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Tag: Sanjeev Kapoor

  • Sanjeev Kapoor cooks up a storm on You Tube

    Sanjeev Kapoor cooks up a storm on You Tube

    MUMBAI: Sanjeev Kapoor the celebrity chef created a new landmark by crossing 300,000 subscribers and 100 million views on You Tube making him the India’s largest individual channel. Sanjeev Kapoor has been always up the curve on technology and yet again has proved that in spite of coming from a niche space like food he can rule the digital medium. Sanjeev Kapoor has partnered with ZengaTV and One Digital Entertainment to manage his digital properties.

     

    One Digital Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., the largest MCN (multi-channel network) for YouTube in India is managing content strategy, audience development and planning for Sanjeev Kapoor’s YouTube Channel.

     

    On this occasion of success and his birthday on the 10th April, Zenga Media Pvt. Ltd which owns his YouTube rights, has decided to release Official YouTube Video Mobile App of Sanjeev Kapoor. This app offers opportunity to his fans to stay in touch with him through live interactions apart from new recipe videos, images of Sanjeev Kapoor, fans will be able to use this app to stay socially connected with Sanjeev through Facebook, Twitter and Fun2shoot.

     

    Commenting on the App, Mr. Sanjeev Kapoor said, “I have received an overwhelming response from my fans on my You Tube India channel. This provides an entire new way for me to communicate with my fans and give them a new and unique content experience! I had a great deal of fun working with the Zenga team in customizing and extending the YouTube channel and social media in to an app and really appreciate this collaboration and giving my fans another way to follow my cooking and stay connected to me. This inspiring app gives everyone the chance to learn and practice a whole range of skills as well as providing hours of cooking that can be enjoyed by the whole family.”

     

    Commenting on the partnership and launch of new app, Mr. Abhishek Joshi, CEO-Zenga Media Pvt. Ltd, said “We have different strategy and attitude on different platforms customizing it to what works best on the given platform to celebrities. We attribute the growth of numbers to the content created for the platform. We kept innovating on the properties and changed strategy from time to time to keep the users engaged and interested.”

     

    He further adds Sanjeev Kapoor app gives users a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his lifestyle. Zenga’s comprehensive mobile platform and unique app development solutions, provides a new channel for fans to directly engage with Sanjeev Kapoor, while building brand loyalty and increasing his digital audience. Zenga has exclusively partnered with OneDigtal for all the Youtube distribution through their MCN network, as they are the experts in this space.

     

    Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Gurpreet Singh, COO of OneDigital Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. said “We have been in the original content creation space for more than a year now and managing over 70+ artists and Sanjeev Kapoor is one of our favorite. We create innovative content and concepts for today’s digital audience. It’s great to work with Sanjeev Kapoor as he understands the power of Digital Platforms and is open to experiment with it.”

     

    He further adds Digital medium has grown to be the epicenter of marketing and communication across all brands and celebrities. Since our launch a year back, One Digital has been connecting fans to their favorite icons/ celebrities in an effective and exciting manner. We are humbled on our association with Sanjeev Kapoor and we look forward to a committed and an exciting endeavor with him. Our expertise in Digital Space will ensure that we continue exploring path breaking initiatives and add value to our clients.

     

    The application is available for all IOS, Windows and Android mobile and Tab users. Fans can download this free of cost from iTunes App Store for iPhone/ iPad and Google Play for Android users and Windows store for Windows users.

  • SMJ season two evokes mixed reactions

    SMJ season two evokes mixed reactions

    MUMBAI: All eyes were peeled on the first episode of season two of Aamir Khan-hosted talk show Satyamev Jayate (SMJ) when it finally aired on March 2 at 11am, putting an end to all the excitement of the past few months.

    The two-hour-long episode titled ‘Fighting Rape’ put the spotlight on an extremely pertinent social issue while discussing some really hard-hitting cases. It began with a narration of the gruesome gang rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in the national capital on 16 December, 2012, going on to give shocking statistics of rape cases in the country.

    Khan revealed that according to the NCRB, there are nearly 101,041 rape cases pending trial, of which 3,563 cases have been acquitted or withdrawn and 86,032 are still pending. He spoke of the kind of medical and legal apathy that rape victims and their families usually face. Doctors tend to back off when such cases are reported, medical examinations are not conducted immediately and misleading information results in the victim being questioned more than the accused. However, he pointed out that changes have been made to the law, especially after the Nirbhaya gang rape case, and proceeded to elaborate upon the same.

