ITV

Tag: UTV Stars

  • Content maven Manish Dubey to ride YouTube wave at Infinitum Network

    Content maven Manish Dubey to ride YouTube wave at Infinitum Network

    MUMBAI:  Manish Dubey has landed a plum role as head of content strategy and partnerships at Infinitum Network Solutions, a digital content behemoth controlling 400-plus YouTube channels across 100 languages.
    The media veteran, previously content head with Suniel Shetty Productions, brings a robust track record spanning UTV Stars, Disney India, and television newsrooms. His new brief: to transform Infinitum’s already impressive 300-million-subscriber empire.

    “YouTube is like an ocean,” Dubey mused, “the  deeper you dive, the more you realise its vastness.”

    His strategic remit covers sports, news, entertainment, comedy, business, health, and beauty verticals.
    Founders Satyadev Chada and Vandana B have positioned Dubey to attract top-tier talent and drive innovation across markets including the middle East, Europe, India, Asia Pacific, and the US.

    The move signals Infinitum’s aggressive expansion in the digital content landscape, with Dubey positioned to chart bold new content strategies.

     

  • “Our carriage bill is down 30-35%; subscription up 14-15%”: Nikhil Gandhi

    “Our carriage bill is down 30-35%; subscription up 14-15%”: Nikhil Gandhi

    2015 will be remembered as a memorable year for Disney India’s TV biz. The mouse house took its TV channel distribution in its own hands when it terminated its joint venture with the Viacom outfit Indiacast.  For several years it had experimented with other distribution partners like Sun Distribution Services to Star Den, both of which are non-existent now.

    A new venture Disney Media Networks was set up and media vet Nikhil Gandhi – who was responsibile for revenue and profitability across Disney India media channels comprising of youth channels – Bindass and kids channels – Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD and Hungama TV, movies channels – UTV Movies and UTV Action –  was given its charge.

    His challenge: to jiggle out distribution and subscription  revenues from India’s fragmented cable TV ecosystem, while keeping affiliate fees under control even as he ensured carriage of Disney India’s eight channel bouquet.

    Six months down the line, Gandhi seems to have done well, if one goes by this exclusive interview to indiantelevision.com’s Anirban Roy Choudhury.  He speaks about the challenges he has and continues to face, and why he is still optimistic.

    Excerpts: 


    How has the journey been so far? What made Disney decide to distribute its TV channels on its own?

    It has been a fabulous six months. The market has been receptive to whatever we are doing, which has been a major boost for us. We have been in the business for over 10 years now and we have been distributing through different partners. We started with Star, then we went to Sun and then to IndiaCast, following which we were on an agency relationship with them. Therefore we needed to take a call on what we really wanted to do.

    I think our network is one to reckon with. We have six per cent viewership share which is probably five or six times compared to the one following us. So we are the fifth largest broadcast network. That’s why we thought we could go out and take the business in our hands and see what we could do at the distribution level.

    One, it was also important to get our carriage fee bill down, which each  broadcaster is trying his level best to do. Two and the most important one was to get the subscription business in order. 

    What are the challenges that you faced and how did you counter them?

    We had to inform the ecosystem – the MSOs’ and the DTH players about Disney Media Networks, that we have eigh channels, we have very high premium brands. We had to tell them what we are and what value we could add to them. I think that at certain point after our initial efforts, they did realise that they had never seen Disney as an entity in its own right. They began to understand the value that we brought to the table in terms of packaging. They realised we were the leaders in kids and youth channels and we had a sizeable movie business. We were not just another bouquet, we were leaders of sorts. The challenge was to communicate that and the team did a fantastic job.

    I think that the deals that we have struck are our biggest achievement. We have reached very big milestones in the first year itself. To begin with we have got our carriage bill down by 30 to 35 per cent and at the same time we have taken our subscription revenue up 14 to 15 per cent and it happened after rounds of negotiations and discussions with our carriage partners.

    When you talk about distribution success, do you mean a pan India success or is it a particular market?

    It is a pan India success for us. We are distributed nationally. Our channels reach east, west, north and south. And that is because of the fantastic work done by our teams on ground. We got a fantastic bunch of talented people from across different fields. They have successfully communicated what really Disney Media Networks stands for, and most of the negotiations are done by them. So whenever we talk about success or numbers, it is pan India that we are talking about, and not a particular market.

    What is your opinion about the CPS model? If rolled out properly, will it enhance your subscription revenue?

    CPS is there…and yet it’s not there as a whole. In phases I and II, we know what is going on. Phases III and IV will take shape with time. It’s good that we’ve digitized, now what really matters is how it is being addressed, how the CAF is filled up and how it is packaged. 

    It is a great move forward, and as a broadcaster and content provider, we can only add value to the process by giving superior content and a brand which will enhance ARPUs.

    CPS will happen as the progression of packaging happens and the progression of addressability happens.

    The MSO-LCO equation needs to change and become more mature. Yes, the moves are very positive, but we are still not there, there are areas where we need some amount of investor players to come and change the game at least from a mind-set point of view. CPS will go up with ARPU going up.  And when there is a transparent system in place that enables addressability, subscription revenue will move up in the right direction.

    What is your opinion on the regulators stand so far?

    The regulators have been very pro industry, which is a great thing. We have seen how there was a hard stance when it came to the phase III deadline. So I think it’s a very bold move, because for them also, it’s about getting the industry which is so big in size organised and deriving the maximum out of it in terms of entertainment tax and other revenue generating propositions. And an organised platform is always more transparent, and transparency is the need of the hour for the industry. So I think the regulator’s stand so far has been immensely pro industry.

