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  • Broadcasters aiming at quality content on both TV, digital

    Broadcasters aiming at quality content on both TV, digital

    MUMBAI: The impending death of the television is something people have been talking about but that future is yet to arrive. However, one can’t ignore the fact that today’s audiences do consume content anywhere and from any platform.

    Zee Melt 2018 saw a session on ‘The Next Seismic Shifts in Television’ with panellists Zeel domestic broadcast business CEO Punit Misra, Mediabrands IPG CEO Shashi Sinha and BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta. Provocateur Advisory principal Paritosh Joshi moderated the panel.

    When asked about the move to launch Zee5 as being a defensive strategy or a move to be at the front foot in the industry, Misra said, “Advertisers look for ROI. ROI on TV is significantly higher than any other. But it is a business of content and there is huge consumption happening on digital. However, if you do just digital, ROI can go horribly wrong.”

    He added that consumers would find ways and means to consume content as long as it is great content. “I see the synergistic benefits of having an OTT platform which will benefit from the content that is being made for the consumers as they want and equally we will create content which is tailor made for the audiences. In fact, I am thinking of how to bring digital to television again,” he said.

    Sharing his views on the path proposed by BARC to tackle non-TV screens, Dasgupta said, “It is all about how you measure content. Unfortunately, it needs to be discreet in this digital space. Although there is a convergence at every level, which makes it important to measure what India watches today now more than ever.”

    Dasgupta further explained that TV ratings body BARC is moving towards convergence, where telecom operators are moving towards distributions and distributions are moving towards telecoms. “You’ll see convergence at every turn,” he said.

    Sinha said that cost per thousand (CPT) as a currency for buying commercial time on TV has its own advantages. “I believe for a variety of reasons that CPT is a way of life. A lot of advertisers in the country use CPT and so too do agencies. CPT has multiple advantages. I presented a tool to a client that makes cross-media comparison much easier. For planning, CPT is there. But don’t mistake that for negotiations that happen. By and large, as markets evolve and as digital gets more share it is a matter of time where the agency and clients move towards gross impressions. It is happening.,” he said.

    The panellists agreed to one point that it is too soon to say whose future is brighter –TV or digital. But content will be the winner as people will consume content by any means and ways.

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  • Zeel operating profit up; board recommends 290% dividend

    Zeel operating profit up; board recommends 290% dividend

    BENGALURU: Subhash Chandra-led Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) reported higher operating profit (EBITDA) for the year and quarter ended 31 March 2018 (FY 2018, the year under review; Q4 2018, the quarter under review) as compared with the corresponding periods of the previous year (FY 2017, Q4 2017). Profit after tax (PAT) for the quarter and year under review was, however, lower due to higher tax and lower extraordinary/exceptional items as against the previous year. The Zeel board of directors has recommended an equity dividend of 290 per cent per share of face value of Re 1.

    Zeel’s EBITDA for FY-2018 increased by 7.7 per cent to Rs 2,076.14 crore (31.1 per cent margin) from Rs 1,926.86 crore (29.9 per cent margin) in fiscal 2017. EBITDA for Q4 2018 rose by 8 per cent to Rs 506.20 crore (29.3 per cent margin) from Rs 468.70 crore (30.7 per cent margin). PAT for FY 2018 declined 33.4 per cent to Rs 1,477.75 crore from Rs 2,220.11 crore.

    Zeel’s operating revenue for FY 2018 was 3.9 per cent higher at Rs 6,685.68 crore than the Rs 6,434.13 crore in FY 2017. Operating revenue for Q4 2018 grew by 12.9 per cent year-on-year (yoy) to Rs 1,725.31 crore from Rs 1,527.95 crore. Total revenue for FY 2018 increased by seven per cent to Rs 7,126.30 crore from Rs 6,658.17 crore in the previous year. Total revenue for the quarter grew by 14.6 per cent yoy to Rs 1,813.43 crore from Rs 1,582.89 crore. Revenue growth during both periods can be attributed to growth in advertising revenue partly offset by a decline in subscription revenue.

