ITV

Tag: Viacom18

  • Colors celebrates Diwali with brand film – ‘Zindagi Ke Rang, Apno Ke Sang’

    Colors celebrates Diwali with brand film – ‘Zindagi Ke Rang, Apno Ke Sang’

    Mumbai: As we prepare to celebrate Diwali for the first time since the pandemic, the countdown has started. However, due to people’s busy lives, celebrations have since been reduced to calls, forwards, GIFs, and posts. Families are splintering, and the fundamental principles of Indian households appear to have been forgotten in the age of technology.

    In order to rekindle the feeling of community, Colors has created a brand film called “Zindagi Ke Rang, Apno Ke Sang” that emphasises the importance of community. The country’s top GEC develops a brand campaign to emphasise that celebrating Diwali is incomplete without spending time with your loved ones. In a cultural fabric that is constantly changing, it is our traditions, festivals, and families that keep us grounded.

    The brand film, created by Leo Burnett, depicts members of a joint family bringing in the celebrations in separate houses and sharing them on a group chat window. As the conversation progresses, a stream of selfies, pictures, emojis, and Diwali greetings appears on the chat thread, demonstrating how accustomed we are to minimising our happiness for the sake of convenience.

    In the movie, a family is shown celebrating Diwali digitally, but the youngest member is disappointed because the holiday is meant to be shared in person, not over the phone. Based on the idea of sharing our joys, the movie suggests that it’s time we quit wishing people well via chat and instead celebrate to our hearts’ content with get-togethers.

    Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment marketing and digital head Sapangeet Rajwant said, “We, at Colors, believe in bringing families together and in all our endeavours we strongly support our country’s cultural ethos. We’re a nation that loves to celebrate the smallest joys and the biggest festivals together with our near and dear ones. Carrying this tradition forward, our latest brand film urges viewers to break the norm of celebrating festivals over the phone. It is a heartfelt reminder to everyone to enjoy this Diwali by getting together with family and friends.”

  • Network18’s consolidated revenue grew 12 per cent YoY to Rs 1,549 cr for Q2FY23

    Network18’s consolidated revenue grew 12 per cent YoY to Rs 1,549 cr for Q2FY23

    Mumbai: On Tuesday, Network18 Media & Investments announced its financial results for the quarter that ended 30 September, 2022. Amidst a challenging macro environment, the company reported that its consolidated revenue from operations rose to Rs 1,549 crore (year-on-year) as against Rs 1,387 crore in the corresponding quarter of the preceding fiscal. They have reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 28.84 crore.

    Total expenses were at Rs 1,592 crore, up by 33.88 per cent in Q2FY23, as against Rs 1,189.04 crore earlier. The network’s consolidated operating Ebitda fell 87 per cent year on year to Rs 32 crore in Q2FY23, from Rs 253 crore in Q2FY22.

    According to a regulatory filing, TV news revenue was down three per cent YoY in the second quarter, owing primarily to a decline in advertising revenue. News ad inventory declined by 10 per cent at industry level and the drop was even higher for the network as they continued to optimise inventory on key channels. However, the impact on revenue was much lower as the scale-up of events-led monetisation partially offset the loss of display advertising.

    TV18’s entertainment portfolio had a viewership share of 9.9 per cent in the non-news genre in Q2FY23. Its full-portfolio offering across national, regional, niche, sports, infotainment, and digital has diversified revenue streams and makes it future-ready.

    Network18 continued to invest in content, marketing, and distribution initiatives in order to lay a solid foundation for long-term growth, resulting in a 34% increase in operating costs.

    Growth in revenue was primarily driven by the movie segment, as ad revenue was flat due to the subdued advertising environment. Adjusting for the impact of the withdrawal of Colors Rishtey from DD FreeDish, ad revenue grew in the high single digits on a YoY basis, despite the challenging environment.

    Operating expenses increased by 15 per cent (excluding film production) due to increased content and marketing spending. The higher number of hours (TV and digital), higher episodic costs, and increased spending in regional markets all contributed to the increase in content costs.

    The business’s profitability suffered as advertising revenue fell short of expectations, despite content investments helping us strengthen our ratings in certain markets.

    In addition, increased investments in digital and a drop in Colors Rishtey ad revenue also impacted Ebitda.

