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Tag: Zoom

  • NTO 2.0: Times Network publishes new RIO

    NTO 2.0: Times Network publishes new RIO

    Mumbai: Times Network has published its reference interconnection offer (RIO) issued under telecommunications (broadcasting and cable) services interconnection (addressable systems) regulations, 2017 for all distribution platforms. The new RIO will be effective from 1 December onwards. 

    The tariffs for TV channels mentioned in the RIO adhere to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) new tariff order (NTO) 2.0.

    Times Network owns and operates 13 channels including its flagship news channels Times Now, ET Now, Mirror Now, Times Now World HD, Times Now Navbharat HD, and ET Now Swadesh. Its entertainment offering includes music channel Zoom, English film channels Movies Now, Movies Now HD, Romedy Now, MN+ HD, MNX, and MNX HD. The broadcaster is offering eight bouquets under the new RIO.

    The implementation of the new tariff order 2.0 is on hold as broadcasters under the aegis of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) have challenged the Trai order in the Supreme Court. The final hearing on the matter is scheduled for 30 November.

  • Times Network expands its global footprint with DistroTV

    Times Network expands its global footprint with DistroTV

    Mumbai: Times Network has partnered with California-based media technology company, DistroScale to distribute its news channels globally. DistroTV is an independent, free, ad-supported streaming television service available across international markets.

    Through the partnership, the network channels Times Now, Times Now Navbharat, and Zoom will be available in the UK and Europe. Mirror Now will be available across the UK, US, and Europe. Times Network is now present in over 100 countries, said the broadcast network in a statement.

    The channels will be a part of DistroTV specialised Southeast Asian package ‘DistroTV Desi’.

    “Catering to the appetite of the rapidly growing global audience, DistroTV is a robust network that offers us the opportunity to strengthen our reach amongst oversees South-Asian viewers and I am confident that with our holistic offering we will continue to keep them informed and entertained,” said Times Network, chief operating officer and executive president, Jagdish Mulchandani.

    “Times Network is part of India’s largest media conglomerates and a great brand that provides news and entertainment channels to audiences in India and around the world,” said Distroscale, co-founder and chief executive officer, Navdeep Saini. “We are thrilled to welcome a multitude of their channels, including their news channel Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, to our diverse, and growing fast platform. The addition of these channels signifies our ongoing commitment to deliver thought-provoking and engaging content to a globally-minded audience.”

    “We are excited to launch four channels from the Times Network for our audiences from UK, Europe, and the US on our specialised SE Asian package ‘DistroTV Desi’. Our international audiences will consume their daily dose of news and infotainment on the Times Now, Mirror Now, and Times Now Navbharat channels and be entertained by the glitzy showbiz, music, and celebrity updates on Zoom,” added Distoscale, vice president of business development, Rajesh Nair.

  • Telegram rolls out new features, adds group video calling

    New Delhi: As its rival WhatsApp continues to be embroiled in a legal controversy with the government, Telegram has seized the moment to launch some new features for its users. 

    The messaging app has announced its latest update, which allows group video calls and screen sharing across all devices, tablets, and desktops. The update allows users to turn their camera on or share their screen during voice chats in groups – on all devices, including tablets and desktops, which can be used for online classes, business meetings, and family gatherings.

    The Group Video Call feature is the third major voice chat update from Telegram in the last six months. The audio-only participants are unlimited, and video is currently available for the first 30 people who join the voice chat. However, this limit will increase soon as voice chats take on streaming games, live events, and more, it said in its blog post. “When you are using a desktop app, anyone who starts sharing their screen will be pinned automatically. This is especially useful when small teams meet to coordinate their work,” it added.

    The app has also improved noise suppression on voice chats, for clear audio and a dedicated bot menu. There is also a new update that allows animated backgrounds, animated emojis and enables the import of customized third-party stickers as well. “These multi-colour gradient wallpapers are designed algorithmically and move with beautiful looking aesthetics every time users send a message. Telegram is offering this feature along with many default themes pre-installed,” it said in its blog post.

    The app has also enhanced user security measures in its latest update. Users will now get login info reminders, which according to the company, is an essential feature that will keep a user’s phone number up to date on Telegram. “Android users will get these reminders in the next update, for now, they can simply update their phone number by tapping on it in Settings,” it said.

