B R O A D C A S T - F I L M - P O S T - I N F O T A I N M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y BROADCAST GLOBAL MEDIA FOR BROADCAST, FILM, POST & INFOTAINMENT & FILM TECHNOLOGY & BUSINESS MARCH - APRIL 2021 VFX, ANIMATION & BEYOND SURGING AHEAD GLOBAL MEDIA FOR BROADCAST, FILM, POST & INFOTAINMENT 2021 TECHNOLOGY & BUSINESS Media Kit BROADCAST & FILM - Your #1 Resource to Reach Broadcast, Film, Post & Infotainment Technology Markets in India
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4 Editorial
5 News NEWS...
12 Animation and VFX Surge
16 Top VFX & Post Production Studios In India
Top OTT Players And Their Financial Resurgence 20 In The Pandemic
25 Media & Entertainment Sector 2020: Key trends
28 Top English NEWS Channel & Their Financial Resurgence
BROADCAST AND FILM 4 MARCH - APRIL 2021 Contents MARCH - APRIL 2021 ISSUE
Repositioning For 2021 – The IABM Technology And 33 Trends Roadmap Helps Determine Your Future Direction Editor: MANOJ MADHAVAN manoj,[email protected]
Production: Ashok Mansukhani: Distinguished PRASHANT KARANGUTKAR 38 Media Veteran Recounts On OTT, CATV& Broadcast Market
IABM’s Report 43 “Charting the Uncharted” Editorial & Advertising NürnbergMesse India Pvt. Ltd. 312/313, A Wing, 3rd Floor, Dynasty Business Park, Andheri Kurla Road, Andheri (E), Mumbai – 400059. Tel.: +91-22-6216 5313 Mob.: +91-91082 32956 HPA’s The Found Lederhosen Email: manoj,[email protected] Uses Blackmagic Design www.broadcastandfilm.com 45 DaVinci Resolve Studio and URSA Mini Pro 12K
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BROADCAST AND FILM 5 MARCH - APRIL 2021 EDITOR’S DESK
From the Editor’s Desk
The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector is expected to grow by 25% in 2021 and is expected to reach INR 1.73 trillion (US$23.7 billion) states FICCI-EY report ‘Playing by new rules’. With its current trajectory, the M&E sector in India is expected to reach INR 2.23 trillion (US$30.6 billion) by 2023 at a CAGR of 17%. In 2020 television continued to remain the largest segment. Television segment revenues are expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% to reach INR847 billion by 2023 driven by increased base of subscribers as households continue to get televised. Growth will be driven by connected TVs which could cross 40 million homes by MANOJ MADHAVAN 2025 and free television could cross 50 million homes by then. Paid Editor OTT subscriptions crossed 50 million for the first time in 2020. The VFX and Animation studios witnessed a surge in content demand for domestic shows which is expected to rise in the next The entertainment few years. ecosystem in India boasts of These figures will prove to be very reassuring to an industry an impressive infrastructure segment which has been very badly impacted by the pandemic. of post houses, VFX studios IABM Special Report - ‘Charting the Uncharted’ highlights which deliver quality work. how traditional broadcasters have moved rapidly to supplement The OTT players have their output with DTC offerings, and to search for the necessary registered phenomenal scale to compete with the digital giants through acquisition or growth in the pandemic in consolidation as well as increased investment in content. IABM's terms of revenues and CTO, Stan Moote shows the changes made in 2020 by the addition in subscribers. stakeholders in the media ecosystem helped in giving a fresh IP development has opened perspective to all businesses in the media content chain. new doors for Indian The major financial resurgence by the OTT players and news studios who were channel during the course of the pandemic is featured in this issue. traditionally service The ‘Entertainment’ industry believes in the maxim ‘The Show Must oriented, as OTT platforms Go On’. And the hope is that 2021 despite being a difficult year are allowing international will usher a sense of positivity and a ray of hope. audiences to consume such content.
[email protected] Manoj Madhavan - Editor
BROADCAST AND FILM 6 MARCH - APRIL 2021 NEWS
PFT SECURES A PATENT PADMA SHRI, SANTOSH SIVAN JOINS CANON’S FOR ITS JUST-IN-TIME DISTINGUISHED CINEMA EOS AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WATERMARKING In-line with strengthening its EOS Ambassador program in India, SOLUTION WITHIN CLEAR Canon, has onboarded eminent Prime Focus Technologies Director, Cinematographer and (PFT) announced that the United States Filmmaker, Santosh Sivan as part Patent and Trademark Office has issued of its celebrated Cinema EOS a patent (U.S. Patent No. 10,904,595) for its Just-in-Time embedded Ambassador program. Sivan is one watermarking solution of streaming of the most acclaimed proxies within CLEARTM. cinematographers in the Indian The studios and content film fraternity and brings to the owners typically rely on invisible table an experience of over 30 watermarks (commonly referred to as years. He has worked on various forensic watermarks) as there exists no films across Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu languages and is most renowned technology that transcodes content in for his work in the South Indian film industry especially Malayalam cinema. He real-time to apply the visual user has won 14 National Awards and for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, watermark without impairing the user he has been awarded the reputed Padma Shri by the President of India in 2014. experience. While these served the Sivan’s passion for the art of filmmaking made him a founding member of purpose of traceability in the event of the Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC) and he is also the only Indian a leak, they couldn’t deter such leaks representative at the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). He shot to from happening. Hence the reliance on prominence on the national stage with Mani Ratnam’s Thalapathi and is celebrated UI over-lay-based, visual watermarks. for his work in movies such as Roja, Dil Se, Iruvar, and Kaala Pani. He is not only respected in the Indian film industry but is also applauded internationally for his stellar work. He has 21 international awards and credits include Bride & Prejudice, Mistress Of Spices, and The Terrorist (premiered at BFI London Film Festival). Some of his most recent films include , Lies We Tell, Chekka Chivantha Vaanam and the famous Darbar with Rajnikanth. While his film Mumbaikar is currently in the post production stage and shooting for his film Barroz just started. Sivan is looking forward working with with the latest cinema camera This patented solution comes launched by Canon, the EOS C70 Cinema camera which is Canon's first RF Mount with two major innovations: (1) the Cinema EOS Camera and exploring the same to create unique OTT content. ability to apply user-specific burnt-in Commenting on the Cinema EOS Ambassador Program, Mr. C Sukumaran, watermarks, real-time and (2) make the Director- Consumer Systems Products and Imaging Communication Products experience of a “Just-In-Time- said, “We are excited to onboard Mr. Santosh Sivan, a legend and an industry Watermarked” stream as seamless as veteran with an impeccable sense of visual storytelling, as our Canon Cinema that of a CLEAN stream. At its core, this invention treats every streaming- EOS Ambassador. Bold and inspirational, the Canon EOS Ambassador program segment request from a user’s video represents and supports current and future generations of photographers and player, as an atomic segment that will filmmakers. With his experience and passion, Mr. Sivan is the ideal ambassador to need to be transcoded by a GPU-farm not only spearhead change in the motion pictures industry but also share Canon's and handed back in real-time to the vision for visual storytelling.” player. All this, in conformance with the “With the remarkable rise of OTT content, the broadcast industry has needs of the standard streaming been witnessing several transformations in recent times and that is where the protocols including HLS/DASH among experience of creators like Mr. Sivan counts the most. Through our Canon Cinema others. Consequently, EOS Ambassadors, we aim to spread of filmmaking not only in terms of being in Any segment requested, across tune with the latest trends but also the best-suited technology.” any bit rate, is served with a Speaking about partnering with Canon as a Cinema EOS Ambassador, Mr. watermark and Santosh Sivan said, “I am delighted to be a part of the Canon EOS Cinema Any high-speed trick-play request Ambassador family. Through the years, Canon has been introducing (up to 3X) is served elegantly, since groundbreaking technology in the field of Cinema which has enabled filmmakers it relies on high-speed transcodes through the GPU farm. like me to truly depict our vision into reality on film. And through this program, I
BROADCAST AND FILM 7 MARCH - APRIL 2021 NEWS
MARSHALL FURTHER also get the chance to not only work closely with Canon but also promote the EXPANDS IP WORKFLOW passion for art in the photography-loving nation that we are.” CAPABILITIES WITH “I am excited to introduce to the audience my new work on OTT platforms ADDITIONAL CAMERA soon and I believe that choosing a Cinema EOS camera paired with Mirrorless RF CHOICES technology is an ideal combination in terms of technology. My current picks include the versatile Canon Cinema EOS C70 camera and shall further add the Marshall Electronics continues revolutionary mirrorless Canon EOS R5 camera with 8k video recording abilities.” to develop new cameras designed to Known for associating with stalwarts of the photography community, improve IP workflows. Marshall Canon has a diverse set of filmmakers as part of its Canon EOS Cinema released two levels of 4K PTZ cameras Ambassador. Other acclaimed cinematographers as part of the program include within the last year with 30x optical Sumer Verma – Underwater Cinema domain, Alphonse Roy, Bedi Brothers (Vijay zoom and professional grade sensors: Bedi & Ajay Bedi), Priya Thuvassery, and Rajesh Gupta. one with up to 4K30 (CV630) resolution and one with up to 4K60 (CV730) resolution. Marshall also recently PRONOLOGY INTRODUCES UPGRADED NAS SOLUTION offered two levels of fixed position AND NEW THUNDERBOLT 3 STORAGE APPLIANCE cameras with 30x optical zoom and Pronology, a developer of cutting- professional grade sensors: one with edge tapeless workflow solutions, expands up to HD60 (CV355-30X) resolution and its ruggedized, portable, high-performance one with up to UHD60 (CV420-30X). storage offerings with the newly updated In looking forward to 2021, rNAS.m4, a Network Attached Storage (NAS) Marshall is scheduled to launch a High- solution, along with its new rTB appliance, Bandwidth NDI® PTZ camera (CV730- which utilizes a Thunderbolt 3 interface. BHN) late Q3 with up to 4K60 resolution rNAS.m4 was developed in direct and 30x optical zoom packed with High- response to customer requests for resilient, Bandwidth NDI®, NDI®|HX and high-performance storage that can stand up simultaneous 12GSDI/HDMI2.0 to the rigors of remote production and outputs. Also planned for later this transportation. It is optimized for reading and year, Marshall has its CV620-BI with writing concurrent media streams in a 20x optical zoom 3GSDI, HDMI and IP/ compact form factor. It allows for the acquisition and transport of broadcast HEVC/SRT, and the CV620-BN with 20x media assets and all other types of data in a road-ready enclosure. rNAS.m4 optical zoom 3GSDI, HDMI and NDI®|HX on its product roadmap. easily handles the increased amounts of data required by 4K productions. This “Marshall was one of the first compact and extremely durable NAS solution is also rack-mountable and features adopters of the NDI® platform, building a proprietary external status display module. the technology into our PTZ cameras rTB by Pronology is a rugged, portable, high performance storage appliance several years ago and watching the utilizing a Thunderbolt 3 interface. Like rNAS, rTB is compact, rack-mountable, technology progress with greatly vibration and impact resistant. rTB is ideal for users who want the industries’ best improved NDI® Tools, lower latency, hardware RAID technology with the speed and performance of Thunderbolt ease of discovery and the ability to mix connectivity. different media types into the NDI® Both rNAS.m4 and rTB feature hot swappable drives all while being workflow,” says Tod Musgrave, lightweight, desktop quiet and nearly indestructible. Both appliances are available Director of Cameras for Marshall with custom hard or soft carrying cases to allow for safe and easy transportation Electronics. “Marshall is completely of invaluable data and media assets. rNAS.m4 and rTB are available through behind the big push in IP cameras with storage product resellers and Versatile Distribution Services in the U.S. PTZ and fixed position camera options, whether it’s standard IP (HEVC), THESMALLBIGIDEA WINS SOCIAL MEDIA DUTIES FOR Haivision SRT or Newtek NDI®. We, ALTBALAJI as a company, have double-downed, triple-downed, even gone ALL-IN on Full services digital and social media marketing agency, TheSmallBigIdea, the future of IP in broadcast and has been awarded with the social media duties for ALTBalaji, Balaji Telefilms' proAV.” subscription based video-on-demand platform. Within just seven years of
BROADCAST AND FILM 8 MARCH - APRIL 2021 NEWS
MO-SYS DIGUISE operation, the agency has grown from strength to strength on the back of ENDORSES data driven insights and content STARTRACKER FOR XR backed by their in-house analytics tool Mo-Sys Engineering (www.mo- ‘ACE’. The addition of ALTBalaji, sys.com), world leader in precision further leverages the agency’s camera tracking solutions for virtual entertainment portfolio and helps it production and image robotics, establish itself as a partner of choice announced that its partner disguise amongst the media and entertainment brands for their social and digital marketing (www.disguise.one) has a number of needs. customers and partners adopting As a part of the mandate, TheSmallBigIdea will focus on leveraging StarTracker technology for XR and ALTBalaji’s existing presence on social media platforms to captivate and reach virtual production. disguise customers out to newer audiences. In addition to this, the agency will strengthen the brand’s have been adopting StarTracker social position through neo-social platforms like Moj, Taka Tak, Chingari, Roposo systems with disguise xR technology, and through online database platform, IMDb. The mandate includes the agency and disguise has seen strong demand to focus on conceptualizing and publishing content, and engaging with influencers in the fast-growing APAC market for on social media platforms to create a buzz about their path-breaking shows the combined solution. launching every month. StarTracker is Mo-Sys’s In alignment with ALTBalaji’s objective, TheSmallBigIdea through its collaboration with Mayur Jumani, garnered 247K organic views for three of their recently launched shows titled ‘Hello Jee’, ‘Dev DD’ and ‘Bang Baang’. With their data driven strategy and creative communication approach, the campaign led to a significant increase in the brand’s social media positioning. TheSmallBigIdea is a full services digital marketing agency that provides services such as Social Media Management, Video Content Production, Digital Media Planning & Buying, Social Listening & ORM services, Augmented & Virtual Reality amongst other ancillary marketing services. Recognized for their propriety creative-tech tool ACE, ‘The Small Big Idea’ has enabled brands to arrive at campaign messaging by integrating insights from social sentiments & enterprise data. precision 6-axis camera and lens tracking system, designed for use with VIACOM18 RESTRUCTURES ITS LEADERSHIP TEAM XR stages, LED volumes, and green/ Viacom18, India’s fastest growing blue screens, for broadcast or for film M&E network, announced changes in VFX production. Along with real-time its leadership team to focus on scaling photo-realistic graphics, and real-time and bolstering its digital and broadcast compositing, these three technologies businesses. Driving the agenda of have enabled the current explosion in growing its digital subscription virtual production for both VFX-heavy businesses, in his new role, Ferzad Palia will head all SVOD services (Voot Select feature films, television series, and & Voot Kids) and International expansion for Voot and will report to Gourav sports production. Rakshit, COO, Viacom18 Digital Ventures. “We are delighted that not only The network’s Youth, Music and English Entertainment business, has disguise selected StarTracker for comprising of channels that are leaders in their respective categories, will now be demo usage in its local offices,” said led by Anshul Ailawadi, erstwhile strategy and project management lead at the Mike Grieve, Commercial Director of Group CEO’s office. Anshul will be reporting to Rahul Joshi, Managing Director, Mo-Sys, “but also that their customers Network18, in his new role. are adopting StarTracker technology In its endeavour to become a future-proof organisation, identifying for XR shows, events, and virtual opportunities to drive synergies is crucial. Ferzad has led the growth of the production.” network’s Youth, Music and English Entertainment business for the past 16 years. More recently he launched Voot Select that has already raced to add 1mn+
