MUMBAI: FYI TV18 has famous TV Chef, Nigella Lawson introducing the world to her mentor, the delightful, 91-year-old, Anna Del Conte. The one-hour special reveals why Anna is considered the pioneer of Italian cooking in England. As a young woman, she moved to Great Britain after World War II, and found the country to be a culinary wasteland. Anna missed the flavours of her home in Milan, and set about recreating the magic in her new country. Her popular cookbooks are credited with bringing authentic Italian food to kitchens across Britain, and the world.

Surveys show that Italian food has become a global favourite, and given the immense popularity of pasta, pizza and mozzarella, that’s hardly a surprise. Robust Italian flavours have even found synergy with Indian taste buds, infusing our cultural identity with Italy’s biggest cultural export. India’s No. 1 Lifestyle Channel, FYI TV18 is homing in on the socio-cultural trend by bringing its viewers a great-looking, engaging story, told exceedingly well.

In this one-hour special, Nigella Lawson meets and cooks with the godmother of Italian food, the witty Anna Del Conte. The show is peppered with personal stories, cherished recipes, and insight into Britain’s changing culinary landscape. Along with super-fan Nigella, the narrative is taken forward by an eclectic mix of contributors, and some of the world’s top chefs, like Antonio Carluccio, Hugh Fearnley-Whitingstall, and Angela Hartnett.

Intimate and revealing at the same time, ‘The Cook Who Changed Our Lives’ is more than just a food show. It is a celebration of Italian food and an unsung culinary hero who changed the way we eat. Watch the premiere of ‘The Cook Who Changed Our Lives’ on Tuesday, 8th October, at 9 PM, only on FYI TV18.

MUMBAI: MoneyGram (NASDAQ: MGI), a global provider of innovative money transfer and payment services, today announced that industry veteran Anil Kapur has joined the company as head of Asia Pacific and South Asia.

“We are happy to welcome Anil to the MoneyGram team,” said Grant Lines, Chief Revenue Officer at MoneyGram. “He is well known throughout the industry for his organizational proficiency and ability to establish third-party partnerships that help drive growth. His leadership will be invaluable as we continue to expand our reach in the Asia Pacific and South Asia markets.”

A widely recognized business leader in India, Kapur brings more than 28 years of experience in financial services across retail banking, remittances and digital payment sectors. He comes from Wirecard, a global Internet technology and financial services provider, where he served as the company’s director for India. He played a pivotal role in driving company revenue by diversifying the business and its product lines.

“It is an honour to join MoneyGram, an organization which is globally recognized and highly trusted with such a strong product portfolio. I accept the challenge to lead the company’s Asia Pacific and South Asia business and implement a strategy that will enable us to grow strongly. It is my personal endeavour to make a positive, meaningful impact that matters to every stakeholder.”

Prior to Wirecard, Kapur worked for Western Union as managing director for India, South Asia and South-East Asia where he was instrumental in setting up business throughout the region. Under his leadership, he built a significant and robust network of agent locations spread across the geography of India, which became the largest distribution portfolio for Western Union globally.

Kapur’s talents have also been sought after as the founder of InTandem Advisors, a remittance consulting and advisory firm where he provided consultancy services for fintech players, payments banks and global organizations. He brings this vast experience to MoneyGram and will provide valuable insight as a member of the regional leadership team. 

MUMBAI: ‘Kahab to lagijaaye dhak se, dhak se’(You will be offended if I tell you the truth), this folk song that sets the base of Anubhav Sinha’s critically acclaimed Article 15 perfectly describes the jarring contrast between the higher caste and the lower caste. The movie's narrative pulls the right strings, as it compels the viewer to think about the stigma associated with caste discrimination and the concomitant biases. One of its kind, this critically and commercially acclaimed movie marks the first inning for actor Ayushmann Khurranaas he steps out of his comfort zone to essay the role of an IPS officer.  Along with him, the film stars Isha Talwar, Sayani Gupta, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub,Kumud Mishra and Manoj Pahwa in pivotal roles. Article 15 relies heavily on reality and takes instances from the Badaun gangrape and murder case of 2014 and the Una floggings of 2016. &pictures - Naye India Ka Blockbuster Movie Channel, is all set to air the World Television Premiere of Article 15 onSaturday, 19th October at 8pm. 

Ahead of the World Television Premiere of Article 15, &pictures kickstarted a movement called #BurnTheBhedBhaav, focussing on the Article 15 of the Indian Constitution that prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.In our day to day lives, all of us come across instances where discrimination takes place in which either we are the ones initiating it or we may be unknowingly a part of it. Like, we have separate utensils for our house helps. A landlord thinks twice about the cultural/religious background of a person before renting them the house. Why give old clothes to a servant’s son rather than buying them new ones. Do we ever let our kids play or study with the caretakers’ kids? Ever wondered why?

Attempting to make a difference, this campaign urges Indians to imbibe the spirit of our constitution and stand against discrimination in all aspects. As a part of the campaign, &pictures has curated short films that showcases instances of discriminationand how we can #BurnTheBhedBhaav through inclusiveness. These videos break the myth of discrimination is a rural phenomenon rather it is also quite evident in metro cities. As an extension of the activity, &pictures created awareness through communication in trade offices that highlighted ‘Article 15’ from the Indian constitution. Through this &pictures wants to put forward the point that while reading the constitution is one thing but one should also imbibe the essence of the constitution. With this we aim to urge to people to take a pledge for themselves that will help to bring about a change in today’s society. 

Ruchir Tiwari, Business Head, Zee Hindi Movies Cluster said, “The Constitution of India has a special provision to safeguard the interest of its citizens in the form of Article 15. Fabulously capturing the essence of this article, director Anubhav Sinha has provoked the audience to look deeper into caste discrimination with Article 15.&pictures - Naye India Ka Blockbuster Movie Channel has always believed in showcasing progressive content that creates a spark of conversations among the viewers. Similarly, with the World Television premiere of Article 15, we want the citizens to ponder over this fact and take a conscious decision this Diwali to burn the sentiment of ‘BhedBhaav’ that we all carry in our subconscious minds.” 

