The channel aims to deliver quality content to their viewers by having a steady team. The channel has been active in social media since July 2019 and has received a positive review in digital platforms.  Their digital portals have a solid viewership count of 25 Million every month. Their content videos have around 220 Million views on YouTube and have considerably many followers on Facebook and Instagram.

The brand is being promoted by News Space Veterans, S Ravikumar who is the CEO of News First Kannada and S H Maruthi, the Editor-in-Chief of the venture. According to the Editor-in-Chief, “Content strategy, production treatment and programming format will be the key pillars that will help News First Kannada stand out in the monotonous news space. News First Kannada will be a 24×7 Kannada News Channel catering to the quality conscious viewer. We will embrace a holistic approach to upgrading the quality of news treatment, production, content and formats. Quality content always finds takers. It includes doing stories well and presenting them even better. Currently, there is stagnation in existing production formats. We will ramp up with high-quality graphics and production.”

Commenting on their future endeavors, Ravikumar, the CEO of News First Kannada says, “We expect a reasonable and steady growth given the market response that we are receiving.” The stated vision of the company is to create South India’s most-watched TV and digital news network by 2025. Commenting on this he adds, “Our plans for creating a pan South Indian brand are contingent upon the success of our Kannada venture. At the same time, we are exploring opportunities to be present across South India.”

The brand’s primary focus is to reach every home by the end of the year and use new and innovative ways of delivering news to keep their audience engaged while providing valid content.

The post News First Kannada Is All Set For Its Launch appeared first on Latest stories from Media, Advertising, Marketing and Startup world.

To provide the critical healthcare equipment to West Bengal the Company has utilized the sanctioned CSR budget (for the fight against Covid-19).

Speaking on this initiative, Punit Goenka, Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer, ZEE said, “ZEE is committed to standing with the West Bengal Government in its fight against Covid-19. We hope that the donated critical equipment will help the state to address the challenges faced due to the ongoing pandemic and strengthen its overall healthcare infrastructure.”

In a letter issued to ZEE, Narayan Swaroop Nigam I.A.S, Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, Govt. of West Bengal said, “We express sincere thanks on behalf of the Govt. of West Bengal to ZEE for its kind gesture of contributing critical healthcare equipment to West Bengal. The support provided will go a long way in providing proper treatment to Covid-19 affected patients in the state.”

ZEE had committed to donating 240+ ambulances, 46,000+ PPE kits, 90+ oxygen humidifiers & 6,00,000 Daily Meals, in its national level CSR drive towards enhancing the country’s healthcare infrastructure against Covid-19. The donation to the state of West Bengal is in line with this national level CSR drive.

At a national level, ZEE has also financially supported over 5000 Daily Wage Earners working directly or indirectly with the Company. Further, 3400+ employees have contributed towards PM CARES Fund. The amount generated was matched by ZEE, and the collective proceeds were donated to PM CARES Fund.

The post Zee Entertainment Supports West Bengal by Donating Critical Healthcare Equipments appeared first on Latest stories from Media, Advertising, Marketing and Startup world.

As per the source, the ministry is trying to implement the best advertisement code taken from other countries like New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

“A draft discussion paper will be uploaded on our website for stakeholder consultation. There is a need to have a code for the benefit of consumers and also to help identify quickly which fall under the misleading category, otherwise, there will be a sea of complaints about misleading advertisements,” said an official.

Advertising Standards Council of India is a self-regulatory voluntary organization in the advertising industry that has framed a code for self-regulation in Advertising which is rigid in itself. The need for a new code was felt after the center had informed the central consumer protection authority about misleading advertisements. “There is a need to bring the proposed under the regulation for their effective compliance. Simple guidelines won’t have the desired impact,” a source said.

In the case of Celebrity endorsers, the Act specifies that the company must be clear with its contents and claims to the endorsers.
Countries that follow a strong consumer protection rule specifies that the codes are framed in order to make sure that every advertisement displayed must be legal and truthful on its claims.

The post Government Aims To Curb Misleading Ads; Studies Foreign Codes appeared first on Latest stories from Media, Advertising, Marketing and Startup world.

The 100th show featured MP and Chairman Emeritus of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, Subhash Chandra as the guest speaker. The second season aimed to make their employees adapt to the new normal and the changing workplace scenario. It also paves the way for other industries to move beyond the static learning methods and embrace the changing lifestyle. The show was conducted through Google Meet housing 200 of its employees.

At the 100th show, the speaker shared his thoughts on the current business scenario, future plans, new normal, and his new learnings during the lockdown. He also advised the employers to have an open mind for the change and accepting reality is the only way to be happy in real life. He also shared his love for radio and about adapting the new normal.

