ITV

Tag: R.C. Venkateish

  • DSPORT aims to build strong Indian connect with new wrestling entertainment show

    DSPORT aims to build strong Indian connect with new wrestling entertainment show

    MUMBAI: Amidst a cricket-dominated sports broadcasting sector, Discovery Communication’s two-year-old sports channel DSPORT is focusing on niche genres. While the channel has been looking at a localisation strategy since the beginning, it is now launching a new wrestling entertainment show Dangal Ke Soorma from 24 August.

    Prior to the launch of the show, Lex Sportel MD and CEO RC Venkateish spoke to Indiantlevision.com on the objective of the show, advertisers’ response, marketing strategy as well as the content line up of DSPORT for the rest of the year. He also spoke on the industry issues regarding the impact of the new tariff order and economic slowdown on the channel.

    Edited excerpts:

    What is your objective behind launching Dangal Ke Soorma? 

    So, you know professional wrestling is the most followed sport in India. Since it has a big following in India, we thought of building a show with a strong Indian connect. It was possible to build a local feel for the product. That is why we are investing in this particular genre.

    What kind of audience you are targeting for the new show?

    The audience that follows pro-wrestling is primarily 15+ male in the 15-30 age group.

    How has the response been from advertisers for the show?

    We got some very good response. We are currently discussing with advertisers. Hopefully, in the coming week, we will be able to announce who is supporting us.

    The marketing strategy is always developed by the in-house team. We are primarily focusing on all the work which is followed by the wrestling fans, a lot of digital activation, social media activation as well as promotions across the various platforms which are followed by fans.

    What are the other sports rights you are planning to invest in currently?

    We have a wide cache of sports. We cater to different audiences. We cut across genres. We have soccer, golf, water sports, tennis and pro-wrestling.

    How has the channel performed in the first quarter of FY 20?

    This year has started good. We started the year with Pakistan Super League but we had to take that off the air. We also have International Premium Kabaddi League which we showcased on our network. Then we are now launching our own show. So, it has been a good six months in terms of sponsors and properties that we have been showcasing on our channel. It has also been a hectic year in terms of new developments. It has been quite an interesting phase of learning.

    What was the impact of new tariff order on the channel?

    Regarding the channel, distribution is fairly extensive and the pricing is also pretty reasonable. Overall the package has also been well accepted for its price point.

    It has been two years since the launch. Has the channel seen expected growth? How are you planning to expand your reach?

    Yes, it has performed well. The objectives of the channel have been well met and exceeded.

    As far as traditional TV is concerned, we are reaching almost all platforms. We are already on digital platforms like Jio, Airtel and Vodafone. Whatever new opportunities are there for distribution, we will exploit that.

    Are you facing any difficulties in selling inventory due to an economic slowdown?

    There has been sluggishness in the economy that impacted everybody. I won’t say we are less or more impacted. Overall the fact is, the economy is soft and the spending is also soft. So, it impacts everybody.

  • DSport, Discovery’s expansion into under-served areas beyond factual

    DSport, Discovery’s expansion into under-served areas beyond factual

    MUMBAI: After dividing its offering into two verticals- female & family entertainment product and real world entertainment product- Discovery Networks has now entered the sports genre with its latest offering. Priced at Rs 12.6 on reference interconnect offer (RIO), and Rs 32 for the  high-definition version, DSport provides access to unmatched live sporting action from around the world. With an aim to provide 4000+ hours of live content annually, DSport will air international sports properties ranging from horse racing to football, motorsports, rugby and cycling. Targeted at the passionate community of sports lovers, the channel will offer a daily dose of 10+ hours of live content for viewers across the country.

    The channel went live on 6 February and reached about 35 million households.

    In this fast evolving digital space where more and more digital platforms are providing live coverage of several sports events, Discovery Networks, in the current scenario, does not see owning a digital platform as the best profitable business in India. Though, it is entering the digital space with its remarkable IPs which they are licensing across multiple digital Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms.