    Advertising revenue in FY 2018 increased by 14.5 per cent to Rs 4,204.76 crore from Rs 3,673.50 crore in the previous year. The company said in its earnings release that on a comparable basis— excluding sports, RBNL and Indian Web Portal Pvt Ltd (IWPL)—domestic advertising revenue grew by 15.9 per cent to Rs 3,848.88 crore. International advertising revenue increased by 26.2 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 214.3 crore. International business revenue in Q4 2018 was Rs 66.2 crore.

    Subscription revenue during the year under review declined by 10.3 per cent to Rs 2,028.73 crore from Rs 2,262.91 crore in FY 2017. The company said in its release that adjusted for sale of Zeel’s sports business, subscription revenue actually grew by 11.8 per cent. The company also said that subscription revenue growth for the year was slightly impacted by the delay in phase-III monetisation due to the uncertainty regarding TRAI’s tariff order. Domestic and international subscription revenue for Q4 2018 declined by 0.7 per cent yoy and eight per cent yoy, respectively, primarily on account of the sale of the sports business. Subscription revenue in Q4 2018 decreased by two per cent yoy to Rs 546.52 crore from Rs 557.92 crore. International business subscription revenue in Q4 2018 declined to Rs 94.4 crore.

    Zeel’s other sales and services include revenue from its movie production business, content syndication, music label and commission on sales. Other sales and services revenue decreased by 9.1 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 452.19 crore from Rs 497.72 crore in the previous fiscal. For Q4 2018, other sales and services revenue increased by five per cent yoy to Rs 129.24 crore from Rs 123.09 crore in Q4 2017. Other sales and services revenue from the international business in Q4 2018 was Rs 53.7 crore.

    Other income, during the year under review, soared by 96.5 per cent to Rs 440.35 crore from Rs 224.04 crore whereas, during the quarter, increased by 60.4 per cent to Rs 88.12 crore from Rs 54.94 crore.

    For FY 2018, total costs increased by 2.3 per cent to Rs 4,609.50 crore. The underlying increase was higher but offset by the sale of the sports business. On a like-to-like basis, programming cost increased due to higher original content hours across the network and higher movie amortisation cost while the reported programming cost declined due to the sale of the sports business. Advertising, publicity and other expenses increased by 25.6 per cent to Rs. 1,416.4 crore on account of brand refresh, launch of ZEE5 and costs related to silver jubilee events.

    Zeel’s total expenditure in Q4 2018 at Rs 1,219.1 crore was higher by 15.1 per cent as againt Q4 2017. Programming cost for the quarter at Rs 689.3 crore increased by 6.7 per cent yoy. This increase was driven by higher original programming hours in regional channels, higher movie amortisation costs and content cost for ZEE5. Advertising, publicity and other expenses for the quarter grew by 44 per cent yoy to Rs 3,66 crore on account of the ZEE5 launch expense and increased marketing activities for new properties. Additionally, the expense base for Q4 2017 was lower as some marketing and promotion events were held back due to demonetisation, the release stated.

    Zeel chairman Subhash Chandra said, “Looking at our performance one might not realise that the first half of the year was not as smooth, which is a testimony to the strength of our team. Being the number one TV entertainment network is a result of our strategy and the consistent hard work we have put in over the years. With the launch of ZEE5, we have taken a major leap towards our preparation for the future and we are confident that like TV business we will be in the leadership position in the digital space as well.”

    Zeel CEO and managing director Punit Goenka said, “We launched our new digital platform ZEE5 with over 100,000 hours of content across 11 languages. We are happy with the initial response and are confident that the sheer depth and breadth of our content offering will enable it to become the number one digital entertainment platform in India. We have also focused on the peculiarities of Indian market and designed technological features to improve the user experience. Unlike most of the existing apps which are either focused on the English-speaking segment or the youth audience, ZEE5’s vast content catalogue is designed with an objective to cater to all sections of video viewing audience.”

    Goenka added, “We are delighted with the strong operating and financial performance during the quarter. Domestic ad revenue growth of 24 per cent is driven by broad based recovery in advertising spends. With high visibility of product campaigns, improving consumer demand and GST related benefits trickling down to ad spends, we are confident of continued traction in advertising spending. The full-year domestic subscription revenue growth of 12 per cent is a tad lower than our initial expectations due to some unforeseen events. However, there is no change in our medium-term outlook for the same.”

