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Tag: The Q

  • The Q launch new series ‘Bhaago Bhaago, Bhoot Aaya’

    The Q launch new series ‘Bhaago Bhaago, Bhoot Aaya’

    Mumbai: The Q has launched its original series Bhaago Bhaago, Bhoot Aaya, introducing the FTA universe for the first time to the entertaining comedy with a naughty ghost.

    Bhaago Bhaago, Bhoot Aaya will premiere on The Q on 1 November 2022 at 7:30 p.m. and will air from Monday to Friday.

    This genre-bending show, set in a haunted resort, is based on the antics of a zany cast of characters, led by a cute little ghost named ‘Nanhe,’ who makes it impossible for guests to have a peaceful stay. Aditya, who works at the resort, is faced with a unique challenge in dealing with Nanhe’s tricks because he is the only person who can see and talk to this cute little naughty ghost.

    Among the cast members are Heth Makwana, Gaurav Sharma, Sheersha Tiwari, Naman Arora, Sushma Murudkar, Kapil Yashraj, and Neetu Pachori. The Q’s Zara Hatke storytelling approach is reinforced by the launch of Bhaago Bhaago, Bhoot Aaya, which solidifies the channel’s position as the go-to destination for young India’s new-age entertainment.

    Speaking on the launch, QYOU Media India’s Simran Hoon said, “The Q introduced Indian viewers to a new style of storytelling. Our storytelling is highly differentiated and one that has grown on our viewers. We have consistently delivered entertainment and have set new benchmarks in the FTA category, establishing ourselves as a destination for new-age and wholesome entertainment. Bhaago Bhaago, Bhoot Aaya is an extension of our DNA and we are sure that our viewers will welcome the show and the unique concept that is on offer.”

    “Bhaago Bhaago, Bhoot Aaya is The Q’s fresh new take on wholesome family entertainment. The supremely cute Nanhe, our friendly naughty ghost, will leave no stone unturned to cause crazy chaos in everyone’s lives, especially Aditya’s, a suave young man who happens to be the only person who can see and interact with him. This is a show that families with kids just cannot afford to miss. The Q has always pushed the envelope with regards to content, and this show, with its exciting cat and mouse battle of the wits between the two of them, is sure to set new standards of wholesome family entertainment,” concluded The Q Programming Head Ashutosh Barve.

  • QYOU Media India launches its direct-to-consumer app Q PLAY

    QYOU Media India launches its direct-to-consumer app Q PLAY

    Mumbai: On Tuesday, QYOU Media India announced its first direct-to-consumer app, Q PLAY, to rapidly expand their media business.

    The app offers all five QYOU Media India channels, namely The Q, Q Marathi, The Q Kahaniyan, The Q Comedistaan, and Q GAMEX. The best content from social & digital media creators will be available on all channels thanks to QYOU Media India’s distinctive programming style. With Q PLAY, unique, fresh, relatable, and exciting content will be found in one app, one destination, with many newer channels set to be added in the future.

    The ad-supported download-and-watch app can be downloaded on the Google Play store and directly on smart TVs and mobile devices without any registration hassle.

    Commenting on the launch, QYOU Media India chief operating officer Krishna Menon said, “The launch of Q PLAY opens a myriad of new possibilities. It enables us to be independent in addition to relying upon third-party platforms for distribution. The launch of this app will deepen our audience engagement by attempting to fill a need for relatable and entertaining content. We are thrilled to launch Q PLAY into the market. While it will take us time to build and grow our user base, Q PLAY is the tip of the spear around our digital objective to create a growing one-on-one customer relationship around our brand.”

    Embed Link: https://youtu.be/2p1XB3RTslw

    The direct-to-consumer (D2C) model in India is expected to grow exponentially and reach a value of $100 billion by 2025. Much of this is being driven by the mass adoption of social media and the use of influencer marketing as direct conduits to young Indian consumers. QYOU Media India currently reaches over 125 million viewers weekly on Q branded content channels. The company has a goal of driving that number to 200 million in the next three to six months. Q PLAY is designed to begin to leverage that audience scale to employ a direct relationship between the company and its user base. Q PLAY will additionally leverage both the large number of blue-chip advertiser brand relationships enjoyed by the company along with the recently announced data initiative to mine data from all sources of distribution, thus driving stronger monetization via more targeted content and ad campaigns.