“We are extremely privileged and honored to have Dr. Subash Chandra inspiring Team Big on the 100th episode of Onward & Upward – The Big Morning Show! What started as a morning assembly for the BIG FM workforce has now turned into a successful property where, we aim to engage, inspire, and motivate our employees. This show has grown from strength to strength with over 100 experts sharing their insights and challenges with us, preparing us for the ‘new better’. This has helped us build momentum as a team and driven us to greater achievements in the last 5 months,” says Abraham Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Reliance Broadcast Network Limited.

Archanaa Singh, Sr. Vice President, HR, BIG FM said, “Cultivating a learning culture is not just a catchphrase or a luxury in these times. It is a way to protect your organization and its people. We can use digital spaces to learn together, and not keeping it limited to just telling each other what to do. On the whole, the show has helped us to stretch beyond our inbuilt experiences and understand changing trends faster. With this initiative, we have created a relationship that frees up thinking and fosters growth. I am thrilled that our unique pioneering initiative has resonated well with our people as we complete 100 episodes of the show and who better than Dr. Chandra to be part of the celebrations.”

The post Big FM’s “Onward & Upward” Goes Head Strong appeared first on Latest stories from Media, Advertising, Marketing and Startup world.

The channel was launched with a prime aim to give strong and impactful news content to the Hindi speaking audience and create a brand for themselves. Their tagline “Rashtra Ka Naam” connects with the Hindi audience well. The channel has witnessed rapid growth in such a short period and is doing considerably well when compared to its competitors. 

The brand has a share value of 22.68% higher than its fellow competitors. Channels like Aaj Tak and ABP News have a share value of 14.2% and 13.8% respectively. Their signature show “Poochta Hain Bharat Arnab Ke Saath” has the highest value of 15.5% in the Hindi News Channels.

“It is the result of the sustained effort of the editorial teams for the last 18 months. A sustained effort by the editorial, distribution, and Marketing teams who have been working very hard. We have been very clear from the launch of the Republic Bharat that it will be the new No1 in the Hindi genre space. It is the result of the fact that we dedicate ourselves to 100% news. We have changed the formula, the so-called formula which was being used by people who claimed to run Hindi News Channels, which are not news Channels but a mix of Youtube footage and entertainment,” said Arnab Goswami Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of Republic TV.

The channel has seen a surge in viewership during this lockdown and commenting on that, Arnab says, “I think it depends on what is being offered in terms of content, GEC content has become tiresome, predictable and repetitive, I do not want to comment too much on this but News Channels have become far more closely associated with people’s causes and that is what draws us closer to them. Our investigations continue till it reaches a logical conclusion, we do not give up easily.”

The post Republic Bharat Completes 18 Successful Months appeared first on Latest stories from Media, Advertising, Marketing and Startup world.

The present situation is not apt for the pandemic-hit media environment as a 12-min cap on advertisements could bring a bloodbath in the entire television industry.

“Our revenues have touched record lows during the lockdown. Even with viewership peaking, we could hardly manage to sell ad slots. Then there was a fresh blow about implementing NTO 2.0 which could bring down our subscription revenues. At this time we are not in a position to accommodate an ad cap that would bring down our dwindling ad revenues even further,” said a broadcaster on the condition of anonymity as the matter is sub judice.

Experts have also indicated that FTA would be the worst-hit sector. The extent of damage done in the broadcasting ecosystem can be understood by the sheer number of FTA Channels.

As per the FICCI EY report 2019, at the end of 2019, there were 918 channels out of which 63% were FTA.
“FTA channels are solely dependent on ad revenues as it is their only source of income. TRAI should not endorse any such move that hampers the sustenance of the FTA ecosystem that is providing free content to viewers,” said a news broadcaster.

He said that the news category will get a huge blow if the 12-minute ad cap is introduced as news channels would comprise 42% of the total registered channels (386/918) in India.

TRAI pushed in favor of introducing the cap with the excuse that it intends to protect the interest of the viewers. Experts said that viewers will have a tough time if the 12- min cap gets implemented as broadcasters especially the smaller ones will have to pull down their shutters lowering the number of contents available. Broadcasters are in a dilemma as to why TRAI is trying to implement the cap when the television industry is running at a loss.

“Even in Europe, where the rules were first introduced as Audio-Visual Media Services Directive, they were proposed to be changed in May 2016. From the earlier rule of restricting advertisements to 12 minutes, broadcasters were asked to adhere to advertising every 20 minutes and the cap had been set at overall 20% for advertising for broadcasting between 7:00 and 23:00 hours. Interestingly, broadcasters’ own promotions, sponsor announcements, and product placement did not fall under the advertising cap. Likewise, we should explore other models and not cap advertisements. This will be nothing but a draconian move,” said a senior member of a broadcasting body in the country.

