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New Delhi: The merger of media assets of Reliance Industries and the India business of global media house the Walt Disney is expected to be complete by the end of the third quarter of this fiscal, according to a regulatory filing by billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led group. The fair trade regulator CCI has already approved the merger of Viacom 18 and <keyword id="19976122" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Star-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Star India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Star India">Star India</keyword> and NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) has sanctioned the scheme regarding it. "The companies are in the process of obtaining other requisite approvals for the completion of the transaction and transaction closer is expected in 3Q FY 25," informed Reliance Industries on Monday in its quarter earning statement. The merger of Reliance group-controlled media assets - TV18 Broadcast and E18 - with Network18 Media &amp; Investments has already been sanctioned by the NCLT and was made effective on October 3, it said. Earlier on September 27, the government approved the transfer of licenses relating to Non News &amp; Current Affairs TV channels held by media entities of Reliance Industries to Star India. "The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, vide its order dated September 27, has granted its approval for transfer of Licenses relating to Non News &amp; Current Affairs TV channels held by <keyword id="19976121" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Viacom18" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Viacom18">Viacom18</keyword> Media Private Limited in favour of Star India," it had said. Viacom18 is the holding company that owns the media and entertainment business of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries and Bodhi Tree Systems. Both sides are in the final stages of the merger, making some adjustments in the business as per the Competition Commission of India (CCI) directions. On August 30, the NCLT had approved the scheme of merger of Viacom18 Media and Digital 18 Media, holding media and entertainment assets of Reliance Industries with Star India. The scheme had proposed the transfer and vesting of Media Operations Undertaking from Viacom 18 and Jio Cinema into Digital18, which is a subsidiary of Viacom 18. This would be followed by "demerger, transfer and vesting of V18 Undertaking from Digital 18 into Star India". The merger of the media assets of Reliance Industries and The Walt Disney Co.'s India business will create the country's largest media empire worth over Rs 70,000 crore. Earlier, the CCI had said it has cleared the "proposed combination involving Reliance Industries Ltd, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, Digital18 Media Ltd, Star India Pvt Ltd and Star Television Productions Ltd, subject to the compliance of voluntary modifications". Viacom18 is part of the RIL group, and Star India is wholly owned by The <keyword id="19986269" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Walt-Disney-Company" source="keywords">Walt Disney Company</keyword>. Star Television Productions, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, is owned indirectly by Walt Disney. The CCI, however, did not disclose voluntary modifications in the original deal made by the two parties. As per the deal, Mukesh Ambani-led RIL and its affiliates will hold 63.16 per cent of the combined entity that will house two streaming services and 120 television channels. Walt Disney will hold the remaining 36.84 per cent stake in the combined entity, which will also be India's largest media house. Reliance Industries has also agreed to invest close to Rs 11,500 crore into the joint venture to give it the muscle to fight rivals like Japan's Sony and Netflix. Nita Ambani, wife of billionaire and RIL Chairman <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>, will head the joint venture, while Uday Shankar will be the vice-chairperson.

Reliance expects to complete merger with Disney's India business in Q3

Ben Higgins, 35, could be your prototypical politician.Charming, handsome, and well spoken, Higgins uses his work as an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/kitchen/generous-coffee-review">entrepreneur and philanthropist</a> to help fight poverty. He's also an independent who doesn't identify strongly with either side of the political spectrum."It's very topic by topic for me," he said. "It's very much understanding the issue, hearing the story behind the issue, hearing why people believe what they believe, and then trying to make logical, rational solutions and decisions."If Higgins' name sounds familiar, it's probably because you saw him on television — and not during a debate. Higgins served as the 20th American Bachelor on ABC's long-running and wildly popular romance reality show. Higgins did somewhat attempt to use "The Bachelor" as a jumping-off point into politics; back in 2016, he was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thewrap.com/ben-higgins-bachelor-congress/">given the opportunity to run for state representative in Colorado</a> while working on his own spinoff show. But that bid was incredibly short-lived."That ran into issues over time, mostly legally, with how that was going to be filmed and who they were filming and how they were showing it. And that's ultimately why my campaign had to end," Higgins said — seemingly nodding to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2016/07/25/disney-abc-forces-ben-higgins-drop-colorado-house-race/">reports</a> that the corporate overlords at Disney, which owns ABC, did not want to televise the former Bachelor's political ambitions. (The Disney-owned channel set to air the spin-off said at the time it had concerns broadcasting a show featuring the campaign "could raise significant compliance issues under Colorado election laws.")