Tag Archives for Star News

‘desileaks ideator’ Aamir nays 125 Crore for ‘satyamev jayate’

Aamir Khan’s 13-episode Satyameva Jayate which fuses together the mass appeal of celebrity with the mass reach of the TV medium to raise awareness on social issues, is already the toast of drawing rooms. But it has also sparked questions: do hi-glitz shows such as this have a lasting impact? Or could this, like other shows, end up being just another platform to peddle products? Aamir spoke to Outlook’s Namrata Joshi in Jaipur. Excerpts:

I am using entertainment to reach out. Which is not to say I am using fun and games. It’s more about underlining things with emotions. Like I did with the issue of childcare and education in a film like Taare Zameen Par. The information people get from a newspaper and magazine article doesn’t change their heart. Very few people cry on reading newspapers. I try to affect them emotionally.

Asked about charging Rs 3 crore per episode for a show on serious social issues Aamir say:

I never discuss my fee. But since you asked I am getting Rs 3.5 crore per episode. Firstly what I get is none of anyone’s business. Main apni mehnat ki kama aur khaa raha hoon. [I am earning and enjoying the benefits of my hard-work]. I am not doing anything wrong. Main izzat se, achchaa kaam karke roti kama raha hoon aur mujhe fakr hai is baat ka [I am honourably, by doing good work, earning my bread, and I am proud of it]. Secondly to clear the misconception this amount includes the cost of the episode also. The bulk of the money goes into the cost and some of the episodes may have overshot the amount. Thirdly, I have endorsements deals of about Rs 100-125 crore per year. I have stopped them for a year while the show is on. There’s no logic in the decision, it’s purely emotional. But tell me who has ever said no to Rs 100 crore for a cause?

Asked whether such shows bring about change? Or do people engage and move on, Aamir says:

 The biggest change we can bring about is in ourselves. .. Female foeticide is a crime planned in our bedrooms and we can’t have cops in the bedrooms to monitor us. ……The choice has to be yours, …Even if one girl child is saved then the show is a success. I will be on TV. I will also be on Vividh Bharati, AIR, Radio Mirchi, Star News. I will write a column in HT. With every issue I want to go wide on many platforms. It’s a deep and concentrated approach to reach out in as many different ways as possible. I hope it will make people understand an issue for a life. I hope it will have them converted for life.

Read the full Outlook interview: You’ll see all kinds of India: the India I have seen. 


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India’s star news channels & Baba

P.N. Vasanti , Director of New Delhi-based multidisciplinary research organization Centre for Media Studies (CMS) writes in liveMint.com: 

A classic example would be the numerous shows featuring Nirmal Baba (alias Nirmaljit Singh Narula) on almost 35 channels, including 15 news channels. Paid slots showing a large number of devotees getting advice and solutions to problems have made this former businessman into a baba reportedly worth crores (a few reports claim an annual turnover of more than Rs.200 crore!)….

….They may find a place on our numerous channels, especially the dozen-odd spirituality channels such as Aastha TV, Sanskar TV, MH1 Shraddha, Sadhna TV, Dharm TV, Paras TV and Sanatan TV. They may even help hold up ratings on a general entertainment channel.

….My issues are twofold. One, these are paid slots and not news or current affairs programmes, so what are they doing on a news channel? Many channels do not even inform the viewer that it’s a paid programme and not produced by their channel. Second, where is the moral and ethical responsibility of any news media in promoting such blind faith and superstition?

…In September 2011, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) issued an advisory to its 45 member channels “to voluntarily improve the broadcasting standards by desisting from airing such reports (on matters propagating, promoting and advocating superstition, occultism and blind belief)”

….And yet, we see a large number of NBA members such as Star News, Aaj Tak Tez, IBN7, India TV continue to promote and regularly show paid programmes featuring Nirmal Baba, even today.