  • The Q announces new show ‘Mr Aur Mrs LLB’; expands programming slate

    The Q announces new show ‘Mr Aur Mrs LLB’; expands programming slate

    Mumbai: Hindi general entertainment channel The Q has announced the launch of a new show Mr Aur Mrs LLB diversifying its programming slate. The show will premiere on 20 June at 9 pm and will air from Monday to Friday.

    Set in the fictitious town of Machandpur, Mr Aur Mrs LLB will feature stories around the lives of lawyer couple – Anirudh Agarwal played by Subir Rana and Payal Agarwal played by Shivani Tomar – who have contradicting ideologies and theories. Adding humour to the plot is the silly Judge Rajinder Chaudhary played by Sumit Arora. Each story will spread across three to five episodes and is a satirical take on situations inspired from real life settings.  Gunjan Sinha who plays the character of an orderly and Saksham Shukla who portrays a crazy reporter are also part of the show.

    To promote the humour and the madness, The Q will roll-out a cross-media integrated marketing campaign helmed by the central characters

    “At The Q, we believe the onus rests upon us to offer our audiences especially in the FTA universe with differentiated content that is original to TV,” said QYOU Media CEO Simran Hoon.  “Mr Aur Mrs LLB adds variety to our current offering with a mix of interesting genres, and characters. Each story is a one-of-its-kind narrative that will keep viewers gripped. We are sure that this show will help us further develop appointment viewing for The Q and a stronger relationship with our viewers.”

    “Mr Aur Mrs LLB offers a whole new entertainment experience for our discerning viewers. Each character has their own quirk, characteristic and ideology making them unique, fresh to TV and pleasantly amiable,” said The Q and Q Marathi programming head Ashutosh Barve. “Collaboratively, the show is designed to drive engagement and conversations. We are sure that the launch of Mr Aur Mrs LLB will bring families together in their living rooms and fulfil their entertainment needs with content they can associate with.”

    The show originally made for digital by ‘Two Nice Men Mediaworks’ is brought to television homes in the Hindi heartland by The Q.

  • The Q strengthens primetime programming with five new shows

    The Q strengthens primetime programming with five new shows

    Mumbai: In a bid to strengthen its primetime programming, Hindi GEC The Q on Thursday announced the launch of five new shows “Pagalpanti,” “Badhiya Hai!,” “Dhakkad Kudis,” “Dil Se Connection #Sholka Ke Saath,” and “Dil Se Connection #SambhAvi Ke Saath.”

    The channel has also launched an integrated marketing campaign to target viewers across the Hindi-speaking market. The campaign will extend outside the network TV promotion, print, and outdoor advertising as well as activations in key markets. 

    The Q will also leverage its owned media platforms across linear TV to further its messaging.

    “The channel will programme to offer similar content and shows as per a predefined time band thus delivering a holistic genre-led content consumption experience,” said the statement. The shows “Pagalpanti,” “Badhiya Hai!” and “Dhakkad Kudis” will be led by digital creators, it added. 

    “We have successfully broken the clutter with content that is different, relatable and entertaining over the last year,” said QYOU Media India chief executive officer Simran Hoon. “Our audiences and advertisers have appreciated our unique storytelling approach, and have validated our digital to TV proposition. With this new avatar, we are stepping up our commitment for our viewers by making available content that is rich, vibrant and relevant. The Q’s new programming strategy is a reflection of our identity as a network. It consolidates content by the experience it offers and brings to the forefront a new manner of consuming television.”

    According to a statement, “Pagalpanti” is a sketch comedy with popular creators like Elvish Yadav, and Awanish Singh. “Badhiya Hai!” is a family-oriented sketch comedy show with creators like BakLol amongst others. “Dhakkad Kudis” is an all women creator-led show with Sanjhalika Shokeen, Sushma Chhikara, and Charu Dixit.

    Premiering on 18 April at 7 p.m, “Dil Se Connection #SambhAvi Ke Saath” will showcase celebrity couple Sambhavna Seth and Avinash Dwivedi. “Dil Se Connection #Shloka Ke Saath” will premiere on 18 April at 7:30 p.m and will give viewers a window into the lives of celebrity couple Dipika Kakkar and Shoaib Ibrahim, added the statement.