<div type="image" title="Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell discuss &quot;The Bachelor&quot; at AOL Studios in New York on March 15, 2016 in New York City." height="2000" width="3000" msid="113455139" hostid="261" sizebytes="203656"></div>Bachelor Nation's aversion to comingling political ambitions with the TV show makes some sense. Popular culture has for years been breaking into niche after niche. You can exist in a bubble of "The Bear" watchers without ever joining the masses watching "Young Sheldon." But "The Bachelor" is different: It's perhaps one of our last monocultures, alongside stalwarts like the NFL. The show, which kicked off in 2002, has had its ratings stumbles over the years, but it has recently experienced <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2024/03/the-bachelor-joey-record-ratings-hometown-dates-abc-1235846511/">a viewership resurgence</a>, with just over <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thewrap.com/the-bachelor-season-28-finale-ratings-abc/">6.3 million people tuning in to watch the finale of Joey Graziadei's season</a> in March. "The Golden Bachelor," which featured contestants over the age of 60, delivered blockbuster ratings in late 2023, reaching the coveted <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2024/01/the-golden-bachelor-35-day-delayed-viewership-abc-1235805784/">18-to-49 market</a> while <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/05/arts/television/golden-bachelor-senior-center-watch-party.html">courting older viewers</a>. Given the franchise's relatively strong position, why risk that power by mixing in the messy, polarizing, and exhausting world of American politics?But under the surface, "The Bachelor" is already a political show. Whitewashed, vaguely Christian, and deeply heterosexual, the presentation of "The Bachelor" is a lot like the median US voter, which is also the exact audience it's long catered to. Its fandom reaches across a wide spectrum of the population in a way few other forms of mass media do, and the show itself reflects many of the broad sociopolitical themes in America. So it might be worth accepting the rose and looking at what the show tells us about the country. By understanding "The Bachelor," we can better understand the political landscape of America — and maybe even glean a little insight into this year's election.<h2>Who will win the 2024 rose?</h2>Graziadei, the Bachelor who delivered monster ratings in the spring, made a cameo in February at a different kind of rose ceremony. Instead of looking for love on his own, Graziadei was helping the second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, <a target="_blank" href="https://bachelornation.com/2024/02/14/joey-graziadei-visits-the-white-house-and-helps-the-second-gentleman-give-the-vice-president-a-rose/">present a rose to Vice President Kamala Harris</a> in honor of Valentine's Day. It was a moment that breached the fourth wall of "The Bachelor": a lead openly acknowledging and becoming a part of politics. (The White House declined to comment on the collaboration.)When Chad Kultgen and Lizzy Pace, the cohosts of the popular "Bachelor" podcast "Game of Roses" and coauthors of "How to Win The Bachelor," saw the video of Graziadei at the White House, they were stunned. Their podcast examines the game mechanics of "The Bachelor" like a sport — akin to its fellow monoculture, the NFL — and goes in deep with statistical metrics to analyze contestants' strategies and plays. Pace said she "screamed" when the video came out."I couldn't believe what I was looking at," she told us. Kultgen, for his part, theorized that it was orchestrated by Harris' people — you wouldn't see a producer or ABC reaching out to the White House for a collab."Whoever's part of putting together their propaganda is saying: We need to get 'The Bachelor' in here," Kultgen said of the strategy by the vice president's team.<div type="image" title="Joey Graziadei smiles in front of the Bachelor mansion in a blue suit, white shirt, and black tie." height="2400" width="3000" msid="113455146" hostid="261" sizebytes="213676"></div>Beyond the holiday-themed video, the Harris campaign's desire to court Bachelor Nation was also made clear by a line tucked away in a recent press release about its big plan to spend $90 million in August on advertising."Ads will be targeted to high-impact programming that reaches the voters Team Harris-Walz needs to reach to win 270 electoral votes," the press release said. "That includes local broadcast and cable programming and non-political programming like The Bachelorette, Big Brother, The Daily Show, Love &amp; Hip Hop: Atlanta, and The Simpsons."During a political season that is awash in advertising, the campaign is sending a clear signal: The demographics it can reach during breaks from the rose ceremony could be key to swinging the election.The focus on Bachelor Nation also makes sense given the franchise's viewership is dominated by one of the most crucial swing votes of recent elections: white women. A 2020 <a target="_blank" href="https://today.yougov.com/entertainment/articles/33065-bachelor-nation-profile-poll">study from the polling firm YouGov</a> found that about three-quarters of "Bachelor" fans were women and that a similar share was white. The fandom is split between younger and older viewers; about one-third of viewers were between ages 25 and 44, while roughly one-quarter were 65 or older. In the past two presidential elections, white women were the most closely split demographic subgroup tracked by major exit polls. In <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/election/2016/results/exit-polls">2016</a>, Donald Trump won over 52% of white women against Hillary Clinton's 43%, exit polls found, while Trump bested Joe Biden in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/election/2020/exit-polls/president/national-results">2020</a> among