Tag: South Asian

  • Zee UK blazes ahead with bold bets, beats rivals at their own game

    Zee UK blazes ahead with bold bets, beats rivals at their own game

    LONDON: Zee Entertainment UK isn’t just keeping up with the times—it’s running laps around its rivals. While other broadcasters are stuck in planning mode, Zee is executing at full throttle across platforms, markets and formats, setting a relentless pace for innovation in south Asian media.

    Zee Cinema has been clocking consistently high monthly reach in the UK, overtaking legacy players like Star Utsav. But resting on its laurels? 

    It’s not Zee’s style. 

    “Success is not a destination, it is a catalyst for the next leap forward,” said Zee TV territory head for the UK and Europe Parul Goel. His team is reshaping the game, not just playing it.

    Zee’s forward thinking approach has made it a model for others globally. From launching Zee One in Germany to pioneering Fast channels in France and the UK, Zee is rolling out initiatives that others are still workshopping. It was first to bring an Indian GEC—&TV—to the Fast ecosystem, and the first to dub Indian content in German, with Shah Rukh Khan himself launching it.

    It’s also made bolder plays outside the box: launching Europe’s first-ever cricket Fast pop-up channel with live ILT20 season 3 coverage, pulling off a multi-platform crossover of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and Rewind: Queens of the 90s at Wembley Arena, and rolling out contextual advertising in the UK to boost engagement and brand ROI.
    With a 30-year head start, Zee’s legacy is already studded with milestones—like the UK’s first South Asian film awards in 2005 (ZCA), exclusive stage productions like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge at Manchester Opera House, and a track record of being the first sponsor behind major Bollywood concerts.

    Now it’s breaking new ground in streaming. Z5 has introduced the first-ever south Asian SVoD tier with ads in the UK and Europe, aggressively priced for reach. Behind the scenes, AI-led content workflows for Fast have helped Zee cut costs while maintaining its hallmark production quality.

    Even industry peers, in marking Zee’s 30th anniversary, have admitted there’s simply no one better at pushing boundaries. 

    As Goel puts it: “Zee has always been a network of firsts not just in India, but across global markets. While others prepare, we deliver. We’re not just adapting to change, we are leading it.” These words echo through every bold step the network takes.

    As the media landscape continues to evolve, Zee UK remains committed to doing what it has always done best: leading with purpose, innovating with conviction, and delivering with consistency.

    With strategy in its veins and speed as its weapon, Zee UK isn’t just a player in the south Asian broadcasting space. It’s writing the future.

  • Yupp TV gets $50 mn funding from KKR-backed Emerald Media

    Yupp TV gets $50 mn funding from KKR-backed Emerald Media

    MUMBAI: It’s a sign of the confidence international private equity firms have in India’s one-billion plus mobile user base, the over the top (OTT) ecosystem and the appeal south Asian content can have worldwide.

    The Chernin-KKR-Ailleo-Kamath backed Emerald Media yesterday announced that it was investing $50 million (Rs 334 crore) in the Uday Reddy-run internet pay TV platform Yupp TV and gaining a significant minority stake in the firm. The purpose of the fund-raising: expand the OTT service’s footprint globally, its content library through originals and acquisitions, and in the process ramp up its subscriber base.

    Headquartered in Atlanta, Yupp TV offers a mix of live TV (more than 250 channels in 14 languages), TV shows, movies and videos with a focus on the US, UK, Middle East, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the Caribbean.  It has been making inroads in India too with an initial focus on the south Indian market, but has since been spreading nationally. The platform has more than 25,000 hours of entertainment content catalogued in its library, with nearly 5,000 hours of new on-demand content being added to it daily. It recently launched YuppFlix, its on-demand movie streaming service on the back of its 5,000 strong movie catalogue.

