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Tag: Viacom18

  • Viacom18 appoints Mahesh Shetty as network head of sales

    Viacom18 appoints Mahesh Shetty as network head of sales

    MUMBAI: Viacom18, today, announced the appointment of Mahesh Shetty as the Head – Network Sales. Mahesh will be reporting to Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO & MD, Viacom18. 

    Speaking about his appointment, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO & MD, Viacom18 said, “Amidst market shifts, we continue to make strides across platforms and geographies as we build brand solutions powered by analytics and insights. The way ahead is to work more closely with our partners and identify customised whitespaces with an eye on delivering consumer centric ad solutions across platforms. Mahesh’s multi-industry experience will be an asset to Viacom18 as we accelerate our journey to integrate and dial up revenue.”

    Mahesh Shetty, currently serving as the COO of Entertainment Network India Ltd. (popularly known as Radio Mirchi), has over 2 decades of experience in marketing, sales and general management across geographical regions, in the media and FMCG sectors. Mahesh started his career with PepsiCo to lead the beverage major’s marketing outreach in Maharashtra and Gujarat and over his decade long stint grew within the organization to become the General Manager, National Sales – Organized Trade. He, thereafter, joined Radio Mirchi, where over the course of 12 years, Mahesh has donned many hats and has led Radio Mirchi’s network expansion to 66 stations, expanded its presence in international markets and started and scaled up multiple revenue streams. Mahesh has successfully led his team to achieve dominant leadership in listenership and revenue market share in the highly competitive radio business.

    Mahesh Shetty will be joining Viacom18 in April, 2019. 

  • Viacom18 continues period drama experimentation with ‘Jhansi ki Rani’

    Viacom18 continues period drama experimentation with ‘Jhansi ki Rani’

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 is not one to stay down after one fall. Recently, the network released a periodical historical drama Dastaan-E-Mohobbat on Colors but when it failed to grab eyeballs, it has swiftly decided to replace it with another in the same genre – Jhansi Ki Rani produced by Contiloe Pictures.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “The show Dastaan-E-Mohobbat didn’t click very well. Since we are in the business of entertainment, there comes a time when viewers embrace us and sometimes they don’t. Therefore, we learnt from our past and moved on to new things because entertainment is all about finding the right viewers and finding the right content for them. So, unfortunately, it didn’t do really well for us and it’s off-air right now.”

    The new tariff regime was also likely to impact broadcasters. Jaipuria said that it puts the control of choice squarely in the hands of the viewer. She added that the second benefit of this regime is that it brings in the much-needed transparency into the system, with under-reporting promising to become a thing of the past. “As business becomes more streamlined and transparent, I feel the process of content creation, curation and distribution will significantly improve. Interestingly, the future for the broadcasters will now undergo a subtle yet tectonic shift – from networks bundling and pushing channels to consumers, it will become consumers pulling in channels that they want to watch. This, I believe, in the mid-long term will lead to content quality dialling up even further,” she added.

    Most broadcasters bundled their long-tail channels with their best ones to increase uptake. While it is likely that these channels will suffer, Jaipuria doesn’t think so. According to her, niche channels will not be affected. “While Nick is number one and Sonic is not, that doesn’t mean Sonic can’t make it. Sonic has Shiva. Kids who love Shiva will anyway watch it. I think it is not about the platform but it is about the loyalty and the shows you have today.”

    Meanwhile, two big national events are coming up – IPL and Elections, which may hamper viewership of Hindi GECs. Jaipuria said, “What happens in any country when there is large mass viewership, there is one television household and the viewership time gets divided. But like I told you that the power of content is so much that there is no viewer who is going to stay without television for 2 months and without their characters. It’s the eleventh IPL and Hindi GECs have always done well. It is not that people stop watching GECs. So to my mind, there will be a little division of time and little more time given to different genres of channels. But people will not stop watching their favourite shows and characters.” She is confident that Viacom18 has a very strong line up and there’s no reason that it will be losing viewership on the channels.

  • Rishtey Cineplex to showcase celebrated journalist, Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s directorial debut ‘Cakewalk’ starring Esha Deol Takhtani

    Rishtey Cineplex to showcase celebrated journalist, Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s directorial debut ‘Cakewalk’ starring Esha Deol Takhtani

    MUMBAI: Rishtey Cineplex – India’s favourite movie destination from the house of Viacom18 is all set to showcase celebrated journalist, Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s directorial debut, Cakewalk. Starring Esha Deol Takhtani who returns to the celluloid after a hiatus, Cakewalk will be India's first short film to air exclusively on television. This 27-minute film is written and directed by Ram Kamal Mukherjee and produced by Aritra Das, Shailendra Kumar and Dinesh Gupta under the banner of Assorted Motion Pictures and SS1 Entertainments. The film is all set to air on Sunday, February 17th on Rishtey Cineplex at 6.00PM. Voot.