    Viacom18 Studio’s Laal Singh Chaddha and Shabaash Mithu received a mixed response from Indian theatre-going audiences but received great traction in international markets and on digital platforms.

    Key highlights:  

        TV18’s CNN News18 and News18 India join CNBC TV18 as undisputed leaders in the English and Hindi markets, respectively.

        News18 Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal is the first channel launched by a major news network to cover the region.

        Colors fortifies the number two position in the Hindi GEC segment.

        Viacom18’s proposed transaction with Bodhi Tree and Reliance got CCI approval.

    Network18 chairman Adil Zainulbhai said, “The first half of the fiscal has been challenging for most sectors. However, we believe that this phase should only be a minor bump in the long runway for growth. Our presence across the full spectrum of content segments and platforms places us in a unique position to leverage the combined strengths of our assets. We have set clear objectives for our different business segments and are working on executing our plans in that direction. Despite the macro environment being less than ideal for growth currently, we continue to make investments which will help us create a strong foundation for the long term and will hold us in good stead as growth returns.”

  • Colors Bangla presents new cookery show ‘Rannaghorer Goppo’

    Colors Bangla presents new cookery show ‘Rannaghorer Goppo’

    Mumbai: Colors Bangla has announced the launch of its new cookery show, Rannaghorer Goppo. The show is presented by Annapurna Swadisht and Kissan Tomato Ketchup, and New Extra Spark has joined as special partners.

    Gray Tree Presentation produced the show, which premiered on 17 October and will air daily at 5 p.m. on Colors Bangla.

    The show will take the audience through the culinary journey of spices & stories and celebrate the legacy of Bengali foods and recipes. Sudipta Chakraborty has been onboarded as the host of the show.

    The channel has devised a marketing and digital promotion strategy to further amplify the reach and impact of the show. Keeping true to its style, the show will take the viewers on an amazing journey of anecdotes, tales, and the history of various recipes.

    Speaking on the occasion, Viacom 18 regional entertainment revenue senior vice president & head Bikash Kundu said, “We are delighted to welcome on board the diverse brands that have come as sponsors, with presenting sponsor Annapurna Swadisht, Kissan Tomato Ketchup and special partner New Extra Spark. Food is a universal language that each of us can relate to, and this association will help brand-consumer engagement to a whole new level. We are looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership that will entertain and enthral viewers.”

    Swadisht Annapurna co-founder Ritesh Shaw said, “Bengali cuisine has subtle as well as fiery flavours that are well suited for the Indian palate with a range of savoury dishes

    and a huge spread of confectionaries and desserts. We at Annapurna Swadisht are entrusted to deliver both health and taste, and I loved the fact that Colors Bangla has thought of a concept like this. It’s nice and important to bring forth the culinary treasure we have.”

    The first segment started with a personal story to introduce the guest, followed by the journey of that dish. The second segment encapsulates the cooking procedure and will be an absolute gastronomical delight. In the third segment, the guest will serve the dish cooked. Every episode will have an exclusive recipe from the viewers’ favourite past. The set has also been designed keeping in mind the aesthetic sense and products from all the three sponsors will be displayed.

    New Extra Spark senior manager operations Tanmoy Basak said, “The host and guest will be collecting spices for preparing the recipes and will include difficult grease. Extra Spark will add convenience to the customer experience and will also cut through difficult grease. The show is a perfect platform for us to showcase our diverse product line to our stakeholders.”

  • JioCinema bags exclusive streaming rights of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

    JioCinema bags exclusive streaming rights of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

    Mumbai: In an interesting development Viacom18, the joint venture between Reliance’s TV18 and Paramount Global, has announced plans to move its existing sports properties from the company’s video-on-demand service VOOT to JioCinema.

    According to the company’s announcement, JioCinema shared that it will stream live all the matches of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and will also bring other curated content around it.

    In addition to JioCinema, the global marquee competition will also be available on Sports18 – 1 SD & HD, from 20 November to 18 December to all viewers.

    Viacom18 Sports’ 64-match showcase will be headlined by live streaming in 4K and multiple language feeds, including English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Bengali on JioCinema without charging any subscription fees.

    “Viacom18 Sports’ multi-platform presentation of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be immersive, personalised and offer viewers exclusive experiences on JioCinema,”  said Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj.

