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Tag: Television

  • Viacom18 ropes in Network18’s Rajesh Iyer

    Viacom18 ropes in Network18’s Rajesh Iyer

    NEW DELHI: Viacom18 has appointed Rajesh Iyer to take on independent charge of Colors' regional portfolio of Bangla, Odia, Tamil and Gujarati.

    Network18 MD Rahul Joshi, said: “Regional broadcast entertainment is a key pillar in our endeavour to chart out a high-growth path for Viacom18. India is witnessing an unprecedented boom in the segment and agility is the need of the hour to get to leadership positions in our existing regional markets. With his years of leadership experience across TV and digital ecosystems, Rajesh is ably poised to take on the challenges presented by the genre and successfully grow the business.”

    Iyer joined Network18 in March 2019 and has worked closely with the leadership team to spearhead new initiatives. Prior to this and as part of the broadcast leadership team at ZEEL, Rajesh successfully launched its second GEC ‘&TV’ in 2015. He is no stranger to Viacom18, having served the organisation for six years when he led the marketing portfolio of the network’s flagship GEC Colors. He has also worked with Star, YuppTV and Ambience Publicis/Ogilvy & Mather.

    Ravish Kumar will continue to lead the network’s regional broadcast forays in Kannada and Marathi. Both Rajesh and Ravish will work closely to grow the regional broadcast footprint of Viacom18.

  • Digital expansion is beneficial for broadcast industry: Deepak Segal

    Digital expansion is beneficial for broadcast industry: Deepak Segal

    MUMBAI: Deepak Segal has over three decades experience in the film and television industry. His repertoire of work includes key positions to drive content strategy across media giants like Fox Television Studio India, Sahara Motion Pictures, Star India and Star Plus. Now, as head of content at Applause Entertainment, Deepak Segal drives the studio’s vision of building a content hub that tells great stories across mediums, catering to millions.

    Apart from creating good content, Segal is extremely passionate about aeroplanes. In fact, he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of aircraft – be they World War II fighters or more modern airplanes. Segal was in the air force before he ventured into the broadcast industry. As the son of prolific Bollywood director Mohan Sehgal (who launched Rekha in Sawan Bhadon), he had film-making in his veins, and eventually decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.

    With Applause Entertainment riding high on the success of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, Segal spent some time with Indiantelevision.com’s Shikha Singh, sharing his thoughts on OTT content and the broadcast industry, how it has evolved, and much more.

    Excerpts from the interview:

    On handling Covid2019:

    The Covid2019 pandemic is disrupting every industry. Due to the lockdown we stopped filming Criminal Justice. We have restarted the shoot 15 days back by strictly adhering to all the protocols laid down by the government. The pandemic has slowed down the overall process. We coordinated post production work over Zoom calls. The editing and soundtrack was completed remotely.

    For Scam 1992, we had barely finished the shooting when the virus struck; all the additional work like audio, soundtrack, visual effects and sound design happened during the lockdown. The team that was working on it stepped up during this new norm and we delivered the story in record time. The Applause Entertainment and SonyLiv teams did a brilliant job to make it happen.

    On the studio’s content strategy:

    At Applause Entertainment, we made a conscious decision to invest in creative content rather than make a pilot, develop concept around it and commission it. We have put all our creative and financial minds to make it work. Also, it is like a new way of working in the industry where you get the confidence in the platform as they are investing huge money into it. Now, we are in a position to partner with OTT platforms for scripted shows. In a way, you have proved to them that you can create a premium drama that India requires. So far we have 15 shows on air and it has worked for us in many ways. We are also in the process of developing the Indian version of the super hit British psychological drama series Luther. Currently, we are in the writing process. We are also developing The Seeker, it’s a bigger project than we’re used to and we are working with international writers for this.

    On upcoming original series Call My Agent:

    Call My Agent is the Indian adaptation of French workplace comedy Dix Pour Cent (Call My Agent), originally created by Fanny Herrero and showrunner Cedric Klapisch and represented by TF1 Studio and France TV Distribution. Narrated through the POV of four high-profile agents of celebrities, Call My Agent will tell the behind-the-scenes stories of the magic and the madness that keeps the star system running. Fragile egos, manipulation, shenanigans and insecurities come to the fore as the agents traverse the world of glitz and glamour. The series stars Rajat Kapoor, Soni Razdan, Aahana Kumra and Ayush Mehra and each episode will feature real-life celebrities who play a fun and exaggerated version of themselves. After having directed several films across genres featuring A-listers, Shaad Ali has decided to helm this project and leap into the world of premium drama storytelling. As far as the acquisition is concerned, we get formats from all sorts of markets. Acquiring an international series and adapting it to the taste of Indian audiences is also challenging. The show is set to go on the floors late October.

