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Tag: Zee Entertainment.

  • Zee Entertainment launches four channels in the UK on Freeview connected

    Zee Entertainment launches four channels in the UK on Freeview connected

    Mumbai: In an exciting development for television enthusiasts across the United Kingdom, Zee Entertainment is pleased to announce the launch of four channels on Freeview Connected. With this expansion, Zee Entertainment aims to offer a diverse range of content to cater to the varied tastes of viewers, all accessible through Freeview’s extensive platform. Now, viewers can enjoy Zest, Zing, Zee World, and Zee Punjabi, enhancing their entertainment experience on Freeview Connected Channel No. 278.

    Zee Entertainment’s channels offer a wide array of content, ranging from lifestyle and entertainment to drama and regional programming. With Zee Zest, viewers can indulge in lifestyle and food shows that explore various culinary delights and travel experiences. Zing brings the latest in music, Bollywood, and youth culture. Zee World offers a captivating selection of drama series and telenovelas dubbed in English, while Zee Punjabi caters to the vibrant Punjabi-speaking community with a mix of cultural and entertainment content.

    Content & international markets president Punit Misra expressed his enthusiasm for this milestone, saying, “At Zee Entertainment, we are committed to providing our viewers with the best in entertainment. The launch of our channels on Freeview marks a significant step forward in our mission to reach a wider audience in the UK. We are excited to bring our diverse content to UK viewers and believe that our channels will resonate with the multicultural fabric of this great nation.”

    Zee International Business chief business officer Ashok Namboodiri shared his thoughts on this expansion, saying, “The UK has always been an important market for Zee Entertainment, and we are delighted to collaborate with Freeview to offer our channels to a broader audience. This partnership aligns with our vision of making our content accessible to viewers worldwide. We look forward to entertaining and engaging the UK audience with our unique programming.”

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises is a global media and entertainment powerhouse, recognized for its diverse content offerings that resonate with audiences across the globe. With a strong commitment to creativity and quality, Zee Entertainment Enterprises has consistently set new benchmarks in the entertainment industry.

  • Zee Bangla Cinema unveils new brand identity

    Zee Bangla Cinema unveils new brand identity

    Mumbai: Zee Bangla Cinema, India’s leading Bengali-movie channel, will commemorate its decade-long journey with a new brand identity. Unveiled in time for the upcoming festive season, the evocative all-new brand identity highlights how movies have the power to make everything magical.

    The channel is about serving a daily dose of magic potion that takes viewers to a world where possibility takes the front seat and reality takes a backseat. Zee Bangla Cinema’s new tagline, “Hok Na Ektu Magic,” echoes this brand purpose.  

    Zee Bangla Cinema’s new identity was revealed during the world television premiere of the blockbuster of the year, “Aparajito – The Undefeated,” starring Jeetu Kamal and Saayoni Ghosh, directed by Anik Datta.

    For today’s evolved audiences who consume a range of genres, Zee Bangla Cinema has also revealed a powerful line-up of star-studded blockbuster Bengali movies that will premiere on the channel through the festive season. Starting 24September, “Notun Cinema Proti Robibaar” will bring world television premieres every Sunday. This first-of-its-kind programming will see the channel achieve a milestone of telecasting world television premieres on every week, rather than only once in a month.

    Commenting on the announcement, Zee Entertainment chief cluster officer – East Samrat Ghosh said, “Bengali cinema has always held a special place in the history of Indian films. From its beginnings in the 1920s, Bengali cinema has achieved global acclaim and popularity. From Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen to our contemporary filmmakers today, Bengali cinema has always been a creative powerhouse. It is an honour for us to celebrate this love for cinema and magic on the occasion of Zee Bangla Cinema completing 10 successful years of entertaining viewers. As one of the leading and most-loved channels in the Bangla movie-entertainment category, we cater to the audience’s varied preferences with a special content curation. “Notun Cinema Proti Robibaar” will strengthen our market share as we aggressively widen our movie library and bring the best of movie content for our viewers.”