    Also Read :

    Zee Media reports higher ad revenue growth in Q3 2018

    Zee, Turner to work independently for subscription revenue

  • Akshay Kumar’s Padman releases exclusively on ZEE5, the digital entertainment destination

    Akshay Kumar’s Padman releases exclusively on ZEE5, the digital entertainment destination

    MUMBAI: Akshay Kumar’s movie Padman breaks the stereotype of premiering on a television platform and is screening Theater Ke Baad, Pehli Baar on ZEE5, the largest multilingual digital entertainment destination for India! Post its blockbuster theatrical release, ZEE5 has been the first destination to premier Padman exclusively for an anytime, anywhere watch from May 11.

    Expressing his thoughts on Padman’s digital release Akshay Kumar said, “With millennials more inclined towards digital entertainment, we know where the future is. ZEE group has always been at the forefront to highlight social issues and Padman being a movie based on a social cause, there couldn’t have been a better digital platform than ZEE5 to premiere it.”

    Padman, through the courageous story of Arunachalam Muruganantham (played by Akshay Kumar), draws attention towards the sensitive topic of menstrual hygiene and how it is essential for the society that women have a right to it. The movie showcases true life story of a common man, who for the love of his wife tried to bring a social reformation by introducing low cost sanitary napkins in India.

    Taking forward Padman’s concept, ZEE5 is doing their share by tying up with Saafkins and contributing to the #GiveHer5 campaign. For every subscription, ZEE5 will donate Rs 5 to Saafkins, world’s first reusable/ washable sanitary napkin, #KadamChhotaChangeBada. While an initiative by ZEE5, looks at making a difference; a social thought presented with honesty makes Padman, a must watch family film.

    Archana Anand, Head of Digital – ZEE5 India Business said, “Padman has bought about a phenomenal change in the way society is looking at menstrual hygiene and we are proud to showcase the film on our platform. The movie is a take on a subject most Indians are reluctant to talk about and Padman puts it on the forefront which is a commendable effort. By associating with Saafkins, ZEE5 is doing their little bit via #KadamChotaChangeBada to contribute to the worthy cause and make a difference in the lives of underprivileged women.” The movie will premiere on ZEE5 on 11th May.

    Apart from having a rich bouquet of exciting original content lined up across 6 different languages, ZEE5 will showcase latest blockbuster movies on the platform. With a slate of 20 Originals to be launched in 2018, the platform will have 90+ shows by the end of March 2019.

    Availability: ZEE5 App can be downloaded from Google Play Store http://bit.ly/zee5andand iOS App Store http://bit.ly/zee5ios. Also available at www.zee5.com, as a Progressive Web App (PWA), and on Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick. ZEE5 also supports Chromecast.

    Pricing: Freemium pricing model with both free and paid premium content (including Originals) is available to cater to a mix of audiences. Viewers who subscribe to the ZEE5 subscription pack will get access to the entire library of content at a special launch offer price of INR 99 per month instead of the actual monthly pack price of INR 150.

  • Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord now streaming on ZEE5 in hindi

    Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord now streaming on ZEE5 in hindi

    MUMBAI: ZEE5, India’s largest digital entertainment platform for language content, has announced the release of the popular Columbian drama, Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord. In keeping with its promise of bringing international content in Indian languages, ZEE5 has dubbed the Spanish-language series in Hindi.

    Based on the life of Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar, the series stars Columbian TV and film actor Andrés Parra Medina. The 74-episode series follows the rise of Escobar, from his days as a petty thief to becoming the head of a drug trafficking empire, turning the cocaine trade into a multi-million dollar business and ruthlessly eliminating whoever dared to stand in his way. He was often called “The King of Cocaine” and was the wealthiest criminal in history. The show also brings to light Escobar’s softer side – as a husband and father and a supporter of the poor.

    “Pablo Escobar has been one of the most popular TV shows internationally and attracted record audiences in Colombia when it was aired. We are thrilled to offer it in Hindi on ZEE5, in keeping with our promise to bring the best of content to viewers in the language of their comfort. Real life stories have a distinct appeal and there are few stories that are as sensational as that of Pablo Escobar’s. This is only one of the many premium international shows we will be brining to delight our viewers in India,” said Archana Anand, EVP & Head of Digital- ZEE5 India Business.