BROADCAST AND FILM 9 MARCH - APRIL 2021 NEWS
NOKIA AND SAMSUNG subscribers within a year. He will now look to cohesively grow Viacom18’s SVoD SIGN PATENT LICENSING and International digital businesses. Anshul has played a key role in the growth AGREEMENT FOR VIDEO of Viacom18 over the last 6 years and is a strong proponent of the tremendous fandom, and the potential business opportunity that the YME brands of Viacom18 STANDARDS command. In a young country like India, these brands have a long runway for growth, especially given the proliferation of digital platforms. Viacom18 forayed into digital subscription businesses in late 2019 with Voot Kids that was closely followed by Voot Select launched in March 2020. Voot Select recently reported acquiring over 1mn subscribers in its first year and though being a late entrant in the category it’s the fastest growing broadcaster-backed OTT service. Youth, Music and English Entertainment portfolio of Viacom18 consists of category leading channels like MTV, MTV Beats, Vh1, Comedy Central Nokia announced that it has and Colors Infinity. signed a patent license agreement with Samsung, which covers the use of “VOOT SELECT” COMPLETES A YEAR - FASTEST TO 1 Nokia’s innovations in video standards. Under the agreement, MILLION ACTIVE PAYING SUBSCRIBER MARK IN LESS Samsung will make royalty payments THAN A YEAR to Nokia. The terms of the agreement Launched with the brand promise of remain confidential between the parties. ‘made for stories’ that are differentiated Jenni Lukander, President of and compelling, Viacom18’s premium Nokia Technologies, said: “We are SVoD offering VOOT Select has delighted to have reached an agreement emerged as the fastest growing Indian with Samsung which further validates OTT platform to hit a landmark Nokia’s decades-long investments to milestone of one million active direct R&D and contributions to multimedia paying subscribers in less than a year of launch. The newest kid on the block has and video technology standards.” in a short period of time emerged as a formidable game changer by creating Over the course of more than disruptive and innovative viewing experiences through fresh stories and category 30 years, Nokia has contributed defining initiatives. Digital first strategies like 24 hours before television windowing significantly to multimedia and video of network content, high decibel immersive experiences, International content research and the development of and multi award winning originals have all been growth drivers for the platform. industry standards. The work of Adding to the content diversity, Voot Select will also be the new home to Showtime Nokia’s engineers in the field of video content in India and the exclusive destination for upcoming Paramount+ shows research and standardization has been in the country. The diverse repertoire of international content will include much recognized with numerous international awaited titles such as Dexter (Limited Series), Ray Donavan Feature-Length Film, awards, including four Technology & The First Lady from showtime and Frasier (Reboot) & Why Women Kill S2 from Engineering Emmy® Awards. Paramount+ amongst others, expected to premiere on the platform in India. Nokia’s industry-leading patent Despite being launched at the cusp of the global health crisis, Voot Select portfolio is built on more than €129 has delivered a phenomenal first year. In an industry first innovation, the brand billion invested in R&D over the past took their digital-first strategy a step ahead on the back of originals, Before TV two decades and is composed of content and multi genre international offerings. With content available 24 Hours around 20,000 patent families, including before TV, access to 24 Hours Live channel of Bigg Boss and producing pandemic- over 3,500 patent families declared based fiction thriller series ‘The Gone Game’ – the first series in the category to be essential to 5G. Nokia contributes its shot during the lockdown, Voot Select drove high engagement throughout the inventions to open standards in return year. The award-winning line up of originals like the breakthrough series Asur for the right to license them on fair, that emerged amongst the top 3 shows of 2020, Illegal, Raikar Case, Marzi, and reasonable and non-discriminatory Crackdown amongst others added to the diverse content experience of viewers (FRAND) terms. Companies can license on the platform. and use these technologies without the With strengthened tech partnerships and more than 40 per cent of watch need to make their own substantial time on Smart TVs, the platform has attracted a cohort of premium customers, investments in R&D. providing them with an enhanced viewing experience.
BROADCAST AND FILM 10 MARCH - APRIL 2021 NEWS
3SS’ TECHNOLOGY REACH TO DOUBLE IN 2021 3SS (3 Screen Solutions), Pierre Donath, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at 3SS,explains: “More leading provider of software solutions and more operators are striving to deliver completely unified experiences, beyond for set-top boxes (STB) and multiscreen that of the STB; today they are fully embracing smart TV, web and mobile with the entertainment, announces that it is on goal to provide harmonious, all-encompassing entertainment across devices and track to see its worldwide technology viewing contexts.” The 3READY Control Center, which enables real-time UX reach double in 2021 compared with its optimization of all apps, all manageable from one unified location, is helping end-2020 market penetration. operators achieve this objective in a With eight next-generation streamlined, efficient way. Android TV projects currently 3SS’ track record in major international being delivered for major operators Android TV deployments is in EMEA, North America, Latin unmatched. 3SS delivered the world’s America and Asia Pacific, many of first major Android-based which are yet to be announced, deployment, Swisscom TV 2.0, in 2014, 3SS’ committed deployment since updated to Swisscom TV OS4. pipeline will total at least 25 million Canal Digital OnePlace and Com Hem homes by end-2021. This is more TV Hub followed in 2018, based on than a twofold increase on 2020’s multiple award-winning 3READY. 10 million deployed homes total. More operators decided to build their “The Android TV OS is now products on 3SS technology in 2019, truly mainstream, and operators around including Uruguay’s TCC and Belgium’s largest service provider, Proximus. In the world are building their next- February 2020, it was announced that Norway’s Altibox is deploying 3READY to generation TV offerings on it,” said enhance its upcoming Android TV service. Kai-Christian Borchers, Managing The company’s growing worldwide reputation, which includes 14 Director of 3SS. “We are extremely prestigious industry awards principally recognizing the superior UX quality of its proud that so many have chosen our deployments, is not the only catalyst influencing 3SS’ anticipated footprint growth. 3READY Product Framework, in The 3READY Entertainment Ecosystem was created to empower operators particular the 3READY Custom to rapidly design and launch superior experiences on all devices and enable Launcher enabled by Android TV customer-centric innovation. It is an all-in portfolio of complementary capabilities, Operator Tier, to help them create technical deployment options, key vendor partnership network and pre- hybrid and OTT entertainment services integrations. 3SS’ core goal with the Ecosystem is to enable operators and people really love.” broadcasters to focus on achieving business objectives earlier and create superior The 2021 doubling of the experiences when developing their next-generation entertainment products. potential universe of homes powered Operators have the flexibility to co-define, co-design and co-develop to by Android TV OS and enriched with meet their roadmap needs. Meanwhile they have the means to deliver churn- world-class user experiences via 3SS resistant TV products that exceed the expectations of subscribers. Next-level innovations is made up of several video services are made possible through deep complementary technology elements. It includes ongoing progress integrations with close partners on top of open and modular 3READY Product in active EMEA deployments – such Framework architecture. Time-to-market is accelerated, free from vendor-lock-in, as for Proximus, Com Hem (Tele2) and with maximum flexibility and transparency. Allente (formerly Canal Digital) – along Importantly, when working with 3SS, operators benefit from agile with others which will go live in the development techniques which infuse all of the company’s operations. Embracing coming weeks. Also, there are principles such as SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) results in faster, high-quality additional recently acquired as-yet- system deployments, superior levels of efficiency in product development, as unannounced customer projects. well as engaged, highly motivated individuals and teams. An important factor With agile methodologies, in the 3READY Entertainment Ecosystem – contributing to 3SS’ 2021 expansion with over 12 operator customers and over 60 technology and content partners to forecast is seven new smart TV projects date – development is continuous. Testing and quality assurance operations take underway, supporting Samsung Tizen place simultaneously, and projects benefit from a high level of extended team and LG webOS, based on 3READY. communication, so deployments are faster and service launches accelerated.
BROADCAST AND FILM 11 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: ANIMATION & VFX
ANIMATION AND VFX SURGE
Animation/VFX studios witnessed a surge in content demand for domestic shows, which is expected to rise further over the next few years.
Demand for content from OTT for domestic shows, which is expected content for global consumption are also platforms increased to rise further over the next few years. increasing, allowing for higher quality COVID-19 content and subsequently caused a surge in OTT greater global reach. IP content consumption, development has opened driving up the demand new doors for Indian for OTT content studios who were across platforms, traditionally service which turned to 2D oriented, as OTT and 3D animated platforms are allowing content to fill gaps in international audiences to live content. It was a consume such content. year when global Technology players such as continued to evolve Amazon Prime Video and Netflix signed Animation, VFX and exclusive content post-production are licensing deals with gradually adopting AI/ML various studios in technologies to streamline India. workflows and fuel content development. The Demand for transition to the work from domestic home model during the animated content pandemic has accelerated grew adoption, as many studios Animation/ turn to virtual production VFX studios to fulfil their needs. Even witnessed a surge in content demand Investments into creating indigenous as restrictions open up, some of these
BROADCAST AND FILM 12 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: ANIMATION & VFX virtual technologies are here to stay. It three years, collectively reaching were largely dependent on content is expected that over the next five years, INR129 billion by 2023. VFX and sales to international markets but now, 20%–25% of Indian studios would have postproduction are set to recover to growth is being driven by domestic adopted such technologies 2019 revenues by 2022. original content. Studios have transitioned from Captive centers increased in ANIMATION being content developers to IP owners. India Animation remained relatively International studios are resilient to COVID-19. The Kids OTT Genre becoming more interested in COVID-19 has contributed to a either opening their own studios significant rise in children’s in India or investing in existing ANIMATION REVENUES consumption of animated Indian companies. This is content: bringing not only investments According to BARC, in, but also adding to the there was a 39% growth in creative and technological talent consumption of children’s pool in India content during the lockdown Theatrical slowdown Share of children’s genre impacted VFX increased from 6% of total While animation television viewership in 2019 to continued to grow despite the 7.4% in 2020 closure of cinemas and OTT platforms, too have seen postponement of theatrical success with their kids shoots, live-feed reliant programming: industries like VFX and post- Toonz Media Group The animation segment production experienced major setbacks launched MyToonz, is a kids OTT successfully catered to the rising in the first half of 2020. However, shoots platform. It tied up with multiple OTT demand despite pandemic resumed relatively quickly in India app stores, telcos, OTTs and restrictions by quickly adapting to compared to other countries, allowing connected TV companies around the work from home model and the segments to gradually recover over the world to make MyToonz managing a 10% growth in 2020 to the second half of the year available for consumers across reach INR24.5 billion. platforms; the MyToonz library Growth prospects are linked With the sudden imposition of will launch with over 1,500 half- to content production revival lockdown, several studios faced hours of content that are targeted and more productivity gaps in March and April, at preschoolers, upper bouncing back to 60%-70% of Overall, the animation, VFX and preschoolers and early teens. post-production segment has deeply deliveries by June and eventually felt the impact of the pandemic in 2020. recovering fully by late August. Discovery+, the subscription- Animation displayed its resilience, Productivity gaps in the first few based video streaming service bouncing back within a few weeks to weeks were caused by low internet owned by factual entertainment meet content demands, albeit while speed, insufficient bandwidth and network Discovery, introduced a experiencing losses in productivity. complex software requirements, but genre devoted to kids content, with VFX and post-production were far these were quickly overcome. the launch of a show from the Little more severely affected, halving in value While larger studios Singham franchise, modeled on the over 2019. Yet, the way forward is experienced growth on the back of their popular Bollywood film optimistic, as piled-up work, growing ability to adapt and adjust to pandemic ZEE5 launched ZEE5 kids with demand and technology adoption will restrictions, smaller studios struggled over 4,000 hours of free content allow these segments to experience and some even shut down. across genres in nine different tremendous growth, apart from the need Animation studios are now languages. to create digital experiences across replete with overseas and domestic YouTube kids and Voot kids were different sectors. The segment will work till 2022-23. the other dedicated kids OTT grow at a CAGR of 34.6% over the next Earlier, Indian animation studios platforms in India.