    Talking about the channel’s revamped brand identity, Zee Bangla Cinema chief channel officer & head of marketing – East, Jalaluddin Mondal said, “As Zee Bangla Cinema completes a decade of passion for Bengali cinema, we decided to celebrate and build on our love for cinema by giving our viewers a brand-new experience. The new brand identity is accompanied by a slew of new initiatives to delight our viewers. A new slot strategy with each slot featuring films curated on the basis of audience demand and the genres they love is just the beginning. The icing on the cake is the most talked about and latest weekend television premieres for the ultimate weekend experience. As we enter a new decade, we will create a Movie++ experience with special music and movie events to cater to the Bengali lover of literature, music, and culture.”

    Talking about the new brand identity, Zee Entertainment chief marketing officer, content SBU Kartik Mahadev said, “Zee Bangla Cinema has always championed the power of cinema as an inspiring and binding medium that creates unforgettable moments of magic around television. Our new brand identity is our way of celebrating this intrinsic bond with every Bengali movie lover. As we complete a decade, we promise to keep bringing the magic of Bengali cinema alive for our viewers in every moment of their lives, as expressed in our new brand thought “Hok Na Ektu Magic!” The design of the new brand identity expresses the ‘Golden Circle of Special’ that curates’ moments of magic every day, brought alive through a vibrant colour play that is nuanced for the category and region. The refreshed design aesthetics will not only enhance the visual appeal but will facilitate intuitive content discovery creating an immersive experience.”

    Zee Bangla Cinema is promoting the new brand identity with a high-octane campaign, which will be promoted through a 360-degree approach across mediums – OOH, print as well as its social media channels including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

  • ZEE Entertainment launched ‘Aap Fit Toh Manoranjan Hit’ on International Yoga Day

    ZEE Entertainment launched ‘Aap Fit Toh Manoranjan Hit’ on International Yoga Day

    Mumbai: ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) has rolled out a campaign on the occasion of International Yoga Day with a unique initiative – ‘Aap Fit Toh Manoranjan Hit’. 

    ZEE also launched a microsite, where partners from across the country could register themselves and upload videos practicing Yoga, performing asanas as part of the daily challenge. The company has announced 450 lucky winners, rewarding them with fitness bands and yoga mats. Giving this activity a quirky angle, ZEE Entertainment coined the tagline – ‘Aap Fit Toh Manoranjan Hit’, paying an ode to the unmatchable contribution and support of the Cable and DTH industry.

    The first-of-its-kind campaign launched on 15 June 2022, witnessed the company’s distribution partners take up the seven day Yoga Challenge, wherein each day the partners participated to practice a new Yoga pose. Through this initiative, the company aims to emphasize on the importance of health as well as spread awareness about Yoga among the masses.

    The fitness challenge garnered massive support from partners and larger community across the country, who shared videos and posts across social media platforms, using the campaign hashtag #YogaWithZEE. Dedicating the week-long campaign towards health and fitness as well as the well-being of over nine hundred partners, the company has been consistently engaging with partner offices and other stakeholders through such on-ground activations and pioneering initiatives.

    Speaking on the campaign, ZEEL chief revenue officer- affiliate sales Atul Das said, “We are delighted with the huge response received from partner offices for this first-of-its-kind initiative. At ZEE, we firmly believe in promoting healthy lifestyle habits and work-life balance among employees as well as other stakeholders, which includes our distribution partners from Cable and DTH industry. Through this campaign, we wanted to spread awareness about the benefits of Yoga as well as urge our partners to include yoga as part of their daily lives, just the way they ensure an uninterrupted dose of entertainment to our viewers. As an industry and an ecosystem, it is imperative for us to ensure that each and every member of the stakeholder community gives priority to their health and makes physical fitness regime an integral part of daily routine.”