    With over 3500 films, 500+ TV shows, 4000+ music videos, 35+ theatre plays and 90+ LIVE TV Channels across 12 languages, ZEE5 truly presents a blend of unrivalled content offering for its viewers across the nation. With its strategic alliances with the best of the production houses across the globe, ZEE5 offers world class content from various countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, United States, United Kingdom, Korea, China, Spain and many more. With ZEE5, the content of Zindagi as a brand, which was widely appreciated across the country, has also been brought back for its loyal viewers.

  • Zee5 launches 20 originals to drive up subscription

    Zee5 launches 20 originals to drive up subscription

    MUMBAI: Within days of entering the market, over-the-top (OTT) player Zee5 has announced 20 original shows across a variety of languages and genres to be launched by the end of April 2018 under Zee5 Originals. The regional languages in focus are Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali.

    Most of them are web series but three are Hindi short films along with one Bengali movie. The company has been brainstorming for a year to decide what will attract millennials. As a result, seven genres have been targetted–thriller, action, drama, comedy, satire, biopics and reality.

    The company is working towards driving up monetisation by putting all the content behind a paywall. Currently, Zee5 earns from both AVOD and SVOD but aims to increase the share of the latter going forth.

    Every month will see the launch of one new web series and one short film taking the total tally to over 90 shows by the end of March 2019.

    The most eye-catchy of the bunch is Karenjit Kaur, a biopic of Sunny Leone where you can see how she shot to stardom in Bollywood from an adult film actress. Other Hindi shows on offer are Life Sahi Hai 2, Lockdown, Babbar Ka Tabbar, Zero Kms, Table Number 5, The Story, The Big Cover Up and Dhatt Teri Ki and three Hindi short films Mehmaan, Tamashree, Sone Bhi Do Yaaron. There are two Marathi web series Liftman and Horn OK Please, two Telugu web-series Nanna Koochi, Chitram Vichatram, two Tamil web-series Kallachirippu, America Mappillai, one Malayalam web-series Utsaha Ithihasam and one Bengali movie Aranya Deb.

    Speaking to media, Zee International and Zee5 CEO Amit Goenka said, “Our aim is to present thought-provoking and relatable content which stirs emotions, triggers conversations and leaves the viewers feeling entertained and refreshed. Zee5 Originals will feature a library of exclusive content which is relatable, understated, bold, progressive and layered making for an immersive experience keeping our core target engaged and stimulating their entertainment appetite in a language of their choice.”

    Zee5 digital head Archana Anand admitted that without any hard and fast regulation yet, there is more freedom. But she also mentioned that corporate honchos were aware of the type of content that needs to be shown or while keeping things fun and exciting.

    The ongoing concerns regarding data security on online platforms can keep viewers on their guard. Anand, however, said that the platform was committed to keeping people’s data secure and was even consulting international companies for strengthening it.

    A separate tab for kids’ content is on its to-do list by next month. Production of kids’ content will be ramped up in future along with acquisitions. The Zee network will leverage its global reach to tap into the vast Indian diaspora spread over the world.

    In an earlier interview Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd MD and CEO Punit Goenka said, ““Zee5 is poised to be the largest digital platform for Indian entertainment in the world, bringing the best of live television, Indian and international TV shows, movies and videos to viewers in the language of their choice and across all internet connected devices.”

    Also Read :

    OTT experts discuss future of India’s hybrid market

    OTT players up the ante with niche content

  • Japan’s most popular show Doctor-X is now streaming on ZEE5

    Japan’s most popular show Doctor-X is now streaming on ZEE5

    MUMBAI: ZEE5, India’s largest digital entertainment platform, has released Doctor-X, its first Japanese show dubbed in Hindi. The medical drama follows the story of Daimon Michiko, a charismatic and unorthodox freelance surgeon who works at different university hospitals, where her questionable practices bring her into conflict with the administrators.

