News on the go: Broadsheets on the web – Pt 1

With readership dipping according to readership surveys, many would argue that the print medium is dying. Yet others feel that the web will become the next destination for the written word. The recent Indian Readership Survey has strengthened some of these fears. exchange4media takes a look at the web strategies of some of the premier dailies.

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Apr 3, 2007 10:37 AM  | 5 min read
News on the go: Broadsheets on the web – Pt 1

Sometime in the latter half of the 90s, newspaper offices in India began to wake up to the reality of a new department and platform that needed to be created. Today, this department has become integral to a newspaper’s operations as it carries breaking stories – at any part of the day.

The growth of cyberspace made most papers realise the need to be web savvy. For a long time, the Internet was just an add-on to a newspaper’s resources, the web version simply carrying the print version’s content. That is slowly changing, with e-papers enabling the entire paper to be uploaded and thereby increasing the challenge of creating exclusive content.

Most media organisations have realised that “the consumer has become more demanding,” and that a morning daily cannot function on a single deadline. “It’s not just an advantage anymore; the web and new media have become necessities for a paper,” said Govindraj Ethiraj, Business Standard’s New Media Editor. “We have brought out integration in terms of editorial functions. Today stories are consistently sent to me in one mailbox -- everyone is breaking news as it happens. In turn, we release it on the mobile, Internet, and finally in print.”

Challenge of meeting consumer demand

BS (www.business-standard.com) makes 70 per cent of the content common to all mediums -- print, Internet and mobile. Around 10-20 per cent content is exclusive for the morning print edition and another 10-20 per cent is exclusive to the web. “Some stories are specially saved for print, which are anyway uploaded on the site later. Some stories are breaking news, which the web team does exclusively,” said Ethiraj.

DNA launched its website a month after the paper hit the stands in Mumbai. Anthony D’Costa, Editor Online, www.dnaindia.com, said that while initially only print stories were uploaded, innovations on the site were introduced later. “We have options like voting for favourite films and we link to blogs on topical issues,” said D’Costa.

Perhaps the first starter in taking to the web route is The Times of India Group. Its portals, which include Indiatimes (www.indiatimes.com), timesofindioa.com and economictimes.com, try to balance local and international content together with sections on industry, business, markets, infotech, health, science and entertainment.

New revenue streams

Even as most depend on advertising, some are hopeful subscription could work. “The total cost of subscriptions online cost almost as much as newspaper bills. I think people are willing to pay money. A good idea could be to make exclusive content paid and routine news free, like the New York Times (nytimes.com) does,” said Ethiraj.

On its part, Indian Express has been exploring the option of selling content; their stories are purchased by other websites. The Times Group has some revenue coming from subscription services like premium email, but ads still remain a dominant source of income.

D’Costa said that DNA might decide to go for subscription in the future and that it could work with the current popularity of online reading. “Right now ads are a major source of revenue for us. While our website is free on most days, the archives are paid for. The feeling of holding the paper in your hand is a habit we still have, but people will pay for the web edition as it is indispensable for breaking news. The details however are kept for the print edition next day.”

Media is becoming holistic

There is also a realisation that a mix of technologies can provide the same content in different ways, as no medium can be an island. BS has the facility of videos being uploaded for special stories. “Some videos are outsourced, whereas some are shot by an internal team. The challenge of being seen on the web through video for a BS, which is essentially a print publication, is the same as that of a CNN, whose challenge is of creating text articles and being read on the Internet,” said Ethiraj.

The Times portals include audio-video content and webcasts, SMS alerts and there are plan to start mailers too.

The advantage of feedback

Dinesh Wadhawan, MD & CEO, Times Internet Limited, feels that the web provides opportunities to go beyond merely publishing a story. “Only 20 per cent of the web content is taken from print. The online ambience provides better width and scope to link the main story to its background, events and players that lead to the story and user comments. And the way popular opinion is shaping the web makes interesting reading too. We aggregate stories on similar subjects in one section so readers don’t have to search all over the place.”

D’Costa says that feedback on the web is a great advantage. “People have written to DNA asking for editions in Pune, Bangalore, Singapore, and USA,” he informed.

All attempts to reach The Hindustan Times failed. HT was unable to respond in spite of repeated attempts to contact them. Even though most people in the industry are dissatisfied with the development of newspaper websites, there seems to be a transition phase. The role of newspapers is changing and new media technologies are becoming inevitable to any news organisation.

(To be continued)

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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
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With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
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Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
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e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
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Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:39 PM  | 1 min read

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:38 PM  | 1 min read

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
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KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

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