    The ‘Aap Fit Toh Manoranjan Hit’ campaign is a tribute to the entire entertainment distribution ecosystem which has efficiently been able to deliver entertainment to the Indian audiences, even when the country was going through turbulent times. ZEE took this initiative to award this spirit by taking care of its partners’ health. 

    The winners have been announced on the company’s micro-site and social media pages.

  • Zee Entertainment hires Amrit Thomas as chief data officer

    Zee Entertainment hires Amrit Thomas as chief data officer

    Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises on Tuesday appointed Amrit Thomas as chief data officer to strengthen its overall capabilities in data analytics across all aspects of decision making.

    In this new role, Thomas will report into Zee president- technology and data Nitin Mittal and will be based out of the Technology & Innovation Centre in Bengaluru.

    “Digital transformation has been a key focus area for the company, and it is committed to building robust and innovative capabilities that redefine the entertainment industry experience for viewers across formats and screens,” said Zee in a statement. “Amrit’s appointment is in line with this approach, aiming to build out the central data & analytics function, democratising information and through that, sharply improving the company’s capability to anticipate, understand and meet the needs of its consumers and customers, thereby creating repeatable, insight-led revenue models.”

    A business and marketing professional, Thomas carries experience in driving transformation across categories like personal products, skincare, beverages, and sports across emerging and developed markets.

    In his previous stint, he was the CEO, strategic advisor, and investor for a retail-tech start-up. He was also associated with Diageo for 13 years, where he was responsible for the digital and marketing transformation of the organization. His previous stints include Hindustan Unilever, where he led the western region personal product sales team and later, the beverages business of the Company. He also spearheaded a direct-to-consumer start-up venture setting up and scaling phone-commerce home delivery service.

    Thomas is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, and Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.

  • Zeel must get ‘reasonable time’ to reply to investors plea: NCLAT passes order

    Zeel must get ‘reasonable time’ to reply to investors plea: NCLAT passes order

    New Delhi: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) should be given a “reasonable and sufficient opportunity” time to respond to the investors’ plea filed before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), said the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Thursday.

    Zeel had approached the Appellate authority, challenging NCLT’s order which asked the Company to submit its reply to the investors’ demand for calling an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) by Thursday, when its next hearing was scheduled.

    The appellate tribunal stated that NCLT had made an “error” by not granting Zeel “reasonable and sufficient time for filing a reply…. This was a complete violation of NCLT Rules and Principles of Natural Justice,” said the two-member bench of the NCLAT and asked NCLT to proceed after hearing both parties. “We are of the opinion that reasonable and sufficient opportunity should be given to the appellants for filing a reply.”

    The Appellate Tribunal also mentioned that “Section 98 of the Companies Act does not prescribe any limit and limitation on the learned NCLT to pass order within that time limit.” However, it did not mention the amount of time that should be granted to the media conglomerate. 

    Meanwhile, NCLT had deferred the hearing of the Zeel-Invesco case to Friday, citing the plea pending before the NCLAT.

    Zeel spokesperson said that the company continues to have full faith in the Indian judicial system and will take all the necessary steps that are in the best interests of all its shareholders.  

    Zeel’s top two investors Invesco Developing Markets Fund and OFI Global China Fund LLC who together hold an 18 per cent stake had sent a requisition notice to Zeel on 11 September to call an EGM and discuss the removal of MD Punit Goenka. When Zeel did not announce the date of the EGM even after two weeks, the investors moved NCLT, citing provisions of the Company Law, according to which the Company is bound to call an EGM within a specific number of days, if the stakeholder demanding it owns more than 10 per cent stake in the Company.

    The investors had also sought the removal of long-standing directors and close associates of the Chandra family from the Board. The two independent directors Ashok Kurien and Manish Chokhani have already submitted their resignations.

    The investors had also sought the appointment of their own six nominees on the board of Zeel, which included Surendra Singh Sirohi, Naina Krishna Murthy, Rohan Dhamija, Aruna Sharma, Srinivasa Rao Addepalli, Gaurav Mehta as independent directors on the board for a term of up to five consecutive years. The notice was received by Zeel on 12 September, and it informed the stock exchanges on 13 September, adding that the appointments are subject to the approval of the ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B).