    Do you think content, if paid for in India, will grow?

    ARPUs’ have been flat for last 10 years. So obviously India is not paying for content, but the moot point is that India is capable of paying more. We, at Disney, are manufacturers; we are content providers. There are platforms and there are wholesalers and retailers involved.  It is the retailers and the wholesalers who need to drive the ARPU and there are many elements on which it all depends.

    At a pricing level we are restricted by the RIO model, and then on the ground level there is the LCO who by no means is interested as it might hurt him. I think to drive payment for content, the LCO – MSO equation needs to change, DTH needs to play its role and it all needs to happen in a collaborated manner.

    I think there is a need for standard pricing similar to any other industry. You buy toothpaste the price is the same everywhere.  In India there is a legacy involved in the way it has been run. The legacy needs to change. It is changing, we expected it to change fast, but it’s actually changing at a snail’s pace.

    Can the broadcasters not play a role in ensuring higher ARPU?

    Look at what the broadcasters are offering these days. Look at the quality of the content. It’s premium content created with superior sophistication. There are HD channels offering HD content. A few of them have rolled out 4K channels.

     So while ARPU has remained same over the last 10 years, the investment on content did not stop. It kept on going. New formats, acquisitions, new and bold ways of storytelling have been explored, and then there are the additions in the number of channels every year.

    Rs 300 for 50 channels 10 years ago, has now become 250 channels of superior quality for the same old price. We have witnessed a few ARPU movements at least in the metros with DTH and a few MSOs, but these are minuscule movements. The movements need to happen much faster because that’s where the motivation is. From a broadcaster’s point of view, there is nothing that we can do but play the game as per the nature of the business.

    You spoke about collaboration, recently we witnessed switching off of signals, what is your opinion on such acts?  

    Firstly, the switching off of services and disturbing the consumer at a fundamental level is very unfair, it should not happen. There could be differences on the negotiation table, but that by no means should disturb the end consumer. 

    The fact that the consumer is deprived of a service in itself is very sad.  I don’t subscribe to such negotiations. We have also gone through highs and lows in our negotiation process but, at the end of the day, you cannot starve your consumer of superior content, or any content for that matter, because the consumer has subscribed for it. The ecosystem is such that the business is dependent on ad sales, and that is why the switch offs’ happen.

    What should lead the business, subscription or ad revenue?

    Ad sales should be an icing on the cake, subscription revenue should steer the business. Look at the mature markets – subscription revenue is leading the business, the negotiations that happen there are at a different level.

    Fundamentally the broadcast business has to be a subscription led business. You can have an advertising-based play that we are seeing with the FTA’s and that’s majorly because of the huge population of our country and the market size and the reach that TV offers. But a premium pay channel creating original superior content needs to be pay first.

    What is your take on the growing OTT business?

    At the heart of the OTT ecosystem is bandwidth and the bandwidth needs to improve.  What will be interesting to see is if it becomes subscription based (SVOD) or advertising based video on demand (AVOD). 

    Now if you are providing superior content for an AVOD model you are not creating a great environment as such. It’s all about how you form the habit. Consumers who consume OTT content are paying about Rs 1,000 for data, and we tend to think that the same consumer will not pay for  content. This mentality is not a long term one, we need to think 10 years ahead and then take steps.

    Smart TVs are in place; people are talking about 8K.  There are great leaps in terms of technology, but if we don’t take the correct steps, we won’t be able to get value out of the OTT business.

    Will you make yourself available on OTT platforms? Star has Hotstar, SPN has Sony Liv, ZEE has a couple of them and Viacom is launching VOOT. Is Disney also looking towards launching an OTT platform?

    Anywhere where consumption is there, we will make ourselves present. That’s the way forward for us. We do have plans, but we are at a very nascent stage as far as OTT is concerned. As a linear service we will be available on all OTT platforms, but when it comes to launching our own venture we will evaluate when the time is right.

    Where are you generating more subscription revenue from, DTH or cable?

    DTH has a slight edge over cable when it comes to our subscription revenue. We are gradually moving towards level contributions from both the platforms. Now with DAS phase III, I think the headroom for growth is massive in the case of cable. At this stage I think that DTH, given its organised and transparent nature, has the edge.

    Is it the bouquet mode of distribution that you are looking at, at this stage?

    Most of our deals are all bouquet offerings, if there is any platform that requires a youth offering or kids offering or a movie offering, such deals happen at a very high CPS price and we create those packages. We are there on a la carte as an offering, but there is a very small set of consumers who subscribe to the service. So it’s largely all bouquet.

    What is it that Disney Media Networks is looking for in the foreseeable future?

    I have mandated the team in Disney that the subscription business needs to overtake the ad sales business over the next three years’  and that will change the entire ecosystem. An MSO cannot then threaten me with a switch off and that’s what we are targeting. We were at about 65:35 ratio, now we have become 60:40 so we are moving towards that direction. Over time the target is to make it 40:60 or 30:70 for that matter.

     

  • “Our carriage bill is down 30-35%; subscription up 14-15%”: Nikhil Gandhi

    “Our carriage bill is down 30-35%; subscription up 14-15%”: Nikhil Gandhi

    2015 will be remembered as a memorable year for Disney India’s TV biz. The mouse house took its TV channel distribution in its own hands when it terminated its joint venture with the Viacom outfit Indiacast.  For several years it had experimented with other distribution partners like Sun Distribution Services to Star Den, both of which are non-existent now.

