THE JOURNEY SO FAR a CLOSER LOOK at the SUCCESS STORIES of INDUSTRY PIONEERS Published by ITP Media (India) VIEWPOINT Vol

WPP license no. MR/TECH/WPP-82/North/2017 License to post without prepayment Postal Registration No. MCN/99/2015-2017. Published on 3rd of every month. Posting date: 5th & 6th of every month. Posted at Patrika Channel Sorting Office, Mumbai-400001. Total number of pages 68 Registered with Registrar of Newspapers under RNI No. MAHENG/2009/33418. Vol. 9 | Issue 8 | AUGUST 2017 | ` 50

www.digitalstudioindia.com OPINION BRINGING KILLER CONTENT TO VIEWERS

THREE’S COMPANY RU EDIRIWIRA, VYNSLEY FERNANDES, AND JOHNJIT AHLUWALIA HAVE SET CASTLE MEDIA APART IN A CROWDED MARKETPLACE THE JOURNEY SO FAR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SUCCESS STORIES OF INDUSTRY PIONEERS Published by ITP Media (India) VIEWPOINT Vol. 9 | Issue 8 | August 2017

ITP MEDIA (INDIA) PVT LTD Never Say Never 898 Turner Road, Notan Plaza, 3rd Floor Bandra (West), Mumbai - 400050 If one reads enough success stories, a common thread T +91 22 6154 6000 emerges–the never-say-never attitude of its protagonists. Even if they were often challenged in their chosen career paths, they Deputy managing director S Saikumar did not let it contain them. Instead, they pushed the limits Group publishing director Bibhor Srivastava Group consulting editor Shafquat Ali holding them back to tread new paths and triumphed.

Our cover story this issue features such a dynamic couple, EDITORIAL Vynsley Fernandes and Ru Ediriwira, who founded Castle Editor Vinita Bhatia Media. Starting off as a broadcast journalist 25 years ago, Deputy editor Satyam Nagwekar Fernandes decided to learn the ropes of how studios were VINITA BHATIA designed and functioned in the face of adverse circumstances. ADVERTISING His eagerness to learn made him the go-to projects man for India Star TV in the late 90s. Over time, he displayed his prowess in Commercial director Manoj Sawalani M +91 98201 76965 [email protected] setting up the end-to-end technology and operations for Star South India News, became the principal consultant for News Corporations’ Director Sanjay Bhan DTH platform, and set up the entire technology platform for M +91 98457 22377 [email protected] INX Media.

Later, he started his own company, along with Ediriwira and STUDIO Johnjit Ahluwalia. Starting from a four-member team at home, Head of design Milind Patil today Castle Media employs 78 people and works with Indian Senior designer Vinod Shinde as well as international corporate behemoths. And this was Contributor Sanjay Bandre possible because Fernandes not only believed in taking risks, but he knew that he could always add some value in every one PRODUCTION of the projects he was undertaking. Deputy production manager Ramesh Kumar SATYAM NAGWEKAR Talking about risk-takers and entrepreneurs, in this issue, CIRCULATION we are introducing a new initiative–The Journey So Far– Distribution manager James D’Souza wherein we have featured companies that have fostered and T +91 22 6154 6006 [email protected] nurtured innovation. While interacting with the companies,

some of which were later included in this list, we began to Cover image Artnest Photography understand why some enterprises are better than others at ...... letting innovation flourish. One of the reasons we figured is that The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error they are willing to invest heavily in technology and people; not or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The necessarily in that order. They also embrace a flat hierarchical opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist structure that encourages the culture of curiosity, which is advice before acting on information contained in this publication critical startling results. which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks It is truly fascinating to see the number of pioneers in our is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the industry, who are always willing to embrace challenges and contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers figure new ways to overcome obstacles. We will continue to in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the feature them in Digital Studio, so keep watching this space. purpose of fair review.

Until next time! Printed and Published by Sai Kumar Shanmugam, Flat no 903, Building 47, NRI Colony, Phase – 2, Part -1, Sector 54, 56, 58, Nerul, Navi Mumbai 400706, on behalf of ITP Media (India) Private Limited, printed at Indigo Press India Pvt. Ltd., Plot No. 1C / 716, Off Dadoji Konddeo Cross Road, Between Sussex and Retiwala Ind. Estate, Byculla (East), Mumbai-400 027, India, and published at ITP Media (India), Notan Plaza, 3rd Floor, 898, Turner Road, Bandra (West), Mumbai - 400050.

