Tag: Sunder Aaron

Vikas Sharma joins Locomotive Global Media as head of film projects

Mumbai: Locomotive Global Media, an international production company based in Mumbai, bolsters its leadership team with the appointment of Vikas Sharma as head of film projects. In his new role, Vikas will oversee the development, acquisitions and business for the nascent film division at the company.

Vikas brings along with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise gained from his experience, stretching over a decade in the media and entertainment industry. Before joining Locomotive Global Media, Vikas served as an associate producer at Bandra West Pictures for eight years, where he worked closely with renowned director Raja Krishna Menon. Vikas holds a postgraduate degree in Business Management from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Locomotive Global Inc. co-founder and managing partner Sunder Aaron said, “We are thrilled to have Vikas Sharma join the Locomotive Global Media family. His vision for storytelling, combined with a deep understanding of both Indian and international markets, aligns perfectly with our mission to produce compelling, world-class content. Vikas brings his unique creative perspective to each project that is married with a keen commercial understanding of what works in the Indian market. We trust that he will be able to deliver stories and narratives that not only resonate deeply with Indian audiences but also capture the imagination of viewers worldwide.”

Commenting on his appointment, Sharma said, “I am deeply grateful to Sunder for this opportunity and his confidence in me. Together, we are focused on crafting content with both Indian and global appeal that importantly also ensures profitability. As India embraces its moment on the world stage demonstrated by non-mainstream films like ‘Kill’, ‘All We Imagine as Light’, and even ‘Monkey Man’, we’re excited to invest time and resources in film projects that are aligned with the company’s global objectives and brand ethos while helping to establish Locomotive Global Media as a leading boutique studio. We are particularly excited about projects in the horror and thriller genre that possess an elevated approach to their storytelling.”

Vikas Sharma will report into Sunder Aaron of Locomotive Global Media. He is based out of Mumbai and his appointment is with immediate effect.

August 8, 2024
Vidnet 2024: Building affordable sticky binge worthy content

Mumbai: The OTT business in India is buzzing with new streamers, niche, and language offerings. However, early players are struggling as heavy content spending isn’t matching revenues, and India-specific low pricing hasn’t spurred subscriptions. Growth has plateaued as consumers return to post-COVID normalcy, preferring to binge occasionally.

Adding to the churn is the shift towards AVOD by giants like JioCinema, offering premium events like cricket for free, with Disney+Hotstar following suit. This has strained streaming bottom lines. The rise of FAST channels is also causing industry jitters. Vidnet explores the future of the streaming ecosystem. The Vidnet 2024 is being held on 19 July 2024, at Hotel Sahara Star, Mumbai.

This panel explored creating affordable, binge-worthy content by blending creativity, strategy, and resourcefulness. The discussion focused on crafting engaging, addictive content on a shoestring budget to capture and retain audience attention, leading to binge-watching behavior. Cost-effective content creation strategies and emerging trends were highlighted as key tools for achieving this within budget constraints.

The session was chaired by Bodhitree CEO Mautik Tolia. It included the following panelists: Red Chillies Entertainment producer Aashish Singh, Locomotive Global Inc co-founder and managing partner Sunder Aaron, Friday Filmworks CEO Devendra Deshpande, Jio Studio head originals Tejkarran Singh Bajaj, and TVF president Vijay Koshy.

Industry leaders shared their perspectives on balancing budget constraints with the need for engaging and effective content.

Reflecting on the current challenges in cost management, Rishi Negi said, “The current challenge we face is how to rationalise costs and produce shows within a smaller budget. The key is to get the creators and production team on the same page to create a good show. We believe that the quality of a show is not determined by its budget. At Banijay, we’ve produced some of the most commercial hits from India, as well as niche projects, both with great results. No show is big or small to us. We approach every project with the same dedication, regardless of the budget. This challenge is interesting because, unlike film people who are used to a certain scale, our television background makes it easier for us to scale up or down as needed.”

