ITV

Tag: reality

  • Will people vote for VOOT?

    Will people vote for VOOT?

    MUMBAI: Banking heavily on building a compelling proposition with a focus on the big drivers of digital video on demand business, Viacom’s recently launched digital arm VOOT has successfully managed to create its own niche within a few months of its launch. From being the biggest online destination in India for kids’ premium content to having four successful originals with one new addition every month, the platform has strategically mapped its differentiated play and competitive edge over the rest.

    Targeted to be the one stop destination from tots to adults, the platform currently airs 17,000 hours of programming which includes reality, drama, comedy and kids’ content. The platform is majorly investing on the network’s rich kids content and plans to go beyond the network’s flagship shows like Motu Patlu and Shiva, and to acquire kids content from an array of producers, small and large.

    “The two critical aspects of a digital video on demand business are content and product and we have a fairly differentiated play, with a competitive edge, on both the fronts. With our collection of biggest toons in Voot Kids’, we have a huge competitive advantage of being the only destination to catch the all your most favourite characters and toons online. And our original strategy gives us the ultimate edge”, says Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gaurav Gandhi.

    Apart from the rich kids’ content, Viacom18’s entire content library, including Colors, MTV and Nick is also digitally available on the platform.

    Additionally, VOOT embellishes this with content around content as Voot originals. Long and short form of originals includes web-series like Chinese Bhassad which is written by Raahil Qaazi and directed and produced by Saurabh Tewari, a chat show with Alok Nath titled Sinskari produced by Monozygotic Productions, a mocumentary film Badman starring Gulshan Grover and Soadies, a sitcom tribute to the iconic reality show Roadies which stars Baba Sehgal.

    Sharing the experience of working with the evolving platform, Monozygotic Productions co-founder Rajiv Laxman asserts, “I am happy with the launch of Voot as a player that encourages and supports differentiating edgy content. We created Sinskaari for it and it was an awesome experience for us. This is just the beginning for them. It will eventually see lot more growth during its entire journey”.

    Not only its distinctive UI enhances each of its content piece, the platform also has social features like shouts, micro celebrity and sharing integrated with video, many of which are first in this space. Further, for the kids’ section, it has first of its kind features like parental lock and shake to search.

    “What Indian players can do to improve the industry is that the OTT platforms and the producers can synergise and think together to bring greater value to the consumer. They could start by releasing unseen footages, shooting goof-ups, candid reactions of stars, etc., on OTT platforms over the contextual to the film”, adds another spokesperson from the industry.

    “It was a nice experience working with Voot and Gaurav. Digital gives us the liberty to experiment with various content formats and also gives us an opportunity to attempt various subjects that are not possible to put on TV. Content with limited budget can go on digital platform with a different treatment and narrative like a movie”, says producer Saurabh Tewari.

    According to Frost and Sullivan’s market insight on the OTT video market in India, there are about 66 million unique connected video viewers in India every month, and about 1.3 million OTT paid video subscribers. Growth in the space can be attributed to the increase in smart-phones penetration as well as the improvement in Internet speeds in India.

    Voot has already set an aggressive target of getting to 3 million (30 lakh) daily active users within the first 12 months of launch in India. It also plans to actively evaluate the space on subscription have extensions in that space when the time is right. The team is also exploring the option of taking Voot to international markets.

    “Because the entertainment market is so broad, multiple brands can be successful. Many people will subscribe to several services (including Netflix) since we have different, exclusive content. The transition to Internet TV, with its greater consumer satisfaction, will mean growth for many Internet TV services”, adds a Netflix spokesperson

    “It’s still early days in this space for everyone in India where the overall digital video consumption is booming. While the space is large enough for multiple players, there are many challenges. “The right model (ad supported vs freemium vs pay -TVOD/SVOD) is a function of content as well as target audience and many of these models (and others) will emerge over a period of time. This is an expensive business with long gestation where spends are required on technology (product), content and marketing on a continuous basis. So, players coming into these business need to factor in all of these factors”, stresses Gandhi.

    The platform will start taking advertising from June and already has large advertising deals in place with the two of the largest media agencies as well as several large advertisers. The players are closing out the formalities for the same and will see advertising starting on VOOT very shortly.

    The new digital content brand has clearly laid down three imperatives, first on the list is building a compelling brand proposition. Establishing on this, the player recently launched three brand campaigns focusing on the uncontrollable excitement of the consumers; all craving for Voot anywhere anytime like a good addiction. This excitement from consumers across all age groups leads to a loud encore Voot Wanting Wanting! Amplification of the brand identity will continue across all mediums.

    The campaigns cater to multiple target groups expanding from kids to adults. With a catchy jingle ‘what to do, VOOT to do, wanting wanting’, the service wants to urge, excite and make its viewers restless for addictive content which if started to consume is unstoppable. An overwhelmed Gandhi adds, “We have had a phenomenal response to our launch campaign (wanting wanting) and have seen a huge inflow of audiences and users both on the app and the web. The engagement time we are seeing on the app as well as the web is also very healthy. The response to our original shows has also been fantastic”.