Vinita Bhatia, Editor [email protected]

6 AUGUST 2017 | DIGITAL STUDIO www.digitalstudioindia.com COVER STORY THREE’S COMPANY

In a marketplace littered with specialised services, the brains trust of Ru Ediriwira, Vynsley Fernandes, and Johnjit Ahluwalia have set Castle Media apart by providing a unique bouquet of offerings

BY SATYAM NAGWEKAR ARTNEST PHOTOGRAPHY ARTNEST COVER STORY

he brains behind Castle Media Private Limited BACKGROUND (Castle Media) may have had roller-coaster Fernandes, who is the de facto face of the company, has spent well T careers but running a company in a dynamic over 25 years in the media and entertainment industry. “I have been industry is the most exciting thing they have around since the time when television was limited to the VHS process. done. Castle Media’s three pillars—Vynsley DD was the only television channel around 1990. I kept job hopping Fernandes, Ru Ediriwira, and Johnjit Ahluwalia— and ended up trying my hand at journalism.” One thing led to another have remained steadfast in the face of myriad challenges thrown at and Fernandes, in the pursuit of new challenges, became the anchor of them. A power couple in the truest sense of the term, Fernandes Business Plus on CNN International for 200-odd episodes, ‘cutting his (executive director) and Ediriwira (CEO) founded the company teeth in journalism.’ in 2010. Ahluwalia, also an executive director, joined soon after. The story behind Fernandes’ move to the technology side of the The varied technical expertise and the operational excellence the business is intriguing by itself. “So, I moved to work with a company trio brings to the table form the cornerstone of the company. With that was looking to set up a business news channel in India. The day I their unique proposition, it was only a matter of joined CMM International, its global parents went bankrupt. Either time before the big clients made a beeline for I had to eat humble pie and go back to my old job or continue at the the company’s services. new place, which had studios. The owners said, ‘Why don’t you just hang around and help us ﬁx the studios?’” At that point in time, Fernandes had no clue about operations but his best bet was to give it a shot working a double shift. “I moved to CMM Studios that had tied up with Asia Business News International. As I didn’t know the lay of the land, I had to work twice as much. I started learning technologies. I would offer to carry the camera on my shoulders to a shoot and learnt how to operate a camera because, as a journalist, you tend not to really.” This is how Fernandes gained an insight into the functioning of studios and designing them. It was at ESPN-Star Sports that Fer- nandes met Peter Mukerjea, who offered him a position with News Corporation. With his stock ris- ing, Fernandes quickly became the go-to projects man for Star in 1997. “I moved a lot of the post-production that was being done in Hong Kong for all the Star channels to India at a post- production facility that I helped

Vynsley Fernandes, Johnjit Ahluwali, and Ru Ediriwira at the Castle Media ofﬁce in Mumbai.

DIGITAL STUDIO | AUGUST 2017 19 COVER STORY

One of the nerds, Ru Ediriwira feels cyber security will be foremost in set up.” He was also instrumental for putting the consumer mindspace in the time to come. in place a production kit that was used for Kaun Banega Crorepati. In 2002, Star TV parted ways with NDTV, which did the news for the network. That’s when James Murdoch and Mukerjea set into motion a plan for Star TV’s own news channel. Consequently, Fernandes was appointed the operations director for Star News in India, a position that entailed setting up the end-to-end technology and operations. And that is also when Ahluwalia came on board. Fernandes and Ahluwalia set up Star News and ran the operations until they stabilised. When News Corporation was looking to set up a DTH platform along with Tata Sons in India, Fernandes was hand-picked to be the principal consultant for the project. He moved to Delhi for a couple of years to help set up Space TV, which was rechristened as Tata Sky, in the company of his good friend Ahluwalia, whose technical expertise paved the way for the DTH project. Fernandes’ travels to the UK to meet the Sky team for orientation with Tata Sky resulted in his meeting Ediriwira, who was a part of the Ac- centure team that consulted on the project. In 2003, they got married. A hardcore design consultant, Ediriwira thereafter moved to Vodafone UK and eventually headed the design and delivery of the company’s strategic CRM programme. Around 2005, Mukerjea got funding from investors to set up News X, 9X Media, and 9X Music Asia Paciﬁc. Looking for people, he sought Fernandes’ help to set up the whole technology. In 2007, Fernandes moved to INX as the group operations director.