Devendra Despande emphasized the importance of return on investment: “As long as a show delivers a return on investment in terms of business metrics, the budget is secondary. Whether it’s a high-budget production or a smaller project, if it delivers results, it works. Audiences will still eagerly await the next season of a show like Game of Thrones, despite its high costs, because it remains affordable and engaging.”

Highlighting the core principle of engaging content, Aashish Singh said, “Budget isn’t the key factor; the content must engage the audience and keep them invested, whether it’s a series or a film. The formula remains the same: if the content is compelling, it will attract viewers. Affordability is about aligning the budget with the project’s needs, not cutting corners. As long as the content is strong, budget concerns become secondary.”

Sunder Aaron discussed the flexibility of global studios and cost-effectiveness: “Global studios are now more flexible and responsive than they were a decade ago, which has been beneficial for our formats. While creative passion is crucial, we must also consider the cost of acquiring and retaining viewers. For instance, episodic shows can be more cost-effective for streaming platforms, as they lower the acquisition cost for new viewers and keep them engaged with standalone episodes. Our recent show, produced with Applause Studios and Sameer Nair, and created by Simon Mirren the former showrunner for ‘Criminal Minds,’ exemplifies this approach, highlighting the need for innovative storytelling forms.”

Addressing the subjective nature of affordability, Tejkarran Singh Bajaj said, “Regardless of whether a show is big or small, it must be effective. Affordability is subjective and depends on the show’s concept and delivery. For example, Geo Studios produced ‘Up 65’ with a lower budget by shooting two seasons together, while a show about 1947 had a higher budget. We focus on ‘right cost’ rather than just affordability, adjusting budgets according to the project’s needs. Innovative budgeting strategies, like combining seasons, help reduce costs while ensuring quality content.”

Vijay Koshi shared his insights on the importance of storytelling: “13 years ago, a group of engineers and storytellers started with a focus on strong writing and frugality, lacking big stars or international formats. They prioritized good storytelling over glamour and have maintained that ethos even as they gained recognition. Their success with shows like ‘Panchayat’ and others demonstrates that solid storytelling, practical solutions, and a focus on creating compelling content can drive success, regardless of initial resources.”

July 19, 2024
Weekend Unwind with: Locomotive Global Media business affairs head Kanupriya A Iyer

Mumbai: With another weekend upon us, it is time to unwind with the latest Q&A edition of Indiantelevision.com’s Weekend Unwind—a series of informal chats that peek into the minds of corporate executives through a fun lens in an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.

In this week’s session, we have Locomotive Global Media’s business affairs head and senior producer Kanupriya A. Iyer.

As head of business affairs and senior producer, Kanupriya works closely with co-founder and principal Sunder Aaron to lead Locomotive Global Media’s film division as well as oversee all business operations. Iyer is responsible for driving the company’s growth through all aspects of content development and production required to scale up the company’s position and meet its objective to become the leading content production company in India.

With an experience of 12 years in the Indian entertainment industry, both as a management executive and producer, Kanupriya combines her sharp business acumen with a belief that the world can be changed, one film at a time. Her in-depth expertise in content and business development makes Kanupriya a key asset for Locomotive Global Media.

So, without further ado, here it goes…

    Your mantra for life

Very little is needed to make a happy life; everything else is a bonus.

    A book you are currently reading / plan to read

I am rereading “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson.

    Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic

I believe yoga is best for both body and mind.

    Your comfort food

Anything warm and vegetarian served in a bowl.

    When the chips are down, a quote or philosophy that keeps you going.

It won’t matter in five years.

    Your guilty pleasure

Big tub of popcorn and a cheesy Bollywood film.

    When was the last time you tried something new?

I tried artificial nails yesterday 🙂

    A life lesson you learnt the hard way

Every story has multiple perspectives; yours is one of them.

    What gets you excited about life?

I acknowledge my privilege to be able to make choices every day that shape my future.

    What’s on top of your bucket list?

Northern lights in all their glory.

    If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

Don’t waste time impressing people; just have fun.

    One thing you would most like to change about the world

Living life like a checklist with complete disregard to nature.