Prathyusha Agarwal, CMO, ZEEL said, “At some point in our lives we all have been victims of discrimination, which may have happened unintentionally or intentionally. To spark sensitivity and change, this Diwali, we at &pictures have devised a campaign #BurnTheBhedBhaav to eliminate the problem of casual discrimination that still exists in our nation. To deliver the hard-hitting truth about this social stigma, we have created persuasive thumb stopper videos that will make one question one’s own conscience. We have also tied up with our trade partners for brand activations that highlight the true essence of ‘Article 15’ and encourage them to participate.With this special initiative, &pictureswants to gift the nation a discrimination-free Diwali.” 

Director Anubhav Sinha said,"When I was a kid, I realized that people were judged by their surname. I felt it wasn't fair and hence I have used the movie to elucidate a problem and get people to address it. According to me, Article 15 is one article of the Indian Constitution in particular, which is long forgotten, and I wanted everyone to find out about it and talk about it. That’s why I kept the shot lingering on what Article 15 says in the film, just before the interval. The initiative that &pictures has undertaken to do away with discrimination is extremely crucial and the need of the hour. I hope it causes a ripple effect."  

Ayushmann Khurrana who plays a police officer in the movie said, "Article 15 is a very relevant and important story in today's day and age. Discrimination is a part of society, especially caste-based discrimination. It is not a topic that is spoken about openly and this is the first time a film has boldly spoken about the sensitive social issue of discrimination in mainstream Indian cinema. With it now set to premiere on television for the very first time on &pictures, I hope that films important message reaches as many people as possible across our country." 

Set against the backdrop of Laalgaon, the plot of Article 15 is based on the socio-political situation of India and follows the lives of police officers. An honest cop, Ayan Ranjan (Ayushmann Khurrana) is transferred to a remote village in Uttar Pradesh. He takes the onus of investigating a case where two young girls were raped and murdered and hung from a tree. As the story progresses, he stumbles upon many facts and is made aware of the many atrocities that the lower caste face in our country. The rest of the film shows how Ranjan solves the case while trying to understand the ingrained caste system in the village.
 

MUMBAI: If you suffer from Monday or any other day blues, fret not, COLORS INFINITYhas discovered a cure to Lunaediesophobia (The phobia or extreme dislike of Mondays). For viewers that experience the blues, COLORS INFINITYwill transform insufferable Mondays(as well as all other weekdays) into exciting, entertaining and enjoyabledayswith a spectacular line-up of Instant Premieresthat viewers will undoubtedly look forward to. 

Starting October 7, COLORS INFINITYinfuses a fresh line-up of shows that will spruce up your primetime viewing, with a variety of options from crime-fighting superheroes to witches, vampires & werewolves; from heart-stopping medicos to serial hackers, serial killers& also serial teenagers. 

“Our commitment towards making television viewing a thoroughly enjoyable experience for viewers is evidenced by our exceptional programming. Day in, day out we’re showcasing an assortment of the latest and the best content from around the world to viewers in India. Airing within hours of their international telecast, shows from our Instant Premieres line-up are amongst the must-watch and most-recommended lists. We’re also adding a dash of reality with The Bachelor as well as a critically-acclaimed sitcom Younger. COLORS INFINITYguarantees viewers’ weekdays will be just as exhilarating or more than their leisured weekends.” said, Hashim D’Souza – Head of Programming, English Entertainment, Viacom18.

Block your calendar from Monday to Friday forthis unmatched line-up of shows;
Mondays
10pm – Batwoman – Season 1 premiering on October 7
Three years after billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne and his vigilante alter-ego Batman disappears, his cousin Kate Kane sets out to overcome her demons and become a symbol of hope by protecting the streets of Gotham City, as Batwoman!

11pm – Mr. Robot – Season 4 premiering on October 7
The highly-anticipated fourth season of "Mr. Robot" brings the critically-acclaimed, Golden Globe®-winning drama series to a thrilling conclusion. Emmy® winner Rami Malek reprises his star-making role as Elliot Alderson, a cyber-security engineer recruited by the mysterious Mr. Robot (Golden Globe® winner Christian Slater) to join fsociety, an underground hacker group bent on sparking a global revolution. The final season picks up after the undoing of fsociety's infamous Five/Nine hack, which targeted the multinational conglomerate E Corp in a bid to erase the world's debt. Now that the economy has rebounded, Elliot and Mr. Robot unite to take down the top 1% of the top 1% and save the world from the powerful group of people controlling our lives from the shadows.

Tuesdays
10pm – Black Lightning – Season 3 premiering on October 8
Jefferson Pierce is a man with many faces.  A former Olympic athlete, respected educator and a father of two, he’s also Black Lightning, superpowered protector of Freeland with the ability to sense and harness electricity.In the season three premiere, Agent Odelltightens his grip on the Pierce family, leaving Freeland without Black Lightning and Thunder.

11pm – The Good Doctor – Season 3 premiering on October 8
Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, relocates from a quiet country life to join a prestigious hospital's surgical unit. Alone in the world and unable to personally connect with those around him, Shaun uses his extraordinary medical gifts to save lives and challenge the skepticism of his colleagues.

Wednesdays
10pm – The Flash – Season 6 premiering on October 9
After being struck by lightning, CSI investigator Barry Allen awakens to discover he has been granted thegift of super speed. Teaming up with S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry takes on the persona of The Flash, theFastest Man Alive, to protect his city.In the season six premiere, Barry (GRANT GUSTIN) and Iris (CANDICE PATTON) deal with the heartbreaking loss of their daughter, while the team faces their greatest threat yet.

11pm – Arrow – Season 8 premiering on October 16
Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for years before being discovered alive on a remoteisland. He returned home to Star City, bent on righting the wrongs of his family and fighting injustice. Asthe Green Arrow, he protects his city with the help of a team of vigilantes.