    Starring Japanese actress and former model Ryoko Yonekura as Daimon Michiko (also known as Doctor-X), the eight-episode first season that is streaming on ZEE5 has been produced by Seiko Uchiyama and directed by Miho Nakazono. Veteran actors Ito Shiro and Ittoku Kishibe are also part of the cast. The show first aired from October 18 to December 13, 2012, on TV Asahi in Japan, and was one of the top ranked dramas on private television in its time slot.  Ryoko Yonekura was awarded best actress at the 21st Hashida Awards for her performance as Doctor-X.

    Viewers in India will love the fearless Doctor-X, who is willing to take on the most difficult surgeries turned down by other surgeons because she does not believe in failure. Her success in treating high-risk patients is a result of her always putting patients first, prioritising their health above performing medical firsts or innovative techniques. This practice often brings her in conflict with other doctors.

    “We are thrilled to bring Japan’s most popular show Doctor-X in Hindi to our viewers in India, said Archana Anand, EVP & Head of Digital- ZEE5 India Business. “We are proud to be the only digital platform in India that is transcending the language barrier at such a scale to entertain viewers. Other than Japan, we are also curating top rated international TV shows from USA, United Kingdom, Korea, Turkey, China, Ukraine and Spain and dubbing them in Hindi to bring the best of international content to our viewers”.

    Viewers can watch Doctor-X by subscribing to ZEE5 at a special launch offer of Rs 99. As India’s largest, most comprehensive digital entertainment platform for language content, ZEE5 offers its viewers the best of Originals, Indian and international movies and TV shows, music, Live TV, and health and lifestyle content in 12 languages.

  • Localised content the way forward for Netflix in India

    Localised content the way forward for Netflix in India

    MUMBAI: Global to local seems to be the key strategy of Netflix to spread its wings in India. ‘Netflix and Chill’ is the popular term across the OTT ecosystem but the number of Indian consumers chilling with Netflix’s high-quality content dwarfs in comparison to users in other markets. However, it is adapting to Indian tastes and modifying its pure international content line-up. Will this shift drive the growth for Netflix?

    Netflix launched in India in January 2016 and has since created a niche for itself for high-quality TV series and Hollywood movie content for the English-speaking audience in the country but it is far behind other OTT players in terms of subscribers. Currently, it is the fifth largest player in India, behind players such as Hotstar, Voot and Amazon, according to the Counterpoint Technology Market Research report.

    With the rollout of 4G internet services by the top telecom providers, especially Reliance Jio, streaming in India has taken a giant leap forward. In the year 2017, Netflix acquired more subscribers than local cable connections in the US (according to data from Statista and Leichtman Research Group). However, even after spending two years in India, things aren’t quite as rosy for the company as in the US. On average, the Indian consumer would spend around $32 dollar (close to Rs 2200) per year on entertainment, whereas in the US, people spend around $2260 (close to Rs 1.5 lakh) annually, according to global entertainment and media outlook 2017-2021 report by PWC.

    How does Netflix aim to take over the minds of India when cable connections give you 100-150 channels at just Rs 1100-200? Netflix subscriptions can vary from Rs 500-800 a month. An annual plan can range from Rs 6000-9600.

    Netflix CEO Reed Hastings believes that the amount that an Indian consumer pays for cable services, on a global level, is very low, which keeps the industry smaller than it should be. Speaking at an event, he had said that Netflix’s strategy is to build up local and global content. Though he admitted that Netflix’s rates were higher than cable TV, they were significantly lower than movie tickets and other entertainment experiences. Hastings is aligning the OTT player as competition to the bigger entertainment options and not the idiot box.

    So far, Netflix has focussed on pushing its global content such as House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Master of None, Stranger Things, Narcos and Daredevil to Indian subscribers. While it has made significant progress in adding regional content, it still has a lot of ground to make up.

    Now, Netflix sees a potential of adding a massive 100 million Indian customers. According to Hastings, Netflix has around 120 million subscribers in over 190 countries who consume over 140 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, and about 60 million are from the US. However, in the price sensitive market of India, Netflix banks on close to 1.5 million subscribers.

    How does Netflix aim to break the ice? The answer is local content. Hence, instead of price, Hasting suggested that Netflix wants to be sensitive to great local stories and content and be able to invest in them. So, the strategy will be to build up the local content that includes regional stories as well.

