ITV

Tag: Tushar Shah

  • Sony Aath to premiere new show ‘Vighnaharta Ganesh’ on 25 April

    Sony Aath to premiere new show ‘Vighnaharta Ganesh’ on 25 April

    Mumbai: Bengali general entertainment channel Sony Aath is set to premiere a new mythological show “Vighnaharta Ganesh” on 25 April. The show will be telecasted every Monday to Friday at 7:30 p.m.

    According to a statement, the show will portray the journey of Lord Ganesha in a never-seen-before avatar in the Bengali language. “The channel is trying to bring a visual delight to its viewers with the addition of ‘Vighnaharta Ganesh’ to its content lineup,” it said.

    Speaking about the new show, Sony Aath’s CMO and business head Tushar Shah said, “At Sony Aath, we pride ourselves in offering diverse and differentiated content to our audiences. The launch of Vighnaharta Ganesh will further strengthen our offering that adds to the quality family time for our viewers. As we step into the new year, I would like to wish everyone Shubho Noboborsho.”

    The show will be an addition to other new launches on the channel like “Aladdin and Baalveer,” which have garnered great responses from the viewers. The channel is also home to everyone’s favourite thriller shows like “CID” and “Crime Patrol” and evergreen classic stories of Gopal Bhar and Nut Boltu.

  • Sony BBC Earth celebrates five-year anniversary with new campaign

    Sony BBC Earth celebrates five-year anniversary with new campaign

    Mumbai: Factual entertainment channel Sony BBC Earth has launched a 360-degree campaign titled ‘Make Every Moment Meaningful’ as the channel completes five years.

    The channel has also introduced a property called ‘5 Years 5 Mega Shows’ giving viewers a chance to vote for their favourite movies. The property will air every Saturday at 8 p.m from 12 March.

    As per the campaign, the channel launched a user-generated contest called #5YearsOfLife on Instagram giving people a chance to share how they added meaning to someone’s life via reels using the brand audio. An innovative Instagram filter was introduced to create an immersive experience. Built using augmented reality, the filter works when users point their camera towards the Sony BBC Earth logo (on-air, web, print, and outdoor) and their screens come alive with animated animal figures.

    Sony BBC Earth airs some of the biggest titles in factual entertainment such as “Planet Earth,” “Dynasties,” “Blue Planet 2” and “Serengeti.”  Its shows feature storytellers such as Sir David Attenborough and Steve Backshall.

    “Guided by our consumer understanding and insights, we wanted to create a brand which when coupled with our core values would be a breakthrough in the factual entertainment space,” said Sony Pictures Networks’ chief marketing officer and business head – English cluster and Sony AATH Tushar Shah. “As we complete five years of Sony BBC Earth, we are happy to see our vision come to life. With the strengths of both its partners, including top-notch content, esteemed brand equity, and distribution genius, the channel has always added meaning to the life of its viewers. We hope to continue entertaining the audiences and add meaning to every moment they spend with us.”

  • Sony Pix strengthens lineup in partnership with SPE, Warner Bros & NBC Universal

    Sony Pix strengthens lineup in partnership with SPE, Warner Bros & NBC Universal

    Mumbai: Sony Pix has partnered with Sony Pictures Entertainment along with continued support of Warner Brothers and NBC Universal to announce their upcoming programming lineup. This includes titles like “Shazam,” “Spiderman,” “Lord of the Rings,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” “Resident Evil,” and “Insidious.”

    The channel’s constant innovation in terms of content has garnered a great response from the viewers,” said the statement. In 2021, the channel introduced properties such as ‘Pix Triple treat,’ ‘Mega Pixathon,’ ‘Twice is Nice,’ and a slew of Indian television premieres to woo audiences. The channel is planning to introduce a new property titled ‘Love Stories on Pix’ that will help viewers enjoy romantic films in the comfort of their homes.

    Sony Pix has secured top rank in terms of viewership both SD and HD platforms in its category and is also the leader in the primetime slot of 1900-2400 hours according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) data (Source: Barc, TG – 15-40 AB, Market – 10L+, Period – Wk 51’21 – Wk 2’22)

    “In our constant endeavor to bring the best to our viewers, this year we will see movies from Hollywood’s best studios like Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Brothers and NBC Universal on Sony PIX,” said Sony Pictures Networks’ chief marketing officer and business head – English cluster and Sony Aath Tushar Shah. “We are delighted to partner with these studios once again and look forward to yet another fulfilling year ahead.”