    He added, “We want consumers to have easy access to world-class production across digital and linear platforms (on Sports 18) to match the event’s stature. Our efforts are towards reshaping the fan experience and building one of the most-loved media platforms in India.”

  • MyGlamm steps aboard as make-up partner of ‘Bigg Boss season 16’

    MyGlamm steps aboard as make-up partner of ‘Bigg Boss season 16’

    Mumbai: MyGlamm announced that it is joining hands with Bigg Boss as its official make-up partner. The reality show is set to return for a thrilling season 16 on Colors with the theme “Game badlega, kyunki Bigg Boss ab khud khelega.”

    As India’s largest direct-to-consumer make-up brand, MyGlamm embraces the philosophy of building a community with its users, engaging with them, and eventually creating products with their insight. MyGlamm’s association with Colors’ Bigg Boss season 16 is the right step in that direction, tapping into the entertainment-loving audience present in multiple markets cutting across geo-social cross-sections.

    MyGlamm is all set to accentuate the glam quotient on the show this season with a dedicated space in the Bigg Boss house called the ‘MyGlamm Zone,’ where you will see the contestants work on their glam game, get ready for the weekend episodes, and perform fun tasks and activities.

    This zone will also see Bollywood celebrities visit the Bigg Boss house over the weekends and on special occasions. MyGlamm uses a combination of technology, content, and social media to allow consumers to not only discover its products, but also create a rich, personalised, and tutorial-fuelled post-purchase experience through its app.

    Commenting on the association, The Good Glamm Group CEO of beauty & FMCG brands Sukhleen Aneja shared, “We are thrilled to be the make-up partner of Bigg Boss Season 16! MyGlamm is a brand that empowers women to create their own glamour by taking inspiration from popular culture. With this collaboration, we aim to strengthen our endeavour to democratise beauty at a whole new level. This association allows us to penetrate the tier two and three and below cities and leverage the immense reach and traction across consumer segments provided by Bigg Boss.”

    “As the largest DTC make-up brand in India, MyGlamm creates innovative and personalised beauty products by understanding the beauty needs of women. We’re working with the finest global labs to create formulas that are vegan, toxin-free, with ingredients that are great for the users and are highly efficacious, marrying the best of make-up and skin care,” she added.

    Viacom18 revenue head of Colors Pavithra KR said, “Bigg Boss is one of the most beloved and entertaining reality shows in India with a strong fanbase that is spread across the length and depth of the country, offering a unique value proposition for brands. Every year we innovate to provide more value to brands who partner with us on Bigg Boss. While this association provides MyGlamm with an audience reach unparalleled in television, the programmatic integration of the MyGlamm Zone takes brand-consumer engagement to a whole new level, delivering on the brand’s needs for both performance and perception. We’re thrilled about this association that will serve as a bankable platform for the brand to further deepen its community of users and interact with them.”

    Furthermore, viewers can vote for their favourite contestants, and the contestant with the most votes will earn the title of ‘MyGlamm Face of the Season.’ Voting can be done by downloading the MyGlamm app on their devices.

  • Ficci Frames 2022: Experts discuss the evolving trends in M&E across segments

    Ficci Frames 2022: Experts discuss the evolving trends in M&E across segments

    Mumbai: The media and entertainment industries have evolved over the years, and post-pandemic growth has been shared across segments.

    In a recently organised session on ‘M&E Consumption: Evolving Trends Across Segments’ at Ficci Frames 2022 discussed how media has evolved and new emerging trends are helping or affecting business. The panel discussion was moderated by EY LLP media and entertainment advisory services partner Ashish Pherwani.

    The expert panellist included Viacom18 youth, music and English entertainment head Anshul Ailawadi, International Media Acq (IMAC) CEO Shibasish Sarkar, Indian music industry president & CEO Blaise Fernandes, Pocket Aces CEO & co-founder Aditi Shrivastava and Amazon Prime Video head & SVoD business head Sushant Sreeram. 

    Starting the discussion, Anshul Ailawadi shared insights on how MTV has reached every corner of the country and helped youth have an audiovisual experience. 

    “There are two specific needs: the discovery of the channel and an audio-visual experience, and we try to give them to the audience.” He also expressed that each platform has its unique role.