    While urging viewers to change their perception toward rape victims who are otherwise looked down upon by society, Khan, in association with the Aakash Institute, encouraged the audience to ‘Vote for Change’ by giving a missed call on 1800-103-2301 and pledging support for a standard protocol for medical examination of rape survivors. Surprisingly, 12 lakh missed calls was generated in two hours.

    Indeed, the opening episode of season two of SMJ sent social media into overdrive with likes and tweets doing the rounds of the Internet, even as SMJ took fourth place on twitter.com on the day of its launch.

    And yet, both viewer and industry response was a bit of a mixed bag with some saying season two might be better while others finding it very similar to the previous outing. We spoke to some people about the episode and here’s what they said.

    A majority of media professionals thought episode 1 of season 2 did well in terms of research and so did media veteran and founder at Social Access Communications, Lynn de Souza. “The first episode was good. Bringing out all the issues pertaining to rape and how the victims are treated in court was rather touching. It brought about a lot of awareness. The show taught me a lot of things which I did not know. It is worth watching and a great learning,” she said.

    In contrast, a producer who did not wish to be named said the show was way too long. “Mixed reactions,” he said. “It was far too long. Two hours is a long time. People won’t stick to it after some point of time. However, thumbs up to Aamir and his research team for the heavy amount of research work.”

    Another media planner said there was nothing different from the earlier season. “The first episode was very similar – nothing new and dramatic. Plus time, it was almost like a feature film. Unless there is some hook, people will lose interest. It’s a very documentary style of saying things and with viewers here, they don’t stick with documentaries. But kudos to their research work. Well done, detailed in-depth analysis, surely took the crown,” he said on condition of anonymity.

    While Population First (Laadli) programme director Dr AL Sharada said, “In terms of format, I did not find anything different, it remained the same. In terms of research, it covered all aspects of judiciary reports and what common people face. I felt that Aamir should continue the same topic over a period of time.  Supposedly, he starts with gender violence and next week, he goes on to something else. The impact of whatever discussions are happening today will be completely forgotten next week when he takes up another issue.”

    She felt the show should be restricted to one hour instead of the current two hours. “It requires a little more depth, in terms of the issues being raised. For instance, in season one, in the doctors’ episode, only activists’ perspectives were taken into consideration but the ground realities of a hospital i.e. how it functions, what are the facilities available wasn’t considered. We should not just say they are not doing, we should also understand why they are not doing,” said Sharada.

    This is what celebrities tweeted on Satyamev Jayate:

    Karan Johar – #SatyamevJayate broke my heart…made me feel helpless yet inspired me to make a change..truly moving, heartfelt and rightfully arousing!

    Sunil Grover – Whn v all only spk abt a change here’s a shw vich is actually brining abt 1!Congrats @aamir_khan @StarPlus on anthr brilliant season of SMJ!

    Sanjeev Kapoor – What @aamir_khan is doing via @satyamevjayate is nothing less than a social revolution. Hats off to him!

  • India Unlimited, FOODFOOD’s new offering

    India Unlimited, FOODFOOD’s new offering

    MUMBAI: FOODFOOD is all set to bring to its viewers cuisines from across the country. While every little corner of the country has a flavour of its own, the food and lifestyle channel is looking at entertaining its audience with a show that talks about different strokes of Indian regional cuisines and stories. The show ‘India Unlimited’ will be aired every Thursday at 2 pm and will be hosted by chef Shantanu.

     

    The show aims at weaving the taste of the cuisine found in North to the colour of the food from South along with texture of the West and appearance of the East. ‘India Unlimited’ will see several stories that are weaved with the love for food.

     

    ‘India Unlimited’, according to the channel, is set to give viewers a sense of  nestling in the heart of the Himalayas , while bringing the taste of the  spices of Tamil Nadu , the flowing mustard fields from Punjab, the awesome  treat from the ocean world – fish, from Bengal  and both  sugar and  spice turning every vegetarian dish nice , from Gujarat .

     

    The accurate time for adding spice, masala and the degree of cooking are the key factors that determine the quality of a dish. However, this art had been confined to the master chefs who have their proprieties spice mixtures etc. and are reluctant to share their recipes.

