ITV

Tag: Rohinton Maloo

  • Turner to handle ad sales for Zee MGM, Zee English & Trendz

    Turner to handle ad sales for Zee MGM, Zee English & Trendz

    MUMBAI: Distribution partners Zee Telefilms and Turner International India are expanding their relationship. Effective 1 July, Turner will be the exclusive advertising sales agent for Zees English entertainment & lifestyle channels Zee MGM, Zee English and Trendz.
     
     
    Under this agreement, Turner will use its in-house expertise in India and internationally to promote the channels to advertisers in India and work with clients and agencies to increase advertising revenues on the channels, an official release states.

    This agreement furthers the relationship between Zee and Turner that began when the two parties formed a joint venture company, Zee Turner Limited, in December 2001, to manage distribution and trade marketing for a bouquet of Zee and Turner channels as well as third party channels in India and South Asia.

    Ad sales at Zee MGM and Zee English is currently being managed by Rohinton Maloo’s Cutting Edge Media. It was in September 2002 that Cutting Edge was appointed to manage the two English niche channels in the Zee bouquet with the brief to develop sales strategies and drive front end ad sales. At the time the deal was struck, Zee had an option to buy a strategic equity stake in the company at some point.

    For Turner, the addition of Zee’s three channels augment the variety offered by Turner to advertisers, adding general entertainment, movies and fashion to the existing line-up of entertainment and news provided by Cartoon Network and CNN. Turner will be working closely with the Zee team to create effective sales solutions and will also expand its sales team to sell these three properties, the release says.

    Anshuman Misra, Managing Director, Turner International India Pvt. Ltd, said, “Over the years, Turner has exceeded expectations and over-delivered in advertising sales for our own channels; and we are pleased to be leveraging our sales expertise to expand our partnership with Zee. With the addition of these channels, we have expanded our portfolio of tools with which we can create even more innovative marketing packages for advertisers to target consumers across a broader demographic spectrum.”

  • Hallmark bags bunch of Disney titles

    Hallmark bags bunch of Disney titles

    MUMBAI: Family entertainment channel Hallmark is adding to its film title offerings with some new acquisitions from Disney. It will also be unveiling a Valentine Movie Festival next week.

    The channel has reached an agreement with Buena Vista Television (which syndicates television programming for Disney) for exclusive cable rights to almost 150 film titles, which include contemporary and classic, such as Jungle 2 Jungle, Flubber, Mighty Joe Young, Old Yeller, The Absent Minded Professor and Herbie, the Love Bug .

    Hallmark has also scheduled its big film titles keeping in mind the fact tha cricket is bound to take away audiences during normal viewing times. According to Rohinton Maloo, who heads Cutting Edge Media, which manages ad sales and promotions for Hallmark in India: “The movies on Hallmark will be shown at 10:30 pm as most of the matches get over then.”

    Next week the channel will also unveil a Valentine festival as a countdown to Valentine’s Day. “We will be showing a series of Hollywood movies along with a mix of non-theatre movies,” says Maloo.

  • “CAS is just a dream” : Rohinton Maloo Cutting Edge Media managing director

    “CAS is just a dream” : Rohinton Maloo Cutting Edge Media managing director

    The debate over conditional access system continues in India even as the government has set July 14, 2003 as the deadline for completing implementation of CAS in the four metros as part of the first phase.

     

    At a time when most people have hailed the government initiative on CAS as good for the industry which is preparing for a life after CAS, there are people like Rohinton Maloo, managing director of Cutting Edge Media (a division of Mediascope Associates, created to focus on the television broadcasting industry) who think otherwise. Maloo not only feels that CAS is just a flight of fancy – “a dream” which is unlikely to come true, to be precise – but also believes that if the government is really out to protect the interests of the consumers, then a different approach has to be adopted.

