ITV

Tag: P Kailasam

  • White Horse’s soft launch of Kannada GEC Kalki Kannada

    White Horse’s soft launch of Kannada GEC Kalki Kannada

    BENGALURU: White Horse Network Services Private Limited (WHN) recently had a soft launch of its Kannada general entertainment channel (GEC) Kalki Kannada on Vijaydashmi day, October 22, 2015. The channel went on air officially on Karnataka Rajo utsav day, November 1.  The channel promises its audience 60 hours of complete entertainment by way of all original programmes in HD quality to grip viewers across all age groups.

     

    The channel says that its USP is that it offers completely original shows with no remakes from any other shows of any language. It claims that it offers an interesting mix of shows across various genres while catering to its diversified audience, and it promises to soon launch a show completely dedicated to women. WHN CEO P Kailasam says, “We have a separate team dedicated towards understanding and working based on the tastes and demands of Kannada viewers across different age groups as we at Kalki Kannada strive to offer content with a unique approach while maintaining the true Kannada culture at large”.

     

    Distribution

    Distribution has not been a major challenge for WHN, given the fact that Kailasam is an industry veteran from that branch of the industry. He was once director at Zee Turner and then acted on a consultancy basis for the MSO Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT). The channel has placed 350 boxes around Karnataka, a number that is probably more than even what Zee Kannada has placed in the state says Kailasam.  It is already on Airtel’s DTH platform and Kailasam says that talks are at an advanced stage with the other DTH players in the country.

     

    Advertisement revenue

    As far as advertisement revenue is concerned, the channel is awaiting rating numbers for at least a month’s period, before it starts quoting rates to media buyers. At present it has local retail ads and ads through business obtained from a few small deals done directly. “We will wait for the next month before we start offering rates to anyone. Our experience in the business tells us that if we set the initial rates very low, there will be no turning back, and we will be stuck in that rut forever. We have had inquiries from a couple of media buying agencies who wanted to block some of our inventory for six months and more in bulk. We have requested them to wait until December,” revealed Kailasam.

    From that context, the commencement of the announcing of rural numbers monitored by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) will be a shot in the arm of sorts for WHN feels Kailasam.

     

    Marketing

    The channel’s launch has been a low-key affair, with  the nucleus of the marketing team already in place. It has placed half page ads in major Kannada language papers and has had itself written about locally.

     

    Content

    WHN says that it has a well-equipped state-of-the-art studio and latest editing technology and equipment, and is packed to offer complete production packages with HD quality content. Kailasam claims that after extensive research on viewership habits, Kalki Kannada has launched shows across various genres including a complete morning band on devotional shows, afternoon band on cookery shows, evening band on drama and reality shows as weekend specials.

     

    To name some of the non-fiction shows, ‘Abhishekam’, is an early morning devotional show that offers a visual tour of some of the exquisite temples of Karnataka  along with ‘day specific’ devotional songs and abhishekam based on particular God of the day. ‘Vishwaroopa’, is a devotional show on which philosopher and astrologer Savithru Sharma interacts with the viewers and covers every aspect of faith, coupled with solutions for personal problems, daily predictions and a guide to daily ritualistic practices.

     

    ‘Paddu’s Kitchen’, is an exclusively vegetarian cookery show on which Padmaja, a popular onscreen mom, presents simple home cooking with celeb chefs and signs off with her simple recipes. Simple breakfast, main course and dessert items are taught by yet another television celebrity, Srinivas Prabhu who joins hands with Paddu.

     

    ‘Pani Puri with Murali’, is a fun filled live chat show hosted by popular television anchor Murali, where he chats with celebrities and achievers over paanipuri. Viewers can also interact with guests and anchors over the phone in this live show. ‘Kalki Express’, a reality game show hosted by a popular comedian, M S Jahangir, travels across thirty districts of Karnataka reaching out to the viewers to try their Luck. Simple games played by the participating families can make them win money.

