally. We are also all set to launch our first local content initiatives in Europe and look forward to growing aggressively in the region.”

    Times Now commands 43% market share in the English News category, and 58% overall market share during prime time English News, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.

    Zoom, a trendsetter in its genre, is available across five continents and 83 countries worldwide and also has a wide presence in the social media space.

    Times Network houses upscale brands including; Times Now, ET Now, Magicbricks Now, Moview Now, MN+ – The Gold class of Hollywood; Romedy Now. The network delivers segmented and differentiated content under one umbrella. It informs, entertains and engages over 100 million urban affluent viewers in India and is available in over 82 countries across the globe.

  • Times Network in 100 countries now; launches two channels in Europe

    Times Network in 100 countries now; launches two channels in Europe

    CANNES: Times Network, a part of India’s largest media conglomerate, The Times Group, is set to launch two of its channels in Europe, marking its presence in over 100 countries.

    The network will launch Times Now, India’s most popular English News Channel and Zoom — India’s No. 1 Bollywood channel, on the Bobbles Media GmbH DTH and OTT platforms in Europe. This will enable them to reach into territories like Europe including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

    Backed by Bennett, Coleman & Co, the Times Networks’s International Business recently received the ‘Porter Prize 2016’ for ‘Creating Distinctive Value’. It will be the fastest Indian TV network to cross the 100 country mark in under five years. Within under a year of its launch in the UK, where it reaches Engliand’s 1.4m Indians, the network is all geared up for further expansion in Europe.

    Times Network head, international business, Naveen Chandra, said, “From Times Now’s commercial launch in Australia in early 2011 to its launch in Western Europe this month has been an incredible journey for the Network. We now reach over 10mn Indians globally. We are also all set to launch our first local content initiatives in Europe and look forward to growing aggressively in the region.”

    Times Now commands 43% market share in the English News category, and 58% overall market share during prime time English News, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.

    Zoom, a trendsetter in its genre, is available across five continents and 83 countries worldwide and also has a wide presence in the social media space.

    Times Network houses upscale brands including; Times Now, ET Now, Magicbricks Now, Moview Now, MN+ – The Gold class of Hollywood; Romedy Now. The network delivers segmented and differentiated content under one umbrella. It informs, entertains and engages over 100 million urban affluent viewers in India and is available in over 82 countries across the globe.

  • OTT players spend exceeds traditional broadcasters; Netflix weighing Indian content to drive growth

    OTT players spend exceeds traditional broadcasters; Netflix weighing Indian content to drive growth

    MUMBAI: Online platforms such as Amazon and the streaming giant Netflix have ramped up their investment in programming, investing US$ 7.5 billion last year which is more than HBO, Turner and CBS in most countries including Australia and South Korea.

    Netflix invested over twice as much on original programming as the entire Australian TV market, a new report stated. In India, it could look at licensing deals and produce more local language content as it seeks to strengthen its presence here.

    The US-based company, which expanded into over 130 markets, entered India a few months ago and rivals streaming sites or platforms such as Star India’s Hotstar, SonyLiv, YuppTV, Spuul, Ditto TV, Eros Now, and Hungama. All these are betting on growing smartphone and Internet use to drive growth. Netflix could soon be introducing ‘download-and-go’ offline streaming.

    Between 2013 and 2015, Amazon and Netflix doubled their annual investments on programming. In 2013, Amazon spent US$ 1.22 billion, that jumped to US$ 2.67 billion in 2015. In the corresponding period, Netflix investments rose from US$ 2.38 billion to US$ 4.91 billion, a IHS Markit report stated while examining how TV programme producers are adapting to the era of internet TV.

    “Netflix and Amazon investments are only topped by Disney ($11.84 billion) and NBC ($10.27 billion),” said IHS Technology senior principal analyst Tim Westcott,.

    Netflix added over 50 per cent more subscribers than expected in the third quarter as original shows such as “Stranger Things” drew new international viewers and kept US customers despite a price hike, according to FactSet StreetAccount.

    Other online platforms such as China’s Youku Toudu, iQifyi, Tencent and Hulu in the US have also increased their investment in original programming and acquisitions.

    “More and more consumers are watching content online, shaking the foundations of the traditional TV industry,” Westcott said. “However, it’s premature to declare that the era of linear TV is over,” he added.

    Westcott estimated that, in 2015, the US represented 33 per cent of worldwide expenditure on TV programming, with US$ 43 billion invested across free-to-air, pay TV and online.” “Netflix and Amazon, though they are US companies, are now commissioning for multiple territories, so we have treated them as global platforms.”