    The second key element is to drive consumer adoption for a new and a mass brand. Mass media continues to give it reach, helping in driving awareness of the new brand. The player extensively concentrates on digital mediums to get relevant consumers and precisely target their nice. “It becomes important for us to get good quality consumers at scale, each of them watching their favourite content and discovering new stories on the platform”, points out Gandhi.

    The VOD platform accelerates engagement with consumers driving daily watch-time. Its cornerstone marketing strategy implies to all the digital essentials that are primarily focused on getting more people to come often and spend more time in watching videos.

    “Voot looks very promising and will deliver audiences which are tough to catch. Some of the content on it is unique and has huge potential even on mass channels like TV. This might just be the beginning of content reverse flow from digital to TV”, says Vibrant Media VP Karthik Lakshminarayan.

    “The winner is the one who invests heavily on original content and that is Voot’ plus point. This helps in creating its own identity, its own niche rather than banking on other players who just put their GEC content on board. This will definitely make a difference going further”, adds Tewari.

    With YouTube at the helm of this space followed by various other digital properties, the space is poised to grow at a fast pace in the years ahead. Media observers are expecting a revolution in the Indian digital market in the coming two years.

    The competition in the digital space is set to intensify with the key differentiators being user experience and variety of content offering. It will be interesting to see what this new addition to the entire digital ecosystem has in store for its viewers.

  • Will people vote for VOOT?

    Will people vote for VOOT?

    MUMBAI: Banking heavily on building a compelling proposition with a focus on the big drivers of digital video on demand business, Viacom’s recently launched digital arm VOOT has successfully managed to create its own niche within a few months of its launch. From being the biggest online destination in India for kids’ premium content to having four successful originals with one new addition every month, the platform has strategically mapped its differentiated play and competitive edge over the rest.

    Targeted to be the one stop destination from tots to adults, the platform currently airs 17,000 hours of programming which includes reality, drama, comedy and kids’ content. The platform is majorly investing on the network’s rich kids content and plans to go beyond the network’s flagship shows like Motu Patlu and Shiva, and to acquire kids content from an array of producers, small and large.

    “The two critical aspects of a digital video on demand business are content and product and we have a fairly differentiated play, with a competitive edge, on both the fronts. With our collection of biggest toons in Voot Kids’, we have a huge competitive advantage of being the only destination to catch the all your most favourite characters and toons online. And our original strategy gives us the ultimate edge”, says Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gaurav Gandhi.

    Apart from the rich kids’ content, Viacom18’s entire content library, including Colors, MTV and Nick is also digitally available on the platform.

    Additionally, VOOT embellishes this with content around content as Voot originals. Long and short form of originals includes web-series like Chinese Bhassad which is written by Raahil Qaazi and directed and produced by Saurabh Tewari, a chat show with Alok Nath titled Sinskari produced by Monozygotic Productions, a mocumentary film Badman starring Gulshan Grover and Soadies, a sitcom tribute to the iconic reality show Roadies which stars Baba Sehgal.

    Sharing the experience of working with the evolving platform, Monozygotic Productions co-founder Rajiv Laxman asserts, “I am happy with the launch of Voot as a player that encourages and supports differentiating edgy content. We created Sinskaari for it and it was an awesome experience for us. This is just the beginning for them. It will eventually see lot more growth during its entire journey”.

    Not only its distinctive UI enhances each of its content piece, the platform also has social features like shouts, micro celebrity and sharing integrated with video, many of which are first in this space. Further, for the kids’ section, it has first of its kind features like parental lock and shake to search.

    “What Indian players can do to improve the industry is that the OTT platforms and the producers can synergise and think together to bring greater value to the consumer. They could start by releasing unseen footages, shooting goof-ups, candid reactions of stars, etc., on OTT platforms over the contextual to the film”, adds another spokesperson from the industry.

    “It was a nice experience working with Voot and Gaurav. Digital gives us the liberty to experiment with various content formats and also gives us an opportunity to attempt various subjects that are not possible to put on TV. Content with limited budget can go on digital platform with a different treatment and narrative like a movie”, says producer Saurabh Tewari.

    According to Frost and Sullivan’s market insight on the OTT video market in India, there are about 66 million unique connected video viewers in India every month, and about 1.3 million OTT paid video subscribers. Growth in the space can be attributed to the increase in smart-phones penetration as well as the improvement in Internet speeds in India.

    Voot has already set an aggressive target of getting to 3 million (30 lakh) daily active users within the first 12 months of launch in India. It also plans to actively evaluate the space on subscription have extensions in that space when the time is right. The team is also exploring the option of taking Voot to international markets.

    “Because the entertainment market is so broad, multiple brands can be successful. Many people will subscribe to several services (including Netflix) since we have different, exclusive content. The transition to Internet TV, with its greater consumer satisfaction, will mean growth for many Internet TV services”, adds a Netflix spokesperson

    “It’s still early days in this space for everyone in India where the overall digital video consumption is booming. While the space is large enough for multiple players, there are many challenges. “The right model (ad supported vs freemium vs pay -TVOD/SVOD) is a function of content as well as target audience and many of these models (and others) will emerge over a period of time. This is an expensive business with long gestation where spends are required on technology (product), content and marketing on a continuous basis. So, players coming into these business need to factor in all of these factors”, stresses Gandhi.