    On bringing forth this beautiful narrative to the viewers through television, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head – Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network, Viacom18 said, “The film revolves around the professional and personal challenges faced by a chef in her life. It's a slice of life story which has been beautifully portrayed by Esha Deol. When Ram Kamal approached us to acquire the film, what struck us was the simple, yet intriguing narrative encapsulated in just 27-minutes. This is definitely one of Esha Deol's finest performance and will be loved by the viewers who have a penchant for experimental content.”

    "I had full faith in Ram Kamal when I signed for the film and knew that he would give his all to make this remarkable,” said actor Esha Deol Takhtani who plays the lead protagonist, chef Shilpa Sen in the movie. "Viacom18 is one of the leading networks in India and I am happy that Cakewalk will be India's first short film to be aired on India’s No.1 movie channel, Rishtey Cineplex." adds Esha. 

    Said Director Ram Kamal Mukherjee on his debut, “I thank the team of Rishtey Cineplex for having seen potential in this film. This also reinstalls my faith in good content. Here’s hoping that the viewers appreciate our endeavor.”

    The film is co-directed by Abhra Chakraborty, and also stars Tarun Malhotra and Anindita Bose. The Music has been composed by Shailendra Sayanti and the title track by Rupali Jagga. Shot in Kolkata the first look of the film was unveiled by veteran actress Hema Malini in London.

    "We wanted to set a benchmark with our product and trust me it wasn't a cakewalk," says producer Aritra Das. "Everyone discouraged us, saying that there is no future for shorts. But we are grateful to Viacom18 and their entire team for proving the world wrong," added Aritra.

  • Viacom18 presents India’s premier advertising festival “Goafest 2019”

    Viacom18 presents India’s premier advertising festival “Goafest 2019”

    MUMBAI: The apex industry event that celebrates milestones in the Indian media and advertising industry – Goafest is all set to be held on 11th, 12th and 13th April, 2019  at India’s festival destination.  Presented by Viacom18, Goafest 2019 will see the A&M fraternity celebrate sucessul campaigns and facilitate idea exchange on categtory growth drivers and game changing global trends. 

    Speaking about the 14th edition of the festival, Mr. Ashish Bhasin, President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) said, “Goafest is the Indian advertising industry’s largest and most representative event . It is not just a festival but an ode to the industry and  the pioneering work done through the year. This year too we will bring to fore an immersive event that will bring together the  industry’s most creatively curious, transformational and inspiring thoughtleaders and innovators from across agencies, brands and media houses. .

    Mr. Nakul Chopra, Chairman Goafest 2019 said “Goafest is all geared up for an inclusive and engaging 2019 edition. Our endeavor this year is to ensure that multi-category representation and participation, interactivity and thought leadership is at the forefront of all our initiatives. This year too  the apex industry event will continue to establish its eminence as a leading knowledge sharing and networking platform and we are happy to have partnered with Viacom18 in building this to further scale.”

    Speaking about partnering with Goafest 2019, Sudhanshu Vats – Group CEO & MD at Viacom18 said ““Goafest has, over the years, cemented it’s reputation as the country’s foremost amalgamation of the best and brightest of the creative and marketing minds of the Indian business. Our association with them is an extension of our belief that knowledge sharing leads to knowledge enhancement thereby benefitting the entire industry.”

    Talking about the focus at the upcoming edition of the festival  Vikram Sakhuja: President, The Advertising Club said “ABBY’s are the gold standard in creative awards and has always  recognized agencies and talent that push boundaries and challenge status quo.  Our endeavor with the festival and the awards this year is to ensure exceptional speakers, inclusive participation and thereby gain a headstart on decoding transformational global advertising and communication trends.”

    Shashi Sinha, Awards Governing Council Chair and Secretary, The Advertising Club said “We are all set for the ABBY’s and are hoping to see some pioneering and clutter breaking work being entered this year. ABBY’s is the ultimate national benchmark for effective creative communication.   Winning an ABBY holds a place of pride in the career lifecyle of every advertising and media professional.  We sincierly hope that  the awards continue to inspire the best minds in the industry to present their best foot forward. “

    Presented by the Advertising Club and AAAI the Goafest 2019 will once again see the entire advertising and marketing fraternity soon come together in Goa in April 2019.