  • Amazon, Apple emerge as most valuable global brands 2021: Kantar

    New Delhi: Multinational giant Amazon consolidated its position as the world’s most valuable brand, growing 64 per cent to $ 684 billion, Kantar said in its latest BrandZTM Most Valuable Global Brands 2021 ranking released on Monday.

    Amazon’s brand value grew by almost $268 billion this year and it became the first half-a-trillion-dollar brand, alongside Apple, at number two, valued at $612bn. The other brands that figured in the top ten most valuable global brands in 2021 were: Google, Microsoft, Tencent, Facebook, Alibaba, Visa, McDonald’s, and MasterCard.

    China’s TikTok and USA’s Tesla are among the brands that doubled their brand values during the pandemic. Tesla even emerged as the fastest growing brand and became the most valuable car brand, growing its value by 275 per cent year-on-year to $ 42.6 billion, said the report.

    Tech brands dominate global rankings

    Seven of the top ten brands are from the tech sector. Tech has also enabled non-tech brands to achieve significant growth, for example Gucci – harnessing the power of TikTok during the pandemic, and Domino’s – leveraging online and delivery services. New entrant Zoom was one of the big tech stories of 2021, with its ease of use and reliability driving momentum with business and personal users. It entered the ranking at 52 with a valuation of $36.9bn.

    World’s most valuable brands show record growth

    Despite the economic downturn brought by the devastating wave of Covid-19, the report found that the world’s most valuable brands experienced record growth. Their total worth reached $7.1 trillion – equivalent to the combined GDP of France and Germany. This was largely driven by confidence derived from vaccine availability, economic stimulus packages, and improving GDP outlooks, said Kantar Group.

    “Despite many facing a difficult year, our research has again proven that strong brands deliver superior shareholder returns, are more resilient, and recover more quickly,” said Kantar CMO, Nathalie Burdet. “With global e-commerce growing from 12 per cent to 15 per cent of all sales in 2020, it has been a positive year for brands involved in that value chain.”

    Apparel brands overtake M&E brands

    Despite reduced travel and lockdowns globally, apparel brands have collectively grown even more than media and entertainment brands in the ranking, as people redefined the boundaries between work and leisurewear. Adidas, Nike, and Puma all secured over 50 per cent value growth. Whilst, collectively, fast fashion did not grow as fast, notably, Uniqlo (+88 per cent) and H&M (+47 per cent) grew valuations significantly. The Top 20 retailers grew their brand value by a combined 48 per cent.

    Success of subscription-based models

    Microsoft innovated offers to adapt to new working environments and transitioned to subscription models to improve convenience and scalability, recording a growth of 26 per cent. Xbox (+55 per cent), Disney (+13 per cent), and Netflix (+55 per cent) all saw growth, while Spotify entered the ranking following a 454 per cent growth in subscribers from 2015-20 and a significant improvement in consumer brand equity.

    Reputation: A Key factor

    According to the report, reputation, especially for sustainable and ethical purposes, is increasingly a driver for brand growth. The luxury category saw 34 per cent brand growth with, predominantly, French and Italian luxury companies such as LVMH investing in their corporate reputation through pandemic-related initiatives, sustainable transformation, and support for social movements such as BLM. Similarly, L’Oréal Paris successfully bucked the trend across beauty brands in the pandemic, securing brand growth by flexing its assets and driving female empowerment.

    Emphasis on Trust and Reliability

    “Our analytics have uncovered that 70 per cent of what makes a brand successful is executing four fundamentals well: providing superior experience across consistently branded touchpoints, a range of well-designed and functional products and services, convenience, and exposure through great advertising. However, COVID-19 has emphasised consumer values such as trust and reliability. Those brands that are evolving their values, projecting leadership on these issues are demonstrating differentiation and standing out,” said Burdet.

  • Times Network’s English Entertainment channels transitions to Planetcast Cloud

    Times Network’s English Entertainment channels transitions to Planetcast Cloud

    Kolkata: Planetcast Media Services, a key player in cloud-based technology for the television broadcast industry announced that Times Network has successfully implemented the transition of its English Entertainment channels and Zoom to  it’s cloud platform – Cloud. X.

    The turnkey solution includes end-to-end management of broadcast operations including satellite uplinking of Times Network’s channels.

