TV9 Group has appointed Barun Das as Chief Executive Officer to build future-ready new businesses. Mahendra Mishra, who was interim CEO of the group, would now be Principal Advisor to the board of TV9.

Das, a veteran of the media business, will be responsible of driving synergies among all the channels and leading the group’s plans of becoming a dominant national player in the broadcast and digital news space. Having a presence in multiple languages in the South and West of India, the group had recently launched its first national news channel TV9 Bharatvarsh (Hindi). With the appointment of Das, the group aims to reinforce its news footprint nationally.

Singa Rao, Whole Time Director and member of TV9 Board, said, “Our group is committed to the roles and responsibilities of the Fourth Estate. Given our leadership position in the southern and western parts of the country, we are now aiming at achieving similar success in the rest of the country and in the new media domain. We are confident that Barun, with his all-round and vast experience and track record, will power this foray. We welcome Barun on board.”

Das said, “I am excited about this new opportunity. Every new opportunity comes with fresh challenges and I wish to contribute my bit along with the team. Since TV9 has impressive leadership in the regions of its current operations, it will be my pleasure and privilege, to drive its expansion in the national arena,” he said.

MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued an order directing all broadcasters and distribution platform operators (DPOs) to report the details of their registration number, validity, service area, etc. in the service provider portal hosted on TRAI website.

DPOs include multi system operators (MSOs), direct to home (DTH) operators, headend in the sky (HITS), and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and local cable operators (LCOs). Further, MSOs, HITS, and IPTV operators have been requested to ensure that their linked LCOs upload their details on the portal.

As per the regulation 19 of the Interconnection Regulation 2017 every service provider is required to report, its name, address, contact number, email address and licence/permission/ registration details issued by the central government on the website specified by the authority.

As per the TRAI order dated 16th August, service providers (broadcasters and DPOs) are required to enter their details in the service provider portal within thirty days. If the service provider has already entered details earlier, they are required to update the details in thirty days. The URL of the service provider portal for reporting the information to the authority is www.spp.trai.gov.in.

MUMBAI: While 5G technology is still some time away from launch in India, it has the potential wean away customers from linear television. As KPMG notes in its latest report for the M&E sector, 5G network will not only allow the telcos to meet the requirement of high-speed data services, it will also support rich content-specific OTT services.

The report stated that OTT has shifted from merely being a communication service to a content delivery platform. With the content shifting from SD to HD and soon to 4K/8K videos, the requirement of high speed, ultra-low latency data services is a prerequisite for these kinds of services.

The report noted that 5G in a way is likely to become a catalyst for OTT players to provide rich content to their end-users. It also quoted a recent survey as showing that the share of millennials watching online entertainment at 48 exceeds the share of those watching cable TV at 43%.

“With the increase in smartphone users to 800+ million by 2022, an increasing number of Indians are likely to utilise digital distribution as the primary outlet for video consumption, thus emerging as a real threat to traditional, linear television in India,” the report said.

Currently, India has 400 million smartphone users which is likely to increase to 900 million devices by 2022. The data consumption has increased exponentially, and it is likely to move from 3.5 GB per user to 17.5 GB per user in the period 2017-22.

A predominantly 2G market, India has been a surge in the sale of smartphone devices owing to a combination of factors like falling data prices, better network coverage, low-cost 4G handsets and the development of locally relevant content.

The surge in data consumption has been on account of Jio’s entry in the market, which led to the plummeting of data prices which in turn led to decreasing.

ARPU albeit we have seen a slight increase from Dec-18 onwards. The data rates in India are perhaps the lowest in the world right now.

MUMBAI: Direct to home (DTH) operators have told the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that there is no need to introduce additional know your customer (KYC) norms as it will full financial burden on the DTH players.

In their submission to the TRAI, the DTH operators also stated that the ministry of information and broadcasting’s (MIB) objective of curbing illegal smuggling of set top boxes (STBs) will not be met imposing additional KYC norms.

In July, the TRAI had issued a consultation paper on ‘KYC of DTH Set Top Boxes’ after receiving a reference from MIB dated 27th December 2018. The ministry had requested the regulator to give its recommendations on the desirability or otherwise of KYC for STBs in DTH services and then the process for the same.