Thursdays
10pm – Riverdale – Season 4 premiering on October 10
Things aren't always what you expect in RIVERDALE. Based on the characters from Archie Comicsthis drama is a bold, subversive take on the surreality of small-town life. As the residence of Riverdale prepare for its upcoming Independence Day parade, Archie (KJ Apa) receives a phone call that will change the rest of his life forever.

11pm – New Amsterdam – Season 2 premiering on October 10
"New Amsterdam" returns for an exhilarating second season full of gripping, emotional and inspiring medical stories. Dr. Max Goodwin and his heroic team of doctors and nurses continue their mission to provide outstanding care for their patients while healing the ailing medical system from within. Last season’s heart-wrenching finale left multiple lives hanging in the balance after an ambulance crash involving Max, his wife Georgia, their newborn daughter Luna, Dr. Lauren Bloom and Dr. Helen Sharpe. Find out who did not survive and how this tragedy will affect the personal and professional lives of New Amsterdam’s dedicated medical professionals going forward.
Fridays
10pm – Legacies – Season 2 premiering on October 11
The show follows Hope Mikaelson, the "tribrid" daughter of Klaus Mikaelson and Hayley Marshall, who has descended from some of the most powerful vampire, werewolf, and witch bloodlines. Two years after the events of ‘The Originals’, 17-year-old Hope attends the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. The school provides a haven where beings such as vampires, witches, and werewolves can learn to control their supernatural abilities and impulses.Hope is determined to go back to Mystic Falls, Alaric looks into the night Malivore was destroyed, and Landon keeps an eye on Rafael while MG goes to Atlanta.

11pm – Prodigal Son – Season 1 premiering on October 11
Malcolm Bright, whose father Dr. Martin Whitly, is the infamous serial killer known as "The Surgeon”. Now a profiler working with the New York City Police Department, Malcolm is forced to confront his father after a copycat serial killer uses his methods of killing.

Monday to Friday

8pm – Younger – Season 1 – 6 premiering on October 7 
Based on the book by the same name, Younger follows a 40-year old divorced mother, who after being mistaken for being younger than she really is, decides to take the chance to reboot her career and her love life as a 26-year old!

9pm – The Bachelor – Season 23 premiering on October 7
Season 23 features 26-year-old Colton Underwood, a former professional football player and charity founder from Washington, Illinois, looking for his prospective wife from a pool of romantic interests. 
 

MUMBAI: hoichoi, a leading Bengali entertainment platform with over 2,000+ hours of content, is now available on PatchWall on Mi TV, India’s number 1 Smart TV brand by Xiaomi. 

This partnership was announced earlier this month along with four Mi TV 4X series ahead of hoichoi’s 2-year completion in the industry. Since then, Hoichoi has been rolled out to all Patchwall users across India. All Mi TV customers across India can access their favourite content on hoichoi which offers a variety of Movies, Classics, recently released Films (as World Digital Premieres), Original Series, Music Videos and much more. hoichoi will be providing Bengali content to over 2 million customer-base of Mi TV being the sole Bengali (regional) platform on PatchWall currently. 

The new Mi TV 4X (65) is the flagbearer of the new Mi TV 4X series, with a large 163.9cm HDR LED display with Xiaomi’s in-house VPE (Vivid Picture Engine), and more. The Mi TV 4X series has been announced with an aim to bring 4K for everyone; it comprises of its flagship Mi TV 4X (65) along with Mi TV 4X (50), Mi TV 4X (43). The series is also the first in the world to come with Google’s Data Saver Mode.  The new generation of Mi TVs are powered by a new and refined version of PatchWall based on Android 9 Pie, designed specifically for the Indian market while retaining support for Google Assistant thus enabling universal voice search, PatchWall now provides a large selection of latest content: 700,000+ hours of digital content across 18 different content partners. 

As hoichoi completes two years of Business Operations, one of the focus points for the 3rd year is ensuring seamless availability of hoichoi content on multiple devices, especially on TV screens. hoichoi is already available on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, and Roku App. Mi TV is a recent addition to their repertoire.

Commenting on the partnership, Vishnu Mohta, Co-Founder of hoichoi, said: “PatchWall allows seamless integration of hoichoi on all Mi TVs where users can choose the interface (English or Bengali) to watch their preferred content. As hoichoi is an audience-first platform and we believe in delivering not only the content of their choice but also the devices they prefer, Mi TV comes as a wonderful addition to our library of devices which will keep growing according to the needs of our consumers.” 

Eshwar Nilakantan, Category Lead – MiTV, Xiaomi India said, “With our content first philosophy, we hope to bring each Mi TV user a unique experience with a personalised interface. All this and much more is possible with PatchWall inbuilt into each Mi TV. hoichoi has been synonymous with ground-breaking regional content for the digital medium in the East and we are extremely proud to have brought them on-board with their high-quality immersive content offerings for all our Mi Fans. We hope to build great properties together. Mi TV offers over 700,000 hours of content and hoichoi is a very important partner who share similar brand philosophies as Xiaomi in terms of disrupting respective industries.” 

MUMBAI: SMAAASH Entertainment has recently promoted Mr. Udit Batra and Mr. Jaydeep Ray.  Udit Batra will now be heading PAN India F&B operations along with NCR & Bengaluru cluster head duties.  He has been associated with SMAAASH since 2015 and has served as General Manager Operations & Cluster Head of Delhi/NCR. During his tenure with the brand he has proven his skills in managing teams to work in sync within the corporate set parameters. In past he has also worked with hospitality brands like The Deltin Daman, The Park and The Taj Krishna.

On the other hand Jaydeep Ray will be Head of Brand & Marketing- India ( General Manager Marketing). Earlier he played his role as the Marketing Head for the North India centers of SMAAASH & Business Head for Online Sales and has been loyal with the brand from the very long time. In his past stints he has worked in entertainment & leisure activities organisations like Kingdom of Dreams & Appughar Amusement parks as Marketing & Brand Manager.

On the recent new appointments and promotions given Mr. Kaizaad Bajina, COO, SMAAASH said “ My heartiest congratulations to both of them and I believe that they will do complete justice in their new roles as well. I look forward to boosting our brands reach with a focus on new innovative way to do business, operational excellence, strategic development and team building”.

