MUMBAI: OTT platforms offering niche content is an emerging trend in the global market. Dedicated content offers brands an opportunity to differentiate themselves in an over-congested market. Currently in India, there’s one such example Veqta, an OTT platform offering sports content. While it is too early to predict such trends in the Indian ecosystem, such a concept definitely offers an opportunity in the market.

Viacom’s entry into a new regional market with channel Colors Tamil has made big news since its launch in February this year. With its sampling phase for content still running, the channel’s performance has a dynamic impact on the regional television landscape. We studied the key viewership metrics for Colors Tamil over a month and found interesting content preferences among “core audiences” - a segment determined by individual exposure to TV content.

Mumbai: News18 Network, India’s largest News Network with 66.9 crore viewers* announced the launch of its mega campaign 18=1. The Network, which once comprised of iconic brands such as CNN-IBN, ETV, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat, recently consolidated all its general news channels under the News18 Brand. This has allowed the Network to develop one, seamless identity across its 16 national and regional channels in 15 languages.

Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India released the ratings for week 23 for South India GECs. Here are some highlights:

Kannada

There is no change in the rankings in Kannada GEC group compared to Week 22. Colors Kannada like the past weeks has retained the first spot with 385482 impressions (000s) followed by ZeeKannada with 289528 impressions (000s). Udaya TV came third with 204116 impressions (000s) followed by Udaya Movies with 190019 impressions, and Star Suvarna with 163923 impressions. 

The world’s favourite international football tournament, FIFA World Cup 2018, has begun. SonyLIV, the Video on demand (VOD) service by Sony Pictures Networks, is the official mobile and internet broadcaster for FIFA. 

This year the OTT platform brings to its viewers a host of innovations that will make watching the game engaging on all screens. Features like key moments, highlights, match playbacks (VOD) and real time updates are available for a seamless viewer experience. The #ScreamLoud campaign by SonyLIV echoes the passion of fans and ardent followers of the game who are so involved that they end up screaming to cheer for their favourite star or country. 

The broadcaster has seen an overall growth of 15 per cent in total viewership of IPL 11 compared to IPL 10 on Sony. The final match saw a growth of 41 per cent.

When Star India won the broadcasting and digital rights for the Indian Premier League in 2017 for a whopping Rs 16,347.50 crore, it meant that the broadcaster had to pay Rs 54.5 crore per match to BCCI. Back then the only question was - how is Star India going make a return on that investment?

If one thinks about the recall of IPL ads, people would easily talk about ads made by Sony Entertainment Television such as - 'Carnival ad', 'Dil Jumping Japang', 'Pista song' etc. where the broadcaster had packaged the league as entertainment as opposed to sports. Whereas when Star India launched its 'Best vs Best' campaign in March this year, it was quite evident that the broadcaster wanted to re-package IPL and wanted people to see it more like a sport than entertainment. But in terms of ad recall for IPL 11, only time will tell if fans will remember the ad made by Star India.

A Nielson report has now confirmed what many believed of the growing ad spends in the digital world. The study has found that digital ad spends have now eclipsed traditional marketing budgets of brands. The report also says increase in digital media budgets are poised to jump considerably over the next 12 months. However, over the top (OTT)services have to go a long way to win over marketer.

MUMBAI: Multi system operator (MSO) Siti Networks has divested entire 51% stake in non-material subsidiary company Siti Bhatia Network Entertainment. The company’s board has approved the decision.

Music and sports, how are these two related? Music Inc., a two day long conference presented by MTV India and curated by Loudest.in and exchange4media, session on ‘Growth Hacking: Music and Sports’ was the right place to get your answer. 

Every four years, those of us who love football – and a few who don’t – get excited about the World Cup,” rightly says Dan Walker, world-renowned English journalist and television presenter as we start chatting. Best known for presenting the BBC television programme Football Focus, Walker will be making the trip to what is his seventh major football tournament. He will be hosting 10 Football Focus Specials direct from the heart of Moscow where BBC World News will have interviews and features on the biggest names out there. Walker chatted exclusively with exchange4media on what’s in store for viewers, the big names that he will be interviewing and more.