MUMBAI: ZEEL-owned video streaming platform ZEE5 is working on lighter plans which will be rolled out in the next couple of quarters. Currently, the platform has an all-access pack in addition to several South-focussed regional packs.

“So we already have the regional pricing different than the all-you-can-eat à la carte. And we are working on lighter packs as we speak which will be rolled out in the next couple of quarters,” ZEEL MD and CEO Punit Goenka told analysts during Q2 earnings conference call.

Earlier, ZEE5 India CEO Tarun Katial had said that the platform is planning to launch a mobile-only plan in order to broaden its reach and increase the revenue.

MUMBAI: TV broadcasters have suggested that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) should put a cap on the number of platform services (PS) channels offered by direct to home (DTH) operators.

In its submission on the consultation paper ‘Platform services offered by DTH operators’, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has submitted that the cap on the number of PS channels can be 1-2% of the total capacity declared by the DTH Operator.

Further, DTH Operators should ensure that they would retransmit the signals of channels of all the broadcasters on their platform and should not provide bandwidth constraint reasons for TV Channels of broadcasters due to the existence of more PS channels.

MUMBAI: English entertainment channels was feared to face the most challenging time in the NTO phase. ZEEL CMO Prathyusha Agarwal informs that initially there were some flux at ground level between consumers and distributors but increasing awareness of the MRP regime through campaigns has helped the subscription numbers to grow steadily. Campaigns during transition period of NTO has resulted in an increase of subscription number for the Zee english cluster HD channels, with &flixHD growing by over 250 per cent.

Agarawal spoke to Indiantelevision.com on strategies, campaigns, NTO impact, challenges faced by English entertainment channels and upcoming programmes on ZEE Cafe. 

MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd’s (ZEEL) digital arm ZEE5 has built its library on the back of marquee properties and regional content since the time of its entry in the burgeoning over-the-top (OTT) ecosystem. After hitting the audience with a number of popular original shows and direct-to-digital movies, the platform is planning to bring more franchises like Rangbaaz. Moreover, while ZEE5 will continue to invest in buying movies, the platform is also planning to invest more in direct-to-digital movies.

“Among the few things we have learnt, the first is that we want to bring more franchises. We are making follow-up seasons of some of the bigger shows like Rangbaaz and The Final Call,” ZEE5 India CEO Tarun Katial said in an interaction with Indiantelevision.com.

The members of recently formed television news body News Broadcasters Federation will meet today in Mumbai. The body claimed that it will be the biggest meeting of regional and national broadcasters at one platform.

In their first meeting since the announcement, the body will meet to chart out common interests and objectives of NBF. The top executives will chart out the modalities and representation of the body and fix timelines so that NBF rolls ahead with full steam.

Mumbai: Top executives of India’s news Industry, part of News Broadcasters Federation – the largest ever federation of news channels will meet today in Mumbai in what will be the biggest meeting of regional and national broadcasters at one platform.

In their first meeting since the announcement, the top body will meet to chart out common interests and objectives of India’s largest body on news broadcasters – NBF. The top executives will chart out the modalities and representation of the body and fix timelines so that NBF rolls ahead with full steam.

The NBF will represent broadcasters from all languages and parts of the country. It is the first news federation in India that is not centered out of New Delhi. More than 50 news channels have come together to form the News Broadcasters Federation – the largest-ever federation of news channels.

Mumbai: Republic Media Network and EbixCash, India’s largest financial exchange disruptor, announced the world’s first brand-integrated news studio – the EbixCash Studio.

EbixCash is a subsidiary of Ebix, Inc. (NASDAQ:EBIX) that today transacts $18 Billion in Gross merchandise value (GMV) on its platforms, besides being a end-to-end services market leader in the financial exchange industry.

With this unique tie-up, EbixCash has partnered with the largest studio in the country with 6,000 square feet of space – a first in news television industry across the world, wherein a news channel and a brand seamlessly integrate to rebrand a studio.  As a part of this path-breaking strategy, breaking news, interviews, round-the-clock bulletins, and customized news integrations will be delivered from the EbixCash studios, which will enable the brand to penetrate over 100 million homes. EbixCash Studio will mark high visibility across all the platforms of Republic Media Network – Republic TV, Republic Bharat, Republic HD OTT, and Republic World.

MUMBAI: Media conglomerate ZEEL is on course to launch four regional language channels. These include regional movie channels in Kannada, Tamil, and Bhojpuri besides a Punjabi channel.

The company has already acquired a large number of films for the regional movie channels due to which its inventory has increased to Rs 4305.9 crore as on 30th September compared to Rs 3850.5 crore till 30th March 2019.

“We are on track for the launch of new regional channels in line with our annual plans,” ZEEL MD and CEO Punit Goenka told analysts during the Q2 earnings conference call.

On the increase in inventory during the quarter, Goenka explained that these inventories have accumulated as the company has not launched the channels yet.

Just six months after the implementation of the regulatory framework in the television industry, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) sought comments on a new consultation paper. In the consultation paper, TRAI listed issues ranging from bundling, pricing, consumer satisfaction and imbalance in the playing fields among many others. As many as 30 questions were listed for the stakeholders to respond to. The regulator said it received 288 comments and 20 counter comments and to address the matter further it called for an Open House Discussion (OHD), which was held in Delhi on October 18, 2019.

Present at the OHD were Chairman TRAI, RS Sharma, secretary, SK Gupta, member, H Pradeep Rao and advisor, Arvind Kumar from TRAI. “We have made substantial progress in the implementation of the NTO, which would not have been possible without the efforts of the stakeholders. However, there are certain issues that need to be ironed out. So, we thought it would be appropriate to discuss,” said Rao.

MUMBAI: In week 41 of BARC India ratings, Gujarati GECs space witnessed a new entrant VTV News at fifth position. The channel has replaced Sandesh News which was seen at fifth position in week 40. No changes were observed in Kannada, Marathi and Tamil spaces in week 41 of BARC India ratings. 

In the Gujarati space, Colors Gujarati, Colors Gujarati Cinema, ABP Asmita TV9 Gujarati and VTV News were the top five Gujarati channels.