    More than five million monthly visitors – peaking at 20 million – log on to the Yupp  TV service using 27 integrated devices. The YuppTV app has had 10 million mobile downloads, 50 million Samsug TV  and 300,000 LG Smart TV pre-installs globally.  The app is also available for PS3 and PS4s.

    Said YuppTV promoter & CEO Uday Reddy:  “We couldn’t ask for a stronger partner than Emerald Media. YuppTV is a content distribution platform with a strong consumer connection, and Emerald Media has global media relationships. We hope to leverage their relationships and existing assets Endemol, OML, Fluence and Graphic India to create original programming and make this platform a next generation distribution and content powerhouse.”

    Added Emerald Media managing director Rajesh Kamat:  “Emerald Media believes in driving change and value-creation by providing a distinctive combination of capital, domain knowledge and management bandwidth. The world is moving from traditional consumption to multiscreen delivery mediums. YuppTV provides a unique combination of technology, strong content relationships and revenues of scale and will be an anchor to our vision of building a new age media company.”

    Said Emerald Media managing director Paul Aiello: “Uday and his team have created an exceptional online video platform with a loyal subscriber base that realizes the huge potential of the global Indian diaspora. Our investment and relationship will enable YuppTV to further their strong leadership position in the rapidly growing OTT space.”

    YuppTV will need all the financial muscle it can get. The Indian OTT and VOD space is just about beginning to warm up with the likes of Amazon keeping aside a war chest of around $300 million for its Prime Video service. Additionally, Netflix, Hotstar, SonyLiv, Ditto TV, Voot, Hooq, Viu, Spuul, and the soon to be launched Alt Balaji are all nurturing ambitious investments and plans to capture a piece of the Indian mobile consumer’s wallet.

    Also read:

    Hooq plans to invest $2 million on original Indian content

    Challenges faced by the OTT players in India; the way ahead

  • Yupp TV gets $50 mn funding from KKR-backed Emerald Media

    Yupp TV gets $50 mn funding from KKR-backed Emerald Media

    MUMBAI: It’s a sign of the confidence international private equity firms have in India’s one-billion plus mobile user base, the over the top (OTT) ecosystem and the appeal south Asian content can have worldwide.

    The Chernin-KKR-Ailleo-Kamath backed Emerald Media yesterday announced that it was investing $50 million (Rs 334 crore) in the Uday Reddy-run internet pay TV platform Yupp TV and gaining a significant minority stake in the firm. The purpose of the fund-raising: expand the OTT service’s footprint globally, its content library through originals and acquisitions, and in the process ramp up its subscriber base.

    Headquartered in Atlanta, Yupp TV offers a mix of live TV (more than 250 channels in 14 languages), TV shows, movies and videos with a focus on the US, UK, Middle East, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the Caribbean.  It has been making inroads in India too with an initial focus on the south Indian market, but has since been spreading nationally. The platform has more than 25,000 hours of entertainment content catalogued in its library, with nearly 5,000 hours of new on-demand content being added to it daily. It recently launched YuppFlix, its on-demand movie streaming service on the back of its 5,000 strong movie catalogue.

    More than five million monthly visitors – peaking at 20 million – log on to the Yupp  TV service using 27 integrated devices. The YuppTV app has had 10 million mobile downloads, 50 million Samsug TV  and 300,000 LG Smart TV pre-installs globally.  The app is also available for PS3 and PS4s.

    Said YuppTV promoter & CEO Uday Reddy:  “We couldn’t ask for a stronger partner than Emerald Media. YuppTV is a content distribution platform with a strong consumer connection, and Emerald Media has global media relationships. We hope to leverage their relationships and existing assets Endemol, OML, Fluence and Graphic India to create original programming and make this platform a next generation distribution and content powerhouse.”

    Added Emerald Media managing director Rajesh Kamat:  “Emerald Media believes in driving change and value-creation by providing a distinctive combination of capital, domain knowledge and management bandwidth. The world is moving from traditional consumption to multiscreen delivery mediums. YuppTV provides a unique combination of technology, strong content relationships and revenues of scale and will be an anchor to our vision of building a new age media company.”

