ITV

Tag: Vivek Raina

  • Daler Mehndi inaugurates IPRS ‘Soundscapes of India’

    Daler Mehndi inaugurates IPRS ‘Soundscapes of India’

    Mumbai: IPRS (The Indian Performing Rights Society Ltd), the music copyright society in India representing authors, composers and publishers of music, kicked off their highly anticipated ‘Soundscapes of India: Gateway to the World’ with an electrifying inauguration led by Daler Mehndi at the India International Centre, New Delhi. The vibrant ceremony set the perfect tone for the global music celebration that followed.

    The opening day was highlighted by a fireside chat with Bhangra king and global pop star, Daler Mehndi, whose music has transcended borders to captivate audiences worldwide. Moderated by IMEA Dolby Labs Sr director commercial partnerships Karan Grover, the discussion offered a deep dive into Mehndi’s illustrious career, his contributions to Indian music, and the universal appeal of his work. The session underscored the enduring global resonance of Indian music and set the tone for the conference’s focus on expanding India’s musical footprint internationally.

    “The inauguration of ‘Soundscapes of India’ by the legendary Daler Mehndi truly set the stage for what promises to be a groundbreaking celebration of Indian music on the global stage. As IPRS marks its 55th anniversary, we are thrilled to witness India’s rich musical heritage come alive through this event, opening doors for our creators to shine internationally. This is not just a conference—it’s a bold step towards making Indian music a global force,” commented IPRS CEO Rakesh Nigam.

    Following the fireside chat, the conference hosted its first panel discussion, titled “The Time is Now: Amplifying India’s Presence on the Global Music Stage.” This session brought together industry heavyweights, including Believe Digital MD Vivek Raina, Paytm Insider COO Varun Khare, and Sziget Festival director Marina Pommier. The panel explored innovative strategies to enhance India’s global music presence, particularly through digital platforms and international collaborations. The discussion highlighted the critical role that technology and partnerships play in elevating Indian music on the world stage.

    The inaugural day also featured a special fireside chat celebrating 74 years of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and its pivotal role in promoting Indian music globally. ICCR deputy director general Abhay Kumar, and Businessworld Group chairman and  editor-in-chief Anurag Batra shared insights on ICCR’s efforts to elevate Indian music and culture on the international stage.

    The successful start of the ‘Soundscapes of India: Gateway to the World’ conference underscores India’s rising stature in the global music industry. The inaugural day set the stage for further engaging discussions, networking opportunities, and international collaborations over the next two days.

  • IPRS celebrates 55 years with ‘Soundscapes of India – Gateway to the World’

    IPRS celebrates 55 years with ‘Soundscapes of India – Gateway to the World’

    Mumbai: On the occasion of its 55th anniversary, The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd (IPRS) has launched ‘Soundscapes of India – Gateway to the World’ in collaboration with MusiConnect India, scheduled from 31 August to 2 September 2024. Set against the backdrop of India’s bustling capital, New Delhi, the Global Music Summit will convene 11 international festival directors representing 13 world music festivals, alongside industry leaders, domain experts, and trailblazing creators from music industry to explore avenues for international collaboration, cultural exchange, and the immense potential to elevate India music and its creators onto the global stage.

    IPRS’s recent journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, solidifying its role as an essential pillar for music creators and owner publishers. As the sole music copyright society representing authors, composers, and publishers, our commitment goes beyond rights management to actively creating opportunities that empower and elevate careers.

    As India continues to emerge as a global music hub, garnering significant international attention, the global summit promises to be a platform for engaging discussions, networking and international collaboration. The conference will drive dialogues on global opportunities, preparing India for its next major leap in the international music market.

    The three-day event promises key note speeches, insightful panels, networking, connect corners, and music showcase.

    Event details:

    Day one: Seminar & conference 
    Date: 31 August | Venue: India International Centre, New Delhi
    Key note speeches, panels, fireside-chats, connect corner and networking

    IPRS has announced the distinguished presence of IPRS chairman Javed Akhtar, DPIIT senior consultant IPR Dr. Raghavender GR, Believe managing director for India & Southeast Asia Vivek Raina, IEMA senior director at Dolby Laboratories Karan Grover, lyricist, author, film director, and IPRS board member Mayur Puri, and Turnkey Music & Publishing managing director Atul Churamani, alongside a host of other eminent speakers and industry leaders at the conference.