STARTING UP In 2008, the markets crashed and ﬁnance was tight. A lot of networks started going under. INX’s investors said the entire business had to be downsized. Therefore, Fernandes had to migrate the business to a tighter operational model. “It was a gut-wrenching time because we had been through a lot of downsizing.” Finally feeling the toll, Fer- nandes decided to take a three-month hiatus from INX. The seed to start Castle Media was sown by a chance encounter on an aircraft. Fer-

20 AUGUST 2017 | DIGITAL STUDIO www.digitalstudioindia.com COVER STORY

The story behind Vynsley Fernandes’ move to the technology side of the broad- casting business is not without intrigue. nandes, off to an introspective break, met an “A TRANSFORM ATIONAL pretty much consider our company a niche. official from Astro Overseas Limited (Astro) PROJECT, ACCORDING TO US, Ru and I set up Castle Media in 2010.” on a flight to Malaysia. Said Fernandes, “He IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT A One of the things Ediriwira hates doing is said that they were tying up with a com- RUN-OF-THE-MILL DTH OR SATELLITE talking about herself. Her penchant for keep- pany in India to set up a food channel and PROJECT. IT’S SOMETHING THAT’S ing a low profile is reflected by her refusal to asked if I could help, rousing my interest.” ACTUALLY TRANSFORMING THE moderate group discussions at several indus- Upon calling them on his return, he found LANDSCAPE, TRANSFORMING try events. A holder of a master’s degree in out that Astro had been in talks with chef electrical and electronics engineering from THE WAY THAT THE INDUSTRY IS Sanjeev Kapoor to start Food Food, India’s Imperial College London, Ediriwira is one STRUCTURED. SO, WHEN UAE’S first high-definition channel. Fernandes was of the nerds. “I have been doing technology asked if he could at least consult to design MBC GROUP WAS LOOKING TO from the start. At the university, whoever the technology. Castle Media, which was FIGURE OUT HOW TO REPURPOSE was in the generic stream either got into founded by Fernandes along with Ediriwira AND REALIGN THEIR SYSTEMS, engineering or went for consulting or invest- subsequently, eventually took on the entire WE WERE THERE TO HELP THEM ment banking. Pretty much all of them went mantle of designing the technology for Food OPTIMISE THEIR PROCESSES.” into investment banking. After my degree, I Food. went to work for Accenture, where I spent In another serendipitous occurrence, six years doing a variety of things,” she Fernandes received a call from an old friend who have taken consultancy by profession recollected. Working with the network team, working for Airtel who asked if he could help and are not consultants by choice. It is very Ediriwira set up whole networks and all the a client in Bangladesh set up a news channel. hard to get people who have actually worked OE-interacted applications. Banking on the experience of setting up in the industry, actually designed, built NewsX, Fernandes and the team were game something,” Fernandes pointed out. DELIVERING THE GOODS for it. The project involved establishing Ban- “Ru’s background, my background and Castle Media’s role in the projects that it gladesh’s first digital news channel. Johnjit’s extensive experience have enabled takes up starts from consulting, progresses “The people in the market today are those us to get where we are today. Therefore, we to design and ends with delivery.