  • 2018’s most watch South Indian channels

    2018’s most watch South Indian channels

    BENGALURU: The South Indian television market is huge with a television penetration of about 95 percent. This paper is based on performance in terms of viewership –  and refers mainly to weekly impressions of top 5 channels in each of the four South Indian languages as per Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) data.

    The four major South India languages are (in order of populations of the major territories they are spoken in) Telugu in Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, Tamil in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Kannada in Karnataka and Malayalam in Kerala. In terms of television households, Tamil Nadu leads because of its higher television penetration, followed by Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala in that order.

    Among the major networks, Star India, Sun TV Network, Viacom18/ETV and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) have channels that cater to the viewership pleasure of speakers of at least three of the four languages.

    Here below is the performance of the top channels for each of the four languages.

    Kannada Channels

    There were four Kannada channels – three Kannada GECs and one Kannada movie channel that featured in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Kannada channels for all the 52 weeks of 2018. Two channels were from the Sun TV Network and there was one channel each from Viacom18/ETV Network and Zeel. In alphabetical order, they were: Colors Kannada (Viacom18/ETV), Udaya Movies and Udaya TV (Sun TV Network) and Zee Kannada (Zeel).

    The most watched Kannada channels in terms of the sum of weekly impressions for all the 52 weeks of 2018 were – Colors Kannada, Zee Kannada, Udaya TV and Udaya Movies in that order.

    Colors Kannada was ranked no 1 in BARC’s list of top 5 Kannada channels during all the 52 weeks of 2018. The channel garnered a total of 21.997 billion impressions (Average weekly impressions 423.011 million) during the 52 weeks of 2018. At second place for each of the 52 weeks of 2018 was Zee Kannada. Zee Kannada scored a total of 17.825 billion impressions (average weekly impressions 342.787 million) during the 52 weeks of 2018. 

    The third-most watched channel in terms for total impressions was Udaya TV which had 11.362773 billion impressions Average weekly impressions 218.515 million) during the 52 weeks of 2018. Udaya TV was ranked third for 46 weeks and fourth for 6 weeks in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Kannada channels during the 52 BARC weeks of 2018. The fourth most watched channel was Udaya Movies – the channel was ranked fourth for 44 weeks, third for six weeks and fifth for two weeks of 2018. Udaya Movies scored 10.164323 billion impressions Average weekly impressions195.468 million) during the 52 BARC weeks of 2018.

    Two other channels that featured in BARC’s weekly lists of five most watched Kannada channels were Star India’s Kannada GEC Star Suvarna and Viacom18/ETV’s HD channel – Colors Kannada HD. Star Suvarna was present in BARC’s Kannada channels list for 46 of the 52 week of 2018 and Colors Kannada was present for 6 of 52 weeks of 2018. Please refer to the figure below:

    Malayalam Channels

    Four Malayalam GECs made it consistently to BARC’s weekly lists of top 5 Malayalam channels during all the 52 weeks of 2018. These channels were from Star India, Insight Media City and Malayala Manorama (MM) TV and Sun TV. In alphabetical order they were: Asianet (Star India), Flowers TV, Mazhavil Manorama (Malayala Manorama (MM) TV) and Surya TV (Sun TV).

    In order of total impressions for all the 52 weeks of 2018, the channels are ranked as Asianet, Surya TV, Flowers TV and Mazhavil Manorama. 

    Asianet was ahead of the pack by far – it garnered 15.766 billion impressions during the year with a weekly average of 303.186 million impressions. It was always ranked 1 during all the 52 weeks of 2108. Surya TV was second with 5.134 billion impressions during the year and a weekly average of 98.73740385 million impressions. Flowers Media was ranked third with 4.919 billion impressions during the 52 weeks of 2018 and a weekly average of 94.587 million impressions. At fourth rank was Mazhavil Manorama which had 4.891 billion impressions for the year at a weekly average of 94.062 million impressions. 

    Please refer to the figure below for weekly trends for these channels.

    Tamil channels

    As in the case of Kannada and Malayalam, there were four Tamil channels that appeared in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Tamil channels during all the 52 weeks of 2018. Three channels were GEC, while one was a Tamil movie channel. Two channels were from the Sun TV Network and there was one channel each from Star India and Zeel. The four channels, alphabetical order, were KTV, Star Vijay, Sun TV and Zee Tamil.

