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Tag: Sony SIX

  • Sony Six set to enthral audiences with MCL featuring cricketing legends

    Sony Six set to enthral audiences with MCL featuring cricketing legends

    MUMBAI: Come 28 January, 2016 and cricket fans will be in for a treat as they’ll get an opportunity to watch cricketing legends like Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Wasim Akram and their ilk padding up to take centre stage once again on lush green fields.

    As the Masters Cricket League (MCL) kicks-off, six franchises namely Libra Legends, Gemini Arabians, Sagittarius Soldiers, Virgo Super Kings, Capricorn Commanders and Leo Lions will tussle it out amongst each other, with the two best teams making it to the grand finale, which will be played on 3 February, 2016.

    And gearing up for the live telecast of the maiden cricketing tourney from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah is Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India’s sports channel Sony Six. The first match will be aired live tomorrow at 7.30 pm.

    While SPN India recently inked a JV with sportscaster ESPN and launched two new sports channels, the MCL will be aired on Sony Six and not on the new channels namely Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD.

    “From a fan’s perspective, a primary destination for a particular event is both convenient and essential. In this particular case, we decided that it would be Sony Six. We may provide an occasional match on Sony ESPN based on requirements,” SPN sports cluster EVP and business head Prasana Krishnan tells Indiantelevision.com.  

    World record holder Brian Lara, flamboyant opener Virender Sehwag and swinger Wasim Akram have already shared their excitement to be a part of the league. Apart from them, the Ashes-winning England captain Michael Vaughan, popular former South African captain Graeme Smith, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, recently retired Sri Lankan duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, and former Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood are also amongst those who have signed up for the league. With participation from these names, the excitement around MCL is palpable.

    “The Masters Champions League has an impressive line-up of international cricket legends and all time stars, who have a huge fan following. Fans are really looking forward to the opportunity of watching cricket legends who have retired, extending their careers in the MCL,” adds Krishnan.

    The sportscaster is said to have signed the multi-year deal for close to $20 million. A media expert asserts, “This is a smart acquisition as I think it the MCL will continue to grow bigger with time. The tournament has big names associated with it and the matches will be competitive. If it starts well, cricket fans will be privy to something that they never expected and it has the potential to mark a new beginning.”

    The brand interest so far has been commendable, and there have been a few last minute deals, which Sony Six is juggling with. “Cricket is the most popular sport in India, which is extremely valuable to advertisers. We already have two leading brands on board for the Masters Champions League and are expecting to add a few more through the course of the event,” informs Krishnan without divulging any names.

    A senior sports media planner says, “The ad rates and number of sponsors on the first edition is not something that should be looked at. Any number is a good number; what is important at this stage is the nature of the tournament. Cricket always garners high eyeballs and the players are all brand ambassadors so if it picks up, it will be an exhibition.”

    Throwing light on the reason behind Sony Six going after the MCL, Krishnan says, “With the MCL, our aim is to bring high quality packaged content that will appeal to our audiences in the Indian sub-continent. We are glad to present to our viewers, a chance to connect with their favourite international legends and look forward to some great cricketing action in this exciting T20 tournament.”

    A cricket commentator, on condition of anonymity, adds, “I am excited to see the players I have grown up commentating on. I think the teams are a good mix of newly retired and previously retired players and hence it will be even-stevens. None of them have to prove anything to anyone but… ‘Once a warrior, always a warrior!’ Hence competition is ought to be there. I think it will be an entertaining voyage and if packaged properly, the MCL will be a great watch. I am sure there will be many trending hashtags all over as the tournament starts.”

    Sharing his thoughts on the concept, Krishnan concludes, “The Masters Champions League is presenting retired legends coming together in a first of its kind T20 cricket league. Viewers will get a chance to see their heroes in action once again and relive their finest nostalgic moments on the field.”

  • Sony Six set to enthral audiences with MCL featuring cricketing legends

    Sony Six set to enthral audiences with MCL featuring cricketing legends

    MUMBAI: Come 28 January, 2016 and cricket fans will be in for a treat as they’ll get an opportunity to watch cricketing legends like Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Wasim Akram and their ilk padding up to take centre stage once again on lush green fields.