  • Sony Aath retains third spot among Bangla GECs in 2021

    Sony Aath retains third spot among Bangla GECs in 2021

    Mumbai: Bangla general entertainment channel Sony Aath has retained the third position in terms of viewership across urban markets of West Bengal and Kolkata, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) data. The channel has also maintained its leadership in the morning prime slot between 10 a.m and 1 p.m and once again secured top position in both West Bengal Urban and Kolkata. (Source: Barc Market: West Bengal, TG: 2+, Period Wk 1-52’21, average weekly impressions).

    The previous year was marked by new and unique offerings by the channel such as introducing a segment called ‘Hollywood Hungama’ that brought the best Hollywood titles to Bengali audiences. This included titles such as “Kong Skull Island,” “Godzilla” and the “Jurassic” series. The channel also premiered “Aladdin” in November adding to its content diversity. Besides new content, audiences continued to watch thrillers such as “CID,” “Crime Patrol” and family shows like “Gopal Bhar” and “Balveer.”

    While the audience support has helped in maintaining the viewership share for the brand, it has also reflected upon its social media channels. Sony AATH garnered over 13.5 million subscribers and an average of 300 million views per month on its YouTube channel.

    “It’s heartening to note that our viewers have loved our content offering, helping the channel retain its No. 3 position on the viewership chart of Bengal yet again,” said Sony Pictures Networks India chief marketing officer and business head Sony Aath and English Cluster Tushar Shah. “This affection and performance make our commitment of providing nothing but the best even stronger for our viewers. New Year 2022 is going to see yet another eclectic mix of content offering from Sony Aath. And I am certain, we will continue to enjoy the confidence of our audience, as well as our business partners. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year!”

  • Sony BBC Earth to premiere ‘Serengeti II’ on 18 October

    Sony BBC Earth to premiere ‘Serengeti II’ on 18 October

    Mumbai: Sony BBC Earth is set to air “Serengeti II” on 18 October at 9 p.m, from Monday to Friday.

    Narrated by Academy Award-winning actress of “Star Wars” and “Black Panther” fame Lupita Nyong’o and Produced by John Downer and Simon Fuller, the show captures the dramatic and emotionally interconnected stories of the iconic savannah animals, from the unspoiled corner of Africa.

    The second part of the series continues to highlight heartwarming stories of the African wildlife from Bakari the baboon, Kali the lioness, a family of leopards with their adorable cubs, and many new animal characters. The six-episode series touches upon different phases of these animal characters, revealing their unique relationship dynamics, behavior, strengths, and weaknesses.

    “It has been our constant endeavor to instill a positive impact within our audience through the power of visual storytelling,” said Sony Pictures Network chief marketing officer and business head for English cluster and Sony AATH Tushar Shah. “With Serengeti II, we are happy to bring alive yet another pioneering series and go deeper into the heart of the action to bring viewers unprecedented animal behavior.”

    The channel is running a month-long social media campaign called ‘witness the bond between the land and the living.’ According to a statement, it will create branded content with popular social media influencers and stand-up comedians such as Jose Covaco and Sorabh Pant.

  • Sony Pix emerges as the #1 English movie channel in FY 21

    Sony Pix emerges as the #1 English movie channel in FY 21

    MUMBAI: With the financial year 20-21 ending, Sony Pix (SD + HD) has managed to garner 23 percent viewership share. A combination of a library of popular movies, blockbuster premieres and deeper engagement with the customers has propelled the channel to the top position.  The year 2020 was known for many firsts and  SPNI’s English movie channel Sony Pix took this opportunity to continue to innovate and grow backed by many programming and marketing initiatives.

     Apart from premiering blockbuster Hollywood movies like Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, The Secret Life of Pets 2, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Cold Pursuit and more, Sony Pix’s library also hosts some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises like Fast & Furious, The Mummy, Jurassic Park, among others. Such stupendous titles have made Sony Pix the most watched channel in the category – overall as well as during primetime- with highest time spent per viewer*. The channel’s dominance is also reflected in the fact that in the last eight weeks, six out of top ten movie airings in the English movie category were aired from Sony Pix’s library.