    Sun TV was by far the most watched Tamil GEC in 2018. The channel clocked a massive 48.490 billion impressions during 2018 with weekly average impressions of 932.508 million during the period. At second rank was Star India’s flagship Tamil GEC Star Vijay with 22.697 billion impressions during the 52 weeks of 2018 and a weekly average of 436.477 million. 

    At third rank was Zeel’s flagship Tamil GEC Zee Tamil with 21.948 billion impressions during the year and a weekly average of 422.080 million impressions. At fourth rank was the Sun TV Network’s Tamil movies channel KTV with 15.896 billion impressions during the year and a weekly average of 305.696 million impressions during the 52 BARC weeks of 2018. Please refer to the figure below.

    Telugu Channels

    Like the other three South Indian languages markets, there were 4 channels that were present consistently in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Telugu channels during all the 52 weeks of 2018. All four were GECs spread over four different networks – Viacom18/ETV, Star India, Sun TV Network and Zeel.

    In alphabetical order, these channels were ETV Telugu (Viacom18/ETV), Gemini (Sun TV Network), Star Maa (Star India) and Zee Telugu (Zeel).

    Star Maa was the most watched Telugu channel in 2018 with 29.184 billion impressions during the year at a weekly average of 561.236 million. Zee Telugu was ranked second with 25.274 billion weekly impressions at a weekly average of 486.029 million. At third place was ETV Telugu with 23.435 billion impressions during the year at a weekly average of 450.682 million impressions during BARC’s 52 weeks of 2018. At fourth place was Gemini TV with 22.818 billion impressions at a weekly average of 438.804 million impressions.

    South India is an exciting place for television viewers today as broadcasters vie for attracting more and more sticky eyeballs to their fares. There are about 225 channels spread across the four South Indian languages that beam into India, besides many more that beam South Indian language content into other geographies. New channel launches, HD channel launches were the name of the game in 2018. Viacom18/ETV lunched its Tamil GEC – Colors Tamil in 2018, Zeel lunched a Malayalam channel in 2018 – both the pan-India networks wanted to mark their presence in these markets.

    Besides, Star India has been wooing sports viewers in South India -it now has 3 sports channels in South Indian languages – the last one to be launched near the end of 2018 – Star Sports 1 Kannada. Earlier, on 7 December, the network had launched Star Sports 1 Telugu to join Star Sports 1 Tamil. The launch of Star Sports 1 Kannada took the Star Sports channel count to 15 with 10 standard definition and five high definition channels.

    As many as nine HD channels were launched by two pan India networks in South India. Seven of the new HD channels were Telugu– five GEC and two movies and one each GEC HD channel was launched in Kannada and Malayalam. Network18 through Viacom18 and ETV launched five, while Zeel launched four HD channels. Zee Kannada HD was launched on 3 November 2018, while Zee Telugu HD and Zee Cinemalu HD were launched on 1 January 2018. Zee Keralam HD was launched on 5 December 2018.

    As is obvious from above, among the 4 languages, it was Sun TV that topped BARC’s weekly ratings in Tamil, Star Maa that generally topped the weekly ratings in Telugu, Colors Kannada that topped the ratings in Karnataka and Asianet that topped the ratings in Malayalam during 2018.

    BARC data for top10 channels across genres NCCS All India 2+ reveals that the Sun TV Networks flagship Tamil GEC Sun TV is the most watched channel in the country. In 2018, Sun TV headed BARC’s list of top 10 channels across genres for 48 of the 52 weeks of 2018.It was only during some weeks of the eleventh edition of the Indian cricketing bonanza IPL that channel lost its prime position in BARC’s list of top 10 channels across genres for four of the seven IPL weeks. Sun TV, one of the earliest players in the Indian television industry, has continued to dominate the Tamil television market despite the entry of national level big networks in the Tamil market. However, the Sun TV Network channels in the Kannada and Telugu markets had to concede numero uno status to national level players.

    With the entry of strong players such as Viacom18/ETV and Zeel, ratings could have a shakeup, especially in the Tamil and Malayalam language space. Over the next few years time will tell which player will top the ratings. In the meantime viewers will be spoiled for choice with quality content being beamed into their televisions.
     