    On the challenges of adapting foreign IP:

    OTT has created a new set of audience that is looking for premium content. A lot of people have graduated from viewing daily soaps.

    While adapting international shows, you need to conceptualise it a little longer. The scale at which international content is filmed is very different from our scale. Every show has its own challenges. We need to adapt the characters and make it more relatable to Indian audiences. Apart from the main characters we also need to keep minute details in consideration like background, language and people. References have to be appropriate. A lot of things depend on the writing. The challenge is to make the script resonate with viewers by adding local elements. Our primary objective is to stick to the original story line. We want the story to travel across India, which is why understanding the universality of the story is crucial. 

    On the original vs adaptation conundrum:

    From the beginning we have been creating original shows. It is not like we only do adaptations, it is generally a mix of both. Undekhi, Avrodh and many other shows were original. Even when you buy the rights to a book and adapt it, you need to build the characters first and make the storyline impactful.  

    On collaborating with Banijay Asia:

    Banijay is the producer of the show Call My Agent. We are the studio and they are the producer. We have worked with them on Hostages and there are other shows in the pipeline as well. By now we have teamed up on a lot of projects, so there is a trust factor involved. For Call My Agent, Applause Entertainment holds the IP.

    On the rise in demand for OTT:

    OTT got a big boost due to the pandemic. Theatres were shut down, TV production was halted, so the only source of entertainment was OTT content. We churned out content during this period also. There are many studios who are capable of producing a huge volume of content, Applause is one such platform.
     
    On production houses shifting from linear TV to OTT:

    Yes, people are flocking to OTT content, but television shows are still immensely popular in India. Both mediums have different sets of audiences but they are not mutually exclusive. A viewer who watches linear television also watches OTT content. Various streaming platforms have become hugely popular among the Indian audience due to a number of reasons. For production houses it is always beneficial to diversify the segment and expand their footprint in the digital medium. Any expansion of the process helps to maximise the industry. Acting talent emerging on OTT content is quite phenomenal which is usually not available on film.

    On identifying stories:

    Story is one of the key factors, which is followed by the relevance and connectivity of the subject. Then we discuss with the creative team how we pan it out into 8-10 episodic series, keeping the audiences engaged and entertained with strong storytelling at its core. We observe how the characters scale and how much potential it offers us to create shades for them/build room for innovation.

    The irony is, there is nothing easy about selecting stories and how you want to tell them. While family dramedies are highly appreciated in our country, timing the witty remarks and the dynamic of character, the premise sets etc, make it imperative that they flow well. Else the simplest constructs can go unnoticed or not create an impact on the viewer.

    On picking genres:

    We are looking at all sorts of genres as we want to reach out to all buckets of audiences. Today the viewers are open in exploring different genres and as creators we want to have diverse content. With Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story we have created a financial thriller, Avrodh is a gritty and realistic account of the surgical strike, Mannphodganj Ki Binny is a dramedy set in the heartland and Hello Mini is a thriller. We are open to all sorts of genres.

    Of course, we listen to what the audience has to say. Digital has become a great way to gather insights, understand consumer psychology and their points of view on topics. It gives a leverage to mould out setup, characters and story telling.

    On competition in the content creation space:

    Competition is there in every field; you have to make sure your product stands out above all. A strong content is the deciding factor. If you are telling great stories, you will have an audience.

  • Viacom18’s Mahesh Shetty’s tips for sales teams & professionals

    Viacom18’s Mahesh Shetty’s tips for sales teams & professionals

    MUMBAI: Most management graduates harbour dreams of getting into a marketing job at one of the FMCG majors once they graduate. But if they have eyes on the corner office they would do well to get into sales, and not just be swayed by its more glamorous cousin, marketing. At least that’s the advice that Viacom18 network ad sales head Mahesh Shetty’s would like to give them. Says he: “Selling is core to any business. I think if you want to become the CEO of an organisation and you have done sales in the past you stand a better chance.”