www.digitalstudioindia.com DIGITAL STUDIO | AUGUST 2017 21 COVER STORY

“A lot of what we do is actually the whole an investment of INR 65 million from Castle design of how the entire system works and Media so far with an infusion of INR 35 mil- managing the project. There is also a huge lion slated for the following quarter. Spyke amount of design work that goes into it,” said has four more facilities in the pipeline; the Ediriwira. “The workflows, the whole system total number is likely to be eight by the end application design is done by us. We develop, of this year. For this business, a franchise design, and execute mobile applications as model is also in the works. well. So, getting all the vendors to do what is needed, making sure everything is well IN CONCLUSION tested is our goal. We don’t have relation- The journey has been as rewarding as the ships with specific vendors.” success insists Fernandes, who wouldn’t “So, whether it’s a DTH, HITS, OTG, or a have it any other way. Starting especially the cable platform, we work right from concep- way they did—with a four-member team at tualising to implementing to managing. The home—Fernandes, Ahluwalia, and Ediriwira two large DTH platforms in the country are find the course of events sobering. Currently, our clients; we have helped them develop 78 people are in Castle Media’s employ. “Our strategies for improving their through- biggest asset and the thing that drives Castle put–the number of channels carried on a Media is the calibre of the people. If you transponder.” look at the people that we have today, there In the projects that come its way, Castle is no better team in solutions integration,” Media is always seeking transformational observed Fernandes. He also attributed the work. success to relations built with people over “A transformational project, according the years. “All of us have built up personal re- to us, is something that is not a run-of-the- lationships over the last 20 years, so people mill DTH or satellite project. It’s something have a lot of faith. A lot of our business is that’s actually transforming the landscape, through word-of-mouth.” transforming the way that the industry is There is, however, a customer, every now structured. For instance, UAE’s MBC Group Johnjit Ahluwalia’s technical expertise paved and then, that is not concerned about the val- was looking to figure out how to repurpose the way for the Tata Sky DTH project that was ue and wants to keep the price as low as pos- entrused to him and Vynsley Fernandes. and realign their systems—the whole tech- sible but Castle Media plays its cards well in nology, their workflow, and their processes. such cases. Moreover, being true to the client, So, when the opportunity knocked on the by private equity players, the company gets the company believes, is one of its strongest door, we were there to help them optimise called up to do the technical due diligence. legacies. For instance, it was hired to set up an their processes,” explained Fernandes. At present, Castle Media is assisting a OTT platform for a particular client. “So we MBC Group, which is the largest broad- US-based broadcaster that is looking to said, ‘do us a favour and give us a month first caster in the Middle East, wanted to optimise acquire an OTG platform in India. “We are to do the market research.’ Apparently, some- its systems in a bid to go tapeless and switch working with them on designing a solution body gave them a forecast that the platform to high definition. and a strategy, developing a business plan, would breakeven in a year’s time.” Fernandes “Now, tape-based to tapeless itself is a and doing the technical due diligence,” said went back to the client in a month and said to nightmare. Coupled with moving to high Fernandes. him that the project was not viable. definition made it a challenging project. Furthermore, Castle Media’s newest Despite much going for them, Fernandes, Another transformational project was the venture, Spyke Technologies (Spyke), will Ediriwira, and Ahluwalia are far from Hinduja HITS platform owing to the com- address the issue of the increasing number a content bunch. With rapid strides in plexity and innovation involved. The app of failing set-top boxes (STBs). At present, technology and fast-changing consumer that Ru and her team developed was truly there are more than 150 million in India habits, the ball is always in play they feel. path breaking. Where have you heard of STBs thanks to the government mandate of “Cyber security is going to be a big thing cable fees being prepaid?” cable TV digitisation. Even at a conservative going forward. If they can hack the US elec- Castle Media also does a large quantum of fail rate of 5 to 8 percent, there is an im- tions, they can hack pretty much anything. work with private equity players and global mense market to cater to. Based in Mumbai Moreover, everyone today is moving their banks helping arrive at critical business de- and Delhi, Spyke has stepped into STB data to a cloud,” said Ediriwira. We hope cisions. For nearly every media acquisition repairing and servicing. Set up on the lines Castle Media makes data security its next in the country, or any major media interest, of the Uber model, the company has received transformational play.

22 AUGUST 2017 | DIGITAL STUDIO www.digitalstudioindia.com COVER STORY

The master control room at NXT Digital’s Broadcast Centre in Noida. NOT A ONE-TRICK PONY Despite the proliferation of round-the-clock content providers, few players in India offer the entire gamut of technology services in the media and entertainment space.

In the last decade or so, the Indian subcontinent has experienced a DTH, HITS, OTT, and cable operators or television channels and stu- boom in the media and entertainment segment of mammoth propor- dios. One of the largest projects the company has undertaken so far is tions. To serve the television broadcasters, radio networks, and tradi- Hinduja Group’s $65 million headend in the sky, or HITS, project that tional print-media players entering the space, only a handful of com- involved complete consulting, design, implementation, and setting up panies serve as the one-stop shop for setting up broadcast services. the entire solution for NXT Digital. “We designed and rolled out the big- Players that provide niche consulting-to-delivery services are few and gest project in India in terms of digitisation in the Phase IV market,” said far with technology moving forward so quickly. Vynsley Fernandes, executive director, Castle Media. In the face of daunting delivery times, Castle Media has successfully The 15,000-square-foot HITS facility (with additional open area of pulled off the trick be it sophisticated design-to-delivery projects for 8,000 square foot) was inaugurated by Arun Jaitley in September 2015. Two years on, Castle Media continues to support the operations and management of Hinduja’s broadcast centre and their data centre, which have a whole bunch of firsts attached to it. Castle Media’s CEO Ru Ed- iriwira, for instance, designed India’s first mobile phone application for cable prepayment. The app that Ediriwira designed also removes the limitation for an operator to be present on location. “The cable operator could be sitting in wherever in the world and control the whole network using an app,” said Fernandes. Significantly, Ediriwira and her team designed a set-top box that could receive more than 550 SD as well as HD channels besides a host of other services, including e-applications and TV everywhere. The Castle Media team also designed the digital headend with a much smaller footprint. The biggest jewel in the crown, however, was the state-of-the-art Broadcast Center for which Johnjit Ahluwalia, Castle Media’s executive director, was instrumental for. Ahluwalia planned the project right down to the last de- The central apparatus tail, overseeing its execution every step of the way. He now manages the room at the Noida facility. Noida-based centre for the Hindujas as part of a 29-people team onsite.