    The platform will start taking advertising from June and already has large advertising deals in place with the two of the largest media agencies as well as several large advertisers. The players are closing out the formalities for the same and will see advertising starting on VOOT very shortly.

    The new digital content brand has clearly laid down three imperatives, first on the list is building a compelling brand proposition. Establishing on this, the player recently launched three brand campaigns focusing on the uncontrollable excitement of the consumers; all craving for Voot anywhere anytime like a good addiction. This excitement from consumers across all age groups leads to a loud encore Voot Wanting Wanting! Amplification of the brand identity will continue across all mediums.

    The campaigns cater to multiple target groups expanding from kids to adults. With a catchy jingle ‘what to do, VOOT to do, wanting wanting’, the service wants to urge, excite and make its viewers restless for addictive content which if started to consume is unstoppable. An overwhelmed Gandhi adds, “We have had a phenomenal response to our launch campaign (wanting wanting) and have seen a huge inflow of audiences and users both on the app and the web. The engagement time we are seeing on the app as well as the web is also very healthy. The response to our original shows has also been fantastic”.

    The second key element is to drive consumer adoption for a new and a mass brand. Mass media continues to give it reach, helping in driving awareness of the new brand. The player extensively concentrates on digital mediums to get relevant consumers and precisely target their nice. “It becomes important for us to get good quality consumers at scale, each of them watching their favourite content and discovering new stories on the platform”, points out Gandhi.

    The VOD platform accelerates engagement with consumers driving daily watch-time. Its cornerstone marketing strategy implies to all the digital essentials that are primarily focused on getting more people to come often and spend more time in watching videos.

    “Voot looks very promising and will deliver audiences which are tough to catch. Some of the content on it is unique and has huge potential even on mass channels like TV. This might just be the beginning of content reverse flow from digital to TV”, says Vibrant Media VP Karthik Lakshminarayan.

    “The winner is the one who invests heavily on original content and that is Voot’ plus point. This helps in creating its own identity, its own niche rather than banking on other players who just put their GEC content on board. This will definitely make a difference going further”, adds Tewari.

    With YouTube at the helm of this space followed by various other digital properties, the space is poised to grow at a fast pace in the years ahead. Media observers are expecting a revolution in the Indian digital market in the coming two years.

    The competition in the digital space is set to intensify with the key differentiators being user experience and variety of content offering. It will be interesting to see what this new addition to the entire digital ecosystem has in store for its viewers.

  • ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ to replace ‘Agent Raghav’ on weekends from 24 April

    ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ to replace ‘Agent Raghav’ on weekends from 24 April

    MUMBAI: The Indian adaptation of the American TV reality series So You Think You Can Dance(SYTYCD) is all set make a debut on Indian small screens through &TV. The one hour show will launch on Sunday 24 April at 8.30 pm. SYTYCD will be a weekend show airing on Saturday andSunday.  

    The channel has roped in Chings’ Secret and Yepme.com as co-powered by sponsors and Priyagold as special partner for the show.

    As earlier reported by Indiantelevision.com, Zee Entertainment Enterprises’ Hindi GEC &TV has acquired the rights of the global dance reality format SYTYCD from Dick Clark Productions. The show will be judged by Bollywood dancing diva Madhuri Dixit, choreographer Terrence Lewis and Bosco–Caesar. Endemol Shine India will produce the India edition.

    &TV’s new offering SYTYCD will be replacing its crime fiction show Agent Raghav which was launched on 5 September,2015. Produced by Abhimanyu Singh’s Contiloe Entertainment, Agent Raghav was a finite series and completed 60 episodes on 10 April, 2016. Agent Raghav has received an Indian Telly Award for the ‘Best Thriller and Horror Show’ and was nominated for ‘Best Weekend Show’.

    On the weekend time slot SYTYCD has been pitched against Sony’s Suryaputra Karn at 8.30 pmand The Kapil Sharma Show at 9 pm which is launching on 23 April. The other shows on at the same time are Star Plus’ Silsila Pyar Kya at 8.30 pm and Diya Aur Baati Hum at 9pm, while Sab TV has Sahib Biwi Aur Boss at 8.30 pm and Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chasma at 9pm. Life OK  has a prime time show Comedy Classes and Supercops Vs Super villians..Shapath, while Zee TV’s Jamai Raja and Kumkum Bhagya air at the 8.30 and 9 pm time bands.

  • ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ to replace ‘Agent Raghav’ on weekends from 24 April

    ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ to replace ‘Agent Raghav’ on weekends from 24 April

    MUMBAI: The Indian adaptation of the American TV reality series So You Think You Can Dance(SYTYCD) is all set make a debut on Indian small screens through &TV. The one hour show will launch on Sunday 24 April at 8.30 pm. SYTYCD will be a weekend show airing on Saturday andSunday.  

    The channel has roped in Chings’ Secret and Yepme.com as co-powered by sponsors and Priyagold as special partner for the show.