In the letter, the MIB had also mentioned applying certain safeguards for restricting smuggling of DTH equipment illegally to other countries.

In their comments, DTH operators Dish TV, Tata Sky, and Bharti Telemedia have stated that they already follow basis KYC norms and there is no requirement for additional KYC norms for an industry like DTH where no risks are involved.

Tata Sky submitted that DTH Operators, at the time of new customer acquisition, are getting the Customer Application Form (CAF) filled up, which captures the Name, Address, Contact Number and various other details. This CAF process is already mandated within the Authority’s QoS Regulations, 2017. Thereafter, the STB is installed at the premises of the customer by the operator. Therefore, the KYC process is already being followed by the operators.

It further stated that the judgement of the Supreme Court of India disallows the Aadhaar verification process for the telecom sector. Television sector being a non-critical sector, it is highly unlikely that Aadhaar verification can be introduced, it added.

MUMBAI: Hinduja Ventures Ltd (HVL)-owned distribution platform operator (DPO) IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd’s (IMCL) consolidated net loss for fiscal 2019 has widened by 45% to Rs 318.4 crore from Rs 219.8 crore in the previous fiscal.

Revenue from operations grew 6.68% to Rs 630.8 crore compared to Rs 591.3 crore. Total income jumped 5.28% to Rs 653.3 crore compared to Rs 620.5 crore. Total expenses declined by 1.93% to Rs 1007.5 crore from Rs 1027.4 crore.

The company’s subscription revenue saw a 6.8% increase to Rs 396.9 crore from Rs 371.6 crore. Channel placement fees was up 22% at Rs 116.2 crore from Rs 95.3 crore. Income from installation charges grew 18.31% to Rs 113.8 crore compared to Rs 96.18 crore.

In terms of expenses, the pay channel cost increased 1.8% to Rs 456.5 crore from Rs 448.4 crore. Transponder charges dropped by 16.25% to Rs 23.28 crore from Rs 27.8 crore. Lease rental – duct stood at Rs 48.8 crore.

During the year under review, IMCL had posted a positive operating profit in the last quarter of the year. It recorded 10% growth in subscriber base over FY2018 to end the fiscal with 5.1 million subscribers. The company achieved a collection to billing ratio at 99.5% which is highest in the industry. IMCL expects to achieve a positive Profit after Tax for the year 2019-20.

It is the only DPO to have a dual delivery platform – digital cable through fiber and HITS (Headend in the Sky) through satellite. The HITS and digital cable services provided under NXT Digital and IN Digital brands. Its HITS services are connected to 1,500+ points-of-presence in India – covering 2,000+pin codes in the country.

New Delhi: In an initiative that enhances workplace experience and connects daily with over 1 million digitally driven, tech savvy professionals, DOOH media company EyeTalk Media Ventures has joined hands with dRSTi Communications, a Bengaluru-based workplace media specialist.

BizTalk is the first and the biggest real-time business network delivering Live Business and Technology News, Stocks, Forex, Flight Information, Market Cap, Sports updates and hyper-local Dining offers powered by TagTalk, to professionals across some of the country’s premium commercial real estate.

The mainstays of the innovation are Content & Technology, which are thoughtfully merged to create an effective consumer impact at business parks which have an advertiser-friendly ecosystem of highest dwell time, defined demographics and income groups.

BizTalk will be led by Gautam Bhirani of EyeTalk Media Ventures, and Mohith Manjunath of dRSTi Communications as Joint Managing Directors; Jatinder Chugh will spearhead Technology and Rahul Biswas and Sonal Naik will head Advertising Sales.

In its first phase, over 250 displays have been connected across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad in some of the most prominent business parks like World Trade Center, Manyata Tech Park, Global Tech Park, Brigade Magnum, Magarpatta City and iLabs. Tapping a professional’s daily workplace routine, the entry, exit, lift lobby and cafeteria areas have been digitised.

The second phase will encompass the introduction of BizTalk in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Ahmedabad and Chennai before the Diwali festivities in October this year.