     

    Mediascope was formed in the early 1990s and has been instrumental in the launch of Star channels in India, starting off with Prime Sports (which later became Star Sports), as also the likes of Cartoon Network and HBO. Cutting Edge Media was carved out of Mediascope Associates about eight months back to look at the needs of TV broadcasting in a more focussed manner and, at present, handles the ad sales of channels like Zee MGM, Zee English and Hallmark.

     

    In this interview with indiantelevision.com’s Anjan Mitra, Maloo presents the other side of the CAS story.

    The industry is hailing CAS as an initiative that will change the TV broadcasting industry in India. Do you also feel so?

    Conditional access has the potential of changing the industry in India. It may turn out to be good for the industry where people who deserve revenue would get them deservedly. But CAS will not happen. At least in the present format.

    What is the basis of your premise that CAS would be a non-starter?

    I cannot understand how one city will have a different price mechanism in a state, while a neighbouring city will have a different mechanism. For example, you mean to say that in a city like Mumbai, people will pay a different price for cable services, while in Pune, people will pay another price for the same type of service. It is bizarre.

     

    Then there is the issue of availability of set-top boxes and the price. I gather, there are about 15 million cable and satellite homes in the four metros where CAS is being sought to be implemented in the first phase. I also gather that no way can the price of STBs be as cheap as Rs. 1,500. Now all the 15-odd million C&S homes in the metros won’t go in for STBs. The volumes being promised are inadequate to for manufacturers to make available cheap STBs. That means the cost of STBs would continue to be high.

     

    Now, in India about 40 per cent TV sets are capable of receiving about 14 channels only. Though such TV sets can be upgraded to receive 80-odd channels by buying a box that now costs approximately RS 1,500. Have all the TV sets been upgraded at a low cost? No. If that has not happened, then I don’t foresee a sizeable C&S homes in the metros also going in for STBs for CAS at a higher price.
    “If CAS happens and cable operators’ declaration increases suddenly, it would mean that they have been cheating the government also of entertainment taxes for so many years.”

    What you are saying that Indians would not cough up anything extra for conditional access. Right?

    If the government is saying that the consumer is under threat of rising cable subscription rates, which are still much low in India compared to other countries, then how is it being assumed that the same consumer will fork out more money for STBs? Those who will, anyway have the purchasing power to pay a monthly cable fee of RS 400, for example.

     

    Moreover, you cannot draw out conditional access based on geographical conditions where a Delhi subscriber will pay one price and neighbouring Gurgaon will pay another price just because CAS is not to be implemented there. I also don’t see any reason for the government pushing CAS. Why is it doing so?
    “If there is no uniformity, what is the incentive for the government to push through CAS?”

    The government’s stand is that it had to step in because the consumer was feeling cheated because of the rising cable subscription fee. Don’t you feel that government ought to play such a role?

    I have always maintained that government should not control prices. And if it has to do that, it should be done uniformly all over the country. For instance, in a bid to make drugs affordable to the masses, the government has the drug price control order applicable all over the country which aims at compelling multinational pharmaceutical companies to have different and lower pricing schemes for the Indian masses (compared to other parts of the world). This is because it is the government’s view that they do not have adequate purchasing power to buy expensive drugs. But in the case of CAS, it is not so. There is no uniformity.

     

    By seeking to implement CAS, does the government want to say it cares for the cable TV consumers of Kolkata and Delhi and not for those living in other cities like Pune? You cannot have different rights for people in different parts of the country. If there is no uniformity, tell me what is the incentive for the government to push through CAS? Again, if the government is going in for some price control in one industry, why isn’t it doing so in, say, the auto sector? Such things are best left to market forces and the market should determine pricing, not the government.
    “I have always maintained that government should not control prices. If it has to do that, it should be done uniformly all over the country.”

    But if that is so, why has the industry hailed CAS as revolutionary?