    As earlier reported by Indiantelevision.com, Zee Entertainment Enterprises’ Hindi GEC &TV has acquired the rights of the global dance reality format SYTYCD from Dick Clark Productions. The show will be judged by Bollywood dancing diva Madhuri Dixit, choreographer Terrence Lewis and Bosco–Caesar. Endemol Shine India will produce the India edition.

    &TV’s new offering SYTYCD will be replacing its crime fiction show Agent Raghav which was launched on 5 September,2015. Produced by Abhimanyu Singh’s Contiloe Entertainment, Agent Raghav was a finite series and completed 60 episodes on 10 April, 2016. Agent Raghav has received an Indian Telly Award for the ‘Best Thriller and Horror Show’ and was nominated for ‘Best Weekend Show’.

    On the weekend time slot SYTYCD has been pitched against Sony’s Suryaputra Karn at 8.30 pmand The Kapil Sharma Show at 9 pm which is launching on 23 April. The other shows on at the same time are Star Plus’ Silsila Pyar Kya at 8.30 pm and Diya Aur Baati Hum at 9pm, while Sab TV has Sahib Biwi Aur Boss at 8.30 pm and Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chasma at 9pm. Life OK  has a prime time show Comedy Classes and Supercops Vs Super villians..Shapath, while Zee TV’s Jamai Raja and Kumkum Bhagya air at the 8.30 and 9 pm time bands.

  • Star Plus to air ‘Ishq Kills’ Sunday primetime

    Star Plus to air ‘Ishq Kills’ Sunday primetime

    MUMBAI: Given the importance of primetime, most Hindi general entertainment channels would steer clear of risqué content in this slot. However, as the leader in the Hindi GEC category, Star Plus continues to be an exception to the rule.

     

    Back in 2010, the channel introduced adult-themed shows such as Maryada – Aakhir Kab Tak and Kaali – Ek Agnipariksha during late primetime. Once again, it is all set to air a new show, Ishq Kills every Sunday at 10:00 pm, starting 16 February.

     

    The one hour show will enact crimes of passion that have taken place in the country. Statistics reveal that most crimes in India are committed either for love or for money, and Ishq Kills will be the first show to highlight those where love is involved.

     

    While the Star spokesperson was unavailable for comment, sources close to the development said the show is based on true events and will wrap up in 26 episodes. Produced by Rowdy Rascals of Savdhaan India fame, Star Plus has roped in film producer-director Vikram Bhatt to host the show.

     

    The show promo doing the rounds of all the Star Network channels has already generated a lot of curiosity. It shows a married man sleeping with his housekeeper and when he professes his love for her, she asks him to “prove it” by “killing memsaab”  

     

    While there is no dearth of crime-based shows on Hindi GECs, going by the promo, the show definitely carries the promise of standing out from the rest. Then again, it is in for some serious competition from Colors’ Comedy Nights with Kapil (CNWK), which has almost become a brand unto itself.  

     

    Will the show work its magic on Star Plus?

     

    Says a media professional who doesn’t wish to be named: “This is the time when the whole family sits and watches either movies or shows which refresh their mind. However, thriller-based shows have never worked for Star after some point of time. Moreover, the series is competing with CNWK which is already a brand now and people block 10:00 pm for it. I think CNWK will eat up all its ratings as the loyal audiences have already been built in this slot.”

     

    According to another media professional, primetime in GECs has grown nearly 20-25 per cent in the past few months which proves there are viewers available as also the potential for growth.

     

    With competitors like Fear Files on Zee TV and Savdhaan India on Life OK, only time will tell who is going to have the last laugh!

  • ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ to return soon in a repackaged avatar

    ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ to return soon in a repackaged avatar

    MUMBAI: “When you burst the blocks of your life, a blockbuster is created,” says filmmaker Rohit Shetty, who after giving blockbusters like the Golmaal franchise and Chennai Express is set to take on a new role that of a TV show host. The director, who is known for reviving the action genre on the celluloid, will be hosting the fifth edition of Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi with the tagline “Dar Ka Blockbuster”.

     

    As the tagline suggests, the show is going to burst the fear blocks of 12 celebrities in its upcoming edition, the announcement  was made amid much fanfare in the city last night. The show is set to return on the General Entertainment Channel – Colors after almost two years. With a changed format that will see 12 celebrities and no commoners, the show will be shot in Cape Town, South Africa over a month.

     

    “Few people from the production team are already in South Africa to make sure that the pre-production work is all done and set,” says Endemol India CEO Deepak Dhar, who is producing the show. Another group is ready to fly next week with the contestants.

     

    The last season of the show that premiered on Colors in June 2011 was also shot in South Africa. Dhar says that the country has been chosen again because the Endemol South Africa team is really well-equipped and would be helpful in coming out with a season full of adrenaline-rushing adventure.

     

    Dhar describes this season as a “really mean season” as the level of stunts have just gone up and the animals coming on the show are going to add to it. “With Rohit on board, the scale of the show has elevated. Plus, some of the best stunts from the Fear Factor US have been replicated,” he says.

