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Tag: Zeel

  • ZEEL lauds DPOs, urges online payment mechanisms via multilingual campaigns

    ZEEL lauds DPOs, urges online payment mechanisms via multilingual campaigns

    MUMBAI: In these difficult times caused by the Covid2019 pandemic, entertainment and information keep floating into our television sets despite the shelter-in-place mandate. Although the TV viewership growth slowed down in the sixth week of the Covid2019 disruption, it is evident that audiences across India are consuming more content than during the pre-crisis period. While the spike has been attributed to various factors, the “real heroes” who are ensuring the flow of content have been undervalued: the distribution platform operators (DPOs).

    A few days back, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) also urged Direct-to-home (DTH) operators, multi-system operators (MSOs) and local cable operators (LCOs) in a letter to continue to provide uninterrupted services to their subscribers and cooperate with other players within the distribution chain. Despite health risks, the DPOs have kept working on ground. 

    How ZEEL honours distribution partners through multilingual campaign

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) has come forward to pat its distributors on their backs. The network has rolled out two digital campaigns commending cable and DTH operators. One of the promos features Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan watching TV in a hall, superimposed with his own voiceover which thanks the ”superheroes” on account of whom Indian audiences are able to watch the superheroes of the screen in the comfort of their homes even as the pandemic is wreaking havoc. For the second short film, ZEEL’’s top TV stars were roped in and they are seen thanking and clapping for the entire workforce employed with LCOs, MSOs and DTH platforms for the effort they are putting into ensuring that viewers at home stay connected, informed and entertained.

    Ideation of the campaign

    ZEEL chief consumer officer Prathyusha Agarwal has said that their creative partner Lowe Lintas worked very closely with their teams on the concept and the execution of the applause film. The ubiquitous mobile phone was innovatively deployed as actors across channels of the network came together to create this extraordinary salute. Moreover, several solutions were deployed to ensure that the post-production work could be done seamlessly. She also noted that the entire concept to production was completed in record time and the major investment was all the people coming together and pouring their heart and soul into creating the film.

    “In line with the rising trend of movie-watching, as part of this campaign we also used the concept of creating a parallel between superheroes and the true super heroes of this lockdown – our distribution partners. This was entirely a movie footage-based film made across languages executed by the teams at ZEEL. In the true spirit of being ‘Extraordinary Together’ we at ZEEL have viewed this adversity as an opportunity to innovate creatively and come up with methods of executing communication even while most stakeholders have been at home,” she added.

    Agarwal says that consumers have been confined to their homes, making TV entertainment an ‘essential service’ infusing positivity and uplifting the mood of the nation. She added that ZEEL wholeheartedly applauds the undaunted efforts of distribution partners across the country through this multilingual campaign.  “As the entire ecosystem is fast moving towards digitization and lower contact, we see this contextualized campaign in each genre and region as a strong trigger for the long due behaviour change towards prompt and proactive online subscription payments,” she added.

    How ZEEL is working closely with DPOs; encouraging online payment mechanisms

    ZEEL chief revenue officer and affiliate sales Atul Das expressed his faith in the long and valuable partnerships with all of the distribution partners making them ‘Extraordinary Together’. According to him, it is this extraordinary partnership that has been instrumental in ensuring that the consumers have been able to enjoy uninterrupted entertainment.  He also added that ZEE recognizes and deeply appreciates the challenges that the distribution partner fraternity has faced as a result of the Covid-19 lockdowns.

    “We had observed that in the changed environment, our distribution partners had been keen to promote contactless payments and online recharge.  We have taken a step further to extend our unflinching support by promoting the online recharge option through our vast network of national  and regional channels with an intention to communicate with them in their local languages. Through this campaign, we also expressed our heartfelt thanks to each of our DPOs, and would like to assure them of our continued support and are committed to work closely with them in the days to come,” he added.

    He stated that ZEEL supports the digitisation endeavours of its partners by encouraging consumers to move towards online payment mechanisms. According to him, the campaign is their effort of extending partnership to help distribution associates by ensuring that the message quickly reaches billions of consumers. This in turn allows DPOs to continue to provide their services seamlessly to consumers, he added.