    The biggest markets in Western Europe were the UK with $10.7 billion, Germany ($7.3 billion), France ($6.6 billion) and Italy ($4.6 billion). “Notably, China is now the second largest market in Asia Pacific, with $8.4 billion invested last year,” Westcott said. Japan is the largest in the region with $9.8 billion, followed by South Korea ($2.6 billion), Australia and India—both on $2.4 billion.

    Netflix considers pouring money into building its stable of licensed and original movies and TV shows. Content spending will rise to $6 billion next year, a $1 billion increase from 2016, its CEO Reed Hastings has said.

    It faces competition from the likes of Amazon and Hulu. Figures released in the World TV Production Report 2016 claim Netflix spent US$ 4.91bn on new programming the last year, compared to Australia’s total market spend of US$2.4bn. Amazon, which may reportedly launch in Australia in a few months, increased its programming investment in 2016 to US$ 2.67bn from US$ 1.22bn in 2015, although far below Disney’s spend of US$ 11.84bn in 2016.

    In India however Netflix has branded itself in the premium bracket and therefore has some disadvantage as far as pricing is concerned. A majorly English language content makes business difficult for Netflix in India. More local language content and licensing deals could help in this context. Netflix, which has not disclosed its subscribers base in India, may need to adopt a localisation strategy for growth in the country.

  • OTT players spend exceeds traditional broadcasters; Netflix weighing Indian content to drive growth

    OTT players spend exceeds traditional broadcasters; Netflix weighing Indian content to drive growth

    MUMBAI: Online platforms such as Amazon and the streaming giant Netflix have ramped up their investment in programming, investing US$ 7.5 billion last year which is more than HBO, Turner and CBS in most countries including Australia and South Korea.

    Netflix invested over twice as much on original programming as the entire Australian TV market, a new report stated. In India, it could look at licensing deals and produce more local language content as it seeks to strengthen its presence here.

    The US-based company, which expanded into over 130 markets, entered India a few months ago and rivals streaming sites or platforms such as Star India’s Hotstar, SonyLiv, YuppTV, Spuul, Ditto TV, Eros Now, and Hungama. All these are betting on growing smartphone and Internet use to drive growth. Netflix could soon be introducing ‘download-and-go’ offline streaming.

    Between 2013 and 2015, Amazon and Netflix doubled their annual investments on programming. In 2013, Amazon spent US$ 1.22 billion, that jumped to US$ 2.67 billion in 2015. In the corresponding period, Netflix investments rose from US$ 2.38 billion to US$ 4.91 billion, a IHS Markit report stated while examining how TV programme producers are adapting to the era of internet TV.

    “Netflix and Amazon investments are only topped by Disney ($11.84 billion) and NBC ($10.27 billion),” said IHS Technology senior principal analyst Tim Westcott,.

    Netflix added over 50 per cent more subscribers than expected in the third quarter as original shows such as “Stranger Things” drew new international viewers and kept US customers despite a price hike, according to FactSet StreetAccount.

    Other online platforms such as China’s Youku Toudu, iQifyi, Tencent and Hulu in the US have also increased their investment in original programming and acquisitions.

    “More and more consumers are watching content online, shaking the foundations of the traditional TV industry,” Westcott said. “However, it’s premature to declare that the era of linear TV is over,” he added.

    Westcott estimated that, in 2015, the US represented 33 per cent of worldwide expenditure on TV programming, with US$ 43 billion invested across free-to-air, pay TV and online.” “Netflix and Amazon, though they are US companies, are now commissioning for multiple territories, so we have treated them as global platforms.”

    The biggest markets in Western Europe were the UK with $10.7 billion, Germany ($7.3 billion), France ($6.6 billion) and Italy ($4.6 billion). “Notably, China is now the second largest market in Asia Pacific, with $8.4 billion invested last year,” Westcott said. Japan is the largest in the region with $9.8 billion, followed by South Korea ($2.6 billion), Australia and India—both on $2.4 billion.

    Netflix considers pouring money into building its stable of licensed and original movies and TV shows. Content spending will rise to $6 billion next year, a $1 billion increase from 2016, its CEO Reed Hastings has said.

    It faces competition from the likes of Amazon and Hulu. Figures released in the World TV Production Report 2016 claim Netflix spent US$ 4.91bn on new programming the last year, compared to Australia’s total market spend of US$2.4bn. Amazon, which may reportedly launch in Australia in a few months, increased its programming investment in 2016 to US$ 2.67bn from US$ 1.22bn in 2015, although far below Disney’s spend of US$ 11.84bn in 2016.

    In India however Netflix has branded itself in the premium bracket and therefore has some disadvantage as far as pricing is concerned. A majorly English language content makes business difficult for Netflix in India. More local language content and licensing deals could help in this context. Netflix, which has not disclosed its subscribers base in India, may need to adopt a localisation strategy for growth in the country.