    As the Masters Cricket League (MCL) kicks-off, six franchises namely Libra Legends, Gemini Arabians, Sagittarius Soldiers, Virgo Super Kings, Capricorn Commanders and Leo Lions will tussle it out amongst each other, with the two best teams making it to the grand finale, which will be played on 3 February, 2016.

    And gearing up for the live telecast of the maiden cricketing tourney from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah is Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India’s sports channel Sony Six. The first match will be aired live tomorrow at 7.30 pm.

    While SPN India recently inked a JV with sportscaster ESPN and launched two new sports channels, the MCL will be aired on Sony Six and not on the new channels namely Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD.

    “From a fan’s perspective, a primary destination for a particular event is both convenient and essential. In this particular case, we decided that it would be Sony Six. We may provide an occasional match on Sony ESPN based on requirements,” SPN sports cluster EVP and business head Prasana Krishnan tells Indiantelevision.com.  

    World record holder Brian Lara, flamboyant opener Virender Sehwag and swinger Wasim Akram have already shared their excitement to be a part of the league. Apart from them, the Ashes-winning England captain Michael Vaughan, popular former South African captain Graeme Smith, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, recently retired Sri Lankan duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, and former Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood are also amongst those who have signed up for the league. With participation from these names, the excitement around MCL is palpable.

    “The Masters Champions League has an impressive line-up of international cricket legends and all time stars, who have a huge fan following. Fans are really looking forward to the opportunity of watching cricket legends who have retired, extending their careers in the MCL,” adds Krishnan.

    The sportscaster is said to have signed the multi-year deal for close to $20 million. A media expert asserts, “This is a smart acquisition as I think it the MCL will continue to grow bigger with time. The tournament has big names associated with it and the matches will be competitive. If it starts well, cricket fans will be privy to something that they never expected and it has the potential to mark a new beginning.”

    The brand interest so far has been commendable, and there have been a few last minute deals, which Sony Six is juggling with. “Cricket is the most popular sport in India, which is extremely valuable to advertisers. We already have two leading brands on board for the Masters Champions League and are expecting to add a few more through the course of the event,” informs Krishnan without divulging any names.

    A senior sports media planner says, “The ad rates and number of sponsors on the first edition is not something that should be looked at. Any number is a good number; what is important at this stage is the nature of the tournament. Cricket always garners high eyeballs and the players are all brand ambassadors so if it picks up, it will be an exhibition.”

    Throwing light on the reason behind Sony Six going after the MCL, Krishnan says, “With the MCL, our aim is to bring high quality packaged content that will appeal to our audiences in the Indian sub-continent. We are glad to present to our viewers, a chance to connect with their favourite international legends and look forward to some great cricketing action in this exciting T20 tournament.”

    A cricket commentator, on condition of anonymity, adds, “I am excited to see the players I have grown up commentating on. I think the teams are a good mix of newly retired and previously retired players and hence it will be even-stevens. None of them have to prove anything to anyone but… ‘Once a warrior, always a warrior!’ Hence competition is ought to be there. I think it will be an entertaining voyage and if packaged properly, the MCL will be a great watch. I am sure there will be many trending hashtags all over as the tournament starts.”

    Sharing his thoughts on the concept, Krishnan concludes, “The Masters Champions League is presenting retired legends coming together in a first of its kind T20 cricket league. Viewers will get a chance to see their heroes in action once again and relive their finest nostalgic moments on the field.”

  • Sony Pictures Networks’ Sony Six acquires MCL rights

    Sony Pictures Networks’ Sony Six acquires MCL rights

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (formerly Multi Screen Media) has bagged the exclusive telecast rights to the first edition of the Masters Champions League (MCL), a T20 cricket league, which is slated to begin on 28 January, 2016.

    Further expanding its bouquet of international sporting events, Sony Six will telecast all the 18 matches of the inaugural edition of the tournament live and exclusive from Dubai and Sharjah across the Indian sub-continent.