BROADCAST AND FILM 13 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: ANIMATION & VFX
Domestic Broadcasters Commissioned More Original Animation Content
VFX and POST-PRODUCTION live action industry, especially during indefinitely delayed which led to layoffs VFX and post-production were the first two quarters of 2020 and fell and salary cuts; many permanent heavily affected by disruption to the from INR72.6 billion in 2019 to INR28.5 employees were made temporary. billion in 2020. VFX and post-production Policies being largely creative and collaborative VFX AND POST-PRODUCTION and procedures processes, hence, a complete shift to REVENUES implemented the work from home model hampered due to COVID- the learning and development of newer 19 led studios to employees. resort to Small studios (employee base of Chroma shoots 10-30) were slower than larger ones in and pre- transitioning to remote working, in visualization of some cases taking one and a half sequences to months to return to full service; many minimize the of these studios went out of business, actual time leading to more freelancers entering the spent on sets. market. There The Road to Recovery was a reduction Over Q3 and Q4 of 2020, the VFX in pipeline of segment displayed resilience and projects in the recovered as live shoots and feeds short term with resumed and an effective work from many films home pipeline emerged.
BROADCAST AND FILM 14 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: ANIMATION & VFX
Companies turned to virtual currency conversion ratios, which Various state governments have production and the Unreal Engine enables companies to save about 30- also undertaken initiatives to boost this gained traction, with studios 50% of their VFX budget in addition to segment: experimenting with in-camera visual India’s inexpensive massive bandwidth Growth in Karnataka is being effects using LEDs as a backdrop. of creative and technical skilled artists. driven by the government of The pile up of VFX work over OTT platforms demanded Karnataka’s strategic offerings to the past fiscal year will lead to lots of more VFX collaborate and build world class high pressure and high volume work in infrastructure. VFX studios have benefited 2021, which in turn will lead to The Maharashtra government has from the growth in higher-than- diversification of the industry with sanctioned 20 acres of land for an television quality content being small and medium studios emerging AVGC training institute in produced for OTT platforms as well as again to absorb some of the load on Goregaon Film City premises and the growth in hours of such larger players. it is also coming up with its first programming, which peaked in 2019 at This will increase employment, Maharashtra Film, Media and around 1,800 hours as per our in addition to increasing the ability of Entertainment Policy. estimates. Indian people to pitch for global The IMAGE Tower was built by They expect this trend will projects in future. Salarpuria Sattva in collaboration continue and the segment should Bollywood increased its with the Telangana government to benefit from increasing demand for demand forbig-budget VFX cater to the AVGC sector. higher quality content with larger productions However, further government budgets from OTT platforms, in Today, up to 20-25% of the incentives and policies are needed for addition to a growing TV and film production cost on a movie is spent on increased competitiveness and to services business. visual effects as compared to the past, enable recovery of the segment12: where VFX accounted for less than The government could 10% of the total film production budget. The segment can play a larger consider signing more co-production “Gunjan Saxena” used VFX to role in India’s US$5 trillion treaties, develop a mechanism of deliver the real-life story, struggles and GDP ambition implementation of these treaties in India gender-based discrimination faced by in addition to creating a co-production former Indian Air Force pilot Gunjan fund to support studios in India. Saxena. Government initiatives in the Develop programs or channels The success of “Tanhaji The animation and VFX segment like “Doordarshan Kids” as a public Unsung Warrior” has prompted The central government has broadcaster for animation in the market another VFX-heavy project titled always supported the segment and as this genre has a very strong potential “Adipurush”, which is speculated to some of the key initiatives announced and lacks a medium for the masses. be an adaptation of the Indian epic include: The government can consider Ramayana. The National Center of recognizing Animation, VFX and post- Excellence has entered an production IPR as legitimate property Outsourcing of work from understanding with the Indian Institute that can be valued and used as collateral developed countries increased of Technology, Bombay to provide for funding investment and growth of Overseas clients are starting to courses in AVGC. studios. shift outsourcing away from China, India will set up a special Consider providing various tax which could benefit Indian VFX pavilion at Cannes in 2022 as the credits and quotas on domestic content studios. Cannes Film Festival celebrates 75 to help make the segment more Developed countries years as well as host a Global Media competitive, at least to the extent being outsourcing VFX projects to low-cost and Film Summit provided by other countries, to ones have been significantly on the The government raised the FDI encourage increased outsourcing of rise. limit in animation, VFX and post- work to India as well as incentivize India is the world leader in VFX production to 100% through automatic animation companies to create outsourcing of Roto and Prep, as well route which is expected to open new indigenous content out of India which as a preferred destination for avenues for investment, growth and job IPR can travel globally for years and outsourcing VFX work due to high opportunities generate revenues. Source: EY FICCI M&E Report 2021
BROADCAST AND FILM 15 MARCH - APRIL 2021 VFX & POST
TOP VFX & POST PRODUCTION STUDIOS IN INDIA
The entertainment ecosystem in India boasts of an impressive infrastructure of post houses, vfx studios which deliver quality work. Broadcast & Film has profiled some of the leading VFX & Post Production Studios in India.
Redchillies.vfx in renowned blockbuster films like up includes the latest technology, Redchillies.vfx, a division of Chak De! India (2007), Ra.One (2011), infrastructure as well as a Color Red Chillies Entertainment, is an award Krrish 3 (2013), FAN (2016), Phillauri Grading & International vfx division. winning Visual Effect company (2017), and the upcoming Zero (2018). Redchillies.vfx is equipped with founded by Bollywood actor Shah technically advanced storage facility Rukh Khan, along with Keitan Yadav that has the capacity to work on (COO) & Haresh Hingorani (CCO). multiple visual effects film projects at SRK’s vision for creating a the same time. world class studio came into The data center comprises of establishment in 2006. 3200 cores of rendering power redchillies.vfx envisioned a desire with an estimated 8.3 THz of to make photo-realistic animation computing power. The studio has and premium visual effects a heterogeneous OS environment technology available for feature with Linux, Mac and Windows films. powered by high-end Within 13 years of its workstations with superior Nvidia existence, redchillies.vfx has Quadro GPUs. Basically, we are established itself as one of India's even equipped to go to war! top Visual Effects Studio. The software and tools that we Embarking on their have developed are the new age 14th year as a vfx Division Unit, weapons to beat all the cinematic rcvfx has had the opportunity of limitations and develop stylized not only working on benchmark / motion graphics. vfx Indian movies, but also Redchillies.vfx has a strong International movies in this time R&D team that constantly strives frame. The company has carved a niche Relocated recently to a newly to develop cutting-edge tools, in the film industry and it's repertoire opened state of art facility in Goregaon advanced techniques and new of work includes avant-garde graphics West, Mumbai of 25,000 sq. ft, the set generation technologies. And combine
BROADCAST AND FILM 16 MARCH - APRIL 2021 VFX & POST them with award winning third party services (visual effects, stereo 3D Listed on the BSE and NSE of applications that are used in our conversion, animation), technology India, Prime Focus has operations in workflow. products & services (Media ERP Suite Bangalore, Beijing, Cape Town, These tools assist us in and Cloud-enabled media services), Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, completing multiple projects production services (shooting floors/ Johannesburg, Kolkata, London, Los simultaneously without compromising sound stages, equipment rental) and Angeles, Mumbai, New York, on the schedule and quality standards. postproduction services (Digital Singapore, Toronto and Vancouver. Intermediate, sound, picture post) to Prime Focus Future Works Media Ltd Studios, Broadcast and Advertising industries. Prime Focus is behind path breaking technologies like CLEAR™ (Hybrid Cloud technology enabled Media ERP Suite), Primetime Emmy® award-winning DAX Digital Dailies® Leading global content and View-D™ (stereoscopic 2D to 3D creators, studios and OTT’s rely on conversion process). FutureWorks expert artists and Leveraging our Global Digital technologists to deliver world class Pipeline and pioneering delivery Prime Focus Limited is a world services. FutureWorks is a leader in model WorldSourcing® we partner renowned independent full-service end to end film production, from visual content creators at every stage of the media player. The Company enjoys a effects and picture-sound post strong leadership production, to the supply of high position in all the precision cameras and lenses. With a three verticals it dedicated team of over 300 talented operates in, artists, spread across multiple creative services integrated facilities in India, (visual effects, FutureWorks is recognised as a trusted stereo 3D partner by platforms worldwide. conversion and animation), tech/ Prasad tech-enabled (CLEAR, Media ERP Suite and Cloud-enabled media services), and Indian Film and Media services (FMS) (visual effects / process ensuring creative DI, color grading, equipment rental, enablement, work flow efficiencies digital intermediate, picture post). Its and cost optimization. In mid-2014 Prasad Corp is one of the operations are spread across 19 cities Prime Focus Technologies acquired largest, totally integrated digital post in 5 continents covering 7-time zones DAX, a leading provider of cloud- production services provider with a team of over 10,446 based production workflow and incorporating the latest technologies professionals. The Company is media asset management with the finest infrastructure. recognised on the Fortune India 500 applications; Prime Focus World A pioneer in film and video post list. merged with Double Negative, one production, we offer the entire range Prime Focus, the world’s largest of the world’s foremost providers of of digital services including integrated media services powerhouse, visual effects; and Reliance Digitization of Film and Tape, Digital employs over 5,500 professionals in 16 MediaWorks merged their global film Film Restoration, Digital Archiving, cities across 4 continents and 7 time and media services business with Media Asset Management, VFX, zones. We provide end-to-end creative Prime Focus Limited. Rotoscoping, Digital Intermediate,
BROADCAST AND FILM 17 MARCH - APRIL 2021 VFX & POST
effects work, clean-up, internationally-recognised studio motion tracking and final which has a lot of bang for its buck. In compositing. the past few years we have heavily They have the invested in our core artistic talent backbone support of state development along with software and of the art systems, a large hardware infrastructure and have dedicated render farm which worked on some of the most is expanding all of the time, prestigious features within the Indian high capacity storage, off- film industry with acclaimed directors site backup, with high-speed such as SS Rajamouli, AR Murugadoss, FTP with dedicated Bapu and Shank connection for transferring yFX digital assets. They are continuously expanding, even having to relocate offices within the first 18 months of running Remastering, Up-Conversion and 3D and have now branched overseas with Movie Production Solutions. The our parent ompany Makuta projects served by us include Incorporated being founded in the Academy Award Winners, Golden USA and with staff located worldwide. Globe Award Winners and several Although they have only been other National and International Award around for a few years, we have grown Winners. dft has been at the forefront from a small fledgling to an of film scanning technology for over 75 years providing solutions for film post-production, archive and restoration markets with a range of high quality, leading-edge products and services. yFX is the newly formed visual Film scanning has been at its effects facility at YRF Studios. DNA. Over the years dft’s telecines, Started in 2016 by a core group of datacines and film scanners have experienced, skilled and award- been at the heart of post-production, winning VFX supervisors, enabling facilities around the world technical directors, and artists, this to get high-quality images for their state-of-the-art studio offers film motion film projects. Through its makers a one-stop shop; a creative sustained research and ‘think tank’, where every aspect development investments,dft has of film making is addressed under evolved and launched some of the one roof... from script to screen! most technically advanced scanners Capabilities include 3D asset today – standing the test of time. build, animation, matte painting, Makuta compositing, and visual effects. Makuta is a fully-fledged Technology is state-of-the-art: visual effects facility covering a full Maya, Houdini, Nuke, and Flame gamut of requirements from active pipelines, with high-speed servers, on-set visual effects supervision and a large render farm. through to immersive digital set yFX’s first major project was extension, digital matte painting, visual effects for the Salman Khan high-end feature animation and starrer SULTAN - CGI virtual sets,
BROADCAST AND FILM 18 MARCH - APRIL 2021 VFX & POST
crowd multiplication, both 3D and live, India's most enviable film catalogue in experience, they understand the true and digital prosthetics, formed a large the entertainment business. YRF’s top power of embracing innovation to portion of the over 2000 vfx shots grossers have already placed the push the boundaries of creation.MPC delivered for SULTAN. company in the big league of producers started out in 1970 as a production Apart from delivering 3D worldwide, making it one of the largest company in London producing animation and visual effects for the film-making entities in the nation. television commercials. Today, we have feature film, television and advertising creative studios all over the world – Moving Picture Company industries, yFX has strong capabilities London, Los Angeles, New York, in the newly developing augmented Amsterdam, Paris, Shanghai and (AR) and virtual reality (VR) areas as Bangalore. Since inception, they have well. constantly been a pioneer of creativity YRF was founded by the Late and technology, doing things that Yash Chopra, a veteran of the Indian have never been done before and film industry, in 1970. It’s the only creating experiences that are truly privately held and fully integrated unforgettable. This couldn’t be truer studio in India producing and having than with thei character and creature produced over 80 films. YRF is now a work throughout the years. Everyone 50-year-strong production house and remembers Cadbury’s drum-playing a vertically integrated studio in every gorilla who captured the nation’s sense, controlling almost every part of Moving Picture Company is a hearts with his raw emotion, or Three’s the value chain from production to global creative studio with a single plucky Shetland pony that post production, domestic & goal: to create experiences that move moonwalked its way into international distribution, music & people. With decades of storytelling superstardom. home entertainment, marketing, design, digital, licensing, merchandising, talent management, brand partnerships, music studios and film studios - all in- house facilities, which make it one of the most coveted entertainment conglomerates in the country. YRF has its own state-of-the- art fully integrated studio that houses shooting stages, sound studios and is headquartered at one of Mumbai's prime properties where the heart of the entertainment business beats. Over the last five decades, YRF’s catalogue of films could be easily
BROADCAST AND FILM 19 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: OTT MARKET
TOP OTT PLAYERS AND THE THEIR FINANCIAL RESURGENCE IN THE PANDEMIC
The year gone by i.e., 2020 has hit the entertainment sector badly due to the pandemic and the repercussions will be felt this year also. The OTT players have registered phenomenal growth in the pandemic in terms of revenues and addition in subscribers. We have tried to profile some of the top OTT players and catalogue their financial performance during the Covid pandemic.