    This move has also helped the channel (Sony Pix SD+HD) register a +86 per cent growth in viewership share (vs. FY20), making it the fastest growing English movie channel. Owing to this the channel has managed to gain #1 position on HD feed with a strong share of 31 per cent**. Even in terms of reach and time spent, Sony Pix HD is the undisputed leader**.

    With renewed zest to continue to entertain the viewers with the biggest Hollywood premieres, franchises, marathons and specially curated programming properties, Sony Pix is looking forward to another year of amazement.

    Sony Pictures Networks India English Cluster business head Tushar Shah said,“Last year was not easy, however, to come out not just stronger but also as the leading English movie channel fills our heart with joy. We are grateful to our viewers for their unwavering love and support and have renewed faith in our strategy of placing the consumer first. We are ready to face the new year head-on with a promise to keep entertaining Sony Pix fans with the best of Hollywood blockbusters and movie festivals”.

    * Source: BARC, Market: 10L+, TG: NCCS 15-40 AB, Period: WK 14’2020 – 13’2021, Average Weekly AMA & ATS (viewer), English Movie Channels SD+HD

    ** Source: BARC, Market: 10L+, TG: NCCS 15-40 AB, Period: WK 14’2020 – 13’2021, Average Weekly AMA, ATS (viewer) & Cume Rch’000, English Movie Channel HD

    *** Source: BARC, Market: 10L+, TG: NCCS 15-40 AB, Period: WK 14’2020 – 13’2021, Time bands: 19:00-24:00, Average Weekly AMA, English Movie Channels SD+HD

    **** Source: BARC, Market: 10L+, TG: NCCS 15+ AB, Period: WK 6-13’2021, AMA, English Movie Channels SD

  • Sony BBC Earth gears up for launch of ‘A Perfect Planet’

    Sony BBC Earth gears up for launch of ‘A Perfect Planet’

    MUMBAI: In Sir David Attenborough’s words –“This is the most important story of our time.”

    A Perfect Planet explores how everything about our world is perfectly suited to our existence. For the first time, this series focuses on the powerful natural forces –volcanoes, sun, the weather and the ocean currents – all of which work together in an intricate balance to make Earth the only planet in the solar system that can support life. But how does this occur? Unfolding the varied aspects of our natural world and how they blend to create life, Sony BBC Earth is ready for the premiere of A Perfect Planet on 8 March 2021.

    Shot over four years, across 31 countries and six continents, this five-part series narrated by Sir David Attenborough shows how animals of all shapes and sizes perfectly adapt to whatever the environment throws at them. While the first four episodes define the power of volcanoes, sunlight, weather, and oceans, the finale episode highlights the dramatic impact of the world’s newest force –humans, and what can be done to restore the equilibrium and protect life on our unique and precious planet.

    Ensuring that the audience doesn’t miss out on this spellbinding visual experience due to the pandemic, Sony BBC Earth hosted a first of its kind exclusive virtual premiere ahead of the Indian television premiere. The channel created an immersive virtual experience by bringing alive the beauty and grandness of the series and offering a glimpse of all the five episodes, from the comfort of their homes. The screening was open to celebrities, media, and winners chosen out of a contest on social media and school students across the country. The virtual premiere is open for everyone to watch till 14 March at https://sonybbcearth-aperfectplanet.com/

    The channel has tied up with Grow-Trees, a web-enabled, cost-effective platform to plant several trees on behalf of prominent celebrities from the industry and sent out hampers with personalised certificates under their name. Celebrities like Tahira Kashyap, Sonali Bendre, Hina Khan, Mini Mathur, Nakuul Mehta, Pooja Gor, amongst others took to their Instagram advocating the thoughtful initiative and giving a shoutout to the series premiere. 

    Beyond the virtual premiere, the series is promoted strongly on social media through a month-long campaign. With the aim of making the series more appealing to digital first audiences, Sony BBC Earth is also creating co-branded promotional content with popular social media influencers Abhishek Upmanyu and Jordindian.