     

    During the show, chef Shantanu will be seen sharing all his food secrets. He will also take the audience through the varied tastes of India, its traditions, its colour, texture and brings it all together in his kitchen. His cooking tips and tricks, food secrets, recipes are simple but will make one wonder how the complex layers of taste and flavours have come in to being.  

     

    “If we look at these recipes critically, we realise that each step has a particular purpose and there are many ways of making the same dish also. At the same time the touch of spices, is off course an art that needs to be understood and perfected as per change of taste. Cooking is not merely following a recipe, ‘It is an art as well as a science’,” said chef Shantanu.

     

    The show will feature three recipes in one episode, with each episode being specific to a particular region of India. Chef Shantanu will imbibe the traditional look of each region, through both his attire and attitude and bring the unlimited joys it offers to the viewers.

  • Helios Media bags YouTube channel – SanjeevKapoorKhazana

    Helios Media bags YouTube channel – SanjeevKapoorKhazana

     MUMBAI: Helios Media, the specialty services company for the broadcast sector is back in the news with another announcement. Helios has expanded its services and will now include digital media monetization. The venture has begun with bagging the mandate of representing Sanjeevkapoorkhazana, the largest non-Bollywood YouTube channel in India, that has so far generated 85 million views. Helios will work in embedding brand’s messaging within the content of the channel.

     

     Speaking on the assignment, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor said, “Sanjeevkapoor.com was one of the first websites to make its presence in the country. Being a pioneer in the space, it is quite evident that our YouTube channel has garnered a huge subscriber base of 2.7 lakh. Our popular videos generate as much as 1 million plus views. This therefore becomes a great destination for brands to not only reach a large consumer base but also to capture the most appropriate mind-space. Helios Media has been partnering us on monetising FoodFood for a year now and I believe in their understanding of the space and the skill to position brands in the right environment which will help SanjeevKapoorKhazana realise its full potential in terms of revenue maximization.”

     

    Helios Media has augmented its existing team with a central digital team in Mumbai under Kirtan Mankad who has earlier worked with UTV, Zoom and Hungama.

     

    Helios Media MD Divya Radhakrishnan commented, “Helios Media’s focus is on selling brands and not just commodities by appropriate positioning and working with brand custodians to provide seamless solutions that go beyond regular commercial advertising. We strongly believe that TV has grown beyond just providing reach and its content has the power to influence. Therefore it is important for commercial messaging to chase the content irrespective of the screen it comes on. It’s because of this approach that the SanjeevKapoorKhazana mandate came our way and we are delighted to be entrusted with this responsibility by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor.”

     

    This expansion adds to Helios’s existing portfolio of MTunes HD, Channel X, FoodFood and Fashion TV.

  • FOODFOOD integrates with Nagesh Kukunoor’s Lakshmi

    FOODFOOD integrates with Nagesh Kukunoor’s Lakshmi

    MUMBAI: FOODFOOD, the No 1 food lifestyle channel in India joins with director Nagesh Kukunoor’s film,  Lakshmi,  based on women trafficking, a frightening reality that haunts women from deprived backgrounds. A true story of a child-woman whose spirit could not be broken in spite of trauma and emotional battering she faced.

     

    As a part of the integration FOODFOOD is hosting a contest during its popular TV show Cook Smart with Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor who is joined by director Nagesh Kukunoor, stars Shefali Shah &the protagonist Monali Thakur (ex Indian Idol) on the show. During the episode, January 23rd, 5.00 PM, viewers will be asked three contest questions from the said episode and the questions will be posted on Facebook page of FOODFOOD. The winners will get Lakshmi movie merchandise and exciting prizes.

     

    Stay tuned to FOODFOOD on January 23rd, at 5.00 PM, to Cook Smart and win fabulous prizes.

  • FoodFood serves two new shows to tingle your taste buds

    FoodFood serves two new shows to tingle your taste buds

    MUMBAI: There is good news for foodies; FoodFood is all set to bring exquisite cuisines to your platter. The lifestyle channel is all set to add new flavours with two new specialties.

    Get ready to see Chef Sanjeev Kapoor travel around the globe exploring different cuisines and eating habits of the locals. The Out of the World Series…Africa, which will shoot across 105 countries, starts its journey from East Africa. In the first season, which begins from today, the chef along with his six member crew travels to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. “The show is a marriage of food and travel,” says producer Runjiv Kapur.