    Sessions:

    1    The time is now: Amplifying India’s presence on the global music stage
    2    Navigating IP rights: Global insights and India’s evolving landscape
    3    Digital resonance: Looking forward to the decade – shifting trends and global dynamics
    4    Beyond borders: Exploring physical & digital frontiers – Insights and best practices in recording, publishing & live music
    5    Tourism through music: A complete cultural experience – Case studies and trends

    Days two & three: Music showcase and connect corner

    Dates: 1 & 2 September 2024 | Venue: The Piano Man, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi

    Performances by 15 outstanding artists and bands featuring the soundscapes of India. An eclectic showcase of India’s musical talent, representing a vibrant mix of musical genres and regional diversity.

    This showcase serves as a catalyst for discovery, where the Indian talent will connect directly with 11 top class festival directors representing 13 leading international festivals to explore opportunities for future performances and cross-border collaborations. It aims to be a strategic  networking and collaboration platform that bridges the  gap between local talent and global opportunities.

    International participation: 11 festival directors representing 13 leading international festivals from Poland, Hungary, France, Mongolia, Morocco, South Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Slovakia, will be in attendance.

    Commenting on the event, The Indian Performing Right Society CEO Rakesh Nigam said, “IPRS is glad to collaborate with MusiConnect India in creating global opportunities for India’s diverse talent across genres and geographies. Soundscapes of India – Gateway to the World, coinciding with IPRS’s 55th Anniversary, marks a new milestone in our long and impactful journey. It is poised to be a landmark event, not only envisioning the future of the music industry but also positioning India as a key player on the global stage. The global music conference on day one serves as a precursor to the two-day music showcase,  where independent artists and music creators from various regions will present their work to top international festival directors.

    At IPRS, we understand the crucial role that music plays in shaping our nation’s creative identity. This conference highlights the vast potential of our cultural heritage and reaffirms IPRS’s commitment to nurturing talent, fostering innovation, and creating meaningful opportunities for our creators. We are delighted to join forces with key stakeholders in the music industry, both in India and abroad, to chart a dynamic future for India’s musical talent.”

    “Soundscapes of India aims to highlight the value of local, traditional, and independent music by unlocking its market potential on a global scale. This initiative aspires to create a platform that showcases the incredible diversity of Indian music, featuring both celebrated artists and those whose music are seldom heard. As an artist-driven venture, Soundscapes of India is committed to creating opportunities that benefit Indian music creators, connecting them with presenters and opportunities worldwide.”, added MusiConnect India founder director, MusiConnect Asia president, Global Music Market Network vice president Kaushik Dutta.

    Secure your spot free of cost for the Global Music Conference on 31 August on Paytm Insider.

  • Television has continuously evolved from just an hour of broadcast a day to 24-hour programming: Vivek Raina

    Television has continuously evolved from just an hour of broadcast a day to 24-hour programming: Vivek Raina

    Mumbai: In a strategic move aligned with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s projection of 202 million cable TV homes by 2026, Excitel aims to capitalise on converting “Dark Homes” into WiFi-enabled hubs of digital entertainment.

    For an affordable price of Rs 599 subscribers gain access to a comprehensive package that includes 21 premium OTT platforms, over 550 premium TV channels, and blazing-fast 400 Mbps internet speed. This plan not only meets but exceeds the burgeoning demands of consumers transitioning from traditional cable TV to connected TVs.

    Indiantelevision.com caught up with Excitel founder & CEO Vivek Raina where he delved more deeply into the topic of IPTV setting to transform 202 million cable TV homes by 2026 and much more…

    Edited excerpts

    On elaborating the features of Excitel’s IPTV service, particularly the inclusion of 21 premium OTTs, 550+ premium TV channels, and 400 Mbps internet speed

    The real advantage of Excitel’s IPTV service lies in its simplicity and cost-efficiency. Traditionally, consumers have had to juggle multiple subscriptions: cable or DTH services for live TV, separate internet plans, and additional OTT subscriptions for on-demand content. It’s a hassle to manage and a significant expense. With our IPTV service, we eliminate this complexity by offering a comprehensive solution that bundles live TV, OTT platforms, and high-speed internet into one seamless package. Just imagine having all your entertainment needs met through a single subscription – live TV channels, your favorite OTT content, and super-fast internet, all in one place. That’s the convenience and efficiency we’re delivering. Plus, our high-speed internet ensures that your viewing experience is smooth and enjoyable, with no buffering or lag.