  • Niche channels bank on differentiated content in new TRAI tariff regime

    Niche channels bank on differentiated content in new TRAI tariff regime

    MUMBAI: One worry that broadcasters seem to have from the impending TRAI tariff scheme that will commence from 1 February 2019 is the reception of their niche and differentiated channels. While GECs, sports and news channels don’t have much to worry, the others will have to fight for TV space.

    Here, differentiated content will play a role in ensuring genres like kids, infotainment and lifestyle are picked by viewers. 9x Media chief business officer and group business head Punit Pandey explained that out of 100 FTA channels, 26 are Doordarshan (DD) channels that are mandatory and the remaining are left with cable operators to choose. This choice depends on consumer pull and commercial deals with broadcasters. “I have commercial deals with almost all the big operators, where there is no reason for them not to give my channel. Music as a category is something that people like to have. So my commercial deal, consumer pull and music as a genre are the three reasons that will help us get in the 74 slots. But, according to me, a commercial deal is enough to get listed in the slot of 74 because I’ve paid to get in there,” he said.

    About the music genre’s content strategy, Pandey said that the cluster, except for 9xo that plays English songs, plays popular Bollywood songs which cut across divisions. He said, “As a Bollywood channel, our reach is far more than a non-film music channel, which is typically niche. For 9xm, we continue playing popular hit music. What adds to our advantage is our footprint in the regional market. Regional is going to grow and we are already there.”

    Viacom18, which has youth and a music channels MTV and MTV Beats, claims to not fall under the niche category.Viacom18 youth music and English entertainment head Ferzad Palia claims that it caters to a wide audience of 309 million viewers. He said that broadcasters who have not invested in differentiated content or have not found a clear way to differentiate themselves are the ones who may face the pressure of being selected or rather not being selected.

    MTV claims to follow a content-focused strategy while having differentiated product. Palia feels that if you have become an integral part of someone’s viewing habit, they will select you anyway. The channel also recently informed that the time spent on its channel had doubled. “Therefore, if our time spent has doubled that means we are doing something right because more people are watching us and we are becoming closer to the audience. I think we are in this advantageous position because of the unique offering that we have for the youth’s life,” he said.

    Zee TV business head Aparna Bhosle expects this order to usher in good days for the industry. Being a leader in the GEC category, it doesn’t have to worry much but she expects significant changes in viewing patterns to take place. According to her, people consume at max 130 channels when surfing. So, some channels may not make it to a viewer's list.

    Sony Sab, Pal business head Neeraj Vyas firmly believes that segmentation of audiences will be a reality. Till now, people were copying mass-pulling shows from competitors, but now each will have to focus and create for their own audience.

    Meanwhile, Disney India revamped its Disney XD channel to Marvel HQ. It is pertinent for one to assume that it might be its strategy due to the new tariff regime. The Walt Disney Company (India) executive director and head of product media networks Devika Prabhu said that the channel was creating a base so that it is ready by summer and kids would be habituated to it.

    Apart from content, bundling of the channels also plays a major role which is done by the broadcasters, cable and DTH operators. Apparently, Sony pulled the plug from a few of its channels—Sony Le Plex HD, Sony ROX HD and Sony Ten Golf HD since it didn’t rake in sufficient viewership. Simultaneously, others are converting to FTA channels. Recently, Business Television India (BTVI), an English business news channel, converted to FTA following the new regime. This could be a sigh of relief for the advertisers where their reach would be higher. FTA channels have the advantage of having advertising revenue because of higher reach.

    As far as ad rates are concerned, Pandey is confident it won’t be impacted while Vyas prefers to wait and watch for the MRP to unfold and the consumers' response. It will take four to five months for the regime to settle and advertisers, according to Pandey, are likely to wait and watch before changing pricing. He said, “Ad rates are not increased or decreased by one month’s performance. The advertisers or the agencies look at consistency; they do not change rates in a month’s time till the time it settles. Moreover, there are big events such as IPL, and the elections which will have serious pull.”

    Broadcasters have taken it upon themselves to educate consumers about the new tariff regime and also hinting at picking their own packs and channels. Pandey is bullish about the reach of his network and does not feel the need for full-page ads or outdoor hoardings.

    Palia replied that Viacom18 has been informing the consumers because it’s the network’s duty to educate consumers on how they can access their channels and their favourite shows under the new tariff order. “We are not trying to hard sell our channels to anyone,” he clarified.