    How the DPOs respond to ZEEL’s online recharge campaign

    Tata Sky MD and CEO Harit Nagpal: “ZEEL was amongst the first to respond to remind customers to recharge in time, during the lockdown, so that they can remain connected to the world outside their homes.  We are happy that ZEEL partnered with us and other DPOs to come out with a consumer campaign to acknowledge the contribution of DTH partners, and also to encourage consumers to make online payments through the Tata Sky app & website.”

    IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd. (IN Digital & NXT) CEO

    Vynsley Fernandes: “Encouraging consumers to make monthly subscription payments in a contactless manner via online mechanisms has now emerged as a priority for our industry. ZEEL’s online recharge campaign is a reflection of a true partnership approach that comes in at a time when the whole of the industry is adjusting to new ways of collecting subscription payments online. We really appreciate ZEEL’s support to promote this campaign through their network channels at this critical hour.”

    Digiana Projects Pvt. Ltd chairman and managing director Sukhdev Singh Ghumman:

    “We as partners are fully committed to ensure that consumers get uninterrupted access to all content. Through the online recharge campaign, ZEEL has made a pioneering effort in spreading the message to consumers on how to keep the entertainment going while staying in the safety of their homes. We have also played the promos on our local channels to promote the campaign. We thank ZEEL for their wonderful initiative.”

    Asianet Digital Network Pvt. Ltd. president and CCO Shankar Narayan:

    “Online payment mechanisms have emerged as a new normal not just in metros but in regional markets as well. ZEEL with its strong regional presence has truly been very supportive with the multilingual and culturally relevant online recharge campaign for our market. We really appreciate the support that the Zee Network has extended towards making this initiative into a full fledged national campaign.”

    Along with these leading players, several other distribution partners from across the country including Haldwani Digital, Darsh Digital Patna, Cable Combine Communications Siliguri, Skynet Allahabad, KCBPL, Kolkata and many others have  expressed their deep appreciation for ZEEL’s online recharge campaign that is now on-air across the network channels.  

  • Crisis no bar on creativity: Brands, agencies team up amidst COVID-19 scare

    Crisis no bar on creativity: Brands, agencies team up amidst COVID-19 scare

    MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The rules of communication had never been so versatile as we are witnessing now. When almost the whole world is under lockdown, business running from homes, probably for the first time in history, and purchase patterns seeing curves deviating from regular,  the communication and marketing industry is functioning in a sort of dystopia no degree could have taught them of.

    As per a recent Kantar Study, despite the disturbing reality people are living in these days, 92 per cent of consumers will prefer brands to continue advertising. The enjoyment percentile for top-quality advertising content has mostly risen for the period. This puts an additional responsibility on brands’ shoulders to not only stay relevant but also educate and entertain consumers in times of distress.

    Muthoot Pappachan Group CMO Sanjeev Shukla tells Indiantelevision.com that it is very important for brands these days to build on the brand value that they have generated over years and make their users their brand advocates in a time when sales are lower than usual. He said his brand is focussing on staying in touch with the consumers and keep their trust intact.

    Asian Paints recently released a shot-at-home video for its Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai campaign to spread positivity and cheers. Asian Paints MD and CEO Amit Syngle said, “While all of us are put to this unprecedented test, the campaign aims to take a moment and look at the brighter side of things, cherish the joy of being with our families and create unforgettable memories.”

    The Kantar study also suggests that brands should refrain from advertising too much around the pandemic and try including light humour in their ads. It also suggested that brands can revisit old videos and footages to fit in this “new world of engagement”, something that Amul is doing by showing its old ads during the Ramayana and Mahabharata episodes on Doordarshan.

    Ogilvy India chief creative officers Kainaz  Karmakar and Harshad Rajadhyaksha believe that agencies will have to be wearing their thinking hats tighter than ever now considering the limitations agencies are working in.

    “Currently, we see no dip in work at all. In fact, more and more brands want to help in sending out the right information about Coronavirus, so that is keeping us very busy and rightly so. Restrictions are a reality of life, at least for the next few months. But thanks to technology and the wonderful World Wide Web, we are still able to create work. Writing needs to be sharper than ever because there will be limits on visuals,” they said.

    FCB Ulka ECD Anindya Banerjee shared similar sentiments as he noted, “The best part of the crisis is that it has no precedent. So, clients are looking for out-of-the-box solutions. And we as an agency are beside ourselves at such an opportunity. The creative team is up to their eyebrows with work. While many of them are prior commitments, they have to be recalibrated to the new normal; the complete dependence on the online media.”