    Last week, Zeel Board refused to conduct the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) citing ‘shareholders interest’, and moved the Bombay high court seeking to declare the requisition notice as “illegal and invalid”.

  • Zee-Sony entity to generate close to $2 billion in revenue

    Zee-Sony entity to generate close to $2 billion in revenue

    Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) on 22 September announced its plans for a merger with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). The merged entity will be the largest media and entertainment player in India with a scale close to $ two billion in revenue.

    In an investor call on Wednesday, Punit Goenka, who has been proposed as the managing director and chief executive officer of the merged entity for a period of five years, stated that “the primary objective will be growth for the company overall. Whether that will be for the digital or sports business that the new board of the merged company will decide,” according to a report by Moneycontrol.

    The merger was unanimously approved by the Zeel Board in a meeting held on Tuesday, where it evaluated the agreement on the financial parameters as well as the strategic value which SPNI brings to the table.

    “Condition for my appointment is the same as what has already been approved by the shareholders. There is no change to that. Any change in remuneration would be subject to board approval,” said Goenka.

    The companies have inked a non-binding term sheet that gives them 90 days to conduct mutual due diligence and come to an agreement that will also require shareholder approval. Post that the scheme will be presented to National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Zeel noted that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) approval is also part of the process.

    According to Goenka, while CCI norms are different for different sectors, in this scenario, it will be a national-level evaluation and not a state-level evaluation. “The deal has been arrived at with Sony after months of negotiation and preparation. And I think we have a formidable real deal on the table today.”

    Sony has agreed to infuse $1.6 billion cash which will enable the merged entity to accelerate its digital platform and significantly invest in premium content including sports. Zeel had sold the Ten Sports franchise to Sony five years ago which will now become a part of the merged entity.

    On the matter of channel rationalisation, Goenka said that it will happen at a later date as each channel has its own unique viewership as well as programming. “The focus will be on maximising reach and viewership. Overlaps are there in Hindi-speaking markets of GEC and movies. But the content that exists on the platforms is unique and exclusive. So, the objective will be to maximise viewership and garner revenue rather than shutting down channels,” he added.

    The company has yet to reach out to shareholders like Invesco and LIC on the proposed transaction with Sony.

    In an annual general meeting (AGM) held on September 13, the largest shareholder of Zeel, Invesco Developing Markets Fund and OFI Global China Fund IIC, holding 18 per cent stake in the media company, called an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders seeking to remove Punit Goenka, the sitting MD, and two more independent directors from the board of the company. The two independent directors Ashok Kurein and Manish Chokhani had submitted their resignations a day prior. The funds sought the appointment of their own six nominees on the board of Zeel.

    Zeel’s promoters had pared their stake in the company to four per cent to pay off debt worth Rs 13,000 crore.

  • The whys and wherefores of the Zeel-SPNI merger proposal

    The whys and wherefores of the Zeel-SPNI merger proposal

    Mumbai: After days of conjectures fueled by boardroom battles, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) pulled off a tour de force early on Wednesday announcing the company’s plans for a mega-merger with arch-rival Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). With their combined linear networks, digital assets, production operations, and programme libraries, the two companies are set to create one of India’s largest media and entertainment entities in terms of market share. It will not only rival market leader Disney Star India, but it could well pip the former at the post in revenues when it does go through.

    The news was not completely unexpected; talks of a merger between the two networks had been in the news intermittently for almost two years now. They had flirted with each other and other suitors intermittently. According to various media reports, both SPNI and Zeel had been on the lookout for a partner that could bring in mutual synergies, while minimising clashes, to fend off competition amid growing consolidation in the media and entertainment industry.  Each one of them had also explored a merger with the Mukesh Ambani-owned Viacom18 to challenge the Disney-Star collaboration that has been dominating the content market, however, without success. RIL owns a majority stake in Viacom18, which is a joint venture between TV18 Broadcast Ltd and US-based ViacomCBS Inc. With the current merger, the companies have seemed to found what each of them was looking for to turbocharge their future growth.

