Companies

Local pay-TV content gets an Indian boost

From India to Indonesia Indian media and entertainment company Through his company’s Indonesian Zee Entertainment Enterprises has just set up outpost, the Indian media-tycoon will offer the Zee Bioskop channel, which shop in Indonesia, and the man behind it is focuses on Bollywood blockbuster urging customers to stay tuned for more. movies dubbed in Bahasa Indonesia, By and Veria Living, a lifestyle channel. Muhamad Al Azhari Chandra has already sealed several deals with local companies to enable Indonesians who love watching Indian movies and programs to enjoy the content at home. Zee Bioskop is currently available through two local satellite pay- television providers, Aora TV and Orange TV. Zee Bioskop is also one of the frontline channels at Kompas Vision, another pay-TV outfit controlled by the Kompas Gramedia Group. Meanwhile Orange TV plans to launch Veria Living in the near future. “Indonesia is economically one of the fastest-growing markets with a huge potential for pay-TV growth,” Chandra said. “I’m confident that these launches will flag off a new beginning for the venture and relationship between the Indonesia country head Maria Liza Ginting, MD and CEO Punit Goenka, chairman Subhash Chandra two countries,” Chandra said. and Asia-Pacific head Sushruta Samanta. “With Zee Bioskop, our endeavor is to bring further synergies between our entertainment offerings and local ultural similarities, as well as thousands of years ago, during the tastes,” he added. The movies shown the rising middle-income class reign of the Majapahit Empire, one on Zee Bioskop cover every genre Cin Indonesia, has prompted of the greatest and most powerful including action, comedy, drama and Zee Entertainment Enterprises, empires in the history of Indonesia romance. one of India’s leading media and and Southeast Asia, which was based Zee is currently exploring the entertainment companies, to set up an in Java. Till today, the similarities in launch of a third channel “once our arm of its pay-television business in music, dance and customs are very feasibility study is complete,” Chandra

Indonesia. apparent,” he added. said, adding that he sees Indonesia as al z “We have very strong cultural Zee marked its entry into the one of the most promising economies in i fr e

similarities,” said Subash Chandra, Indonesian market recently with the the Asian region, with a population that .D h chairman and founder of the Essel opening of an office in and the is relatively “young and vibrant.” o M Group, which owns Zee. “These appointment of Maria Liza Ginting as “We endeavor to be part of

similarities originated way back, Indonesia country head. their lives in terms of lifestyle and PHOTO

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6402_GLOBE ASIA APRIL_056_R1.PDF 1 3/21/14 7:40 PM entertainment. We will continue to movies are available 24 hours every address the needs of the market in day (on Zee Bioskop).” terms of entertainment and opening a Another BMCI member, Asih Kiran, representative office is a step towards also welcomes the new channel. “It’s this commitment. We will also increase about time that we had something like our investments and team strength,” this,” said Asih. “And the movies will be he said. even more enjoyable to watch, with all When asked about whether Zee dialogue dubbed into Indonesian. We’ll plans to expand its cooperation with love them even more.” other providers including First Media, Chandra said: Zee and Essel Group “Indeed, we are open to offering our Zee is controlled by the Essel Group, a channels to all pay-TV platforms in $3.5 billion business conglomerate with Indonesia including cable television a diversified business presence across providers like First Media.” the media, entertainment, packaging, First Media is a subsidiary of infrastructure, education, precious the Lippo Group, which also owns metals and technology sectors. BeritaSatu Media Holdings, of which Chandra’s business empire started GlobeAsia is a part. in 1976 as a commodity trading and Subhash launched India’s first export firm. Today, the group has a “Zee Bioskop will be channel Zee TV workforce of over 8,000 employees via the perfect platform for in 1992 and over more than two its worldwide operations. decades has managed to build strong Meanwhile, Zee has garnered a Bollywood fans in Indonesia.” recognition for the Zee brand at home following of millions since its launch and abroad. in 1992 and. Chandra shared the story Sarifuddin Syarif Zee, which offers 34 domestic of its founding with GlobeAsia via channels and 32 dedicated e-mail. “More than two decades back, international channels, aims to reach 1 I wondered why India did not have billion viewers and be ranked in the top a private satellite channel of its own. three global media brands by 2020. The answers to this question were the India’s Bollywood movies are numerous legal constraints. known all over the world for their “I remember the then-Secretary massive production volumes, and for Information and Broadcasting have attracted a niche following from dissuading my intentions with regions influenced by Indian culture. statements like, ‘You will introduce The Indian film industry produces consumerism and destroy the country. more than 800 movies a year – twice Your proposal can fructify only over my viewers across 169 countries. as many as Hollywood. With dramatic dead body.’ In the midst of its achievements, storylines, attractive outfits, singing and “Since taking ‘no’ as an answer Chandra said the group has pledged dancing, it draws millions of viewers was never an option, I continued my a commitment to consistency not only in India, but across the world. pursuit and entered into this business and innovation to ensure it offers Members of the Bollywood Mania by setting up operations in Hong Kong. competitive products. “A key essence Club Indonesia (BMCI), who attended This led to the birth of Zee and to an of a true leader in today’s era is to the launch, were ecstatic. “Zee Bioskop entire new industry in India. In my constantly innovate, in order to stay will be the perfect platform for opinion, this was the most defining relevant to the audiences and to stay Bollywood fans in Indonesia,” said moment for me.” ahead in the competitive atmosphere,” Sarifuddin Syarif, a member. Chandra’s hard work has paid he said. “At Zee, innovation has The 30-year-old from Bogor said dividends. Zee is now the largest always been the core pillar and a key he usually watches Bollywood movies producer and aggregator of Hindi component of our foundation. The in cinemas and on a local TV channel programming in the world. It has many industry firsts which Zee holds that screens Hindi movies. “But (the an extensive library housing over to its credit are a result of our constant local channel) only screens the movies 120,000 hours of television content, thirst to innovate.” on weekends,” Sarifuddin said. “And rights to more than 3,500 movie titles they’re usually old re-runs that we’ve from leading studios and with iconic Additional reporting by Sylviana seen so many times. But now, new film stars, as well as over 700 million Hamdani

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