    We are inching closer to the D-date and hoping that TRAI does not give in to another extension demand, as it has been prone to do previously. By early or mid-February, we are likely to get a sense of direction that the industry will be taking.

  • Yeh Mohalla hai Navrangi Re!

    Yeh Mohalla hai Navrangi Re!

    Most of the times, we don’t #GiveAShit about shit. But starting February 2, 2019, we won’t be able to ignore it any more, as a one-of-a-kind drama series is coming to our living rooms to make us laugh, cry, wonder, question and fall in love. In an industry first, Viacom18 has partnered with the world’s largest philanthropic organization Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and development communications specialists, BBC Media Action to create a Hindi general entertainment fiction series called Navrangi Re!with an underlying behaviour change message on sanitation.Laced with high drama, wit and satire, Navrangi Re! is a finite series that will make us all sit up, take responsibility and #GiveAShit this New Year.

    Produced by Swastik Productions, Navrangi Re! is the story of a lively mohalla (a neighbourhood) in a town in Northern India full of quirky and endearing characters. Navrangi Re! has a gamut of colourful characters- from a talking wall to a rich and ruthless diva to a spoilt brat to a strong female lead that refuses to give in, and an underlyingmonster that’s growing underground. It is the laugh-a-minute story of a community living on the edge, teetering from one crisis to another and then deciding to take control of their lives. Vishwaas, the hero of this 26-episode television drama series, played by actor Aamir Ali, is a struggling TV journalist always looking for career-defining ‘breaking news’. In this hunt for one story, he discovers something bigger- the gateway to bring about change in his mohalla!It is entertainment all the way using an ensemble cast made up of thespian actors such as Susmita Mukherjee and Raju Kher, and promising new talent like Vaishnavi Dhanraj, Manmohan Tiwari and others.

    Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO & MD, Viacom18, said “Today, 70% of urban India’s sewage is left untreated and it’s an issue that needs immediate attention. As a media and entertainment company we have realized that you connect with the viewers better when you marry social messaging with an interesting narrative.  Viewers identify and resonate with such content very well and we have seen this with our film, Toilet: EkPrem Katha. Navrangi Re! therefore is not a PSA but a 13 weeks’ series which aims to showcase the various challenges faced in a community due to lack of proper sanitation facilities. Along with BMGF and BBC Media Action this is our humble effort to spread awareness and lead to behaviour change.”

    Nina ElaviaJaipuria, Head- Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network, Viacom18, elaborates, “At Viacom18, we are storytellers, and we believe in harnessing the power of stories to bring about change. Navrangi Re! is a product of that philosophy. It is a powerful story narrated entertainingly with the idea to mainstream a topic as important and nuanced as Faecal Sludge Management. Given the wide audience we are targeting through this social impact programming, Navrangi Re! is an apt fitment as the first ever Rishtey Original.”

    Devika Bahl, Creative Producer, BBC Media Action, adds, "It's quite tricky to engage viewers with an issue like faecal sludge management. The challenge is to convert technical information into full-blown entertainment – a story that's full of romance, drama humour and aspirations. Navrangi Re! is an attempt to achieve that balance."

    This finite series promises to make you laugh while raising critical questions around ‘flush kebaadkikahaani’, thus making it a challenging experience because how does one make shit prime-time and fun? Siddharth Kumar Tewary, Founder, Producer, Creative Director, Swastik Productions agrees, “Sanitation is a serious issue and the challenge for us was to merge this topic with entertainment and create a light-hearted show which 

    entertains yet gets a strong message across to our viewers. The partnership of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, BBC and Viacom18 and Swastik is a great step on Indian Television as we bring forth content on a mass medium which shall have viewers laughing and learning simultaneously.”

    But the USP of the show doesn’t end here! There is a special guest who joins the Mohalla one day as well, and it’s none other than Anil Kapoor, the superstar himself, who is known to take roles he truly believes in. But what made him do a cameo on TV? Says Anil Kapoor, “Most people believe that talking about the cause of sanitation is boring. But Viacom18, being the powerful storytellers that they are, took it upon themselves to add a quirky twist to a seemingly mundane topic and made it funny. The cause is aligned with Sri Narendra Modi ji’s vision of Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, and also very close to my heart. I agreed to do a cameo, because I believe every small step brings change.”

    Aamir Ali as Vishwaas said “I couldn't have asked for a better start to the year. Navrangi Re! is very close to my heart because the character of Vishwas is very relatable. He is fun and games yes, but he also has this hunger of doing something for the betterment of the society.”