     

    To give the audience a close view of what a contestant is going through while in a box full of cockroaches or a cage full of snakes, multiple cameras will be used. “Go Pro cameras, fly cameras and a lot of other hi-tech devices will be used to capture all the actions in the best possible way,” says Dhar.

     

    However, it is not so much about the technique in terms of filming as much as it is technique in terms of stunting, he remarks.

     

    But considering the varied types of stunts, a lot of new techniques have also been used to capture them. “The kinds of stunts we have picked up this time are varied in nature. We have chopper stunts, car stunts, bike stunts, underwater stunts besides a lot of other interesting activities that will make the show really entertaining,” says Colors Weekend programming head Manisha Sharma, adding that the show will be packed with edgy content and will explore some of the most interesting locales of South Africa.

     

    Dhar says the budget has also gone up by about 20 per cent as compared to the last season. While he doesn’t disclose the figure, a reliable source from the channel informs the production of a non-fiction show like this costs approximately 50-60 crore.

     

    Hitherto, the slot hasn’t been decided as the production is yet to begin. “That’s a discussion that going on internally as well,” says Colors CEO Raj Nayak when we quizzed him if KKK is going to replace India’s Got Talent. However, for the time-being what is fixed is that the show will be aired during the weekends.

     

    The last season was aired after Indian Premiere League got over. However, Nayak thinks that since cricket has become a year-round affair, it isn’t a threat for the show. “We may start the telecast alongside IPL,” he says as he remarks that if big budget Bollywood movies that were not released during the IPL season earlier can be released then KKK can also be telecast. However, if it runs parallel to the IPL, the channel may think of running a ticker with the score of the cricket match being played on that day.

     

    Nayak says that discussions about the advertisers and sponsors are still on. However, the channel is expecting good sponsorship deals. “Our sponsors come last as we ask for lots of money and a lot of negotiations go on,” he quips.

     

    Media planners think there shouldn’t be a problem in getting interesting deals for a show like KKK. Madison Media Sigma COO Vanita Keswani thinks that since the show is coming back after a gap, the interest of the viewers as well as the advertisers around it will be enthusiastic.

     

    “The telecast of a format year after year leads to decaying of the idea. A break is good as it would bring certain rejuvenation,” she says and adds the show already has a brand name that will work for it. As far as the sponsors and advertisers are concerned, Keswani thinks that till the time the content of a show is good, they will put in their money. “Any way, these days the advertisers look for better content and not ratings as ratings may or may not come in even if the show is good,” she remarks.

     

    Contestants who will be vying to conquer their phobias comprise Ranvir Shorey, Nikitin Dheer, Mugdha Godse, Dayanand Shetty, Rajniesh Duggall, Rochelle Maria Rao, Gauahar Khan, Kushal Tandon, Pooja Gor, Mahhi Vij, Salman Khan and Geeta Tandon.

  • Colors bets bigger with India’s Got Talent 5

    Colors bets bigger with India’s Got Talent 5

    MUMBAI: It is said that emotions sell. It seems so right in the case of Viacom18 Hindi GEC Colors’ talent show India’s Got Talent (IGT) where the emotional stories clubbed with exceptional talent led it to win the Best Entertainment Programme at the Asian TV Awards 2013. 

     

    But while its fourth edition was high on pullling viewers’ heart strings, the fifth edition that begins on 11 January at 9:00 pm every Saturday and Sunday, promises to bring out not just the contestants’ emotional journeys but also oodles of undiscovered talent from the different corners of India.

     

    Based on the international format, Britian’s Got Talent owned by FremantleMedia, the channel says that the endeavour this year has been to find talent that would defy the dimensions of a stage through acrobatic, aquatic and circus acts besides many other scintillating performances.

     

    IGT’s auditions began much earlier in June and the number of cities and towns where the team scouted for new skilled contestants ballooned to 45, with their number of auditions also rising 45 per cent. Viewers will get to see familiar faces as judges: old-timer Kirron Kher is very much there for her fifth season; Karan Johar (in his second season) and and Malaika Arora Khan, who, in the last edition, had to leave midway to make way for Farah Khan (however, this time she assures she will definitely continue till the finale). 

     

    Also, there are two new hosts – stand-up comics and artiste Bharti Kher and Mantra who with different avatars every week will add a tinge of humour to the proceedings. What’s new this year is also the Golden Buzzer – which the judges can press to give a participant a direct route to the semi-finals. And since there’s a lot more being packed in this edition, it is no surprise that production budget has escalated. FremantleMedia India head of commercial & and operations Vidyuth Bhandary says it is up more than 25 per cent. 

     

    “Since we are exploring uncharted talent, the investment in everything has scaled up. The dimension of the show has changed with the inclusion of performances on water and circus besides other platforms. It required us to leave the studio and build separate sets so that the contestants could show their talent,” says Bhandary.

     

    A source from the industry informs that the last edition of the show was produced in a budget of around Rs 23-24 crore and thus an estimated Rs 30-32 crore is being sunk in this time around.

     

    “India’s Got Talent is our flagship property which has grown exponentially season-after-season thereby attracting larger participation individuals across the country” says  FremantleMedia India managing director Anupama Mandloi. “Our team has worked together endlessly in an endeavor to showcase the creativity and enthusiasm which further adds to the scale and grandeur of the show.” 