    An activity that keeps you motivated or charged during tough times

I love reading and playing video games.

    What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?

Cooking a multi-course meal for the family.

    Your go-to stress buster

Binge watching tele-shopping ads.

November 19, 2022
Locomotive Global Media appoints Roshni Ghosh as producer

Mumbai : An international production company, Locomotive Global Media has moved to further bolster its leadership team with the appointment of Roshni Ghosh as producer for the company’s original films and series. Roshni’s appointment is with immediate effect.

Roshni will collaborate closely with Sunder Aaron and Kanupriya Iyer in her new job to find intriguing new projects and partners for the company’s shows and films in addition to working in a producing capacity on the ongoing projects.

Locomotive Global’s co-founder & principal Sunder Aaron said, “We are delighted to welcome Roshni to LGM. It’s not enough to identify and develop exceptional ideas for original films and series, and it is equally important that you be able to promote, sell and produce the projects based on these ideas. We know Roshni to be a professional who operates effectively and efficiently across the whole value chain of our production business. Quite simply, she is an outstanding creative executive who gets things done! Her appointment comes at a crucial point as we move towards an important phase of growth in the business.”

Roshni will play a key role in managing all stages of the development and production of LGM projects. The company also said that Roshni is a wonderful addition to the team at Locomotive Global Media because of her talent for managing content development with a 360-degree perspective. Her appointment deepens and broadens the company’s executive ranks.

Locomotive Global Media senior producer Roshni Ghosh said, “It gives me immense gratitude to be a part of the team at Locomotive Global Media. I am looking forward to working alongside Sunder and Kanupriya and the rest of the team to create projects that are in line with the company’s brand ethos, and more importantly, have an impact on audiences in India and around the world.”

In her previous stint at Emmay Entertainment and Motion Pictures, Roshni headed the content vertical and was involved in all aspects of project green lighting for films and television shows. During her time there, she was instrumental in the creation and execution of popular series such as The Empire, Rocket Boys S1 and S2, and Mumbai Diaries S1 and S2.

With almost two decades of expertise in the Indian media and entertainment sector, Roshni’s greatest joy has always been to challenge the status quo with novel formats, source intriguing and relevant topics, and discover fresh and exciting storytelling techniques.

September 13, 2022
Locomotive Global Media appoints Kanupriya A Iyer as head of business affairs and senior producer

Mumbai: With a focus on developing, producing, and distributing content for India and across the globe, Locomotive Global Media, an international production company based in Mumbai, has strengthened its senior leadership team by appointing Kanupriya A Iyer as head of business affairs and senior producer. Kanupriya’s appointment is with immediate effect.

In her new role, Kanupriya will work closely with Sunder Aaron to set up and lead Locomotive Global Media’s film division as well as oversee all business operations. Locomotive Global Media is growing rapidly with an ambitious roster of projects in active development. Iyer will be responsible for driving the company’s growth through all aspects of content development and production, which are required to scale up the company’s position and meet its objective to become the leading content production company in India.

Kanupriya joins Locomotive Global Media from Colour Yellow Productions, where she worked as a co-producer and played a pivotal role in identifying content that matched the brand’s ethos. During her tenure there, she presided over successful releases such as “Tanu Weds Manu Returns,” “Manmarziyaan,” “Newton” and “Tumbbad.” She now brings to LGM her 12 years of experience in the Indian entertainment industry, both as a management executive and a producer. Kanupriya combines her sharp business acumen with a belief that the world can be changed, one film at a time. Her in-depth expertise in content and business development makes Kanupriya a key asset for Locomotive Global Media.

Speaking on the new appointment, Locomotive Global co-founder Sunder Aaron said, “We are delighted to welcome Kanupriya to our leadership team. She is a unique executive talent whose knowledge and expertise in the film business will enable us to immediately make a splash in the feature business. Our ambition is to produce content that has an impact both in India and the globe, and Kanupriya will no doubt help us achieve that and fast.”