    A new venture Disney Media Networks was set up and media vet Nikhil Gandhi – who was responsibile for revenue and profitability across Disney India media channels comprising of youth channels – Bindass and kids channels – Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD and Hungama TV, movies channels – UTV Movies and UTV Action –  was given its charge.

    His challenge: to jiggle out distribution and subscription  revenues from India’s fragmented cable TV ecosystem, while keeping affiliate fees under control even as he ensured carriage of Disney India’s eight channel bouquet.

    Six months down the line, Gandhi seems to have done well, if one goes by this exclusive interview to indiantelevision.com’s Anirban Roy Choudhury.  He speaks about the challenges he has and continues to face, and why he is still optimistic.

    Excerpts: 


    How has the journey been so far? What made Disney decide to distribute its TV channels on its own?

    It has been a fabulous six months. The market has been receptive to whatever we are doing, which has been a major boost for us. We have been in the business for over 10 years now and we have been distributing through different partners. We started with Star, then we went to Sun and then to IndiaCast, following which we were on an agency relationship with them. Therefore we needed to take a call on what we really wanted to do.

    I think our network is one to reckon with. We have six per cent viewership share which is probably five or six times compared to the one following us. So we are the fifth largest broadcast network. That’s why we thought we could go out and take the business in our hands and see what we could do at the distribution level.

    One, it was also important to get our carriage fee bill down, which each  broadcaster is trying his level best to do. Two and the most important one was to get the subscription business in order. 

    What are the challenges that you faced and how did you counter them?

    We had to inform the ecosystem – the MSOs’ and the DTH players about Disney Media Networks, that we have eigh channels, we have very high premium brands. We had to tell them what we are and what value we could add to them. I think that at certain point after our initial efforts, they did realise that they had never seen Disney as an entity in its own right. They began to understand the value that we brought to the table in terms of packaging. They realised we were the leaders in kids and youth channels and we had a sizeable movie business. We were not just another bouquet, we were leaders of sorts. The challenge was to communicate that and the team did a fantastic job.

    I think that the deals that we have struck are our biggest achievement. We have reached very big milestones in the first year itself. To begin with we have got our carriage bill down by 30 to 35 per cent and at the same time we have taken our subscription revenue up 14 to 15 per cent and it happened after rounds of negotiations and discussions with our carriage partners.

    When you talk about distribution success, do you mean a pan India success or is it a particular market?

    It is a pan India success for us. We are distributed nationally. Our channels reach east, west, north and south. And that is because of the fantastic work done by our teams on ground. We got a fantastic bunch of talented people from across different fields. They have successfully communicated what really Disney Media Networks stands for, and most of the negotiations are done by them. So whenever we talk about success or numbers, it is pan India that we are talking about, and not a particular market.

    What is your opinion about the CPS model? If rolled out properly, will it enhance your subscription revenue?

    CPS is there…and yet it’s not there as a whole. In phases I and II, we know what is going on. Phases III and IV will take shape with time. It’s good that we’ve digitized, now what really matters is how it is being addressed, how the CAF is filled up and how it is packaged. 

    It is a great move forward, and as a broadcaster and content provider, we can only add value to the process by giving superior content and a brand which will enhance ARPUs.

    CPS will happen as the progression of packaging happens and the progression of addressability happens.

    The MSO-LCO equation needs to change and become more mature. Yes, the moves are very positive, but we are still not there, there are areas where we need some amount of investor players to come and change the game at least from a mind-set point of view. CPS will go up with ARPU going up.  And when there is a transparent system in place that enables addressability, subscription revenue will move up in the right direction.

    What is your opinion on the regulators stand so far?

    The regulators have been very pro industry, which is a great thing. We have seen how there was a hard stance when it came to the phase III deadline. So I think it’s a very bold move, because for them also, it’s about getting the industry which is so big in size organised and deriving the maximum out of it in terms of entertainment tax and other revenue generating propositions. And an organised platform is always more transparent, and transparency is the need of the hour for the industry. So I think the regulator’s stand so far has been immensely pro industry.

    Do you think content, if paid for in India, will grow?

    ARPUs’ have been flat for last 10 years. So obviously India is not paying for content, but the moot point is that India is capable of paying more. We, at Disney, are manufacturers; we are content providers. There are platforms and there are wholesalers and retailers involved.  It is the retailers and the wholesalers who need to drive the ARPU and there are many elements on which it all depends.

    At a pricing level we are restricted by the RIO model, and then on the ground level there is the LCO who by no means is interested as it might hurt him. I think to drive payment for content, the LCO – MSO equation needs to change, DTH needs to play its role and it all needs to happen in a collaborated manner.

    I think there is a need for standard pricing similar to any other industry. You buy toothpaste the price is the same everywhere.  In India there is a legacy involved in the way it has been run. The legacy needs to change. It is changing, we expected it to change fast, but it’s actually changing at a snail’s pace.

    Can the broadcasters not play a role in ensuring higher ARPU?

    Look at what the broadcasters are offering these days. Look at the quality of the content. It’s premium content created with superior sophistication. There are HD channels offering HD content. A few of them have rolled out 4K channels.

     So while ARPU has remained same over the last 10 years, the investment on content did not stop. It kept on going. New formats, acquisitions, new and bold ways of storytelling have been explored, and then there are the additions in the number of channels every year.

    Rs 300 for 50 channels 10 years ago, has now become 250 channels of superior quality for the same old price. We have witnessed a few ARPU movements at least in the metros with DTH and a few MSOs, but these are minuscule movements. The movements need to happen much faster because that’s where the motivation is. From a broadcaster’s point of view, there is nothing that we can do but play the game as per the nature of the business.

