In TV space, growth will come from regional segment: Mehraj Dube, Zee Media
The Vice President of ZEE Media Corporation Limited speaks about the cluttered news space, the thought behind launching Zee Hindustan, the growth of the digital medium and more
Mehraj Dube, Vice President of ZEE Media Corporation Limited who is currently leading the marketing department at ZEE Media Corp, spoke to exchange4media’s Ruahil Aameen during a one-on-one discussion on ‘New League of National Channels’ at the Pitch Top 50 Brands event. 
Here's the edited excerpts:
What was the thought behind launching one more channel when already the market is so cluttered?
Yes, there are so many news and TV channels. And TV screen is one, unlike a newspaper where there is always scope for another page.
The idea was to introduce one more brand catering to a different segment. There are several news channels, but they are ‘national news channels’. The idea behind starting Zee Hindustan was to look beyond Delhi and Mumbai.
We at Zee Media, through our more than 14 news channels and other news brands, tell stories. And there are many stories to be told beyond Delhi and Mumbai. There are great stories all over the country. This is one Hindi news channel which, since its inception, has also been distributed in South India. In just about a year, there are nearly 50 million viewers logging in every week.
When you talk about brand building, what is the contribution of pedigree?
Yes, we have the strength and resources. But if I say that it was very easy for Zee to launch another channel, it would be underestimating the power of viewers. News viewers now are very smart. They are very opinionated. They like transparency and are fast to see your leaning and neutrality. So, it is not easy for anyone.
With the launch of Zee Hindustan, do you think you are now competing with your own channels WION and Zee News?
There is always space for a new one and no we do not compete within ourselves. They are well differentiated channels. Zee Hindustan is doing very well in UP rural and many other rural markets, without losing much in urban markets. This is a struggle even for many traditional news channels.
What kind of a growth are you looking at in the regional space? Are you ready to go hyper local or are you just using the ‘Hindi’ part of it?
Unlike English news space, which is struggling with 5-6 million households every week, regional or Hindi news channels have a lot more.
Of course, sometimes your national brands and regional brands will complement each other. It’s not that the so-called regional news viewers do not watch the news channel which is in the national space or show national stories. So for us, it is sticking with stories that fit with the time and audience. And this solves the puzzle. Some people think regional channels come at the cost of national channels. I don’t think that way. And some think there is no space for national news channels; I don’t think that way either.
I think if growth in the TV space comes, it will come from regional the segment.
How are you looking at the growth of digital?
Thinking only digital or TV will make you a victim of the medium. I think it is all about building great brand relation. Viewers don’t remember if they watched a story on TV or digital. So I think we are moving into a space where story is more important and brand is more important. There are many parameters like: Who told a story? Was it credible? Does the viewer have respect for the guy who showed that story? As I said, consumers have become very smart. They know who you are, where are you are coming from etc. And they have various options.
Yes, digital has done very well for our news business, with 150 page views. Our brands are doing really well in certain markets.
There are more than 800 TV channels, do you think there is still space for more channels?
It is tough to answer what will happen in the future. There are so many communities of news audience sitting out there. You can choose one or two or three or four. I wouldn’t comment on the number of news channels as many of them will perhaps die. It is a business of the fittest. We are storytellers and we have to tell stories that people believe.
Yes, it is going to be tough. It is going to be more constructed and more structured, unlike 10-15 years ago when I used to be a correspondent and we had just 2-3 news channels.
Also, now that we have a-la-carte, people can pick and choose channels that they want to watch from the cable or DTH platforms. There is more transparency and options.
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FreeDish e-auction ends, Prasar Bharati earns Rs 1073 crore from 65 slots
On the last day on Monday, seven slots were auctioned. The highest bid came from Bflix
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 20, 2023 6:43 PM | 1 min read
Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has mopped up Rs 1073 crore from the e-auction of 65 MPEG-2 slots on DD Free Dish.
On the last day of the auction on Monday, seven slots were sold, with the highest bid of Rs 18.7 crore coming from Bflix. Other channels that secured the slots on the last day were Enterr10 (Rs 17 crore), GNT (Rs 17.9 crore), India TV (Rs 18.65 crore), Bharat 24 (Rs 17.15 crore), ABZY Cool (Rs 16 crore) and Sun Marathi (Rs 18.5 crore).
This is the first time in the history of DD Free Dish auction that the process went on for eight days. In fact, the auction was conducted over the weekend as well.
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enba: Prasanth Kumar joins jury panel
Kumar is the CEO of GroupM-South Asia
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 20, 2023 8:19 AM | 1 min read
Prasanth Kumar, CEO - GroupM South Asia, has joined the exchange4media News Broadcasting Awards (ENBA) jury panel. Kumar, popularly known as PK, has over 25 years of industry experience.
Before joining GroupM, Kumar was associated with companies like Pepsi, The Hindu, The Media Edge & McCann Erickson.
Kumar is currently President of AAAI for the 2022-23 term.
The exchange4media Group formulated enba in 2008 with the sole objective of recognizing the best in television news. The awards recognise and acknowledge industry leaders who are responsible for shaping the future of television broadcasting in India. This year, ENBA is in its 15th edition. The grand jury this year will be led by Sunil Arora, a senior bureaucrat and former Election Commissioner of India.
In the previous editions, the enba jury was led by Harivansh Narayan Singh – Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Dr Kiran Karnik – Former President – Nasscom, Dr Nasim Zaidi - Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, SY Quraishi – Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, N Ram – Chairman, Kasturi & Sons Ltd., Former Editor–in-Chief The Hindu and Group Newspapers, Sanjay Gupta – Managing Director – Star India.