    Excitel’s IPTV service is truly a one-stop solution for all your entertainment needs, reflecting our commitment to making your life easier and more enjoyable.

    On the main challenges consumers face in minimizing their home entertainment costs

    Consumers often face challenges managing multiple subscriptions for TV, internet, and OTT content, resulting in both complexity and high costs. Excitel’s IPTV service simplifies this by offering a single comprehensive package that includes live TV, OTT platforms, and high-speed internet. With everything in one place, subscribers enjoy convenience, cost-efficiency, and a seamless entertainment experience. Our commitment to providing a one-stop solution reflectsour dedication to making life easier and more enjoyable for our customers.

    On planning to reach and convert “Dark Homes” without television to WiFi-enabled homes?

    Our approach has always been forward-thinking. It all started back in April 2023 when we introduced our Smart TV plans, which were a huge hit. Building on that success, in September 2023 we offered combined Smart TV and smart projector packages. These offerings really struck a chord with customers, setting the stage for the launch of our IPTV services in February 2024. And let me tell you, it’s been a game-changer. Moving forward, we remain committed to providing affordable and relevant offers to our consumers, consistently bridging the gap and penetrating more households into the era of WiFi-enabled homes.

    On strategies you are employing to penetrate the market and achieve widespread adoption of Excitel’s IPTV service

    At Excitel, our dedication lies in putting consumers first, empowering them to expect nothing but the best. Back in 2015, while the industry was settling for 512 Kbps internet speeds, we set a new standard with 20 Mbps. Since then, we’ve continued to innovate, ensuring our services meet the varied needs of our customers at affordable prices. Our latest offering, IPTV service, bundles 300 Mbps high speed internet with access to over 21 OTT platforms and live TV in one, all designed to cater to every household through fiber to the home network while keeping costs down. We identified a gap in how Wi-Fi services were bundled and delivered, and since then we

    have been tackling that head-on to drive the widespread adoption of our IPTV service.

    On TRAI reporting India to have 202 million cable TV homes by 2026

    There was a time when people said television was dying, but this growth trend from TRAI shows that’s far from the truth. Television has continuously evolved—from just an hour of broadcast a day to 24-hour programming, to letting us watch our favorite shows before their scheduled time. Now, it’s all about being able to watch anything, anytime, on demand.

    This growth in cable TV homes will significantly impact the home entertainment industry by increasing the demand for more comprehensive and convenient viewing options, like IPTV. The expansion of television services supports the growth of IPTV, as it aligns with the trend of consumers seeking greater control over their viewing experience. We see this growth as a positive development that will revolutionize how people perceive and interact with home entertainment.

    On IMARC Group reporting India’s IPTV market size to exhibit a growth rate (CAGR) of 18.70 percent during 2024-2032

    We are absolutely aware of this trend, and it only strengthens our objectives. We’ve always known that IPTV will be a game changer in the home broadband industry. The evolving trends and people’s changing viewing habits have driven this innovation, and we firmly believe that IPTV is the future. Our aim is to revolutionize home entertainment, offering unparalleled convenience and a comprehensive solution that meets all their needs.

  • Excitel collaborates with Amazon Prime for cable cutter plan benefits

    Excitel collaborates with Amazon Prime for cable cutter plan benefits

    Mumbai: Excitel, a home internet start-up has joined hands with Amazon Prime to offer the much-loved Prime benefits to its customers. Subscribers of Excitel’s flagship Cable Cutter plan will be able to subscribe to Prime Lite, and access Prime Video’s extensive content library, as well as enjoy free unlimited same-day delivery across 1M+ products and next-day delivery across 4M+ products on Amazon.

    In addition to Prime Lite with Excitel, the enhanced Cable Cutter™ plan also provides up to 300 Mbps of lightning speed, 300+ Live TV channels, and easy access to 22+ OTT platforms including Prime Video, all for just Rs 719 per month, offering offers users a diverse range of entertainment options to choose from.