    Shibasish Sarkar shared, “We have seen a substantial amount of growth in digital consumption. This discussion happens whenever there is a new emerging medium, and will it end the cinema? But it has survived, and even after a pandemic, people are watching movies in theatres.” 

    He further added that in these two years, there has been a substantial level of quality content consumption that has happened by the audience across all video platforms.

    “Today, Hindi language consumers have been consuming the best of Korean, Tamil, Telugu, and Spanish language content, so the consumer’s expectation for good quality content is higher,” he said.

    “Storytelling does not necessarily always need to be expensive. He added that it has to be in touch with the audience with the thought, “What will the audience like?”

    Blaise Fernandes expressed that music is not regional anymore and any music can be consumed in any part of the world; creators just need to choose the right platform.

    When talking about user-generated content, Aditi expressed that “audience is a god, content is a king, and distribution is a queen.”

    Audiences are starting to understand the business of content. And that is opening up possibilities for creators and platforms.

    She said, “Earlier, audience creation was restricted to putting something out. They’re trying to become obsessed, and some of them are becoming influencers. Brands are ditching celebrities and collaborating with digital influencers and micro-influencers to promote the product.”

    “UGC is going to move in the direction where people will buy things and make money based on content,” she added.

    She believes 80 per cent of big influencers and 20 per cent of small influencers will be in the ratio. “You will see digital avatars are beginning to participate in metaverse concerts,” she said.

    Anshul, agreeing with Aditi, said, “New monetisation opportunities, new sorts of avenues, and new platforms will emerge in coming years.”

    Sushant Sreeram talked about content on Amazon Prime where he said, “We programme to an extremely heterogeneous customer expectation across languages, across accessibility, across price points, and across an infrastructure and streaming simplicity.”

    He further added, “We absolutely continue to explore all forms of collaboration. In our journey over the last six years, we have explored a variety of models to work with producers, studios, and theatres.”

    While discussing TV vs OTT, Aditi expressed that it’s important to define because TV is just a device now and its content is consumed on mobile phones as well. Anshul talked about how the audience has done demarcation between OTT, TV, social media, and their functions.

    Aditi further talked about how her company is focusing more on short formats and engagement with the audience rather than how many views they have got.

    “We would like to see content increase across platforms. We would like to be a content provider. Now we are working on engagement. Distribution is very important. But it’s also very expensive to build. The way we are building distribution is by having channels across platforms. We have put out content that our marketing spend and we believe in organic growth.”

    While talking about price and content, Shibasish expressed that the audience won’t pay if they don’t like the content. He believes that good content will make audiences pay irrespective of the medium, and that all mediums will co-exist if they serve good quality content.

    Sushant agreed with Shibasish and talked about how international content on Amazon Prime is consumed not only by the Indian diaspora but also by natives of those countries because of quality content.

    Sushant suggested three things to keep in mind: customer delivery, collaboration with creators, and empowering the creative economy. Aditi advised to drop the elitism when it comes to content, Shibasish asked creators to understand the audience, Blaise stressed that only subscriptions could help creators  while Anshul emphasised how audiences can hate or love but can’t ignore creators.

  • Colors announces ‘Bigg Boss 16’ in all new avatar

    Colors announces ‘Bigg Boss 16’ in all new avatar

    Mumbai: Colors announced it is bringing back the latest season of Bigg Boss. Megastar Salman Khan is all set to return as the host of the reality show.

    Produced by Endemol Shine India, Bigg Boss Season 16 with special partner Ching’s Schezwan Chutney, make-up partner MyGlamm, and tasting partner Priya Gold Hunk will premiere on 1 October at 9:30 p.m. on Colors & Voot.

    For this game-changing season of Bigg Boss, the channel has devised a 360-degree extensive marketing and digital strategy spread across television, outdoor, print, digital, and cinema. 

    With the tagline of the season, “Game Badlega Kyunki Ab Bigg Boss Khud Khelega,” four unique promos will be aired on network and non-network television channels in Hindi and in regional genres. The show will also be promoted in the soon to be released movie, “Vikram Vedha,” across multiplex cinema theatres in Mumbai and Delhi. 