     

    On view will be perfromers from 3 to 80 years with stunts that include pole dancing, basketball, para-gliders, synchronised swimming, fire jumping and diffusive neon painting.

     

    According to Bhandary, it is one of the most difficult shows from the production point of view. “It is not controlled like other reality shows. The size of a talent group varies from two to more than hundred people and managing the logistics gets really difficult at times,” he says, also adding that the production team includes a specialised crew that can handle any critical situation should it arise. 

     

    “Since we have increased the variety of talent on the show, we have also scaled up the safety measures. Like during the water act, we had four divers ready to help in case of an emergency. There’s a fire marshal, ambulance, stunt team always in place. We make sure that the precautionary measures are always in place,” he adds.

     

    Promotional budgets too have been hiked.  So if the channel’s marketing team has drawn up a well-thought  digital campaign, the on-ground activities and campaigns on other mediums are no less.

     

    Colors digital head Vivek Srivastava says that the digital campaign is divided in two parts, the first starts with a unique Twitter Concert before the show’s launch. 

     

    “Starting tomorrow, we start our two-day crowdsourcing activity for which we are inviting our Twitter followers to compose lines around the show using the hashtag #IGTTwitterConcert. The final composition would then be taken forward and sung as a song by a band. The final song will be launched with the show on 11 January,” he says, adding that the idea is to engage the audience completely.

     

    The second phase begins after the show goes on air. “In that, through different mediums, we would promote the talent on the show with their stories,” says Vivek.

     

    Even on radio, two innovative campaigns have been designed. While an Acapella act will be presented by this season’s participant, Ki Umjer that will be aired across radio stations and cities to showcase the international caliber of talent that will feature on the show, another one in association with Red FM will bring together 30 RJs from across the country in Mumbai. 

     

    “The RJs will tell the stories of the talented individuals who reside in their cities,” says Colors marketing head Rajesh Iyer.

     

    Another on-ground activity is planned at Mumbai’s famed Churchgate station that will take place just before the on-air launch. 

     

    “It will  give the common public a chance to show the talent in them,” says Iyer, adding that the overall outreach programme involves 3500+ spots on television, ads in 50 plus edition of key print publications, over 8,000 radio spots, OOH covering 100 towns and DTH imprints. 

     

    “Since our target audience includes everyone from young to old, we have planned these extensive campaigns to pull in maximum number of viewers,” he says. IGT’s concept is very different from any other show currently on air on any other channel. Unlike other reality shows that focus on one particular talent like singing or dancing, this one gives a viewer a varied variety. But still competition is competition. And that seemed to have touched one of the judges Karan Johar too. Karan whose celebrity chat show, Koffee With Karan airs on Sunday at the same time slot on Star World. He jokingly asked the media during the press conference which show would they prefer to watch him on – IGT or KWK? Karan didn’t get a straight answer but Iyer on a lighter note quipped, “We don’t compete with Koffee With Karan.”

     

    However, he doesn’t dismiss competition with other GECs when they all are running reality shows at the same time slot – Zee TV has its most popular property – Dance India Dance 4, Star Plus has Nach Baliye 6 and Sony has Boogie Woogie. “But we can’t be threatened by that. What we have got to do, we have got to do,” he says.

     

    Colors’ weekend programming head Manisha Sharma seconds and adds, “Every show says that they are different. But we have done well and have grown year after year because of our differentiated content. It’s the diverse talent that we bring on our show that works.”

     

    IGT kick-starts its first episode with Bollywood’s favourite leading lady Madhuri Dixit-Nene who will join the judging panel while sharing inspirational stories and anecdotes with the participants. Subsequent episodes will also feature special guests including Remo D’souza, Manish Paul amongst many others.

     

    IGT’s advertisers include Maruti Suzuki for the presented by tag, it is powered by L’Oreal Paris Total Repair 5 and associate sponsors include Tata Ace and Amul Macho.

     

    And it isn’t just that the Colors and Fremantle team that’s oozing with confidence this season, even industry experts have given IGT the thumbs up.  Lodestar UM’s vice president Deepak Netram says it  has a huge appeal because of the kind of talent it brings. “The promo of a girl with an amputated leg has already sent shockwaves. It has raised the expectations and the curiosity both. The promos have build up the excitement around the show. There’s shock value along with emotional backing and it’s something really to look forward to,” he remarks. 

     

    Weekends for Colors’ fans obviously aren’t going to be the same.

  • Greymatter to debut at MIPCOM 2013

    Greymatter to debut at MIPCOM 2013

    Greymatter Entertainment – a 360 degree media company offering end-to-end creative solutions and production services for broadcast, celluloid and digital platforms – is debuting at this year’s MIPCOM with a host of new and innovative formats.

    For a company which produces content across genres, including reality, music, travel, lifestyle, game show and documentary, participating in the world’s largest content market is possibly a natural next step. Says Greymatter Entertainment owner Rahul Sarangi, “MIPCOM helps you network with global content buyers. The market is also a platform for companies with new formats.”

