Tag Archive for India

DISCOVERY TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST HINDI GENERAL ENTERTAINMENT CHANNEL IN INDIA

– Discovery JEET brings together Discovery’s unmatched story-telling and the best of real-life entertainment through larger-than-life stories that will inspire millions –

– Built on the core philosophy “Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakta Hoon” meaning “I can achieve anything” –

– To premiere 65-episode scripted biopic series on India’s revered Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev –

Mumbai, 9 May 2017: Discovery Communications today announces its plan to roll out Discovery JEET, a new entertainment channel across India, starting in late 2017. The new channel will be the flagship for the network’s ambitious investment into original local productions in India, superserving superfans and nurturing communities around a range of programme genres including true crime investigations, small-town heroes and gritty survival.

Discovery is scaling up investment in over 200 hours of local content originals which will premiere on this new channel. Targeting young male audiences, [not just in the metros, but also in tier II and tier III cities,] Discovery JEET will be a highly-charged entertainment channel, immersing viewers in a world where gripping stories, heroic characters and tales of achievement are the status quo.

“We are excited to launch Discovery JEET, which will bring a new style of entertainment, in a truly local, bespoke, ground-up offering. It borrows the best of Discovery’s ethos, seeded in fact and purpose-driven content, and leveraging global resources to mount it at a scale that delivers larger-than-life stories,” said Karan Bajaj, SVP & GM, South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific. “JEET marks an important milestone in our continued commitment to entertain and inspire India’s young minds!”

Arthur Bastings, President & MD, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific, further elaborated on the importance of this evolutionary step, leveraging new ways to extend the reach and relevance of Discovery across the subcontinent. “The expansion into general entertainment with JEET redefines how Discovery will connect and interact with new young audiences across the heartlands of India. JEET is fun, relatable, and exciting and brings to life the captivating, real stories of India’s own in a manner never seen before!”

Designed to inspire the aspirational, young Indian male who not only loves great video content, but is looking for a truly differentiated viewer experience, Discovery JEET will hit screens later this year with a vibrant programming lineup that will include, Swami Baba Ramdev: The Untold Story, a scripted biopic series tracing Swami Baba Ramdev’s fascinating and inspirational journey from a life of anonymity to national icon, international cult figure and now business mogul; Saragarhi – India’s Bravest Day, a large-scale, action-packed, scripted drama series about one of the greatest, yet largely uncelebrated, last stands in Indian military history; Gabru: The Birth of Hip Hop, a scripted series on the Rap & Hip Hop revolution that has taken India by storm, from the far ends of Punjab to the slums of Mumbai; Gangs of Mumbai, a scripted series on the colourful, larger-than-life characters from the thriving underworld of India’s Maximum City.

Discovery JEET will also benefit from Discovery’s global knowledge, resource network, and experience in telling the most compelling stories in a way that captures engaged, curious, high value audiences at scale.

Discovery Channel continues to be the leading factual entertainment channel in India, and the premier destination for Indian viewers looking for the best of global and local non-fiction entertainment from blue-chip nature, science and technology, ancient and contemporary history, adventure, cultural and topical documentaries.

CASBAA Warns Indian TV Regulations Threaten Investment

India, 16 Jan 2017– CASBAA, the Association of Asia’s pay-TV Industry, today warmly applauded the judicial review now underway in India of proposed extension and tightening of India’s pay-TV rate regulations.

The Madras High Court is currently reviewing the clash between the rights of copyright owners around the world and new tariff regulations proposed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The court has ordered the TRAI not to give effect to the rules until the underlying issues are considered, with a hearing now set for January 19th.

CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter observed that the new rules would be a major negative factor for the business environment in the $17 billion Indian media industry. “India’s pay-TV regulations have long been among the strictest in the world”, he said. “The proposed new rules are highly intrusive and would make the environment much worse. Such a heavy-handed regulatory regime will inevitably hit foreign companies’ interest in investing in India.”

Indian law gives copyright owners the ability to price and sell their creative works. In filing the Madras suit, the petitioner broadcasting organizations denounced the TRAI regulation as contrary to these principles as enshrined in the law, and in international treaties to which India is a signatory. (The TRAI rules would establish a controlled price regime by mandating a la carte channel supply, setting the ceiling, by specific genres, that broadcasting organizations can charge to multichannel program distributors, limiting discounts, prescribing carriage fees, and stipulating a compulsory distribution fee to be paid by Broadcasting Organizations to multichannel program distributors.

