Bengal is on a growth trajectory in terms of viewership & news consumption: Avinash Pandey
As ABP Ananda celebrates their 15th anniversary, Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP News Network, talks to e4m about Bengal as a market, the growth story of ABP Ananda and more

Securing the top position on BARC ratings for seven consecutive weeks, ABP Ananda, the Bengali news channel from ABP News Network, has plans to keep the numbers not just consistent but also growing. In a chat with e4M, Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP News Network, talks about how West Bengal has always been on a growth trajectory not just in terms of viewership and news consumption but has also emerged as a market favoured by advertisers. Pandey talks about Bengal as a market, the growth story of ABP Ananda, shows during lockdown, viewer-driven content, on-ground initiatives and more.
Excerpts
Your rating numbers are in perfect sync with our PM's vision of 'Vocal for Local'. Tell us a little about growing ratings. Is it only the stay-at-home traffic that is driving all the growth?
Over the years, ABP Ananda has carved its niche in the fiercely-competitive West Bengal market and emerged as the strongest force around, especially where regional broadcast news is concerned. As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of ABP Ananda and embark on another significant year in our journey, we are poised to take bigger strides in the realm of television news.
With the cacophonous physical world turning quiet, the vibrant home-bound life is being embraced by Indians, leading to higher internet and television consumption. No doubt the lockdown has contributed significantly to the surge in viewership. Nonetheless, our novel and innovative content offerings, even during these challenging times, have been equally relevant in attracting eyeballs. We have been the No.1 across genres for seven consecutive weeks and the gap between our competitors’ reach and ours has widened further, distinctly revealing our growth story.
How has Bengal been a market for news consumption when compared to other centres? Do you see it growing? Why?
West Bengal has always been on a growth trajectory in terms of viewership and news consumption. It has emerged as one of the most favourite markets vis-à-vis investments, for both broadcasters and advertisers. Moreover, the hyper-local news ecosystem is burgeoning amid the COVID-19 period, as viewers are constantly on the lookout for the latest developments in their district/township about the ever-evolving situation.
Being a credible choice and long-time news partner for the people in Bengal, ABP Ananda has been the go-to channel for catching the latest updates.
News channels are also offering infotainment to cut through the monotony of news around the pandemic; What is ABP Ananda doing on that front?
The relentless news coverage on the coronavirus can be depressing for people already living under the stress of lockdown. In such a scenario, we need to diversify our content to avoid alarming viewers. At ABP Ananda, we have been focusing on offering several informative and educational programmes. Previously, we aired virtual classes for students of classes IX to XII, which received an overwhelming response from viewers. We have also experimented with newer formats imparting social education. With Ghanta Khanek Sange Suman, Suman De has been hosting a live show from home, which has been lauded by the public.
News as a category is showing unprecedented growth. What are you doing to keep the numbers sustainable? Do you think it will be possible to retain the numbers even post the lockdown?
Considering the current uncertainty, there are many imponderables in making a forecast. Although viewership will decline to some extent after the lockdown, it will still be high compared to previous quarters. With COVID-19 continuing to hold people hostage to its ever-evolving threats, viewers will continue seeking the latest news updates.
Having said that, we are hoping for positive growth as our focus remains on viewer-driven content and persistent innovation.
With the elections just a year away and social distancing in place, do you think news channels in Bengal will play a key role in the entire campaign process and have content in the form of debates etc. like we see in the western countries?
All major industries, as we know them, have been irrevocably impacted by the pandemic. The broadcast industry is no exception. As a result of social distancing, event virtualisation in the news genre has emerged as the new normal.
Thanks to virtual events and live home bulletins, our news channels have received a new lease of life too. Only recently, in making up for their lost lessons, ABP Ananda aired virtual classes for students of classes IX to XII from state-aided Madhyamik and Higher Secondary Schools as well as ICSE and ISC. This has been one of the many initiatives wherein we have pursued our vision towards responsible, action-oriented, impactful journalism. By the same token, we will ensure the elections are covered just as effectively as in the pre-COVID times.
Although social distancing and other factors pose a challenge, the pandemic has also unfolded opportunities to innovate, which shall remain our long-term focus.
A considerable shift has been witnessed in content consumption, with a lot of viewers moving towards digital. How has the channel been performing on digital platforms?
During these times, the accelerated adoption of digital media consumption cannot be denied. Through a significant shift in consumer behaviour, intermingled with our zeal to produce new content by tapping the pulse of the viewers, a massive uptick has been witnessed on all our digital platforms. ABP Ananda’s YouTube channel received a whopping 6.2 million views on May 20, 2020 (source: YouTube Analytics). This indicates the profound impact the channel has had over the Bengali audience. We have taken the digital media’s robust takeoff as a golden opportunity for engagingour viewers all the more and providing them with a rich portfolio of online content.
What are the special programming/on-ground initiatives taken up by the channel?