    The channel has also put out animated, 3D-effect social media posts and will host an Insta Live with series producer Huw Cordey on the day of the premiere.

    Sony Pictures Networks India English channels EVP & business head Tushar Shah said, "A Perfect Planet is yet another milestone series from Sir David Attenborough that presents the story of earth's power and fragility and drives a powerful message about how human actions are impacting the perfect balance of natural forces. Through this one-of-a-kind virtual premiere, our endeavour was to deliver a truly immersive viewing experience to audiences in an impactful manner. This has been yet another digital-first and innovative initiative that reinforces our brand promise."

  • Sony Pix introduces new programming property

    Sony Pix introduces new programming property

    MUMBAI: Sony Pix enthralled fans through 2020 with the biggest Hollywood premieres, new programming IPs and innovations so much so that it was audience’s favorite English movie channel. Now entering 2021 with a renewed zest to entertain, Sony Pix is helping viewers keep up the trend of new year, new resolutions by introducing a new programming property – Amazement @9: New Year Resolution. As part of the property, Sony Pix will pick a different theme each week and show the relevant, best of Hollywood movies under each theme.

    ‘Amazement @9: New Year Resolution’ movie property goes live on 11 January and will air movies from Monday to Friday at 9 pm. The theme will vary each week starting with ‘Have No Fear All Year’ under which there’ll be movies like I am Legend and Rampage, ‘Fit Enough To Kickass’ under which there’ll be Cold Pursuit and 300 among other movies, ‘Always Say Yes To Adventure’ which will have movies like How to Train Your Dragon and Fantastic Beasts and lastly, ‘Be A Hero’ under which there’ll be Wonder Woman and Justice League among other movies.

    Additionally, there is the Indian television premiere of King of Thieves on 10 January at 9 pm. The movie has a stellar cast consisting of stalwarts like Michael Caine and Michael Gambon among others. There are also two popular movies airing first time on Sony Pix Kung Fu Panda 3 on 24 January at 1 pm and 9 pm and The Intern on 31 January at 9 pm. And to add to this, there’s a special programming line-up on Republic Day to keep the thrill and amazement alive through the day – there’s Fast & Furious PIXathon on 26 January, 9 am onwards.

    And finally, continuing the legacy of introducing and showing multi-language films on a Hollywood movie channel, Sony Pix will have a special multi-language line-up on the occasion of ‘Pongal’ and ‘Makar Sankranti’ on 14 January, 10 am onwards. This special festival will consist of blockbuster movies like The Dark Knight, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, How to Train Your Dragon, The Mummy Returns and more.

    Sony Pictures Networks India English cluster business head Tushar Shah said, “We are excited to start the new year with the same, new resolutions as our fans, which includes not to fear, which is with new resolutions which include to not fear, to be adventurous, to be fit and to be a hero when needed the most. We ended last year on a good note, with the love of our fans and we hope the same from this year too – to keep the entertainment and amazement quotient high with the best of Hollywood movies”.

  • Sony BBC Earth launches Young Earth Champions with Bhumi Pednekar

    Sony BBC Earth launches Young Earth Champions with Bhumi Pednekar

    MUMBAI: Being indoors has made us realise just how energising it is to be outdoors and has given us another reason to be a lot more compassionate towards our planet. The year gone by also made us take notice of the sweeping environmental crisis, pushing us to work towards building a better tomorrow for the next generation. There is a dire need to elevate the voices of the youth and drive them towards a positive call for action as their small steps today can make a big difference in the future.

    In line with this belief, Sony BBC Earth is launching its IP Young Earth Champions in partnership with actor Bhumi Pednekar, who is a strong advocate of environmental conservation through her flagship initiative – Climate Warrior. Together, via this nationwide contest for all climate-conscious students, Sony BBC Earth and Bhumi Pednekar are presenting a platform that not only recognises and rewards innovative ideas but also inspires the young minds of India to think about a better and a more sustainable future.

    Backed with an intent to inspire kids to be catalysts for conservation early on, the contest will be open for fifth to ninth standard kids who have to send in entries for the most innovative ideas that will make our cities and communities more sustainable. Bhumi Pednekar, along with an expert, will judge this initiative and select one lucky Young Earth Champion who will be featured on the channel. Not only that, the top ten winners will get to virtually interact with Pednekar and have an invigorating conversation on doing our bit in preserving the Earth and co-existing with it.