Commenting on her appointment, Locomotive Global Media head-business affairs and senior producer Kanupriya A Iyer said, “I feel a sense of pride as a part of the team at Locomotive Global. The collective ethos of creating world-class content along with building a company with integrity and passion really spoke to me. Sunder is a wonderful leader who encourages unique voices. I’m ready to help add value with my experience in development, production, and distribution to set up clutter-breaking films and television content.”

July 19, 2022
Locomotive Global Media on boards Anup Thanvi and Pearl Gill

Mumbai: Locomotive Global Media LLP on Thursday announced the appointment of Anup Thanvi as coordinating producer and Pearl Gill as head of production. The announcement comes at a time when the company is gearing up for the next level of growth and aims to become a blue-chip content producer in India. Their appointments are with immediate effect.

In his new role, Anup Thanvi will be responsible for developing a strong creative vision for the company’s upcoming projects. As coordinating producer, Thanvi will contribute to LGM’s overall growth by scouting for new ideas and creative talent, analysing and developing scripts into successful series and films, creating pitch material for projects, and cultivating creative relationships within the media and entertainment industry.

Thanvi brings to LGM 8 years of industry experience, with an expertise in fiction and non-fiction content production. Prior to joining LGM, he worked as a creative producer at The Story Ink. In his previous roles, Thanvi also worked as a producer for leading media channels and streaming platforms including Channel V, Disney+Hotstar, and AltBalaji.

As LGM’s Head of Production, Gill will be responsible for building out the company’s production expertise, culminating in launching LGM’s line production services offerings for outside producers. She will be leading and managing all aspects of production for LGM projects, beginning with development and carrying all the way through to project delivery. With an aim to build LGM into a leading production partner in the industry, she will be tasked with setting benchmarks for the company in terms of production the achievement of which will take LGM to the next level of corporate growth.

Gill brings with her 10 years of industry experience. She has worked as an executive producer, line producer, and production executive for films and series including “Shakuntala Devi”, “Kaun Banegi Shekharwati”, and “Bajrangi Bhaijaan”.

Speaking on the new appointments, Locomotive Global co-founder and principal Sunder Aaron said, “The announcement is a strategic step towards preparing LGM for its next phase of growth. We are delighted to welcome Anup and Pearl to our leadership team. I expect them both to play key roles in the company’s future as we continue to build scale and quality.”

June 30, 2022
Locomotive Global aims to build scale with a strong slate in India: Sunder Aaron

Mumbai: Ask Locomotive Global Media managing director Sunder Aaron what he believes is the best media market in the world and his answer comes with no hesitation. “Without a doubt it’s India. There is no bigger market, no greater challenge and no more incredible opportunity for creators than to be in India right now,” Aaron asserts. “China can’t compare to our relative ease of doing business and reaping profits, while Europe just feels quaint, small and slow compared to what is happening here.”

The company, which is based in LA, California and India, is aggressively building a slate of premium scripted series which are firmly rooted in Indian storytelling, and yet aim to deliver global quality shows to be enjoyed on streaming platforms around the world. “We believe that our content should be grounded and authentic to India, and in making that our objective with every script, exceptional stories will naturally blossom and find an audience all around the world,” he shares, adding, “If top shows can emerge from Korea, Spain, Israel, then it’s only a matter of time before we crack that code also. I want one of our shows from India to be the first on Apple TV+ or even to get a Primetime Emmy award!”

Locomotive Global is collaborating with Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Films and Sameer Nair’s Applause Entertainment. It is also working on a project for Amazon Prime Video that is in advanced stages of scripting, confirms Aaron, who only revealed that it is a horror series. The production house has also partnered with Endemol Shine India for another series that is currently under wraps. In 2020, it acquired the screen adaptation rights to the book “The Making of Star India” by Vanita Kohli-Khandekar. “The ‘Making of Star India’ is a terrific book and we’re setting that project up. I expect to talk more about it in the coming months. We’re also looking to acquire the rights to remake a French show, a British show and a couple of US shows,” says Aaron.