Over–the–top media services Netflix faces tough competition (OTT) platforms have become quite with other OTT platforms in India such popular in India since last few years. as Amazon Prime, Hotstar, Voot and An over-the-top (OTT) media service Eros Now, each of which charge lower is a streaming media service offered subscription rates than Netflix. directly to viewers via the internet. OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms, the companies that traditionally act as a launched Amazon Prime Music in controller or distributor of such February 2018. You can join Prime to content. Due to COVID-19 outbreak in watch the latest movies as well as the country, many filmmakers are now award-winning Amazon Originals at ` releasing their movies on major OTT 129/month or ` 999/year. Prime platforms, instead of waiting for the subscription presently also includes (Netflix has reported theatres to re-open. India has lots of free Amazon music alongside unlimited significant growth in India revenue options when we talk about OTT free, quick delivery. from IN` 58.04 Cr in FY2018, to IN` services. Here are the Top 10 OTT Netflix 470 Cr in FY2019 and then IN` 900 platforms in India. Netflix is one of the popular Cr in FY2020. India falls in the Asia Amazon Prime Video streaming services in India. The OTT Pacific region for the US-based Amazon Prime Video is a very platform offers three subscription plans company, which was the second- popular video streaming service or including Basic, Standard HD and largest contributor to the yearly tally OTT service in India. Amazon Prime Premium Ultra HD. The Basic plan with 93 Lakh new subscribers in 2020. Video was launched in 2016 in India. comes with a price tag of ` 500, while The company had added a record 3.7 Besides English, Prime Video is the Standard HD pack is priced at ` 650 Cr paid memberships in last year. The available in six Indian languages as of and the Premium Ultra HD plan is company had also offered a two-day December 2018. Amazon India available for ` 800 per month. free streaming offer in India, which led
BROADCAST AND FILM 20 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: OTT MARKET to 8 Lakh downloads of the Netflix in its financial statement, has claimed introduced paid subscription service app..) that its operations were hit during the called Voot Select. Voot Original series pandemic due to health in sporting are made available only to paid Disney+ Hotstar events worldwide. The pause on the subscribers. Some TV shows are being Disney+ Hotstar is an Indian shooting of shows between March 19 streamed a day before TV for its paid over-the-top streaming service to July 13, 2020, also impacted the subscribers. owned by Novi Digital company’s revenues. Its freemium service Voot Entertainment, a subsidiary of While Hotstar claims that Select was launched this quarter. ` Disney's Star India. It features two since the easing of restrictions, the 13 crore was invested into Voot Select paid subscription plans— "VIP", production of shows has resumed and Kids (and in Kannada and which focuses on domestic and many have released on the Gujarati movie channels). programmes and sports content platform, it added the impact from the Operational revenue from “digital, (including Indian Premier League pandemic will be assessed on an print, others and & intercompany cricket), and "Premium" featuring ongoing basis. elim.” fell 16.6% QoQ and 20% YoY premium international films and to ` 40 crore. Now Viacom18's Voot television series (including HBO, Voot expects 50% revenue from new Showtime and other American Voot is an Indian subscription subscription-led service Voot Select. original series). video on demand (SVOD) service. Earlier, it used to be all free. It was Launched in March 2016, it forms the just an ad-supported platform. online arm of Viacom 18. It is Viacom Voot has 100 million monthly 18's advertising-led video-on-demand active users and aims to be one of platform that is available as an app for the leading Indian OTT players. iOS, KaiOS (JioPhone) and Android Currently driven by an Advertising users, and a website for desktop supported video-on-demand model, consumption. Voot Select will cost ` Voot will continue to build scale by 99 a month after a three-day free trial, diversifying from 1 business model or 499 for the full year after a 14-day ` of AVOD to 4 - VOOT AVOD, VOOT free trial. Kids, VOOT International and VOOT Freemium. With the freemium model, As of July 2020, VIP Plan costs Voot plans to invite more first-time 399 for a year and Premium Plan costs ` users, and give them a preview of 1,499 per year or 299 for a monthly ` ` their original, exclusive content. The plan. As of March 2020, Disney+ monetization and revenue plan will Hotstar has at least 300 million active largely be advertisement driven, but users. premium services for pay-per-view Disney+ Hotstar has reported a subscribers will also bring in money. revenue of IN 1628 Cr for FY2020, with Voot is available only in India, ` “The current digital advertisement losses narrowing in comparison to the and hosts over 40,000 hours of video market is around ` 1,200 crore and previous year. content that includes shows from will push up to ` 6,000 in the next 2- The company saw relatively channels like MTV, Nickelodeon and 3 years. We hope to exploit that,” slower growth in subscription revenue Colors. Content is also available in Gandhi said. for FY20, in comparison to over 50% multiple languages like Kannada, growth in ad revenue. Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu ZEE5 According to a recent study, and Tamil. Voot has content from ZEE5 is an Indian video on Disney+ Hotstar could become the Colors TV, MTV India, Nickelodeon demand service run by Essel Group second-highest revenue-earning video India and other Viacom 18 owned via its subsidiary Zee Entertainment platform in India by 2025. television channels. It also hosts Enterprises. It was launched in India However, it is difficult to predict many Bollywood films for streaming. on 14 February 2018 with content in whether Hotstar will be able to keep up It has produced several 'Voot 12 languages. ZEE5 recently with the revenue growth in FY2021, Original' shows for streaming as well. announced the launch of ‘ZEE5 ending in March 2021. The company, In February 2020, Voot Club’ at ` 365 per year. ZEE5 Club
BROADCAST AND FILM 21 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: OTT MARKET will enable its consumers to have movies during the quarter. However, starring Chris Pratt and Jennifer exclusive access to most popular the average watch time per user per Lawrence. shows before telecast on TV, apart month was 152 minutes in Q2 has slid Sony Liv Premium subscription from select ZEE5 and Alt Balaji to 133 minutes in the third quarter. costs you ` 299 per month, ` 699 for six shows, - 1000+ blockbuster movies, While an investor pointed out that months, and ` 999 per year. ZEE Zindagi shows and over 90+ Live the engagement is lagging compared MX Player TV channels. to other platforms with similar content, Goenka said that the low performance of some linear TV shows of the network has impacted the catch-up TV consumption, leading to lower engagement. Zee5 revenues were at 117.8 crore, up 19 per cent quarter-on- quarter, while EBITDA loss was at ` 175.7 crore versus ` 189.4 crore in MX Player is an Indian video Q2. The EBITDA losses continue due streaming and video on demand to higher investment in content.) platform developed by MX Media & Sony LIV Entertainment. It has over 280 million users globally. The platform currently With ZEE5 Club, subscribers operates on an ad-supported model and will be able to enjoy entertainment has a streaming library of over 150,000 content without any intrusive ads hours across 12 languages. It is and across devices. Some of Zee’s available on iOS, Android and the web. popular TV shows like Kumum The online Feature of MXPlayer is Bhagya and Kundali Bhagya in Hindi, available absolutely free of cost for our Sembaruthi in Tamil, Jothe Jotheyali users to explore. in Kannada and Mazya Navryachi In 2018, Times Internet acquired Bayko in Marathi and many more a majority stake in MX Player for $140 would be now available on ZEE5 Club million. On 20 February 2019, MX before telecast on Television. Player was relaunched as an OTT Zee5 had 54.7 global million platform with original programming. It monthly active users (MAU), and 5.2 Sony Liv (marketed as SONY has licensed contents from various million global daily active users LIV and formerly as SonyLIV) is an Indian and International studios (DAU) in the September 2020 quarter, Indian general entertainment, video including FilmRise, Sonar the MAUs and DAUs stood at 65.9 on-demand service that is owned by Entertainment, Screen Media Films, million and 5.4 million respectively in Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt. Goldmine, Hungama, Shemaroo, December 2020. Genka shared that Ltd., based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Paramount Pictures and Sony the lack of TV content during Q1 India. Sony Liv's Library consists of Entertainment. impacted the conversion of active 18 years of content from the Sony users as a large part of the “funnel” Entertainment Network channels in to add users was TV catchup ALT Balaji India: Sony TV, Sony SAB, Sony Ten, content. ALTBalaji is an Indian Sony Max, Sony MAX 2, Sony PIX The company will not invest subscription based video on demand and Sony Six. any capital in MAU-DAU conversion platform which is a wholly owned Sony Liv is the first Indian and it is going to be largely based on subsidiary of Balaji Telefilms Ltd. Over-the-top media service platform the catch-up TV portfolio. Zee5 will ALTBalaji is available across 32 to produce music content for a target 15-18 per cent conversion of different interfaces for its viewers. The Hollywood feature film - producing MAU to DAU in the next fiscal. content has been made available on music for the Hindi version of the The video streaming service mobile and Tablet Devices (Apple blockbuster titled Passengers, released 18 original shows and two phone, Apple iPad, Android phone,
BROADCAST AND FILM 22 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: OTT MARKET
Android tablet), Web browser media streaming and video-on-demand based in Mumbai. It produces and (Desktop Browser), Android TV, and services. The digital platform is publishes videos, audio series, web Windows (Windows PC, Windows accessible on most Internet-connected series, documentaries, text and doodles Mobile, Windows tablet). screen including mobile, tablets, web through its online channel. Founded and TV. by former Network 18 and TV 18 executives B. Sai Kumar, Ajay Chacko, and Sanjay Ray Chaudhari, it is a content-based startup and was launched in April 2016. OTT market to grow at 26% CAGR and touch $4.5 billion by 2025 in India. MPA report projected the SVoD market will grow by 30% CAGR from 2020 and reach $1.9 billion by The platform has blockbuster 2025, while AVoD segment is expected films like Cheeni Kum, Happy Bhag to surge over the next five years at a Their website claims the Jayegi, Manmarziyaan, Bajirao CAGR of 24% to reach $2.6 billion. platform to be the largest content bank Mastani, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, At a time when people are seen in India. The stories range from Goliyon ki raasleela Ram-Leela, stuck at home due to the COVID-19 drama, comedy, and romance, to thriller, Rockstar, Shubh Mangal Savdhan and pandemic and looking for crime, and mystery. The content bank more. Eros Now also has web-series entertainment options, the overall also includes 100+ hours of kids' and films like A Monsoon Date, Maunn, online video market for India is content as well as urban regional shows Salute Siachen, Black & White projected to grow at a compound in Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, interviews and more in their segment annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26 Tamil & many more languages. You called E- Buzz. The subscription cost percent between 2020 and 2025 to have a choice of three streaming of the Eros Now Premium subscription reach $4.5 billion in revenue over the membership plans - 3 months for ` 100, service is ` 99 per month for a single next five years, says Media Partners 6 months for ` 180 or 12 months for ` device and ` 399 per year for a single Asia (MPA) in its new report titled 300. device. India Online Video & Broadband (ALT Balaji’s COVID-19 Eros Now Subscribers Grow Distribution 2021. related subscription spike has 56% Y-o-Y to Reach 29.3 Million According to the MPA's report, flattened, as Balaji Telefilms’s revenues Revenue of $155.5 Million and India's online video industry generated from the streaming service declined Adjusted EBITDA of $54.8 Million an estimated $1.4 billion in revenue in from ` 22.2 crore in the preceding Arre 2020, while advertising and quarter to ` 14.9 crore in Q1FY21. subscription contributed 64 percent According to the company’s and 36 percent, respectively. management, ALT Balaji has a churn Among the top five services rate of around 66%, which means that which accounted for a combined 85 two thirds of subscribers generally percent share of total revenues in 2020 don’t purchase new subscriptions include YouTube (43%), Disney+ when theirs have run out.) Hotstar (16%), Netflix (14%), Amazon Eros Now Prime Video (7%) and Facebook (5%), Eros Now is an Indian quoted MPA executive director Vivek subscription based over the top, video Couto as saying. on-demand entertainment and media Couto added that the average platform, launched in 2012. It is owned number of subscription video-on- and controlled by Eros Digital, the demand (SVOD) services subscribed digital media management arm of Eros by customers reach 2.8 in India and International plc. The network offers Arré is an Indian OTT platform Southeast Asia.
BROADCAST AND FILM 23 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: OTT MARKET
In its report, MPA projected India making up 30 percent of its "While the direct-to-digital the SVoD market to grow by 30 global subscription base. premiere of films is unlikely to percent CAGR from 2020 and reach Adding more, Shah said that sustain, reopening of cinemas will $1.9 billion by 2025. However, online YouTube remains the market leader in not necessarily impact consumption video advertising saw a marginal AVoD and accounted for 67 percent of on OTTs. Streaming services are decline of 2 percent year-on-year and total online video advertising in 2020. not just pushing for more originals, reached an estimated $909 million in However, MPA India VP looked the whole experience is also getting 2020 due to decreased demand. sceptical and said that YouTube's modelled for urban-ready homes Despite this, the advertising video- market share may decline to 55 percent with technologies like Airtel XStream on-demand and Jio Giga (AVoD) Fiber," Shah segment is said. expected to The surge over the latest MPA next five years report claims at a CAGR of 24 India's mobile percent to reach broadband $2.6 billion by penetration is 2025. forecast to grow "Subscription- steadily to 66 based online percent by 2025 video services as commercial benefited roll-out of 5G significantly in expected to 2020 as the begin in 2021. country went The new into the investment by lockdown. Key private telcos players are has boosted investing in India's fixed premium local broadband content while leveraging sports, movie in 2025 with domestic broadcaster- market which till now has remained rights, and aggressive consumer backed platforms and short-form user under-penetrated at merely 6 percent pricing to drive subscriber adoption. generated content video players of households. The SVoD market will remain expanding their base. The report further claims of competitive as Disney+ Hotstar scales "Local premium content and India's fixed broadband market to grow its direct subscription business while sports rights will help broadcaster- at a CAGR of 18 percent to reach 45 Netflix and Amazon Prime Video deepen backed platforms gain share. Increased million subscribers with over 82 percent partnerships with mobile and fixed reach and engagement with rural of subscribers through fiber by 2025. broadband operators," the business millennials will improve monetisation Infrastructure growth has daily quoted MPA India vice-president for short-form video platforms," Shah helped Indian customers look for Mihir Shah's statement. said. expanded broadband capacity which MPA predicts Disney+ Among other things, MPA includes video conferencing, work from Hotstar may secure over 80 million report said that OTT content home, digital classes, and video subscribers in India if they continue investment in India touched $700 streaming. to invest in local originals and retain million in 2020 as domestic and global The MPA provides key sports rights. In 2020, the online platforms continue to invest in India's independent research, advisory and channel invested in acquiring big- burgeoning SVoD opportunity. Estimate consulting services across media, ticket Bollywood films, following claims OTT content cost may grow at a telecoms, sports, and entertainment which its subscribers rose to 26.8 CAGR of 18 percent to reach $1.6 billion industries in Asia Pacific and the Middle million as of December 2020, and between 2020-2025. East.