    Moreover, key junctions in Mumbai and Delhi will host large impact billboards. On the digital front, a stylized behind-the-scenes of the promo shoot featuring megastar and host Salman Khan was captured and released to excite the viewers. In an exclusive segment, digital creator RJ Karishma is set to unveil the most anticipated ‘Bigg Boss House.’ 

    Additionally, for the first time ever, a fun interactive element has been added where the fans of the show will get a chance to ask questions to the contestants before they step into the house. To keep the buzz going, the ‘Bigg Boss emoji’ will be live on Twitter from the launch week along with an Instagram filter with this year’s contestants, which will be created post-launch.

    Speaking about the launch of the biggest reality show on the network, Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Bigg Boss is one of India’s most celebrated reality shows and enjoys exceptional fandom. A spectacular marvel from our plethora of diverse content, this most anticipated show brings a massive dose of entertainment to our viewers. Extending engagement across all platforms, the show offers a great canvas for advertisers to connect with their target audience. After the grand success of Khatron Ke Khiladi, we aim to keep the entertainment quotient high with an unprecedented season of Bigg Boss.” 

    She further added, “We are delighted to welcome onboard our special partners Ching’s Schezwan Chutney, make-up partner MyGlamm, and taste partner Priya Gold Hunk. We look forward to adding another outstanding season with associate partners Garnier Men and Hershey’s Kisses. With this exciting new theme, we are certain that this unpredictable season will keep the viewers enthralled.”

    Satiating the curiosity around everything that happens inside the house, Bigg Boss 16 will continue to have a 24-hour live feed every Monday to Thursday only on Voot.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma said, “15 years back, Bigg Boss revolutionised the world of entertainment by introducing Indian households to captive reality. Since then, this show has empowered us to experiment, grow, innovate, and unlock an entirely new level of entertainment. With the theme “Game Badlega, Kyunki Kb Bigg Boss Khelega,” the idea is to bring a twist to the most loved and authoritative character on the show. We’ve seen Bigg Boss in many avatars over the years, and for the first time, he will be seen playing the game. This season, we have an eclectic mix of celebrity contestants from different walks of life. The viewers already love some of them, and they’ll get to know the rest of them very soon. We are elated to have Salman Khan bring his star power and a sense of justice to the show once again.”

    Host, Salman Khan commented, “Coming back to Bigg Boss as a host every year feels like a tradition and I look forward to it. The immense love from the audience, the exciting mix of contestants, and the innovative themes undoubtedly make the journey truly special. The sixteenth season is set to be even more exciting with the theme, “Game Badlega, Kyunki Ab Bigg Boss Khud Khelega” and will bring a pandora of whole new twists. My best wishes to all the contestants, who will take on the challenge of competing with Bigg Boss.“

    “The Bigg Boss of reality shows is back with the 16th season. Our endeavour at Endemol Shine India has been to consistently evolve, reinvent, and revolutionise the format of the show and up the game, season by season. This year, we will reveal a never-seen-before facet of the show with the mastermind of the house, Bigg Boss, not playing by the rules. The diverse mix of contestants will enhance the entertainment flavour as they compete against each other while courting the favour of their fellow contestants and audience. We look forward to a great season with the one-and-only Dabangg-host Salman Khan.”

  • We are looking to broadbase appeal of LaLiga beyond key pockets: Viacom18’s Siddharth Sharma

    We are looking to broadbase appeal of LaLiga beyond key pockets: Viacom18’s Siddharth Sharma

    Mumbai: Last year, Viacom18 inked a deal with the Spanish football league, LaLiga. The new season kicked off last month. In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, Viacom18 Sports head of content, TV and digital Siddharth Sharma said that the aim is to broadbase the appeal of LaLiga beyond the key pockets of Goa, Kerala and West Bengal.

    “Sports18 is the youngest sports network in the country. We have energy, enthusiasm and passion, and that is something that we also share with our partners like La Liga. It is undoubtedly one of the most admired and followed leagues in the world due to the track record that it has.”

    He added, “Football in the country has grown by 33 per cent over the three years from 2018–2021. La Liga has been an important contributor to that. Through our network, LaLiga reached over nine million fans, and we want to build on this further with the launch of our dedicated sports channel, Sports18. It will be our endeavour to take the league to a larger fan base across the country through our platforms. Sports18 is the primary destination for LaLiga. The aim is to give viewers the best possible viewing experience. Our intention is to get the fans excited and keep them excited. Our aim is to expand and make our sports portfolio robust, and LaLiga plays an important role in that.” 