MUMBAI: MTV is the universe of the young. Being India’s  number one youth entertainment brand, it gets a lot of love, but with great love, comes some hate too, especially in the form of online trolls. 

Here’s a look at some of the trolls and hate comments on MTV’s social media-

Staying true to its idea of being quirky, bold and edgy, MTV tackled the trolls in its own way-

With a mammoth community of 25MN+ across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, one of the highest for any brand in India, all kinds of trolling are common to MTV and its talent.MTV decided to turn this online Trash Talk into something meaningful. For each trashy comment on social media, MTV cleaned 1 kg of plastic off the streets for every trashy comment posted on its social handles. 

While most symbols of evil can be destroyed, the one like single-use plastic stays forever. It lives on, adding to the waste that is choking our planet. So, with Dussehra around the corner, the brand decided to collect all the Trash Talk it receives on social media and clean the digital filth with a physical manifestation of it on the day that marks the victory of good over evil.

Navin Shenoy, Marketing Head, Youth, Music, and English Entertainment, Viacom18, says"Today's youth is extremely invested and passionate about causes like the environmental hazards of plastic and climate change. As a creative powerhouse with a finger on the pulse of youth, we are always creating and curating campaigns to catalyze their minds and bring about positive impact. Since MTV is known for having a fun take on everything and being a brand that battles trolls on an everyday basis, we thought why not this Dusshera, let good win over the two biggest evils plaguing today’s society- trash online and trash offline! This was the genesis of #MTVTrashTalk, a campaign for the eco-conscious, digitally savvy generation.”

MTV kickstarted the campaignon 25th Septemberwith a collection drive of all the hateful comments on social media.For every negative comment that was received, the brand, in partnership with an NGO calledWaste Warriors, cleaned 1Kg of actual plastic waste from the streets of Mumbai.As part of this initiative, MTV managed to clean various locations including Mahim Causeway, Bandra East station, Oshiwara, Bandra reclamation and Carter Road amongst others.

Riding on its strong social media fandom, MTV Trash Talk received strong support from MTV talents like Neha Dhupia, Rannvijay Singh, Karan Kundra, Varun Sood, Dr.Sanket Bhosale, Jonita Gandhi, Akasa, VJ Gaelyn, rappers like KaamBhari, Brodha V, SlowCheetah, popular influencer Miss Malini and Bollywood biggies like Farhan Akhtar and Priyanka Chopra, who also poured in their support for #MTVTrashTalk.

Priyanka Chopra: 
https://www.facebook.com/89743390101/posts/10157357317730102?sfns=mo

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3CbLglhplz/?igshid=11cc5j6itpba0

Other Celebs supporting MTV Trash Talk:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3MyBZ3F83G/?igshid=1lto2tc3c4fv8

https://www.facebook.com/89743390101/posts/10157367633195102?sfns=mo

For this initiative, MTV partnered with renowned artist and sculptor ArzaanKhambatta, to design a model of the modern day RAVANA, named TrashAsura, a 10-ft tall structure symbolizing plastic as the evil in the face of humanity. The installation, made entirely of plastic waste, is a physical and a creative manifestation of the filth received in the form of social media trolls. TrashAsura, made from the 1000kg ofwaste that was collected, will later by upcycled into utilities after the installation will be dismantled on the 9thof October.

Talking about this thought, ArzaanKhambatta says, “There is no greater threat to mankind today than an environment plagued with plastic pollution. Enough damage has already occurred and its about time we action change. This giant like installation is a topical manifestation of the menace we have led to and the impending danger that awaits us. I am happy to partner with MTV for this thought-provoking initiative and sincerely hope this instills a change in mindsets.”

The TrashAsura installation is a reminder of what trash- online as well as physical can manifest into if ignored. The 10-feet installation was inaugurated by popular Bollywood actors Neha Dhupia, Dino Morea, Nikhil Chinapa, along with Navin Shenoy, Marketing Head, Youth, Music, and English Entertainment, Viacom18, on 7th October 2019, a day before the festival of Dussehra. 

Smt. Poonam Mahajan, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, said, “MTV’s campaign Trash Talk evocatively addresses two important issues, cyber bullying and plastic pollution. Plastic pollution can be tackled with innovation and policy changes. The Hon’ble Prime Minister and government are taking steps to change policies. The nation needs young people to propel innovation. This is a very cool campaign by MTV and I encourage all our young eco-warriors to come be a part of it. Saving Mother Earth can be great fun as well.”

Neha Dhupia said, “As India’s most loved youth brand, #MTVTrashTalk is an honest and a thought-provoking effort at adding a twist to the virtual bane of trolling and deliver positive actions out of it. And in the wake of natural threats like the recent conversations around Aarey forest deforestation closer home, and climate change, something we are all experiencing with non-seasonal showers, the TrashAsura is a wake-up call to pull us out of our slumber.” 

“I can say for most of us that we have been a victim of both evils- online trash and the trash we encounter every day when we step out of our homes. TrashAsura by MTV is a great step towards dealing with both the evils, and a small step towards raising awareness about plastic pollution”,added Nikhil Chinapa.

Dino Morea who joined the MTV Team said, “MTV Trash Talk is definitely an innovative campaign. The idea of turning social media trolls into something as unique and artistic out of plastic waste and installing a modern-day Ravana is commendable. I am happy to join hands with the brand for such a great cause and hoping to spread a positive word through this initiative.”

The TrashAsura installation will be dismantled on 9th October 2019 and sent to Aarohana, the partner NGOthat will upcycle the plastic waste into reusable products. Upcycling will involve cleaning the plastic, weaving it into a cloth & making usable products out of it such as duffle bags, cutlery kits, pen stands, etc. So, this how MTV, India’s no. 1 youth brand planned to thrash the trash peacefully and get social media trolls to indirectly curb plastic pollution. Now that’s what’s called a slow burn!
 