BROADCAST AND FILM 24 MARCH - APRIL 2021 MARKET REPORT: M&E SECTOR
MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR 2020: KEY TRENDS
The M&E Sector expected to touch INR 1.73 trillion (US$23.7 billion) in 2021 and then to grow at a CAGR of 13.7% to reach INR2.23 trillion (US$30.6 billion) by 2023
The Indian M&E sector fell by 24% to INR1.38 trillion (US$18.9 INDIAN M&E SECTOR billion), in effect taking revenues back to 2017 levels The last quarter of 2020 showed a marked improvement in revenues for most segments and we expect the M&E sector to recover 25% in 2021 to reach INR1.73 trillion (US$23.7 billion) and then to grow at a CAGR of 13.7% to reach INR2.23 trillion (US$30.6 billion) by 2023 While television remained the largest segment, digital media overtook print, and online gaming overtook a disrupted filmed entertainment segment in 2020. Digital and online gaming were the only segments which All figures are gross of taxes (INR in billion) for calendar years | EY estimates grew in 2020 adding an aggregate of INR26 The share of traditional media Largest absolute billion and consequently, Indian M&E (television, print, filmed entertainment, contributors to the fall their contribution to the OOH, radio, music) stood at 72% of sector fell were the filmed M&E sector increased M&E sector revenues in 2020 from 16% in 2019 to 23% 24% in 2020 entertainment segment in 2020 to INR 1.38 (INR119 billion), print Television (INR106 billion) and The largest segment saw a 22% Other segments trillion fell by an aggregate of television (INR102 fall in advertising revenues on account INR465 billion billion) of highly discounted ad rates during
BROADCAST AND FILM 25 MARCH - APRIL 2021 MARKET REPORT: M&E SECTOR the lockdown months – though ad larger portion of their volumes reduced only 3%. In addition, lost circulation. The KEY TRENDS IN 2020 it also witnessed a 7% fall in segment saw the Segment growth 2020 vs. 2019 subscription income, led by the establishment of a new continued growth of free television, lower-cost operating reverse migration and a reduction in benchmark, with most ARPUs due to part implementation of print companies NTO 2.0. reducing costs by over 25%. Digital advertising Digital advertising stayed Online gaming stable, led by increased allocation from Continuing as the traditional advertisers who accelerated fastest growing segment their investments in of the digital sales channels. M&E This could become a sector for permanent phenomenon. Digital And the fourth SME advertisers Online Gaming year in a continued to increase Were The Only row, the their spends on digital segment advertising and Segments grew 18% experimented more with Which Grew helped by online sales platforms work from like Amazon and Flipkart. home, News brands, whose reach crossed 450 school from home and million in 2020, also increased revenues increased trial of online from their digital platforms. multi-player games EY estimates during the lockdown. Digital subscription Online gamers grew 20% 28 million Indians (up from 10.5 to reach 360 million in M&E SECTOR VS. NOMINAL million in 2019) paid for 53 million OTT 2020. Transaction-based GDP GROWTH subscriptions in 2020 leading to a 49% growth in digital subscription revenues. Growth was led largely by Disney+ Hotstar which put the IPL behind a paywall during the year, increased M&E Fared content investments by Netflix and Much Worse Amazon Prime Video and launch of several regional language products. In Than India’s addition, 284 million Indians consumed GDP content which came bundled with their data plans. Print Print’s revenue declines were game revenues grew led by a 41% fall in advertising and a 21%, despite adverse 24% fall in circulation revenues. regulation in certain English language newspapers were hit states, while casual harder and struggled to get back their gaming revenues grew circulation post the pandemic, 7%. particularly in metros, while regional Film language newspapers recovered a While theatrical
BROADCAST AND FILM 26 MARCH - APRIL 2021 MARKET REPORT: M&E SECTOR
ADVERTISING AND AD REVENUES BY SEGMENT SUBSCRIPTION REVENUES
INR billion (gross of taxes) | EY estimates Note: The above numbers exclude live events, online gaming and animation and VFX segment revenues EY estimates | Excludes event segment revenues revenues plummeted to less than a reduced travel and less time spent out quarter of their 2019 levels, a portion of DEAL VALUE BY of the home on account of the this loss was made up through higher SEGMENT lockdown. Largest hits were witnessed digital rights revenues which almost by premium transit properties, where doubled during 2020 to INR35 billion. passenger volumes plummeted. Digital However, the stoppage in production OOH reached 5% of total segment for over six months had its impact, revenues. The need for a credible and which will now only recover once a universally accepted measurement healthy slate of films is made ready for system for OOH continues to be critical release and the fear of stepping into for recovery. crowded places subsides. While the Radio trend for direct to digital releases will Radio revenues, which had continue, producers realized the fallen 7.5% in 2019, fell by over 50% importance of theatrical releases for again on account of both ad rate and large scale film productions. EY estimates volume drops as key advertiser Animation and VFX segments (regional and retail) were Stoppage of television and film the segment witnessed numerous unable to run their businesses at their content production for several months attempts to digitalize its offerings, but usual scale. Revenues had recovered in 2020 resulted in a fall in revenues - could only recover a small fraction of to over 50% of pre pandemic levels while VFX and post-production revenues through that medium. The by the October to December quarter. contracted 62% due to this, inability to segment will continue to remain Music conduct live shoots led to increased impacted for the first two quarters of The digitization of music demand for animated content, and 2021 before marketers and audiences continued in 2020 with audio consequently animation registered a feel comfortable about participating in streaming revenues growing 15% but growth of 10%. live events. overall, music segment revenues Live events OOH were flat as performance rights fell Perhaps the hardest hit of all, The segment lost out due to by over 65%. Source: EY FICCI M&E Report 2021
BROADCAST AND FILM 27 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: NEWS CHANNELS
TOP ENGLISH NEWS CHANNEL & THEIR FINANCIAL RESURGENCE
NEWS is where the major action has been in the pandemic era. Despite the controversies galore, the news channels have held on steady in terms of the advertising revenues in the Covid era. We take a look at the leading news channel and how their numbers stacked up.
NDTV state monopoly and transitioned into management of a number of broadcast New Delhi Television the first independent news network in channels including the lifestyle Ltd (commonly abbreviated as NDTV) India. The company launched the first channel NDTV Good Times, the is an Indian news media company 24x7 news channel in partnership infotainment channel Astro Awani and focusing on broadcast and digital news with Star India in 1998. the news channel Independent publication. The company is Between 1998 and 2003, NDTV Television through various joint considered to be a legacy brand that was in an exclusive agreement with Star ventures. pioneered independent news India to produce all its news segment. NDTV Revenue broadcasting in India, and is News broadcaster NDTV's credited for launching the consolidated revenue from operations first 24x7 news channel and the for the quarter ended 31st December is first lifestyle channel in the ` 105.83 crore compared to ` 93.67 crore country. It owns and operates in the same period last year. the broadcast news channels Total expenses stood at ` 82.4 of NDTV India and NDTV 24x7. crore compared to ` 85.03 crore a year The two channels of the ago. company have received 32 Ramnath In 2003, the company became an The company said that it has Goenka Excellence in Journalism independent broadcasting network delivered the best third quarter results Awards. with the simultaneous launch of the in the last 11 years with a net profit of NDTV was founded in 1984, by Hindi and English language news ` 22.69 crore compared to ` 12.13 crore. the journalist Radhika Roy and the channels known as NDTV India and The company posted an economist Prannoy Roy, a husband and NDTV 24x7. It also launched a business operating profit of ` 32.64 crore from wife duo from the city of Kolkata in the news channel NDTV Profit which was the television media and related state of West Bengal. It began as a later converted into an information and operations segment compared to ` 19.09 production house for news segments entertainment channel NDTV Prime. crore. for the public broadcaster Doordarshan The company has had business Revenue from the segment was and international satellite channels interests in general entertainment and ` 105.83 crore compared to ` 92.23 when television broadcasting was a e-commerce, and is part of the crore.
BROADCAST AND FILM 28 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: NEWS CHANNELS
The company reported nil owned by Network 18 and ` 52 crore in the corresponding period revenue from the e-commerce/retail WarnerMedia. CNN provides the previous year. segment. international coverage for the channel, "Rise in the ranking of our On a standalone basis, NDTV's while Indian Broadcasting Network flagship entertainment channel and revenue from operations stood at ` concentrates on Indian and local upsurge in news consumption helped 56.37 crore compared to ` 55.35 crore. reports. the group post growth in ad-revenues The company’s expenses In May 2014, Reliance in the quarter, even as advertising was were ` 51.56 crore compared to ` 51.85 Industries announced it would be severely impacted during late-Q4 due crore. taking over Network18. The move was to the COVID-19 related lockdown," the Net profit increased to ` 10.53 touted as "the biggest-ever deal in the company said. crore compared to ` 6.66 crore. Indian media space". Reliance TV18 Broadcast said its profit According to NDTV, this is the Industries already had indirect control for the financial year 2019-20 surged company's best quarterly result in the of the TV18 network by virtue of 98.57% to ` 417 crore and revenue grew last eight years. investments it made in Network18 by 5% to ` 5,175 crore compared to the NDTV Convergence, the starting from January 2012. previous year. company's digital arm, has marked its The full-year best quarter ever with a profit of more operating EBITDA than ` 10 crore; its revenue has stood at ` 703 crore, increased by 32% over the same quarter growing 124% over last year. ` 314 crore reported in Despite the business the previous fiscal. challenges thrown up by the pandemic, TV18 said the the company has so far in this financial benefits of a year reduced its bank borrowings by ` transparent and non-discriminatory CNN NEWS18 Revenue 27 crore. B2C regime created by the TV18 Broadcast, a subsidiary of “NDTV thanks every member of implementation of the NTO (New Tariff Network18, has registered a 373.33% its team for ensuring quality news was Order) in Q4FY19 continued to accrue year-on-year growth in Q4FY20 delivered to its vast audience despite for the entire FY20. consolidated profit due to strong the many impediments presented by the Distribution improvements revenue and operating EBITDA. Coronavirus outbreak. Its reporters and through tie-ups with cable and telecom The profit for the quarter stood crews have travelled all over the platforms boosted the reach and at ` 142 crore, up from ` 30 crore in the country to share the most credible and enlarged the value-proposition of same period last year. latest information on how India is channel brands across a varied cross- Controls on operating handling the pandemic,” the company section of viewers, it added. expenses and subscription revenue said in a statement. TV18's Q4 average viewership growth more than filled in for the It further stated that the share in news was 10.5%, up from 10.2% decline in advertising helped the management is aware that the financial in Q3; while TV18 group's Q4 news business remain profitable, the challenges of an economic slowdown entertainment viewership share was company said. continue to linger, with advertising yet 9.9% in Q4 versus 10.1% in the last Revenue from operations to recover to pre-Covid levels; it is quarter. grew by 21% year-on-year to ` 1,425 focused on mitigating any risk The contribution of crore in the quarter ended March presented by this for the next few subscription to the revenue mix has 2020, the company said in its BSE quarters. increased to 35% in FY20 from 26% in filing. Linear TV subscription revenue FY19, the company said. growth was at 41% in Q4 and B2C CNN NEWS18 annuity nature provided solidity, it CNN-News18 (originally CNN- added. INDIA TODAY TV IBN) is an Indian English-language Its operating earnings before India Today (formerly news television channel founded interest, tax, depreciation and Headlines Today) is a 24-hour by Rajdeep Sardesai located in Noida, amortisation (EBITDA) for the quarter English language television network Uttar Pradesh, India. It is currently shot up 365% to ` 240 crore against based in Noida, Uttar Pradesh that
BROADCAST AND FILM 29 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: NEWS CHANNELS carries news, current affairs and Income from others stood at channel in India in its first week of business programming in India. The ` 27.55 crore in the current quarter airing in May 2017 with 21.1 lakh (2.11 channel is owned by TV Today under review versus ` 27.97 crore in million) impressions and accounted for Network Ltd, which is a part of Living the same quarter of last year. 51.9 per cent viewership as per data Media. released for the week by the BARC. The Financial Express noted Republic The channel was launched in REPUBLIC TV 2003 as a sister channel of the Hindi Aaj TV to be the most-watched English Tak news channel. It is one of the four Republic TV is a free-to-air news channel in India for 100 weeks in news channels from the TV Today news channel launched in May 2017. a row since its founding. The top news Network stable, the others being Aaj It was co-founded by Arnab channel spot was taken over by DD Tak, Tez and Delhi Aaj Tak. Alok Verma Goswami and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India, a public service broadcaster, in was brought in as the Executive before the latter relinquished his stake February 2019, according to the Indian Producer to successfully launch TV in May 2019, leaving Goswami as the newspaper Mint. Today group's foray into the English majority stakeholder. Chandrasekhar news channel category. was an independent legislator from Republic TV Revenue the National Democratic Alliance who The free-to-air (FTA) channel India Today Revenue later joined the Bharatiya Janata has been launched with 19 strategic TV Today Network Limited, Party and Goswami was the former partners, with a commitment of spent which runs news channels Aaj Tak, editor-in-chief of Times Now. The of Rs 100 crore. “We are a cash positive India Today TV and Tez, and FM venture was funded primarily by company, with very less debt on our radio station Ishq FM, posted a net Chandrashekhar through his books. Also one of the reasons we have profit of ` 12.77 crore in Q1FY21, company Asianet News. been able to launch the second channel down 75% from ` 51 crore in the within 19 months of corresponding quarter of the rolling out the first one, previous year. is that our delivery to The company’s total revenue advertisers is highest. for the quarter ending June 30, 2020, We ensure a good return- stood at ` 175 crore, down 32% from ` on-investment,” Vikas 260 crore in Q1FY20. Khanchandani, group CEO, Republic Republic TV was funded in The television broadcasting Media Network, said. part by Asianet (ARG Outlier Asianet business continued to contribute ARG Outliner Media Asianet with more than 82% to the total News Private Limited), which was primarily owned by Rajeev News Pvt Ltd, the holding form of revenue from operations of the Republic Media Network, narrowed company. The revenue from Chandrasekhar, a then-independent member of Rajya Sabha who had its net loss to ` 77 lakh, for the year television operations stood at ` ended March 2018, according to 137.79 crore, down 18% from ` 167.7 political links with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was vice-chairman of financial data accessed by business crore in the same quarter last year. intelligence platform, Tofler. The The radio broadcasting the National Democratic Alliance in Kerala. Among other major investors news network posted a net loss of ` business earned a total revenue of ` 23 6.9 crore in FY17. Total revenue rose lakh in Q1FY21 compared with ` 3.78 were Goswami himself, his wife Samyabrata Goswami, educationists to ` 157.5 crore in FY18 from just ` crore in the first quarter of the previous 1.6 crore in FY17. year. Ramdas Pai and Ramakanta Panda — The company earned ` 2.13 all of whom invested through SARG crore during the quarter from the Media Holding Private Ltd. TIMES NOW newspaper publishing business. The Chandrasekhar resigned from The Times Now is a 24-hour contribution of the newspaper the board, after he officially joined English news channel in India owned business was 1.27% to the total the BJP in April 2018; Goswami and operated by The Times Group. The revenue from operations. Following purchased back Asianet's shares in channel launched on 23 January 2006 this, the company announced that it May 2019. in partnership with Reuters. It is a pay will stop publishing its compact daily Republic TV allegedly became television throughout India. Until 2016, Mail Today from August 10. the most-watched English news it was India's most popular and most