At ABP Ananda, our focus has always remained on adding intangible cultural elements to our content in establishing a worthwhile connect with Bengali viewers. Some of our most fabled events include the Khaibar Pass Food Festival – one of Kolkata’s biggest on-ground food festivals celebrating the effervescent Bengali food culture. The success of this property paved the way for three more Khaibar Pass Events in North Bengal, South Bengal and North 24 Parganas. The others include Sera Bangali,an award show honouring eminent personalities of Bengal, whose contributions have brought laurels to the state, and Jukti-Tokko– a renowned debate show empowering viewers by delivering authentic conversations on topics that have a significant impact on their lives. All our special programming initiatives are conducted with one sole purpose–addressing the needs of our viewers while emerging as the state’s vox populi and opinion-maker.
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e4m-Samsung Ads CTV roundtable to be held in Gurugram today
At the exclusive roundtable, experts will share insights on the theme ‘How to Leverage the Power of Screen’
By e4m Staff | Sep 27, 2023 7:52 AM | 2 min read
The exchange4media Group is excited to host the exclusive e4m-Samsung Ads CTV Roundtable in Gurugram today, September 27. In today's competitive marketplace, it is important for advertisers and marketers to understand how to maximize TV budgets and prepare for a larger addressable CTV universe. Marketers now have to consider how incremental reach can help capture viewers across OTT and CTV campaigns and level up their game to stand out from the rest.
At the roundtable, industry heads, digital marketing experts and top leaders from the advertising and marketing world will come together to share insights on the theme ‘How to Leverage the Power of Screen’. The experts will explore the evolving TV landscape, discuss the rise of ad-supported services, and explore how brands are leaning into the power of the screen to create deeper engagement with audiences.
The seasoned professionals will discuss the challenges that agencies and media owners are facing in their business, industry, and market at large. The roundtable will also include discussions on several key topics like what advertisers and marketers expect from CTV in the coming years, how to leverage the power of the screen to curate and tailor their strategies to resonate with the changing trends, measuring business impact in CTV, the challenges in investing more in CTV and more.
Our speakers include Anupam Tripathi, Media Head, Lenskart; Anusha Srinivasan, Digital Media Activations Manager, Reckitt Health, Reckitt India; Archana Aggarwal, VP – Media, Airtel; Bhawna Sikka, Category Head; Oral Health Care, Haleon; Kunal Dhrangadharia, Global Brand Lead, Royal Enfield; Monika Mishra, Director – Marketing, Mobikwik; Sahil Rawal, Vice President - Brand Product Platforms Marketing, Max Life Insurance; Samir Sethi, VP and Head of Brand Marketing, Policybazaar.com; Siya Wadhawan, Senior Brand Manager, boAt Lifestyle and Syed Sibtain Imam, Media Head, Honasa Consumer Ltd (Mamaearth). The discussion will be moderated by Prabhvir Sahmey, Senior Director, Samsung Ads while Abbhishek Chadha, Executive Vice President, North & East, Interactive Avenues will be the co-moderator.
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NDTV gets permission from MIB to launch 3 HD channels
The three high definition channels that received the nod are NDTV 24x7 HD, NDTV India HD and NDTV Profit HD
By e4m Staff | Sep 27, 2023 7:40 AM | 1 min read
New Delhi Television Ltd. (NDTV) has been granted permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to launch three high-definition (HD) channels.
According to the company's disclosure under Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, it said, "This is to inform you that in reference to the application filed by the Company before the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), the Company has received a letter dated September 25, 2023 from MIB conveying its intention to grant permission to the Company to uplink and downlink three (3) news and current affairs channels in High Definition namely ‘NDTV 24x7 HD’, ‘NDTV India HD’ and ‘NDTV Profit HD.'
NDTV added that it will inform the stock exchanges of the launch of the said HD channels.
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ICC World Cup 2023: Disney Star onboards IndusInd & Emirates as sponsors on TV
According to sources, around 50-60 advertisers have signed up for the upcoming cricket tournament on TV
By Sonam Saini | Sep 26, 2023 1:22 PM | 1 min read
Disney Star, the official broadcaster of ICC Cricket World Cup for both TV and digital, has bagged two more sponsorships from IndusInd and Emirates for television.
Highly placed sources have confirmed the news to e4m. According to the sources, over 50 advertisers have signed up for the upcoming marquee tournament and the broadcaster is still in talks with other advertisers.
PhonePe, Mahindra Auto, Coke, MasterCard and Hindustan Unilever are the other big brands that have come on board as sponsors for the tournament.
As earlier reported by exchange4media, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 118-120 crore for co-presenting sponsorships and Rs 80-90 crore for the associate sponsorship. For co-presenting opportunities on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster has set a price tag of Rs 150 crore. Brands eager to get high visibility as "Powered by" sponsors will need to invest Rs 75 crore, while those opting for associate sponsorship will have to allocate Rs 40 crore.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup kicks off on October 5 with a repeat of the 2019 final as England faces New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Across 10 world-class venues, 48 matches will be played in 46 days culminating in the Men’s Cricket World Cup Final on November 19.