    Cloud X, a state-of-the-art cloud infrastructure, which offers an advanced platform along with flexibility for cloud-based operations is deployed to Times Network’s English Entertainment channels – Movies Now SD, Movies Now HD, Romedy Now SD, Romedy Now HD, MNX SD, MNX HD, MN+, and Zoom.

    The services are hosted at Planetcast’s advanced cloud data center based out of Noida. As part of the long-term engagement, PMSL also re-distributes the channels to various digital platforms across India.

    Times Network Corporate Strategy and Digital Transformation EVP and head Jignesh Kenia said the transition to Cloud was a strategic step in the digital transformation of its broadcast operations. “We are committed to adopting technological and digital solutions that enhance our business expertise through state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities, and we are delighted to partner with Planet cast for this critical part of our operations. I am confident that we can enhance our audience reach by delivering a reliable and world-class TV viewing experience.”

    According to Planetcast founder-director M N Vyas cloud adoption will drive business recovery from the pandemic across media and entertainment industry. “Our engagement will not only reduce their operational cost but will also streamline broadcast operations across Times Network’s entertainment and news channels. We are on a mission to drive business recovery from the pandemic through cloud adoption,” added Vyas.

  • Brand Twitter describes 2020 in one word

    Brand Twitter describes 2020 in one word

    NEW DELHI: As 2020 draws to a close (finally!), many are convinced it was a cursed year, when everything that could, did go wrong, and there was little cause for cheer. Of course, most of the blame was apportioned to the Covid2019 pandemic, but there were challenges on several other fronts too – which impacted the environment, people and businesses. So when Twitter’s official handle said to describe ‘2020 in one word’ and put it out in the universe, everyone had a lot to say. And Brand Twitter wasn’t far behind in expressing its thoughts on ‘the worst year in recent memory.’

    While some brands were all for the year to be over and done with…

    Windows

    Adobe

    YouTube

    Subway

    Others had a rather existentialist view of things…

    Netflix

    LEGO

    Zoom

    Microsoft Edge

    A few tried to look on the bright side…

    Shaadi.com

    Kerala Tourism

    Dolby India

    Meanwhile, Thrive Global founder & CEO Arianna Huffington has chosen ‘resilience’ as her word of the year. Resilience, or the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, “is the quality that was summoned in us by all the challenges of 2020. It’s also the quality that’s going to carry us forward into 2021,” writes Huffington. And that’s a word to live by.

  • Iravati Damle joins Zoom to lead public policy in India

    Iravati Damle joins Zoom to lead public policy in India

    MUMBAI: Zoom has hired Iravati Damle as head of public policy in India. In her new role, she will lead policy strategy, government affairs and advocacy for India.

    Damle will be reporting to Jonathan Kallmer, head of global public policy and government relations at Zoom. She will be based out of India.

    Before joining Zoom, Damle worked with Uber for more than three years as public policy manager (Central US) during which she oversaw regulatory and policy strategy and advocacy for the rideshare app in the Midwest.

    “I am thrilled to be at Zoom at a time when the business and the policy environment it operates in are so dynamic, with so much at stake for the productivity of businesses and the happiness of people,” Damle said in a post on LinkedIn.

    Prior to that, she was head of public policy (West India, East India & Bangladesh) at Uber between November 2018-January 2020. She used to look after secured licences or favourable regulations in five Indian states and in Bangladesh, legitimizing and stabilizing Uber’s business through sustained engagement and negotiation.

    She has also worked as a consultant at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy. As part of the core team, she contributed in developing research and legislative proposals for the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on network neutrality.

    While working with MP Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda’s office, Damle designed campaign strategy for general elections in Kendrapara, Odisha in 2014. She also led a team producing legislative proposals on themes such as electoral reform and free speech, introduced in Parliament by the MP.

    Zoom had a meteoric rise following the onset of the Covid2019 pandemic, with the service being adopted across sectors for online classes, meetings and remote hosting. However, the videoconferencing service has had a rough few months thanks to concerns surrounding the privacy of its service. In India, Zoom has been the subject of government advisories advising against its use, and a petition was filed in the Supreme Court accusing it of being a risk to national security.