     

    In the fiction genre the channel has stated off with family dramas. ‘Puttamalli’ is the story of a young village girl who, in a turn of fate, marries a man much older than herself and is settled in a big city. The drama revolves around how the entire family of the boy helps to transform the girl to adjust to her new life. ‘Sevanthi Sevathi’, is a half-sisters’ drama with a repenting father and his two wives: the  rich and arrogant second wife and poor struggling first wife. The sisters’ paths cross on various occasions while they are completely unaware of their relationship with each other. The plot revolves around how the two sisters resolve all their family issues.

     

    ‘Anubandha’ is a story based on love, friendship, relationships and of unspoken feelings hidden by a mask. The story revolves around a mother and daughter who love each other a lot. In a turn of fate the mother loses her daughter but soon finds another girl almost like her daughter to whom she gives her daughter’s face so that the whole world thinks that her real daughter is alive.

     

    Besides family dramas, the channel will soon launch a socio-mythology serial ‘Amnoru’, that it says is an intense drama between good and evil. The show, while using elements of devotion, faith, black magic and mythology, is about a devout girl who has special powers and her immense faith in God  that saves her husband’s life.

     

    Until May 2015, WHN managed operations at the Kannada GEC Kasthuri. Industry sources say that WHN had turned the channel around and helped multiply revenues many times over, before handing back the reins to the promoters of the channel.

     
     

  • White Horse readies new Kannada shows for Kasthuri TV

    White Horse readies new Kannada shows for Kasthuri TV

    BENGALURU: As a part of its programming revamp, White Horse Network Services, which manages the operations of the Kannada GEC Kasthuri TV, has launched two new shows for the channel. Additionally, two more shows are also in the pipeline.

     

    The two 30 minutes soaps Nee Hacchida Kumkuma and Prema Pallavi will be aired during the primetime slot of 7 – 8 pm. The shows will run daily Monday to Friday starting 27 April, 2015. On the other hand, Kitchen Kamaal and Ganda Hendathi are also slated to launch soon.

     

    The first soap Nee Hacchida Kumkuma intends to show the importance of moral values in one’s life. The soap features around Mrudula – a girl with principles and Aishwarya, a girl with no moral values and Samay – Mrudula’s love interest, a man whose ambition is social welfare.

     

    The second show Prema Pallavi features four main characters Suryakanthi, Chandrakanthi, Shalwa and Parashara. It showcases the twisted love story between them. Rekha Rani is the writer, director, producer for the show and also has the additional responsibilities for story, screenplay and dialogues.

     

    A source from Kasthuri TV tells Indiantelevision.com that so far 15 episodes of both the soaps have been canned. Depending upon the popularity of the shows, 250 plus episodes could be the way ahead.

     

    Each episode is about 21 minutes long, the rest of the time being utilised for promos and advertisements. “We have brands from big companies like HUL, Procter & Gamble, Tata Sky and Colgate on board as advertisers. However, we have not have taken on title or anchor sponsors, though a couple of brands have evinced interest. We will wait for the shows to pick up momentum in ratings and then take in sponsors,” the source further revealed.

     

    Elaborating the programming changes that the company has made and plans to make in the near future, White Horse CEO and managing director P Kailasam said, “Along with these new soaps, we have planned to give viewers delightful experience of cooking an exquisite range of international and authentic food from all over the world. A show not only for food lovers but also learners – Kitchen Kamaal. With regards to our rich culture and family values, we have The show will be anchored by Naveen Krishna along with Mahalakshmi. Ganda Hendathi will be catering to the participants from districts all over Karnataka.”

     

  • Kasthuri TV launches new logo; readies four new shows

    Kasthuri TV launches new logo; readies four new shows

    MUMBAI: Kannada general entertainment channel (GEC) Kasthuri TV, which was taken over by Whitehorse Network in November 2014 has been undergoing an extensive revamp process.

     

    The channel will be launching its new logo, a day after the auspicious festival of Ugadi on 22 March. This is part of the channel’s ‘New Shows, New Look, New Positioning’ strategy.

     

    The channel’s new logo is being launched in order to enhance its look and feel while keeping its target audience in mind. The happy and smart logo has been designed with the intent of captivating its audience specially women and the youth.