    Shetty should know. He did the grind in sales at Pepsi, followed by marketing and then went back to sales. He then moved on to Radio Mirchi where he headed various sales functions before becoming the organisation’s COO. He was then hired to head a much larger organisation – Viacom18 network’s in the early part of 2019. 

    Read more news on Mahesh Shetty

    Shetty – whose key strengths lie in offering brand solutions to clients rather than just selling – says that working in sales for a substantial amount of time has many benefits. “Sales helps develop the right attitude and confidence in an individual,” he points out. “It improves communication skills and allows a person to know all aspects of the business right from selling the product, branding and marketing or dealing with the finance team at multiple levels.”

    Some of the key attributes and attitudes, he believes, sales people need to have include: be positive, be constantly hungry, always desire to do more, spot opportunities not just problems, every problem has an opportunity, read, learn,  and meet people.

    Elaborates Shetty: “Sales is not an usual eight hour job, it works round the clock. Meeting people and understanding brands is a very important part that helps. Before engaging with customers or clients it is important to equip ourselves with knowledge. It is important to have an intelligent conversation. Then, don't be dismayed if you don’t close a deal.  If there is one brand which has decided to not come on board then there are five other brands out there. It is important to find ways to excite them; this is what keeps me going day in and day out. Close to the year ending, if I am far from my numbers I will still have hope because there are many brands out there who want to grow their business and I have certain solutions which would help them to grow. That is my mantra.”

    According to Shetty, there are ways that organisations can hone the skill sets of sales people. 

    Watch virtual fireside chats with industry leaders

    Says he: “Large FMCG companies take you all around through sales, marketing, general management but many organisations still continue to keep sales people in the sales department. I think these companies lose the opportunity when they don’t move their best sales people into other departments because they lose the chance to create great leaders. I believe salespeople can do better in marketing as they have a good sense of the entire chain. They know what works with trade or distributors and they are also aware of what consumers want.”

    He also advocates that sales people need to get comfortable with data, for it can be a great lead generator as well as a deal maker. Says he: “Data gives you a lot of insights. I feel some of the sales people are not comfortable with data or pulling out the insights from the data. I want salespeople to understand that just don't get drowned in the data but try to remove key insights from the data.”

    Shetty admits that broadcasting is different from other direct to consumer businesses as sales people are selling products they create to an advertiser, whereas in other categories, the manufactured items are designed for the end consumer and sold to him or her.

    To do better at broadcast sales, executives need to have an open mind. “Accept the changing times. The pace with which digital is growing I believe broadcast sales people should have a good understanding of both television and digital,” he explains. “Television being so strong in the entire media pie, sales folks sometimes think that their job is just to sell FCT. But I think sales people need to broaden their horizons to learn all the things around them so that they can pitch the right solutions to the brand manager.  Because when you are going out and selling solutions, you could include brand integration or certain messaging driven by  social handles which would be more effective.”

    Read more news on Viacom18

    According to him, the pandemic induced social distancing has meant that physical meetings are few and far between.  And the pressure has come on sales to deliver now that economic activity is showing signs of reviving. “Everything has gone digital now,” says he. “The personal touch is something that will come back. Until then,  managers have to work to help his teams achieve what they want to do. At times it starts with opening doors with the client or helping them with the solutions, or closing the deal with the client. We are all under pressure but what's important is to focus our energies on getting a solution, and ourselves back.”

  • News First stings on launch day, gets Karnataka assembly talking on second day

    News First stings on launch day, gets Karnataka assembly talking on second day

    News First, Karnataka’s much awaited Kannada News Channel, didn’t disappoint on launch day.

    The channel chose to live up to its tagline of Pratikshana Nimmondhege, Every Moment with You, with a sting operation that showed the
    rampant spread of drug usage amongst children and youth alike, in government and private schools.

    While most Kannada channels are going to town with an overdose of sandalwood linked drug stories, News First decided to go the societal benefit route.

    The hard hitting story showed the modus operandi of drug peddlers luring and addicting vulnerable children between class 5 and 12. 

    The opposition too saw reason and made sure it was a talking point in the monsoon session of the Karnataka assembly, which started a day after the channel’s launch.