    In the show Sanjeev will recount his tale of scary encounters, unusual spices and rendezvous with tribal chieftain and much more! “When we started shooting for the show, nothing was planned. We shot for 15 days for 12-13 hours a day. And shooting at every stop,” he adds.

    So why start with East Africa? Answers Sanjeev, “Two reasons: One, because it is a creator of mankind and two because the producer is based in Tanzania.” The host of the series also believes that it is a concept which is different and would be a trend setter for channels.

    Talking about how the concept came about, producer Kapur who is writing a series of books onGreat Bazaars of the World says, “When I met Sanjeev a few years back I pitched the idea of going to the bazaars of the world and shooting not in the kitchen but on location. We did shoot a pilot for the same then but could not take it ahead because Sanjeev had to devote 15 days for the shoot, which did not work out.” It was last year that the duo got together again and took it forward by starting the shoot in East Africa.

    The unique thing about the programme is that it has been shot in natural habitats which will see even animals roaming around freely. “We are cooking the local cuisines with local chefs. So Sanjeev is watching the chef create the dish and he then explains it to the audience,” informs Kapur.

    According to the two, the show is not scripted. “Because it is not scripted, we shot hours of footage for a 22 minute episode. We were literally shooting on the fly. And when you do that, the show takes shape on the editing table. Though there was a structure initially, it later became more spontaneous,” adds Kapur.

    Not confirming the next destination, Kapur says that they are looking at places which are unexplored. “It is no mall shopping show. We are looking at places with rich culture, history and not much explored. We are here on a discovery.” The duo has already started working on the next season and believes that the feedback they get from the first season will add value to the next.

    So, does shooting a show of this magnitude require big budget? “For channel like us, we learn to do things in an efficient way. Even for world class quality you may not need to spend too much, yes you have to put more efforts, like we shot gorilla style, but at the end we have come out with a great product,” informs Sanjeev.

    Another show which went on air on 13 August hopes to connect with the audience by bringing out the essence of tea time. The focus of the show Hi Tea, hosted by Chef Ajay Chopra, is on the Indian family for whom tea time gives another reason to get together. “The idea is to promote the concept of Chal Chai Peete Hai,” says Chopra who was earlier seen in the first season of MasterChef India on Star Plus.

    The show will concentrate on the tea drinking habits of people around the globe. “Tea has become a reason for people to meet. Also what makes it special is the snacks along with the Tea. And through this show, I am telling people not only of different ways of drinking tea, but the add on snacks along with their special tea,” adds Chopra.So how did it all start? Chopra (smiles) and says, “I met Sanjeev Kapoor during MasterChef. It was then that we started thinking of doing something in FoodFood. Though nothing materialised then, it was four months back that we again started talking about the show.” Ask how it is different from the rest of the shows, he informs, “See there are two ways to connect to people: Either reach out to them through their favourite cuisine or through presenting new cuisines. In this show we are reaching their heart with new cuisines. Through this show, we want to make teatime, the best experience of the day.”

    While Hi Tea occupies the 4 pm slot, Out of the World Series…Africa will be on at 9 pm. Explaining the time slot, Sanjeev says, “Well, the show in the 4 pm slot is for pure learning. In this slot we are targeting people who want to learn and replicate the dish. So the core audience for Hi Tea is someone who wants to learn to cook while the secondary audience is the family. For, Out of the World Series…Africa, our core TG is the family which comes together to watch a series like this.”

    Both the shows have completed the shoot for the first season. The first season of Hi Tea will have 26 episodes and is looking at a larger chunk of 100 episodes. While Out of the World Series…Africa has shot 15 episodes for its first season. Chopra for the first season has set up his kitchen in Filmistan located in Goregaon in Mumbai. “Well, we have started with shooting in my kitchen, which has been especially created for this show, but I am also looking at shooting in hotels first in India and then abroad,” informs Chopra.

    The channel is using all mediums: television, print, outdoor to market the two shows. “We do spend on marketing, but we do smart spending,” comments Sanjeev. The channel is only buying the hoardings in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and couple of sites in Pune for promotions. They have also shot around 10 promos for Out of the World Series…Africa for television promotions and a one-minute long promo for Hi Tea, which will now be broken to various versions.