CASBAA has long expressed concern about India’s previous rate regulations, which included a cable retail price freeze imposed in 2004 “until the market became more competitive” and never revoked.

“Today, India’s television content market is among the most competitive in the world,” said Slaughter. “Modern cable MSOs, six different DTH platforms and now online OTT television are all giving Indian consumers a wide range of viewing options.”

CASBAA’s Chief Policy Officer John Medeiros observed that “As convergence and greater competition sweep the TV economy, other governments around the world are eliminating rate controls, to give more scope to competition among traditional and new online providers. In the last few years, Korea and Taiwan have both undertaken to liberalize their pay-TV price controls, leaving India as the last market economy in Asia with a hyper-regulatory regime. The proposed new rules would take India in the opposite direction from the rest of the world.”
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About CASBAA

CASBAA is the Asia Pacific region’s largest non-profit media association, serving the multi-channel audio-visual content creation and distribution industry. Established in 1991, CASBAA has grown with the industry to include digital multichannel television, content, platforms, advertising, and video delivery. Encompassing some 500 million connections within a footprint across the region, CASBAA works to be the authoritative voice for multichannel TV; promoting even-handed and market-friendly regulation, IP protection and revenue growth for subscription and advertising, while promoting global best practices. For more information, visit www.casbaa.com

—For enquiries, please contact:

Cynthia Wong
Member Relations & Marketing Director
CASBAA
Tel: +852 3929 1711
Email: cynthia@casbaa.com

Zee Entertainment announces the first edition of ‘ZEE Mindspace Awards’ to be held at #ZEEMelt 2016

The first-of-its-kind awards property which aims at recognizing brands that have captured maximum ‘MindSpace’
Winning Brands identified based on a nationwide research executed by Nielsen
Online Survey conducted across the country, covering 288 Brands across 36 product categories

Mumbai, August 17, 2016: Leading content company, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) today announced the launch of the first edition of ‘ZEE Mindspace Awards’, a property which aims at recognizing brands, which have captured maximum ‘MindSpace’. The awards ceremony will be held on 27^th August 2016, at #ZEEMelt 2016 – India’s biggest festival for creativity and innovation in marketing and communications.

Commenting on ZEE Mindspace Awards 2016, Mr. Sunil Buch, Chief Business Officer, ZEEL said, “Achieving ‘consumer mindspace’ is every marketer’s ultimate goal. The thought of extending our 3-year old brand intellectual property ‘ZEE Mindspace’ also as an awards property, was based on this very essence. The marketing fraternity is an integral part of our overall business value chain and in today’s digital era it is indeed a challenge for the marketers to arrive at the right marketing mix. The proof of the pudding is being present in the ‘Mindspace’, which is the foundation of ZEE Mindspace Awards.”

ZEEL has partnered with renowned market research company Nielsen, to execute a nationwide research to identify brands which have created maximum impact on the minds of the consumers. While ‘Top of Mind Recall’ was the primary criteria to arrive at the winning brands, factors like Popularity, Advocacy, Desire and Buzz were also a part of the structured research methodology. Nielsen has targeted a sample size of 12000+ audiences, covering key zones across the country.

The winning brands will be awarded at the ZEE Mindspace Awards 2016 in the presence of 500+ CMOs and stalwarts from the marketing and advertising industry. Going forward, ZEE Mindspace Awards aims to serve as an additional independent barometer for marketers. While there are numerous awards targeted towards rewarding the creative campaigns undertaken by brands, ‘ZEE Mindspace Awards’ is the only property which recognizes the overall marketing mix implemented by the brand owners to carve a ‘Mindspace’ within the consumers.

Mr. Prashant Singh, Managing Director, South Asia, Nielsen said, “Nielsen’s research methodology is a brand assessment among consumers who have adopted new age media in addition to traditional media and provides brand owners’ insights into how brands are adapting to this fast-evolving space. More than 12000 online surveys were conducted to evaluate 288 brands across 36 categories. The research was broken into multiple phases – from initial screening of brands to final rounds focusing on understanding what makes a brand resonate in the consumer’s mind. The winners were identified after undertaking a rigorous process, based on top-of-mind recall, popularity, the kind of advocacy the brand commands, the desire to own the brand and finally the buzz it generates. Above all, it’s the brand’s ability to pop-up in mind at the first instance that holds maximum weightage.”

#ZEEMelt 2016 will also witness the 4^th edition of ZEEL’s brand intellectual property – ‘ZEE Mindspace Conference’, which aims at bringing the marketing fraternity together to connect, discuss and explore new possibilities. The sessions under ZEE Mindspace Conference comprise of two main themes, Previewing Tomorrow – where we get insights into the future of several areas in the industry and Open Possibilities – introducing us to the many advantages that data, content, consumer analysis and branding offer in transforming businesses.