    KPCC president DK Shivakumar applauded News First for starting off with a socially relevant story of dire importance. Senior Congress Leader Dr Parameshwar promised to make it a subject of discussion in the assembly.
    JDS Leader Basavaraj Horatti lived up to his on air promise of raking up the children drug abuse story in the assembly.

    Quoting News First, Horatti spoke at length about the story and need for the state government to act fast.

    The government took cognisance off the issue and promised to initiate work in the direction in two days. 

    News First seems to be making all the right noises from the word go.

    Trade too seems to be showing keen interest despite the trying times.
    For a news channel launched in a crowded market place, day 1 showed sufficient promise with a tidy line up of commercials. 

    The men behind the venture, Ravikumar and Maruthi – formers execs of TV9 Kannada, and their team have contributed to increased interest in the News First.

    Armed with an experienced team, sophisticated setup and quality focus, News First is keen to shake up the Kannada News TV market.

    By the looks of it, the channel’s campaign “The Team that built Karnataka’s No. 1 News Channel, takes fresh aim” appears to have hit target.

    Well begun, isn’t exactly a battle half won in this case.

    But everybody loves a good start, at the cost of a wake up call !

  • SWA announces nominees for TV Shows category of SWA awards 2020

    SWA announces nominees for TV Shows category of SWA awards 2020

    MUMBAI: Screenwriters Association (SWA), the Indian guild of screenwriters and lyricists, announced the nominees for the TV Shows category of SWA Awards 2020. A jury comprising of eminent screenwriters selected nominees separately for story, screenplay and dialogue under two sub-categories: TV Comedy and TV Drama. Together, the nominations are divided among 13 Hindi language TV shows telecast in 2019.

    Nominees for TV Comedy – Best Story are:

    1.            Lakshmi Jayakumar and Shakti Sagar Chopra for Aladdin NaamTohSunaHoga

    2.            Sanjay Kohli, Shashank Bali and Manoj Santoshi for BhabijiGhar Par Hain!

    3.            RaghuvirShekhawat for JijajiChhatPer Hain

    4.            Nitin Keswani for Tarak Mehta KaOoltahChashma

    Nominees for TV Comedy – Best Screenplay are:

    1.            Aanchal Aggarwal for Aladdin Naam Toh Suna Hoga

    2.            Bhavna Vyas for Baavle Utaavle

    3.            Sanjay Kohli, Shashank Bali and Manoj Santoshi for BhabijiGhar Par Hain!

    4.            Aatish Kapadia for Bhakharwadi

    5.            RaghuvirShekhawat, Shashank Bali and Sanjay Kohli for JijajiChhatPer Hain

    Nominees for TV Comedy – Best Dialogue are:

    1.            Bhavna Vyas for Baavle Utaavle

    2.            Manoj Santoshi for Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!

    3.            Aatish Kapadia for Bhakharwadi

    4.            Raghuvir Shekhawat for Jijaji Chhat Per Hain

    Nominees for TV Drama – Best Screenplay are:

    1.            Vishal Watwani and Renu Watwani for Choti Sarrdaarni

    2.            Kumar Prabhat  for Ek Mahanayak – Dr B R Ambedkar

    3.            Zama Habib for Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein

    4.            Faizal Akhtar and Pankaj Uniyal for Jhansi ki Rani

    5.            Kartick Sitaraman for Mere Dad ki Dulhan

    Nominees for TV Drama – Best Dialogue are:

    1.            Yogesh Vikrant  for Ek Mahanayak – Dr B R Ambedkar

    2.            Zama Habib for Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein

    3.            Aparajita Sharma and Divy Nidhi Sharma for Kulfi Kumar Bajewala

    4.            PreetiMamgain for Mere Dad ki Dulhan

    5.            Vinod Sharma for Ram Siyake Luv Kush

    SWA general secretary Sunil Salgia said, “TV is purely a writers’ medium. It is not easy writing a 30-60-minute script on a daily basis. It is even more difficult when you are writing as per the so called ‘episode feedback’ based on TRPs, rival channel’s story track, popularity of a character, upcoming festival, availability of cast or location, weather and above all the liking or the mood of the Creative Head. Crossing these check points, if you have been able to write something worth mentioning, you deserve an award.”