    The MCL has also roped in Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the current captain of the Indian national cricket team as the brand ambassador. Six teams will take part in the tournament led by an iconic player and each team has been named after zodiac signs, such as Libra, Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo, Capricorn and Leo.

    The first MCL match has been scheduled with two former teammates, Sourav Ganguly from Libra Legends and Virender Sehwag from Gemini Arabians, leading their teams to play against each other at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS). Iconic players like Brian Lara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Adam Gilchrist, Paul Collingwood, Brett Lee, Jacques Kallis, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara among others have also been drafted in the MCL teams. The final match of the MCL will also be staged at the DICS on 13 February, 2016.

    Commenting on the acquisition Sony Six and Kix business head Prasana Krishnan said, “Most fans have grown up watching these International and Indian legends play and the tournament gives them an opportunity to connect with them again. Viewers of Sony Six can look forward to some great cricketing action and we are excited to partner with the Masters Champions League as a result.”

    MCL chief executive director Sam Khan added, “We are delighted that we are partnering with Sony Six. They have an outstanding reputation as a sports broadcaster and have played an integral role in promoting and growing the game. We are very confident that they will do all that is necessary to do the same for the MCL.”

    The acquisition of MCL further adds to the network’s line-up of live cricket T20 events, which presently include the Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL), Karnataka Premier League, Ram Slam T20 Challenge and Caribbean Premier League.

    MCL launched the official ticket sales of the tournament earlier this week with the brand ambassador Dhoni giving a special video message to fans.

  • Has KPL opened a new door for cricket crazy broadcasters?

    Has KPL opened a new door for cricket crazy broadcasters?

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (erstwhile Multi Screen Media) with its recent foray into regional cricket league has given the sports industry an alternative to mainstream international cricket. The network tasted success with the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) telecast live on Sony Six and Sony Kix, which fetched good viewership.

    Cricket in India has become an expensive proposition for broadcasters with acquisition costs soaring sky high. Even as the number of sportcasters with heavy purses increase in the television ecosystem, the 365 days calendar is turning out to be too small for them to accommodate all the cricketing action through the year.

    While kabaddi showed the nation that cricket was not the only sport that created the all-pervading excitement, in a country where cricket is as big as a religion, nothing can suppress it.

    Sports channels in India without cricket in its portfolio are still considered as wingless birds. The sport-broadcasting ecosystem is going to see a tsunami of developments in the near future. The ESPN – Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (erstwhile Multi Screen Media) deal has already prepped the industry for what’s in store. The price tag attached to the broadcasting rights of the cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL) is being speculated to double if not more when they come up for fresh bidding in 2017. The rights currently vest with SPN India and were acquired after signing a $1 billion deal for 10 years.

    What’s more, it will be a tad too optimistic to assume that one of the fastest growing media conglomerate in India, Viacom 18 will not enter the sports space in the near future. Speculations are rife that the Peter Hutton led Eurosport has a keen eye on the Indian market and is planning an entry as early as sometime next year. Star India, which holds the rights to BCCI and ICC sporting events, is also likely to aggressively bid for the IPL. Star recently acquired IPL’s digital rights for three years for a mammoth sum of Rs 302.2 crore.

    Media mogul Subhash Chandra’s love for cricket is a well known fact. Chandra’s Ten Sports holds the broadcasting rights of multiple international cricket boards. Nimbus Communications’ Harish Thawani has also been taking baby steps towards cricket. Recently his sports channel Neo Sports acquired the broadcasting rights of Bangladesh Premier League.

    At a time like this, KPL has come as a new and lucrative avenue as far as cricket is concerned. Sony Six and Sony Kix business head Prasana Krishnan is of the opinion that the seriousness of the Karnataka State Cricket Association plays a vital role in garnering high viewership. “KPL is actually a very sincere effort from the association. They have been doing it with precision. Despite it being a low budgeted affair, it is being executed with sheer class,” he tells Indiantelevision.com.