    “The only thing we are not entering right now as is our own platform because I don’t think the economics of it are suitable for every broadcaster. Going on hypothesis, I think that owning a digital platform might not be the best profitable business in India because the consumer acquisition cost is very high and the retention rates of the platforms are very low. It’s the easiest thing to launch a technological platform with content offering but acquiring people to sign in on the platform is a high end cost. 80 per cent of the subscribers are out of the platform in a month. They have no stickiness to the platform. So, we will create remarkable IPs like we have for sports and then decide whether to sign exclusive deals with the existing platforms or to distribute it across a range of digital platforms. Whatever makes the best financial sense. Our push for digital is very aggressive,” said Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific senior vice president and general manager Karan Bajaj.

    He further added, “I think that we should possess content that is so remarkable that every network wants to own it, which is much more profitable business rather than owning your own platform. We are acquiring linear and digital rights for every property. We are creating digital brands with digital native players which we will be licensing through multiple platforms. My objective is to serve the digital consumers; the consumers who are looking at things digitally. And launching a digital platform is subscale for us.”

    Former MD of ESPN Star and former CEO of Dish TV India R.C. Venkateish will be working closely with DSport especially in areas related to content acquisition for the channel.

    The channel will be a part of the sports tier via a subscription model on both DTH and cable in both HD and SD. It has already partnered with Hathway and bunch of other cable platforms and are in talks with several DTH players. “The channel will be distributed in the same way as our other channels,” added Bajaj.  

    Bajaj also opined that the channel has received very strong response from the advertisers. In its initial phase, the channel does not plan to have any advertisements to hit the scale and distribution for a lucrative business of its advertisers.  

    The network is marketing the channel thoughtfully. It is promoting the channel community wise rather than massively. “It is best to target specific communities to market the channel rather than doing one or two big promotional activities,” added Bajaj.  

    DSport redefines sports coverage in India with a wide repertoire of exciting properties from across the world of sports. These will initially include:

    ·  Horse Racing: exclusive rights to telecast daily live racing from the best of UK and Irish tracks totaling over 7000 races/ year

    ·  Football: Brazilian League, Chinese Super League, Portuguese League, Major League Soccer (USA)

    ·  Golf: British Open (The Open Championship), US Open, PGA Championship, LPGA

    ·  Motorsports: NASCAR, FIA World Rallycross Championship

    ·  Rugby: 6 Nations Rugby

    · Cycling: Tour de France (a property of Eurosport)

    DSport is in advanced negotiations for selected high quality cricket events to add to the above-mentioned portfolio.

    The other channels of the network, Discovery, Science, Turbo, Animal Planet, TLC, ID, Kids, will perceive a complete change in its look and feel starting with Discovery channel by June end followed by the rest. It plans to have 200 hours of original localized content not limited to infotainment but diversifying into other genres like crime, adventure, automation, etc. The key focus, apart from localisation and number of hours, will be on the nature of storytelling.

    Also Read:

    Discovery’s D-Sport goes live today

  • Arun Kapoor becomes new Dish TV CEO

    Arun Kapoor becomes new Dish TV CEO

    MUMBAI: Dish TV India has informed Bonmbay Stock Exchange that upon the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Board, the Board of Directors of the Company at their meeting held on 20 November 2015inter alia, has approved the appointment of Arun Kumar Kapoor as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company with effect from November 23, 2015.

     

    Further, Kapoor, has also been nominated as a ‘Key Managerial Personnel’ of the Company under the applicable provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and Listing Agreement. Kapoor was earlier CEO of Taj  TV, the Zeel; groups distribution business subsidiary, a post from which he resigned in April 2015.

     

    Dish TV India CMD Jawahar Goel, while welcoming Arun Kapoor on board said, “Arun  brings a  depth of  business experience that  will  be a perfect  complement to  the expertise of Dish TV in  the DTH industry. His business acumen will enhance our ability  to deliver consumer oriented services while also increasing stake holder’s value.”

     

    Kapoor, on his appointment as the CEO of Dish TV, said, “I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead Dish TV at this important stage in its journey and look forward to working with  the Dish TV team to  ensure that  the Company delivers as per its  strategic business objectives.”