Locomotive Global is also set to complete its first Indian original series “Rana Naidu” in early 2023. The series will feature actor Rana Daggubati who will appear alongside his uncle Venkatesh Daggubati and will stream on Netflix. The series is an adaptation of the acclaimed show “Ray Donovan” that airs on the US network Showtime.

The company is looking to create high quality written content that can be developed into hit series. It’s also working with the top talent in the industry, for example, “Rana Naidu” is helmed by Karan Anshuman (showrunner and director) and also Suparn Varma (director). “When you talk about a web series, it is a writer’s medium and we love working with writers and showrunners. We have a very fruitful partnership with Karan Anshuman and are talking to a couple of other established showrunner talent for our scripted series projects,” Aaron tells.

Locomotive Global is expanding its team in the subcontinent with senior producer level hires who are practiced in producing film and television. Most recently, it announced the hires Laura Mishra as associate producer and Nikhil Ahuja as finance controller. “As a production company, we are also bringing a lot of technical production ability as those are necessary when you’re building a team from the ground-up.”

Last year in October, Chicken Soup For The Soul Entertainment acquired a majority stake in Locomotive Global. Its investment will allow the production company to explore more projects. “The reason we got involved with Chicken Soup For The Soul Entertainment is that we wanted that global resource. There will be an infusion of funds that will come in stages and we will have the ability to make more stuff. If we’re successful we’ll have access to more funds. That’s the intent,” remarks Aaron.

Indian OTTs spend about $500 million in original content production in 2021 according to London-based research firm Omdia. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video were among the top spenders on content. This number is expected to grow further as more global streamers like HBO Max, Apple TV+ among others start investing in local original content. Aaron’s single-minded focus is to create content that appeals to a global audience. “We have an objective as content creators to create global quality content. That’s why, the platforms I typically expect to work with are Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar. If you create something as a producer, I want it to be something that people will see around the world.”

When queried if Indian original content will travel like Korean or Spanish shows, Aaron notes, “Indian quality of content and technical production is world-class. We just have to get the writing in place and believe me we are getting there. I hope that one of my shows or some of my shows are able to achieve that.”

Unscripted series are also seeing popularity on OTT platforms, however, Aaron said he doesn’t think he would be up for creating unscripted shows as it does not fit his expertise. The format that he’s personally interested in is the half-hour dramedy. He says, “The half-hour format is underexploited in India with platforms veering towards 40 minutes plus episodes. I believe platforms and viewers would like the frothiness and quickness of a half-hour episode format and a lot of stories can be told in that half-hour format. I’d like to do a sketch comedy show and it is something I’m working on with a particular director in India.”

April 27, 2022
OACT 2021: Bringing the digital ecosystem to linear TV

Mumbai: “We see linear TV more like virtual linear TV because it is so easy to plug and play and join the digital ecosystem,” said The Q India, chief executive officer Simran Hoon at the OTT Advertising and Connected TV Summit 2021’ organised virtually this year. “Today, delivery is not important, remarks Hoon, everything is platform agnostic.”

Technologies like free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) have become ubiquitous in the North American market with players like Pluto, Roku, and Samsung+ seeing their revenues double year on year. The FAST industry revenues grew from $2.1 billion to $4.2 billion in a year and the trend is happening in India as well where connected TV users are at 5-7 million growing fast to touch 40 million in 2025, according to a report by E&Y.

Hoon is a media professional with 27 years of experience in ad sales with some of the biggest TV networks including Sony, Star, Zee, and Viacom18. She joined most of these media companies when they were at the launch phase and has worked across functions in the broadcast media industry. Now, she is leading the Hindi general entertainment channel The Q in India.

Speaking at the two-day event organised by Indiantelevision.com, and co-powered by mediasmart, an Affle company and summit partner – The Q, Hoon shared her views on ‘Driving new synergies between linear TV and digital ecosystem.

The Q India is pioneering unique TV initiatives by driving synergies with the digital ecosystem. The channel recently announced a syndication deal with the OTT platform MX Player to bring their popular web series “Aashram” to TV viewers. The channel had earlier partnered with short video platform Chingari to hold the auditions for its crime series “Crime Aur Kanoon”.