    You spoke about collaboration, recently we witnessed switching off of signals, what is your opinion on such acts?  

    Firstly, the switching off of services and disturbing the consumer at a fundamental level is very unfair, it should not happen. There could be differences on the negotiation table, but that by no means should disturb the end consumer. 

    The fact that the consumer is deprived of a service in itself is very sad.  I don’t subscribe to such negotiations. We have also gone through highs and lows in our negotiation process but, at the end of the day, you cannot starve your consumer of superior content, or any content for that matter, because the consumer has subscribed for it. The ecosystem is such that the business is dependent on ad sales, and that is why the switch offs’ happen.

    What should lead the business, subscription or ad revenue?

    Ad sales should be an icing on the cake, subscription revenue should steer the business. Look at the mature markets – subscription revenue is leading the business, the negotiations that happen there are at a different level.

    Fundamentally the broadcast business has to be a subscription led business. You can have an advertising-based play that we are seeing with the FTA’s and that’s majorly because of the huge population of our country and the market size and the reach that TV offers. But a premium pay channel creating original superior content needs to be pay first.

    What is your take on the growing OTT business?

    At the heart of the OTT ecosystem is bandwidth and the bandwidth needs to improve.  What will be interesting to see is if it becomes subscription based (SVOD) or advertising based video on demand (AVOD). 

    Now if you are providing superior content for an AVOD model you are not creating a great environment as such. It’s all about how you form the habit. Consumers who consume OTT content are paying about Rs 1,000 for data, and we tend to think that the same consumer will not pay for  content. This mentality is not a long term one, we need to think 10 years ahead and then take steps.

    Smart TVs are in place; people are talking about 8K.  There are great leaps in terms of technology, but if we don’t take the correct steps, we won’t be able to get value out of the OTT business.

    Will you make yourself available on OTT platforms? Star has Hotstar, SPN has Sony Liv, ZEE has a couple of them and Viacom is launching VOOT. Is Disney also looking towards launching an OTT platform?

    Anywhere where consumption is there, we will make ourselves present. That’s the way forward for us. We do have plans, but we are at a very nascent stage as far as OTT is concerned. As a linear service we will be available on all OTT platforms, but when it comes to launching our own venture we will evaluate when the time is right.

    Where are you generating more subscription revenue from, DTH or cable?

    DTH has a slight edge over cable when it comes to our subscription revenue. We are gradually moving towards level contributions from both the platforms. Now with DAS phase III, I think the headroom for growth is massive in the case of cable. At this stage I think that DTH, given its organised and transparent nature, has the edge.

    Is it the bouquet mode of distribution that you are looking at, at this stage?

    Most of our deals are all bouquet offerings, if there is any platform that requires a youth offering or kids offering or a movie offering, such deals happen at a very high CPS price and we create those packages. We are there on a la carte as an offering, but there is a very small set of consumers who subscribe to the service. So it’s largely all bouquet.

    What is it that Disney Media Networks is looking for in the foreseeable future?

    I have mandated the team in Disney that the subscription business needs to overtake the ad sales business over the next three years’  and that will change the entire ecosystem. An MSO cannot then threaten me with a switch off and that’s what we are targeting. We were at about 65:35 ratio, now we have become 60:40 so we are moving towards that direction. Over time the target is to make it 40:60 or 30:70 for that matter.

     

  • Bindass to ‘Play’ on youth demand

    Bindass to ‘Play’ on youth demand

    MUMBAI: “We want to build on our strengths,” is what Disney India MD Siddharth Roy Kapur believes in and is the reason for the soon-to-launch music channel, Bindass Play, from the network.

     

    Disney India will replace UTV Stars with the new channel which will go on air from 1 October as it wants to build on the youth-targetted brand. “Currently, Bindass is at a very good place and the viewers are aware of our values. Hence, we want to expand on it with the new music channel,” says Kapur.

     

    Early this early Bindass had launched a new brand film – ‘B for Change – to reflect the sentiments of today’s youth who want to explore but at the same time don’t hesitate in going forward to bring about a change.

     

    “Bindass has always spoken the language of youth and it is the only homegrown youth entertainment channel in the genre to have won the loyalty of youngsters in the country. Music is very close to this section of the audience,” says Media Networks content and communication VP and head Vijay Subramaniam.

     

    He adds, “Hence, the unique thing about the channel would be that it will be inspirational and will celebrate the journey of adulthood as a friend and empower the youth.”

     

    But does this mean, Bindass will now only focus on storytelling? ‘No’, comes the response from Subramaniam. The youth entertainment channel will continue to showcase music but only for five hours (7 am to 12 pm) and on relationship based programmes rather than the edgy content like Dadagiri it focused on, earlier.

     

    The latest entrant in the Rs 900 crore business caters to the age group of 14-34 with the tagline ‘Saath hai toh baat hai’. The 13 shows are mood mapped with high energy song in the morning to slow tempo in the night, and with many of them like Tia’s Request, Tweet Meri Beat, Ishq Messenger among others allowing the viewer to choose his/her playlist through social media.

     

    Digital medium plays an important role for the brand and hence, it has tried to capture the youth through it. “As and when newer opportunities come from the medium we will try to engage with them as well,” says Subramaniam.

     

    The network is already in talks with four major brands for the channel. “Advertisers are happy and will want to associate with the channel as it is extension of the brand Bindass,” says Media Networks revenue vice president and head Nikhil Gandhi and will sell the ad slots at “healthy” rates.

