Guest ColumnRetrofit: Believing in the relevance of news
Sandeep Bamzai takes a look at the most relevant news covered by Headlines Today in recent times to stress that if the bulwark of a news channel remains news, then this long and arduous road of perseverance will pay off. The process of distillation at Headlines Today has been slow and capital intensive, but one can safely say that it is bearing fruition finally.
Just before the Big B - Budget - BJP's Sushma Swaraj launched a vitriolic offensive against the Treasury benches on the price spike. It was a well researched speech, well spoken and well intoned. She had the Government at sixes and sevens as she assailed their ineptitude on price management. During the course of her speech, she mentioned a Headlines Today investigation, which tracked the reasons behind the inordinately high sugar price rise. It was a blistering attack and while the Government, read Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, tried his best to save his skin, it was to no avail. Good old fashioned reportage had once again worked for Headlines Today, which seems to be on a red hot streak lately.
Good, solid, purposeful reporting seems to be paying in spades for the channel. The laggard has transformed itself from merely being a pretender to a claimant for the English news throne. Given that the sweepstakes in the news business are enormously high, that is a creditable achievement. The sugar investigation set me thinking. For in the immediate past, Headlines Today has been on a roll, its news gathering and investigative skills acting as a differentiator. Two investigations on pulses and sacks full of sugar rotting in government warehouses have raised Cain across the board. Angering hoi polloi, who in any case are bearing the brunt of Government callousness. I must add that the Dal scam was arguably first broken by Outlook, while the sugar sacks lying inert in Kandla and Haldia ports was an original.
For the last seven years, India is a net importer of dals and edible oil. If Pawar has his way, we will soon become net importers of sugar as well. The Headlines Today investigation detailed that:
DAL SCAM: Thousands of tonnes of pulses are rotting in the country’s ports and warehouses even as the markets ran short of supplies and consumers paid through their noses. Prices have trebled. The expose showed how approximately 40,000-60,000 tonnes of pulses were lying unused at the Kolkata port. The colossal waste was captured on camera by an undercover team.
SUGAR ROT: What started during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival last year, has culminated into the hoi polloi venting their collective spleen on Government callousness, as mismanagement seems to be the order of the day as far as sugar is concerned. As the prices moved into the stratosphere, it was discovered that nearly 11 lakh tonnes of the daily sweetener has been lying at Kandla port for six months. So, why is the sugar lying unused when it can easily be released in the open market to cool flaring prices? While HT's basic premise behind the sugar, in both processed and raw form, lying at Kandla without being released into the market is wrong, the bottomline is that consumers have paid almost the twice the amount over the last six months. Again HT's claim that the perpetrators of this great injustice on consumers – Renuka Sugar, Bajaj Hindustan Sugar, Emmsons, Rana Sugar and Olem International – was misinformed; the reality is that the entire exercise smacks of wilful neglect and deliberate and malafide intent on the part of a section of the Government.
HT linked the sugar rot to millers in Uttar Pradesh, but one needs to look at Pawar's role in this sorry tale, which means going beyond the apparent. A Central Customs and Excise notification dating back to 2002 was amended on July 31, 2009, which effectively prevented sugar importing UP mills from getting the commodity processed by anyone other than themselves. I hope the UP millers were not hand in glove with this section of the Government.
Bottomline, as ET explained, this proviso could have been reversed much earlier through a new notification. But it didn't. Around the same time as the Central notification was put out, Pawar started talking up prices by saying that there was a sugar shortfall. The sugar sacks lying at Kandla and JNPT could have easily been lifted and processed by mills in Maharashtra instead. However, it chose not to. After much heat and dust, the Cabinet Committee on Prices on January 13 decided to reverse this crucial notification. Between July 31 and January 13, profiteers, blackmarketeers and hoarders had a field day. But ET explains this better: "The changes make it difficult for the sugar importing mill/ factory/ refiner to allow or facilitate any agency other than itself, even a sugar mill next door in the same state, to process the imported sugar. They had to give to give a hidebound, document-backed commitment to the customs and excise authorities that they were importing raw sugar for processing at their own factories."