    While most of the work has moved online and mobility restricted, neither brands nor agencies are giving up on the idea of creating fresh TVCs. Case in point being ZEEL’s #HumAndarCoronaBahar campaign by Lowe Lintas, Tata Sky’s campaign by Ogilvy, and Sony Pictures unique short film starring biggies across Bollywood and regional industries including Amitabh Bachchan and Rajnikanth.

    Limited resources and restricted movements have brought out the creative best of many brands and agencies.

    Karmarkar and Rajadhyksha shared, “Our video team has rolled up its sleeves and is finding ingenious ways of making work happen. The office is producing some pretty sweet work. The Vodafone stay at home pug, The Fevikwik ‘don’t repair, Asian Paints and UNILEVER; all these and many more pieces have been written, produced and released in the last three weeks. No one can lockdown creativity.”

    Banerjee also noted that their video team is working hard to innovate. “At the risk of sounding immodest, as an agency, we are used to not giving up, no matter what. Our films department is already planning on how does one do a great film and yet make it look like a million bucks.”

  • Zee Picchar becomes No. 2 movie channel in Karnataka

    Zee Picchar becomes No. 2 movie channel in Karnataka

    MUMBAI:: As per the recently released BARC weekly data, ZEE Picchar has claimed the second position in the Kannada movies genre with a total of 85.47 million impressions in its month of launch. In an already-cluttered market with players who are long-established, this position demonstrates the network’s strong resonance with the consumer interests and sentiments in Karnataka. With ZEE Kannada already holding the leadership position in the market for over a year now, ZEE network is all set to capture a sizeable share of the television viewership. ZEE Picchar’s launch has also been the most successful one the industry has seen in the last 3 years. 

    Launched with the unique promise of giving its viewers a Hit Dinada Feeling every day, the channel also stands out due to a robust movie library spanning generations and genres and consisting of some of the television’s highest rated movies like Kurukshetra, Doddmane Hudga, Pailwan, The Villain, Hebuli etc. With an innovative content strategy, wherein the channel premiered 12 new movies on 12 days consecutively for the first time ever for this genre, the channel has received an overwhelming response from Sandalwood movie lovers.

    ZEEL domestic broadcast business chief consumer officer Prathyusha Agarwal said: “The exceptional performance of ZEE Picchar stands testimony to our network’s extraordinary commitment to be reflective of the cultural core of our viewers in each region that we operate in. With our ‘soul to screen’ approach, we tried to bring alive the love of cinema and celebrate its role in the lives of Kannadigas through this channel. And we are extremely happy that our audiences have given us a “Hit Dinada feeling’ in return by recognising our efforts and appreciating our offering.”

    ZEE Kannada and ZEE Picchar business head Raghavendra Hunsur said: “I am extremely proud of Zee Picchar’s achievement as it clearly portrays that the channel has found love from Kannadigas, marking a milestone in the Kannada television market. For the first time in three years, a new channel has received as much encouragement and we are deeply humbled by the response. We are certain to only scale upwards from here as we have miles to go to achieve our goal. We are driving the channel’s placement further as we want the channel to be available across all homes for all our viewers in Karnataka. There is much more movie entertainment to come from ZEE Picchar for all our viewers. We are touched by the overwhelming support of our ardent viewers; we urge everyone to stay indoors and stay safe while having a hit day with ZEE Picchar.”

    With a strong library of 350+ films, audience interests’-based programming throughout the day and exclusive titles, the channel is geared up to continue delivering on its strong debut performance and keep winning the hearts and minds of the Kannadigas who love watching movies.

  • ZEEL invests Rs 5220 mn in tech startup SugarBox

    ZEEL invests Rs 5220 mn in tech startup SugarBox

    MUMBAI: The Board of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), at its meeting held on 8 April has agreed to invest a sum of Rs 5,220 million in Margo Networks Private Ltd (SugarBox). With this investment, ZEEL will be able to enhance its growth in the digital ecosystem, expanding its presence beyond OTT and ad-tech.

    "Our investment in SugarBox, gives a strong fillip to the overall digital business, sharpening its approach by many folds. The unique technology will enable us to serve content to consumers across the nation, without being restricted by connectivity constraints. We are confident that this synergy will create a strong foundation for us, as we progress towards offering relevant content to consumers across platforms,” ZEEL managing director and CEO Punit Goenka said.