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Free Dish e-auction: 25 channels pick up slots in rounds 2 & 3
According to sources, the pubcaster has mopped up approximately Rs 409 crore in these two rounds; bidding for remaining rounds to continue on March 20
By Sonam Saini | Mar 20, 2023 8:01 AM | 2 min read
Prasar Bharati continued the e-auction for vacant MPEG-2 slots on DD Free Dish on the weekend with 25 channels picking up slots in rounds 2 and 3.
The starting receive prices for each round were Rs 16 crore and Rs 13 crore, respectively.
While the buckets eligible for bidding in round 2 were A+, A, B, C, D and R1, round 3 saw bidding for buckets A, B, C, D and R1.
According to industry sources, the pubcaster has mopped up approximately Rs 409 crore in these two rounds.
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The channels that picked up slots in round 3 were Showbox (Rs 17.05 crore), Dil Se (Rs 17.05 crore), Filmachi (Rs 16.7 crore), Goldmines (Rs 15 crore), Aastha Channel (Rs 15.05 crore), Times Navbharat (Rs 15.15 crore), another slot by Goldmines (Rs 15.35 crore), B4U Bhojpuri (Rs 15.05 crore), Bhojpuri Cinema (Rs 15.1 crore), News Nation (Rs 15.05 crore), Aaj Tak (Rs 15.1 crore), 9XM (Rs 15.2 crore) and Movie Plus (Rs 15.2 crore).
In round 1, 33 channels bought slots for over Rs 538 crore.
The pubcaster has so far earned around Rs 947 crore from the e-auction. The remaining rounds (i.e. rounds 4, 5, 6 and 7) will go up for bidding on March 20.
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Madan Bahal joins enba jury panel
Bahal is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Adfactors PR
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 18, 2023 8:30 AM | 1 min read
Madan Bahal, Co-Founder and Managing Director of public relations firm - Adfactors PR, has joined the exchange4media News Broadcasting Awards (ENBA) jury panel. Over the past 25 years, Bahal has served as a lead communication counsel in many of the milestone events of Corporate India, including fundraises, M&As, disputes, litigations, issues, and crises.
Bahal is known for providing leadership to the Indian PR industry during major events such as the global financial meltdown in 2008, and the two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. He is also a member of the governing council of The Yoga Institute, Mumbai – the world's oldest body of organised yoga teaching.
In September 2022, the Arthur W. Page Society inducted Bahal into its Hall of Fame. In October 2020, PRovoke recognised his firm Adfactors PR as one of the seven global agencies of the decade.
enba was formulated by the exchange4media Group in 2008 with the objective of recognizing the best in television news, and for rewarding industry leaders who have shaped the future of television broadcasting in India. This year, enba is in its 15th edition, and the jury will be led by Sunil Arora, a senior bureaucrat and former Election Commissioner of India.
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Free Dish e-auction: 7 slots of Bucket D sold out for over Rs 79 cr
Zee Chitramandir, Zee Punjabi, Fakt Marathi, Shemaroo MarathiBana, Manoranjan Movies, Sanskar TV and Sun Marathi picked up the slots
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 18, 2023 7:50 AM | 1 min read
Prasar Bharati has mopped up over Rs 79 crore from the sale of seven slots under Bucket D of the DD Free Dish e-auction.
This bucket comprises all other remaining genres of Hindi, Devotional/ Spiritual/Ayush, all genres of Marathi, Punjabi and Urdu channels and news and current affairs (English) channels. The base price was Rs 6 crore.
Sources close to the development confirmed six channels that picked up the slots were Zee Chitramandir (Rs 13.40 crore), Zee Punjabi (Rs 12.45 crore), Fakt Marathi (Rs 12.65 crore), Shemaroo MarathiBana (Rs 13 crore), Manoranjan Movies for Rs (13.4 crore), Sanskar TV (Rs 14.6 crore) and Sun Marathi.
Bucket D has eight slots, out of which seven have been sold out. Bidding for the eighth slot will continue today.
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Free Dish e-auction: ABP News picks up 6th slot for Rs 17 cr
The six slots under Bucket C category have been secured by News18, Republic Bharat, TV9, Zee News, NDTV and ABP News
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 17, 2023 12:23 PM | 1 min read
ABP Network has picked the last slot on DD Free Dish. According to sources, ABP News secured the last slot on DD FreeDish for Rs 17.10 crore.
Under Bucket C, which comprises news and current affairs (Hindi) channels, News18, Republic Bharat, TV9, Zee News, NDTV and ABP News bagged the slots. The base price for the bucket was Rs 7 crore.
Prasar Bharati has now made Rs103.15 crore from the six slots under Bucket C.
The highest price paid in this category was Rs 19.85 crore.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, News18 bought the first slot for Rs 19.85 crore, Republic Bharat secured the second one for Rs 16.55 crore, TV9 took the third slot for Rs 14.55 crore, Zee News bought the fourth slot for Rs 15.5 crore and NDTV bought the slot for Rs 16.55 crore.
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ZEEL likely to settle IndusInd Bank's dues: Reports
News agencies say the media company could pay Rs 83.7 crore to the bank on Friday
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 17, 2023 8:56 AM | 1 min read
ZEEL is likely to repay IndusInd Bank's dues, according to media reports.
The media network is looking to resolve the insolvency proceedings for completing the merger with Sony.
As per media reports, dues amounting to Rs 83.7 crore may be settled on Friday, prompting the bank to withdraw the insolvency proceedings thereafter.
It may be noted that in February the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal stayed the insolvency order against ZEE.
ZEEL CEO Punit Goenka had said that the focus was now on the timely completion of the proposed merger.
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