    Recently, Zoom rolled out a major new security upgrade for users: end-to-end encryption. But the extra protection against hackers won’t be offered by default, meaning users will have to take several steps to turn it on.

  • International stars from 13 Reasons Why, 365 Days, Too Hot to Handle make their India Television chat show debut with zoOm’s Access Allowed

    International stars from 13 Reasons Why, 365 Days, Too Hot to Handle make their India Television chat show debut with zoOm’s Access Allowed

    MUMBAI:  zoOm gears up to welcome the biggest International stars on its much talked about chat show Access Allowed. Hosted by Renil Abraham, Access Allowed will feature some of the most sought-after global celebrities, including Christian Navarro (13 Reasons Why), Anna Maria Sieklucka (365 Days), Twan Kuyper (Youtube Star and Influencer), Tom Rhys Harries (White Lines), Chloe Veitch (Too Hot To Handle), Luke Cook (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Johnny Orlando(Canadian singer-songwriter and actor), Michael Ronda(Control Z),  Zane Hijazi (Youtuber) and more, make their India Television debut in a fun tete-a-tete.

    With the biggest line-up of international celebrities on an Indian Television show ever, Access Allowed will see the global stars indulge in a candid conversation to discuss nepotism, on exploring sexuality  in front of  camera, Black Lives Matter movement, mental health and much more.  With engaging conversations, Q&A with viewers and some exciting challenges & games so that the celebrities can let loose and unveil their fun side, the show will offer viewers a glimpse into the lives of their favourite celebrities as they have never seen before.  Access Allowed that airs every Wednesday at 10 pm and Saturday at 7.30 pm on zoOm, has featured the most promising new faces on the silver screen to the biggest of creators on the internet including Radhika Madan, Sanjana Sanghi, Alaya F and Kusha Kapila amongst others in their candid best.

    Sharing his excitement Christian Lee Navarro of 13 Reasons Why fame said, “I am thrilled to be a guest on my first ever Indian TV chat show, Access Allowed. I have had a lot of Indian friends when I lived in London and I am a big fan of Indian food. I am looking forward to this experience and sending all my love to the show and India.”

    Talking about her experience, Anna Maria Sieklucka said, “My biggest dream is to come to India and to be honest when I travel next, India will be my first destination to visit. I think India is a very beautiful place and I am an absolute admirer of everything Indian from colourful clothes to religion and the landscape. I am excited to be part of the show, Access Allowed and thank you for having me on the show. I am sending all my love to India.”

    Social media influencer, Twan Kuyper said, “Thank you so much for having me on Access Allowed and the show is just awesome. When I go on my social media, I always see so many comments from India all the time. I feel like the people are so loving, I never see hate coming from India and that is why I am very excited to be on the show with Renil. I have been to many places, but India is on my bucket list. After corona is over, one of the first things I want to do is go to India, collaborate with some of the cool creators there and be on the show physically and would love to try the food in India, it seems so delicious.

    Too Hot To Handle’s Chloe Veitch said, “I was ecstatic, when I was invited to be part of Access Allowed. I absolutely love India and I've met so many people from India and they are always so kind. I was in a music video with Diljit Dosanjh and I didn't who he was that time. When I met him, there were bodyguards, cameras and Lamborghinis and I was just a model then, but I was treated like a celebrity. He is such a lovely guy. He only speaks a little bit of English so it was really hard to have a conversation. I can't wait to come to India and make work out there and act out there.”

    Engaging conversations leading to non-stop laughter and uninterrupted fun, Access Allowed on zoOm is all you need to watch this season!

    Don’t forget to tune into Access Allowed for an unlimited doze of entertainment On zoOm, every Wednesday at 10 pm Saturday, 7:30 pm!

  • Will boycott of Chinese apps unleash new possibilities for local ones?

    Will boycott of Chinese apps unleash new possibilities for local ones?

    NEW DELHI: Chinese apps such as TikTok, Helo, Zoom, Bigo, Shareit, etc., are widely used in India, some even enjoying a monopoly. But the ongoing standoff between India and China is hitting at the sentiments of Indian users.

    Recently, Indian social reformer, Sonam Wangchuk, posted a video message on YouTube urging people to invest in ‘Made in India’ products and boycott Chinese products and mobile applications. It became a hit on
    Twitter too, and in a short span, #boycottchineseapps #boycottchineseproducts started trending on social media.