    Ask the planners and they say that though this is not a unique concept as in the past various other chefs have tried their hands on travel and food genre. “What we have to see is how well it is accepted by the Indian pallet,” says a Delhi based media planner.

    Is the channel trying an Anthony Bourdain and Bobby Chinn twist with the addition of these two shows? It is up to the food and travel lovers to give their verdict, which we will surely keep a track of once the television ratings are declared!

  • Food Food to ‘Sizzle’ this year

    Food Food to ‘Sizzle’ this year

    MUMBAI: Food Food has had a ‘sizzling’ new makeover. And it’s not just about the tagline.

    The Sanjeev Kapoor-promoted television channel has given a fresh tadka to its shows and hosts, including adding 11 new ones to the existing pack.

    Kapoor informs that a team was formed under the guidance of Helios, the ad agency which works closely with and provides creative inputs to Food Food for the repositioning exercise. It took 45 days of brainstorming and dipstick with industry, the in-house team and the audience to finalize the tagline.

    We have to be ahead of the curve and have to be at leader position at all times says Sanjeev kapoor

    “Sizzling is a term that has personality and can be related to food and is ‘Hot’. TV has a sense to it and today, the audience consumes TV with a sense of sight and sound. When we started brainstorming, one thing that became clear was that the tagline had to be relevant to the senses. And ‘Sizzling’ does that perfectly,” says Kapoor.

    ‘Sizzling’ is but a part of the series of changes the channel has undergone. “Sizzling has the attitude. We wanted a personality to the tagline and ‘Sizzling’ has it. The chefs in the shows and also the shows have all undergone a makeover. We have added more lifestyle shows, but the base is still food,” Kapoor points out.

    While existing shows like Out of Africa and Hi Tea will continue to air on Food Food, the channel has come up with new shows such as Sunny Side Up and Becoming along with a couple of health shows. “We will also be launching a new ‘Sizzling’ show, starting January,” Kapoor informs. 

    Additionally, some existing shows have had a name change. “So Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen is now renamed as Cook Smart. Likewise, other shows have undergone a change. Right from the sets to the chef’s styling and the food, everything about the channel has changed along with the tagline,” says Kapoor.

    Kapoor believes the channel has evolved from being ‘Food Food- Khusiyon Ki Recipe’ to ‘Food Food-India Ka Favourite TV channel’ and now ‘Sizzling.’

    Says he: “At Food Food, we have always believed that we have to be ahead of the curve and have to be at leader position at all times. The change in positioning is a reflection of that.”

    Kapoor believes he is in the food business and not the TV business. “We have been fortunate to have registered 85 per cent growth from February 2013 to October 2013,” says he.

     

    To what does he attribute the growth? It’s not due to a clutch of shows but all the shows telecast on the channel. The other reason is the annual deals and close associations with FMCG companies like HUL and Nestle like: “Helios has been a game changer for us,” he says.

    So has Food Food hiked ad rates? “Well, the current year focuses on taking on board all prestigious clients with offerings which is perceived as a value addition to both advertisers and viewers. Going forward, based on market dynamics, the ad rate may increase,” he informs.

    Food Food, which already caters to Canada through ATN is now targeting US and Africa. “We may close the deal with US by the end of this month. We are also closely looking at Africa,” says Kapoor.

    The channel which has a strong base in the north, is planning to move south however, Kapoor refuses to divulge details. “We have growth plans. But once we are about to close in on the plan, we will discuss it,” he says.

    What’s this year looking like for Food Food? “Newer shows, more upscale positioning, better understanding of viewers and digital proliferation of content is our plan for 2014,” he signs off.

  • Indian content to ‘Glow’ in South Africa

    Indian content to ‘Glow’ in South Africa

    MUMBAI: If you were ever in doubt about the cross-border reach of Indian television content, here’s some solid proof.

    A recently launched South African TV channel – Glow TV, in the business of syndicating and displaying content from across the globe, will give SA audiences a taste of our home-grown television shows such as Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, Kya Huaa Tera Vaada and Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen (Sony), No Big Deal (NDTV) and Koffee with Karan (Star India).

    An FTA channel, Glow TV, will also telecast UK-based Indian shows like The Kumars at No 42 and Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee.