    For more details on the initiative, log on to www.sonybbcearth/youngearthchampions

    Sony Pictures Networks India English cluster business head Tushar Shah said, “It gives us immense pleasure to join hands with climate warrior Bhumi Pednekar for Young Earth Champions and together present a platform for the young minds to voice their innovative ideas for a sustainable future. Through positive and insightful storytelling, Sony BBC Earth has always aimed at creating awareness about the importance of safeguarding the natural world and environment. This initiative is just another step towards educating young minds about the power they have to bring about that change; thereby encouraging them to work towards a better tomorrow.”

    Pednekar added, “Climate change is upon us, and it's real. Through my initiative of 'Climate Warrior', I diligently try to highlight the seriousness of the crisis and its repercussions. I am glad that Sony BBC Earth echoes the same beliefs and with Young Earth Champions is offering a great platform to trigger exchange of creative ideas among kids, who have the power to bring about change. I am looking forward to an encouraging participation from incredible, young talents and a stimulating discussion about a sustainable future.”

  • Guest column: Looking back and beyond

    Guest column: Looking back and beyond

    Mumbai: Looking back, none of us had remotely fathomed the enduring chaos that 2020 would unfold. More than the startling impact of the global pandemic, I believe it was the abruptness of the situation, subsequent lockdowns and the looming uncertainty that caught us off guard. However, though in the face of adversity, the undying human spirit coupled with technology helped us adapt quickly to the disruptive reality. An overwhelming year as this introduced us to the humane side of technology that kept us connected and fastened us to some semblance of stability. 

    Undeniably, the impact on businesses was harder. For media and entertainment, the complete halt on shoots and production was a major roadblock, but I feel the hurdles prompted content creators to realign their programming choices, adapt to changing trends and be more accepting of risks. The skyrocketing success of the most iconic shows from the past made headlines, generated viewership growth and reinstated the power of content that engages and inspires. Not only did this lead to a surge in family viewing in 2020 but was key to the 20 per cent increase in daytime viewership including a spike in average time spent on television (as per a BARC –Nielsen Report).

    This reassuring response spilled over to niche categories like Infotainment and English movies as well with the latter surging by 95 per cent in non-prime time viewership. To cater to the new set of viewers on Sony BBC Earth and Sony Pix, we introduced afternoon slots and expanded our offerings that opened to positive feedback. Our marketing and programming innovations were driven by this sole intent of being a consumer-first brand and be visible at all touchpoints.

    Talking of touchpoints, social media topped that list with a growth of over 87 per cent as per industry estimates (as per Hammerkopf Consumer Snapshot Survey). With more than four hours being spent on the platforms daily post lockdown, social media engagement led brands to explore avenues that would connect across demographics and geographies. Launching AR Filters on Instagram and Facebook and hosting FB Live Workshops for Sony BBC Earth and Sony PIX were reflective of this paradigm shift.

    Another pioneering transition was in education, with the surge in digital learning, it opened brands to the benefits of constant engagement and showcasing of more content. Driven by the purpose of offering a holistic experience to young minds and reach more students, we ensured an online presence for our existing school contact programme. This was achieved via a microsite that hosted e-bulletins, recorded videos, live interactions and more. With more than 3.6L pageviews and increasing by the day, this has emerged as an effective delivery mechanism for us, and I believe it is here to stay.

    As regards online engagement, Sony Pix hosted an online gaming tournament with around two thousand gamers that fetched more than one million-plus views.

    In culmination, from a business standpoint, I feel understanding of audience behaviour, adaptability and innovation were my biggest takeaways of 2020. Despite the challenges, Sony Pix managed to chart growth in consumer viewership and reach.

    On a personal level, I hope we remember 2020 not just as a year of impediments but as one that gave us a chance to pause, reflect and rejig our way of life. Forward to 2021, I wish for all to start over with more empathy and awareness towards self and the world at large as we inch towards a year of hope.

    (The author is Sony Pictures Networks India English cluster business head Tushar Shah. Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to his views)