    “Our new content lineup takes our positioning of ‘zara hatke’ to the next level,” said The Q and The Q Marathi programming head Ashutosh Barve. “Our two celebrity couples from our two ‘Dil Se connection’ series are not just most loved TV stars but also extremely successful and popular digital creators. True to our DNA of celebrating creators, for the first time on TV, we are offering our audience a VIP all-access pass to experience the ‘real life’ drama behind these ‘reel life’ celebrities. We have created a unique time band strategy that showcases our most popular digital creators with genre-led slots across family-inclusive, female skewed and male-skewed content with ‘Badhiya Hai!, ‘Dhaakad Kudis’ and ‘Paagalpanti’ slots respectively. We look forward to deepening our bond with booming young Bharat by continuing to showcase the best of relevant and entertaining content.”

  • Q Marathi sets off with four top national advertisers, 17 digital creators

    Q Marathi sets off with four top national advertisers, 17 digital creators

    Mumbai: With the biggest national FMCG advertisers such as Himalaya, L’Oréal, Pepsi, and Reckitt, and 17 top Marathi digital creators on board, Canada-based QYOU Media’s regional foray Q Marathi is off to a good start.

    Starting 15 March, the free-to-air market of over 84 million Marathi audiences in Maharashtra will have access to ‘original-to-TV’ content from across genres including comedy, romance, horror, animation, drama, and religion and spirituality in the form of Q Marathi. Reinforcing the network’s core DNA, the channel will tap into the world of social video to feature content from Marathi digital creators and social media stars.

    Why Marathi

    Q Marathi channel head Neeta Thakare says that while the network plans to venture into a bunch of languages and genre niches going ahead, the decision to begin with Maharashtra was both natural and strategic. “The state being the company’s base and a top management that is strongly rooted in the Marathi cultural ethos, helped. Marathi being third-most spoken language, as well as Maharashtra’s high literacy rate, disposable income, and digital savvy youth make it an attractive market for content providers and advertisers alike,” Thakare shares.

    This is evinced by the coming on board of some of the biggest pan-India brands such as Himalaya, L’Oréal, Pepsi, and Reckitt as ‘founding sponsors’, along with several others. These are among the top advertisers, nationally.

    According to Q Marathi programming head Ashutosh Barve Marathi channels are generally driven by retail advertising by local stores and businesses. “Having four pan-India clients as ‘founding sponsors’ for a start-up channel is a significant achievement. It reflects the faith these diverse brands have in us and our content for being able to connect them to the right kind of audience.” he says.

    The content proposition

    Talking of content, uniquely positioned as the ‘Bhannat Aahe’ channel in a market dominated by pay channels Star Pravah, Zee Marathi, Colors Marathi, and Sony Marathi and the sole FTA brand Sun Marathi, Q Marathi promises to carve out a niche for itself as the “OTT of Marathi television through its edgy and exclusive programming,” asserts Barve.

    Elaborating on the channel’s unique proposition, he notes, “In recent times the Marathi audience has taken to digital and youth content in a big way in terms of both consumption and creation. There are so many brilliant creators from the small town and villages who are churning out videos in the long-form 10/15/20-minutes space on a regular basis. As a brand driven by the booming creator economy, the Q is bringing this content to the underserved youth that is currently limited to consuming mostly drama and mythology on television. In the future we may open to shorter content and social commerce, among other things.”

    All the talk about youth and youth/digital/edgy content aside, can the channel as a GEC afford to eliminate other section of audiences? Barve clarifies that Q Marathi is definitely a family-inclusive channel. “We are programming for the entire spectrum of the audience with shows that talk of diverse subjects like childhood memories of grandmother’s home and another one that is reminiscent of Malgudi days, and yet other which depicts live-in relationships. So, while our content is always very ‘young-at-heart’, it most definitely caters to the entire family.”

    Making it known

    The Q Marathi is being promoted through a phased 360-degrees campaign, with a focus on reaching out to interior regions of Maharashtra. Currently, in the awareness-building phase, the campaign is heavy on print, shares Thakare.