    Plan Name

    Speed

    		 Offer Price

    Cable Cutter™ – Plan

    Up to 300 Mbps

    Prime Lite with Excitel, along with 22+ OTT services such as Prime Video, Disney+Hotstar, SonyLIV, ZEE5, etc. along with 300+ FTA channels

    Rs 719/month*

    Rs 719/month to be paid upfront for 12 months

    Commenting on this partnership, Excitel Broadband, founder and CEO Vivek Raina said, “India’s media market is changing fast. With more people watching ‘OTT Video’ and still using Cable TV, it’s clear that our audience wants a mix of entertainment options. At Excitel, we firmly believe that delivering this experience requires innovative solutions that leverage the power of the Internet. Our collaboration with Amazon Prime marks a significant step towards this vision. By offering Prime Lite with Excitel which combines Amazon’s entertainment and shopping benefits with our affordable internet plans, we’re creating a new era of home entertainment that blends OTT, TV, and the power of the internet.”

    “At Prime Video we are constantly looking at ways to strengthen our distribution to ensure wider availability of our much-loved movies and series,” said a Prime Video spokesperson. “The collaboration with Excitel provides seamless access to Prime Video’s full selection of content, as well as Prime Lite benefits like unlimited free shopping & shipping of ‘Same-day/Next-Day’ delivery, Prime exclusive deals and much more. With this collaboration, we are making premium entertainment even more accessible to customers in India.”

    Subscribers can enjoy a seamless streaming experience at lightning-fast speeds of up to 300 Mbps with uninterrupted access to the full selection of Prime Video’s movies and series including the highly popular Original series like Panchayat, Mirzapur, The Family Man, Dhootha, Inspector Rishi,  blockbuster movies Tiger 3, Kantara, Maja Ma, Bawaal, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, and many more, along with international series and movies like Fallout, Citadel, The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, to name a few. This is in addition to other Prime Lite benefits like free unlimited same-day delivery across 1M+ products and next-day delivery across 4M+ products, Prime early access & exclusive deals and 5% cashback on Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card while shopping on Amazon.

    Prime Lite with Excitel stands out as the premier choice for internet service, as Excitel has been recognized by OOKLA, as the fastest internet speed provider. In addition to this prestigious accolade, users can also enjoy a diverse array of TV shows and live content in various Indian and international languages such as English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi, and Punjabi.

  • TuneCore grant expands to South India

    TuneCore grant expands to South India

    Mumbai: TuneCore, the leading development partner for self-releasing artists—owned by Paris-based Believe, one of the world’s leading digital music companies—has announced the third edition of the TuneCore Grant program. The latest edition will provide endowments of INR 100,000 each to four independent artists who perform in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam respectively. Artists can send in their entry via the TuneCore India website between 1 March and 31 March 2024.

    Artists can enter by submitting a single to be judged by a panel of industry experts consisting of Sam C.S (music composer), Ghibran (music composer), Neha Nair (singer/songwriter) and Padmanaban N.S. (Head of Artist and Label Partnerships).

    The TuneCore Grant was first launched in 2022 to provide financial support for rising independent artists to help further their careers. Since its inception, nearly 300 artists have participated in the program, submitting singles for consideration for the previous two editions.

    Discussing the growth of the program and this year’s focus on South India, TuneCore South Asia head  Akhila Shankar, said, “We’ve seen a burgeoning independent music scene emerging from the South with more artists choosing to create music in their native tongue. This is both worth celebrating and amplifying. With TuneCore Grant Punjabi we saw that the program directly led to a 40% increase in the number of TuneCore artists releasing music in the language. With each edition of the Grant, we hope to encourage more artists to release independently, express themselves in their language of choice, and contribute to India’s robust, diverse culture.”

    TuneCore artists in India release music in more than 25 local languages. The four languages selected for this edition of the grant represent some of the fastest growing languages in terms of number of releases per year.

    TuneCore VP International Tash Shah added, “At TuneCore, our international strategy thrives on fostering vibrant local music ecosystems around the world. The expansion of the TuneCore Grant to South India exemplifies this commitment. We believe financial empowerment at the grassroots level unlocks their creative potential.”

    Believe India & South Asia managing director Vivek Raina said, “Believe is committed to fostering local communities and artists singing in their local languages. As the independent music scene across the 5 southern states grows, we are committed to supporting artists at various stages through our network of services and programs”.