    But will producing local content be enough for Netflix to chill in India? Commenting on the same, PwC partner & leader, media & entertainment Frank D’Souza says, “Growing smartphone and internet penetration across the country has created a wide range of opportunities for OTT players. Focus on creating and producing regional content should be of utmost importance considering the fact that India is a multilingual country. A ‘one size fits all’ approach would not work for the country with over 22 official languages.”

    OTT platforms have realised the power that regional content has over the dissected Indian audiences. Amazon Prime was one of the first to take the plunge followed by Zee5, Hotstar, ALTBalaji, Voot, Viu etc.

    Netflix recently announced three Indian original productions Ghoul, Leila and Crocodile apart from four productions already under works which include Sacred Games, Selection Day, Again, and Bard of Blood. On Valentine’s Day, Netflix released its first India original Love Per Square Foot by Ronnie Screwvala.

    Where the platform is likely to get cold feet is in growing in tier II and III cities and the rural audiences. Commenting on the same, D’Souza says, “These are price sensitive segments of the Indian market. Considering the fact that OTT requires one to incur additional costs like that of internet subscription, it is important for players such as Netflix to have value added services or bundled services to penetrate these markets. Tying up with internet service providers and telecom operators in rural markets would give them an early mover advantage.”

    Netflix has one more interesting feature to bet on—sharing the subscription package among people. Many networks limit the number of people who can watch programming at the same time. Netflix allows two to four simultaneous streams per subscription, depending on the plan, and charges more for the higher number of streams. So, the premium plan can be shared among four people or in a family of four.

    By focussing on producing more local content from India, Netflix is betting on product over pricing when it comes to adding the next 100 million users. As a part of its future strategies, it should create movies and TV shows that Indians will be ready to die for while also keeping in mind the various languages.

    Also Read :

    2017: The year OTTs went regional in India

    Regional OTT content more than just catch-up TV    

    Indians among top commute streamers for Netflix

    Amazon strikes the balance between bingeing and episodic with ‘Breathe’

  • ZEE5 ropes in Tata Elxsi for front-end development

    ZEE5 ropes in Tata Elxsi for front-end development

    MUMBAI: ZEE5, the new OTT platform by Zee Entertainment Enterprises, has partnered with Tata Elxsi for its front-end application development. Tata Elxsi has driven the integration of ZEE5 with the video backend, multi-lingual front-end user experience and multi-CDN networks.

    Zee International and Z5 Global CEO Amit Goenka said, “With language as its central proposition, ZEE5 is a digital entertainment platform for every Indian, irrespective of what language they speak and how tech savvy they are. Considering this varied user base, we have used superbly sophisticated technology to make the platform extremely easy to use, with features like display language and content-language selection, voice search and download to watch offline. Tata Elxsi brings in great technical expertise and domain knowledge, and has been a key partner for us in enabling a great user experience on ZEE5.”

    At the device level, the Tata Elxsi teams have powered the next generation voice-based user interfaces and integration with multiple DRMs on Android, iOS, Web as well as Android TVs.

    Tata Elxsi VP and head – broadcast business unit K P Sreekumar said, “We congratulate ZEE Entertainment on the successful launch of ZEE5.  This next generation platform is a key milestone for the industry. With its unique multi-lingual, multi-screen offering, ZEE5 sets a new bar as far as personalised viewer experience is concerned, with its 11 display language options, 12 content language options, download and watch offline and voice search features.”

    The app offers the originals, Indian and international movies and TV shows, music, live TV, and health and lifestyle content across 12 languages.

  • Publicis Media bags digital mandate for ZEE5

    Publicis Media bags digital mandate for ZEE5

    MUMBAI: Publicis Media has won the full digital duties of ZEE5 in India, the newly launched digital entertainment platform from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL). The business was won as part of a multi-agency pitch.

    Zenith India group CEO Tanmay Mohanty says, “The OTT segment in India is poised for exponential growth and requires specialist expertise trained to navigate this new and emerging area. We look forward to making ZEE5 a powerful business.”