    Pointing out another unique feature of the Q’s promotional strategy on digital, Barve says, “it is for the first time a TV channel is using the social media might of its creator partners as a force multiplier to reach out to the ‘aam aadmi’ in a sustained manner.”  

  • Contender GECs to make bigger dent in the free-to-air market

    Contender GECs to make bigger dent in the free-to-air market

    Mumbai: This year, the contender channels such as Shemaroo TV, The Q, and Azaad TV will be able to make a bigger dent in the FTA market due to the absence of big broadcasters’ Hindi general entertainment channels on Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish.

    The public broadcaster recently concluded its fourth annual e-auction for vacant MPEG-2 slots available on DD Free Dish. Hindi GECs like Shemaroo TV and The Q were once again able to secure slots for Rs 15.45 crore and Rs 15.4 crore, respectively.

    “Last year, the bidding process was highly competitive and we were the highest bidder in the Hindi GEC bucket at Rs 16.5 crore,” said The Q chief operating officer Krishna Menon. “We had a strategy in place and were sure that we had to be available on DD Free Dish come what may. This is because the kind of content we create is for the tier II, III and IV heartland audience and it is important for us to be present there.”

    Hindi GEC The Q became available on the DD Free Dish platform for the first time last year and saw its revenues grow by six times. The channel has launched a Marathi free-to-air channel this year. “We took a conscious call that The Q Marathi will not be on Free Dish even though it is a free-to-air channel,” Menon told IndianTelevision.com.

    ALSO READ | The Q’s client list has grown 6 times since its launch on DD Free Dish: CEO Simran Hoon

    Prasar Bharati’s free DTH platform caters to a TV audience of 40 million, many of whom are not willing to pay for content. This means that the channels which are allotted a slot on DD Free Dish have access to a whole new audience that remains untapped by the pay distribution operators.

    ALSO READ | How Dangal TV is ruling the heartland

    Enterr10 Television Network’s Hindi GEC Dangal crossed the 200 gross rating points (GRPs) threshold and became the top channel on TV for several consecutive weeks. This happened after Star, Sony, Zee and Viacom18 had pulled their FTA channels from Free Dish in 2019 and implementation of the new tariff framework (NTO). Dangal experimented with fresh content and was able to garner a significant share of viewership among free-to-air audiences.

    ALSO READ | Big four broadcasters come back on DD Free Dish

    However, in 2020, when leading broadcasters returned to the free DTH platform, the share of Dangal fell to 65-75 GRPs due to the intense competition in terms of content. “It’s not just enough to be available on Free Dish, even though that gives you a huge boost. Content is just as important. While Dangal had the best content among newcomers, if you compete with Star Utsav, they are working with completely different kind of budgets. When ‘Anupama’ (Star Utsav’s popular show) was available on Free Dish, it was unbeatable, but when the big broadcasters exited the platform then Dangal shows like ‘Mahima Shani Dev Ki’ and ‘Dwarakadhish’ were shattering records,” said industry observer Shrutish Maharaj.

    “It is a big boost for any FTA channel to be available on DD Free Dish from a potential viewership point of view but translating that into actual viewership will largely depend on content,” said Maharaj, adding that, “There will surely be an upswing for the newcomer channels but the quantum of upswing will be interesting to watch. Unlike 2019, there are more FTA channels in the GEC space and it will be interesting to see their journey in the wake of the latest developments.”

    “The upswing in GRPs also increases the bargaining power of broadcasters’ because of concentration of viewership in fewer channels in the FTA space,” he remarked. “Earlier, broadcasters were fighting for a piece of the same business and some channels were flexible with their ad rates to attract a share of ad volumes. This led to FTA advertising becoming a buyer-driven market. But a channel with a significant share of GRPs would be able to hold on to their ad rates in spite of the competition.”

    “Now that big four are going away, I’m sure that newcomers like Shemaroo TV, Azaad TV and The Q will benefit and take this opportunity to invest in content,” Maharaj further said. “The network broadcasters have not completely exited the free DTH platform as their movie channels are still available on Free Dish. The impact this strategy will have on the FTA viewership is a wait and watch.”