    The timing of the league is also a vital factor as per Krishnan. “It is played post the monsoons and during that period there is neither much international cricket featuring India nor are there many big leagues scheduled. At a time like this, when you add good production value, it makes for a good property,” he informs.

    However, it does beg one vital question: Are there enough monetising avenues available? “KPL for us is an experiment. More than revenue, it’s a matter of extending our portfolio. The revenue will depend on quality. It depends on the players available. For now, it’s a portfolio formation for us. We will look into other aspects with time,” says Krishnan.

    Neo Sports EVP programming Mautik Tolia also feels that regional leagues can be a good prospect for broadcasters provided the expectations are realistic. “Regional cricket leagues helps broadcasters in reaching out to a new audience. Our foray into Bangladesh Premier League has given us a new set of audience from the West Bengal region. If there is an opportunity to acquire rights of any such regional cricket league, we will aggressively bid for it,” Tolia says.

    A senior media planner feels that if broadcasters package and promote regional cricket leagues, it can be a profitable proposition. “There are a good number of regional advertisers, who cannot afford the high ad rates of international cricket tourneys. If there is good return on investment, advertisers will like to be there. But the broadcaster will have to take the sport seriously,” the planner asserts on condition of anonymity.

    In the west, school and college championships in NBA and Rugby garner a huge traction. What’s more, sports broadcasters too back it aggressively and produce it with serious energy. However, the scenario is a little different with cricket in India as per Krishnan. “NBA or Soccer scout for players from schools and colleges. There is no other tournament involved in the system. With cricket, a cricketer has club and Ranji commitments, which are all 365 days engagements. So it will be unfair to compare this to the west. We will evaluate all possibilities and if we find a regional league, which has quality players involved in it and is played at a time when team India is not in action, we will go for it,” he affirms.

    It was recently reported that Chandra was planning to start a cricket league in Chandigarh. It remains to be seen how broadcasters react to SPN India’s start. One this is certain that channels need to look beyond international cricket to have the sport in their portfolio without burning a hole in their pockets. Who does it and on what scale is only a matter of wait and watch.

    Ratings of KPL 2015

  • Backed by three sponsors PWL can rake in over Rs 25 crore in debut year

    Backed by three sponsors PWL can rake in over Rs 25 crore in debut year

    MUMBAI: Kartikeya Sharma and Vishal Gurnani’s joint venture Pro-Sportify’s decision to foray into wrestling is off to a flying start. The league has roped in Dabur Chyawanprash as the title sponsor while cola giant Thums Up has joined in as powered by sponsor. Jaguar Lighting has also been roped in as co-sponsor. 

    Gurnani and Sharma are both buoyed by the preparation. “We are all set for Pro Wrestling League season 1, we kick off today at seven and its certain that the sport will emerge as a clear number two after cricket in India” said the duo.

    The telecast rights of the league is with Multi Screen Media (MSM) and the network is planning to dish out the tourney in three different channels. Sony Six will relay the English feed while Sony Pal and Sony Max will broadcast the Hindi commentary.

    The network in association with DDB Mudra has unveiled an intriguing campaign to garner high number of eyeballs. “We are extremely happy with the marketing campaign that they have done. Over 600,000 television minutes spread across numerous channel with separate creatives for man and woman. It cannot get any better” said the duo.  
        
          
    A senior media planner on condition of anonymity said, “Wrestling as a sport in popular in India, it’s just it has never been packaged properly. They are putting in some serious money and the network is also promoting it aggressively too. Moreover the league will be aired on Sony Pal which is an FTA available on Sony Pal so with BARC Rural data in now I won’t be surprised if they emerge as the number two after cricket. Overall in my opinion the first year will create the buzz, but the packaging and follow ups will decide the long term fate.”

    If sources are to be believed then the league has already raked in close to Rs 20 crore as sponsorship revenue and have a few deals are still at the last stage. “I think season one will generate close to Rs 25 crore. Which will be shared among Sony and Pro-Sportify. The broadcasting rights were given to MSM for a little more than 100 crore” said a source.          

    The league kick-starts today (10 December 2015) and will conclude on 27 December 2015. The matches are slotted at a prime time slot of 7 Pm. 

