STAR Cricket channel from the ESPN STAR Sports stable garnered the highest channel share among all sports channels for the week from July 6-12, 2008, with a 75 per cent share. The specialty cricket channel achieved this position riding on the Asia Cup final between India and Sri Lanka held on July 6, 2008 and the ongoing Test series between England and South Africa.
Jubin Desai has joined E-City Ventures, mainly known by Fun Cinemas or Fun Republic, as Assistant Manager - Public Relations from July 1, 2008. Prior to that, Desai was working with Percept Profile as Senior Executive for almost two years.
Cable TV operations in India are in for a major revamp, with TRAI recommending separate licensing framework for local cable operators and multi-system operators in its draft recommendations on restructuring cable television services. exchange4media speaks with COFI and TRAI officials, TV channels and DTH operators on the implications of these recommendations.
The 5th Mirchi Kaan Awards, held in Mumbai on July 18, rang in sweet music for O&M and McCann Erickson, with both agencies jointly sharing the ‘Agency of the Year’ award. While O&M took home 17 metals, McCann Erickson won 11 metals. In all, 63 awards were given, including special awards. Leo Burnett India bagged 13 metals.
The 5th Mirchi Kaan Awards attracted the best of the radio and advertising fraternity. exchange4media mingled with the who’s who of the ad world, relaxing and rejoicing post the awards presentation, to seek their reactions and reflections on the Awards.
Print ad volumes registered a growth of 5 per cent during H1 '08, as compared to H1 '07. Non metro newspapers had a larger share of overall print advertising during this period. The education sector led in print advertising during H1 '08, while Tata Motors was the No. 1 advertiser in print during the January-June 2008 period.
Suneet Tandon has taken charge as CEO of Lok Sabha TV. Prior to this elevation, Tandon had been Executive Director at Lok Sabha TV since the channel’s inception in July 2006. The CEO’s slot fell vacant after Bhaskar Ghose’s exit in May this year.
With the Beijing Olympics less than a month away, the buzz around the world’s greatest sporting extravaganza is increasing. Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung is organising a mega quiz contest on Olympic Games for school children, titled Samsung Olympic Games Quest 2008. The contest is expected to see participation of nearly 1,000 schools.
In the fight against drug abuse, communication can be one of the most effective weapons. With this objective, Zee News and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have come together to wage war for a drug-free India.
The July 18 attack on journalists covering the protests following the death of two boys studying in spiritual guru Asaram Bapu’s ashram gurukul, has come in for sharp criticism from all quarters. The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has strongly condemned the attack on the scribes and camera crew belonging to Aaj Tak, Times Now and TV18.
Prachar Communications has bagged the creative and media mandate for financial consultants KC Securities Ltd. Confirming the development, Rajesh Jain, MD, Prachar Communications, informed that the estimated account size is pegged at Rs 5 crore.
Raj TV, dubbed the ‘people’s channel’, celebrated its 15th anniversary on July 18 in Mumbai, with its new avatar and format. The channel has lined up a variety of shows and programmes targeting kids, women and the family band. These shows are expected to go on air in mid-August.
Shine.com, the job portal from HT Media’s Firefly eVentures, has embarked on a viral campaign to introduce its salary tool feature. The campaign is a spoof on the movie ‘Deewar’, with Kavi the cop trying to convince his brother Bijai the smuggler to give up his life of crime and opt for a better career. But the ‘Pagaar’ is the deciding factor here, hence, ‘Pagaar: Do Bhaion ki Ladaai’.
Within days of rolling out its service in Kolkata, Radio Audience Measurement (RAM), the radio listenership service from TAM Media Research, has come out with data for the eastern metro. As per the data, Radio Mirchi Kolkata occupies the top spot across age groups, occupation profiles and socio-economic classes.
OMD India has come up with an innovative brand integration for Johnson & Johnson’s Stayfree Secure Ultrathins brand. The brand, which sports a tagline: ‘Teen Ki Shakti’, has been integrated into the storyline of ‘Radha Ki Betiyaan - Kuch Kar Dikhayeingi’, a family soap on NDTV Imagine.
Ramesh Subramaniam has recently joined Malayala Manorama Group as Marketing Head for Malayala Manorama TV (MMTV), the Group’s television division. Prior to this new assignment, Subramaniam was General Manager and Vertical Head of The Times of India, Bangalore.
Day two of the CII Brand Conclave 2008, which was held in Kolkata on July 18, saw marketing guru Prof Bernd Schmitt further familiarising the participants with experiential marketing through a series of group exercises and case studies. He also introduced the concept of Experiential Selling Proposition (ESP) vis-à-vis the age-old USP.
The age-old post office is set for a modern makeover. While global consultant McKinsey & Co has been engaged to suggest revamp measures, the Government has appointed O&M for a branding exercise. Termed as Project Arrow, the initiative involves turnaround of 500 post offices in two phases.