    SugarBox is a first-of-its-kind platform in the world that enables internet services to work even in areas of bad or no network and empowers users to access them without an active data connection. It creates a hyperlocal data distribution ecosystem by installing CDN Edge servers at key places of interest (POIs), which users can connect to over a local Wi-Fi network.

    “We are extremely excited about this development. ZEE has been a pioneer in the field of entertainment in India and with their strong strategic focus on the digital space, our synergies matched perfectly. With this investment, SugarBox will commence commercial operations across exclusive long-term contracts like L&T Metro, Chennai Metro, NMMT, Kolkata Metro, Indian Railways and forge new partnerships to scale up its network. SugarBox is at the forefront of revolutionising availability, affordability and reliability of digital services for the next billion users globally – something that even Big Tech has struggled to achieve sustainably. This investment will provide a giant leap towards us achieving that goal,” SugarBox co-founder and CEO Rohit Paranjpe said.

    SugarBox POIs include public transport, public places, rural areas, hotels & co-living spaces, malls, etc. where a critical mass of users access a host of digital services. Using the SugarBox platform, a user will be able to stream & download videos, listen to music, play games, learn on-the-go, shop online, pay bills, order food & groceries, book onward transport and access other digital services, all without dependence on cellular data or even the need of an internet connection.

    In the year 2017, ZEEL had acquired 80 per cent equity stake in SugarBox. This investment will be made by ZEEL to exploit strong synergies of the technology developed by SugarBox with the current businesses of the company and with a potential to significantly augment the digital content consumption.

    The SugarBox platform is expected to reach 25 million users daily and 300 million monthly unique users by mid-2022, unlocking an aggregate of 2.5 billion hours of monthly consumption in a near-captive environment, where access to internet services is otherwise limited due to uneven connectivity.

  • Piyush Pandey joins the Board of ZEEL

    Piyush Pandey joins the Board of ZEEL

    MUMBAI: Veteran advertising professional Piyush Pandey has joined the Board of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) as an Independent Director. He has been appointed from 24 March based on the recommendation of Nomination & Remuneration Committee.

    ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd MD and CEO Punit Goenka tweeted: “I am elated to welcome Mr Piyush Pandey on the Company’s Board. We all have experienced his creative work, which has directly touched our hearts. His sharp acumen and creative approach will help us immensely in driving the Company to its desired goals.”

    Piyush Pandey, a veteran with close to four decades of experience in the advertising industry, is a Padma Shri awardee.

    The company hopes to leverage his rich experience in content creation and creativity.

    The decision to appoint Pandey was taken at a board meeting held on 20 March. The resignations of Surender Singh and Aparajita Jain were also accepted by the board.

    Piyush Pandey has an MA degree from St. Stephens College, Delhi and a PG in History from the University of Delhi.

  • Dish TV – Bharti Airtel deal called off over valuation differences: report

    Dish TV – Bharti Airtel deal called off over valuation differences: report

    MUMBAI: The deal between direct-to-home (DTH) operator Dish TV’s promoter Essel Group and Bharti Airtel has been called off due to differences over valuation, according to a report in Business Standard.

    Now, the promoters of Dish TV have begun talks with a global financial investor which does not have operations in India, for half of their stakes. According to the report, Essel Group will use the cash from the sale to repurchase a five percent stake in its flagship property Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) in the next 12 months.

    The strategy is eventually to go up to 26 per cent, the report added. The Essel group expects Rs 2,000 crore from the deal, if it goes through. Last year, it sold 16.5 percent out of its 22.37 percent stake in ZEEL.

    As Bharti Airtel is looking out at expanding its DTH business to face the challenge thrown by Jio, the deal would have helped Sunil Mittal’s Airtel to emerge as the largest force in the DTH sector. Dish TV’s subscriber base is way higher than that of Airtel Digital TV.

  • Zeel to launch ‘Zee Picchar’ on 01 March

    Zeel to launch ‘Zee Picchar’ on 01 March

    MUMBAI: After winning the hearts of Kannadigas with their progressive shows and lovable characters with Zee Kannada, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) is set to further strengthen its foothold in Karnataka, this time with the soon-to-be launched Kannada movie channel, Zee Picchar.