  • Max unveils ‘Khel Fauladi’ themed campaign for Pro Wrestling League

    Max unveils ‘Khel Fauladi’ themed campaign for Pro Wrestling League

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media (MSM), which acquired the broadcasting rights of the Pro Wrestling League for five years, has unveiled it’s new blood boiling campaign for the same. Wrestling is a physical sport, which makes the blood boil and the campaign in that sense does justice to it.

     

    The campaign theme in the debut season is Khel Fauladi and has been orchestrated by DDB Mudra. The campaign focuses on skill, strength and endurance as well as centres on putting one’s weaknesses aside, while bringing out the fighter spirit.

     

    Khel Fauladi consists of two TVCs, one targeting the men wrestlers while the other provokes the eves. Two distinct teasers will support the TVCs.

     

    The tournament is scheduled to start from 10 December, 2015 and to generate awareness MSM has already started showcasing the TVCs within its network. “From tomorrow the TVCs will be seen across multiple channels including the kids and news genres. Besides television, we will also promote the league through outdoor and print medium,” Sony Max, Sony Max2 and Sony Mix senior EVP and business head Neeraj Vyas

     

    MSM will broadcast the league on three different channels, which cater to a mix of audience. “Sony Max caters to the HSM (Hindi Speaking Market) while Sony Pal gets the DD Direct audience on board. Sony Six will cater to the urban audience,” informs Vyas.

     

    While Sony Pal and Max will air the Hindi feed, the English feed can be watched on Sony Six. The network is not planning to create any special pre or post show programming. “We will start with the start of the match and our coverage will end as the match ends. Time constraints did not allow us to create any exclusive programming, which is something that we are known for. In the future we might explore opportunities of creating special programming but not this time,” explains Vyas.

     

    In recent times the sports ecosystem has witnessed a lot of collaborative approach between broadcasters and league owners, which spelled success for both. In this scenario too, the two stakeholders are working closely to make things beneficiary in the long run. “It is a partnership and we are working on things together. There will be a few breaks, we have a rough playout ready with us and we will work it out with the league owners. In terms of production and packaging too, we are forging forward with a collaborative effort,” says Vyas.

     

    While cricket continues to be the leader, non-cricket sports which were considered as flying bubbles have started to establish themselves. After Kabaddi’s success it was just a matter of time before another sport was converted to a well packaged “league.” And wrestling grabbed the joint attention of Kartikeya Sharma and Vishal Gurnani’s joint venture ProSportify.

     

    Vyas is of the opinion that two upcoming big budget wrestling based films Sultan and Dangal starring Salman Khan and Aamir Khan respectively will heavily promote wrestling in India. And hence it is one of the best time to start a wrestling league. “Pro Wresting will have all the best wrestlers pitted against each other in both men and women categories. So in terms of quality it will be a sheer experience,” Vyas adds.

     

    The broadcaster is yet to close any sponsorship deals but negotiations are on its last legs with a few brands. Vyas asserted, “The advertisers’ reaction has been very good so far. We have made good progress in such a short span of time and soon we will be in a position to reveal a few names.”

     

    Now it remains to be seen how the new addition to the league business unfolds as the days go by.

     

  • MSM – TNA postpones ‘TNA Mumbai’ live event

    MSM – TNA postpones ‘TNA Mumbai’ live event

    MUMBAI: IndianTelevision.com had reported earlier that Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports TV channel Sony Six will be broadcasting three live Total Nonstop Action (TNA) wrestling events to be held in Mumbai from 2 – 4 December.

     

    However, Multi Screen Media (MSM) and TNA Wrestling, the international professional wrestling entertainment organization, has jointly announced today (26 November 2015) that the TNA One Night Only: Mumbai live event has been postponed to 2016 to a yet-to-be decided date.

     

    “The postponement is primarily due to logistical issues around the time of the event. As soon as the new dates are firmed up, it will be announced in an update,” informed the press note.