     

    It may be recalled that the earlier Dish TV CEO R.C. Venkateish  or RC as he is called had resigned effective October 31, along with a number of personnel at Dish TV following a board meeting on October 27.  The meeting also saw the elevation of managing director Jawahar Goel as Dish TV chairman, and the resignation of non-executive promoter director Subhash Chandra from the board. RC shall however continue to be associated with the company in an advisory role specifically in areas relating to content, legal and regulatory affairs. He shall also continue to represent Dish TV in the DTH Association and before industry and regulatory bodies.

  • Dish TV unveils VOD movie service DishFlix

    Dish TV unveils VOD movie service DishFlix

    NEW DELHI: Dish TV has launched a video on demand service that – unlike IPTV – works without the Internet and offers a choice of fifty English and Hindi films to choose from at any time.

     

    While conceding that it was akin to the Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), which had been introduced without much success almost a decade earlier, Dish TV CEO R C Venkateish said that the difference was that DishFlix would work without the internet.

     

    The new technology would require a small box costing Rs 5990 that will be attached to the set top box. Viewers can avail the service for a monthly fee of Rs 100. One film will be added every second day, making it a total of 15 new films every month. However, the total number of films would remain the same on the service.

     

    Dish TV executive vice president Anjali Malhotra tells Indiantelevision.com that the company will be spending approximately Rs 20 – 25 crore in marketing the new product.  DishFlix will be promoted on Zee and other channels as well as across theatres chains like PVR and INOX. Movie portals will also be seen sporting DishFlix ads.

     

    While at launch the ratio of Hindi and English film on the service would be 70:30, other language films would be brought in at a later stage. The films were divided across five genres on DishFlix, informs Malhotra.

     

    Dish TV MD Jawahar Goel informs that the new service would help curb piracy as lesser people would be templed to download films from the internet. Moreover, consumers could also bid goodbye to the problem of buffering caused by the slow Internet rate.

     

    Venkateish added that this VOD version puts the power in the hands of the consumer. “It is a plug in service with films that would be completely free of advertisements,” he said.

     

    Viewers will be able to pause, play, fast forward and rewind movies or TV shows at their own convenience. The service works sans any internet connection as the content will be pushed to the customer’s STB through satellite. Customers need to buy a DishFlix Box that comes preloaded with 50 movies. Out of these, 15 movies will be refreshed every month on first in first out basis so that the viewable movie library is always updated.

  • 2014: A year of improved subscriber numbers

    2014: A year of improved subscriber numbers

    The year 2014 has been better than the previous year, in terms of the share of numbers for all direct to home (DTH) players. Subscriber additions were higher and there was more stability in the overall industry. In terms of price discounting, people were more rational through the year. Overall, it has been a much better year than 2013.

    Increased subscriber numbers and ARPU

    Overall additions in subscribers, for all the DTH players, were higher in the magnitude of 25-30 per cent than the previous year.

    That apart, the churn came down substantially, not only for Dish TV, but for all the other DTH players as well.

    2014 also saw a rise in the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). But there are still problems, since the whole cable TV system hasn’t stabilised and gross billing hasn’t been fully implemented. Though, we do see some encouraging signs, in terms of people getting down to doing that now.

    DTH has been able to take price increases through the year. There was a price increase which took place in April, at the magnitude of 8-9 per cent. But the big collection from the ground will happen only once cable TV gets its act together.

    Different people calculate ARPU differently. For example, Dish TV calculates it on subscriber revenue, whereas Airtel Digital TV, as per its published figures, looks at gross numbers, and so do others. So there is no common matrix being used across the industry for definition of ARPU. But having said that, at the consumer level, the consumer prices are in the average price range of Rs 250-275.

    Challenges in 2014

    One of the major challenges that we continue to present to both the state and central government is on the high level of taxation on DTH. Apart from the taxation element which we have been presenting, we are the only industry which is subject to service tax and entertainment tax. While we were hoping for some relief in the last budget, we didn’t get that, we hope we will get some relief in the coming year.