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Zee Media to re-register for BARC data
In September 2022, the news broadcaster pulled out of the TV audience measurement system, citing landing page issues
By e4m Staff | Sep 26, 2023 8:39 AM | 1 min read
News broadcaster Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) has decided to register back for BARC data, starting in the week of October 12, according to sources.
Emphasizing the significance of this collaboration, Abhay Ojha, CEO of Zee Media Corporation Limited, said, "We, at ZMCL, have always valued the integrity and transparency of data. Our decision to rejoin forces with BARC reflects our firm belief in BARC's commitment towards robust data mechanisms and our anticipation of a productive partnership ahead. We remain committed to delivering trustworthy news and content to our viewers and advertisers."
e4m has reached out for an official confirmation but BARC CEO Nakul Chopra wasn’t available to comment on the development at the time of filing this story.
Earlier in September 2022, the news broadcaster pulled out of the TV audience measurement system, citing the landing page issue as a reason for taking such a drastic step.
ZMCL had then said that it had been consistently requesting BARC India to take corrective measures with regard to the landing page issue. The news broadcaster had said that the landing page data should not be included in the final viewership and the duration for counting viewership be increased to 2 minutes.
ZMCL was the second TV news network after NDTV to pull out channels from BARC.
The media company owns and operates 14 TV news channels apart from 5 digital channels and 17 digital brands.
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Star Plus onboards 14 advertisers for Star Parivaar Awards 2023
Brands such as Dabur, ITC, Emami, Apple, Amazon, Berger Paints and Xiaomi have aligned themselves with the upcoming event
By e4m Staff | Sep 25, 2023 5:12 PM | 1 min read
Star Parivaar Awards 2023 has onboarded advertisers like Dabur, ITC, Emami, Apple, Amazon, Berger Paints and Xiaomi.
The awards have attracted 14 advertisers spanning a wide array of categories, including FMCG, Banking, E-commerce, Technology, Mobile Handsets, Insurance, Paints, and Pharma.
“This presents an unparalleled opportunity for brands to connect with their target audience on linear TV and beyond. The event offers a diverse range of in-content integration opportunities, emphasizing its massive associative value," said an industry observer.
The award show is set to be telecast on 1st October, starting 7 PM, on Star Plus and Disney+ Hotstar.
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MIB makes registration mandatory for MSOs to provide own programming service
Applicants have been advised to refer to guidelines issued by MIB on November 30, 2022
By e4m Staff | Sep 25, 2023 2:53 PM | 1 min read
Applicants have been advised to refer to guidelines for platform services offered by Multi System Operators issued by MIB on November 30, 2022. They are required to apply for registration of their PS channel(s)
Following documents are required to be uploaded at the time of submission of online application:
a. Certificate of Channel Carrying Capacity (Statewise) (Sell'-Certification).
b. Details of PS Channels operated at State Level
c. Details of PS Channels operated at District Level.
d. Filled in MHA Security Clearance Pro-forma.
e. Challan copy of payment made on Bharat Kosh Portal for registration of PS Channels.
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BCCI media rights: Viacom18 gets dynamic injunction from Delhi HC
Viacom18 Media had approached the court seeking ad-interim dynamic injunction to protect its media rights against rogue and pirate websites as well as John Does
By e4m Staff | Sep 23, 2023 4:50 PM | 2 min read
Viacom18 has secured a broad dynamic injunction from the Delhi High Court for the Indian cricket team’s bilateral matches.
Recently, Viacom18 bagged the BCCI linear and digital rights. As a result, for the next five years i.e., from September 2023 till March 2028, all bilateral games involving the Indian cricket team that will be played in India along with domestic cricket, shall now be broadcasted/streamed by Viacom18 on its television and OTT properties.
Viacom18 Media Private Limited had approached the Delhi High Court seeking an ad-interim dynamic injunction to protect its Media Rights in relation to the BCCI Events against various rogue and pirate websites as well as John Does/Ashok Kumars/Unknown Defendants.
The court while expressing its concerns regarding the unending menace of piracy noted that the courts have become inundated with suits pertaining to such issues and suggested the importance of a robust anti-piracy policy to curb the issues. The court observed that a prima facie case for interim injunction was made out and further held that the grant of an injunction would be necessary to avoid irreparable loss/injury from being caused to Viacom18.
The court further ordered that Viacom18 shall not be bound to initiate any fresh proceedings in relation to any new alphanumeric/redirect/mirror websites that are expected to mushroom during the course of the BCCI events. Access to such websites shall be blocked by the Internet Service Providers (IPSs) upon being informed about the same by Viacom18 on an affidavit. This, dynamic injunction provides Viacom18 to swiftly act against pirates and rogue websites infringing and making available the BCCI matches without due permissions.
Anil Lale (General Counsel, Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd.) said: “We at Viacom18 are proud to be the exclusive digital and television broadcaster for Indian cricket. Viacom18 has always been at the forefront in the fight against piracy. I am sure this is a welcome step for all the cricket fans as also for bona fide broadcasters like us who spend huge sums to get these rights. While we are proud to say that we have won several battles against these pirate websites, we understand that the war against piracy is a continuing one and we are committed towards winning it.”
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