    This also means going beyond the array of live football that happens. It is about shows like Goal’D. That is a take on football leagues and the movers and shakers.

    LaLiga, he said, has been one of the most giving partners that the broadcaster has had. They give access to footage of players. He explained that LaLiga also does cool technical stuff, which is something that Sports18 is able to leverage.

    Broadbasing football is something that the broadcaster is passionate about, he added, “We have to go beyond the key pockets. That is our focus. While we will address the core market that exists in terms of Kerala, West Bengal, Goa, and the Northeast, there is an attempt to broadbase football consumption across other markets that have a lot of headroom for growth.”

    “We will, in our endeavour to teach out to these markets, do a lot of work there with La Liga to widen the funnel there and get sports fans to engage with football. We educate them about the sport, about football players, and get them involved in the various levels of storytelling that we have to do. LaLiga is the frontrunner in our efforts to broadbase the sport due to the access that they give us to their immense library and the media hub that they have,” he said in response to a question from Indiantelevision.com.

    Talking about non-live content, he said it is a very important component. During live action, there is action, but non-live shoulder programming helps serve the core fan cohorts. “We can give them a behind-the-scenes look, nuanced approaches to set pieces of games that happen, the technical and strategic play that happens within a match. We dissect, analyse it and bring it to the viewers because it offers more time, the ability to look at these instances in a game and present them to fans. It is an immense opportunity, and we take a lot of pride in non-live programming because that takes us closer to the fans. We would also not be averse to giving fans a voice through this programming. We are having discussions with LaLiga on how to take this forward.”

    He said that the Fifa World Cup that the broadcaster will air later in the year is a milestone event in the broadcaster’s commitment to the sport. “We are looking to offer a differentiated experience. There will be a paradigm shift in terms of how the event is presented. We will engage our core viewers as well as intenders who we want to turn into core viewers. We will offer an unparalleled experience on Fifa that has never been seen in the country. The fan has to be the fulcrum of everything that we do. The fan has to be at the centre of everything that we do. The fan has converted to the sport or the team or the league. Fans have different identities, associations with the game. It is incumbent on us to serve them in the best possible manner.” 

    He also noted that core fans, non-core fans, and intenders watch football matches differently. The aim is to excite these audiences sitting at various ends of the viewership spectrum. The aim is to keep the core fan base intact and to move the intenders towards the core and to bring the floaters, or light viewers, into the middle of the value chain. “That is the idea,” he told Indiantelevision.com.

    He stated that the broadcaster’s goal with LaLiga and other soccer properties is to provide a 360-degree experience that allows fans to engage with the sport in the way that they want. In terms of having football content beyond English for LaLiga, he said that other languages like Hindi, Bangla, and Malayalam will play a role in the journey. Language commentary will be offered. For LaLiga, it is looking at putting a few key matches like El Classico next month on Sports18 Khel, the FTA channel. This, he said, accords a lot of headroom because that is an underserved audience.

    The other football properties the broadcaster has deals with for LaLiga and the Fifa World Cup 2022 are Serie A and Ligue 1. It also airs the local tournament, the Durand Cup. “It is the oldest football league in Asia. Our announcement contributes to widening the funnel of the football fan. The level of football and the level of sportsmanship have gone up tremendously. But there is a lot of scope for growth that we are working towards. There is a sizable interest in the Durand Cup that we are seeing.”

    One of the things that LaLiga India MD Jose Antonio Cachaza pointed out was that many matches in La Liga have Asia and India-friendly timings. That is not the case with some of the other football properties, like the Uefa Champions League, where matches sometimes start at 1:30 am. He added that LaLiga has seen a healthy increase in broadcast rights revenue globally. It earns around 900 million euros a year from global broadcast rights.

    “That is because we provide an asset that broadcasters can exploit all year around. International revenue has been steadily growing. In any country, our aim is to be the second most popular league, behind the local league. In India, that means being second after the ISL.” One of LaLiga’s aims globally is to have a better digital offering.