white women 55% to 44%. That relatively close divide is set to continue in 2024. In the Pew Research Center's most recent national poll, conducted between August 6 and September 2, Trump led among white women with 54% of the vote to Harris' 45%. As in the exit polls from the past two elections, that 9-point difference was the smallest among the race and gender groups studied in the poll.The close divide is even more apparent in key swing states. A <a target="_blank" href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3904">Quinnipiac swing-state poll</a> conducted between September 4 and September 8 found a tight race between Trump and Harris in Georgia and North Carolina, and the cross-tabulations suggested that white women could be a deciding factor in each state. Trump had a strong 64% to 31% lead over Harris among white women in Georgia, but in North Carolina, Harris led among the demographic 51% to 47%. It shows how this group could decide the next election.And rather than catering to one side of the political aisle or the other, Hulu, the platform that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/streaming/where-to-watch-the-bachelorette-season-21">hosts "The Bachelor" for streaming</a>, has robust bipartisan usage. In a <a target="_blank" href="https://pro.morningconsult.com/morning-consult-intelligence">Morning Consult Intelligence</a> poll of 27,633 people from January 1, 2023, to September 9, 2024, about half of US adults said they used Hulu. As for the demographics of that usage, about 56% of Democrats and 55% of Republicans said they used Hulu — with Republicans in particular seeing a spike during the most recent season of "The Bachelorette."The overlap between the swingiest demographic and the "Bachelor" audience suggests Bachelor Nation has value to those who seek to lead our nation.<h2>A tense history of race and religion</h2>As much as "The Bachelor" can tell us about the state of the country's politics, America's shifting landscape has also been reflected back into the reality of the show. For most of its run, the show has operated within a certain framework: Politics are never overtly discussed, and neither are hot-button issues like abortion or guns. Things like a nonwhite lead or a predominantly nonwhite cast are still relatively new in the world of "The Bachelor." It's also rooted in an omnipresent but barely visible sense of Christianity. Contestants are assumed to be Christian until they're not — but skew too evangelical, and you're edited to look a little less religious."I actually find 'The Bachelor' to be very political. When I watch the show, it, to me — it is pretty obvious that it's a conservative-leaning production," Natasha Scott-Reichel, a cohost of the popular "Bachelor" and pop-culture podcast "2 Black Girls, 1 Rose," said. While the show might be aiming to be apolitical, that's a statement in and of itself."The void of diversity for so long is within itself a statement about its politics — that it is trying to cater to this Middle America that is very afraid of conversations, particularly surrounding race or sexual identity or sexual orientation," Scott-Reichel said.In the past few years, however, politics and the contestants' political identities have begun to spill into the carefully maintained middle of the road. For the Americans who have seen their loved ones — or even themselves — galvanized out of political apathy in the wake of the 2016 and 2020 elections, it's a transformation mirrored by their favorite reality show.In 2018, Claire Fallon — a cohost of the popular "Bachelor" podcast "Love to See It" — accidentally helped kick off one of the first public cracks in the "Bachelor" veneer of apoliticism. Before the Bachelorette Becca Kufrin's season even kicked off, Fallon and her cohost, Emma Gray, helped <a target="_blank" href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bachelorette-premiere-garrett-yrigoyen_n_5b0837d9e4b0fdb2aa5342b6">corroborate accounts</a> that Garrett Yrigoyen, the eventual winner, had been liking posts from right-wing Instagram pages. Kufrin was a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bachelorette-becca-kufrin-garrett-yrigoyen-social-media-instagram-scandal-2018-5">fairly public liberal</a>, which turned the whole viewing experience from a fairytale love story into something much more realistically American: two people who were dating and did not realize they had drastically different political views. That moment was a pivotal tiptoe toward something new. Yrigoyen apologized for his likes and discussed how it strained him and Kufrin as a couple. But the conversation didn't broach the substance of those likes. The couple split in 2020, and Kufrin <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bachelorette-becca-kufrin-vote-election-2021-1">later told Business Insider</a>'s Anneta Konstantinides that if she were to become the Bachelorette again, the first thing she'd do when she walked into the house would be to ask everyone whom they voted for."There's no way in hell they'd show that conversation," she said.And while the fan base moved on to its next Bachelor — Colton Underwood, a former NFL player who later came out as gay and <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/tv/colton-underwood-jordan-c-brown-relationship-timeline/">married a Democratic strategist</a> — Fallon said politics started to become an active topic of discussion in the parasocial world of its loyal fan base. Higgins thinks the fascination with contestants' politics and likes goes back to something at the core of the show: relatability (he believes this is why he was handed the lead role). People want to see themselves in contestants, and that includes some of their closest-held beliefs."I think people are still looking for that relatability, and so they're intrigued with, 'Well, I like you for what I see on television, but do I like you