    Vaishnavi Dhanraj as Chitralekha said, “Navrangi Re! urges you to #GiveAShit and take responsibility. It's actually my New Year resolution as well.  I think everyone who watches this show will enjoy it,and take a message at the end of it. I couldn't have asked for anything better.”

    Susmita Mukherjee as Rajrani said “I've been part of many TV shows in my career, but this one will always be close to my heart. It's a finite series for once, something I've never done before, which means we have the added challenge of establishing our character in a shorter period of time. Also, the character is very “Navrangi” herself.”

    Raju Kher as Gajraj Singh said, “Navrangi Re! gives me the opportunity to explore lots of emotions while passing on the message of sanitation. It's a very creative concept, with a host of actors that are balls of energy themselves. Every day at the sets is unique and rejuvenating. I can't wait for the audience to feel the same love for Navrangi Re! that we have felt while acting in it.”

    Navrangi Re! will launch on February 2nd, 2019 and will be telecaston Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 pm on Rishtey.It will also air on COLORS Gujarati and COLORS Odia at 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays starting February 9th. Viewers can also watch it anytime on VOOT.
     

  • Sudhanshu Vats on Rishtey’s content strategy, challenges and Viacom18’s latest show

    Sudhanshu Vats on Rishtey’s content strategy, challenges and Viacom18’s latest show

    MUMBAI: The sweet spot. That’s what Viacom18’s Hindi mass entertainment channel Rishtey appears to have struck with its latest offering Navrangi Re! The newest act of the media and entertainment conglomerate sees it join forces with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and BBC Media Action to create a finite series with an underlying behaviour change message on sanitation. Few organisations throw their might behind CSR initiatives like Viacom18 does, and with Navrangi Re! it seems to achieved a rare double – a powerful story and entertaining narration.

    “The challenge with this show is that we have a finite series and in India it’s a big thing to manage a finite series. But it has begun to change now. We are very hopeful with this show and if things go right, we will be mounting on subsequent seasons and we are committed to that,” says Viacom18 Group CEO & MD Sudhanshu Vats.

    Billed as the first ever Rishtey Original, the 26-episode drama series will launch on 2 February and be telecast on Saturday and Sunday at 9.30 pm. It will also air on Colors Gujarati and Colors Odia at 6.30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays starting 9 February. Viewers can also watch the show on Viacom18’s OTT Voot.

    Rishtey, previously a free-to-air (FTA) channel, is now priced at an MRP of Rs 1 under the new tariff order.

    “The idea for Rishtey is to appeal to the section which is more CDE in terms of NCCS. The concept of Rishtey being a repeat channel is technically correct. But that’s a broadcaster or content player’s perspective. But a lot of the audience is consuming its content for the first time, and therefore that section is watching Originals. So our strategy moving forward is that we look at what of our content already appeals to that section and where we need to get in new or original content. Going forward, we will continue to have that balance,” highlights Vats as he offers an insight into the channel’s content strategy.

    Building and scaling up a channel of this nature could be tricky given that most of Viacom18’s competitors have been in the business of Hindi mass entertainment for two decades.

    “One of the challenges we have compared to some of our competitors in India is that we are a relatively younger company. So the library of content they have is stronger. So their ability to then package content for this audience through their library maybe a little better than ours. Therefore as we progress, we will need to look at how we can balance this with originals. That’s the thinking and strategy,” adds Vats.

    When asked if there will be added focus on Originals for Rishtey, Vats responds keepings his cards close to the chest.

    “You will see. We are doing this, and you will see some more,” he says.

    Produced by Swastik Productions, Navrangi Re! is the story of a lively mohalla (a neighbourhood) in a town in northern India full of quirky and endearing characters. This series promises to make you laugh while raising critical questions around ‘flush ke baad ki kahaani’.

    Does the series fit in with the overall content strategy of the network?

    “It fits in beautifully. We have always picked up social issues. We have always stretched the envelope on social issues. I think we are further stretching the envelope with this series. We are taking up a very tough subject for television and trying to make it appealing. The theme we are trying to manage is faecal sludge management, but we want to make it entertaining. I think the humour will help us in getting the message across,” the veteran executive points out sounding rather confident.

    Interestingly, the show launch nearly coincides with the implementation of the new tariff order (post the TRAI extension) on 1 February. With the radical change likely to cause disruption in the distribution value chain, is there cause for concern?