    The first television channel from Kagiso Media, Glow TV, is a partnership between Kagiso Media and Nolava Television, and calls itself ‘Eastern inspired’. This is its first television offering as it has a significant holding in the radio business.

    With the Census 2011 pegging the Indian population in South Africa at 1.3 million, a majority of which lives in and around the city of Durban, Glow TV will mainly cater to this segment.

    Yusuf Nabee says that the channel will give what people have been asking for- universal story lines and great production quality

    “We believe that there is no channel which caters to this market in the free-to-air arena. Whilst our primary target market is the South African Indian audience between the ages of 20 – 45 years, we do believe that our content has great crossover appeal and will attract audiences across the South African market,” says Glow TV head Yusuf Nabee.

    Apart from India, content is also being sourced from various distributors in countries like Brazil and the US. As of now, Glow TV has no original content but that will be part of phase two and will be produced by its subsidiary, Urban Brew Studios. “We will look at content in all languages – our main criteria are compelling entertainment and high production values,” says Nabee.

    People today are looking at great content, high production values and universal story lines, all of which Glow TV can provide, according to Nabee. “Glow is a cleverly tailored offering that brings comedy, drama, movies, reality, food and game shows, in one easy-to-access, free-to-air offering,” he exults.

    Currently, Glow TV is only looking at adding English sub-titles though there are plans to dub shows in future.

     
    Nilesh Kriplani says that this deal will give their shows great value

    But why would Indian television channels like Sony, NDTV and Star India want to be a part of this new channel?

    For Sony, it is about supporting an upcoming channel of a parent they have known for the last two to three years. “Although our channel is already known in Africa, this deal adds value to our library content and also increases awareness,” says Sony Entertainment Network Exec VP Syndication Nitesh Kriplani.

    For Star India, it is about expanding into Africa with its linear channels as well as syndication. “Kagiso was looking for top-quality Indian content to populate Glow TV programming and Star being the biggest content creator of India, was a natural destination for Kagiso. So, we found great synergies in working together to further our expansion plans in Africa,” says Star India senior VP commercial Ashutosh Mordekar, adding, “For now, just the first two seasons of Koffee with Karan are being shared, but more shows are in discussion.”

    Star India is expanding its reach to Africa says Ashutosh Mordekar

    With Glow TV yet to pick up in the market, all deals are only for a period of two to three years. Also, with all syndicated shows, the channel is presently relying on advertisers for revenue. A package called ‘Glow Watt Bundles’ has been designed for Indian advertisers with a presence in South Africa. Kagiso Media has entitled its ad sales rights exclusively to H2O Media for all advertisers based in India. H2O is a media marketing company that markets Indian content that caters to the NRI community to Indian advertisers.

    Currently, Glow TV is only available on the Open View HD satellite bouquet along with 14 other channels. An initial amount of ZAR 1600 has to be paid for acquiring the set top box, satellite dish and for installation that is paid to Open View HD whose USP is ‘pay once-enjoy forever’.

    However, plans are afoot to bring in more channels under the Glow TV umbrella in future when South Africa shifts from analogue to digital TV. With the way things are shaping, more Indian shows are set to be aired on Glow TV as well.

  • Indian content to Glow in South Africa

    Indian content to Glow in South Africa

    MUMBAI: If you were ever in doubt about the cross-border reach of Indian television content, here’s some solid proof.

    A recently launched South African TV channel – Glow TV, in the business of syndicating and displaying content from across the globe, will give SA audiences a taste of our home-grown television shows such as Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, Kya Huaa Tera Vaada and Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen (Sony), No Big Deal (NDTV) and Koffee with Karan (Star India).

    An FTA channel, Glow TV, will also telecast UK-based Indian shows like The Kumars at No 42 and Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee.

    The first television channel from Kagiso Media, Glow TV, is a partnership between Kagiso Media and Nolava Television, and calls itself ‘Eastern inspired’. This is its first television offering as it has a significant holding in the radio business.

    With the Census 2011 pegging the Indian population in South Africa at 1.3 million, a majority of which lives in and around the city of Durban, Glow TV will mainly cater to this segment.

    “We believe that there is no channel which caters to this market in the free-to-air arena. Whilst our primary target market is the South African Indian audience between the ages of 20 – 45 years, we do believe that our content has great crossover appeal and will attract audiences across the South African market,” says Glow TV head Yusuf Nabee.