The renowned speakers at the conference will include:

R Ray Wang, Principal Analyst, Founder & Chairman, Constellation Research
Vanessa Clifford, Deputy Chief Executive, News Works
Tom Goodwin, SVP of Strategy & Innovation, Havas Media
Jeff Bullas, Blogger, Strategist and Speaker
Tom Betts, Chief Data Officer, Financial Times
Per Nilsson, Corporate Communication & Marketing Director, Semcon
Brian Gleason, Global CEO, XAxis
Tomi Ahonen, Technology & Media Author + Strategy Consultant

To create a nationwide buzz across the marketing and advertising fraternity about #ZEEMelt, #ZEEMindspace Conference & #ZEEMindspace Awards, ZEEL has embarked on an extensive promotion campaign in key markets targeting print, outdoor, digital, social media platforms and PR. Further, as a part of an integration with Twitter, the awards ceremony will be live-streamed on Periscope and extensively promoted on the social media platform. Actor and Television presenter, Gaurav Kapur who would be the event anchor, will also interact with the users through Twitter’s #BlueRoom this evening, 17^th August at 6.30 pm. Catch all the action on ZEEL’s official Twitter Handle @ZEECorporate

For more details on #ZEEMelt, please visit http://readytomelt.com

You can also follow ZEE on:

Facebook: @ZEECorporate

Twitter: @ZEECorporate

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeecorporate/

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Note to Editors

About Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL):

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited is one of India’s leading television media and entertainment companies. It is amongst the largest producers and aggregators of Hindi programming in the world, with an extensive library housing over 222,000 hours of television content. With rights to more than 3,818 movie titles from foremost studios and of iconic film stars, ZEE houses the world’s largest Hindi film library. Through its strong presence worldwide, ZEE entertains over 1 billion viewers across 171 countries.

Pioneer of television entertainment industry in India, ZEE’s well-known brands include Zee TV, &tv, Zee Cinema, Zee Action, Zee Classic, &pictures, Zee Anmol, Ten 1, Ten 2, Ten 3, Zee Cafe, Zee Studio, Zee Salaam, Zing, ETC Bollywood, Zee Q and Zindagi. The company also has a strong offering in the regional language domain with channels such as Zee Marathi, Zee Talkies, Zee Bangla, Zee Bangla Cinema, Zee Telugu, Zee Kannada, Zee Tamil and Sarthak TV. The company’s HD offerings include Zee TV HD, Zee Cinema HD, &tv HD, Zee Studio HD, Zee Café HD, &pictures HD, Ten 1 HD and Ten Golf HD.

ZEE and its affiliate companies have leading presence across the media value chain including television broadcasting, cable distribution, direct-to-home satellite services, digital media and print media amongst others. ZEEL also operates its own digital platforms with OTT offerings on OZEE, DittoTV and india.com. More information about ZEE and its businesses is available on www.zeetelevision.com

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Media Contact:

Jayshree Kumar / Arantxa Gonsalves

Corporate Brand – Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL)

Mobile: +91 9769286661 / +91 9820336890

Landline: +91-22-7106 1367 / 7108 5464

Email: jayshree.kumar@zee.esselgroup.com / arantxa.gonsalves@zee.esselgroup.com

Music for your eyes – Channel V transitions into a definitive 24 hours music channel for the youth

Mumbai, 8 August 2016: Star India’s Channel V has made the much-awaited transition into a 24 hours music channel this August, continuing with its legacy. With this, Channel V promises to introduce the Indian youth to the future of music entertainment in India where content will be curated for visual delight. The programming will focus on music videos that not only sound good but look good as well, presenting them in the most clutter free environment offering its viewers a great viewing experience.

According to our research, music channels rarely look different from one another. Not only do they lack a unique voice, but they also feature a cluttered environment where the visual experience is compromised. With an idea of actively involving audiences, rather than just passively consuming music, the new look of Channel V is refreshing. Uncluttered look, great music videos, minimal graphics on screen will ensure a high-quality experience to the viewer, promising an unparalleled visual experience.

The global Indian youth today enjoys latest Indian hits as well as popular international music. Staying true to its image, V will be the only channel to deliver a complete package at the consumers doorstep.