Apathy or what? Aiding them all along was Food Minister Sharad Pawar – first, by his alarmist statements, and then, by cutting duty on sugar to zero, allowing these companies to import sugar at rock-bottom prices. The sugar then was allowed to pile up at the ports. The white processed sugar was released in small quantities, allowing prices to remain high. UP Chief Minister Mayawati didn't help by not allowing imported raw sugar to enter the state, since cane was still standing in the Uttar Pradesh fields. Anyway, during the debate on price rise, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj trained her guns at Sharad Pawar. “Sugar import and export are decided by the Government. No one but Sharad Pawar knows best about it. He is the owner of the sugar industry, he is the Sugar King of India,” Sushma thundered in the House.
Two other terror related investigations this year also need to be pointed out:
HAFIZ SAEED TAPES: On tape, wanted and dreaded terror network leader Hafiz Saeed threatens India with jihad. Headlines Today accesses Saeed's speech at a ‘Kashmir solidarity’ rally in Lahore on February 5, where he is shown spewing venom against India. This wasn't a clandestine underground meet, but one on the city's Mall Road. It was held in broad daylight and attended by over 10,000 people, some of whom brandished automatic weapons. Saeed's sudden appearance came just days before talks between India and Pakistan resumed. In his speech, Saeed said that the jihadis were willing to go all out to liberate Kashmir. He drew parallels with the Soviet Union's defeat and US reverses in Afghanistan and told the gathering that India would meet the same fate in Kashmir.
The Government moved with alacrity, seeking the Jamaat-ud-Daawa chief's tapes just two days before foreign secretary-level talks were to begin with Pakistan. Subsequently, the tapes were discussed in the meeting of the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan.
SHAHZAD AHMED PILOT BOMBER: Earlier this year, the biggest story broken yet by HT was the Shahzad Ahmad pilot bomber story, which detailed how the Indian Mujahideen was planning a 9/11-type attack. The Headlines Today story went like this: A 9/11-type terror attack using hijacked aeroplanes stares India in the face with an Indian Mujahideen terrorist having acquired pilot training and waiting to strike, according to intelligence agencies. Intelligence Bureau (IB) sources say Shahzad Ahmed alias Pappu, one of the key accused in the September 2008 Delhi blasts case, learnt to fly planes in Bangalore and could now be planning to execute an airborne terror strike.
"A dozen other trained Indian Mujahideen terrorists are also at large, and together with Shahzad, pose a big security threat. In his early twenties and hailing from Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district, Shahzad gave Delhi Police the slip during the 2008 Batla House encounter in the city. He was the one who opened fire on slain Delhi Police officer Mohan Chand Sharma during the encounter. Shahzad underwent pilot training just before the Delhi blasts and has been absconding since the Batla House encounter. Headlines Today accessed Shahzad's Orkut and email accounts, which revealed his terror plot. Photos of Shahzad in the cockpit, displaying flying skills, sending radio signals or posing with other trainee pilots have alarmed the police.
"Close to a month later, UP Police lauded Headlines Today after the arrest of Shahzad Ahmed from Azamgarh. ADGP Brij Lal said the channel covered the story extensively, which helped them arrest Shahzad. UP police, in fact, described the sequence of events that led to this dreaded IM militant’s capture. He was alerted by his family after the story was telecast. Shahzad then contacted his source in Pakistan to help him across the border. Unfortunately for him, his phone was under surveillance. He was quickly traced and arrested from Azamgarh."
It only tells you that if the bulwark of a news channel remains news, then this long and arduous road of perseverance will pay off. Headlines Today was a punt that Aroon Purie took some years ago to build on the edifice of Aaj Tak. It was a punt which seemed to be meandering aimlessly, till it all came together when he bet on youth over experience. The process of distillation has been slow and capital intensive, but one can safely say that it is bearing fruition finally. Only because it believed in the relevance of news.