    Every involved party of the industry has its own reasons to do such things. The broadcasters have hailed this, because they feel the cable operators are not giving them the due share of subscription money. Similarly, others stakeholders like MSOs and cable operators too have their own reasons to support CAS. Moreover, if CAS happens and cable operators’ declaration increases suddenly, then that would mean that they have been cheating the government also of entertainment taxes for so many years. Would cable operators, in such a scenario, get general amnesty? It may not happen, but sudden increase in declaration by cable operators does increase their chances of being prosecuted by the government also. So, this talk about CAS is all but sexy talk, a dream. And nothing else, I feel.

     

  • Hallmark to go in for overhaul from 1 January

    Hallmark to go in for overhaul from 1 January

    MUMBAI: Rescheduled ad breaks. Revamped logo. Catchier promos and fresh programming.

    That seems to be Hallmark India’s strategy to woo the slippery viewer. Latest in the line of niche channels that are opting for a revamped look, Hallmark has decided to go in for a new image come 1 January.

    The channel has also decided to reschedule its ad breaks to avoid channel surfing on the part of the viewer.

    Cutting Edge Media’s Rohinton Maloo who handles ad sales for the channel says the Hallmark logo would be more contemporary and avante garde. That as well as the catchy promos have been designed by Hallmark’s Denver production team keeping the upmarket urbane youth in mind, says Maloo.

    “In addition, there have been two changes made on the advertising front. Firstly, we decided that for a night film there will be no more than two breaks. Also, throughout the day each hour will have just three minutes of ad time. On the programming front, we will air the night films at 10:30 pm. Through feedback, we learnt that viewers are unable to watch us earlier as they tune into Hindi soaps. Also, every Sunday night will see a new film premiering on the channel. So viewers can expect 52 new films on Sunday nights alone.”

    Elaborating further on the programme strategy, Hallmark Asia managing director Terence Yau says, ” Going along with the change, Monday/Tuesday movies are destined to showcase Halllmark original mini-series (Jack & the Beanstalk, Jason & the Argonaunt, Merlin etc) and Thursday is scheduled for the First Day Feathered theatrical release. The All-day movie packaged over the weekend gives parents an alternative who seek the pleasure of watching television together with their children, a place where hardly anyone else can offer. Viewers can also expect a lot more forthcoming enjoyment with the lineup of a variety of drama series (Early Edition Season 3, The Guardian II, Adoption, Family Law) that caters to different needs of the viewers. “

    As far as channel performance for the year is concerned Yau said, ” Based on the rating research findings from A.C. Nielsen, our most watched programmes in India are the kids block programmes that include Sesame Street and Clifford, and sci-fi series that consists of Early Edition and Star Trek Voyager. The best rating among them all is Clifford ,” he says.

  • Hallmark to strengthen late night slot next month

    Hallmark to strengthen late night slot next month

    MUMBAI: Hallmark is taking special pains to strengthen its position in the late night block.

    With this in mind, the channel will push The Guardian and the second season of McLeods Daughters to the 11 pm slot from October. The Guardian will be part of the channel’s science fiction block while Star Trek at midnight will take over from its current Sunday 8 pm slot.

    Speaking on how the basic programming matrix had changed director Marketing Hallmark Asia Pacific Laxmi Hariharan says,”The programming mix has gained in variety. We started introducing more serials and we will also screen theatrical releases like the Kevin Costner baseball drama Field Of Dreams. We are creating awareness that the channel will screen shows which have been nominated for the Emmy Awards. For instance we will air Jack and The Beanstalk: The Real Story which is a contemporary take on the classic tale. Therefore we will keeping a close tab on the developments taking place at the Emmy Awards.”

    “Our other blocks – the women’s block in the afternoon, kids block in the late afternoon and evening block where we showcase specials like Flipper have evolved quite nicely over the past year. We base our FPC on viewer ship trends, competitive programming.”