  • Impact of DAS on Sports Ecosystem

    Impact of DAS on Sports Ecosystem

    DAS  (digital addressable system) is here to stay. Despite the shortcomings, the hiccups in the implementation of the first two phases, the government has announced that it will not extend the deadlines of December 31, 2015 for phase III areas and December 31, 2016 for phase IV, when the entire country is expected to be digitised. After complete switchover, cable TV services will be available only through set top boxes in India.

     

    We, at the Indiantelevision.com are starting a new section – ‘The Impact of DAS’ through which thought leaders, experts from the television ecosystem will share their thoughts, ideas, and say their piece on the subject. We are beginning with the impact of DAS on the sports broadcasting ecosystem. 

     

    Our first expert for the section is Sony Six and Sony Kix Business Head Prasana Krishnan. Sony Six and Sony Kix are a part of the Sony Pictures Network (earlier known as Multi Screen Media Network.) 

     

    Excerpts:

     

    How big an impact has phase I and II digitisation made when it comes to subscription revenues?

     

     

    Digitisation is a very significant and essential step for unlocking the true subscription potential.  It is designed to benefit all stakeholders including content owners, broadcasters, distributors and consumers as it brings addressability and transparency into the system.  We are still in early stages of this and full addressability is still some time away but the overall impact on subscription revenues has been very positive. 

     

    From a sports broadcaster’s point of view are you happy with the two phases of digitisation?

     

     

    The first two phases of digitisation have primarily focused toward catering to the change in the 4 metro’s and households in cities with over 1 million in population.  The experience and progress has been quite positive as the consumer in India is today getting unprecedented access to sports content.  The analog regime had some capacity limitations which often meant prioritisation of sports and ignoring niche interests.  Digitisation has been a key factor behind the growth of non-cricket sports viewership in the country as it has enabled access to such content on a consistent basis.  While the overall progress in these markets is very positive, the full potential is still to be unlocked and a lot still remains to be done in terms of full addressability, channel packages, etc.   

     

    Is the sports broadcasting industry in a subscription positive scenario? Or we are still ad dependent?

     

    Globally, sports broadcasting is primarily driven by subscription and in some cases, it can be even as high as 90 per cent of total revenues.  In India, dependence on ad spends is still very high and I think it will continue to be so in the foreseeable future.  But the share of subscription revenues has seen a good increase in recent years with the advent of DTH sector and digitisation and will hopefully continue to grow. 

     

    Are sports like Football, Badminton which are hugely popular but attract limited advertising profitable assets for a sports broadcaster?

     

    With spur in economic developments and maturing viewership preferences, sports viewership in the country has moved from a single sport to a multi-sport consumption. Compelling alternate sports have now taken a step ahead, and we are seeing their popularity permeate down amongst the Indian audiences leading to increased overall demand for alternate sports.  While certain sports like cricket are extremely advertiser friendly due to their format, others like football, badminton, etc have higher limitations in terms of advertising.  But these sports can be profitable especially with the advent of digitisation and the improving subscription market.

     

    With phase III and IV scheduled do you see a substantial upward growth in subscription revenues?

     

     Digitisation is clearly beneficial for sports broadcasting and some of the benefits are already visible from the first two phases.  Phase III and phase IV will help in continuing this growth and would be clearly positive for the industry.

     

    How can a non-cricket sport or a sport with limited ad room turn profitable for broadcasters?

     

    We are currently in a very exciting decade for sports consumption with viewership patterns and preferences showing a particular change over the previous years.  Non-cricket sports have been at the forefront of growth in the country and fans are increasingly connecting with these sports.  Eventually, profitability is clearly a factor dependent on viewer acceptance besides costs.  It is not possible to have a generic answer that applies for all non-cricket sports as it would be a case specific.  If a particular sport has found strong viewer acceptance, profitability will definitely follow irrespective of advertising inventory constraints.

  • BARC week 41: Star Sports 1, Nick, Mastii, Discovery Channel, MTV top their genres

    BARC week 41: Star Sports 1, Nick, Mastii, Discovery Channel, MTV top their genres

    MUMBAI: According to the BARC data on All India (U+R) basis, Star Sports 1 became number one in the sports genre, while Nick continues to lead the kids genre. On the other hand, MTV led the youth genre, while Mastii bagged the first position in the music genre and Discovery Channel came out top in the infotainment genre in week 41.