    If Zeel is backed by its core strength in content creation in both mainline Hindi and regional languages, SPNI brings along its well-consolidated entertainment and sports genre creating a potent combination. SPNI also leads in the English/premium factual entertainment genre, but in return, it will get an opportunity to leverage Zeel’s pervasive reach built over decades.

    Despite recent challenges, the network has come a long way since its launch three decades ago. Zeel continues to maintain its hold in the HSM with its FTA channel Zee Anmol being the steady top grosser in the UP/Uttarakhand market, and down south with regional GECs Zee Kannada or Telugu. The merger could also help SPNI to adopt a well-positioned strategy that has so far oscillated between targeting mass and metro audiences.  It could also bolster their growing digital businesses, bringing together the two streaming platforms-  Zee5 and SonyLIV. 

    The reality is that both Zeel and SPNI are no strangers when it comes to striking a deal. One can hark back to a time half a decade ago when the Subhash Chandra-run company had hawked off its Ten Sports channel and related sports business to SPNI – a deal which has served the latter well.

    With the latest merger announcement, Zeel has also pulled off a coup of sorts in favour of its MD and CEO Punit Goenka who will now lead the combined media entity. The announcement is crucial, as it boosts his position at a time when two of Zeel’s top investors – had called for his ouster, making corporate governance allegations against him and some Zeel board members.

    Over the last year, Goenka has focused on transforming the company into a new ‘Zee 4.0 vision’ – led by a revamped programming line-up of its linear channel portfolio in the key markets, and the launch of new channels. In its recent annual general meeting (AGM), Goenka had elaborated how Zeel’s future roadmap for the next three years will be led by digital. “We are still in investment mode for our digital business and our film business. We enjoyed leadership in several of the markets that we operate in,” he told shareholders last week.

    Zeel’s linear business has managed to retain its profitability, but its flagship channel Zee TV has been looking to regain its standing in the non-fiction content where it used to be a strong player until a few years back, with popular properties like Sa Re Ga Ma and DID.

    Goenka also told shareholders about Zeel’s plans to become the leading studio in films across six languages and increases its market share in the music category. SPNI, on its part, has recently stepped up its content creation capability in-house through its TV and OTT show and film production units. Zeel and SPNI’s union on this front will prove beneficial in many ways.

    The most important benefit that the merger brings to the table is even higher economies of scale. Zeel has over the years built its reputation as an excellent cost-efficient media company, even as SPNI is one of the more profitably run broadcasters. Their coming together is likely to bring in even more cost-efficiencies because of the scale that their marriage will usher in, enabling tougher negotiating power with suppliers and with clients. Additionally, internal cost savings will also be generated as the merged entity right sizes itself in terms of manpower, talent, and functions.

    The merger announced on Wednesday is subject to regulatory approvals, but once it goes through, it will result in SPNI holding a majority of 52.93 per cent with Zeel and its shareholders having 47.01 per cent of the new entity. But, the promoter family will remain free to increase its holding from four per cent to 20 per cent over time. SPNI will hold the majority share in the new media entity and its shareholders will pump in growth capital of $1.575 billion to strengthen the company’s digital platforms across technology and content, ability to bid for broadcasting rights in the fast-growing sports landscape and pursue other growth opportunities.

    The combined company’s board of directors would include directors nominated by the Sony Group and result in it having the right to nominate the majority of the members. 

  • Zee Entertainment is Global Citizen Live’s India broadcast partner

    Zee Entertainment is Global Citizen Live’s India broadcast partner

    Mumbai: International advocacy organisation Global Citizen in partnership with Wizcraft recently announced that Mumbai will be represented in Global Citizen Live’s broadcast. The organisation, on Wednesday, said that Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd will broadcast the festival on its television channels and digital entertainment platform Zee5 in India and across the globe.