     

    Whitehorse Network CEO P Kailasam said, “Apart from the new programme line-up, we are also working towards changing the look of the channel. Hence, to begin with, we are now going to launch the new channel logo on the auspicious occasion of Ugadi Festival.”

     

    Apart from this, Kasthuri TV has lined up four new shows, which will be launched by mid-April this year. Out of the four shows, there will be two each in the fiction and non-fiction categories. Of the two fiction shows, the first is a women centric daily soap, which focuses on the beautiful relationship between a father and a daughter. The second daily show is a love story that goes through various tests and trials and still stands strong. 

     

    Of the non-fiction shows, while the first will solely focus on children’s entertainment, the other will be for older age groups. Kasthuri TV is also in the process of giving a completely new look to its cookery show Kitchen Kamaal, in order to make it appealing to its viewers, especially women.

     

    Earlier this year, the channel had launched seven new shows, both, in fiction and non-fiction categories. All shows aired during weekday prime time slots. Additionally, there are also a number of category-A movies, which are being telecast every weekend on Saturday at prime time and on Sunday at 4 pm.

     

  • Kasthuri TV set for a revamp

    Kasthuri TV set for a revamp

    MUMBAI: Karnataka based general entertainment channel (GEC) Kasthuri TV is all set for a revamp. It was in November 2014, when Kasthuri TV roped in Whitehorse Network (WHN), an organisation floated by media industry veteran P Kailasam to take over the channel’s operations for five years.

     

    The core management team at Whitehorse comprises director and CEO P Kailasam, business head GV Krishnamurthy and chief content strategist Shivakumar.

     

    Together, the team has been spearheading the way forward for the channel with new shows, a revamped look and new positioning on their agenda. The channel has entrusted its ad sales duties to Aidem Ventures.

     

    As a part of its re-launch strategy, the channel will feature a refreshed line-up of programmes. “Kasthuri is poised to get back its glory. We are completely revamping the channel and our USP is to offer differentiated yet mass-based content to the viewers,” said Kailasam.

     

    “Kasthuri TV at present enjoys a good reach that is comparable to the bigger platforms within its genre. The new content will bring in fresh audiences and improve time spent and stickiness of the existing base,” added Aidem Ventures director Vikas Khanchandani while emphasising that it will be focusing on all brands but FMCG will be a priority.

     

    Based on the research done in order to understand the regional television viewing habits in Karnataka, the new content strategy involves strengthening the prime-time viewing slot with a mix of fiction and non-fiction programmes.

     

    Of the non-fiction programmes that are slated for launch, Mathandre Maathu, starring Murali is a talk show that brings two polarised sections of the society onto one platform to share their views on social and political issues.

     

    Another non-fiction programme that is to launch next week is Padhakondhu Saval. This is an interactive game show in which callers can participate in the on-going game or contest to win prizes. Yet another interactive game show that first went on air last Monday is Sakath Atte Super Sose hosted by Sushma K Rao. In this first-of-its-kind TV show, a mother-in-law – daughter-in-law duo participates together as a team and is pitted against other mother-in-law – daughter-in-law duos.

     

    The weekend programming line-up includes Aradirali Belaku, which is a talk show discussing social issues faced by the common man today. Malavika Avinash, a Kannada television celebrity, will host the show. Along with a panel of experts and the audience, she will debate over issues raised, help resolve them and suggest corrective measures to the victim and to the audience.

     

    Nan Life Nal One Dhina, is a celebrity talk show where the audience can take a sneak peek into the real life of popular big screen actors, politicians, sportsmen etc. as the host interviews them every Sunday from 7.30 to 8.30 pm. 

     

    Another weekend programme called Crime Alert brings to light the criminal minds behind innocent faces. This is an informative show for viewers in which each episode ends with an optimal solution for preventing crime. Guggunanmaklu is a comedy fiction show in which the lead character has short-term memory loss which leads him into awkward and embarrassing situations.

     

    Apart from the new list of appealing programmes, WHN has strengthened the channel’s movie library by acquiring 50 ‘A’ category titles this financial year. It will soon be donning a new look. Its refreshed packaging and new promotional strategy are also underway.