  • QYOU Media forays into regional market with Q Marathi

    QYOU Media forays into regional market with Q Marathi

    Mumbai: In a bid to expand into the regional market, QYOU media is all set to launch a family-oriented Marathi GEC ‘Q Marathi’ on 15 March. In line with the network’s core DNA, the new free-to-air Marathi channel will curate to showcase a mix of content from leading Marathi digital creators on national television.

    “Q Marathi will serve fresh, unique and original-to-TV content to the FTA universe across genres including comedy, animation, drama, and more,” said the media company in a statement. “It will also innovate and curate to bring local influencers on TV, thus deepening synergies with the creator economy and generating opportunities for digital talent on television,” it added.

    Speaking on strengthening the networks offering in India with the launch of Q Marathi, QYOU Media CEO Simran Hoon said, “The Marathi market and audience is among the most evolved ones in India and is an attractive market to be a part of, especially for a young network brand like QYOU Media that is willing to experiment, innovate, and take risks.”

    “Our unique storytelling, programming and content strategy have set benchmarks in the industry. Q Marathi is a reflection and an extension of our DNA; it is our effort to bridge the existing content gap and provide viewers with a fresh and new consumption experience. We are sure the channel will have an immediate connect with viewers,” added Hoon.

    “Q Marathi is designed to redefine Marathi GEC Entertainment and usher in a ‘New Era’ in television. The channel has a robust programming line-up with content cutting across multiple genres like comedy, drama, romance, horror that young Maharashtra will connect with,” said Q Marathi channel head Neeta Thakare. “The channel will engage with leading digital influencers and create opportunities for them on mainstream television.  It is our endeavour to deliver a young fresh dynamic bouquet of truly disruptive and path-breaking content for our discerning Marathi viewers while building Q Marathi as a destination for wholesome family entertainment.”

    Q Marathi will be available across leading cable and DTH operators.

  • The Q’s maiden short film festival ‘Ek Dastaan Aisi Bhi’ premieres 21 Feb

    The Q’s maiden short film festival ‘Ek Dastaan Aisi Bhi’ premieres 21 Feb

    Mumbai: Hindi GEC The Q has announced its maiden short film festival ‘Ek Dastaan Aisi Bhi’ on national television. Spread across seven days, the event will showcase nine critically acclaimed Hindi short films across genres, themes and subjects from 21 to 28 February at 8:30 p.m. 

    The initiative will showcase one short film with a unique narrative on weekdays, followed by a ‘Weekend Bonanza’ of two back-to-back films on 26 and 27 February.

    The nine titles include “Aapka Amitabh,” “Rishtey,” “Kesar,” “Le’vish,” “The Guide,” “You Changed Me,” “Kashi,” “Lunch Stories,” and “The Last Order.” “Aapka Amitabh” and “You Changed Me” have won global acclaim at leading film festivals, said the channel in a statement.

    “The Q’s journey over the last year has been about excitement and innovation. Having received so much love and appreciation from our viewers across India, we firmly believe the onus rests upon us to ensure they are provided with content that is relatable in its true sense while fostering a culture of appointment viewing on the channel,” said QYOU Media CEO Simran Hoon. “‘Ek Dastaan Aisi Bhi’ echoes our proposition to offer our viewers ‘Hatke Digital Creations’ which are Original-To-TV-content. It is also one of the many firsts for The Q as well as the Hindi GEC category. We look forward to rewarding our viewers through constant innovation while cementing our leadership in the FTA universe.”

    “We kickstarted 2022 with a distinct yet poignant strategy with the launch of ‘Hasi Ka HAHAkaar’- a first-of-its-kind show on TV. ‘Ek Dastaan Aisi Bhi’ is an extension of this strategy that targets viewers from rural and urban markets,” commented QYOU Media COO Krishna Menon. “The nine short films that we have acquired as a part of this programming line-up are simple and yet meaningful and are sure to create intrigue. All these films are socially and personally relevant thus helping us develop a deeper relationship with our viewers. We will continue to invest efforts and energies in a bid to attract more viewers across all platforms while expanding our presence and reach.”