    The SWA Awards Committee received 146 entries from writers of Hindi language TV shows telecast across general entertainment channels in 2019. A jury comprising of screenwriters such as Ajai Sinha, AnandMahendroo, Kamlesh Pandey, LiliputFaruqui, Manjul Sinha, PurnenduShekhar and Sanjay Upadhyay watched two consecutive episodes of entries shortlisted by a pre-jury and selected the nominees under each sub-category. The final winners will be announced in an online awards ceremony on 27 September  2020.

    SWA awards spokesperson for television category and screenwriter Satyam Tripathy said, “Overnight an Indian television writer not only weaves the story fabric but also manages to mend a sudden tear and if a thread comes loose then just picks another but continues weaving the magic without disappointing his audience. If that sounds easy then just try writing 100 episodes of a serial and all your notions and misconceptions will fly out the window.”

    SWA is holding the first ever SWA Awards on the occasion of its diamond jubilee year in 2020. Since they are judged by knowledgeable screenwriters and lyricists, these awards promise to become the most coveted validation for writers in India, much like the awards of other prestigious international writers’ guilds and literary organisations.

    The nominees spoke to SWA, reacting to the announcement:

    Lakshmi Jayakumar: The nomination for the SWA Award is a tremendous honour for me as it feels great to be recognised by your contemporaries, colleagues and seniors. A writer’s ultimate glory is appreciation and this being my first award nomination, I feel extremely honoured that it has come from the SWA itself. It is indeed motivating and inspiring. I am looking forward to this countdown although I feel like I have already won by just being nominated.

    Shakti Sagar Chopra: Being recognised for one’s work is always appreciated, but even more so when it comes from your own fraternity. I greatly appreciate SWA for instituting these awards where writers shall be recognised by their peers. I also thank them for nominating Aladdin Naam Toh Suna Hoga in TV Comedy – Best Story category.

    Shashank Bali: Never undermine the importance of the writer.

    Manoj Santoshi: I am very happy that I got a nomination at the SWA Awards and I want to thank the entire team at SWA for this and wish them a bright future.

    RaghuvirShekhawat: I am extremely thrilled for my nomination in all three categories of TV Comedy at the first ever SWA Awards started by SWA. I have been associated with SWA for a long time and these nominations by the jury of eminent writers make it even more special. I congratulate SWA for this wonderful step of honouring the writers and I hope these awards become the most coveted awards for writing in our country.

    Nitin Keswani: SWA Awards are very special to most of the writers because it is from the writing fraternity. So it is a big achievement for me to get nominated on this platform. I feel I am working in the right direction.

    Bhavna Vyas: I feel so happy that I got nominated for my first ever comedy TV show by SWA. Being appreciated by your senior writers and industry members is a matter of honour for any writer. I am really grateful. Also I want to say this is an amazing initiative for motivating writers by SWA.

    Aatish Kapadia: Congratulations SWA for instituting these awards by the writers, of the writers and for the writers.

    Aanchal Aggarwal: A writer is often judged by the TRPs a show garners. But when an eminent jury from your own field sees you worthy of a nomination, it is the day when a writer gets their due. This is really a great motivational moment for me as a writer irrespective of whether I win or not. I am grateful to SWA for this honour and giving every writer like me a push, a pat on the back and reason to keep pushing our envelopes and keep creating better content.

    Yogesh Vikrant: The institution of the SWA Awards is a great step. A writer is the backbone of every screen story. That is why, an awards programme conceived by a writers’ association that keeps the contribution of the writer at its centre is a welcome initiative in the world of storytelling for the screen. I feel very happy to have been nominated for best dialogue for SWA Awards 2020.

    Aparajita Sharma: No job is too small, it’s true. Call me vain, but to me, we have the best job. Writing is pure joy and we are fortunate enough to be able to do the thing we love every day. We have dedicated our lives to writing, and SWA has dedicated itself to writers. This is the perfect partnership. And, this year, with these awards, we celebrate this partnership. Divy and I feel honoured that our fraternity, our people have recognised our work as noteworthy and nominated us for Kullfi Kumarr Bajewaala.

    Divy Nidhi Sharma: SWA Awards are very important to me because they are our own awards. I am proud to have been nominated for this award and I convey my best wishes to all other nominees.