    Secondly, there is no clarity on the licence fee issue, even though the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a recommendation, there has been no action on that front.

    So while we lived in continued uncertainty in 2014, we hope that the government will take some steps in 2015. People have invested more than Rs 25000 crore in the industry, so at least we have the right to know what the law of the land will be going forward.

    The new launch Zing

    It has been an extremely successful product in all the geographies we launched. The specific proposition that we had, which was regional first and targeting the entire product mix around consumption has clicked very well with the customers. So we are very pleased with the way things have come.

    Highs and lows of 2014

     For Dish TV, it has been a fairly stable year. We regained our share leadership for about last three to four quarters. We launched a significant and tactical product in Zing which has helped us capitalize on the phase III and IV areas. The high point has been that we have been able to, post the balance sheet adjustment that we did last year, been able to get back on the growth path, which is what we have always said and we achieved that in 2014.

    The low point is at two levels: At one level, the whole issue of taxation and licence fee kept dragging for the whole year. Secondly, we expected the cable TV and broadcaster system to stabilize the whole regime. The whole issue of getting proper addressability and customers to actually choose and compare products has still not happened.

    Delayed Digitisation

    First and foremost, the manner of digitisation needs to be addressed. What has happened in the first two phases is simply the change of pipe. This has not been supported by addressability and that is the reason there has been no or marginal change in the revenue flow.

     Until and unless these issues are addressed, a non-addressable digitisation is of no help to anybody, neither to the government nor the stakeholders. We hope that by the time they get down to it, we will have some better roadmap of how to achieve that.

     

    (These are purely personal views of Dish TV CEO R C Venkateish and indiantelevision.com does not necessarily subscribe to these views)

  • RC Venkateish elected as president of DTH Operators Association

    RC Venkateish elected as president of DTH Operators Association

    MUMBAI: A new face will be representing the six direct to home (DTH) operators. In a meeting, held by the DTH Operators Association of India, Dish TV CEO RC Venkateish was unanimously elected as the new president for a term of one year.

     

    The earlier president was Tata Sky MD and CEO Harit Nagpal who was the president for three years. Unlike the earlier rule, where the elected president served a term of three years, it has been now decided that the term will be for one year which can be extendable by another year.

     

    Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Venkateish expressed delight on his new role. “Of course I am happy but it also means more work to be done,” he says. He takes office from 1 August 2014.

     

    The association has also decided that from now on it will hold regular meetings every quarter to address issues.

  • 14 years of Indiantelevision: What industry has to say

    14 years of Indiantelevision: What industry has to say

    MUMBAI: This day fourteen years ago, the idea of Indiantelevision.com was born. It became the one-stop information resource for the blossoming television industry and also for its surrounding ecosystem.

    Indiantelevision.com has witnessed the evolution of the television entertainment business in India and it growing into a Rs 17,000 crore industry today.

    Indiantelevison.com chronicled the rise of Rupert Murdoch’s Star in 2000 with the grand success of Amitabh Bachchan-hosted ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ and the emergence of dominance of Ekta Kapoor shows in 2003, to the game-changing events of 2013 – digitisation in the top 42 cities, 12-minute per hour cap on advertisements, and the setting up of Broadcast Audience Research Council, a joint initiative of all the stakeholders for their own television ratings service.

    Before we entered our fourteenth year, the Indiantelevision.com website was re-launched, giving it a new look to be in tune with the prevailing times.

    Innovation has been the only constant at Indiantelevision.com and it will continue to be.

    On our 14th anniversary, this is what the industry leaders have to say about the journey of Indiantelevision.com so far…

    Life OK, general manager, Ajit Thakur 

    It has been an incredible 14 years for the television industry. Indiantelevision.com is a great place for people like us to stay up-to-date on what is happening. A few things that come to my mind when it comes to Indiantelevision.com are that it is driven by Mr. Anil Wanvari who is one of the most influential and knowledgeable people in the industry on television. Also, the website stays abreast with any news in the industry and you can rely on Indiantelevision.com to report it. Most importantly, the journalists are very insightful and they know what is happening 24*7. 