As per TRAI’s recommendation, the 12-minute ad cap includes 10 minutes of advertising and 2 minutes of self-promotions. In an attempt to follow the rules and also manage a sustainable topline, some broadcasters are viewing to accept the cap as well. They have requested to spread it for the whole day and not restrict it only for an hour. But as per TRAI’s order, ‘no broadcaster shall, in its broadcast of a program, carry advertisements exceeding twelve minutes in a clock hour’.
“Even if we accept the 12-minute cap, we can restrict advertisements to a total of 288 minutes. But keeping the 12 minutes restricted to an hour makes it extremely difficult for us. If we exhaust the commercial time limit between late night and early morning where there are no ads in the first place, where do we make our revenues from?” said a popular FTA broadcaster.

The case is on hold for seven years and it dates back to March 2013, when TRAI reinstated the Quality of Service norms (QoS) as per the CTNR (Cable Television Network Regulation) laws, 1995.

The September 28, hearing would thereby decide the fate of 900 odd channels that are struggling to get ad revenues and sustain in the market.

The post TRAI’s 12-min Ad Cap Can Disrupt Television Industry appeared first on Latest stories from Media, Advertising, Marketing and Startup world.

Now in a situation like this when directors and people in photography are not able to keep close contact and are locked in their respective homes with no fancy lights, sets, or cameras, it is only the mobile phone cameras that they are left with as their lens.

Viacom18 has just announced the release of ‘The Gone Game’ that will run on its premium offering, VOOT Select. The story begins with a mysterious disappearance as the nation goes for a lockdown. Now the mysterious part of the scenario is whether this is a normal disappearance or there is a mystery relating to it. The show has been produced by Bodhi Tree Multimedia with many thrilling adventures in it.

“Early into the lockdown, we realized that full-scale production will remain a challenge for some time. So, we started putting our minds on what we can do during the lockdown,” says Ferzad Palia, head – VOOT Select, Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18.

Each actor used his/her iPhone and MacBook to film the scenes. The DOP first took a tour of the characters’ house and then, depending on the lighting, suggested the time of the day when the filming could take place. “The director, DOP, and creative producer connected with the actors on Zoom calls,” revealed Sukesh Motwani, of Bodhi Tree Multimedia.

If someone lacked an iPhone, the production team arranged one for that person. “We selected that device as it enables us to use certain professional software,” informed Motwani

The situation was such that whenever the DOP required more lights, the actors would ask their family members for help. This was not a sort of  DIY (Do It Yourself) video that they were shooting for their next content upload on YouTube or TikTok, but this was a  serious business, a show that they were making for VOOT Select.

VOOT Select is a subscription-based offering by Viacom18 which has been launched this year and is available at a price of Rs 99 per month and Rs 499 per year, and it competes with Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, SonyLIV, ZEE5, and ALTBalaji to make money from customers

“This is a full-blown show, surrounded by mystery,” says Palia, adding, “When we look back now, the way we pulled it off, the director, the cast, and the creative team deserve a lot of credit. Every shot was far more detailed and difficult to execute. The actors had to do their own makeup and styling, and they were filming themselves. It must have been a difficult time for their families.”

As of now, the platform has made its claim that they have a premium offering in their subscription. The quality maintained during the production has been the focal point of the increased sales. Premium platforms also mean that it will bring in more cash and almost 100 crores for a show.

Here, the DOP was shooting with mobile cameras from a remote location, “If I had not told you, you would not realize that the scenes were shot under the circumstances we mentioned. The story itself did not require too much of outdoor shoot. There has been no compromise on lighting, or quality,” asserts Palia.

So, does it redefines premium? “Premium, for us, has never been throwing ridiculous amounts of money. It has always been (about) the story. We did not make this show just for the sake of making something during the lockdown. In fact, I think this is one of the best stories we have ever told,” Palia opines.

For the makers too, it was a different experience. Bodhi Tree Multimedia pitched the show after the lockdown began. It was a “unique experience”, says Motwani.

With the episodes, the cast and crew got used to the new techniques and procedures.

Motwani express that things would have turned out better if they had got good sets and usual workstations. But the final product, he says, is a commendable one that can live up to expectations.

Motwani reveals that there wasn’t much difference in the cost of production, “There wasn’t a set, but then there were long hours and days. If we saved on sets, we spent on people. So, it all got balanced.”

Right now digital platforms contribute to eight percent of Viacom18’s Rs 4,000 crore turnover.

The VOOT Select premium offering is the network’s attempt to up digital’s contribution to 24 percent of the Rs 8,000 crore turnover by 2024. For it to happen, VOOT Select will need to rake in paid subscribers. Will ‘The Gone Game’ help? Well, it remains to be seen.

The post New Series For VOOT Select Was Shot At Home Using iPhones, MacBooks appeared first on Latest stories from Media, Advertising, Marketing and Startup world.