     

    SPORTS

    In the sports genre, Star Sports 1 led the pack with 162592 (000Sums) followed by Star Sports 3 in second slot with 154779 (000Sums) and Ten Sports on third spot with 98566 (000Sums). In the fourth slot Star Sports 2 scored 22473 (000Sums), whereas Sony Six with 19590 (000Sums) was on fifth berth.  

     

    KIDS

    In the Kids genre, Nick continues to lead with 97227 (000Sums) followed by Pogo TV in second spot with 89903 (000Sums) and Cartoon Network with 79384 (000Sums) in the third place. Disney Channel with with 49298 (000Sums) and Hungama with 45675 (000Sums) held the fourth and fifth respectively.

     

    YOUTH

    MTV led the pack in the youth genre with 14219 (000Sums) followed by Zing on second with 10274 (000Sums) and Bindass on third 9645 (000Sums). Zoom secured fourth place with 6698 (000Sums), whereas Channel V was at fifth place with 4383 (000Sums).

     

    MUSIC

    In the music genre, Mastii captured the numero uno position with 113588 (000Sums) followed by B4U with 96364 (000Sums) and 9XM with 78800 (000Sums). 9X Jalwa grabbed fourth slot with 46876 (000Sums), whereas Sony MIX with 38591(000Sums) was in the fifth place.

     

    INFOTAINMENT

    Discovery Channel garnered first place with 6433 (000Sums) followed by National Geographic Channel in the second spot with 4138 (000Sums) and Animal Planet with 3326 (000Sums) in the third slot. History TV 18 secured the fourth spot with 3128 (000Sums) and Nat Geo Wild was on the fifth berth with 1382 (000Sums) respectively.

  • NBA extends broadcast partnership with Sony Six

    NBA extends broadcast partnership with Sony Six

    MUMBAI: National Basketball Association (NBA) and Multi Screen Media (MSM) have announced an extension of their partnership. It will provide up to 14 live NBA games per week on the channel. The partnership was first announced during 2010-11 NBA season. 

     

    With expansion of the partnership, Sony SIX will broadcast up to two regular-season games per day, in addition to NBA All-Star, the playoffs and The Finals.  Sony SIX will also create customized lifestyle-oriented, off-the-court programming from the NBA, Sony entertainment and Bollywood. 

     

    Sony SIX and KIX business head Prasana Krishnan commented, “Our partnership with the NBA has seen basketball become the fastest growing sport in India over the last few years. This clearly indicates that the TV viewing audience for the NBA will continue to rise. The launch of our customized local LIVE NBA wraparound program will also bring sports fans closer to the on-court action.”

     

    NBA India managing director Yannick Colaco asserted, “We are excited to extend our partnership with Sony SIX to continue delivering comprehensive coverage of the NBA to our fans. The popularity of the NBA continues to grow and, through the diversity of NBA programming on Sony SIX, we will continue attracting and engaging with existing and new viewers alike across India.”

     

    Sony SIX will continue to broadcast daily and weekly NBA highlight shows and integrate daily content from NBA TV, including team previews and recap shows.  The daily 30-minute highlight programs will be broadcast in prime time every day of the season.  The weekly highlight shows, hosted by a local anchor, will recap all the happenings around the NBA during the past week. 

     

    For the first time in India, the NBA and Sony SIX will introduce a customized, local live NBA wraparound program every weekend throughout the season, bringing viewers closer to the game.  The program will be hosted by a panel of basketball experts that will provide analysis and insight on all of the latest NBA news.

     

    The NBA and Sony SIX will focus on the development of basketball in India, beginning with the return of NBA Jam on 24 October.  With expansion of the partnership, more NBA players, legends and dance teams will visit India throughout the year.

     

    The coverage of the 2015-16 NBA season by Sony SIX will begin 28 October 2015.