    VH Group’s Venkys India Ltd, Adani Group, Serum Institute of India (SII), and Maharashtra Tourism have come on board to support the initiative.

    According to a statement, Global Citizen Live festival will call on world leaders, philanthropists, and corporations to defend the planet and defeat poverty, to take action on climate change, famine, and advance vaccine equity.

    “This year, Global Citizen has yet again brought together a slew of committed personalities with an aim to educate and empower both corporations and the general public alike on meeting critical goals in these areas,” said a Zee spokesperson. “The city of Mumbai will be one of the select few iconic locations to host the event live, not only bringing home the immediacy of these causes but also letting the city add its own unique flavor to the endeavor, with a gallery of our very own stars gracing the occasion.”

    The campaign has the support of Venkateshwara Hatcheries’ Venkys as lead partners who have partnered with Global Citizen for its India focussed initiatives for the third successive time. They have previously been presenting partners of Global Citizen Festival-Mumbai and Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, which was broadcast at the height of Covid-19 and called for global vaccine unity.

    “It is great to witness these conversations taking place on a global scale which is amplified by world leaders and eminent personalities in an exciting format that attracts people and also motivates them to act individually. We look forward to joining this campaign that aims at ensuring every citizen on this planet cares for it too,” said SII chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla.

    “We are proud and excited to continue our association with Global Citizen once again. We are delighted to continue our promise with this grand association while we celebrate 50 years of VH Group,” said VH Group’s Venkys India Ltd managing director B Balaji Rao.

    Global Citizen Live is supported by a corporate coalition, including global partners: Accenture, Cisco, Citi, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Google, Live Nation, P&G, Salesforce, Verizon, and campaign partners Hilton, WW International, and World-Wide Technology who will engage support from the private sector in driving new commitments toward the campaign’s policy objectives. Access Bank is a Global Citizen Live campaign partner in Nigeria.

    “We are elated to announce that this time Zee Entertainment is our official broadcast partner. We are also grateful to VH Group, Adani Group and Serum Institute Of India who have been as enthusiastic about this campaign and event as we are,” said Wizcraft co-founder Andre Timmins. “One thing that binds us together is our common goal of catalysing pro-activeness on long-standing pressing issues concerning people, states, and environment.”

    Actor Anil Kapoor will host the initiative from the Gateway of India and artists like Amit Trivedi, Ajay-Atul, Badshah and Tanishk Bagchi will perform live along with appearances by Sachin Tendulkar, Madhuri Dixit and Varun Dhawan who have come on board to support the campaign. There will also be appearances by Sadhguru, Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Dia Mirza, Farhan Akhtar, among many others.

    Campaign co-chairs include Cisco chairman and CEO Chuck Robbins; Citi CEO Jane Fraser; The Coca-Cola Company chairman and CEO James Quincey; Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian; Google CMO Lorraine Twohill; Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino; P&G CBO Marc Pritchard; Salesforce chairman and CEO Marc Benioff; Verizon chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg, and WW International CEO Mindy Grossman.

    Executive producers of the Global Citizen Live campaign include UMG’s Michele Anthony, Francine Katsoudas, Tina Kennedy, Eric Ortner, Guy Oseary, Michael Rapino for Live Nation, Brian N Sheth, Wassim ‘Sal’ Slaiby, and Chris Stadler.

    The program will be executive produced by Jane Y Mun, with producing partners Deviants Media, Diversified Production Services, Done and Dusted Productions, Ken Ehrlich Productions, Live Nation, Livewire Pictures, TMPL Motion Pictures, and U-Live (a UMG Nigeria company).

  • Mukund Cairae to head media networks division at Toonz

    Mukund Cairae to head media networks division at Toonz

    Mumbai: Close on the heels of launching its OTT platform, global kids and family entertainment player Toonz Media Group has appointed former Zee Entertainment chief operating officer Mukund Cairae to give strategic leadership to the new SBU, that seeks to expand to more territories in the next two years.