    ZEE5 India digital head Archana Anand adds, “ZEE5’s language focus makes it strongly relevant to people across the length and breadth of India. We were therefore looking for a partner that could bring in the necessary digital marketing solutions and deep consumer insights to help take us across markets and quickly establish ZEE5 as the go-to digital destination for language content. Publicis has strong credentials and experience in digital marketing and understands the changing milieu of the digital and entertainment business.”

    Publicis Media is one of the four solutions hubs of Publicis Groupe alongside Publicis Communications, Publicis.Sapient and Publicis Healthcare.

  • Diverse language content the pivot for ZEE5’s growth

    Diverse language content the pivot for ZEE5’s growth

    MUMBAI: The Zee Group’s much anticipated new digital platform ZEE5 (Z5) has finally launched, a few months down the brand refresh that was given to media behemoth’s entertainment channels. Offering everything from Indian and international original content, movies, TV shows, music, live TV and health and lifestyle content, Z5 gives viewers the opportunity to pick their entertainment from 11 browsing (and content) languages—English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bhojpuri, Gujarati and Punjabi.

    During the launch event, Zee International and Z5 global CEO Amit Goenka said, “As a global content company, our biggest strength is how well we understand our consumers and translate this into content they love. Every aspect of Z5 is based on our deep understanding of our consumers and their local ecosystem. It is both local and global at the same time and we know it is going to change the way you watch content.”

    Z5 is seeking to addresses the entertainment demands of a young India that is increasingly digital savvy and globally connected, yet fundamentally rooted in its culture. Aggregated and original content is offered in the 11 languages as well as Odiya. “Digital will play a critical role in fuelling this growth and we wanted to ensure that we had a strong offering and presence in the space. With the launch of Z5 we see ourselves catapulting into the next phase of growth,” added Amit.

    A silent preparation of 1.5 years went into Z5 to include content and features that cannot be found on any other Indian platform. While revealing the mystery of the silence Zee Entertainment Enterprises MD and CEO Punit Goenka said, “We have invested immense amount of time and energy in creating and acquiring rich and engaging content for Z5, which I am sure will be cherished by our viewers across the nation and worldwide. The launch of Z5 further strengthens us as a media and entertainment powerhouse.”

    While talking about the strategies for India, ZEE5 digital head Archana Anand said, “We see ZEE5 as filling a definite need-gap in the Indian market for strong language content and navigation experience across Indian languages. Our platform will be as relevant to the urban elite as it is to the new digital audiences experiencing Internet for the first time. India’s digital story is going to be fuelled by new language consumers and that’s exactly who ZEE5 is for. 

    Our Brand Anthem celebrates this spirited new India, globally savvy, yet happiest in the language of their comfort. We believe this market to be hugely underserved and hence, see this approach as key to driving our India win.”
    Z5 is banking on India’s rich diversity of languages to bag it the popularity. “Our brand anthem celebrates this spirited new India, globally savvy, yet happiest in the language of their comfort. We believe this market to be hugely underserved and hence, see this approach as key to driving our India win,” she added. Tie ups have been made with regional producers for language content. 

    The platform’s brand anthem has been directed by Dangal director Nitesh Tiwari, composed by Amit Trivedi and written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Keeping in mind the distinct audiences, two versions of the anthem have been created – one for the North market and one for the South, each catering to the specific market nuances for authenticity and connect.

    Z5 has a freemium pricing model with both free and paid premium content to cater to a mix of audiences. Viewers who subscribe to the subscription pack will get access to the entire library of content at a special launch offer price of Rs 99 per month instead of the actual monthly pack price of Rs 150. The advertisers will have a strong involvement in their free wall offerings. Those with Zee’s older digital platforms, i.e. Ozee will automatically upgrade to Z5, whereas Ditto TV will ask for an upgrade from the viewer. However, originals, international movies, old shows, Zee theatre and many more things will fall under its paid offerings. The live news TV offering will not only provide Zee News but also other news broadcasters’ feeds on it.

    People can watch 100 movies that have never been shown on TV with subtitles and with dubbing in their language of choice. Fresh series will be either launched together or on a weekly basis. Punit said that Z5 will focus towards the production of kids’ content in the near future. Anand also added that they will look at acquisitions in the kids’ space in regional languages. 

    Z5 is also available as a progressive web app (PWA) to address the patchy connectivity and low phone storage scenarios.