With the foray back into the music television industry, Hemal Jhaveri, General Manager and Executive Vice President – Channel V, Star Gold, Movies OK & Utsav movies said, “Channel V has been a strong brand synonymous with music in India. We at V are keen on changing the music videos viewing experience. Last few years the TV music category has been dormant. With the revamp of Channel V, we aim to redefine the music video experience by delivering an uncluttered high-quality experience, with curated content for a visual delight.”

The new logo and channel packaging have been created by the in-house design team. In a beautiful mix of the real world meets contemporary digital design. The origami-inspired logo manages to create a distinct, youthful and approachable form that connects perfectly with today’s youth. The packaging is bold, vibrant, yet simple while building upon the ‘V’ form.

Along with a new look and programming, Channel V will also launch a high decibel 360 marketing campaign across key metros. With prime focus on the digital medium, the campaign will also have a presence on TV, radio and outdoor sites. Other than this the channel will also participate in some exciting on ground activities to tap into young audiences at major youth hangouts across key metros.

About STAR India
STAR India has defined the Indian media landscape since 1991 and today is one of the country’s leading media conglomerates, reaching approximately 650 million viewers a month across India and more than 100 other countries. STAR generates 20,000 hours of content every year and broadcasts 40+ channels in 8 different languages, reaching 9 out of 10 C&S TV homes in India.

The network’s entertainment channel portfolio includes STAR Gold, Channel V, STAR World, STAR Movies, STAR Utsav, Star Utsav Movies, Life OK, Movies OK and STAR Plus, India’s No. 1 Hindi General Entertainment Channel. It has a leading presence in regional broadcasting as well, through a bouquet of affiliate channels which includes STAR Jalsha, Jalsha Movies, STAR Pravah, Asianet, Asianet Plus, Suvarna, Suvarna Plus, Vijay and now Maa. It is also present in the Indian movie production and distribution space through Fox STAR Studios, an affiliate joint venture company.

STAR India is making quantum leaps in transforming sports in the country by leveraging the group’s strengths in superior content and audience engagement. STAR’s sports business has grown rapidly to 8 channel properties (STAR Sports 1, 2, 3, 4 and STAR Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4), making it the leading sports network in the country.

STAR is set to drive the agenda on digital content consumption in the country with Hotstar, STAR’s revolutionary digital platform that brings your favourite TV shows, movies and sports in one destination.

STAR India is a fully owned subsidiary of 21st Century Fox.

Zee Entertainment launches Zee.One in Germany

A dedicated Bollywood movie channel specially adapted for the German market

Mumbai, India / Munich, Germany, July 29, 2016: India’s leading media conglomerate, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) today announced the launch of Zee.One, its dedicated Bollywood movie channel for the German market. The channel was launched in Germany by Mr. Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, ZEEL, Mr. Amit Goenka, CEO – International Broadcast Business, ZEEL, Ms. Friederike Behrends, CEO – Asia TV GmbH (Zee TV) and international Bollywood Superstar, Shah Rukh Khan.

Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL): “As a global media conglomerate, ZEEL is present in 171 countries entertaining over one billion viewers across the world. With our entry into Germany, we are now present in one of the most important and competitive TV markets worldwide. This is what makes the launch of Zee.One special for us.”

Amit Goenka, CEO – International Broadcast Business, ZEEL: “The launch of Zee.One in Germany is a step further as part of our international expansion strategy. We want to establish a lasting presence and of course, grow in the German television market. With our highest levels of entertainment, we are confident of being able to offer viewers an attractive enrichment to the existing range of television offerings. We are proud and happy to welcome the German community into our ZEEL family.”

Friederike Behrends, CEO – Asia TV GmbH German speaking countries (Zee TV): “From today, the German TV landscape will be enriched by a unique, new channel, Zee.One. We want to entertain our viewers with the best of films, series, and music daily, making Zee.One a channel for all the senses!”

Zee.One – I Feel Bolly.Good promises to deliver high-quality entertainment from the cinematic Mecca of Asia: Bollywood. The free-to-air channel will broadcast a great variety of movies and series, starring popular international megastars like Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. The movies will span across all genres including romance, comedy, action among others. Furthermore, music clips with outstanding dance performances as well as in-house productions will add to the entertainment.

Targeting women between the ages of 19 and 59, Zee.One’s premium content will be specifically adapted for the German market. Most of the content will be premiering on German television and will be broadcast in HD. From autumn on, the channel plans to develop and produce its own show formats like magazine shows. Zee.One will be receivable via satellite (Astra) and cable (Vodafone, Unitymedia, Telecolumbus) and will soon be available on more platforms in the German market.

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