BROADCAST AND FILM 30 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: NEWS CHANNELS viewed English news channel. After decreased by 3.47% to ` 680.96 crore INDIA AHEAD 2016, the channel has typically ranked as compared to ` 705.49 crore in the India Ahead is a nationwide as the second most watched English previous year. The revenue from the English News Channel. It is promoted news channel in India. sale of traded products and services by Andhra Prabha Media Group and Times Now is a 24 hour English has increased by 78.31% to ` 458.53 launched in June, 2018. The Channel news television channel that provides crore. The event income of the carries news, current affairs, the urbane viewers the complete picture company has also increased by entertainment sports and business of the news that is relevant, presented 28.2% to ` 261.80 crore as compared programming from Indian as well as in a vivid and insightful manner, which to ` 204.06 crore in the previous International Perspective. It's the first enables them to widen their horizons financial year. English news channel to be beamed out & stay ahead. The company has mentioned in of South India. TimesNnow is brought to you its financial statement that the year by Times Global Broadcasting, a 2018-19 continued to be a challenging Bennett, Coleman & Co and Reuters one for print media owing to pressure service. from escalated newsprint price and marginal dip in advertising and circulation revenue vis-a-vis the previous year. In the television news business, the network owns three channels - Times Now, The tagline of India Ahead is ET Now and Mirror Now. “It’s Good News” which highlights the Times Now continues its vision to look ahead and aim to inform dominance in the English and influence in making a better India News category and maintains for the generation to come. The Times Group is the largest its leadership position, as mentioned media conglomerate in south Asia, with in the ROC filing. It further stated India Ahead was led by Chetan Leadership in newspaper publishing; that ET Now has dedicated itself to Sharma as Founding CEO and Editorial magazines; music retailing; FM Radio; the nation's development with the Director. He is a celebrated TV anchor, Internet; interactive media; mobile adoption of brand purpose- Rise with a veteran journalist having headed services and lifestyle television. India. During the Union Budget teams across leading media houses like coverage, ET Now was the NDTV, Zee Network and India Today, Times Now Revenue undisputed leader with 82% ESPN Star Sports and TWI. Renowned Bennett Coleman and Company viewership, the statement said. names in the field of journalism like Ltd (BCCL) has recorded an increase In the entertainment business, Sudha Sadanand, Sourav Sanyal, Sana of 7.87% in total revenue for the year the network owns Zoom, Movies Khan and Jujhar Singh are leading the ended March 31, 2019. The company Now, Romedy Now, MNX and MN+. team of India Ahead. In June, 2020 has posted ` 6,985.91 crore as total The network claims that Movies Now Andhra Prabha Group’s MD Mootha income, compared to ` 6,476.08 crore retains the largest share of voice Goutam announced senior for the year ended March 31, 2018. among the target audience, with a management changes to the English The network’s Profit After Taxation dominating leadership across social new channel India Ahead. While the (PAT) has dipped 74.83% to ` 1,52.79 media. founding CEO Chetan Sharma has as compared to ` 607.08 crore in the TimesNowNews.com (Digital) moved on, the channel has made a previous year. Meanwhile, BCCL’s started from the bottom of the series of senior appointments. Former advertising revenue has gone up by comScore list in 2017 to enter the top CNN-News18 Sudeep Mukhia has 1.7% to ` 4,845.15 crore as compared three league in the English Digital joined India Ahead as Group President, to ` 4,763.47 crore in FY 2018. News Publishing space in November News Room Operations & Editorial As per the financial statement 2018. Timesnownews.com has Strategies. from the Ministry of Corporate established itself as the fastest The channel became the No. 1 Affairs, in FY19 the network sales of growing digital publisher, the channel in terms of Average time spent publication and distribution revenue statement reads. by Viewers during the Budget Week
BROADCAST AND FILM 31 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT: NEWS CHANNELS among all the English News Channels executive, as managing producers October, WION World Order- Talking of India. Also, the channel is performing respectively. Known journalists Diplomacy and Mission Smart Cities well in the Southern Indian States such included Saad Hammadi, Bangladesh 2020 in December with key as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil bureau chief and former correspondent stakeholders including ministers, Nadu and Karnataka. for The Guardian, Archith Seshadri, industry leaders and distinguished India Ahead News Private former CNN anchor, and Tathagata guests. Limited is a Private incorporated on 17 Bhattacharya, former editor of September 2013. It is classified as Non- the CNN web edition. govt company and is registered at The current team includes NewsX Registrar of Companies, Hyderabad. Its Sudhir Chaudhary as editor-in-chief NewsX is India’s fastest authorized share capital is ` 100,000,000 and Network18 former senior editor growing English News Channel and and its paid up capital is ` 99,200,000. Palki Sharma Upadhyay as executive enjoys highest viewership and highest It is inolved in Reproduction of editor. Sidhant Sibal of DD News time spent amongst educated urban recorded media [This class includes joined the organisation on 1 April Indians. reproduction of records, audio, video 2018. Sumit Chaturvedi, and computer tapes from master who was earlier with ET copies, reproduction of floppy, hard Now and CNBC TV18, or compact disks, reproduction of non- looks after the business customised software and film news content and does duplicating] morning and evening India Ahead News Private business shows Limited's Annual General Meeting WALLET. Republic TV's (AGM) was last held on 29 former news anchor Akanksha Ever since its acquisition by the September 2018 and as per records Swarup joined WION in 2018, ITV Network, the channel has from Ministry of Corporate Affairs becoming one of the channel's witnessed unprecedented growth. (MCA), its balance sheet was last leading faces. Sayed Mustafa Kazemi NewsX is the News Leader and filed on 31 March 2018. became Afghanistan Correspondent sets the news agenda for the nation, Directors of India Ahead News for the channel in February 2020. with its crisp formats, straight forward Private Limited are Gopala Krishna Associated journalists include reporting, pointed debates, trending Mootha, Mahesh Bigala, Goutam Naveen Kapoor, Digvijay Singh Deo, hashtags, and engaging mix of stories. Mootha. Rabin Sharma, Ieshan Wani, It offers maximum news and Kartikeya Sharma, and Alyson le continues to lead. Grange. NewsX is owned by ITV WION (WORLD IS ONE WION, India's first Global Network Group.ITV Network is India’s NEWS) News channel, fastest growing news network, with WION (World is continues to carve two national news channels, four One News) is a out a niche for itself regional news channels, two multinational . English and attains Top newspapers and various digital assets. language news channel English News It employs more than 2025 people headquartered in New channel position with across 25 bureaus/offices and has more Delhi. It is owned by highest viewer than 106 live video sources. The the Essel Group and is stickiness. (Source: Network has a cumulative reach of more part of the Zee BARC, NCCS 22+ than 100 million viewers and readers Media network of Male AB, All India on a regular basis. channels. Urban, 0600-2400, The founding Wk 40 - 52 '19 team included Rohit Average ATSV). Gandhi as editor-in- During the quarter, chief, Mandy Clark, the channel hosted former CBS correspondent, profitable engaging and Mithaq Kazimi, American media events like the E-mobility Summit in
BROADCAST AND FILM 32 MARCH - APRIL 2021 TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
REPOSITIONING FOR 2021 – THE IABM TECHNOLOGY AND TRENDS ROADMAP HELPS DETERMINE YOUR FUTURE DIRECTION
IABM's CTO, Stan Moote discusses how the changes everyone made in 2020 will help focus on having a fresh look at all businesses in the media content chain
It goes without saying how scenarios, not only for production agree on every aspect, we did embracing newer technologies kept crew, but also for on-air talent. All ultimately come to an agreement to our industry “on-air” during 2020. So this being said, audiences started to produce this roadmap as an industry what will be the new norm in 2021? accept glitches, streaming issues and reference – a jumping-off point for your The first step to establishing some for that matter more often than not business. sort of direction is to understand the poor video and audio quality; our For the 2020 IABM direct affects of COVID over the past expectations for more 4K UHD in Technology and Trends Roadmap we year on 2020 turned felt it was best to understand the technology and into “COVID aspects of change in 2020, so we trends. For Quality”. started out with a COVID Impact example, pretty The IABM section plotting each area of the much everyone Technology content chain over an impact range jumped into and Trends of negligible to major. As you can see cloud and Roadmap is in the graphic, some areas such as learned that it being used Publish had little impact, particularly isn’t as scary by both on general playout and OTT except for live and business during a live event; remote delivery remote operations as many were leaders and technology types to both suddenly took on a whole new concerned about. The use of off-the- help plot out their companies’ future meaning. shelf collaboration tools works – directions and also assure that during VIEW/DOWNLOAD THE perhaps not ideal, but keep our media each growth phase, no technology or FULL ROADMAP Please note, you will factories running. Business trend is overlooked. I was fortunate to need to be a registered user of our teleconferencing tools, built-in assemble a roadmap team of vendors website to access this page. cameras within mobile devices and and end-users covering all aspects of Starting with Live Events, large- webcams permitted work from home our industry. Although our team didn’t scale mobilization of production
BROADCAST AND FILM 33 MARCH - APRIL 2021 TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
BROADCAST AND FILM 34 MARCH - APRIL 2021 TECHNOLOGY TRENDS systems for Sports and Venue Events as they already were using bonded Cloud Production Switching. Old won’t return to normal for the immediate cellular and Internet tools for remotes technologies have taken on new future. Concert-like venues with large on a daily basis. With scripted series value in current circumstances, and audiences tend not to be hosting live and talk shows, the off-the-shelf new technologies are accelerating events, moving toward a live-remote- general applications used in deployment and performance. These collaboration model of 'conference call' combination with broadcast tools include VPN, Zero Trust, cloud-based like technologies to produce and and workflows have achieved a workstations using PCoIP, and low engage spectators. Higher quality surprising level of integration deliver cost/latency/bandwidth video audio, utilizing global motion picture rich workflows including virtual transmission including consumer- editorial/scoring/tracking concepts has audiences. Currently with the focused tools. However, use of these seen practical success. The use of Zero acceptance of “COVID Quality” there tools highlights the fundamental Client technologies has enabled is an expectation for lower cost need for a robust, diverse, secure IT segments previously constrained to solutions. With the bubble concept infrastructure and home UPS facility based high-end graphics or being used for scripted productions, systems to handle Home Studios, special-effects to be done totally one group told us they are so Backhaul and remote Workstations. remotely. Lower-bit-rate compressed efficient having everyone locked Next the roadmap team took production on broadcast-like away together, no waiting for people, forty-plus technologies and trends and production components has permitted no travel delays etc, on a go forward put them into similar groupings, small-scale venues. basis they want to continue using the plotting on the range from bleeding News and Talk Shows quickly bubble concept for shoots well into edge use-cases to commodity products moved away from studio productions the future. and services. and took advantage of off-the-shelf A year ago our attention was No question, 2020 has been scalable, general purpose solutions focused on innovative at-home the year for collaboration, so we using tools such as Zoom, Facetime, sports production. This year we added this in as a trend as Teams, Slack, etc. to keep on-air. literally have news staff producing videoconferencing solutions have Typically news had a huge head-start live programs from their homes with become indispensable. Proliferation