    Preeti Mamgain: Words are my passion, and words are my business, but at this moment I feel speechless. I am immensely grateful to SWA for this nomination. What makes it truly special is that for the first time in India we have an awards function exclusively for screenwriters. To be judged by a jury of my own peers, by respected and eminent screenwriters, makes me feel elated and humbled at the same time. To quote Benjamin Disraeli: "I feel a very unusual feeling, if it's not indigestion, it must be gratitude."

    Vinod Sharma: It is an excellent attempt to cheer up screenwriters as only a writer can evaluate the talent and work of another writer. I am glad that SWA initiated this encouragement. I feel thrilled that the jury nominated me for the first edition of its awards. Thank you, SWA team, Swastik and Siddhartha Kumar Tewary who always encouraged me and made me to write something which is appreciated.

    Vishal Watwani and RenuWatwani: We are glad to be nominated for the award for best screenplay for Choti Sarrdaarni. Recognition from peers is by far the most gratifying feeling. So thank you SWA for bringing about this opportunity to all the ‘wordsmiths’ of Hindi television/OTT/Films. These awards will prove to be a credible milestone in the careers of the writers who are nominees and winners.

    Kumar Prabhat: The writer plays an important role in the success of a film, TV show or web series. But when it comes to praise, all the applause and appreciation is usurped by others while the writers continue writing. But I am glad that in addition to protecting the rights of writers, SWA has also assumed the responsibility of honouring them with awards. These awards are a matter of pride for any writer. I feel fortunate to have been nominated for best screenplay.

    Zama Habib: I am honoured and excited to know that after being nominated under the Best Lyrics category by SWA Awards, I am now nominated for Best Screenplay and best dialogues for Ishaaron Ishaaron Mein. Thanks SWA for the nomination. A win or loss doesn’t matter. I am happy that our writers’ fraternity has begun this new journey. Our own awards! Congratulations to each and every writer and lyricist. Congratulations to SWA awards team.

    Faizal Akhtar: Any association is always like a mother to its associate. And an award coming from SWA feels so genuine. I have been to many award functions and have won many awards, but I have seen writers always being treated in a ‘rushed-up’ manner while giving the awards. It is always the actors who get importance in a medium which is called a ‘writer's medium’. At least now writers will get the necessary importance in their mother’s arms. Thank you so much for nominating me for Jhansi Ki Rani, a show much closer to my heart for the amount of research and crafting that went into it.

    Pankaj Uniyal: I am truly overwhelmed by this great initiative taken by SWA to recognise, encourage and promote screenwriters. I am earnestly grateful for the recognition I have received for being shortlisted as one of the nominees for Jhansi ki Rani. I feel privileged and honoured for this recognition of my endeavour. These awards will definitely prove a milestone in moulding and shaping the future of the entire screenwriting fraternity.

    KartickSitaraman: It is most redeeming to be recognised by one’s peers. It made me pause for a moment. And in that moment, I rediscovered, once again, that the only worthy pursuit in this job, amidst the rejections and frustrations is to be true to oneself, one’s voice. It may not bring accolades or successes immediately but it keeps one alive to try another day. My gratitude to SWA for this step forward, with the hope that it’s a giant leap for writers everywhere in this country.

  • Star leads TV network sweepstakes

    Star leads TV network sweepstakes

    MUMBAI: Which is the ruling television network in India? Which of them has  raced ahead in the viewership stake post the opening up of the lockdowns? Which network’s content is resonating better with viewer cooped up in homes?

    Well, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has released data for four weeks from week 32 to week 35 for All India 2+ audiences to give us its take. And the winner, according to that is the Star network with a share of 22 per cent. Clearly, Uday Shankar, K. Madhavan, and team are doing something right.

    And very close behind it is the Zee network with its 21 per cent slice. Clearly, CEO Punit Goenka is living up to his commitment that he is going to put his best foot forward and help the network regain its leadership position.

     Network18, it looks, like has a lot of catching up to do with a 11 per cent piece.

    The Sun network, which was once ruling is at fourth position with its share of 11 per cent while Sony brings up the rear with a nine per cent piece.

    BARC has clarified that the Star network includes Star, Disney, Asianet, and NGC. Zee, Zee Media ancd Zee Akash have been considered as part of the  Zee network . Network18 includes Viacom18, AETN18, TV18, IBMN Lokmat.