Mumbai : CNBC Awaaz, India’s foremost and largest Hindi business news channel, today announced the launch of ‘Khiladi No.1’. A unique markets show with game-based programming, Khiladi No.1 will see top analysts making their best trading calls each day to earn maximum profit. At the end of each trading day profit/loss will be announced for each analyst. At the end of the week, the analyst making maximum money or the least loss will be declared the winner. The show will be hosted by Harshada Sawant, Senior Editor of CNBC-Awaaz.

Basant Dhawan, CEO- English and Business News Cluster, Network18 says, “CNBC-Awaaz has established itself as the trusted choice of traders and investors in the country. We create content that helps our viewers take informed decisions about investments and all matters pertaining to money. With Khiladi No1 we take a step further and empower audiences to make money every day as they get to learn the tricks of the trade from some of India’s most prominent technical analysts. Thus, we stay committed to providing a platform that keeps our loyal viewers ahead of the curve in money-making.”

The show will be aired starting 26th August, from Monday to Friday at 11 am. Viewers can tune into the channel or follow #KhiladiNo1 on social media for regular updates.

“With Khiladi No.1, we are aiming at being the early starters in the festival season. An extensive marketing campaign has been planned to amplify the show and we are sure that our viewers will enjoy the experience of game-based financial advice”, added Basant.

The show will see top bets placed by India’s biggest and most followed technical analysts, in an effort to make trading in equity markets more exciting and ensuring every viewer walks away with maximum profits.

In urban segment the channel continues to hold its second postion

MUMBAI: Sony SAB has grabbed the second position in week 33 of BARC India ratings on pay platform with 614,772 weekly impressions (000). Last week Zee TV was seen at the second position which has moved down to third position. Even Sony Entertainment Television has moved at fourth position from fifth in last week. Colors has moved down to fifth position from fourth in last week.

DD India returned to rank 2 after a hiatus of seven weeks in week 33

 

BENGALURU: Pubcaster Doordarshan’s English news channel DD India has been ranked second or better for 10 weeks across 21 weeks starting week 13 to week 33 of 2019 (Saturday, 10 August 2019 to Friday, 16 August 2019, week or period under review). According to Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly data for top 5 English news channels in terms of viewership ratings, initially DD India was in a dingdong struggle for top slot with the Arnab Goswami-led Republic TV, a slot that the latter managed to wrest. During and post the weeks in which the National Election results were announced, DD India acceded second rank to Times Now and maintained third rank for seven weeks in a row after week 25 of 2019.DD India has returned to rank 2 after a hiatus of seven weeks in week 33 of 2019. 

To allow for viewership to stabilise after the implementation of TRAI’s new tariff order, BARC India had stopped publishing ratings data in the public domain from week 6 of 2019. On the urging from TRAI, the ratings agency recommenced putting up data starting week 13 of 2019, hence that week has been used as a starting point in this report. Subsequently, BARC changed the manner in which it viewed landing pages and outliers – these actions in concert with other factors have been pulling down viewership numbers of the English news genre.

MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the time for receipt of comments on ‘Draft (Second Amendment) to The Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Addressable Systems) Regulations 2017’.

The TRAI had released a draft regulation on 9th August inviting written comments from stakeholders by 22nd August 2019.

On request of some of the stakeholders, the last date for receipt of written comments has been extended up to 29th August 2019. It has also been decided that no request for any further extension of time for submission of comments shall be entertained.

Through this draft regulation (second amendment), TRAI is seeking the comments of the stakeholders on the issue of developing of app by third parties and consequent sharing of information using API between distribution platform operators (DPOs) and consumers to have ease in selection of channels of their choice and reduce TV viewing charges by optimising their subscription while allowing them to view channels of their interest.

TRAI envisions a scalable model in which consumer (through Apps/Portals) can securely communicate with the platforms managed by DPOs. The IT application will facilitate consumers to choose channels/bouquets of their interest among the offerings by their respective DPO. The IT application may suggest an optimum configuration of bouquets based on channels desired by the subscriber to reduce the total monthly bill.