    The channel will also introduce a slew of interactive initiatives. Says Mediascope Associates’ Rohinton Maloo, “We will be using a new form of interactive service, which has so far not been seen, in the country. This will not require the use of a cell phone and will be accessible to the common man. SMS has been done by so many people that if we enter it now, we will basically be seen as a me too, which Hallmark is most certainly not. We will unveil details for the same later in the month. In fact, from September – November we will be coming out with a slew of interactive initiatives.”

    Hariharan says, “We will be having an on air promotion for Diwali. We are also enabling media outlets to interview stars of our shows like Simon Baker through email and that is where our focus will rest. We will also be promoting the family film festival, which will take place end September through the different media. We will be doing an on air promo for kids shortly. This will revolve around the theme of health. So you will see ‘Clifford’ and ‘Callilou’ offering health tips.”

    The channel has tied up with indiatimes.com for Early Edition and with Sify to build the brand in Chennai for Women’s Week. The channel, which dubbed the kids’ block last year in Hindi, found that people prefer watching the shows in English. “This is because our shows are visually attractive and also location specific. For example if you were to watch Sherlock Holmes in a local language, the flavour would get diluted,” says Hariharan.

  • Hallmark aims to expand reach, outlines marketing strategy

    Hallmark aims to expand reach, outlines marketing strategy

    Consolidate distribution, increase reach and brand visibility through aggressive marketing. That is the target that general entertainment English channel Hallmark has set for itself in India this calendar year.

    We will increase brand awareness in the key cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Calcutta through mass media campaigns, says Laxmi Hariharan, marketing director, Hallmark Asia. A media mix of outdoors, cinema, websites, radio, and print are the off-television promotional activities that are involved.

    The channel’s initiatives are already having an impact and this can be seen in the fact that the cumulative reach of the channel has increased by 60 per cent since January, says Hariharan.

    Hariharan says the channel is adopting a two-tier strategy by promoting the mother brand and creating event-specific programmes. Towards this end, Hallmark has earmarked $1.2 million this year for advertising and promotions.

    The channel’s initiatives are already having an impact and this can be seen in the fact that the cumulative reach of the channel has increased by 60 per cent since January, says Hariharan.

    Hariharan says the channel is adopting a two-tier strategy by promoting the mother brand and creating event-specific programmes. Towards this end, Hallmark has earmarked $1.2 million this year for advertising and promotions.

    On the programming front, the channel has a three point plan that it is confident will deliver the desired results – original series, television movies and Hollywood blockbuster titles.

    Distribution is another area where Hallmark hopes to increase its numbers. From the current 9 million across 18 cities, the channel expects to hit 12 million by the end of the year, Hallmark India general manager Amitabh says. Queried as to the kind of subscription revenues the channel had, Amitabh said last year it was $500,000 and he expected it to reach $ 600,000 this year.

    Leading the way for Hallmark on the ad sales front is Mediascope Associates. According to Rohinton Maloo, managing director, Mediascope, revenues close to $1 million is what he is targeting. This is a five-fold jump from last year where the channel raked in just $ 200,000. Queried as to how he could so confidently state this would happen when the fight for a share of the ad pie was becoming increasingly stressful, Maloo says ad revenues of $ 200,000 had been achieved with practically no worthwhile effort. A focussed strategy would bring in increased much more ad revenue, is Maloo’s contention.

    And there are new product categories opening up every year – insurance, premium cars, technology and many more. There is enough to sustain niche channels such as Hallmark, says Maloo.

    The channel intends to package not just on-air opportunities but the significant on-ground strength of over 430 Hallmark Card stores in India, says Maloo. These stores, says Maloo, can be used for demo and on-ground promotions.

    One unique feature that Hallmark can offer to advertisers thanks to its ownership of 80 per cent of the content that appears on the channel is “virtual product placement”, says Maloo. This means that after a particular movie or series has already been shot, the advertiser is offered an option where he can digitally insert his product during relevant scenes. He cited examples of Samsung in Latin America, Visa card in the US and Coke in the Asia Pacific.