    Everest Brand Solutions, president, Dhunji S Wadia

    Indiantelevision.com is the most comprehensive and speedy information site, especially the MAM section which is most relevant for our industry.  No other site covers the all aspects in this detail.

     

    Hathway Cable & Datacom, chief executive officer, Jagdish Kumar

    Indian Television Dot Com is an integral part of the television growth story in India. The first thing that every professional in this sector does is log on to the Indiantelevision.com’s website to get the update on what is happening in the industry. I wish that the website continues with the good work.

    Indian Film and Television Producers Council, co-chairman JD Majethia

    Indiantelevision.com is a pioneer. I wish great success to the entire team. It’s a good source, where people can get day-to-day updates and we are incomplete without Indiantelevision.com. The team working there is doing a fabulous job.

    NBA president and NDTV executive vice chairperson K V L Narayan Rao

    Indiantelevision.com is a very good site. It has grown at the same pace as the industry has. It has done a great service to keep the industry updated and has been a reasonably important voice from the point of view of influencing people.

    BARC, chief executive officer, Partho Dasgupta

    Congratulations to Anil and the whole team for this landmark achievement. I enjoy the level of detail that goes into every story. There is aggression in the team to get the stories. The website has been really helpful for the entire ecosystem.

    Provocateur Advisory, principal, Paritosh Joshi

    For a lot of communications industry professionals, Indiantelevision.com has been a daily port of call for as long they can remember. Whether it is staying abreast with the latest news particularly that which impinges on the sector or understanding the views of well-regarded opinion leaders, the site provides a quick digest of critical information. Novices to the industry find an endless mine of learning while thoroughbreds too take away fresh inspiration. Indiantelevision.com has led innovation in trade journalism focused on the communications industry and spawned several copycats too. But then imitation is flattery so that can’t be bad!

    Dish TV, CEO, R C Venkateish

    Indiantelevision was the first such portal that gave information on major industry developments. Over the years it has evolved to be a definite destination for people who want to keep up with all the goings on in the industry and also a valuable source of information and opinion on a lot of things. It is fast off the block in terms of being able to provide latest and quick developments. Wish you all the best for years to come.

    Colors, CEO, Raj Nayak

    Indiantelevision.com started in front of me. I remember the days when Anil used to report and write the copies himself. He has come a long way from where he started. It is a story to be told.

    IBF, secretary general, Shailesh Shah

    I have dealt with Anil Wanvari and five other journalists working at indiantelevision.com.  Their enthusiasm and energy are invigorating.  Their youthful brazenness gives the team the right to call themselves a “free-speech-user” of the fourth estate.  I think the time has come to become a mature participant in the industry, showing responsibility without losing the enthusiasm, energy and youthful brazenness.

    Madison World, chairman and MD, Sam Balsara

    Over the years Indiantelevision.com has played a very useful role in the lives of advertising and marketing community. I wish the team all the very best for the next 140 years!

    DEN Networks CEO, SN Sharma

    I congratulate indiantelevision.com family on successful completion of 14 years of service. Indiantelevision.com has been one of the oldest and a one of a kind source for disseminating information and promoting the cause of the media and broadcasting industry. I am sure that you will carry on with the good work and wish you all the best for your future endeavors.

    AXN Networks India, business head, Sunil Punjabi

     

    Indiantelevision is my everyday destination for the most precise, relevant and trustworthy media and entertainment news. My best wishes to them for celebrating success and credibility for the last 14 years and many more to come.

    Sony Pix, EVP and business head Saurabh Yagnik

     

    Congratulations to Indiantelevision on completing 14 years of impactful reporting. The team believes in delivering resonating stories which aptly represents the television industry. Each story dwells on the topic long enough to provide wholesome and holistic information on that particular topic. I wish them the very best and hope they continue with the wonderful work they are doing. Indiantelevision.com gives a good insight in to the Indian TV industry. Also, the way the company explored in other areas is also a very commendable thing. Wish you guys all the best. May you scale greater heights…

     

    (There is no harm in self-flattering, once in a while, Thank you for the support)

  • 14 years of Indiantelevision: What industry has to say

    14 years of Indiantelevision: What industry has to say

    MUMBAI: This day fourteen years ago, the idea of Indiantelevision.com was born. It became the one-stop information resource for the blossoming television industry and also for its surrounding ecosystem.

