The government of India is exploring ways to ban the advertising of junk foods and soft drinks on television channels targeted at children, junior minister for information and technology Rajyavardhan Rathore told the parliament today. Rathore said intimations in this regard will be sent to television channels soon, and the idea was to discourage children […]
Reliance Industries controlled media group TV18 Broadcast said it has acquired a controlling stake in Viacom 18, which operates channels such as Colors and Comedy Central in India. The joint venture was formed as a 50:50 partnership in 2007. However, because neither party had a controlling stake, TV18 Broadcast was prevented from showing the revenue […]
Balaji Telefilms, the television content producer header by Ekta Kapoor, said it has decided to make its digital content available on various content applications of Reliance Jio. So far, the most of the content was exclusive to Balaji Telefilm’s own app, ALTBalaji, which also competes with Jio’s apps. According to Google’s Play Store, the Android […]
Hindustan Media Ventures, the publisher of Hindustan daily, reported a 12% jump in net profit for the third quarter due to ongoing cost cutting measures. On a positive note, advertising revenue increased by Rs 8 cr, or 5%, on year during the third quarter to Rs 177 cr. However, the comparison was with a weak […]
NDTV said it has decided to fire up to 25% of its workforce over the next one month to focus more and more on its core news business. The fired employees are currently engaged with the company’s non-core operations. “As intimated earlier to the exchanges, NDTV Group had initiated a turnaround plan to bring down […]
Broadcasting company TV Today Network said it has decided to write off nearly Rs 273 cr of accumulated losses at its Mail Today newspaper business and merge it with the parent company for better synergies. TV Today Network runs one of India’s most popular television network, including the channels India Today and Aaj Tak. The […]
India’s oldest English television news broadcaster NDTV officially denied that it has been sold to Ajay Singh, the promoter of SpiceJet. “We wish to inform you that the promoters of the Company have not entered into any agreement for sale of their stake in the Company to any person,” NDTV Ltd said in an official […]
The National Stock Exchange has again sought a clarification from NDTV after the Indian Express reported that SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh was now the biggest shareholder in the media company. UPDATE: NDTV has denied the rumors. According to the newspaper, Singh has acquired a 60% stake in the media company, restricting existing promoters led by […]
Star India, part of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, has won the rights to broadcast Indian Premier League matches for the next five years, edging out Sony India. The company bid Rs 16,347 cr for the privilege, edging out other groups such as Discovery. This comes to about Rs 3,250 cr per season and Rs 54 […]
Dish TV, one of India’s biggest DTH operators, has slashed the rates of HD and standard-definition channels to Rs 17 and Rs 8.50 each, plus a tax of 18%. Together, the cost of a single HD channel would come to around Rs 20 and that for a regular channel will come to Rs 10. The […]
Republic TV, the channel launched by Arnab Goswami — the former editor of Times Now — has come in for a barrage of criticism on social media after Malayalis took offence to what has been portrayed as repeated attempts by the channel to tarnish the reputation of the state. The channel, which used to be […]
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp announced yet another acquisition in India with the agreement to purchase Bangalore-based GyanMatrix Services Private Limited. The company, which provides software solutions for media and publishing companies, will be renamed News Technology Services, and be significantly scaled up. The News Corp team came in touch with the Gyan Matrix as part […]
Times Group, India’s largest media group, has taken a step towards what may eventually be a paid model for online news by introducing ‘exclusive’ content for registered users. For now, registration and membership is free. Users can sign in using their Facebook or Google IDs, without having to type a single word. PAID MODEL? The move […]
Airtel Digital has bounced back into reckoning in fast growing high-definition DTH market by adding capacity from the newly launched SES-9 satellite and could emerge a strong challenger to Tata Sky in coming days. The SES-9 satellite was launched last year and new transponders were made available to Airtel earlier this year. Over the last several […]
DB Corp has launched its Dainik Bhaskar Hindi daily in Surat, eyeing a large-Hindi speaking population in the city. The company said there are around 28 lakh Hindi speakers in Surat, the diamond capital of India. “Our intensive on-ground study revealed exciting prospects amongst Surat’s non-Gujarati speaking, multicultural, industrialised households who have migrated from neighbouring […]
Republic TV, the upcoming news channel, will be staunchly nationalist and pro-military, and will attempt to bring back ‘balance’ into a media dominated by a small set of academics and intellectuals in the capital, going by the comments of Arnab Goswami, the head of the channel. “All Indians should be pro military and pro India. If that makes […]
Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV’s is reported to be readying for its launch next week, with DTH operator Tata Sky starting test transmission of the channel. The channel is expected to carry the number 616, and be officially available from 10 PM on Friday, May 5. UPDATE: The channel will be launched this weekend. Separately, the channel […]
Arnab Goswami, arguably the most talked about Indian journalist in recent years, has released a teaser video on the upcoming launch of his new television channel Republic TV. The video shows Goswami writing a letter to Mr Gandhi — perhaps a reference to Congress Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi — informing him that ‘he’s coming […]
Kerala Police have filed a first information report against the head and eight members of the ‘investigation team’ of a newly launched TV channel for a botched up sting operation targeting a minister. The FIR has been filed under sections of the Information Technology Act, sections of the Indian Penal Code dealing with conspiracy and […]
The regulator’s new rules on the pricing of television channels in India, which will come into effect in six months, will reduce the clout of big broadcasting companies such as Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony, Star India and Sun TV, while encouraging smaller media owners. So far, bigger groups enjoyed a key advantage — they could […]