Bringing “Aashram” to TV required the broadcaster to convert nine one-hour episodes into 18-episode length series after editing the content to make it more appropriate for TV audiences, said Hoon. The channel is also in talks to bring another OTT series to TV in November and “Aashram 2” in December.

Its main proposition has been to bring the best of digital content to TV. According to Hoon, there is a vast young free audience on TV that has been migrating to digital because they are not being served on TV. The soap opera fare that is broadcast by traditional free-to-air channels is not catching the fancy of these audiences where the mean age is 28 years old. The Q India brought youth media creators, starting from content creators and influencers on YouTube, and amplified their reach by bringing their content to the TV.

“A YouTube creator with 10-12 million audience reach, can be exposed to a whole new audience on TV. That’s the biggest kick for influencers and the value proposition of The Q,” noted Hoon.

Last year, the channel was rated by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India and crossed the 45 GRP mark over a span of 19 weeks.

“The Q reaches to Tier II, III young family audiences that are watching the channel’s content across platforms, whether it be connected TV, OTT, or linear TV,” said Hoon. “We are available in 100 million homes, but there are still 210 million TV households to go. 70 million households are yet to buy a TV. Even though India is a smartphone market, today there are smart TVs that are selling cheaper than smartphones. We want to be omnipresent because we believe great content pulls viewers and hence advertisers, creating a virtuous cycle.”

The channel is available on DTH providers like Tata Sky and D2H and also on the big Cable operators such as GTPL Hathway. It has partnered with connected TV manufacturers such as Samsung TV+ and Mi India. According to Hoon, the channel is available on 700 personal machines.

The Q India is a part of the North American media company QYOU Media that was co-founded by Curt Marvis and Sunder Aaron. The company has also roped in TV veteran Andy Kaplan to be chairman of The Q India. It has three big verticals – its broadcast channel, an influencer marketing company Chtrbox, and its distribution arm.

“Chtrbox is one of the largest influencer marketing companies in India with 3.50 lakh influencers in its network. We have started doing integrated sales, where brands also look at influencers and their YouTube channels when buying advertising on The Q India TV channel. Chtrbox uses AI to match the brand and the influencer depending on the region or target audience the brand is looking at,” explained Hoon.

This is much harder to do than it seems, from a technology perspective, maintained Hoon. The channel is still experimenting with this approach and expects to see giant strides being made in this space in the next six to nine months. “Today, it is so easy to be digitally connected to your TV. The opportunity to be more targeted and programmatic on virtual TV will drive more advertising dollars compared to linear TV,” said Hoon.

October 12, 2021
Viacom18’s Simran Hoon joins The Q as India CEO

Mumbai : Hindi general entertainment channel The Q has roped in Simran Hoon as the company’s chief executive officer, with immediate effect.

In her new role, Hoon will leverage her experience and insight to provide strategic direction to create new opportunities for The Q in India thus driving the organisation’s overall growth.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the company said Hoon carries over two decades of industry experience. Prior to joining The Q, she was associated with Viacom18 as executive vice-president and head of ad sales. She has also been a part of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Star India and Sony Entertainment Television in leadership positions.

QYOU Media co-founder & CEO Curt Marvis said, “It is the right time to add someone with Simran’s extraordinary capabilities to our leadership team. Our growth in India has been exponential and we are confident that Simran, with her keen business acumen and in-depth understanding of the industry, will immediately propel The Q forward. Simran’s distinguished record and forward-thinking approach will help us stay ahead of the curve.”

The Q India co-founder & MD Sunder Aaron added, “She is a seasoned professional with extensive knowledge of the media and entertainment industry, who brings with her rich experience and enormous expertise that we believe fervently will take The Q to the next level. Her expansive knowledge and understanding of the Indian television market will be of immense value to our company.”

The Q India is an advertiser and influencer marketing supported Hindi language general entertainment channel which recently reached 48.07 Gross Rating Points (GRPs) on BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) as of Week 15, 2021.