    Launching on 1 March 2020, Zee Picchar, the channel boasts of a wide spectrum of films across genres and generations from the industry’s finest stars. With a robust library of 350+ films that includes not just some of the highest ever rated movies on television like Kurukshetra, Doddmane Huduga, Pailwaan , Hebbuli, The villain, but also all-time hits like Mayura, Jogi, Milana, Bul Bul, the channel is all set to provide entertainment like never before to the sandalwood movie fans and leave them with a ‘Hit Dinada Feeling’.

    The first look of Zee Picchar was unveiled on-air on Zee Kannada on 9 February with a promotional video, introducing it as the ultimate destination for fans of Sandalwood movies. For the first time ever in Karnataka, the channel is set to telecast 12 Picchar Premieres in 12 consecutive days, in its first month of launch and will also telecast a ‘only one break’ movie at 1:00 PM every day.

  • We see engaging stories and narrate it in the most entertaining way: Zee Studios CEO Shariq Patel

    We see engaging stories and narrate it in the most entertaining way: Zee Studios CEO Shariq Patel

    Even as the digital medium is emerging as the most preferred way to consume content, the big box at home or the movie theatres are also finding ways to retain viewers. Hence, striking the right balance between all the verticals is one of the basic premises on which Zee Studios is building itself. An old hand at the content-driven film-making is now also looking at providing content for the streaming services. ZEEL’s content creation arm is also not overlooking producing shows for TV under the head of Essel Vision Productions.

    In a recent interview with Indiantelevision.com, Zee Studios CEO Shariq Patel shared the guiding principle of the studio’s overall mandate. He did not play with words but simply said – the philosophy is to see engaging stories in the most entertaining manner. Sitting at his sunny cabin full of books on storytelling, Patel speaks about Zee Studios’ overall content strategy for the year, its partnership within ZEEL, outside the network, regional blueprint.

    Edited excerpts:

    What is the philosophy of content creation of ZEE Studios?

    So I think the philosophy is to see engaging stories, that really is the heart of anything that we are looking at doing, and then saying it in the most entertaining manner possible, that really should be at the heart of any production house.  There'll be certain people who will look at more. So as a film studio or as a content creator, you have to cater to everyone, we are not a specialised content creator in terms of that we will only do a particular kind of movie or a digital original show or TV show, or non-fiction show.  We do everything at different budgets and different skills, for the entire audience, the mass or class. So, it really is making sure that any story that we pick up, especially when we are talking about films, who is the primary audience for it. The smartness comes in is that how do you make sure that it reaches out to the audience that you've made it for in the most cost-effective and efficient way. That really is I would say winning philosophy.

    How do you strike the balance between films, TV shows, digital content?

    When it comes to films, we choose the ones we want to do. In the case of digital and television, it's all commissioned and so there has to be a broadcaster or a platform which, which has to buy into the idea. It's fairly distinct the different arms that are there. Zee Studios is the flagship brand for the films and Zee Studios Originals, which makes content for ZEE5 and as well as other platforms, which are there so we've got about three shows with ZEE5 which are in the process of pre-production and  going on the floor and then there's, of course, the TV broadcasting which so far predominantly has been with the ZEE network, so whether it's Dance India Dance or Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.

    Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champ is going on the floor now. We are doing Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Punjabi and a couple of fiction shows in the newly launched Zee Punjabi channel there are about three fiction shows that we're doing between Zee and &tv. In the TV space, we have done so far, hundred percent work with Zee. There are the broadcasters we started the conversation with but it's all commissioned. So whatever the story idea, there someone has to gratify it as a client and may bring some changes. The channel people also kind of help guide the storyline and things like that wherein films it's all ours so for that there's a separate team. The creative team is more of  collaborative here.

    How are you synergising Zee Studio with other segments of the network?

    The legal entity is Essel Vision which is 100 per cent subsidy of ZEEL. On the film side, we pretty much are independent. However, having said that the films that we produce, our music most of the time is with the ZEE music and so the synergies are very strong, across different and each of the verticals. Our films go to our network channels, we'll get on to ZEE5 so that is pretty much the basic. In the off chance that the commercial value it derives from an outside platform is of higher value, we go for that. We have in the past done that, for example, Manikarnika has gone to Amazon so because of a higher value realisation. Having said that,  the business is standalone, I mean, the individual project has to recover money. More often the buyer is ZEE for our product that's there, but it does not preclude us, from doing deals that allow us to maximise revenue from an outside. Synergistically, there is an understanding, and we are mandated to, to try and make sure that we are feeding the pipeline for the TV channel and ZEE5 and the music.  So it's actually a fairly arm's length transaction with, of course, synergies and certain understanding which is there but the idea is that on a standalone basis, ZEE studios and whatever we do has to be, as profitable it is, is making sense for the business to run on its own.