She also heads the CMS Academy of Communication and Convergence Studies. Read the full column http://www.livemint.com/2012/04/18222552/NEWS-MEDIA-AND-IRRATIONAL-BELI.html?atype=tp

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India’s own(ed), Anand Bazar Patrika News

ABP STAR News

The MCCS on Monday announced that its popular Hindi news channel, STAR News, will soon be rechristened as ABP News. Bengali news channel STAR Ananda will be ABP Ananda and the Marathi news channel STAR Majha will be called ABP Majha.

The three 24-hour news channels are owned by the Media Content and Communications Pvt Ltd (MCCS) – a joint venture between the Ananda Bazar Patrika Group and STAR India Pvt Ltd. Both Ananda and Majha are No 1 news channels in their respective markets since inception.

Star India Pvt Ltd and ABP, the principle shareholders, have agreed to discontinue the Star brand affiliation with the MCCS. Going forward Star wishes to focus on building their brand on their core business that is general entertainment.

The core business of the ABP is news and it wishes to promote and establish its own brands in the broadcast news space through its subsidiary company – MCCS. MCCS has sustained its affiliation with Star brand for 8 years and both have benefitted from this association.

In these years the three news channels have evolved into respected market leaders in their segment, which has helped MCCS become a strong and respected company in the broadcast news space.

It has quality resources in its employees and built good equity among its stakeholders – loyal viewers’ base, clients, distributors and vendor partners.

Content on all three channels are managed by some of the finest editors, journalists, anchors and technical professionals who have consistently maintained the highest standards of honest and ethical journalism. They would continue to maintain high standards of news quality, with same integrity, transparency and speed.

Hindi news channels rake in the moolah on poll counting day

The channels dropped volumes but still rode high on the back of premium rates. Aaj Tak achieved record single-day revenue but had to compromise on TRPs.

Hindi News channels raked in the moolah on the day of counting during the recent Assembly elections in five states. And they did so despite dropping volumes, by hiking rates to achieve record revenues.

Aaj Tak, which has always attracted maximum eyeballs during major developments of national interest, decided to encash its positioning on counting day. The mandate was clear: to earn record ad revenue on a single day. It continued with ad breaks even during the peak hours of counting.  It claims that it had dropped inventory volumes by 30-35 per cent inventories compared with its regular inventories, but had done all bookings at premium rates. The channel has claimed to have raked in revenues of Rs 2.5 crores which included fresh ad bookings for counting day worth Rs 2 crore.

But this record-breaking single-day revenue was achieved at a price. For the first time since its launch, Aaj Tak had compromised with its TRPs on a big day which is being termed as a short-term gain by independent media observers. However, it is to be seen if advertisers will stick to the channel in case it continues with the current trend in future too.

BestMediaInfo had reported the viewership trends of Hindi News channels during the Assembly polls wherein Aaj Tak stood at No. 3 in several markets and TGs despite its leadership during the five weeks of the electoral process. (Assembly elections: Star News leads on counting day; Aaj Tak rules across 5 weeks)

The second highest earning on counting day has been claimed by Star News which emerged as the No. 1 channel in most of the markets and TGs in terms of TRPs. Although the channel had sold 50 per cent lower inventory for counting day, it claimed revenues of Rs 1.5 crore for the day on the back of high premium on rates. Star News had break-free live programming during the peak hours of vote counting from 8 AM to 12.30 PM and also during primetime.

In normal situations, ad revenues of Star News remain around 10 per cent less than that of Aaj Tak despite having 20-30 per cent lower market share. However, with the No. 1 position on counting day, the channel is optimistic about increasing its pie in future.

Similarly, India TV, which remained the second most watched channel along with Zee News in several markets and TGs on counting day, despite lagging during the run-up to counting day starting final phase of voting from March 3 to 5, has claimed ad revenues of Rs 1.5 crore for counting day. According to senior officials at the channel, India TV has proved that it leads the genre in serious programming also. The channel had established flagship properties like ‘Aapka Mukhyamantri Kaun’ during the Assembly polls which will continue during future elections.

courtesy:Info@BestMediaInfo.com

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