  • Star Maa goes in for an identity refresh

    Star Maa goes in for an identity refresh

    MUMBAI: When you are the leader, you set the pace. Disney Star India’s Telugu bouquet under the Star Maa umbrella – which has been numero uno in that language ever since one can remember – is going in for an identity refresh. Coinciding with the launch episode of the fourth season of its blockbuster Big Boss, it unveiled a new vibrant channel identity with host Nagarjuna saying it saying it’s a new start for an even more glorious journey of an already very strong brand.

    A press release issued by the network states that “Star Maa holds together three important aspects – pride in our Samskruthi (culture), our Sampradayam (tradition), and weaving stories towards Purogati (progress). At Star Maa, our attempt is to celebrate the blend of these three aspects in every story we tell. We believe that there is a little bit of Star Maa in every one of us “

    The Star Maa cluster of channels operates and leads in three genres: GEC, movies and music. Commanding a combined market share of 25 per cent  these channels own the largest share of Telugu television viewership. In the GEC category, Star Maa enjoys a 30 per cent plus market share and is a dominant leader with the widest variety of programming. Star Maa Movies is the biggest movies channel and Star Maa Music most vibrant and distinct youth destination.

    Star Maa is so dominant in the Telugu market that its general entertainment/reality shows occupy four of the top five slots there. Amongst these: Karthika Deepam, Intinit Gruhlakhsmi, , Mounaragam, Teff Vineya Vidheya Rama.

    Says a Star Maa spokesperson: “We are incredibly humbled by the love the audience has showered on us in the past few years and our attempt with the new identity is to thank our viewers and offer them a channel they feel more proud to be a part of. Our viewers are our inspiration and their ability to keep their roots while developing the wings to fly is what drive us. This change is intended to celebrate the cultural richness of the Telugu region and build us as not just an entertaining brand but also an inspiring storyteller, that shapes society.”

  • Dangal seeks to ramp up original TV programing

    Dangal seeks to ramp up original TV programing

    MUMBAI: In March 2019, the big four networks pulled out of DD’s  FreeDish service as TRAI’s new tariff order did not allow FTA (free to air) channels’ inclusion in the pay channel bouquet. However, it was the apt time for FTA channels to make merry.

    One such network was Enterr10 Television. The network’s Hindi FTA GEC Dangal TV gained significant viewers and today, it is one of the most popular Hindi GECs.

    Its top shows, Ramayan and Crime Alert, among others, brought it a one-fifth share of the viewership in the Hindi-speaking market (HSM), Many of the current shows on Dangal TV include those based on Indian mythology and reruns, sprinkled with a few original productions.

    “We have observed that putting original content has been a game changer for the other players in the market. Creating original content is the only way forward,” says Enterr10 Television COO Deep Drona. “ I have observed that the audience in FTA space is no more different then the  paid audience in terms of wanting to watch good entertainment.”

    He also highlights that TV  consumption amongst viewers is back to normal because the original programs are back on track. Drona believes that the many Hindi GEC channels with fresh programming line-up have significant advantage over other channels.

    He is quite optimistic about a new show- Aye Mere Humsafar – which is going to hit the screens in the coming week. Another four new series will debut on Dangal over the next two months, taking costs up by 40 to 50 per cent.

    According to him Dangal continued to be the leader in the rural market for the initial three months of the lockdown in terms of viewership; ad revenues however did not match up to the audience surge. But Drona points out that currently the channel is faring better than the pre-Covid2019 level with inventory fill  levels going back to what they were before the pandemic. He shares that adex had softened in the months of May and June but now things are getting back to normal.

    When most of the channels are worried about IPL, Drona thinks the entire FTA space will be spared from the brunt of the cricket extravaganza. He opines that the impact of IPL will not be very high especially for FTA channels.

    In its thirteenth year, the IPL is coinciding with the festival season, which is expected to lead to a reallocation of ad spends on TV. Drona shares that as IPL is a large property and everybody knows what kind of rating it can deliver; channels have planned a certain strategy to overcome this.

    “IPL is also coming at a time where viewers are dying for live sports content. So, there are many things that are going in its favour,” he explains. “For the past six to seven seasons it has been observed that IPL ratings do not disrupt GECs anymore. But this time it is a unique year no one can predict what will happen because it is coming during festivities. However, it will shake the advertising revenue and viewership.”