    We believe most of our formats are very differentiated yet palatable to the global audience, says Rahul Sarangi

    So what’s on offer at the fest? “We will launch a factual documentary titled ‘Tribes of the World’, an award winning show ‘Bikini Café’, a never-seen before music reality format named ‘Remix’ and a series about unconditional love christened ‘Thanks Maa’,” Sarangi answers.

    For the uninitiated, Tribes of the World is a factual documentary which explores the unexplored and unseen faces of tribal India. Bikini Café is about testing one’s entrepreneurial skills of owning a shack while Thanks Maa gives mothers a chance to relive their dreams.

    Elaborating on his plans, Sarangi says: “We are looking at co-producing interesting formats/content under the genres we specialise. As far as selling is concerned, one of our music formats ‘Remix’ has been sold to a few markets and is distributed by Global Agency. We have also recently concluded a very successful co- production deal with Novovision on 52 x 30 min non-dialogue humour episodes for the global market.”

    What does Greymatter expect to achieve at MIPCOM 2013? “As you would be aware, Indian broadcasters don’t give rights to producers, but we have figured that if we have a global partner, then we can retain rights and make it a global success. We believe most of our formats are very differentiated yet palatable to the global audience,” explains Sarangi, adding: “We expect to strike some interesting co-production, distribution or strategic partnership with global companies that suit our profile.”

    On the subject of markets, Sarangi says the company is open to any market, from America and Europe to the Middle East and Asia, as long as it shares Greymatter’s sensibilities. The firm will concentrate on platforms like IPTV, mobile and free to air.

  • The seven season itch

    T he daggers are drawn and the battle field is set for what promises to be one of the most closely watched fights in recent television history.

    We’re talking about the ensuing tussle between two of the small screen’s hottest properties: Sony Entertainment’s Kaun Banega Crorepati season seven vs. Colors’ Bigg Boss season seven.   

    While there really are no guesstimates as to which among these two shows will succeed in grabbing more eyeballs (… and TVTs), both Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) are more than ready for the kill.  

    Sony is betting big on the seventh season of KBC which comes to drawing rooms beginning 6 September, in a new and improved avatar. Not to be outdone, Colors is kick-starting Bigg Boss season seven – The ‘Wow’ and the ‘Aow’ barely nine days later i.e. 15 September.

    We identify our strengths and weaknesses, and then see how we can complement our strengths with new shows, says confident Raj Nayak

    Rechristened Saptakoti Mahadhani… Kaun Banega Mahacrorepati, KBC will be aired every Friday to Sunday at 8:30 pm. whereas Bigg Boss season seven will be telecast Monday to Sunday at 9:00 pm.

    So what is the USP of this particular season, which the GECs are banking on?

    KBC aims to create a platform of opportunities for Indians across ages, genders and socio-economic groups, and has had a makeover in terms of its format and prize money, which is now a whopping Rs 7 crore, among others.

    Bigg Boss, on the other hand, arrives with a novel theme of heaven vs hell – The ‘Wow’ associated with the former and the ‘Aow’ with the latter.

    A quick look at what’s new in both the shows:

    KBC’s money tree will now comprise 15 questions and it will boast a brand new lifeline called ‘Power Paplu’ to aid those who seek to revive an already used lifeline. ‘Flip the question’ (Alat Palat) will replace ‘Ask the expert’ while ‘50:50’ will replace ‘Double Dip’.

    In the entire game play, a hot seat contestant may now use only four of the five lifelines on offer.

    A new feature ‘Play along’ has been introduced for the Fastest Finger First contestants who do not make it to the hot seat.

    Well, competition is a reality. Within the very aggressive, competitive market, you have to differentiate the niche, says N.P Singh

    Using ‘Play along’, they can play with the hot seat contestant and the one who answers the maximum number of questions in the minimum amount of time gets to win one lakh rupees at the end of the episode.

    Additionally, the time limit for the ‘Phone a friend’ lifeline has been increased from 30 to 45 seconds. What’s more, audiences can win by playing the Ghar Baithe Jeeto Jackpot.

    In contrast, Bigg Boss promises to be a roller-coaster ride for audiences, what with the heaven vs hell theme.

    Of the 14 contestants, seven will be new names residing in a separate heaven themed house while the remaining seven will be old members, staying under one roof in another hell themed house, who’ve already been members of the Bigg Boss house during the last six seasons. The contestants from both the houses would be pitched against eachother in a series of tasks.

    Among the newbies entering the Bigg Boss house are Shekhar Suman, Vatsal Seth, Suraj Pancholi, Kushal Tandon, Pratyusha Banerjee and Sonarika Bhadoria. The seventh newcomer is still to be identified.

    Blast from the past: Hellcat Pooja Mishra is among the old members who will continue to occupy the house. Other members are still not confirmed.

    There will be some amount of competition and fragmentation between the two shows, says Deepak Netram

    Apart from programming frills, the channels themselves seem super confident about their respective properties. Moreso considering Bigg Boss has had a successful run last season with an opening of 4.0 TVR (television viewership ratings); ditto for KBC’s last season which opened with 6.1 TVR.