    Said Emerald Media managing director Paul Aiello: “Uday and his team have created an exceptional online video platform with a loyal subscriber base that realizes the huge potential of the global Indian diaspora. Our investment and relationship will enable YuppTV to further their strong leadership position in the rapidly growing OTT space.”

    YuppTV will need all the financial muscle it can get. The Indian OTT and VOD space is just about beginning to warm up with the likes of Amazon keeping aside a war chest of around $300 million for its Prime Video service. Additionally, Netflix, Hotstar, SonyLiv, Ditto TV, Voot, Hooq, Viu, Spuul, and the soon to be launched Alt Balaji are all nurturing ambitious investments and plans to capture a piece of the Indian mobile consumer’s wallet.

    Also read:

    Hooq plans to invest $2 million on original Indian content

    Challenges faced by the OTT players in India; the way ahead

  • MSM’s SAB gets onto OSN Pehla bouquet

    MSM’s SAB gets onto OSN Pehla bouquet

    MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media Network channel Sab has signed a carriage deal with leading middle easy pay TV network – OSN for its Pehla subscribers. The latter has also brought on board Pakistan-based news channel GEO News.

     

    GEO News and SAB TV will be available on OSN Pehla Variety and OSN Pehla Prime Packages.

     

    The OSN platform is owned and operated by Panther Media Group – a company is owned by KIPCO and Mawarid Group.

     

    Says OSN CEO David Butorac: “Since its launch in August 2013, the response to OSN Pehla has been overwhelming. The large community of South Asians who live in the MENA region can now have complete control over their entertainment experience though our award-winning technology and can enjoy world-class cricketing action in high definition. We are delighted that OSN Pehla serves as a bridge for the large South Asian community to their home countries.”

     

    Adds MSM EVP and head international business Neeraj Arora: “We identified a unique offering in the South Asian television sector with SAB TV, which offers round-the-clock and original family comedy content. Our emphasis is to connect with families by providing innovative, light-hearted and clean entertainment. Our partnership with OSN will take SAB TV to a wider audience of not just Indians but people from across South Asia, who live and work in the MENA region.”

     

    “GEO News has set its ambition to be ubiquitous. Our launch on OSN Pehla brings us closer to our mission in the Middle East. As a credible source of news and current affairs in Urdu, GEO News enjoys a loyal and well informed audience,” says GEO TV Network President Iman Aslam. “With an estimated 1.8 million Urdu speaking expatriates in the region, GEO News is sure to become the expat’s window to their homeland to stay on top of local issues. OSN Pehla’s extensive reach, technological and digital capabilities and high standards in customer service are an ideal fit for us to provide a value-added TV experience for our audiences.”

     

    OSN Pehla has a portfolio of over 30 popular South Asian channels in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil and Malayalam. And Butorac is looking at adding more channels to that bouquet over the next few months. 

  • Star expands presence in Netherlands with UPC deal

    Star expands presence in Netherlands with UPC deal

    MUMBAI: UPC, the second largest cable operator in Netherlands, has further consolidated its Asian digital television entertainment offering to the South Asian diaspora by adding Star Gold and Star Life OK.

    With the addition of Star Gold and Star Life OK, UPC now carries three Star network channels on its platform which also includes Star Plus.

    On UPC Nederland, all the Star Network channels offer 24-hour Hindi language entertainment subtitled in English. The new channels will be available for a one-month free view from 15 April in the Hindi pack.

    Star UK and Europe SVP Yeshpal Sharma stated, “The Netherlands is home to the second largest Hindi speaking population after the UK and we are delighted to partner with UPC to offer additional Star channels in this significant market.”

    From 15 April, subscribers can watch Star Plus, Star Gold, Star Life OK, Zee TV, Zee Cinema and Zing as part of the new Hindi Pack for €15.25 per month, says UPC.