The game is set to take place at the United Arab Emirates behind closed doors due to the safety issues concerning Corona. So, the streaming partner Star is now selling ad slots at the rate of Rs 10 Lakhs to Rs 12 Lakhs for a ten seconds slot. The matches will commence from September 15 at 7:30 PM.

Since TV consumption has been up by 15% since the lockdown, things are looking up for the advertisement industry. The platform will be streaming the matches on Hotstar and is now attracting advertisers from all around the country as IPL’s viewership is most likely to increase this year.

“After COVID this year, companies are looking at recovery. Also, as IPL coincides with the festive season, the timing seems just right. Even with Vivo pulling out, we saw three bidders coming in and brands showing so much interest in the league. IPL, as we know, is a Pan-India property and is sure to lift the festive season. As the property manages to garner eyeballs from across the country, it will attract reams of advertisers,” says Shashi Sinha, CEO of IPG Mediabrands.

“With consumer sentiment having hopefully crossed the nadir, businesses will want to trigger consumer demand and what more popular advertising property than the IPL to do so. Despite the high rates, I believe brands will see this as an investment that will deliver ROI in terms of jump-starting demand. We’ve had at least 2 IPL-specific pitches over the past few weeks, so I would say that yes, brands will bet on IPL,” says Ayesha Ghosh, EVP & Head of Office, Taproot Dentsu.

The post Star India Hikes Their Ad Slot Prices For IPL appeared first on Latest stories from Media, Advertising, Marketing and Startup world.

The channels have also increased their ad rates and stopped giving discounts. With the festive season approaching, they are ready with their top shows like Big Boss, Kaun Banega Crorepati, Indian Idol and so on. Sony Entertainment’s Kaun Banega Crorepati had 6,351 Million viewership last year and was one among the top ten shows in 2019. The famous reality show, Big Boss also had a big reception with 213 Million views last year.

“During the lockdown, they were sorely missing the marquee properties as all shooting and production had ceased. Impact properties like ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’, which returned recently on air, are hugely popular. They provide people with much needed comic relief during these difficult times. So advertising on this and other impact properties is seen as a huge branding opportunity by larger advertisers, who do not mind spending on them. However, smaller brands, especially digital brands that are looking at TV to drive performance at reasonable costs should of course be more prudent and look at ROIs in terms of KPIs like Cost Per Visit, cost per Installs, etc,” said Bindu Balakrishnan, Country Head of DCMN India.

Commenting on the channel’s ad rates, “Owing to COVID-19, the advertisement industry faced severe challenges in Q1, and while Q2 has been better for the industry it is still down from the corresponding quarter in FY20. While these impact properties and the upcoming festive season is likely to see better recoveries for the GECs, it is unlikely that the advertisement rates for these shows will see an increase from last year, as the contributing sectors are facing business challenges. The slowdown in the economy has also been exacerbated on account of COVID. Having said that, we do expect the advertising levels to pick up owing to fresh content on these impact properties, which will bode well in a challenging year for the TV industry,” says Girish Menon Partner and Head, Media and Entertainment, KPMG India.

The post Hindi GECs Gear up to Increase Ad Revenues appeared first on Latest stories from Media, Advertising, Marketing and Startup world.

“Discovery Kids is committed towards bringing high-quality content for the little minds that also keeps them inspired,” said, Megha Tata, Managing Director – South Asia, Discovery, “We are sharing some of the most exciting Indian animations with Doordarshan to give another reason for children who don’t have access to Discovery Kids to stay at home even as the lockdown is over.”

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Chief Executive Officer, Prasar Bharati, said, “Over the last 3 months, we have showcased iconic programming to engage and entertain audiences even as the country braced with a pandemic. Discovery Kids’ programming on Doordarshan is another important chapter in this journey. I am grateful to Discovery for coming forward and sharing this content for the larger good of society.”

Launched by Discover kids along with Rohit Shetty Picturez and Reliance Animation,  Little Singham is an animated version of ‘Singham’, which is India’s heroic super cop brand and also one of the biggest Bollywood blockbusters of all time. It shows the fun-filled thrilling adventures of a brave kid who is a super cop with the power of that of a lion as he saves his town, country and the world from anti-social elements, scary mutants and alien invasions. Co-produced by Apsons Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Sheikh Chilli and Friendz is all about the adventures of an innocent boy Sheikh Chilli and his friends of Jhunjhun Nagar. Although the boy has the right intentions his plans and actions bring humour as well as trouble for his friends. Cosmos Maya is an adventurous story of an amusing young boy from Anandnagri and his opponent the wicked Raja Durjan of Andhernagri. Kisna in the series tries to solve every problem with the help of his superpower, wit and valour.

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