ITV

Tag: VTV

  • VTV & DY365 to go off air for violating programming act

    VTV & DY365 to go off air for violating programming act

    MUMBAI: In two separate cases, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has asked channels VTV and DY 365 to be taken off air. 

    In the first case, VTV has been asked to go off air for a day on 16 December, for violating the provisions of the programme code under Cable TV Networks Regulation Act of 1995. The channel telecast a news programme namely, ‘viral truth’ on 20 March 2017 at 7 pm in which a man could be seen brutally beating up children in an orphanage and the video started trending on social media alleging that this incident occurred in RMVM school of Valsad Gujarat. However, when the channel conducted its own investigation about this video, it found that the video was of an incident in an orphanage in Egypt. While reporting the news, the channel showed disturbing visuals of the orphan kids who were beaten up and thrashed brutally by the manager.

    The inter-ministerial committee believes the channel tried to sensationalise the issue to grab the attention of its viewers and such visuals not only offend good taste/decency but also denigrate children by showing them being brutally tortured.

    In the second case, an Assamese channel DY 365 has been asked to go off air for three days from  15-18 December 2017. It telecast a news report on 6 June 2017 at 12.59 pm in which a man could be seen tossing a new-born baby up and down in the air. He hurls and slings the baby in every possible manner and direction without a shred of care and concern. The video meant to expose an extremely dangerous superstition allegedly prevalent in some parts of Assam where people believe that undergoing this ritual will keep the child safe. 

    The ministry believes the visuals are extremely disturbing, and not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition and has recommended that the channel may be handed Three days off-air penalty for violation of the provisions of programme & advertising codes.

    The channel was in violation of Rule 6 (1) (a), (l) & (o) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 under the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995.

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    MIB takes note of banned Zakir Naik content on Kashmir TV channels

  • Big Brother enters Vietnam

    Big Brother enters Vietnam

    MUMBAI: Endemol has sold Big Brother into Vietnam for the first time, with VTV commissioning 65 episodes to air later this year.

     

    The local version will run over nine weeks on VTV6. In total, more than 20 series of Big Brother will air this year in more than 70 countries, including the US, the UK, Spain, Israel, Latin America, CEE, Asia and Africa.

     

    Endemol managing director of Asian operations Fotini Paraskakis commented: “Big Brother continues to be an unstoppable blockbuster more than a decade since it first launched. Following the format’s proven success in other Asian territories we are proud to be bringing it to Vietnam for the very first time and we’re in no doubt that VTV6’s audience will love it.”

  • New launches in a tough Gujarati TV news market

    MUMBAI: Narendra Modi is not only shaping a new Gujarat but also breathing life into a dead TV news market. A slew of Gujarati news channels are getting readied for launch ahead of the assembly elections as Modi weighs his prospects of being named as the next prime ministerial candidate for BJP.

    TV9 and VTV are the only two pure Gujarati news channels and their business life has not been too easy so far. But unnerved by the thin ad revenue market pegged at Rs 200 million this year, two leading dailies, Sandesh and Gujarat Samachar, are planning launch of their Gujarati-language TV news ventures in November, a month ahead of the December assembly elections.

    “There has been no great improvement in the market potential of Gujarati news channels. But the new launches are extensions of print media businesses. The local print market is quite strong in Gujarat and it has been more or less politically aligned,” says ABCL vice president operations KVN Murthy.

    Murthy should know. TV9 Gujarati, the channel owned by Associated Broadcasting Company Ltd, runs the most successful TV news channel in Gujarat from a viewer‘s perspective and its footage has been used by national news networks. Gujarat News Broadcasters‘ VTV launched last year and is still struggling to find space in the nascent Gujarati TV news market while ETV Gujarati airs daily news bulletins in between its main general entertainment content.

    The Gujarati news channels also have to adjust to the reality that the national news networks are quite popular there. National news broadcasters have not yet forayed into Gujarat as they realise there is a high level of cannibalisation from their Hindi and English channels. Zee, which runs a clutch of regional entertainment and news channels across India, had an entertainment channel, Zee Gujarati, which it shut in 2009.

    “Hindi general news and business channels do well in that market. The Gujarati news market will take time to evolve,” says Murthy.

    Aas Pass TV, floated by Gujarat Samachar co-promoter Shreyans Shah, and Sandesh hope to change that feeble marketplace with the backing of their strong print lineage.

    Says Gujarat Samachar’s Aas Pass TV director-sales and marketing Nilesh Thakkar, “Compared to the markets in Bengal and Maharashtra, Gujarat is at a very nascent stage. But there is scope for growth here. Only the right strategy has to be employed and patience is required.”

    The right strategy will mean a heavy load of political and crime news. And some industry sources who did not want to be named said paid news will also play a part.

    TV9 content head Vikas Upadhyay believes that pure news lineup will not work in Gujarat. “People are not interested in only news. They want a mixed offering. Also, Gujarat is a quiet place. Barring the elections, nothing unusual happens to grab eyeballs. So mixing up content is a good option.”

    Which is why TV9 has a cookery show in its lineup. And Aas Pass TV will also have other content that will help in generating revenues.

    The ad market for Gujarati news channels is set to expand. Says Thakkar, “There will be a conversion from print to TV news channels in Gujarat. This is what has happened in other regional markets as well and here it will be more obvious as two print players are entering the TV business. We will also be launching AFP (advertiser funded programme) and see great potential in real estate and retail advertisers supporting the local news channels.”

    What will also help in Gujarat is that its four main cities – Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara – are turning into mini metros. The spending capacity in these cities is increasing steadily and advertisers will want to capture this market.

    The distribution cost will also ease as the main cities of Gujarat fall under digitisation in the second phase. “The carriage cost should fall after digitisation comes in in the next phase,” avers Murthy.