NewsNext 2009: Of television content and avoiding the TRP trap
The television news channels have often been subjected to severe criticism for trivializing serious content. The ‘tyranny’ of TRPs vis-à-vis content came under the scanner in the session titled ‘And the ratings-content debate continues…’ in the morning session of NewsNext 2009, organised by the exchange4media Group in the Capital on August 26. Times Now is the main sponsor of NewsNext 2009.

The television news channels have often been subjected to severe criticism for trivializing serious content. And as the market becomes cluttered with new channels joining the fray, the criticism has only become sharper. In the morning session titled ‘And the ratings-content debate continues…’, panelists took an in-depth view of the TRP regime and the responsibility of television channels in disseminating information. The session was part of the day-long NewsNext 2009 conference, organised by the exchange4media Group in the Capital on August 26. Times Now is the main sponsor of NewsNext 2009.
The panel brought together media maestros from across the spectrum, and included Pradeep Hejmadi, Senior Vice President, TAM Media Research; Anuradha Prasad Chairperson and Managing Director, BAG Films & Media Ltd; Jehangir Pocha, Co-owner and Editor, NewsX; Anamika Mehta, COO, Lodestar Universal; and Deepak Jolly, Vice-President, Coca-Cola India. The panel was moderated by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, an educator and a writer.
The session began with Hejmadi’s presentation on ‘News Content Track’, where he explained how News Content Track empowered news editors by allowing them to analyse their choice of stories, assess the stories that were being telecast, and ascertain whether the race for ‘exclusive’ was actually paying or not. The idea behind this product is to herald a fresh era that separates consumption of content from myth.
Following this presentation, the session saw a fairly animated debate on the ratings issue. While some panel members insisted on a balanced approach, others stressed on the ground reality of ratings that forced channels to ‘sensationalise’ content. Anuradha Prasad pointed out, “The channels are caught between the an agency that gives ratings and the advertisers who see these ratings before coming to a channel. If I have to survive I will produce the content that will let me survive.”
While Anamika Mehta agreed with the pressures that news channels faced, she stressed, “India is a country that has a huge TV viewing population, and in the long term, it is serious content that will stand out. As the Fourth Estate, for news channels, accountability should be on the top line. Each channel has to decide whether they have to produce content that will connect with the audience or indulge in the mindless TRP race.”
Jehangir Pocha also emphasised that the key lay in a balanced coverage that could comprise politics, business or lifestyle. He noted, “What really sells is quality content. A good political programme might get better ratings than any GEC show if it is handled well by the journalist.”
As the ratings debate continued, what emerged was that serious content could also enjoy high ratings. Hejmadi referred to News Content Track data that showed that some of the most serious stories were getting the best ratings.
Meanwhile, Mehta stressed that the problem was not with Bollywood or entertainment trivia, but the trivialisation of serious issues such as hunger, starvation and drought.
While the media barons engaged in this tug-of-war over the TRP regime, Jolly brought in an advertiser’s perspective. He said, “It is a huge challenge for the advertiser to choose between ratings and content. There is cross as you see news channels moving towards entertainment and entertainment channels getting newsy, and that makes it difficult to decide what to buy, when to buy and assess if the medium is effective enough.”
The session was then thrown open to audience for questions.
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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
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'
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 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
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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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
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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