BROADCAST AND FILM 35 MARCH - APRIL 2021 TECHNOLOGY TRENDS of smartphones, improved mobile (bypassing CPU memory). By using venues. Immersive audio, rendered in networks and VoIP technologies the new techniques of moving real time from an object-oriented mix enabled new conferencing apps and NAND to the memory bus gone is is standard in high-end theatrical improved collaboration tools while the traditional HDD/SSD SAS/PCIe releases, and HFR continues to dazzle broadening user base. The pandemic driver & software latency, hence audiences in gaming and location- has created a competitive race to accelerating databases, metadata based entertainment venues, produce the user-friendliest, richest- analytics and machine learning although with mixed results in featured and securest apps. Remote computations. theatrical releases. Volumetric capture content production and broadcast Using Artificial Intelligence (RGB +Depth) systems continue to demands are pushing these for facial/object recognition is solid. improve quality and reduce costs, technologies further including Speech-to-text now works in over 100 and when combined with LIDAR- collaboratively produced live shows from homes. Cloud and “We see creative collaboration as Hybrid Cloud central to success for our industry and solutions have been we have launched a number of increasingly used; initiatives aimed at fostering this over this has been the last 18 months. The Technology dramatically and Trends Roadmap is another large accelerated by the step forward in nurturing the pandemic. It can be partnerships that will drive all our argued that this has futures. As with the BaM Content pushed more areas into the “mature” and Chain®, it is also a ‘living’ concept “commodity” that can provide a secure basis for columns faster than business decisions not just now, but might otherwise have way into the coming years too." been expected. PETER WHITE, CEO, IABM Organizations previously reticent to consider cloud for storage and processing are now languages and has remarkable scanned point-cloud environments, embracing it. Here is a key thought for natural feel. Bleeding-edge AI- drive fine-pitch LED walls. 2021 as a risk factor analysis: rather powered sports systems record Blockchain has shifted from than moving to the cloud being entire games (panoramic view), while ‘pie in the sky’ or not yet media- perceived as risky before 2020, it’s now detecting/tagging all movement to relevant to some early perceived as risky not to. create highlights. Intelligent implementations. Of note are new Compute transport architectures use ML to mesh-based techniques that have an acceleration via GPU and FPGA is evaluate historical transfer alternative approach to CDN-based now common, from specialized AI information to choose the optimal delivery. It’s also being seen in the workstations and real-time video number of parallel transport streams area of rights management being the converters to NICs. Storage density and acceleration protocols. AI/ML logical place to take advantage of the continually increases for magnetic now augments content production inherent advantages of distributing hard drives as well as solid state from smart trackers through to metadata via blockchain. There is drives, as 3D NAND and MLC sensing emotional reactions hope that blockchain will assist with packing techniques improve. NVMe assisting content creation as well as parsing out deep fakes. is now a common interface to flash remote working. I can’t emphasize how storage, and PCIe 4 is in early HDR and WCG are now important that security must be adoption, providing much more bus common delivery formats from OTT considered at all stages of product bandwidth from NIC to GPU services, and select theatrical development, deployment and
BROADCAST AND FILM 36 MARCH - APRIL 2021 TECHNOLOGY TRENDS operation. Since recent events have host OS and the orchestration layer Aside from some live content, accelerated decentralized production allowing re-use of libraries and other OTT is solid and common. AI/ML and rapidly pushed tools out of the server resources. Network techniques are improving studio and into the homes of staff, virtualization allows software- compression, however licensing isn’t security concerns are even more defined network functions to be spun standardized. Having video imperative to be in strict practice. up and down. Newer efficient anywhere, on any device, at any time Technologies like VPN, Zero Trust, methods like Mesh Networks and SD- is commonplace, not just expected Endpoint Protection as well as cloud- WANs are becoming more common. but demanded. The push for virtual based security and tools are enabling 1, 10 and 100 GE networks are zero latency continues. ATSC 3.0 and remote operation and fundamental commonplace with 25GE interfaces 5G deployments are well underway. business continuity across becoming so. 400GE is emerging with Monetization models are still very production and business units. The 800GE in development. The drivers much in flux. battle against piracy is strengthened are uncompressed low latency live To capture other areas such as Social Media, Esports, Gaming, Synthetic “One of the constantly moving challenges in our Production and industry is not only keeping up with all the new Internet-of-Things technology trends, but also having a deep enough (IOT), we group dive to understand what is truly relevant and not them as Super simply just a ‘fad’. Our industry pumped 25% of Trends. Our hard-earned revenue back into R&D in the last half industry pioneered IoT with smart of 2018 - so every penny spent needs to be as close media devices, to a sure bet as possible. End-users also have a although similar issue understanding which technology to bet sorrowfully IABM on, what they can’t live without – the ‘must haves’ research shows this - and which will capture more market share for is not a priority of them, as well as providing a path of profitable growth. media companies The Technology and Trends Roadmap will help currently, despite address these fundamental business questions for the growth in everyone involved with broadcast and media connected technology" entertainment. STAN MOOTE, CTO, IABM Esports productions are becoming less of a trend; they are now higher end productions, the with advanced monitoring and content, live remote production and difference being using more watermarking techniques. collaboration. Interoperable networking tools, over traditional Server virtualization is standards and recommendations broadcast. There is a solid blur standard for many workloads, (SMPTE ST 2110, TR-1001-1) with between the crossover of gaming although latency-sensitive & dropping bandwidth costs have technology and entertainment graphics-intensive tasks like color enabled IP WAN-LAN convergence. productions- i.e. synthetic correction have been slow to embrace SDN and new orchestration offerings productions, camera locked LED it. Advances in virtual GPU and NIC enable real time remote production walls/ceilings. The production of software stacks improve utilization of and transmission while driving down video for Social Media is a must and shared resources. A newer approach production costs and facilitating COVID has made this abundantly is where containers use the same more creative offerings. clear.
Source : IABM
BROADCAST AND FILM 37 MARCH - APRIL 2021 INTERVIEW
ASHOK MANSUKHANI: DISTINGUISHED MEDIA VETERAN RECOUNTS ON OTT, CATV & BROADCAST MARKET
Ashok Mansukhani (AM), the name personifies an exemplary media personality with an impeccable track record and credentials across the media and entertainment space. His illustrious career saw him executing various roles in different capacities and rendering yeoman service to the media industry. In an exclusive interview with Braodcast & Film Magazine, Ashok talks about his journey and his professional career.
Q.1: You had a distinguished track Radio and file youth-oriented stories JUNIOR STATESMAN record as an IRS officer in the Central for the Yuva Vani News Channel and This was also when the Govt and later joined the Hinduja contribute to the general pool. In the 'Statesman' Kolkata had launched a Group in 1996. Tell us about your same month, I was appointed as a youth magazine that became iconic journey in the broadcast media part-time correspondent and worked in the early 70s named 'Junior industry. there for two years. During that Statesman'. It was run by a large AM: AIR/DOORDARSHAN period, I also took part in many Yuva hearted editor named Desmond Doig My media journey started Vani radio programmes covering who encouraged young writers to very early. Neil Armstrong walked on diverse topics. This was the time that contribute articles and poems to the Moon in July 1969. In the same Television was becoming popular. I the magazine. I joined the magazine month, All India Radio set up a youth got a chance to be among India's first as a fortnightly columnist channel called Yuva Vani. It set of television anchors presenting contributing articles on life and advertised for young reporters to join black-and-white TV programs time in Delhi from a youthful the Central Newsroom of All India telecast on Delhi Doordarshan. perspective.
BROADCAST AND FILM 38 MARCH - APRIL 2021 INTERVIEW
TIMES OF INDIA GROUP dealing with the In 1971, I joined the 'Times of human resource India' Group as a journalist trainee in requirements Mumbai and within three months found and myself in Ahmedabad as a sub- night administration editor of the 'Times of India' newspaper. requirements of In February 1972 President Richard 20,000 Nixon visited China, and I was entrusted employees with editing a two-page special belonging to supplement on his historic visit. This various streams, was a great learning experience for me. including In the summer of 1972, I was transferred programming, to Delhi as the 'Times of India' Group engineering, had also decided to launch its youth finance and magazine- 'Youth Times'. For three administration. This was an entirely Indian Revenue Service and joined the years, I was to stay in this magazine new media experience for me. Hinduja Media Group based in Mumbai my main task being to produce and It was also a time for a as Chief Operating Officer IndusInd publish the magazine every fortnight. significant transformation of Media and Communications Limited INDIAN REVENUE SERVICE Doordarshan from a single channel (IMCL). In the past 24 years, I handled In 1974, I took the Indian network to gradually becoming Asia's diverse operating and corporate and Administrative Service and Allied largest regional broadcaster. Under the Board-level assignments and have Services entrance exam that I passed dynamic direction of Mr Bhaskar recently retired as Managing Director in 1975 and ended by first media foray. Ghosh, Secretary Ministry of of NXT DIGITAL Limited. This is the I was allotted the Indian Information and Broadcasting and Mr Hinduja Media Group's flagship Revenue Service (Income Tax) and Rathikant Basu, Director General providing digital cable services in major started my career as an Income Tax Doordarshan, in the period 1992 to metros through the In Digital service. Officer. 1995, more than 20 regional language The company also operates India's satellite channels launched from the only Headend-In-The Sky service NXT DOORDARSHAN state capitals in diverse languages Digital which offers state of the art Many years later, in 1992, I was ranging from Malayalam to Bangla to digital cable service in all 29 states in stationed at Mumbai when out of the Marathi and Kashmiri. These channels different and varied terrain from Kutch blue, I was given written directions to brought in a unique feature of being to Agartala and Kashmir to proceed to New Delhi as Deputy produced from the state capitals but Kanyakumari. Director General (Administration and being available nationally through Vigilance). satellite to all viewers wherever they Q.2: Hinduja has been a pioneer in This started my four-year span lived. Twenty-five the broadcast, cable, satellite, and years later, these broadband industry for over two regional satellite decades. Tell us about the major channels continue initiatives by Hinduja when you were to operate and the MD of the Hinduja Media Group? have provided a AM: In the first 3-4 years starting in good platform 1996, I helped IndusInd Media and for regional Communications Limited (IMCL) advertising. consolidate its cable operations by HINDUJA MEDIA launching significant metros GROUP operations, making it India's pioneer In 1996, I took Multi-System Operator. This was done voluntary by setting up direct operations and retirement from the creating a chain of hundreds of
BROADCAST AND FILM 39 MARCH - APRIL 2021 INTERVIEW operators in seven cities and Limited (now NXT DIGITAL over fifteen joint ventures in a Limited) and completed my term unique partnership with the in September 2020. A key local cable operators in a achievement was to shepherd corporatized set up. This model the transfer (by NCLT merger) has been followed by other of the Group's cable and HITS MSOs who came up later. business from IMCL to NXT In 2000, I was made CEO DIGITAL in August 2020 with of IndusInd Entertainment all regulatory and corporate Limited a video content and TV approvals in a record time of six network company of the months in the lockdown period. Hinduja Group. I ran the very During this period, I also served popular 'In Mumbai' cable on all the Hinduja Media group channel and pioneered a new boards and contributed both city news channel concept in corporate and strategic five languages called 'In Time'. expertise to the content In 2001, I was transferred company In-Network Limited; to the Hinduja Group holding the broadband company One company- Hinduja TMT Limited (later OTT Limited and provided corporate renamed as Hinduja Ventures and now advisory services, especially corporate named NXT DIGITAL Limited) as “I was President of the Multi- governance, and taxation to the entire Executive Vice President Corporate System Operator Alliance for a Hinduja Group. Services serving as Promoter decade and worked actively with I was President of the Multi- representative on all the subsidiary the Cable and Broadcast System Operator Alliance for a decade company boards rendering corporate Regulator TRAI and the Ministry and worked actively with the Cable and advice, devising business strategies of Information and Broadcasting Broadcast Regulator TRAI and the for emerging business scenarios and striving to create a level playing Ministry of Information and legal/tax and litigation support. Broadcasting striving to create a level field to enable the linear In 2012, I was appointed to the playing field to enable the linear Board of Hinduja Ventures Limited distribution industry to survive.” distribution industry to survive. (now NXT DIGITAL Limited) and made I have been involved in all the the holding company's Whole Time significant litigation right from the time Director. TRAI became the Regulator, and I simultaneously became Broadcasters challenged its Managing Director in 2017 of IMCL and appointment in 2005 to the present day was promoted to Non- Executive Vice when the Broadcasters challenged the Chairman of the Company in 2018 and second of New Tariff Order. have recently completed my tenure in I vividly remember two cases the IMCL Board in November 2020 after being the Delhi High Court judgement 21 years. of 2007 upholding the appointment of In 18 months as MD IMCL, I Trai as the broadcast and cable operationalized the Headend in the Sky regulator. The second that brought a (HITs) satellite cable platform creating significant change in the entire cable a new team of young entrepreneurs who industry's fortunes was the New Tariff run their networks and take backend Order upheld by the Supreme Court in support from the company on a unique 2018. This corrected a substantial revenue-sharing model. distortion in the business model of an In 2018 I was elevated to industry that had suffered at the hands Managing Director of Hinduja Ventures of Broadcasters who had always had
BROADCAST AND FILM 40 MARCH - APRIL 2021 INTERVIEW the upper hand in forcible revenue collection with no fair revenue-sharing.