April 28, 2021
From digital to DD Free Dish: All about The Q’s unique proposition

MUMBAI: It won’t be a stretch to describe The Q India channel as a jack of all trades. A Hindi GEC at its core, it also offers digital programming from social media stars and leading digital video creators. On the back of this, it has become one of India's fastest growing youth entertainment brands reaching 4.4 Gross Rating Points (GRP) according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data for February 2021.

Now, the Q has landed a spot on DD Free Dish and will be available as an FTA channel from 15 April. The channel is targeting one of Asia’s largest markets and its burgeoning young audience with an exciting new proposition – serving digital first content to TV audiences.

The Q has been around since 2017, when it launched on DTH major Tata Sky. It was only at the close of 2019 that founder & MD Sunder Aaron decided to place the channel on a satellite transmitter and get the BARC numbers running. But as with everything else, their plans for 2020 hit a roadblock with the outbreak of Covid. As people were sitting at home, the advertising market dried up, he shared. Advertisers were somewhat hesitant to bet on the new channel.

For him, 2020 was all about generating revenues, managing operations, growing the distribution of the channel, and expanding the team. Comprising 25 members, The Q team is currently headquartered in Mumbai and Delhi.

It was COO Krishna Menon’s strategy to get the channel on DD Free Dish to tap rural markets and not just metro cities. The brainwave hit after closely tracking BARC numbers and audience preferences; Menon realised that a large chunk of viewers is consuming content from rural India, as television is their only source of entertainment.

While the channel currently caters to Hindi-speaking audiences, Aaron wants to tap into the regional market and launch offerings like Q Tamil, Q Telugu, Q Bangla and.

Going it solo

The challenges of being an independent channel vs a channel under the umbrella of a major network are completely different, remarked Aaron.

“We don’t have resources to draw on, we have not done any marketing of the channel until now. But slowly with DD Free Dish we are hoping to build the brand in a big way,” he shared.

Despite these challenges, the channel has also tasted success – in terms of viewership, it has grown 400 times in the past three months, claimed Aaron, adding, “We are nearly on the same level as Zoom or Bindaas but at the end of the day we consider ourselves as a Hindi GEC. We want to be seen as the next Star Utsav. We want to become a channel that specifically caters to young India.”

A new kind of broadcast network

To this end, the Q is leveraging the power of social media influencers and digital media houses like Pocket Aces and Culture Machine to push their content to new audiences on television. The channel recently launched an original show Kya Bolte Insta but Aaron is clear about not creating a daily soap opera for The Q. Most likely, the programming line-up is going to be a mix of animation, music, devotional, comedy, lifestyle, digital content and more. He doesn’t want to compete with big broadcasters and hence he is creating a niche medium for young audiences.

To Aaron, the demarcation between TV and digital content makes no sense because the audiences are watching both digital platforms and linear TV. The Q wants to cater to young India on every medium.

“We are discovering the programming line-up as we go along, primarily as our viewership is going to change dramatically. With DD Free Dish we will also get non-metro audiences, we have to wait and see what they have to respond to,” he explained. “We are going to evolve our programming based on what viewers want.”

In most households, both platforms co-exist, which makes it easier for young audiences to choose their content, he opined.

Brands hop on the bandwagon

The market has been quite receptive of The Q’s unique positioning, highlighted Menon. The channel has adopted a three-fold strategy – be as widely available as possible, build the brand, and get ad sales.

The network wants its clients to get used to buying integrated ad sales. The aim is not just to sell reach on the channel. Apart from spot buy deals, the team is looking at sponsorships, brand integrated content and brands collaborating with influencers. Already, major FMCG brands have queued up to The Q party.

Menon elaborated on this difference in offering to advertisers. “If we look at major linear broadcasters, they go and sell only air time. However, in our case it is just not airtime, we also pitch about digital sales as our channel is also live on OTT, we have multiple reach. We even talk about doing influencer marketing independently, we leverage the influencer to tweet about the brand and ensure the brand gets a million likes as engagement. The planning also depends upon the KPI that needs to be delivered.”

April 10, 2021