    Colors CEO Raj Nayak says the channel is very clear and conscious in its strategy to be a complete household entertainment channel. “Today if you do a FPC (Fixed Point Chart) check across all channels, you will see Colors has the maximum variety. While strategy is one part, everything we do involves risks. But when I say risks, we take calculated risks. We identify our strengths and weaknesses, and then see how we can complement our strengths with new shows. If we succeed, they become better. If not, we keep trying,” he exults.

    Asked if Sony has any particular strategy to beat the competition, SET chief operating officer N.P Singh says, “Well, competition is a reality. Within the very aggressive, competitive market, you have to differentiate the niche. Sony in its last 17 years has always run shows which are different from the rest and that has set us apart and we continue to follow that strategy.”

    Since it is the seventh season, both shows have a great following and it will be very hard to choose one, says Ashish Bhasin

    While Lodestar UM vice president Deepak Netram agrees there will be some amount of competition and fragmentation between the two shows, he is quick to point out that they cannot be compared. “They are unique in their own way. From the past what we have seen is KBC ratings have been there year on year. So we hope to maintain that. Bigg Boss on the other hand is looking bigger; the promotions are really huge and have happened way in advance. So it will be interesting to see how this pans out,” he observes.

    Aegis Group plc chairman India and CEO southeast Asia Ashish Bhasin echoes Netram’s sentiments saying it will be a tough call between two very established properties. “Since it is the seventh season, both shows have a great following and it will be very hard to choose one. What viewers always believe in is content. If the content is of the viewers’ interest, people will definitely opt for that. The main competition will be when something else comes at that time – say a big movie is being launched by another channel or any big news event – which show loses out in that instance is going to be more interesting to watch,” he opines.

    peaking from the point of view of advertisers, Bhasin says this particular slot is becoming increasingly attractive to them as it is also the hub of reality shows. “Advertisers will go where the eyeballs are and choose the most cost-effective way to get them. That’s how pricing will be done. And that can vary depending upon what the market rates are for that channel around that point of time. I don’t think finding advertisers for any of these shows will be an issue,” he says.

    On his part, Nayak maintains Colors’ non-fiction shows generate more traction from advertisers than its fictional shows and Bigg Boss gets some of the biggest brands. However, he adds that it works as a loss leader and the channel has been investing in it because it is a cult show. This apart, it generates a lot of buzz. Estimates are that it is in the region of Rs 15-20 crore.

    Most advertisers across categories agree that since both KBC and Bigg Boss are big properties and have local audiences across age groups, they cannot afford to ignore any one of them.

    “Who would not want to take advantage of these shows to reach out to their target group? People are waiting for the shows to start and with festivals coming up; no one would be a fool to favour one over the other. Maximum eyeballs give us maximum reach,” says an advertiser who didn’t wish to be named.

    As things stand, both the shows have gone viral on various digital platforms. Bigg Boss seven’s official Facebook page boasts around 1.8 million likes and more than 30,000 people talking about it. KBC Seven is not far behind with 1.6 million likes. Both are popular on Facebook but don’t seem to be trending that much on twitter.

    Whether Big B’s charisma will work or Salman Khan’s swagger, only time will tell…

  • RTL Group joins forces with CBS Studios International

    RTL Group joins forces with CBS Studios International

    MUMBAI: The RTL Group is joining forces with CBS Studios International to launch two channels, one focused on general entertainment and the other featuring reality, action and extreme sports, across South East Asia.

     

    RTL Group began targeting Asia in 2011, partnering with Reliance Broadcast Network to launch the BIG RTL Thrill network in India in 2012. CBS Studios International also has a partnership with Reliance in India for three channels: BIG CBS Prime, BIG CBS Spark and BIG CBS Love.

     

    The RTL-CBS venture, RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network, will be based in Singapore, reporting to a board featuring representatives from both companies. It will operate RTL CBS Entertainment, slated for a September 2013 launch, delivering shows like FremantleMedia’s The X Factor, America’s Got Talent and Celebrity Apprentice and CBS’s Elementary and Under the Dome. In spring 2014, RTL CBS Extreme will roll out offering action/adventure, reality series and extreme sports, such as NCIS: Los Angeles, Hawaii Five-0 and Fear Factor. The channels will have ongoing access to content from FremantleMedia and CBS Studios International.

     

    RTL Group co-CEO Guillaume de Posch said, “We are delighted to team up with CBS Studios International. By joining forces with such a renowned global partner, we are continuing our tried-and-tested build strategy, expanding our business to more countries in Asia with high growth potential. CBS is a highly creative and professional organisation with world-leading content which complements FremantleMedia’s catalogue very well. I am very confident that this venture will benefit strongly from the combined broadcasting and production expertise of both parties.”

     

    CBS Global Distribution Group president and CEO Armando Nu?ez added, “This is another opportunity to use CBS’s internationally successful content to be part of a new channel venture in one of the world’s fastest growing TV regions. It’s even better to do it with a best-in-class partner such as RTL Group, one of the most accomplished and respected broadcasters anywhere. We’re excited to create an additive way to monetise our content in Asia and provide audiences throughout the region the best television from two of the world’s most successful programming companies.”