With 18 advertising deals in its kitty, NDTV Imagine determinedly chases the Rs 300 crore (Rs 3-billion) plus revenue target. In the latest TAM report (4 years plus viewers in cable and satellite homes in the Hindi-speaking markets) the channel shares the number three slot with Sony, ahead of Sahara, Star One, Sab and 9X.
Sony India and Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) have agreed to sell three Hindi channels--Big Magic, Zee Action and Zee Classic--to address anti-competition concerns arising out of their proposed merger. The broadcasters submitted their proposal to the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which gave a conditional approval on October 4. On Wednesday, the CCI made public its detailed 58-page order, specifying the channels that would be dropped.
With advertising a little less robust than last year and television ad rates not showing any sign of climbing up, thanks to viewership fragmentation and increased competition, the Hindi general entertainment channels are tapping non-advertising revenue streams to shore up incomes. This includes content-repurposing, overseas subscription, and licensing and merchandising.
'For OTT platforms, securing dubbed rights often makes greater business sense, enabling them to serve diverse regional audiences more effectively.'
Media conglomerate TV18 Group entered into an agreement with US major Viacom on Tuesday to float a general entertainment joint venture in India.
Former Star TV CEO Peter Mukerjea promoted INX Media and INX News on Wednesday officially announced plans to launch a new television network.
DD Freedish is the 'largest TV platform in India', going to 58 million homes, featuring 70-odd private channels. DD Freedish reaches about 278 million people, and is easily among the top five TV platforms in the world.
By becoming associate sponsor, STAR Plus brand will get assured mileage on broadcaster SET Max.
The group seems undeterred by stiff competition posed by new entrants like Colors and NDTV Imagine in the general entertainment segment.
The problem is not that more people are not watching more TV, but that they are not finding anything of interest on Hindi television, says Vanita Kohli-Khandekar.
The first general entertainment channel Bindass will go on air from September 24 along with a Hindi movie channel targeted at youth.
Turner Broadcasting System has decided to shut down its Hindi general entertainment channel, Imagine TV. It had acquired the channel from NDTV in 2010.
In order to give a boost to its almost stagnant ratings, STAR Plus, the number two Hindi entertainment channel, is betting big on Bollywood films.
The channel was bought over by Turner Broadcasting System from NDTV in 2010.
The Rs 2,200 crore (Rs 22 billion) Star India has for long been the biggest contributor to parent News Corporation's Asian revenues and profits (over 80 per cent).
Colors has been unable to regain the top slot even with its star-studded reality shows. But Rajesh Kamat, COO, Viacom18 Group and CEO, Colors, says that the channel has been able to maintain its distinct brand image and will soon be able to move up the rating points.
Indrani Mukerjea was the founder and chief executive officer while Peter Mukerjea was chairman and chief strategy officer. They set up INX Media three years ago after Mukerjea resigned as Star India CEO. According to a press release issued by the company, they will continue to be shareholders in the broadcasting company.
Rakhi Ka Swayamvar worked for NDTV Imagine. Bidaaiis working on Star Plus. So both reality and fiction are working on prime time, says Sunil Lulla, Director, Real Global Broadcasting.
The three are Kaun Banega Crorepati 4 on Sony, anchored by Amitabh Bachchan; Bigg Boss 4 on Colors, starring Salman Khan; and Masterchef India on STAR Plus with Akshay Kumar.
Raghav Bahl, MD of TV18 Group, said the production, distribution and other labels will get transferred to the JV.
Dangal's and Shemaroo's entry shows there is ad-supported gold at the bottom of the Indian consumer pyramid if you can keep the costs low.
Arjun Bijlani, better known as Alekh in the first season of Left Right Left, is currently busy with a period drama Mohe Rang De being produced by Dipti Bhatnagar.
Star Plus is rewriting the rule book to take on its latest rival, Colors.
Reliance Broadcast is building a curious network of English and regional channels.
Paramount Global has agreed to sell its 13 per cent stake in its Indian TV business to Reliance Industries for Rs 4,286 crore, the Indian firm said on Thursday. In a stock exchange filing, Reliance said it has signed a binding agreement with two subsidiaries of Paramount Global to acquire 13.01 per cent equity stake of Viacom 18 Media Private Limited held by Paramount Global. Similarly, in a filing on the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Paramount Global said the closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of certain customary conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, as well as the completion of a previously announced joint venture involving Reliance, Viacom18 and Star Disney.
News viewership was the biggest gainer during the first full week of lockdown, growing 298 per cent versus the pre-COVID period between January 11 and 31. Ramayana, whose rerun has begun on Doordarshan, was the top-rated show on Saturday and Sunday.
A long and bitter funding winter in the start-up world is beginning to take its toll on start-up advertising across properties. Earlier this week, Mastercard replaced Paytm as the title sponsor for all international and domestic cricket matches organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). But this is just one part of the story. The other side is that organisers of high-impact shows and events on Hindi general entertainment channels, too, are feeling the winter chill.
Interview with President & CEO, Viacom International.
As the CEO of Colors, the Hindi general entertainment television channel from the Network18 group, the 35-year old Rajesh Kamat, is in an enviable position.
The marketing spiel for the Hindi version has been around Shah Rukh Khan's inclusion as Pride Rock's patriarch and his son Aryan Khan's debut as Simba's voice.
he battle has moved to the small screen and guess who's winning? Urvi Malvania reports.
Within rural markets, the viewership share of Dangal TV, which is a free-to-air channel, is at 33%.
It means more tickets sold and therefore more revenues and hastens the recovery of the devastated-by-the-pandemic film business.
The four south Indian languages grew by 7% while regional languages within the Hindi speaking markets (such as Bhojpuri, Bangla, Marathi, etc) grew by 26%.
Gujarat-based tea major will run a Rs 2-cr roadblock on Hindi and regional news channels.
'The whole narrative will change from TV is dying to TV-plus-digital is the future.'
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