     

    However, media planners consider it as ‘just another channel in the genre’ as there are too many players in the genre. “Rs 500 for a 10 second ad should be the rate for the channel,” says a media planner.

     

    UTV Stars was launched in 2011 and showcased popular Bollywood content including music and feature-based programming and since it was not able to catch viewers’ attention, the network now is playing safe by launching a channel focusing on the music genre, point outs another media analyst.

     

    Nonetheless, the channel is very upbeat about its new offering and believes that it will be able to strengthen its position in the category.  An in house team worked on the look for the channel and Subramaniam believes that it will be the ‘sexiest looking channel’ on television.

  • UTV Stars to don new look

    UTV Stars to don new look

    MUMBAI: UTV Stars is all set for a makeover. Come October and the music and feature based programming channel, will don a new look. Disney India, riding on the success of its youth entertainment channel-bindass, is all set to unveil a refreshed channel offering with a new brand proposition complemented with fresh packaging, new content and a new brand name, that will further fortify the bindass brand.

     

    The channel will continue in its present avatar till September 2014. The change is in keeping with Disney India’s long-term strategy of building a set of formidable brands in India.

     

     “Disney India is committed to serving audiences with differentiated multi-brand offerings in the television space. To that end, we are refreshing our product offerings in the youth genre, using brand bindass to create a new proposition for UTV Stars that is complementary to the bindass brand, and centered around themes and passions that drive Young India,” said Disney India vice president – content & communication, media networks Vijay Subramaniam.

     

    “In one of the most dynamic media industries in the world, it has been our constant endeavor to continually refresh our offerings to stay ahead of the curve and serve our audiences and stake holders with quality content that raises the bar on engagement and relevance,” added Disney India vice president – revenue, media networks Nikhil Gandhi.

     

    ‘bindass’ is one of the first homegrown youth entertainment channel in India that has gone from strength to strength in the past few years. The channel has delivered genre defining shows and campaigns that have mirrored the realities, dreams and aspirations of the Indian youth to garner a cult following. The channel’s most recent initiative, ‘b for change’ and new shows such as Yeh Hai Ashiqui, Halla Bol and Change Ayega, Hum Layenge as well as old favorites in their new avatars such as Emotional Atyachaar have successfully reiterated bindass’ philosophy of ‘Enabler of Purposive Action’ to its viewers.

  • UTV Stars launches ‘Yeh Hai Meri Kahani’ season 3

    UTV Stars launches ‘Yeh Hai Meri Kahani’ season 3

    MUMBAI: UTV Stars, is geared up once again to get its viewers up, close and personal with the biggest and hottest stars of Bollywood. The channel has returned with the third season of Yeh Hai Meri Kahani. While the previous two seasons chronicled the lives of legendary actors of the film industry, this season will explore the lives of the young actors, the superstars of today. Premiering on 12 April, Yeh Hai Meri Kahani will air every Saturday at 8 PM. The 13 episode series will feature actor Ranbir Kapoor, in the first episode.   

     

    Dedicated to the achievers in Bollywood, Yeh Hai Meri Kahani is a show that takes the viewers through the life of their favourite star and opens up their world, dreams, achievements and aspirations. It will bring forth the entire story, from struggles, support systems, worst phases and cherished moments that led these actors to become the stars they are today.

     

    The theme for the third season of the show is ‘Youth Icons of Bollywood.’ In the first episode, viewers can watch Ranbir Kapoor getting candid about various aspects of his life, beginning with the pressure of coming from an illustrious film family, his education which was a huge deal for his family and moving on to studying acting. Kapoor goes on to talk about his experiences in the film industry, the many directors that he has worked with; right from his first movie, which was not a runway success.

     

     “We at UTV Stars are continually working towards bridging the gap between stars and their fans by bringing them closer. Hence, with Yeh Hai Meri Kahani, we not only take an exclusive look into the lives of our favourite stars, but also give them a chance to tell their own story. And after the previous two seasons that featured the legends of Bollywood, this year we will bring to our viewers the life stories of the young guns, the entire slew of new age stars who have already proved their mettle in the industry at a young age”, says Disney India director, content UTV Stars, Media Networks Manish Dubey, who will also be seen as the sutradhaar on the show.

     

    While, these young actors speak their heart out – about their struggle story to their victorious moments, Dubey, as a sutradhaar will be share some interesting take away from their lives.

  • Bindass to give a ‘Dream Start’ to the youth

    Bindass to give a ‘Dream Start’ to the youth

    MUMBAI: Disney UTV’s youth brand, Bindass, has launched an umbrella project titled ‘Dream Start’ to take its engagement with its core audience a step further.

     

    With this, the channel aims to fulfill the aspirations of the youth not only through shows like Yeh Hai Aashiqui but other initiatives tailor-made to build their confidence.

     

    “The brand philosophy of Bindass is that it is the enabler of purposive action. We realise that young people are very insecure, which comes because of lack of experience. We have also, through several research programmes, realised that they need additional endeavour to ensure that they have an advantage over others,” explains Disney UTV director marketing media networks Bikram Duggal. “The youth’s aspirations, dreams, hopes, careers… Through Dream Start, we are taking the whole brand philosophy to the brand engagement space.”

     

    Targeted at youngsters aged 18 to 25 years, ‘Dream Start’ has garnered a good response within the first 17 days of its launch. “In the last 17 days, we have already got some 80,000 responses,” informs Duggal.

     

    And not without reason, for the channel has spent 20 per cent of its annual marketing budget on the project and is promoting it in a big way, with 800 promos running across UTV channels. “Marketing for this project is more audio-visual and so, we have created promos for television and are also promoting it in cinema halls,” elaborates Duggal.