    “We’ve got to have business as usual and people will continue to watch television. Yes, you could argue that there could be teething problems in the beginning, but the show must go on,” says an unperturbed Vats as he signs off.

    It’s not often that broadcasters, especially in Hindi mass entertainment, steer away from tried and tested formats to take up subjects rooted in social change. Viacom18, however, seems to be making a habit of daring to dream beyond the banality of everyday television. More importantly, it continues to do so with passion and panache. And for that, it deserves to be applauded.

  • Viacom18 introduces VIACUBS – a day care facility for employees’ children

    Viacom18 introduces VIACUBS – a day care facility for employees’ children

    Mumbai: In continuation of its gender inclusive policies such as a 36-weeks maternity leave and flexible work arrangement, Viacom18 today announces the launch of Viacubs – a child day-care service for Viacom18 employees. Viacubs is a part of Viacom18’s WAVE initiative which focusses on safety, wellness, life events and career development of employees. By providing a reliable support system, Viacom18 aims to empower the working parent to focus on and balance both career and parental duties.

    On launching Viacubs, Abhinav Chopra, Chief Human Resource Officer, Viacom18 said, “WAVE was introduced with the aim of encouraging women to grow and take on more leadership roles to promote gender equity and inclusion at the workplace. Our women employees should not be in a position where they must choose between their careers and family. Viacubs will ensure a smooth transition for the returning mother with the assurance that her child will be well attended to, in a nurturing environment.  

    At Viacom18, we aim to provide the best of both worlds to our employees – fulfilling careers and quality family time. We understand the concerns that parents face when there’s a new addition to the family. Therefore, Viacubs opens its doors to new fathers, as much as to the new mothers, towards supporting their parenting journey.”

    Launching the first centre in Mumbai in partnership with KLAY Schools, Viacubs is spread across 2,500 square feet. This dedicated space for children will have facilities including an infant room, toddler room, nursing room, play areas, cozy-corners to read, a pantry area, etc. Depending on the child’s age group, fun and learning activities have been designed as part of the curriculum. Employees with 6-month-old infants to 6-year-old kids can avail of the various facilities being provided at Viacubs.  A backup care facility is also available for parents who need to use the service for shorter periods in case of emergencies. Viacubs will provide a home away from home for employees’ children with adequate learning, enjoyment and expert care.

    Providing the right support, safe environment and care for kids is the prime motto of Viacubs. Adequate caretakers will be present at the center to ensure best care. Caretakers will be present at all time to ensure the demands and requirements of the kids are met. The staff (caretaker) to child ratio is 1:2 for infants, 1:3 for junior toddlers, 1:5 for senior toddlers and pre-kindergarten and 1:8 for after school children. To ensure a secure environment, an online CCTV monitoring facility as well as an emergency doctor on call is also available.

    Viacubs has currently been launched in the Mumbai office and will be subsequently launched in all Viacom18 offices across India.

  • MTV to up its game in 2019 with new format shows

    MTV to up its game in 2019 with new format shows

    MUMBAI: After claiming to have doubled its viewership in 2018, MTV is all set to up its game by launching the eighth season of MTV Unplugged, a singing show, on 26 January, 8 pm onwards. Royal Stag Barrel Select and MTV have collaborated to present the program.

    Viacom18 youth music and English entertainment head Ferzad Palia said that 2018 was a landmark year for them. “Ace of Space, Elevator Pitch, Dating In The Dark worked really well for us. Ace Of Space did so well that we had to extend it to 30 days because of consumer demand. It was a big gamble with the daily reality format. It gave us rich dividends both on TV and on Voot. 2018 has made us more bullish about 2019,” he said.

    Palia added that the plan is to introduce new shows and formats that haven’t been seen ever. Also, hundreds of hours of content, bringing seasons of the old shows and seven to eight new format shows are on the cards.

    According to him, the year 2019 will observe key trends like content will be consumed by viewers whenever and wherever they want to. He said, “The other trend that I see is organic growth of television will continue because you have a large base of audiences just coming in to consume entertainment on TV and there will also be significant growth on digital consumption.”

    Looking at the consumption of TV over the past three years, It has grown at a faster rate than it was growing earlier, he added. Palia feels that that the rate of digital consumption has also grown significantly because in the smaller base, the percentages are high so more content is getting consumed across devices. “So the honest truth is that the content will win if the stories are breaking through the clutter because consumers are spoilt for choices as they have options as to what content to consume and on which screen,” he concluded.