MUMBAI: The Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) Season 6 is set to begin on October 20, 2019.  Opening the proceedings will be the clash of two traditional footballing powerhouses with two-time finalists Kerala Blasters FC playing host to two-time champions ATK. Keeping football fans at the heart of the campaign, Star Sports, the broadcaster for the league, has launched an emotional campaign celebrating the love that true football fans have towards the sport. This love is unconditional as a fan is seen supporting his favourite club through their ups and downs.

The campaign captures the raw emotions and passion of the fans for football that ranges from unbridled happiness to pure heartache and everything in between. Their utmost belief in their favourite clubs and the love for their heroes is what makes the sport so special.

Five years ago, the Hero ISL started with a dream to grow the sport of football in India. This dream quickly turned into a movement that saw the nation unite in singing the anthem “Lets Football” in 2014. This movement has come a long way and die-hard fans of Hero ISL will get the opportunity to witness home-grown talent learn and battle with established international stars to carve out a name for themselves.

Truly a season of #TrueLove, fans will be enthralled and can catch all the 90 league matches on the Star Sports Network in a seven-languages across 6 sports channels, Hotstar and Jio TV.

YouTube: Hero ISL 2019/20: Yeh hai True Love!

Twitter: One game, a million emotions - Yeh Hai #TrueLove!

Facebook: One game, a million emotions - Yeh Hai #TrueLove!

MUMBAI: Infotainment genre has become the top gainer in week 40 of Chrome Data Analytics and Media data. The genre grew by 0.48 per cent. In this genre, History TV18 channel gained the highest OTS with 85.2 per cent in all India 1lakh market.

OTS is the actual census-based percentage connectivity of a channel spread across 81 million homes, as reported by Chrome DM, across analogue cable, digital cable, and DTH.

This week, religious gained second position and grew by 0.33 per cent in HSM excluding <1 lakh market. In this genre, Aastha channal gained the highest OTS with 98 per cent. Hindi news genre stood in the third position by gaining 0.28 per cent in HSM excluding <1 lakh market. DD News secured the highest OTS with 99.2 per cent.

Music stood in fourth position in HSM excluding <1 lakh market and grew by 0.08 per cent. 9XM channel gained the highest OTS with 97.4 per cent. English genre stood on the fifth position and grew by 0.06 per cent in 6 metros market. In this genre, Republic TV gained the highest OTS with 99.4 per cent.

MUMBAI: With an explosion in the smartphone market and rise in the number of OTT channels operating in India, telco-OTT partnerships are well-strategised and the most beneficial for content platforms to gain eyeballs and drive monetisation asserted a panel speaking on the topic of “Captive Audiences of the Telecom Trace” at the recently concluded Business and Tech Track of Indiantelevision.com Vidnet 2019 summit.

Sitting on the panel, moderated by Elara Capital VP – research analyst (Media) Karan Taurani, were ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand, IndiaCast Media Distribution group CEO Anuj Gandhi, Apalya Technologies founder & CEO Vamshi Reddy, Lionsgate South Asia MD Rohit Jain, Shemaroo Entertainment COO digital Zubin Dubash, and Hungama Digital COO Siddhartha Roy.

Roy mentioned that as aggregators, telecom companies are greatly positioned as single payment option for most of the OTT channels and Zubin Dubash vouched for the ability of telco partners to get greater traction on content sites and drive up numbers.

Taking the example of Ditto TV, the VOD service from ZEE, Archana Anand shared that partnerships with telecom companies have always been fruitful for the ZEE network’s OTT offerings, for both consumer acquisition and marketing.

She said, “I think, back then, we were the first ones to go across and do partnerships with the telcos and we created quite a stir in the market because of the lovely sachet pricing we were offering. The telecom partners ensured that they are paying on behalf of the consumers and it gave us brilliant traction. I believe, we managed to get the highest subscriber base in those days.”

Anand added that there can’t be a better distribution network than telcos as it also translates into a ‘fantastic payment mechanism’. “With all the hesitancy around credit card payment, etc., the direct carrier billing is something that the consumer can be confident about and adapt easily.”

Vamshi Reddy seconded her thoughts as he quipped that telcos can become the easiest ways for the industry to build a monetisation model around the whole content consumption. He noted that with fragmentation happening in the OTT space, the telecom partners can provide a universal experience to users in a seamless manner.

Gandhi, however, highlighted that in the long run, the issue of ownership of the consumer can arise. “This challenge will take some time to settle, but from a pure bundling perspective, the discoverability on TV is extremely easy, and that is something that the OTT platforms are struggling with. Telcos can help in solving that.”

To this, Anand noted that today there is a great symbiotic relationship between the OTT platforms and the telcos as the former wants to own the content and the latter, the consumer. But the platforms need to be mindful of the fact that it gets constant data from its partners and also keeps on communicating with the consumers through in-app notifications to ensure scalability of the partnerships in the long run.

Jain added another dimension to the conversation as he noted that while telecoms are great in helping the OTT content reach the smaller screen, there is a wide array of opportunities lying in the big-screen space, which the OEMs can latch on to.

He said, “In some ways, this is life coming to a full circle as all of these (telcos, OEMs, etc.) are actually (equivalent to) DTH and cable companies. All we need now is an ecosystem to emerge and thrive and whoever does a good job of aggregating content will eventually become the winner.”

New Delhi, October 8, 2019: The SWAG LEVEL of fashionistas across the country is all set to rise as beverage brand PEPSI® readies for its runway debut.

The iconic brand will mark its foray into the world of fashion through a collaboration with homegrown Ready To Wear (RTW) label HUEMN. The collection, which will be launched at FDCI’s upcoming LOTUS INDIA FASHION WEEK celebrates the SWAG of the new generation.

The PEPSI® x HUEMN fashion collection builds on the beverage brand’s philosophy that INTERESTING IS THE NEW COOL. Each piece, created by designer duo Pranav Misra and Shyma Shetty, will reimagine and personify the brand’s philosophy of SWAG. It comprises of statement ath-leisure in classic HUEMN style incorporating the soul of Pepsi®.

The iconic PEPSI-COLA® logo will find its way across the collection’s distinctive, vibrant pieces evoking a sense of nostalgia, while at the same time being rooted in popular culture. All denim fabric used in the collection is made using recycled plastic, in line with PepsiCo’s ‘Winning with Purpose’ vision which aims to build a world where plastics never become waste.