(Sandeep Bamzai is a well-known journalist, who started his career as a stringer with The Statesman in Kolkata in 1984. He has held senior editorial positions in some of the biggest media houses in three different cities - Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi. In late 2008, he joined three old friends to launch a start-up – Sportzpower Network – which combines his two passions of business and sport. Familiar with all four media – print, television, Internet and radio, Bamzai is the author of three different books on cricket and Kashmir.
The views expressed here are of the writer’s and not those of the editors and publisher of exchange4media.com.)
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
You May Also Like
TOP STORIES
HT Media posts Consolidated Total Revenue of Rs 580 crore in Q2
Chairperson and Editorial Director Shobhana Bhartia says due to lower commodity prices and control on costs there has been an improvement in operating profit
HT Media has posted a Consolidated Total Revenue for Q2, 2020 at Rs 580 crore.
As per a statement released by the company, EBITDA for Q2’20 increased by 139%, and margins at 14% vis-à-vis 6% in previous year. This has been driven by softening of newsprint prices and continued focus on cost.
The Net Cash position at a consolidated level continues to be strong.
The Print ad revenue has declined due to sluggish volumes, even as yields have improved. National advertising continues to be soft, although local advertising witnessed growth.
Savings in raw material costs have driven improvement in EBITDA margins.
Chairperson and Editorial Director Shobhana Bhartia said, “Slowing economic growth has hit advertising spends in key categories, putting pressure on revenues across the media industry. As a result, our Print and Radio (on like to like basis) businesses saw revenues dip as compared to a year-ago. However, thanks to lower commodity prices and a tight control on costs, we saw an improvement in our operating profit. On the digital front, Shine, our online recruitment portal has shown good progress and continues to grow. Our outlook for the coming quarter remains cautious, given overall economic sentiment and macroeconomic trends. Cost-control and falling commodity prices should help protect our margins.”
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
ShareABP Group posts Rs 15.70 crore as net profit in Q1 FY20
The group’s total operating income stands at Rs 365.55 crore
ABP Group has posted a net profit of Rs 15.70 crore in the first quarter of FY20, as per media reports.
The group’s total operating income stands at Rs 365.55 crore.
It’s net profit for the fiscal ended March 31, 2019, was down 68% to Rs 31.90 crore compared to the previous fiscal.
The Profit Before Interest Lease Depreciation and Tax (PBILDT) has also dropped 53.52% to Rs 107.12 crore.
The group has six news channels - ABP News (Hindi), ABP Ananda (Bengali) ABP Majha (Marathi) and ABP Asmita (Gujarati), ABP Sanjha (Punjabi) and ABP Ganga (Hindi).
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Zee Media posts consolidated revenue of Rs 137.03 crore for Q2 FY20
ZMCL has recorded 4.4% growth in operating revenue for first half of FY20
Zee Media Corporation Ltd (ZMCL) has posted a 4.4 per cent growth in operating revenue to Rs 337.6 crore in the first half of FY20, as per media reports.
It has reported a consolidated revenue of Rs 137.03 crore for Q2 FY20.
In a statement, ZMCL has said: “During the quarter, the network expanded its footprint s into Southern India through the launch of Zee Hindustan in Tamil and Telugu languages. This is intended to make the network's content accessible to wider audience.”
The operating expenditure in Q2FY20 has dropped by 21.7 per cent.
The statement further said: “EBITDA for HlFY20 improved by 34.1 per cent to Rs 1,029 million from Rs 767.5 million EBITDA for H1FY19, while the same declined by 9.4 per cent to Rs 370.2 million from Rs 408.7 million for the corresponding period last financial year. EBITDA Margin grew from 23.7 per cent in H1FY19 to 30.5 per cent in HlFY20, while growing from 24.2 per cent in Q2FY19 to 27 per cent in Q2FY20.”