    Yusuf Nabee says that the channel will give what people have been asking for- universal story lines and great production quality

    Apart from India, content is also being sourced from various distributors in countries like Brazil and the US. As of now, Glow TV has no original content but that will be part of phase two and will be produced by its subsidiary, Urban Brew Studios. “We will look at content in all languages – our main criteria are compelling entertainment and high production values,” says Nabee.

    People today are looking at great content, high production values and universal story lines, all of which Glow TV can provide, according to Nabee. “Glow is a cleverly tailored offering that brings comedy, drama, movies, reality, food and game shows, in one easy-to-access, free-to-air offering,” he exults.

    Currently, Glow TV is only looking at adding English sub-titles though there are plans to dub shows in future.

    But why would Indian television channels like Sony, NDTV and Star India want to be a part of this new channel?

     

     
    Nilesh Kriplani says that this deal will give their shows great value

     

    For Sony, it is about supporting an upcoming channel of a parent they have known for the last two to three years. “Although our channel is already known in Africa, this deal adds value to our library content and also increases awareness,” says Sony Entertainment Network Exec VP Syndication Nitesh Kriplani.

     

    For Star India, it is about expanding into Africa with its linear channels as well as syndication. “Kagiso was looking for top-quality Indian content to populate Glow TV programming and Star being the biggest content creator of India, was a natural destination for Kagiso. So, we found great synergies in working together to further our expansion plans in Africa,” says Star India senior VP commercial Ashutosh Mordekar, adding, “For now, just the first two seasons of Koffee with Karan are being shared, but more shows are in discussion.”

    Star India is expanding its reach to Africa says Ashutosh Mordekar

    With Glow TV yet to pick up in the market, all deals are only for a period of two to three years. Also, with all syndicated shows, the channel is presently relying on advertisers for revenue. A package called ‘Glow Watt Bundles’ has been designed for Indian advertisers with a presence in South Africa. Kagiso Media has entitled its ad sales rights exclusively to H2O Media for all advertisers based in India. H2O is a media marketing company that markets Indian content that caters to the NRI community to Indian advertisers.

    Currently, Glow TV is only available on the Open View HD satellite bouquet along with 14 other channels. An initial amount of ZAR 1600 has to be paid for acquiring the set top box, satellite dish and for installation that is paid to Open View HD whose USP is ‘pay once-enjoy forever’.

    However, plans are afoot to bring in more channels under the Glow TV umbrella in future when South Africa shifts from analogue to digital TV. With the way things are shaping, more Indian shows are set to be aired on Glow TV as well.

  • DDB MudraMax & Sugar Free Natura urges people, ‘Khushiyan gino, Calories nahi’

    DDB MudraMax & Sugar Free Natura urges people, ‘Khushiyan gino, Calories nahi’

    Mumbai: Zydus Wellness has launched a campaign ‘Khushiyan gino, Calories nahi’ for its product Sugar Free Natura with its brand ambassador celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor

    Commenting on this, Zydus Wellness MD Elkana Ezekiel said, “Festivals should always be a reason to celebrate, not worry about how many sweets you are eating. It is this insight on which we feel Sugar Free Natura plays a big role. It provides a healthier alternative during festivals without compromising on celebrating with your family. Sugar Free Natura, a zero calorie sweetener from the Sugar Free stable has been the No.1 in this category for many years.”

    The campaign is done by DDBMudraMax, starting with the print ad. The team has also created a microsite – promoted across print and on-ground events along with banner ads across various portals and social media.

    DDB MudraMax team will run on-ground promotions across 7 cities in 9 malls.  
    Commenting on this, DDB MudraMax associate vice president Alvin D’souza said, “A combination of interesting festive content along with use of new age media worked as a success mantra for the campaign. This integrated campaign helped in reaching out to the consumer not only on ground and on web but also in their own space on their mobile phone. We are delighted to extend our integrated media services to Sugar Free from Zydus Wellness. So this season truely Khushiyan gino, Calories nahi.”

    Adding to this, DDB MudraMax president Mandeep Malhotra said, “We are proud to partner with Sugar Free. The idea is really appealing to have sweet without the calories. Loved the joy it spread in the health conscious sweet tooth people.”