    Indiantelevision.com has witnessed the evolution of the television entertainment business in India and it growing into a Rs 17,000 crore industry today.

    Indiantelevison.com chronicled the rise of Rupert Murdoch’s Star in 2000 with the grand success of Amitabh Bachchan-hosted ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ and the emergence of dominance of Ekta Kapoor shows in 2003, to the game-changing events of 2013 – digitisation in the top 42 cities, 12-minute per hour cap on advertisements, and the setting up of Broadcast Audience Research Council, a joint initiative of all the stakeholders for their own television ratings service.

    Before we entered our fourteenth year, the Indiantelevision.com website was re-launched, giving it a new look to be in tune with the prevailing times.

    Innovation has been the only constant at Indiantelevision.com and it will continue to be.

    On our 14th anniversary, this is what the industry leaders have to say about the journey of Indiantelevision.com so far…

    Life OK, general manager, Ajit Thakur 

    It has been an incredible 14 years for the television industry. Indiantelevision.com is a great place for people like us to stay up-to-date on what is happening. A few things that come to my mind when it comes to Indiantelevision.com are that it is driven by Mr. Anil Wanvari who is one of the most influential and knowledgeable people in the industry on television. Also, the website stays abreast with any news in the industry and you can rely on Indiantelevision.com to report it. Most importantly, the journalists are very insightful and they know what is happening 24*7. 

    Everest Brand Solutions, president, Dhunji S Wadia

    Indiantelevision.com is the most comprehensive and speedy information site, especially the MAM section which is most relevant for our industry.  No other site covers the all aspects in this detail.

     

    Hathway Cable & Datacom, chief executive officer, Jagdish Kumar

    Indian Television Dot Com is an integral part of the television growth story in India. The first thing that every professional in this sector does is log on to the Indiantelevision.com’s website to get the update on what is happening in the industry. I wish that the website continues with the good work.

    Indian Film and Television Producers Council, co-chairman JD Majethia

    Indiantelevision.com is a pioneer. I wish great success to the entire team. It’s a good source, where people can get day-to-day updates and we are incomplete without Indiantelevision.com. The team working there is doing a fabulous job.

    NBA president and NDTV executive vice chairperson K V L Narayan Rao

    Indiantelevision.com is a very good site. It has grown at the same pace as the industry has. It has done a great service to keep the industry updated and has been a reasonably important voice from the point of view of influencing people.

    BARC, chief executive officer, Partho Dasgupta

    Congratulations to Anil and the whole team for this landmark achievement. I enjoy the level of detail that goes into every story. There is aggression in the team to get the stories. The website has been really helpful for the entire ecosystem.

    Provocateur Advisory, principal, Paritosh Joshi

    For a lot of communications industry professionals, Indiantelevision.com has been a daily port of call for as long they can remember. Whether it is staying abreast with the latest news particularly that which impinges on the sector or understanding the views of well-regarded opinion leaders, the site provides a quick digest of critical information. Novices to the industry find an endless mine of learning while thoroughbreds too take away fresh inspiration. Indiantelevision.com has led innovation in trade journalism focused on the communications industry and spawned several copycats too. But then imitation is flattery so that can’t be bad!

    Dish TV, CEO, R C Venkateish

    Indiantelevision was the first such portal that gave information on major industry developments. Over the years it has evolved to be a definite destination for people who want to keep up with all the goings on in the industry and also a valuable source of information and opinion on a lot of things. It is fast off the block in terms of being able to provide latest and quick developments. Wish you all the best for years to come.

    Colors, CEO, Raj Nayak

    Indiantelevision.com started in front of me. I remember the days when Anil used to report and write the copies himself. He has come a long way from where he started. It is a story to be told.