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
No slowdown here: In-cinema ad rates up by at least 50% for 3 big Diwali releases
Housefull 4, Made In China and Saand Ki Aankh ready to hit the silver screen this week, with the hopes of giving brands the eyeballs they look for in theatres
It’s that time of the year again when theatres gear up to pocket maximum gains. Diwali is here and there are three films ready to hit the silver screen this week--Housefull 4, Made In China and Saand Ki Aankh. The festive period brings much joy to exhibitors, distributors and theatre owners because it ensures footfalls, giving brands the eyeballs they look for. In fact, industry experts don’t feel that economic slowdown this year has impacted in-cinema advertising. While they are concerned about three movies clashing during Diwali, they predict 50-100 per cent rise in ad rates during this period.
Advertising moolah
Mohan Umrotkar, CEO, Carnival Cinemas, is expecting 60-70 per cent surge in advertisement topline compared to last year. “Going by the buzz and advance booking for these three releases, market is bullish. Advertisers have blocked most of the advt-slots during the festival period. Housefull 4, Made In China and Saand Ki Aankh all combined together should generate around Rs 350 crore topline at the box office during the festival week. We are expecting 60-70 per cent surge in the advertisement topline from last year. Also, this year we have added around 14 per cent new advertisers, and 4 per cent of them are first-time cinema advertisers,” he says.
But according to Siddharth Bhardwaj, Chief Marketing Officer - Head of Enterprise Sales, UFO Moviez, things have changed a lot in the last couple of years. “Since some films have not really lived up to their expectation, advertisers are spreading the spends all through the year. They are picking up far more number of titles in the year rather than focusing only on Diwali or Eid.”
“It is good for the industry because you can monetise the inventories beyond just big weeks. A lot of content- driven films have come up which has given us the opportunity to monetise more markets. It has put lesser pressure on Diwali. Most of the cinemas are sold out for Diwali. It becomes difficult to accommodate everything,” Bharadwaj opines. He also reveals that for this week, the inventories are already full.
Diwali ad rates
Experts reveal that ad rates differ from property to property and depends on location as well. But Diwali surely sees a massive hike in rates. This year, theatre owners are expecting 100 per cent rise in ad rates. While Umrotkar revealed that for Diwali, they are charging 100 per cent higher than the regular card rates, Girish Johar, trade analyst and film producer, shared that even the rates for putting up kiosks of brands go up during festivals like Diwali.
“It’s based on property. On a ballpark, ad rates double up. So if you are putting up a kiosk, they charge say Rs 50,000-25,000 for a month. During Diwali, they charge almost double because of the kind of footfalls theatres witness,” Johar revealed.
Economic slowdown? Not for Cinema!
This year, brands have been pulling back their spends on other mediums due to economic slowdown, but cinema seems unaffected. Calling entertainment business recession-proof, Johar explains, “If you see the other side, box office is up by 15-20 per cent. Yes, it is a bit subdued because the brands are in a wait-and- watch scenario. They are increasing their focus around consumption rather than awareness.”
Bharadwaj too seconded it by saying, “These are challenging times but our medium is very efficient. If you see economy has slowed down, but the cinema has grown instead.”
Clash cover
Three movies are clashing this Diwali which means shared screens and box office gains.
“It’s never good for us when two or more big-ticket films release together. If they would have come on different dates, there are chances that more advertisers will take advt. inventory in those weeks separately instead of that one particular week,” shares Umrotkar.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
INOX Leisure Ltd sees 42% growth in total revenue
Profit After Tax up 327% to Rs 51 crore
INOX Leisure Ltd (INOX) has reported financials for the second quarter ending September 2019.
Its total revenue has risen to Rs 524 crore with a 42% growth from Rs 369 crore in the corresponding quarter in FY19. Its EBITDA has more than doubled to Rs 107 crore with a 121% growth, while the PAT stood at an impressive Rs 51 crore, up 327% from previous year’s second quarter.