  • The Q announces influencer-led comedy show ‘Hasi Ka Hahakaar’

    The Q announces influencer-led comedy show ‘Hasi Ka Hahakaar’

    Mumbai: Hindi GEC The Q has announced its first original for the year “Hasi Ka Hahakaar” with Gaurav Gera as the host. Premiering on 22 January, the scripted reality comedy series will feature popular comedy influencers and artists as guests. The show will air every Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m and 10 p.m.

    “Hasi Ka Hahakaar” will give viewers and Gaurav Gera fans an opportunity to see him in a different avatar in each episode along with his Man-Friday and co-actor Sandesh Nayak playing the character of Khurram Bhopali. The show will give popular comedy entertainers and influencers from the digital world an opportunity to be on television alongside Gera, bolstering the overall comedy quotient, said the channel in a statement.

    Each episode will have a special segment with comedians Kettan Singh, Ankita Srivastav, Ishtiyak Khan and Mubeen Saudagar joining the host. Their engagement with emerging comedy influencers on-air will further the brand’s proposition of providing a platform for digital talent on national television, it added.

    Speaking on the launch of the new show, The Q programming head Tanya Shukla said, “Given the external environment and the volatile times we are living in, the comedy genre has naturally cemented its position in the minds of viewers. Hasi Ka Hahakaar is India’s first large-scale influencer-led comedy show on television. It is conceptualised upon The Q’s ‘Zara Hatke’ proposition. The fresh and innovative concept brings together talented individuals with great comedy timing.”

    “Viewers will get to witness Gaurav Gera in some of his most popular digital avatars including Chutki, Shopkeeper, and Biddu Uncle among others. We are sure that show will strike a chord with viewers making them return for more. We look forward to creating, curating and investing to bring more such content that connects and resonates with our loyal viewer base while attracting new viewers to The Q,” she added. 

  • The Q unveils first brand campaign ‘Sabse Alag, Sabke Liye’

    The Q unveils first brand campaign ‘Sabse Alag, Sabke Liye’

    Mumbai: Hindi General Entertainment channel The Q has launched its maiden brand campaign titled ‘Sabse Alag, Sabke Liye.’ The integrated marketing push is aimed at deepening awareness, increasing reach, and driving inclusivity for the channel while strengthening its ‘Zara Hatke’ proposition as it embarks on to the next phase of growth.

    Actor Ravi Dubey has been roped in as the face of the campaign to leverage his popularity among existing and new viewers, especially in the hinterland.

    The campaign comprises two brand films conceptualised and executed by Mumbai-based integrated communications agency Blitzkrieg. Currently on air on The Q, the ad films will be extensively promoted beyond the network as well. The films are complemented by a catchy brand song that will be promoted strongly in key markets through radio and music apps.

    Besides the on-air promotion, the campaign will be amplified on digital, social media, print, and radio. In addition to targeting consumers, it will also address stakeholders and advertisers by showcasing the channel’s promise, strength and wide variety of offerings. said the channel in a statement.

    In a bid to keep viewers engaged following the brand campaign launch, The Q will run a ‘Watch & Win’ contest titled ‘The Q Dekho Sona Jeeto.’ Specifically timed around year-end, the contest will be integrated into the channel’s prime time to give the viewers an opportunity to win gold, daily.

    “2021 has been exciting and rewarding for us at The Q. We have not simply brought the best of digital on to television, but have also given digital talent an opportunity to be on television,” said The Q CEO Simran Hoon. “We have partnered with platform and creators to offer content that keeps our viewers engaged and entertained while building a robust library of content cutting across genres. Our storytelling style has created a distinct position for us in the industry and this helps us win over not just new viewers but also advertisers. Our latest campaign ‘Sabse Alag, Sabke Liye’ reinforces our commitment to our viewers to provide differentiated content while we embark on our next phase of growth in a ‘Hatke’ style.”

    “’Sabse Alag, Sabke Liye’ is well integrated and is sure to strike a chord with viewers. It is an ode to our existing viewers, thanking them for their constant support and a warm welcome to new viewers encouraging them to be a part of our growing family,” stated The Q COO Krishna Menon. “Ravi Dubey’s popularity is equally commendable in rural and urban markets and by leveraging it we are certain of attracting a new set of viewers to The Q. Our Watch and Win contest are also designed to drive engagement while offering viewers a chance to win gold.”