Q.3: The Covid 19 lockdown has impacted the business worldwide. How do you see the impact of this on the business and how soon will the companies get over this and bounce back? AM: The Covid 19 lockdown left the cable industry as underprepared as most industries with one exception. As people were forcibly confined to homes for a couple of months, they turned to the Television for information, viewership with about 25 million Indian cable and OTT platforms will coexist entertainment and refuge. Broadcasters viewers. Disney Hotstar is not too far shortly. The traditional single screen who are dependent on serials, live behind with approximately about 10 linear distribution model for the cable sports, reality shows, suddenly had million viewers. Zee 5 has combined industry is dead. The cable must shake only repeats to show. News channels with Alt Balaji to scale up rapidly. off its complacence and rapidly and certainly gained in viewership but Hotstar like Sony Liv has live-action aggressively install fibre- to- home if it because of the current stage of cricket, football, and other popular were not to become redundant like the polarisation based on ideological sports like tennis to give them the pager industry a decade ago. Those considerations news channels do not impetus to add more viewers. With over Multisystem Operators who operate carry much credibility except for 50 OTT platforms, there is an urgent broadband networks can scale up and diehard viewers. need for an OTT aggregator. retain their customer base by providing This led to viewers looking at high-quality digital cable; a variety of other means of entertainment. OTT Q.4: How has the transition of the OTT content and consistent Networks like Netflix and Amazon Prime Indian broadcast, cable and satellite broadband to create customer seized the opportunity and utilized their industry been over the years? And how stickiness. vast library to provide a never-ending do you see the future of Indian Another failure of the cable stream of fresh content. In the past broadcast, cable and satellite in the industry, which caused its economic year, Netflix has posted substantial next five years? distress in the lockdown was the resort growth of 26% in just one year. It is a AM: Some doomsday pundits talk of to outmoded cash collection methods recent marketing move to offer free cord cutting. My educated guess is that without providing customer access over a weekend gained it lakhs of viewers. Another smart move was introducing in India pricing for their premium content, which helped it increase. A recent statement by Netflix stated that India has the highest viewership of films globally on its platform, and consumption of content in genres like kids, non-fiction and Korean dramas have shown strong growth. Regional movies finding closure of cinema halls to continue decided to go in for direct OTT releases to recover the cost. Amazon Prime too has seen explosive growth in Indian
BROADCAST AND FILM 41 MARCH - APRIL 2021 INTERVIEW satisfaction of proper billing and homes should be sufficient incentive receipts. The hard lockdown led to for the cable industry to penetrate the reduced monthly collections, thereby rural areas low-cost but high-quality upsetting the entire financial model of digital cable combined with reasonable cash being collected by the local bandwidth speed speeds to entice the operator, being passed on to the MSO rural customer to subscribe to the after being passed on to the regional MSOs. broadcaster. My company NXT Government's recent approval DIGITAL has been operating in a of infrastructure sharing should be prepaid model for over five years now highly publicized to regional MSOs to and had no difficulty collecting set up cable cooperatives to operate subscription deals due to the from a single digital mega headend in a availability of many digital payment district town from which smaller MSOs companies, some of which local and types. The rest of the industry must can share the infrastructure to supply national icons. Within the Hinduja follow suit to help them survive the cable broadband to their rural base. Of media, I see a bright future of ONE OTT future. course, there is a more straightforward Limited the broadband subsidiary of solution for these operators to link next digital limited. It has gained up with the NXT DIGITAL HITS enormously in the lockdown by adding “OTT Networks like Netflix and platform and take state of the art many new customers and can more than Amazon Prime seized the digital backend services like 1500 of triple its subscriber base in the next 2 opportunity and utilized their their colleagues have done in the to 3 years. With infrastructure status vast library to provide a never- past four years. granted to the HITS platform, the ending stream of fresh content. If MSOs connect more and possibility of adding many more In the past year, Netflix has listen to their vast customer base to multisystem operators on the back end posted substantial growth of convert themselves into digital model is very strong. 26% in just one year.” service providers, I expect them to survive the next five years and Q.6: TRAI's recommendation on remain the primary option for Indian STB Interoperability will allow India has reached a saturation viewers to consume electronic media. consumers to change their DTH point for deployment of traditional operator without buying a new set-top cable in the metros and the urban areas. Q.5: Which are the segments that box. This has thrown the industry into I estimate that through the census Hinduja Group is targeting apart a tizzy. How do you view this figures are a decade old India has from the broadcast & cable industry? development? approximately 25-30 million homes yet AM: The Hinduja Group is one of the AM: STB interoperability was talked to receive digital cable or broadband largest diversified groups globally in about even in the first stage of CAS benefits. These exist in semiurban 38 countries and activities spanning installation in 2004. However, due to areas, rural areas, and deep rural areas 100 countries. It operates globally ten vested interests and political which we can describe as dark cable business verticals that range from indecisiveness, India's digitalization areas. banking and finance to information took over a decade to take off by which I am intrigued that there are technology-enabled services group hundred million customers already approximately 1500 multisystem enjoys collection presents to leading been given Vanilla set-top boxes that operator as per July 2019 latest figures. are not interoperable. DTH Another interesting statistic is that 15 regulations have always of India's top MSOs have 78% of India's provided for interoperability, but cable TV market. Of these 1500 MSO, DTH boxes are also not at least 500 are not operating at full interoperable. To me, personally, capacity. the recommendation is dead and There could be many reasons incapable of being implemented for this, of the but indeed 30 million in the near future.
BROADCAST AND FILM 42 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT
IABM’S REPORT “CHARTING THE UNCHARTED”
IABM’s Comprehensive analysis plots the future course for Broadcast and Media industry
IABM released its latest technology suppliers, IABM’s generation of IT and environment- biannual Special Report. Titled continually updated Coronavirus aware talent. ‘Charting the Uncharted’ – reflecting Impact Tracker, and IABM’s Media The coronavirus pandemic the enormous upheaval the industry Tech Business Tracker. The report and ensuing lockdowns have driven is experiencing – the report is the identifies the multi-dimensional digital subscriptions massively result of in-depth analysis by change that is impacting Broadcast upwards, while traditional Pay-TV IABM’s Business Intelligence Unit and Media fuelled by the move to and advertising-based business of a wealth of qualitative models have been hit and quantitative research hard – especially so in on the present state and relation to cancelled live potential future paths for sports programming. our industry. It is clear Stay-at-home mandates that the coronavirus have also caused a pandemic has fundamental shift in compressed fundamental working patterns – and changes that were already massively accelerated slowly underway in the the industry’s previously industry into just months pedestrian progress or even weeks. The towards dematerialized effects of this are far- operations in the cloud, reaching across every underpinned by as-a- corner of the Broadcast and Media direct-to-consumer (DTC) business service technologies and business industry. models across the industry. The models. Inputs used to produce the propellants include the changing role To survive the storm, report include in-depth interviews of technology, the move to as-a- traditional broadcasters have moved with media companies and service, insourcing and a new rapidly to supplement their output
BROADCAST AND FILM 43 MARCH - APRIL 2021 REPORT with DTC offerings, and to search for of the BaM Content Chain® as well companies with products/services in the necessary scale to compete with as in discrete operational sectors, each of these areas. The report can the digital giants through acquisition providing additional insights for be seen at https://theiabm.org/iabm- or consolidation as well as increased special-report-september-2020/ investment in content. The move to “At a time when we are all DTC with its thinner margins also working so hard just to keep up with requires increased efficiency and the transformational changes going agility, producing a greater focus on on all around us, Charting the business models. Technology has Uncharted gives us a unique become merely an enabler for those opportunity to stand back and take a business models, and broadcasters look at the bigger picture,” said Peter are increasingly turning to White, CEO, IABM. “We can measure insourcing for better control and what are we doing, how we do it, and responsiveness. The new skills why are doing it against the whole required are often being recruited industry background. I am proud of from outside the industry, with the fantastic work our Business traditional broadcast engineering Intelligence Unit has done in skills becoming less and less in researching and producing the demand. report. Charting the Uncharted is The Charting the Uncharted PETER WHITE brim full of fact-based insights and I report also examines the effects of CEO, IABM would say it is essential reading for these changes across each segment everyone in the industry.” Source : IABM
BROADCAST AND FILM 44 MARCH - APRIL 2021 TECH FOCUS
HPA’S THE FOUND LEDERHOSEN USES BLACKMAGIC DESIGN DAVINCI RESOLVE STUDIO AND URSA MINI PRO 12K
Blackmagic Design announced the multi-film project, “The Found Lederhosen,” created for the 2021 HPA Tech Retreat Supersession
Blackmagic Design announced 200 artists who worked remotely to worked to keep themselves safe while the multi-film project, “The Found complete the short films during the redefining creative, connected, remote, Lederhosen,” created for the 2021 HPA worldwide COVID 19 quarantines. collaborative and cloud-based Tech Retreat Supersession, used Filmmakers from London, workflows. DaVinci Resolve Studio and URSA Dubai, Mongolia, Mexico City, “’The Found Lederhosen’ Mini Pro 12K for several of its five Brisbane and Hollywood all brought together seven movies, six segments. This included the use cities, five audio mixes, four color of DaVinci Resolve Studio running spaces, three uses of cloud storage on Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud services and two transmitters. It (Amazon EC2) and Amazon Simple was a huge effort, and it shows Storage Service (Amazon S3) for exactly what can be accomplished editing of the short film “La in new remote workflows,” JZ said. Inquilina.” “The virtual post workflows of “The Found Lederhosen” these films were even more global plays a key role on day one of the in scope than the productions, Supersession, a two-day bringing together post artists from interactive exploration of the all over the globe who collaborated workflows and technology of multiple volunteered to create the films like they were in the room next door. A productions taking place around the specifically for the event and in huge part of what made this possible globe. The “Found Lederhosen” illustration of remote collaboration and was DaVinci Resolve.” filmmakers, led by Joachim “JZ” Zell, the rapid forward movement of “La Inquilina” DP and Producer will highlight real world examples of the technology. During the Supersession, Sandra De Silva De La Torre and her tools, tech, workflows and more than JZ will highlight how these filmmakers team used DaVinci Resolve Studio for
BROADCAST AND FILM 45 MARCH - APRIL 2021 TECH FOCUS numerous parts of the post production “The Found Lederhosen.” Produced by Fantasy thriller using the URSA Mini workflow, including dailies, editing, award winning filmmaker and actress Pro 12K. “The camera resolution audio editing, color correction and Bayartsetseg Altangerel (Bayra Bela) gave us much needed confidence on delivery. They used DaVinci Resolve and edited by Lithuanian based set in making creative choices, Studio, running on Amazon’s EC2 G4 Aleksandras Brokas, the film follows especially when the shot would instances in conjunction with Amazon three foreign art students during level involve visual effects,” said FSx for shared file storage, to edit the 4 lock down in London. DaVinci Abdullah. “I also knew with film, allowing for seamless Resolve Studio was used for editing, Blackmagic’s color science I could collaboration between Editor and color correction and audio mixing by achieve the look I wanted, even when Colorist Diego Yhamá, who was based using DaVinci Resolve’s collaboration forced to shoot in low light or in Colombia, and Sandra, who was features to connect the director and difficult conditions, as we faced based in Mexico City. producer in London with Brokas in shooting in the Dubai desert.” “Connecting virtually using Lithuania. “The mission of The Found DaVinci Resolve Studio’s collaboration “Resolve’s collaboration Lederhosen is to show that any project tools running on AWS was an extremely features let us easily work edits back can be done anywhere and to show the powerful workflow for post production and forth, and the headache I was leading-edge workflows that make this on ‘La Inquilina,’” said De Silva De La expecting with this post production possible,” JZ said. “With the global need, it was natural that so many of the filmmakers used Resolve because it is the most widely used post tool out there.” The ability to use DaVinci Resolve Studio as a common platform to create and use the best people anywhere was a key part of making “The Found Lederhosen.” DaVinci Resolve Studio’s ability to work in a wide array of formats and specs was also important, since the filmmakers were shooting with different camera systems but all had to finish in ACES and Dolby Vision. “With the films, we had to have the ability for the filmmakers and post artists to exchange information and Torre. “Due to the current process never happened. We had create together anywhere at any time. circumstances with the pandemic, the initially started editing with another Resolve is everywhere, used by the opportunity to be part of the HPA’s NLE, but Aleks convinced us to do biggest group of artists,” JZ continued. project and collaborate remotely with everything in Resolve, which made “So it was a great platform for us to filmmakers around the globe was very getting the film done efficiently and rely on.” appealing to me. It is amazing to know meeting our creative visions,” said “The workflow used by ‘La that there were many crews in different Bayartsetseg. “We used Resolve in Inquilina’ using Resolve running on parts of the world creating a story for London to edit dailies and sent the files AWS in particular was a great example the same purpose: to test and directly to Aleks, and were able to skip of what a powerful new remote understand new workflows that not conforming. Grading and prep for workflow could do. The filmmakers and only further support our actual Dolby Vision was done in London and post artists, which were spread between situation, but that also provide access sound mixing was done in Taiwan LA, Mexico and Colombia, had the to a new level of connectivity for using Resolve. A true global team.” flexibility, adaptability and scalability filmmakers around the world.” For the Dubai film “Neo- to create in high quality. The freedom DaVinci Resolve Studio was Bedouin,” cinematographer Marc of interaction that combining AWS and also used on “KINTSUGI,” the London Paskui and Director Abeer Abdullah Resolve brought was amazing,” JZ and Mongolian based film done for shot the pandemic inspired Sci Fi/ said.
BROADCAST AND FILM 46 MARCH - APRIL 2021 BIGGER, BETTER, ONE GRAND EVENT!
Varun Gaba Geeta Lalwani OFFICIAL MEDIA PUBLICATION Manoj Kumar Madhavan Director - Projects Project Manager Editor (Satellite & Cable TV Magazine) Tel.: +91-22-6216 5303 Tel.: +91-22-6216 5313 Mob. : +91-99458 26427 Mob. : +91-70218 50198 Mob. : +91-91082 32956 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.scatmag.com Email: [email protected] Asst. Director – Projects
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