     

    The cinema campaign, which started with Dhoom 3, will run for a month, while the outdoor campaign in Mumbai and Delhi has begun too. A huge college campaign has been devised for 450 colleges across 26 cities. Bindass has been active on the digital front as well, with a microsite having been created apart from promotions on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. As Duggal puts it, “We have chosen a 360 degree campaign for promotion of the project.”

     

    So how does ‘Dream Start’ work? In its very first phase, the project will offer a two-month internship with UTV Motion Pictures. To participate, “the person has to go to our website and write an essay of 150 words explaining why he/she should be selected for the internship, followed by a general awareness quiz. We sift through the candidates and then shortlist 500 candidates for round two, who will come to Mumbai and Delhi for group discussions and from there, one candidate will be chosen for the internship,” Duggal explains.

     

    Will the selected intern be offered a job at UTV Motion Pictures? “The project is about giving confidence to the individual. We have devised a special curriculum for the intern. This will reflect in the person’s CV,” replies Duggal.  

     

    Registrations for Phase I have already started and will go on till 31 January. Internship is slated to commence in April or May this year.

     

    And that’s not all. “Different people have different needs. So, while we start with offering an internship with UTV Motion Pictures, the next phase of ‘Dream Start’ could see someone spending one week at the Oxford University.  We are looking at creating best experiences for the youth,” reveals Duggal.

     

    The channel plans to keep the marketing campaign alive even after completion of registration. “The group discussion will be recorded and the same will be put up on YouTube,” chuckles Duggal.

  • TVs Diwali Dhamaka

    TVs Diwali Dhamaka

    This Diwali, there’s enough and more to keep audiences entertained, with television channels set for a firecracker of a weekend.

    At Star TV, the celebrations started on 27 October and will reach a crescendo on 3 November; kicking off with a repeat of Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning film Life of Pi at 1pm, followed by a repeat of Star Diwali at 5pm, and Indian Television Awards 2013 from 9pm.

    Not to be left behind, Zee TV will telecast Diwali Dhamaka on 2 November, 7pm onward.

    The highlights of the show include: the Ram Leela act presented by child participants – Praneet, Zenith, Chinamay, Nihar, Aditya, Tejaswini and Honey – of the reality show India’s best Dramebaaz and DID Lil Masters – Jeet, Om, Shreya, Shalini and Rohan performing on numbers like Lungi Dance from Chennai Express, among others.

    Says ZEEL content head (Hindi GECs) Ajay Bhalwankar: “This year, we will wish our viewers a happy, healthy, prosperous and successful Diwali and New Year with Diwali Dhamaka. It aims to get every member in the family to have a smile on their face with its amazing and diverse line-up of acts. It’s a fitting celebration on the occasion of Diwali with all actors from Zee TV shows presenting performances to give an all new fresh dose of entertainment as the New Year is brought in.”

    Colors will run Diwali tracks across its shows including Balika Vadhu, Sanskaar, Comedy Nights with Kapil and Bigg Boss with actors wishing viewers a happy Diwali.

    Sab TV will telecast SAB Ka Diwali Mela – Andekha, Adbhut, Albela on 1 November, 9 pm onward.  

    The fun show will feature everyone, from the residents of Lapataganj to the courageous cops of Iman Chowki, from Gokuldham Society wasis to Chidiya Ghar’s humble Narayan family.

    Says Sab EVP & business head Anooj Kapoor: “We have always endeavoured to provide entertaining and engaging content to our viewers. This year, our two big initiatives SAB Ki Holi and SAB Ke Anokhe Awards garnered an overwhelming response resulting in high viewership. Continuing with our brand promise, Asli Maaza SAB Ke Saath Aata Hai, we are confident that SAB Ka Diwali Mela will offer our viewers an extravagant celebration that they can enjoy with their families.”

    If you thought GECs were the only ones in the fray, think again.

    Movie channels like MAX have changed their colour palette from 25 October, to be on-air till 9 November.

    1 November will see MAX’s Pataka Weekend with the telecast of Talaash (morning), Bajate Raho (afternoon), Yamla Pagla Deewana (evening) and Robot (prime time).

    2 November will see Bajate Raho (morning), Chak De India (afternoon), Mohabbatein (evening) and Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbaai Dobara (prime time).
    It’s a full plate on 3 November as well with Aashiqui 2 (morning), Rowdy Rathod (afternoon), Band Baaja Baraat (evening) and Dhoom 2 (prime time). 

    MAX aside, Zee Cinema will host the world television premiere of Phata Poster Nikhla Hero at 9 pm on 2 November while UTV Movies will telecast newbies like Race 2, ABCD, Himmatwala and Khiladi 786 while revisiting classics like Sarfarosh, Swarg, Aankhen and more.

    Coming to English movie channels: Movies Now will have blockbuster-packed days, starting 11am, 3 November. Some of the titles include Karate Kid, X-men Last Stand, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Unknown.

    Zee Studio is ready for its Diwali best with hits like Real Steel, I am number four, Pearl Harbour, Goal II, Pirates of the Caribbean– on Stranger Tides among others.

    From 1-3 November, ‘Studio Dynamites’ will bring action flicks 8 pm onward whereas Diwali day will see ‘Studio Binge’ – a marathon 8 am to 8pm day with five great movies back to back.

    On the digital front, Zee Studio plans to bring its #StudioDynamite campaign, where viewers have to watch out for explosions on their TV screens during the film, decode the message and tweet the correct answer with #StudioDynamite to win prizes.
    If GECs and movie channels are prepping to celebrate the festival of lights, kids’ channels aren’t far behind.