    UPC Nederland VP marketing and service Hans Blom said, “Due to the large Hindi speaking population amongst our customers, the Hindi Pack is our leading ethnic premium pack. Our Hindi speaking customers requested us to bundle our Hindi offering and expand the number of channels. In collaboration with Star TV we did. We are happy we can now announce an interesting and entertaining bundle of Hindi channels for a competitive price.”

  • Harvard Business School, India Today Group to launch South Asian edition of HBR

    Harvard Business School, India Today Group to launch South Asian edition of HBR

    NEW DELHI: Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation and The India Today Group today announced a partnership to publish Harvard Business Review South Asia, an English-language edition of the world’s most influential business management magazine.

    Harvard Business Review South Asia will run the same editorial content as the flagship U.S. edition and will include regional advertising. This will mark the 12th edition of the magazine. Collectively, Harvard Business Review’s English-language and translated editions reach nearly half a million readers worldwide.

    Thomas A. Stewart, editor and managing director of Harvard Business Review, was quoted in an official statement as saying, “India is the world’s second’s fastest growing economy and boasts one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative business communities.”

    He added that his company was “delighted by this partnership” as it is important for HBR to be on the ground in India as her contributions to “world business and management thinking increase.”

    Aroon Purie, editor-in-chief of the India Today Group, said: “India has an enormous appetite for the kind of authoritative business content that HBR uniquely delivers. To keep pace with the competitive demands of an increasingly complex global economy, South Asian business leaders are looking for cutting-edge insights and tools to take their companies and their careers to new levels of performance.”

    The premier issue of HBR South Asia will be launched at a special event in Mumbai on 16 October 2006, featuring a panel discussion with HBR editor Thomas Stewart and CEOs of India’s leading companies.

    Harvard Business Review (www.hbr.org) is a leading monthly magazine of management thought and practice.

    The magazine has a worldwide circulation of 242,000. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Harvard Business Review is a business unit of Harvard Business School Publishing, a wholly owned, not-for-profit subsidiary of Harvard University.

    In addition to HBR, HBSP’s offerings include books from Harvard Business School Press, newsletters like Harvard Management Update and the Balanced Scorecard Report, conferences, management development programs and services, and case studies from Harvard Business School and other leading academic institutions around the world.

    Raymond Carvey, executive vice president and Chief Operating Officer of Harvard Business School Publishing, said: “Reaching the business leaders of India and greater South Asia is an important objective for Harvard Business School Publishing as we strive to bring our content to new markets and audiences around the world.”

    He added that partnering with the India Today Group would help them in understand better and serve the needs and interests of those who are driving the rapid growth of this “vital (Indian) economy.”

    Since its founding in 1922, Harvard Business Review has bridged the worlds of academia and business by publishing groundbreaking ideas from experts at the forward edge of management and leadership practice, in a format that businesspeople can apply in their own careers and companies.

    The ideas published in HBR have wide-ranging impact, influencing strategy at leading corporations, setting the terms of management debate and discussion, and inspiring business leaders.

    The India Today Group is India’s leading, diversified media group with interests in magazine, newspaper, television, radio, Internet and book publishing. It is India’s largest magazine publisher with print titles in the current affairs, general interest, lifestyle and business segments.

    Speaking on this new partnership, Ashish Bagga, CEO of the India Today Group, said: “As the country’s largest magazine publisher, identifying niche segments and launching leading international media brands is an integral part of the growth strategy of the India Today Group.”

    The India Today Group has successful licensing partnerships to publish other leading global media brands such as Reader’s Digest, Cosmopolitan, Golf Digest, Men’s Health, Good Housekeeping and Scientific American in India. In addition, the Group also represents the leading magazines Time and Fortune.

    The November issue line up will include Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter on innovation, Wharton School professor Michael Useem on governance, and HBS professor Andrew McAfee on information technology.