Speaking about the collection, Tarun Bhagat, Director-Marketing, Hydration and Cola, PepsiCo India, “PEPSI® is a brand which has always resonated with the voice of today’s generation. This new generation is armed with SWAG or an inherent confidence in their own abilities. They are not afraid to express themselves and are constantly on the lookout for ‘Interesting’ new ways of self-expression. Fashion has always been an important way of self-expression for Indian youth and our foray into the world of fashion is a step to celebrate this self-expression.

The Pepsi® x HUEMN COLLECTION reflects the cool attitude and SWAG of the youth. We are very excited to launch the collection at the upcoming India Fashion Week and are confident that it will find its way into the hearts and closets of India’s youth very soon.”

HUEMN’s co-founder Shyma Shetty said, “We are thrilled to be playing with the iconography of a legacy brand such as Pepsi®. The collection is an amalgamation of the ethos of both brands and an effort to bring both our audiences together, with an inclusive and fresh product line driven by both- popular culture and cutting edge fashion,”

HUEMN’s co-founder Pranav Misra said, ““The collection has a strong youthful appeal to a conscious customer as all denims in the line are made from recycled ocean plastics. There are handcrafted details and fun handcut applique but also lots of basics for every palate.”

He describes the collection as progressive and relevant and a line that will pave the way for more artistic collaborations between powerhouses to drive a fresh new aesthetic.

FDCI Chairman Sunil Sethi said, “Pepsi as a brand has always had a focus on pop culture and this reflects in their new campaign ‘Har Ghoont Mein Swag’. It finds harmony with HUEMN, which as a brand boosts self-confidence using diversity in fashion as a vehicle of communication. This proverbial swag is evident in both Pepsi and HUEMN, as they embark on creating a line which embodies the spirit of living life to the fullest, the omnipresent mantra for GenZ,”

The collection is an extension of part of Pepsi’s 2019 ‘Har Ghoont Mein Swag’ campaign and will be unveiled at the Pepsi® x HUEMN runway show at FDCI’s Lotus India Fashion Week on 9th October.

Pepsi®’s ‘Har Ghoont Mein Swag’ campaign was launched earlier this summer and aims to celebrate the confidence and self-belief of the Indian youth. The campaign is all about living in the moment, seizing new, interesting opportunities and doing it all with SWAG. It is based on the idea that when the self-belief of India’s youth leads to self-confident action, every drop rises to the occasion, creating an ocean of youthful SWAG.

MUMBAI: There’s a saying that goes, "You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream and that is pretty much the same thing.” Meghna (Mona Singh), lived by this thought since childhood. Ice creams weren’t just her favourite dessert but rather a way of life until it all changed one fine day. How? On 10th October - World Mental Health Day, the entire world talks about raising awareness and mobilising efforts in support of mental health. And, keeping this as the key driver, Mona Singh’s character Meghna beautifully captures the issue and creates awareness through a short film titled ‘Lutf’, a unique tale all set to premiere on SonyLIV.

Directed and written by Pratish R Nair, Lutf stars a powerful ensemble of actors like Mona Singh, Vinay Pathak, Luke Kenny, Usha Nadkarni and Sucharita Tyagi in prominent roles. Keeping ice cream as a metaphor, this 30-minute short film celebrates life in all its nuances and oddities. The film revolves around Meghna Joshi (Mona Singh), a woman and a fear that shadows her life. As she struggles to balance it out with her husband Ravi Joshi and her family, her therapist Dr Vipul Agarwal (Vinay Pathak) enters and adds another twist. Is it a happy ending? To know more watch the short film streaming on SonyLIV on 10 October 2019 to find out.

SonyLIV head content, partnership and new initiatives Amogh Dusad said, “At SonyLIV, our aim is to always push the envelope and bring unique and unheard stories for our viewers, ‘LUTF’ is one such story. The short film addresses the nuances of mental health and we are happy to showcase a story which captures life’s hardships with ease. The movie also gives out a message to viewers on the content they can expect on SonyLIV. We hope the audience enjoys ‘LUTF’ like all the other content on our platform.”

Actor Mona Singh said, “‘LUTF’ conveys a very simple truth about life that intrigued me enough to come on board for this film. There is a lot more scope of experimenting with content nowadays and I am happy to be a part of it. As a person, I do believe in living life to the fullest despite what comes my way, so I could connect to the character of Meghna better.”

Actor Vinay Pathak said, “It’s always refreshing for an actor to try out new roles and ‘LUTF’ gave me one such opportunity. Within the limitations of time, the film gives out a very subtle message on life and its situations. I hope the audience has as much fun in watching it as we had while filming it.”

Actor Luke Kenny said, “As an actor, I have always wanted to explore different roles that can inspire the audience in some way. I am glad our message will reach out to a larger audience through the platform on World Mental Health Day.”

BENGALURU: Pakistan Premier Imran Khan’s shenanigan’s at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) did not seem to have much effect on the viewership of Hindi news channels in week 39 of 2019 as combined weekly impressions of the BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Hindi news channels grew by just 7 percent as compared to the previous week. Hindi news viewership in Hindi speaking markets – both urban -HSM (U) and rural (HSM (R), as well as the combined markets -HSM (U+R) seemed immune to Islamophobia and Islamic Terror that many global leaders spouted during their respective UNGA speeches as BARC data for the top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (U+R) increased to 545.803 million weekly impressions in week 39 of 2019 from 511.897 million weekly impressions in week 38. Viewership growth in week 39 of 2019 was driven by HSM (U), while Aaj Tak and Zee News were the biggest gainers in both HSM (U) and HSM (R), as well as HSM (U+R)

Comparatively, viewership of the top 5 English News channels increased by as much as 41 percent during the week under review as compared to the previous week. 