    Hungama TV’s Dusshera to Diwali special started on 14 October and will be on-air till 2 November, with movies including Shinchan Bungle in the Jungle, Luv Kushh and the Ghost Army, P5 – Pandaavas, Impy’s Wonderland and The Incredibles among others.

    Disney meanwhile will have a special episode of Best of Luck Nikki season 3 with the Singh Family on 3 November.

    POGO’s Diwali treat includes movies like Chhota Bheem Aur Ganesh In The Amazing Odyssey!, Kaalia Ke Chele Special, Gol Mol Gongol, Chhota Bheem Dholakpur To Khatmandu, Chatur Chetan and Hanuman & Friends Special every day from 28 October to 3 November at 12 pm.

    Says Turner International India senior director & network head Krishna Desai: “Chhota Bheem and the Shinobi Secret is a brand new special to air on POGO from 3 November at 12pm. This is not it; the channel makes this season absolutely spectacular by giving kids the chance to win amazing prizes by participating in Zabardasti Diwali Contest every day, 10am onward. The prizes include Digi-cams & smart phones.”

    On Cartoon Network, children can watch movies like Kid Krrish, Tom and Jerry in the Wizard of Oz, Oggy ki Olly and Krish Trish Baltiboy: The Battle of Wits, etc every day from 28 October to 3 November at 12pm.

    Adds Desai: “Oggy: I Love India is a brand new special that will premiere on 1 November at 12pm.”

    The Nickelodeon cluster (Nick, Nick Jr./Teen Nick and Sonic) too has a dhamakedar treat lined up for kids, promising a crackling yet safe Diwali.
    Nick will run new episodes of its shows Motu Patlu and Pakdam Pakdai apart from calling Diwali ‘Nickwali’ and bringing its popular Nicktoons together to sing Diwali jingles titled ‘Diwali Fungoli’.

    Like they say, music is the food of life, so play on… music channels too have jumped onto the Diwali bandwagon in a big way.

    9XM has launched a special video based on the concept of ‘light writing’, displaying trails of light in different forms, with a message to boot: ‘This Diwali Light it Up!’

    This apart, one of its animated characters Bheegi Billi will be seen in a new avatar called Billi Don while Bade Chote will open  their special Kaun Karega Bakwaas Season 3.

    “Being the largest music network across India we are constantly finding ways to celebrate music. During this time of the year, the spirit of celebration is at its peak, and doing special programming on our channels is our way of making our viewers feel really special. Just like we light a diya at home, likewise we light up the TV screen to bring on the festivity,” said 9X Media Group senior VP and content head Amar Tidke.

    Coming to Bollywood gossip channels like Zoom, it is ready with a string of new and exciting shows.

    A bevy of Bollywood stars including Sonakshi Sinha, Shahid Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Imraan Khan, Chitrangada Singh and Vivek Oberoi will grace the Zoom show, Planet Bollywood News, with episodes aired between 1-3 November at 7pm.
    Diwali eve will see the launch of a new show called 100 Crore Club at 8 pm. Starting 1 November, watch out for Zoom’s on-air lead contest called – ‘Watch More. Talk More’ powered by Freecharge. There are mobile free charges worth Rs 1.5 lakh to be won by viewers.

    UTV Stars will telecast special interviews with stars including Aditi Rao Hydari, Prateik Babbar, Tusshar Kapoor, Amrita Rao, Vivek Oberoi, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Imran Khan, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone.
    On AXN, audiences can catch the all new series of Sherlock, Chosen and So you think you can dance season 10.

    With TV channels all set, the question remains are you ready for the bombarding of programmes.

  • UTV Stars and bindass big on digital

    UTV Stars and bindass big on digital

    MUMBAI: If one could say that digital and youngsters go hand-in-hand, then it won’t be wrong considering the amount of time youngsters spend online.

    A look around would be proof enough – almost everyone is busy with their mobiles, tablets or laptops. Therefore, for a youth channel to have an online presence is as important as breathing!

    Disney-UTVnetwork which has two channels – bindass and UTV Stars – under its banner caters largely to youngsters. And the channels are making/taking full efforts to take these brands where the youth are.

    “A strong online presence across YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and web destinations is a significant step in that direction… Our strategy is to provide our web users with constant updates on our programming and also create a platform for the youth to get together and enjoy content on Bollywood and youth oriented themes,” says Disney UTV’s COO – Digital Sameer Ganapathy.

    The number game

    Both channels – binadss and UTVStars – have a strong presence on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter wherein they try to give their audience something different from the rest. For example, when the IPL was on, unlike others who just give the score or the wickets which were available on all portals the channel gave its target audience behind-the-scenes insights on cricketer’s wives and how they were egging on and cheeringfor their spouses as they battled for India on the cricket pitch.

    Disney UTVs COO – Digital Sameer

    Ganapathy feels constant updates

    on the digital platforms will create

    traction among the youth

    Apart from that, the network gives importance to humorous content in its posts across genres such as technology, automobiles, Bollywood, travel, sports etc.

    On Facebook, bindass has over three million fans which lets them boast of being the most engaged youth entertainment (channels) on the social networking site in the country. As for, other networking sites, on twitter it has more than 6,600 followers and on YouTube (for which bindass creates original content) it has more than 64 million views with close to 90,000 subscribers.

    UTVStars which was launched around two years ago (Aug 2011) has 900,000 fans on Facebook, 20,000+ followers on twitter and 88 million views on YouTube with 96,000 subscribers who have access to all the shows and behind the scene videos.