    Are you looking at working with other OTT platforms than ZEE5?

    We are in conversation with all of the other platforms for various shows from the biggest international name to the newest entrant. We are in conversations with everyone, and at different stages of pitching is there are certain cases we've actually agreed on everything and then failed through budget expectations and things like that. So we are engaging with everyone and we are also looking at.  A lot of them are actually asking us for like regional content right both either as a movie or as show as regional is the next big frontier that everyone's looking at.

    What are the regional markets you are looking at?

    Marathi for sure, we will make shows in Bengali, Punjabi. Lot of the shows we are doing is going to be in partnership with other. As a studio, as a production house, we spread our net wide and we're talking to the talents of different regions. So, we are engaging with the South but not so much in the south languages. Having said that, there are some Telugu shows that we pitched but I think we are a little bit more confident in these other markets that we mentioned now- Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi for sure.

    Can you talk about your overall content strategy of 2020?

    We will release about almost 20 movies between Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi. Out of these 20 films, our in house productions will be about four or five, which would be like fully produced by us. Now, the six-seven will be co productions with other partners. And then the balance will be, pure distribution just to ensure that, we are distributing to other production houses just on the commission base. On the TV part of it, I think for the ZEE part of itself, we get the big four or five non-fiction shows including DID, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. We've already got three fiction shows which are on air. In the Hindi GEC, there are two more shows. There's a fairly set calendar. We are trying to break through to other broadcasters and conversations are happening with other broadcasters to for us to produce and similarly in the OTT space, apart from whatever we're doing with the ZEE5, we are in conversation with other odd platforms are at different stages and we're hoping that in 2020, we will do original for one of the outside broadcaster or OTT platform. So that's the strategy.

    What are the challenges in the ecosystem you are facing currently as a content creator?

    Not specifically as such challenges but I think there are opportunities in the overall ecosystem. It's just that anyone with the right scripts and the right set up can make a film. Selling of concepts now has better possibilities because there are so many different avenues. I think it's an extremely exciting time for content creation, we as a studio are partnering with many and are open to multiple different opportunities. We have got a very strong development pipeline as well. So currently the challenge is everyone chasing the same writers, right? So finding the right talent to write the shows, write the films, because everyone's got it after a long time, especially writing talent has got the opportunity. So that's the only real constraint on the supply side. However, I wouldn't call it a challenge, I think these are opportunities. It's just an exciting time for anyone in the content creation space, if you get your development pipeline, if you get your scripts right, there is a market for it, and I think everyone's depending on what stage of evolution your company, your studio or production houses that some of them hit the jackpot earlier, some of them are hitting it later, but it all depends on us getting your raw material has to be in place, right. So I think really the constant self-constraint in terms of how do you make sure that the content that you are curating or creating is amongst the best, so that when you are putting it out there in the market, especially for OTT, it's picked up by the platform, and that really is the immediate challenge.

    Will there be any significant change in your capex for next financial year?

    We don't really have a CAPEX, our CAPEX is basically investment into acquisition of movies or signing off talent and producing and things like that. So won’t really call it CAPEX. In terms of cash-flow, of-course, as we are going more aggressive this year, we are looking at higher investment this year than what we did last year.
     

  • Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films returns on Zee Café

    Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films returns on Zee Café

    MUMBAI: A carnival of powerful stories and storytellers united by the love for cinema – Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Film returns on Zee Café for the second time. An influential and celebrated platform for short films that recognizes the innate talent and skill of filmmakers truly deserves to be celebrated and Zee Café takes it a notch up by showcasing these masterpieces to a wider audience. Featuring a curation of finely-crafted short-films that promise to leave you in awe, the channel, available with the Zee Prime English Pack, enthrals its discerning audience starting every Fridays and Saturdays at 10 PM.

    The series of original, powerful and inspiring short-films including ‘Tindey & Unread’, ‘Siblings & Anukul’, ‘The Lovers  & Everything is Fine’, ‘Gadhedo & Chutney’  among others were showcased in a 6-city tour including Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gurgaon, Pune, Delhi and Jalandhar. With a host of gifted filmmakers donning the director’s hat, the riveting short-films stand for meaningful and engaging content, truly leaving viewers in captivated.