Hindi news viewership in HSM (U+R)

While the channels listed among the top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (U+R) were the same, there was a small shufflingof ranks in week 39 of 2019 (Saturday, 21 September 2019 to Friday, 27 September 2019, week or period under consideration). Aaj Tak retained its numero uno rank that it has held on to almost forever with 17 percent increase in viewership in week 39 of 2019 at 127.463 million weekly impressions as compared to 114.016 million weekly impressions in week 38.

Zee News climbed up a place to second rank with an increase of 11 percent in week 39 of 2019 to 112.261 million weekly impressions as compared to third rank and 100.993 million weekly impressions in the previous week. India TV dropped a place to third rank despite an increase of 3 percent viewership to 104.248 million weekly impressions in week 39 of 2019 as compared to second rank and 101.656 million weekly impressions in week 38. News18 India retained fourth rank in the week under review with an increase of 3 percent in ratings to 103.011 million weekly impressions as compared to 99.971 million weekly impressions in week 38. ABP News also retained fifth rank in week 39 of 2019 with an increase of 4 percent in viewership to 98.820 million weekly impressions as compared to 95.261 million weekly impressions in week 38.

Please refer to the figure below:

Hindi news Viewership in HSM (U)

Viewership of the top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (U) increased 8 percent to 319.149 million weekly impressions in week 39 of 2019 from 294.229 million weekly impressions in week 38. Please refer to the figure below.

Aaj Tak saw its ratings increase by 13 percent in week 39 to 74.127 million weekly impressions in HSM (U) from 65.773 million weekly impressions in week 38. Zee News climbed up a rank to second place in week 39 of 2019 with an increase of 13 percent in viewership to 66.739 million weekly impressions from third place and 58.824 million weekly impressions in week 38. News18 India dropped a place to third rank – its ratings increased 3 percent in week 39 of 2019 to 63.055 million weekly impressions from second rank and 61.067 million weekly impressions in week 38. India TV retained rank four in week 39 of 2019 with an increase of 5 percent in viewership to 61.169 million weekly impressions from 58.101 million weekly impressions in the previous week. ABP News also retained fifth rank with a 7 percent increase in viewership in week 39 of 2019 to 54.059 million weekly impressions from 50.464 million weekly impressions in the previous week.

Hindi news viewership in HSM (R)

While the channels in BARC’s list of top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (R) were same in week 39 of 2019 and week 38, there was a small tweaking in ranks. Further, two of the five channels saw viewership decline, while three saw viewership growth. Combined ratings of top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (R) in week 39 of 2019 increased just 4 percent to 229.035 million weekly impressions from 219.734 million weekly impressions in week 38.

In the case of HSM (R) also, Aaj Tak retained rank one with 11 percent increase in ratings to 53.336 million weekly impressions from 48.244 million weekly impressions in week 38. Zee News climbed two places to second rank with 8 percent increase in viewership to 45.522 million weekly impressions from fourth rank and 42.169 million weekly impressions in week 38. ABP News dropped a place to third rank with almost flat ratings (decline of 0.1 percent in viewership) to 44.761 million weekly impressions in week 38 of 2019 from second rank and 44.797 million weekly impressions in week 38. India TV also dropped a rank to fourth place with a decline of 1 percent in viewership to 43.078 million weekly impressions in week 39 of 2019 from third rank and 43.554 million weekly impressions in week 38. Republic Bharat retained fifth rank with an increase of 3 percent in viewership to 42.338 million weekly impressions from 40.970 million weekly impressions in the previous week. Please refer to the figure below:

ATLANTA - Oct. 8, 2019 - VITEC, a worldwide leader in advanced video encoding and streaming solutions, today announced its MGW Ace Encoder and Decoder were successfully installed at Life Church and its four satellite campuses in Memphis, Tenn. Part of VITEC's Houses of Worship Solution, the MGW Ace Encoder and Decoder allow the church to live stream its services from the main campus to its satellite locations easily, affordably, and in the highest quality with perfect synchronization, providing an enhanced video delivery that truly engages followers.

"The two most important things for us when we were looking for a streaming platform were reliability and performance," said Brian Pitre, Life Church's Creative Director. "VITEC, without a doubt, delivers on both. It's been more than a year, and we have not had a single issue. That's a testament of VITEC's absolutely flawless technology."

Life Church's yearslong search for a streaming solution that would easily and reliably record a high-quality broadcast video from the main location and stream it live to multiple satellite locations simultaneously without errors and with delayed playback ended with VITEC. Well-known in the house of worship market, VITEC utilizes cutting-edge HEVC encoding technology and the industry-leading Zixi™ error-free streaming protocol to seamlessly and reliably transmit multiple independent IP streams in high quality to churches of any size over the existing IP infrastructure. At each Life Church location, the MGW Ace Encoder and Decoder were successfully installed. The Ace Encoder features VITEC's next-generation HEVC (H.265) compression, which reduces network bandwidth by up to 50% compared to H.264. Because it supports both HEVC and H.264, it's built for the future without losing support for legacy receivers and decoders. The MGW Ace Decoder's unique, flexible, 4K-capable FPGA architecture provides a future-proof solution and ensures multisite live streaming on private or public networks. When paired with MGW Ace Encoder, the set becomes an end-to-end streaming solution that affordably transmits bandwidth-efficient, artifact-free, time-synchronized video and playback that meet the demands for streamed worship services.

Another factor that played into Life Church's decision was the seamless integration of VITEC's house of worship streaming solution with Renewed Vision™ ProVideoServer™ (PVS), a four-channel HD video server from the most trusted technology provider in the worship space. PVS enhances the VITEC system with recording, playback, and time-slip capabilities. This combination allows Life Church to easily record its high-quality broadcast stream with embedded timecode and multichannel audio and play it back with the necessary delay at each of the satellite campuses at any time, even as it records.

"The latest advances in technology have allowed Life Church to expand their reach, but they needed a high-quality and reliable streaming solution to build a truly connected community," said Mark Robison, Broadcast Solutions Specialist, VITEC. "With VITEC's scalable streaming solutions, now staff or volunteers don't have to worry about glitches disrupting the service or relying on previously recorded services to fill the slot. They can enjoy an error-free, distraction-free environment where they can home in on one live message that is shared with the entire Life Church family."