Siddharth Jain, Director, INOX Group, said: “At INOX, setting new benchmarks is now a routine, thanks to our consistently sharp focus on luxury, service and technology and our uncompromised desire to offer our patrons, nothing but the latest and the best! We are delighted with our remarkable consistency on all parameters, and we are sure about maintaining the momentum and focus on innovativeness. Content once again proved that why we term it as the ‘hero’. Thanks to the creators of such spellbinding movies, which keep inviting our guests to our properties, and allowing us to pamper them with our signature hospitality. With the launch of Megaplex, we are delighted to further our endeavor of developing experience-driven cinema destinations of global standards, and we will continue to do so. On behalf of Team INOX, I assure all our stakeholders that we will continue to break barriers and exceed all expectations.”
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Hathway Cable & Datacom reports 100% subscription collection efficiency in Q2
The broadband subscriber base has increased from the previous quarter’s 840,000 to 860,000
Hathway Cable and Datacom has reported subscription collection efficiency at 100%, and the broadband subscriber base has increased from previous quarter’s 840,000 to 860,000 in quarter ending September, as per media reports.
It has narrowed its consolidated net loss by 74% and the operating EBITDA has been reported 15% up to Rs 107.5 crore compared to Rs 93.1 crore a quarter ago.
The total income has dropped 2%, while the expenditure is down 6%.
In the financial results, the company has said the FTTH markets are leading growth in customer acquisition.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
ZEEL posts 7.4% YoY growth in total revenue for Q2 FY20
ZEEL's domestic advertising revenue has grown 1.4% YoY in Q2FY20
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) has reported a consolidated revenue of Rs 2,122 crore for the second quarter of FY20, recording a growth of 7.4% on YoY basis.
The Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) was recorded as Rs 692.9 crore with an EBITDA margin of 32.7%. PAT for the quarter was Rs 413.2 crore. The Profit After Tax (PAT) for the quarter was Rs 413.2 million, with a growth of 6.9% YoY.
During the second quarter, ZEEL’s consolidated advertising revenue grew by 1.2% YoY to Rs 1,224.7 crore. The domestic advertising revenues grew by 1.4% YoY to Rs 1169 crore.
ZEEL has posted 26.8% YoY growth in Q2FY20 domestic subscription revenue. ZEEL’s consolidated subscription revenue grew by 19.0% to Rs 723.5 crore during the quarter.
ZEEL’s total expenditure in Q2FY20 stood at Rs 1429.1 crore, higher by 9.9% YoY compared to Q2FY19.
While ZEE5 recorded a peak DAU (Daily Active User) base of 8.9 million in September 2019, ZEE5 users watched an average of 120 minutes of content on the platform in the same month.
During Q2 FY20, the television network had an all-India viewership share of 18.4%.
During the quarter, ZEEL’s international business revenue was Rs 208.2 crore. The advertising and subscription revenues for international business declined by 4.0% YoY and 21.5% YoY, respectively.
Zee Music Company has registered 7.1 billion views on YouTube in Q2.
Punit Goenka, Managing Director and CEO, ZEEL, said, “I am pleased with the performance we have exhibited during the quarter. Our entertainment portfolio continues to grow from strength to strength across all formats and maintained its leading position. Our television network has emerged stronger post the implementation of tariff order on the back of a strong customer connect and brand pull of its channels. ZEE5 continued to gain traction across audience segments and markets, driven by its compelling content library and expanding list of partnerships across the digital eco-system. This strong operating performance allowed us to deliver industry leading growth in both advertising and subscription despite the tough macro-economic environment. Domestic subscription growth of 27% has reaffirmed the value proposition our television network has built over the years. The impact of tariff order has now largely settled down and has brought increased transparency along with improved monetization. Our domestic advertising revenue growth, though significantly lower than historical trend, is higher than the industry growth. We have witnessed an improvement in ad spends through the quarter and we believe that the onset of festive season along with measures taken by the government will help revive the consumption growth.”
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp