Mumbai: DTH Operators are feeling the heat of New Tariff Order as they are unable to satisfy the subscribers with cheap offers. Instead they have been forced to rollback many of the special offers introduced by them with in short span of time.

In recent development, Dish TV has pulled back exemption from lock-in period for a pack chosen by its subscribers. Rival Tata Sky on the other hand discontinued new benefits for subscribers using multiple TV.

Dish TV re-introduced 30-day lock-in period:

Dish TV brought back 30 day lock-in period for its DTH subscribers. Earlier it was eliminated back in April when it was introduced on pay channels and select channels bouquet. Initially it was limited to sports channel only. Now it has been introduced for a la carte channels as well.

The lock-in period means that once you have subscribed to a channel pack, you would have to pay and stick with it for atleast 30 days.

Tata Sky discontinuation of its multi-TV offering:

Tata Sky is discontinuing its multi-TV offering just months after introducing new benefits for subscribers using multiple TV connections by the DTH operator. The new change, which will come into effect from 15th June, will bring separate billing for all the existing connections under the multi-TV model.

Mumbai: Bharti Airtel, which operates DTH platform Airtel Digital, is all set to acquire the promoter’s stake in Dish TV, Business Standard reported, quoting unnamed sources.It has been known for some time that Bharti Airtel has been in talks with the promoters of Dish TV for a buyout.The report has confirmed the development that was under speculation in market during the recent past. The big step from Airtel is seen as a proactive move to gear up for a multi dimensional challenge with Jio’s Giga Fiber that is likely to redefine the TV and content distribution scenario in the country.

The report said that Bharti Airtel is likely to offer Rs 45-50 per share to buy the promoter stake against the current value of Dish TV shares that are trading at Rs 32.60 on the NSC. The share price surged by 4% on the back of the report. The sale process is part of Dish TV promoter’s efforts to raise cash to pay off debts liabilities in their infrastructure businesses.

The bonhomie between Airtel DTH and Dish TV was openly visible in the market through various synergy deals that includes Zee Group TV channels being added to Airtel’s DTH platform in the past few days, including channels that were hitherto exclusive to Dish TV, such as Zee Theater.Moreover, Zee and Airtel recently agreed to make content from Zee5 — the group’s mobile app — available on Airtel’s content apps as well.

There have also been reports on the ground by some DTH distributors that a deal is close at hand.This would be the second big deal involving Dish TV within a space of about a year.A year ago, Dish TV purchased Videocon D2h, becoming the biggest paid DTH platform in the country by number of subscribers.

Mumbai: Singapore based, BIGO technology owned popular short video app, Likee, recorded a staggering 2BN impressions within the first 3 days of the launch of its re-branding campaign. Launched by Muse Dot Media, the campaign was aimed at communicating the brand’s transformation in terms of services and offerings to its users and content creators across the nation. The globally loved short-video creation platform seeks to provide dynamic content in addition to imparting valuable information.

The social video phenomena, Likee collaborated with eminent internet personalities such as Masterchef Shipra Khanna, Shakti Mohan, Zakir Khan, Shenaz Treasury, among others to spread the brand’s message by highlighting their skills. Building a bridge between the millennial and itself, the brand aims to associate with scores of creators to provide a wide variety of content ranging from topical to entertainment, funny to skill-based. Fitting the brief spectacularly, Muse Dot Media has meticulously planned and executed an invigorating campaign that has stirred millions of conversations around the Likee app.

The newly rebranded platform promises to curate a differential video experience with added features and offerings. Garnering support across the various strata of the population, Likee focuses on cultivating a platform that brings a chance to its users to explore their talents.

Exchange4media initiative TechManch 2019 saw marketing, digital and technology mavens speak about the latest digital marketing trends. Many of the esteemed speakers shared insights and case studies on how brands can leverage from these latest digital marketing trends and collect impactful insights through AI and Machine Learning. 

We spoke to some of the speakers and panellist at the event about the key marketing trends that brands should keep in mind to garner better consumer interaction and develop better ROI for their product/service.

From an Indian context, Ramakrishnan Ramamurthi, CEO, Polycab, said the amount of click-throughs in terms of advertising is not just about digital media advertising.

“It is about creating unique one-on-one relationships with consumers. It is about how brands can embed themselves in the digital lives of the consumers. At the same time, brands need to be conscious of a few faults. Are we invading too much privacy of the consumers? Are we really getting after data and numbers without losing the feel and the emotions in terms of our brand? Are we doing enough in terms of respecting our consumers? And the final question that marketers should keep in mind is: Are we being too obtrusive in terms of our interaction at various touch points? The easier we make our brands slip into the consumer's mind and create a good feeling without being too pokey, too intrusive and too disrespectful, the more will be the achievement,” Ramamurthi shared.

On the sidelines of TechManch 2019, exchange4media’s digital and marketing conference, industry experts shared insights on how brands can leverage from digital marketing trends.

Due to the prominence of digital media, many marketers are shifting their ad spends to digital. We at exchange4media spoke to selected speakers about this shift in ad spends and whether or not brands should give more prominence to digital media spends. 

Clyde Nunes Director, Sales, Truecaller, said, “When it comes to digital I think ten years ago digital was at a very nascent stage. It was just a check mark that marketers wanted to cross. Now digital is something you can’t ignore. Like I have always said there is no digital marketing, there is actually marketing done digitally. That is where your audiences are moving. Audiences were first on print than radio and television. Today, everyone has a smartphone in their hands and it is hard to ignore a smartphone consumer today. And if they are consuming content on digital, we have to spend on digital. Brands are soon realizing that.”

Looks like the row over landing page and outlier policy is here to say. What could have been a decision-making meeting, failed to resolve the debate around whether television ratings should include landing page viewership count or not. Even as the BARC India board met on Thursday to discuss the issues, industry insiders in the know of the matter confirm that there was no decision taken about the landing page controversy.

Sources said that there was no concrete discussion on the landing page issue that has been harrowing broadcasters ever since TDSAT's order set aside TRAI's directive on landing pages. Lack of quorum could have been one reason why no vital decisions were taken at the meeting, said an industry insider.

BARC India has been in the limelight ever since the TDSAT order legalised investments in landing page towards the end of May 2019.  The landmark judgment, which came as a breath of fresh air for broadcasters and distributors of television channels, has its own predicaments. Soon after the order was passed, BARC India notified it would include the ratings of channels placed on landing page in its weekly ratings data. Then came the first weekly data after the order was passed. Not many took the rating in their stride as it clearly started a new trend. Following a fresh round of debates and discussions, BARC India went back to the old rating formula where there was rationalisation of numbers. Under the rationalisation formula, any abnormal reach is considered outlier and rationalised and moderated by BARC, assuming it came from landing pages. News channels differed on opinion even as BARC switched back to rationalising outliers.

MUMBAI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has directed the direct to home (DTH) operator Independent TV to pay up to Rs 12 crore in order to get signals reconnected by Antrix Corporation.

The tribunal has asked the DTH operator to pay Rs. 5.83 crore along with a bank guarantee of Rs. 6 crore or furnish a bank guarantee of Rs. 12 crore valid for at least two months for the restoration of transponder service.

“As soon as the petitioner complies with this part and furnishes the bank guarantee or makes the payment, of respondent no. 1 shall reconnect the signals,” the TDSAT said in its order.

The DTH operator’s signals were disconnected by Antrix on 12th June due to non-payment of outstanding dues and its bank guarantees worth Rs 15 crore was encashed by the corporation, which is Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) commercial arm.

Independent TV filed an application before the tribunal to direct Antrix to resume supply of signals. It also sought direction to Antrix to enter into a long-term lease agreement more so since it has now received intimation that it has been granted the required licence by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on certain conditions and the licence is valid till 31st December 2019.

Chennai: Kalaignar TV is on a big time revamp mode and plans to add new shows and fictions to the schedule.

Existing shows that have been spruced up are the re-launched NaalaiyaIyakkunar – 6(the show that provides a platform for the directors of tomorrow), Dindigu lLeoni’sPaechuThiruvizha(a talk show that showcases oratorical talents in our society), Paa. Vijay’sNenjeEzhu(a culture based talk show) and others like Namma Veetu Natchathiram, Red Carpet, Star World,and Super Family.

There are also quite a few launches planned for the coming July. These include fictions like Poovae Sempoovae and Dum Dum Dum. The cast in these shows includes your favourite stars like Vijayalakshmi, Mounika and Shamitha. Non-fictions planned for launch in July include a novel game show Ingae Yenna Solluthu which will be hosted by noted star Jagan in his inimitable signature style and a crime show titled Kannadi.

To go along with this, is the one of the biggest block buster movie libraries that is continuously added to. With the holiday season behind our backs, Kalaignar TV plans to spice up our Sundays to make weekends really looked forward to.

The Management of Kalaignar TV is very upbeat about this revamp and had this to say “We had commissioned a new team to manage this revamp and they are on the right track. We are very confident that the channel will soon turn the corner”, Programming Head, Mr.Anthony Thirunelveli says “… all this is certain to bring back the entertainment quotient that our audience has been longing for quite a while 

Mumbai:  As a part of its ‘Hawa Badlo’ initiative, GAIL (India) Limited launches the much awaited web series “Hawa Badle Hassu”. The one of its kind campaign keeps growing with each leg and this time around the company has embarked upon a unique and ambitious approach of a full season of a web series. The series is heavily hinged on entertainment conspicuously conveying the messages that company stands for- crusade against air pollution and environment conservation.

Hawa Badle Hassu is an Environmental Sci-Fi thriller web series with a total of forty minute run time broken into 4 episodes. Each episode tackles crucial spaces and aspects pertaining to Environment (pollution). The first episode focuses on ‘Home Environment’ and as the story progresses it moves to cover topics like ‘Education and career building options around environment’, ‘Outdoor Environment’ and finally escalates to ‘Global Environment’. Actors from mainstream Hindi cinema have been cast for all key roles with Chandan Roy Sanyal essaying the lead and titular role of “Hassu”. Sanyal is joined by Smita Tambe, Vikram Kochar and Hollywood actor Zachary Coffin in meaty roles.

Speaking on the web series, Mr. R.K Singhal, Executive Director (Marketing-Shipping & Int. LNG& CC) stated, “As GAIL India’s Hawa Badlo campaign keeps growing and we keep getting more ambitious. Right from the outset it has garnered positive response and we have been able to make the right impact. This time around we wanted to see a culmination of what we started three years back. Its 40 minute of engaging content and Hassu keeps you hooked on. Hawa Badle Hassu is path breaking and out of the box thinking at its best. No better medium than entertainment to convey an important message.”

he promoters of direct-to-home (DTH) service provider Dish TV will be exiting the business by selling their stake to Airtel Digital TV, the DTH arm of telecom giant Bharti Airtel. Sources in the know said Bharti Airtel was likely to partner with private equity major Warburg Pincus and pay Rs 45-50 a share to the Goel family, the promoters of Dish TV, who would receive between Rs 4,800 crore and Rs 5,300 crore.

The sources said Airtel wanted to merge Dish TV with itself, which it would do through a share swap after acquiring the promoters' stake, and an open offer for 20 per cent shareholding.

The deal, which could be finalised as soon as the next month, will mark the second major merger in the Indian DTH sector, after Dish TV's acquisition of Videocon d2h in 2016. When contacted about the development, spokespersons for Dish TV and Airtel said they did not comment on market speculation.