    IBF, secretary general, Shailesh Shah

    I have dealt with Anil Wanvari and five other journalists working at indiantelevision.com.  Their enthusiasm and energy are invigorating.  Their youthful brazenness gives the team the right to call themselves a “free-speech-user” of the fourth estate.  I think the time has come to become a mature participant in the industry, showing responsibility without losing the enthusiasm, energy and youthful brazenness.

    Madison World, chairman and MD, Sam Balsara

    Over the years Indiantelevision.com has played a very useful role in the lives of advertising and marketing community. I wish the team all the very best for the next 140 years!

    DEN Networks CEO, SN Sharma

    I congratulate indiantelevision.com family on successful completion of 14 years of service. Indiantelevision.com has been one of the oldest and a one of a kind source for disseminating information and promoting the cause of the media and broadcasting industry. I am sure that you will carry on with the good work and wish you all the best for your future endeavors.

    AXN Networks India, business head, Sunil Punjabi

     

    Indiantelevision is my everyday destination for the most precise, relevant and trustworthy media and entertainment news. My best wishes to them for celebrating success and credibility for the last 14 years and many more to come.

    Sony Pix, EVP and business head Saurabh Yagnik

     

    Congratulations to Indiantelevision on completing 14 years of impactful reporting. The team believes in delivering resonating stories which aptly represents the television industry. Each story dwells on the topic long enough to provide wholesome and holistic information on that particular topic. I wish them the very best and hope they continue with the wonderful work they are doing. Indiantelevision.com gives a good insight in to the Indian TV industry. Also, the way the company explored in other areas is also a very commendable thing. Wish you guys all the best. May you scale greater heights…

     

    (There is no harm in self-flattering, once in a while, Thank you for the support)

  • Now Dish TV opts to dish out channel reach data

    Now Dish TV opts to dish out channel reach data

    MUMBAI: It is taking transparency and openness to a totally different level. First it prised open the bundled channels that IndiaCast was offering and it started selling them to subscribers a la carte. Now, India’s oldest DTH operator, Dish TV,with a subscriber base of nearly 12 million says that it is planning to open up crucial subscriber information to media agencies and advertisers. 

     

    The DTH provider says it is looking at providing reach data of various channels on its platform every month to advertisers and media buyers from February 2014 onwards to enhance their understanding of how viewers are watching it. The data which is scheduled to be released in February will be for the month of January. 

     

    “We have been approached by media planners and advertisers often to share our data to enable them to get a better handle on the performance of various channels and since this data is universe data and not based on a small sample, it could prove to be a very valuable addition to the existing published data for eg from TAM and or other rating agencies,” says Dish TV CEO RC Venkateish.

     

    The data given out will be as percentages. “We would provide the reach of each channel as a percentage of the total platform reach. So if a particular channel is in all packs it would reach 100 per cent of the platform, however if it is only in the top tier pack or is an a la carte then the reach would obviously be a fraction of the platform reach,” adds Venkateish. This means that if channel X is available in two packs whose subscriber base put together is 3 million that means its reach will be 25 per cent.

     

    Media planners have welcomed Dish TV’s openness with open arms. Madison Media COO Karthik Lakshminarayanan says: “It is a welcome move for advertisers. The data will be more robust and it will also help us in planning and taking better decisions. We will be aware of the strong markets of Dish TV and if our client wants then they can advertise on its landing pages.” He also added that it could also help Dish TV to rake in more revenue.

     

    On the other hand ZenithOptimedia CEO Satyajit Sen has a slightly different point of view. Although he does agree that the move is a good one, he feels it won’t help Dish TV get more revenue neither will it help in targeting better for advertisers. “Several times, channels oscillate due to uneven distribution and this transparency will help us understand the fluctuations better,” he says.