    The channel’s digital team knows that all three platforms differ, but each is important in its own way as the objective it serves varies. Facebook and Twitter let them interact and engage with their fans. YouTube channels serve two purposes – the first as a destination for viewers to catch up on TV shows that might have been missed out on TV, and the second as to lure new audiences on the back of original content.

    Connecting with content

    UTV group CEO and founder chairman Ronnie Screwvala is normally known to quip: “I’m original, so I want original.” And the entire group has made that it’s mandate: hence, the initiative to create fresh original content online too. “80 per cent of the audience on YouTube is male. 

    Hence, we created a new destination for young men looking for the edge in the mating game – AXE Chickipedia, an entertaining webisodic original content series around a young guy and the funny situations he faces in the mating game! We took engagement and participation to a whole new level by giving viewers a chance to share their own mating game experiences, and the funniest ones became a Chickipedia episode. Eventually, 40 per cent of our 26 episodes were made from stories shared by our viewers themselves.” brags Sameer.

    Chickipedia has 2.1 million video views, with 60 per cent audience retention.

    Chickipedia’s success encouraged the team to come up with a new show MENtals. Launched earlier this year, it focuses on situations reqular girls in romantic relationships face – albeit with a humorous undertone.

    Music is one of the main categories which the channels focuses on.

    “Music is an important aspect of the lives of youth and particularly at bindass we have always maintained a compelling and healthy mix of shows and music. Following that philosophy, another unique proposition that we recently launched is bindass Jukebox”, says Sameer.

    The application combines the experience of Facebook with that of television viewing making it interactive. Through bindass Jukebox users are able to rank music by voting for their favorite songs listed and interact with other users as well.

    It gives users a chance to select their favourite song, dedicate the song to their friends and loved ones and most importantly watch their dedication message along with their profile image live on the channel. The playlist is created on the basis of users’ Facebook votes and is then played out on television within three hours from the time voting starts. This works well as it provides almost instant gratification to young folks, as it allows them to get peer recognition, especially when their profiles are seen on TV.

    Similarly, UTV Stars has Tia’s Request show. Users vote for their fav songs on the UTV stars Facebook page and this gets aired on the TV channel along with their dedications.

    Money matters

    When asked to explain the sources of revenue on the online platform, Sameer says, “With YouTube, monetisation occurs through run of network inventory that YouTube runs, sponsorships through show integrations as well as now with subscriptions. We are exploring subscriptions for our premium content while building audiences and viewership through ad-support both via run of network inventory monetisation as well as sponsorship integration.”

    As for Facebook and Twitter, they are yet to come up with a native monetisation model for publishers. “However, through using our engaged audience base on these platforms, we are creating transmedia properties like bindass Jukebox on Facebook as well as platforms such as sponsored tweets to monetise audiences there. We plan to increase such media properties that can be monetised,” he adds.

    One thing is clear that since youth entertainment is a dynamic genre and hence, it is important to go beyond TV and create a strong presence where young people tend to spend their time whether it is Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. And gauging from their ongoing initiatives, Bindass and UTV Stars, seem to be taking the right steps.

  • UTV Stars takes “Parachute Advansed Tender Coconut Hair Oil Presents Stars in Your City” on air With Travel Partner – Jet Airways

    UTV Stars takes “Parachute Advansed Tender Coconut Hair Oil Presents Stars in Your City” on air With Travel Partner – Jet Airways

    MUMBAI :In continuation of its efforts to bring Bollywood closer to its audiences, UTV STARS – the official channel of Bollywood will extend its hugely successful on-ground property to an on air show titled “Parachute Advansed Tender Coconut Hair Oil Presents Stars In Your City” premiering on Sunday 19th of May 2013. “Parachute Advansed Tender Coconut Hair Oil Presents Stars in Your City” is a unique format wherein the stars will go on a journey for a day to a city of their choice from across the country. Each episode will feature one star and their journey along with a special meet and greet with five of their biggest fans from the city.

    UTV Star’s and Bollywood fans viewers will get to see their favorite celebrities experience the specialties of cities such as Lucknow, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Indore, Bhopal, Pune, Surat, Kolkata and many more as they try local street foods; go shopping and sightseeing and indulge in various cultural activities much like their fans. The show will be a 10 part series hosted by Garima Kumar, a popular name in the entertainment journalism and a host on UTV Stars.

    “UTV Stars brings Bollywood closer to its audiences and Stars In your City is a continuation of this philosophy. This initiative is a unique opportunity for our viewers to experience Bollywood – Touch Feel believe. ‘Stars in Your City’ has been a successful multi-city on-ground activation the show is a natural extension to take the experience of the stars and their fans on air. The show will reach out to a much larger audience and the fan base of each of the stars featured in the episode”, said Indrajit Ray, Director – Content Disney UTV Media Networks.

    Stars that will be seen on the show are Huma Qureshi, Richcha Chadha, Yami Gautam, Amrita Rao and many more. Huma will be seen visiting the land of Nawabs, Lucknow. Richcha Chadha will be seen enjoying the experiences offered by the pink city of Jaipur. Yami Gautam will be seen exploring her own home town of Chandigarh, and delve into some farming and enjoying the local treats, while actress Amrita Rao enjoys Ahmedabad through a shopping trip at the local markets, a kite making lesson and kite flying with a fan family.

    The property is supported by an extensive marketing campaign comprising outdoor, digital and radio promotions in the respective cities by UTV Stars. While the Travel Partner for this initiative is Jet Airways.