    The episode has resulted in a surge in downloads of homegrown apps like Roposo, Bolo Indya, Say Namaste, Mitro, and many others.

    Fulcro founder and MD Sabyasachi Mitter believes, “The anti-China sentiment is very high at this point and many consumers are uninstalling Chinese apps like TikTok. However, this is more likely a temporary phenomenon and most users will again use these apps once the political tensions ease. Apps are valuable for both its functionality as well as community. Local apps need not just build great user experience but also focus on community growth. We must
    remember that Telegram is a great messenger platform but has no user traction in India.”

    In the last two years, Chinese apps have been dominating the Indian app market and they have risen from 18 to around 45 in the top apps category on Google play store.

    Roposo has over 50 million users while Mitro is giving a tough competition to Tik Tok with over five million downloads. The recent growth in local apps has not only been about the number of downloads but also time spent. 

    Will advertisers be keen to invest in these apps despite their lower popularity?

    Sabyasachi replies, “A large part of display advertising today is through SSPs and DSPS and as the apps get eyeballs their inventory will be targetable through programmatic. Brands are more focused on buying audiences and not choosing specific apps or portals to advertise on.”

    Independent communications and marketing consultant Karthik Srinivasan, points out that advertisers usually look at the largest presence of their target audiences. “If the new made-in-India apps can convince advertisers that they do have a large pool of relevant target audiences, that could work. But these platforms are very new and are only growing the user base now. Compared to them, the established platforms have many more users that have been gained over the years. So, advertisers would naturally prefer a larger user base for their marketing.”

    iProspect India AVP – digital buying and planning Mihir Mehta says, “Advertisers will always look for the next best app or platform to advertise. So, if some of these apps are boycotted, the next best app in terms of reach will excite them whether it is Indian or not.”

    Makani Creatives MD and co-founder Sameer Makani opines that it is time to go for local and prefer local over foreign. “Advertisers can find alternatives to advertise on these apps as they can be cheaper in the market compared to existing social media giants. The Vocal for Local initiative is giving an opportunity for Indian apps and businesses to market-creating better possibilities,” he says.

    However, the apps need to work on some areas if the want to retain eyeballs.

    Mehta says, “Focus on awareness and discoverability of their app is important. Also, the attention span of users these days is very low. So, local apps should use this opportunity to better the product to be able to retain their customers.”

  • Stakeholders meet Maharashtra state official on shooting SOP

    Stakeholders meet Maharashtra state official on shooting SOP

    MUMBAI: Major stakeholders of the media and entertainment industry attended a zoom meeting with Maharashtra state cultural affairs secretary Sanjay Mukherjee on 28 May and talked about SOPs for production resumption.

    The meeting was truly encouraging and there were a lot of fruitful co,nclusions regarding the future of the entertainment Industry, said a press release by Federation of Western India Cine Employees.

    In the zoom meeting, The Producers Guild of India was represented by Apoorva Mehta and Madhu Bhojwani. Federation of Western India Cine Employess (FWICE) was represented by Ashoke Pandit chief advisor, B N Tiwari, president, and Ashok Dubey, general secretary. Indian Motion Pictures Producer's Association (IMPPA) was represented by T P Aggarwal.

    Western India Film Producer's Association (WIFPA) was represented by Sangram Shirke and Dharam Mehra. Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal (MCM) was represented by its president Meghraj Bhosale. Aadesh Bandekar also attended the meeting.

    The following points were discussed in the meeting:

    1. Post-production activities should immediately start in line with all the health, safety and security norms and guidelines issued by the government.

    2. A proper financial package has to be worked out by the state government to facilitate the entertainment industry.

    3. State government should call for all the insurance companies to come up with new ideas for designing suitable policies for the members of the entertainment industry to cope with the Covid2019 disease.

    4. Premises owned by the state government should be given free of cost to the producers and the production houses for carrying out shoots along with a facility of single window permission.

    5. There should be no rental on sets that are erected in the Film City which are lying unused due to the lockdown. After the lockdown, the premises in Film City should be given to producers and production houses at subsidised rate so as to cope with the losses incurred due to the lockdown.

    6. Chief secretary Sanjay Mukherjee will review the SOPs already submitted by the stakeholders and present to the government.