     

    In November last year, the daddy of the DTH community had introduced a special scheme called ‘on request channels’ through which people could subscribe to channels only if they wanted to, and remove unnecessary ones. This had started a round of fisticuffs between it and IndiaCast, which was renewing its channel deal with the platform. Both IndiaCast and Dish TV knocked on the doors of the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).The latter was ordered by the tribunal not to charge carriage fees and even call the scheme a la carte, while the former was told to discontinue the ads that were being carried on TV and in print, which were potentially inciting subscribers to go to other platforms.  From 1 January, 22 IndiaCast channels are available on a la carte on Dish TV and another 11 will follow from 1 April.

      

    RC (as he is known by colleagues) today believes that the move to take the channels a la carte has worked out exactly as he had foreseen it would. 

     

    Says he quite ecstatically: “Our recent initiative to empower consumers to avail channels according to their demand profile has been eye opening. The results so far have been fully consistent with our expectations and reinforce our beliefs that through the mechanism of forced bundling by aggregators a whole lot of channels with barely any pull are forced down the throats of platforms as well as consumers. Where true consumer choice is exercised you will find that the data is very revealing! In a way, despite valiant noises, the emperor isn’t wearing too many clothes!!!”

     

    So what do broadcasters have to say about Dish TV’s openness?  ZMCL CEO Alok Agrawal says that the move will benefit niche channels the most since TAM data provided about them isn’t always sufficient. However, Asianet business head Anup Chandrashekaran feels that one has to be cautious about any data dished out. “Dish TV also has ownership issues and so it is important to know how unbiased the data is. However, it is still a fraction of a majority and decisions can’t be taken on this data. It can be a good feedback though,” he says.

     

    Dish TV is a subsidiary company of the Essel group that runs the Zee Network, hence Chandrashekaran’s concern. 

  • DishTV to approach TRAI on Star Sports 2

    DishTV to approach TRAI on Star Sports 2

    MUMBAI: For quite some time India’s largest DTH platform Dish TV has wanted to carry Star’s new sports channel launched earlier this year, Star Sports 2 as part of its service. But this has not happened. 

    Dish TV says it has not signed the RIO as it has several terms it objected to. It moved the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) for grievance redressal. 

    The interim order on the case came out late today stating that the question of validity of the terms of an RIO need to be first examined by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) under clause 13.3 of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnect Regulations (2004).

    One of the terms that Dish TV has been disputing is regarding ‘Remote access (e.g. through dial up or otherwise) to the Affiliate’s DTH platform (information related to subscribers) shall be provided to the Company in order to permit the Company to verify the subscriber numbers.’

    As per this term, Star Sports wanted access to its subscribers’ details on Dish TV. To this, the tribunal stated that this term is contrary to a previous opinion of TRAI that was upheld by the TDSAT.

    After hearing this, the Star Sports counsel said that his client won’t insist on incorporating this term in its RIO but the TDSAT said in a similar situation had arose before and therefore this clause may not have found mention in the RIO.

    “In so far as the other disputed terms and conditions are concerned, it will be open to the petitioner to sign the interconnect agreement, including the disputed terms and conditions without prejudice to its rights and contentions and keeping its option open to seek its remedies,” reads the TDSAT order. 

    Dish now has two options before it – either sign the RIO, comply with the terms and take the channel or else not take the channel. Star Sports says that if it wants to take it to the TRAI, it has to sign the RIO including the above mentioned one. The TDSAT has requested the regulator to have its say on it within six weeks from the date of filing.

    According to Dish TV, there are about 10 to 12 such terms that they object to and will be writing to the TRAI about in the first half of next week. “We do expect the TRAI will issue a direction to the broadcaster to amend clauses in the RIO. If Star Sports still does not adhere to the TRAI’s directions we will certainly revert to the tribunal to point out the recalcitrance again,” says Dish TV CEO R C Venkateish.

    Star Sports officials, on the other hand, are also quite clear that Dish TV will have to sign the RIO if it wants the channel. “Despite the fact that the disputed terms in the RIO, this stand of the broadcaster that I have to sign the RIO before approaching the TRAI is indicative of their attitude towards the law of the land,” said Venkateish.

    It is up to the regulator now to decide whether the terms in the RIO fit with the regulations.