    Toonz Media Group is all set to venture deeper into the platform entertainment business and has constituted a new SBU – Toonz Media Networks – with the aim of widening the scope of the company’s platform business.

    Apart from its well-established YoutTube ecosystem as well as television channels in Russia and LATAM, Toonz Media Networks SBU will supervise the launch of the group’s new linear television channels in the fast-growing kids’ television markets of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore & MENA, said the company in a statement on Thursday.

    With 1000+ hours of content in multiple genres ranging from pre-school to tween as well as the family audience, Toonz will bank on its rich library to bring world-class shows and films to families across the world via the mini screen, it added.

    “I think this is the right time for Toonz to focus more on platform entertainment. The content industry is booming around the world and demand for kids’ content, especially, is unprecedented,” said Toonz Media Group, CEO, P Jayakumar. “We have consolidated our position as a leading kids and family entertainment company in the last 20+ years, with a diverse portfolio of businesses ranging from animation production to emerging technologies.”

    “The idea is to monetise Toonz’s content in various geographies across the globe, especially in the emerging markets, via our in-house content delivery platforms,” said Toonz Media Networks, president, Mukund Cairae. “Toonz will partner with telcos as well as digital platforms to launch channels in these geographies. This includes both linear and on-demand channels. For on-demand platform, we will start off with the Middle East market.”

    Cairae added that apart from the market potential, each of these geographies have been identified based on the scope for revenue capturing and effective content repurposing, in order to make it relevant and adaptable to the local markets. As part of this, Toonz’s home-grown content will be dubbed into a slew of global languages like Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu, Arabic, Urdu, Thai, French, and Swahili.

    Additionally, Toonz will also be actively pursuing content partnerships in these regions to co-create premium content, including e-Sports, to engage the tweens and teens besides the kids audience category.

  • Zee Entertainment’s net profit rises 604% in June ’21 quarter

    Zee Entertainment’s net profit rises 604% in June ’21 quarter

    New Delhi: Zee Entertainment Enterprises’ consolidated net profit rose 604 per cent to Rs 213.8 crore in the quarter ended June 2021 as against Rs 30.37 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2020. The company announced its Q1 FY22 results on Friday.

    Sales rose 35.29 per cent to Rs 1774.98 crore in the quarter ended June 2021 as against Rs 1312.03 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2020. With lockdowns in most states, TV viewership again jumped during the quarter, though lower than Q1 of last year.

    Domestic ad revenues for both Q1FY22 and Q1FY21 were impacted by lockdowns. However, the impact this year was much lower, reflected in 127.9 per cent YoY growth. Compared to Q1FY20, domestic ad revenues were lower by 22.7 per cent.

    In terms of subscription revenue, the network said embargo on pricing change due to NTO 2.0 litigation continued to hurt domestic television pay revenue growth. The 2 per cent growth over Q1FY21 was driven primarily by digital business.

    The programming cost increased YoY as original content production largely continued across the states during the lockdown at alternate locations. Increase in marketing cost on a YoY basis was on account of the release of Radhe and continued investments in ZEE5. The marketing costs in Q1FY21 was lower on account of much lower original content production.

    Lower ad revenues on one hand and increase in costs due to lockdown Rs. 271mn on the other affected EBITDA for the quarter.

    Bengali, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movies continued strong performance, however, Zee TV, Zee Marathi and Zee Tamil performance was soft during the quarter, indicating headroom for growth in key markets. The company also said it will revamp the programming line-up for Hindi, Marathi and Tamil programming in Q2.

    Streaming platform ZEE5 witnessed 80.2mn global monthly active users and 7.1mn global daily active users in Jun ’21. It recorded a total of 190 minutes’ average watch time per viewer per month in Q1. As many as 11 original movies and shows were released during the quarter.