    In a specially curated panel discussion, the platform invited cinematic maestros like Anil Kapoor, Farah Khan, Jimmy Shergill, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Randeep Hooda, Vinay Pathak and Zoya Akhtar and many more from the industry who conversed around cinema, what makes films powerful and their own pursuit of excellence. The 6-part series explores the depths of Indian cinema in an engaging discussion with these maestros of cinema who are known for their craft. Giving viewers a deeper insight into what goes behind the making of a film, the series also features exclusive interviews of the makers as they unearth the many layers of the films.

    ZEEL  chief growth officer Ashish Sehgal said, “Consumers have gradually warmed up to short-films as a content consumption format. Viewers are looking for meaningful experiences that these compelling short-films have to offer. Moreover, brands, who seek to engage with their audience in innovative ways, see it as a fitment. True testimony to its success is the countless cinephiles who gather year-on-year for the screenings along with loyal enthusiasts who are committed to witnessing the works of art on Zee Café. This truly reflects in our continued partnership with Pernod Ricard for the second year in a row. It brings us immense happiness to collaborate with Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films in the endeavour to recognize the works of budding filmmakers and amplify it with a wider audience.”

    Pernod Ricard India  GM marketing Ishwindar Singh said, “Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films has pioneered a revolution in the field of filmmaking and has redefined movie-watching for cinephiles. To tell a compelling story in 15 to 20 minutes needs one to be a master in story-telling and filmmaking. The platform celebrates this pursuit of excellence as we bring together the finest storytellers from the world of cinema to create short yet impactful films. With the Zee network we endeavour to reach a larger audience with these insightful and powerful discussions on cinema.”

    Wavemaker chief content officer Karthik Nagarajan said, “The journey of Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films is an inspirational one. To have captured the imagination of the audience and to have become such an iconic part of popular culture is a dream for every brand. It is easily the gold standard in India for content marketing and it has been a privilege for Wavemaker and GroupM to have been a part of this. Every year, the challenge is in making it bigger than the previous one and this partnership is an important part of this journey.”

  • Zeel plans to regain top spot in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu markets in 2020

    Zeel plans to regain top spot in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu markets in 2020

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) is upping the ante on its GEC portfolio. Zee TV, Zee Marathi and Zee Telugu will witness a lot of content changes this year to gain back their leading positions in the respective markets.

    Zee Telugu will be launching a new fiction show Prema Entha Madhuram on 10 February and two more shows- Trinayani and Thoorpu Padamara will launch soon.

    In the past three to four quarters, there has been a dip in the market share of Zee’s Hindi GEC. In an earnings concall, Zeel CEO Punit Goenka said, “We continuously want to look at our content portfolio of the channels and improve on that so that the market shares can be gained back."

    He further added, “So all these channels where we lost market share, we will be replacing most of the shows, therefore trying to gain back the leadership position. In fact, I am told that Zee Telugu has already gained back or started the trajectory towards upward movement and should be on track within the first quarter of next fiscal.”

    During 3QFY20, ZEEL’s television network had an all-India viewership share of 18.2 per cent. While its regional portfolio increased viewership share, that of its Hindi market declined, in both GEC and movie segments.

    “Zee TV maintained its weekday prime time leadership, but lost weekend prime time share and was the #3 channel in the pay Hindi GEC segment. Our Hindi movie cluster continued to be the #1 movie portfolio in the pay Hindi movie genre,” said Goenka.

    In Q3 FY20 Zeel’s regional portfolio had mixed performance. He also said, “We maintained a leadership position in the Marathi, Bangla and Kannada markets, with Zee Kannada further strengthening its leadership position. While Zee Tamil improved its viewership share, Zee Telugu witnessed a marginal decline. Zee Keralam continued to gain share in the Malayalam market establishing itself as a strong contender for the number two position. Zee Sarthak regained leadership in the Odiya market towards the end of the quarter.”

    For the third quarter of FY20, ZEEL reported consolidated revenue of Rs 2048.7 crore. EBITDA was Rs 565.8 crore with an EBITDA margin of 27.6 per cent. During the quarter, ZEEL's international business revenue was Rs 166.5 crore. The advertising and subscription revenues declined by 18.6 per cent YoY and 17.4 per cent YoY, respectively.