    The ElClasico, which pits FC Barcelona and Real Madrid in the most high-profile club match in world football, returns on the weekend of 15 October, while the Seville, Barcelona, and Basque derbies follow in November, December, and January, respectively.

    Games such as these, Cachaza explained, are a big factor in why LaLiga is the most followed domestic football league on social media, with over 160 million fans all over the world enjoying LaLiga content in 20 different languages across 17 different platforms. But LaLiga is also leading the way in digital outreach for international fans with Play LaLiga. This LaLiga claims the only self-produced TikTok show by a European league; the creation of the first-ever mini-app on Alipay for Chinese fans; and the launch in Indonesia and Thailand of LaLiga Pass, a self-developed OTT offering all LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank matches for fans on demand, among many other initiatives.

    The 2022/23 season kick-off also marks a crucial moment for LaLiga off the pitch. Clubs across LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank are looking to take a giant step forward in their development and growth thanks to Boost LaLiga, a large-scale two billion euro investment project made possible by LaLiga’s agreement with investment fund CVC in December 2021. Clubs are already working across the board on ambitious development plans in areas such as strategy and business, infrastructure, international, brand and product development, digitalisation, and tech innovation, among others.

    Meanwhile, LaLiga Tech, the LaLiga subsidiary which offers technological and innovative solutions, continues to expand its business in over 50 countries with companies from multiple industries, including broadcasters, federations, and leagues. LaLiga Tech aims to transform the sports and entertainment sector with the design and implementation of OTT services, applications, games, websites, fan engagement, the improvement and protection of content, and competition management. World Padel Tour, Millicom, Sky Mexico, and MotoGP rights holders Dorna are just a few of the organisations that have already adopted LaLiga Tech’s tech solutions to digitise their operations. 

    Cachaza also mentioned the fact that LaLiga and Galaxy Racer (GXR), the Dubai-based transmedia multinational, have signed a Letter of Intent paving the way for the formation of a 15-year JV. The aim is to transform the sports league’s brand presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and the Indian subcontinent.

    GXR, founded in 2019 by Group CEO Paul Roy, is the largest esports, gaming, and lifestyle organisation in the world with a presence in the Mena region, North America, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Europe. The JV positions GXR as LaLiga’s local partner in the MENA market and the Indian subcontinent, setting up a first in the world of sports rights in the territories which is projected to yield over three billion euros in revenue. Following the signing of the letter of intent, the parties entered an exclusive period to conclude contract details and the establishment of the JV. As agreed in the letter of intent, LaLiga and GXR will each hold a 50 per cent stake in the new JV. The JV will offer LaLiga new avenues and opportunities to increase brand presence across a key target region that is one of the youngest on the planet, with more than 1.3 billion people aged under 30. Furthermore, the joint venture will serve as the media rights agency for broadcast and media rights in Mena and the Indian subcontinent. 

    The deal provides LaLiga with a pathway to share its intellectual property (IP) through a local partner already offering considerable market reach—GXR has over 500 million followers worldwide—and a platform for growth that leverages expertise in six key verticals: licensing, content creation, esports, influencer and talent management, merchandising, and music.

  • Viacom18 files FIR over piracy of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’

    Viacom18 files FIR over piracy of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’

    Mumbai: An FIR was registered on a complaint filed by Viacom18 at Banaswadi police station, Bangalore against a suspect who was arrested on 12 August. Viacom18 received a tip from Cinepolis, Orient Mall, Bangalore, and made the arrest.

    During the investigation, police discovered incriminating evidence, and there is the possibility of an organised crime syndicate operating in the realm of illegal uploading and distribution of the film “Laal Singh Chaddha” and other pirated content.

    According to a preliminary police investigation, the accused may be involved in a larger piracy racket with websites such as Tamilrockers and Primerockers, which are engaged in uploading and illegally distributing pirated content. Because of their illegal actions, such pirate websites cause huge losses to producers, content owners, and creators.

    The arrest of the accused is a ray of hope for all content creators, and it could be a significant step toward action against pirates, as well as a sigh of relief for the industry.

    The company believes larger pirate networks may come to light as a result of this arrest, and the offenders may be prosecuted.

    Viacom18’s General Counsel, Anil Lale, said: “Viacom18 pledges its continuous support in the fight against piracy. We will continue our endeavour to create a secure and piracy-free space. It is important to take proactive measures to prevent piracy or infringement. We believe it is even more important to be involved and actively participate in the execution process to give effect to the larger interest we are trying to achieve.”