MUMBAI: WATConsult, the digital and social media agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network, has bagged the digital creative duties of the media conglomerate, ABP Group’s news web portal, ABP Live. The mandate includes creating and conceptualization of Social media content & creatives, media banners, website banners, logos and creative strategy.

Marked as one of the pioneers in the industry, ABP has held a vital position in updating, informing and connecting minds from all corners across the country. The digital world of ABP News Network has been an on-the-go bridge between credible news and viewers with real time news, Live TV and on-cue updates on various social media platforms. Currently operating 8 web portals in 6 languages and bringing a billion inquisitive Indians to one page, ABP News is the fastest growing digital network since its inception in December 2013.

WATConsult founder and CEO Rajiv Dingra said, “It is our pleasure to have such a legacy brand from the media/news industry in our bouquet. We look forward to providing immersive digital experience, strengthening their brand salience and consideration among their target audience. This would enable the brand to create beneficial conversations with the right set of the target audience.”

ABP News Network CEO Avinash Pandey said, “Given WATConsult’s wide experience in the digital domain, we look forward to receiving some exciting content from them. We believe the agency can add more heft to our digital platform, ensuring a higher creativity quotient in ABP Live’s digital initiatives. We are also confident their immersive digital offerings could generate greater traction in increasing our target audience base.”

MUMBAI: Cosmos-Maya, the Asian animation powerhouse synonymous with constant evolution and innovation within the animation business today announced its next big focus on becoming the global content gateway with its distribution arm WowKidz Distribution.

WowKidz, as an AVOD platform has more than 30 million subscribers and 14 billion views. WowKidz Distribution aims at being the one stop shop for all distribution requirements of global animation content players starting with the widely growing big market of Asia and then moving to the rest of the world. Content Acquisition is one of the key focus areas for the studio in the first stage of this distribution initiative. While successful collaborations are on with the likes of Fantawild Animation and Nelvana Enterprises, this MIPCOM there will be a dedicated ‘acquisitions’ team from Cosmos-Maya to ensure that the best of content is acquired for distribution.

Cosmos-Maya has been the forerunner and flagbearer for many firsts within the animation industry in this geography. From commanding a staggering 65% share of the Indian domestic animation production market, producing 50 half hours a month to add to its existing content bank of 2000 half hours, to a multitude of European Co-Productions, the studio has been focusing on bringing about change in the dynamically evolving market.

“Our production might is one our biggest strengths as a studio and we have been distributing our own content successfully across APAC. Thereby venturing further into the distribution arena with successful international brands, through WowKidz Distribution was the next logical & synergistic business decision.”, said Anish Mehta, CEO – Cosmos-Maya, while elaborating on the plans.

Distribution continues to be the biggest lacuna in the business today as the content creation is burgeoning and there is an increase in focus on localization in each of the markets thereby creating a hindrance in the larger distribution. With its established network across the value-chain, Cosmos-Maya aims to bridge this gap and WowKidz Distribution is the first step in that direction. The company has an added advantage whereby it can leverage the extensive network of Emerald Media, the Pan-Asian media investment platform backed by US private equity giant KKR, which has a controlling stake in the company.

Anish Mehta further added, “The onus will be on acquiring best in class American, European and Chinese content, the seeds of which have already been sown. WowKidz Distribution will be a massive gateway to Asia for the high quality animation content produced by North America and Europe. WowKidz Distribution, while making the best brands from these regions accessible to Asian audiences, aims to infuse the creative and cultural sensibilities of Asia to the content. We will follow a three-pronged ‘Glocalization’ approach - marketing, dubbing and syndication of the content. Our knowledge and distribution experience of local Asian markets coupled with our creative prowess enables us to add that extra zing by dubbing and localizing the content and making it ready for consumption. Asian audiences will now have the best of all worlds.”

“With WowKidz Distribution, we will be the gateway for global content, into Asia to begin with and then scale up the geographies. The groundwork for the same has been on for a while and come MIPCOM and we will announce our first slate of acquisitions.”, said Devdatta Potnis, SVP – Revenue & Corporate Strategy, Cosmos-Maya overseeing this initiative for the studio with a dedicated WowKidz Distribution cadre from his 10 member team. “WowKidz Distribution is an effort that will negate the geographical and language barrier for content and through our network across the world, will address the need gap in the market effectively”, added Joris Eckelkamp, Head - Business Development, Europe for Cosmos-Maya.

The studio has larger plans to become a 360 degree player in the global animation circles. More, much more is in the offing that will be announced at MIPCOM.

MUMBAI: The festive season is upon us with the sound of music and dance celebrated across the state of West Bengal with Durga Puja. Keeping the festivities alive, one of the most revered skin-care brands Nivea India introduced an innovative brand activation wherein the brand is giving free Club Invitee passes to two popular puja pandals with the purchase of any Nivea product.

One of the greatest festivals of the Bengali community, Durga Puja brings together immense fanfare and festivities celebrated by every family. People from all age groups participate in this celebration by visiting the colorful pandals that are designed and decorated according to various themes. Taking cognizance of this, Nivea India brings a special Durga Puja offer through brand activations and consumer participation in keeping with the vivacity of the festival.

The activity planned by Nivea provides free Club Invitee passes at two popular Puja pandals - Singhi Park and College Square on the purchase of any Nivea product through its Beauty Advisor stores - Big Bazaar and Spencer Retail. While the campaign has been advertised on radio, it has also displayed strategic placements of branding assets like Arch Gates, Banners and kiosks at both these renowned locations visited by devotees in huge numbers.

Speaking on this occasion, Sachin Killawala, Director Marketing, NIVEA India said, “Durga Puja is a fine example of the rich cultural heritage and the spirit of the state. It is through festivals like these that enable us to do something more for our consumers and be able to connect with them on a more meaningful level. Nivea has constantly strived to innovate itself in reaching out to its consumers. This is a novel brand activation that resulted in excitement among our consumers. We hope this Durga Puja is a memorable one, bringing the festive cheer to all communities.”