    His view is that  post-the- Covid2019 and lockdown period,  rural India  appears to be showing signs of a rebound; urban seems to be lagging behind, because many cities are partially contained still. With DD FreeDish more accessible in rural areas, it’s no wonder that Dangal has become a favourite hunting ground for FMCG advertisers.

    Says MediaDonuts MD Vidhu Sagar: “Advertisers are fundamentally interested in reach. The fact that audiences are flocking to  FTA channels such as Dangal, effectively turning them into potent messaging delivery avenues, is a win-win situation for both advertisers and the channel. The channels have chosen to forgo potential subscription revenues only since they believe greater audience traction would more than make up by way of advertising revenues. And advertisers are basically ROI-oriented. Greater reach is the most preferred option. If it’s courtesy of FTA channels like Dangal, so be it, that is just the way the cookie crumbles.”

    Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are very strong markets for Dangal as majority of its audiences come from this belt.: “There is a lot of work to be done in places like Gujarat, Rajasthan and other urban markets but our strengths lie in the Hindi speaking belt,” reveals Drona. “As of now, we will continue to focus on these markets.”

    The channel is currently working with Swastik Productions, Shashi Sumeet Productions, Rashmi Sharma Telefilms and few others. Dangal is also looking at creating more home-based shows in the near future.

  • Shyamala Venkatachalam joins Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd as chief legal officer

    Shyamala Venkatachalam joins Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd as chief legal officer

    MUMBAI: Shyamala Venkatachalam has been appointed as the chief legal officer of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL). She started her career as legal and corporate affairs professional at Dynamatic Technologies which designs and builds highly engineered products for automotive, aerospace, hydraulic and security applications in Europe and India.

    After spending close to eight years there, she handled a wide range of issues related to domestic and international contracts, intellectual property, foreign collaborations, banking finance, indirect and direct taxation. 

    With over 15 years in the media industry, Venkatachalam was associated with several coveted brands like Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, Sony Pictures Network, Discovery Communications and, Star India Private Ltd, a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox. She joined Star India in 2014 as executive vice president head business counsel.

    After her stint at Star India, she founded ‘The REMEDIATION Company’. Throughout her career, she continued to manage the legal, regulatory and corporate affairs in the television media and moved up to a senior leadership role over the years.

     Venkatachalam has also authored several media-related research papers and a book titled "Remediation – Digital Transformation of Television.”

  • Government announces SOPs to restart film, TV, OTT production

    Government announces SOPs to restart film, TV, OTT production

    MUMBAI: It’s all systems go for TV, film and OTT originals’ productions in India. Minister of information and broadcasting Prakash Javadekar today announced the release of standard operating procedures for productions to recommence. Tweeting the announcement Javadekar said, “The general principles behind the SOP will help create a safe working environment for cast and crew in the industry.”

    Amongst the measures the MIB has proposed include:

    ·      Minimum cast and crew to be engaged on sets during shoots.

    ·      Resting and stay over facilities to be provided.

    ·      Staggered call and packup times for production units having multiple production locations.

    ·      Older, pregnant, and comorbid technicians and artistes take extra precautions and preferable not be exposed to front line work requiring direct contact with the public.

    ·      Mandatory wearing of masks by all crew excepting the actors facing the camera for a scene.

    ·      Installation of Aarogya Setu app will be advised to be downloaded and used by all.

    ·      Exit and entry signs

    ·      Special markings to ensure social distancing is maintained at six feet for all during every stage of the film making process.

    ·      Visitors and audiences are barred from sets.

    ·      PPEs for make up technicians as well as hair stylist. Wigs and make up kits to not be shared. As far as possible, actors should do their own makeup.

    ·      Rubber gloves for all working with shared equipment on sets.

    ·      Minimise the use of props, sanitise them, if essential.

    ·      Lapel mikes to be avoided and not share. Direct physical contact with the diaphragms of mikes to be avoided.

    ·      A Covid supervisor to be appointed for each production.

    ·      Permissions to be taken from local authorities.

    The announcement of the SOPs for media production should come as a relief for India’s film studios, ad film and TV and digital originals producers. The sector has for a large part been held back from producing for the past five months, leading to losses running into thousands of crore.

    For a detailed list of the SOPs, click here.