    Viacom18 recently obtained injunctive relief from the Madras High Court against a number of more than 12,000 specific websites/links, specified cable operators, internet service providers, as well as unknown individuals, prohibiting them from violating the film “Laal Singh Chaddha” or any part of it by copying, recording, reproducing, distributing, or downloading, etc. in any way without proper authorisation. 

  • Nickelodeon and Laal Singh Chaddha partner to entertain families across India

    Nickelodeon and Laal Singh Chaddha partner to entertain families across India

    Mumbai: Viacom18’s leading kids’ entertainment channel, Nickelodeon, has joined forces with Aamir Khan’s upcoming “Laal Singh Chaddha.” The film is the endearing story of the determined “Laal Singh Chaddha” who, like Nicktoons Motu Patlu and Bhoot Bandhus, through innocence and strength of character, overcomes all obstacles.

    With this collaboration, Nickelodeon has raised the existing fervour for “Laal Singh Chaddha” with unmatched and interactive initiatives that will provide entertainment and fun experiences for families to enjoy together.

    In addition to the tentpole campaign IPs and contests, “Laal Singh Chaddha” break bumpers will also run across key shows on Nick and Sonic. The campaign also extends to the Nickelodeon franchise’s social media channels and other digital media platforms with innovative posts and stories and influencer outreach. We are sure the adventures of Nicktoons and “Laal Singh Chadha” will entertain families this Independence Day weekend.

    The month-long integrated campaign will showcase Aamir Khan in his “Laal Singh” avatar having a fun time with India’s favourite Nicktoons, including Motu, Patlu, and Pinaki & Happy-The Bhoot Bandhus.

    With ideas that build resonance with the character of Laal, who has childlike innocence and honesty much like Nickelodeon’s young viewers and Nicktoons, the deep integrations will witness Laal immerse himself in the world of Nicktoons seamlessly. Through Nick’s Golgappa Party contest and Sonic’s Bhaag Laal Bhaag contest, kids will also get a chance to meet megastar Aamir Khan, in addition to winning a host of exciting prizes by simply participating in the on-air contests.

    Nickelodeon has also left no stone unturned to reach out to its young viewers with fun contests like the Chaddi Buddy Contest with Aamir.

    Finally, adding to the endless excitement is an innovative virtual running game that is sure to drive conversations while keeping kids on their toes. Resisting on nickindia.com, the virtual game allows one to play as Laal, Motu, or Patlu to chase the feather and collect coins along the way while chasing away evil.

    Speaking about the collaboration with “Laal Singh Chaddha,” Viacom18 head-Hindi mass entertainment & kids TV Network Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “We are delighted to collaborate with “Laal Singh Chaddha” on this highly interactive and engaging campaign that will give kids and their families an opportunity to be a part of the film and celebrate the character of Laal along with their favourite Nicktoons. At Nickelodeon, each collaboration and partnership that we innovate for has kids at the heart of it, and this partnership with the adorable character of Laal is sure to strike a chord and provide many priceless moments. We look forward to further collaborating with brands and films to create deep and meaningful integrations for our young viewers.”

    Speaking about reaching out to kids with this family entertainer and about the association with Nickelodeon superstar Aamir Khan, he said, “”Laal Singh Chadha” is an inspiring film and the innocence and honesty of the affable character of Laal is sure to strike a chord with kids and families. This massively interesting and fun collaboration with Nickelodeon and its characters, who embody the same positive traits as Laal, was hence a great way for us to together take the story of “Laal Singh Chaddha” and make it a part of every child’s life along with their favourite characters. We are sure that kids will have a great time watching our labour of love with their families and look forward to the same.”

    On the collaboration with Nickelodeon, Viacom18 COO Ajit Andhare said, “The advantage at Viacom18 is the opportunities and ability we have to collaborate with the powerhouse brands in our platoon. Right from bringing the Paramount story to India under our banner to partnering with Nickelodeon, we have had seamless associations with the film. A family entertainer at its heart, we are looking forward to kids enjoying the film as much as adults, as they will resonate with the pure and simple soul of “Laal Singh”.”