for actually what you stand for politically?'" Higgins said. The Kufrin-Yrigoyen situation was mostly quelled (or at least forgotten) in the court of public opinion, and as Fallon said, the show erected barriers against the rising tides of political polarization, working hard to keep itself out of it. But soon, the barriers were fully breached. The 25th season of "The Bachelor," which aired in early 2021, featured the <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/tv/matt-james-official-bachelor-cast-meet-the-32-women/">franchise's first Black male lead</a>, Matt James, who was 28 when the show was filming. Rachael Kirkconnell, the season's eventual winner, caused a whirlwind of controversy when photos emerged on social media of the contestant <a target="_blank" href="https://people.com/tv/rachael-kirkconnell-dropped-out-college-greek-life-after-she-learned-formal-racist/">attending an antebellum-plantation-themed party</a> a few years prior. The reaction was furious. James' and Kirkconnell's finale, broadcast live after the pictures had come out, eschewed the traditional "Bachelor" ending of checking in on the happy couple in favor of a two-hour discussion on race in America. The franchise's longtime host, Chris Harrison, was fired after defending Kirkconnell's photos — even though she was on a tour apologizing for them. A franchise that had long aimed to sit in a happy apolitical parallel-universe America unburdened by the country's often dark history was thrust onto one of the nation's core cultural fault lines."That was a moment where the political turmoil in our country created an internal conflict for the show that it couldn't really resolve," Fallon said. Since then, it's been difficult for the show to avoid politics despite desperate attempts to steer away from them. And as Justine Kay, the other cohost of "2 Black Girls, 1 Rose," noted, it took making a Black woman the Bachelorette — the well-regarded Charity Lawson — to <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2023/08/the-bachelorette-season-20-delayed-viewing-ratings-fantasy-suites-abc-1235520103/">lure audience members back</a> to the show, which had been <a target="_blank" href="https://collider.com/the-bachelorette-season-20-successful-marriage/">dealing with its own rating slump</a>.Since then, much like the rest of America's interest in the daily machinations of Trump-run Washington, the fans' fascination with the contestants' politics hasn't evaporated but seems to have become more tempered. After all, President Joe Biden's tenure has often <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2023/11/joe-biden-2024-election-post-policy-era/676157/">been</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/joe-biden-2024-donald-trump-boring-important-1234723195/">deemed</a> boring, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-economy-is-bidenomics-working-policies-progress-unnoticed-2023-9">marked instead by quieter policy work</a>. In the same vein, over the past few seasons, prominent contestants have reportedly liked right-wing and Trump-leaning posts; those revelations haven't seemed to rock the fan base as much as in the past."Partly what we're seeing is that it feels like the battle for cultural dominance in the form of 'Bachelor,' within the franchise, is no longer a fever pitch," Fallon said. "It feels like the liberal viewers sort of won."Kultgen tied that sentiment to the larger political landscape. During the Trump administration, right-wing posts and sentiments were not given an inch of space because every moment felt like a crisis. The "Bachelor" fan base's newfound shrugging might reflect the cultural and political spotlight Trump has lost; he's a candidate who can become effectively trolled over claims around <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-trolled-donald-trump-about-rally-crowd-size-2024-9">how many people are showing up to watch him</a>. In the past — like in 2018 — questioning Trump support was a brave new world for Bachelor Nation. Now it's become almost the default. It's ironic that the reality-TV-show candidate has lost the reality-TV viewers. Of course, that's not to say that the "Bachelor" fan base, or contestant base, became leftist overnight. But the carving of centrist, left-leaning politics as the new base expectation is a development years in the making. This time, there was no larger-scale reckoning onstage with the ramifications of liking Trump; the show has done that, something that would've been unheard of a decade ago. And if that's where the winds of the monoculture are blowing, the Harris-Walz campaign ad spend might be a good bet.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/juliana-kaplan">Juliana Kaplan</a> is a senior labor and inequality reporter on Business Insider's economy team.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/andy-kiersz">Andy Kiersz</a> is a quantitative editor on Business Insider's economy team.

How a reality TV show became the pivotal demographic in the 2024 election

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Traditional TV, as you may have heard, is a business in decline.</li><li>Here's another data point: WBD says its TV assets are worth $9 billion less than it thought just two years ago.</li></ul>Last month executives at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/warner-bros-discovery-split-plan-hbo-max-reaction-2024-7">Warner Bros. Discovery floated the idea of breaking the company up</a> — a tacit acknowledgement that the 2021 deal to merge Discovery with the company formerly known as Time Warner has been a bust.Here's a more concrete way of acknowledging that: WBD just took a $9 billion accounting hit because it has concluded that its aging TV assets aren't worth nearly as much as it thought — perhaps because <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nba-wbd-lawsuit-comast-disney-amazon-negotiation-2024-7">they won't have NBA games to show after the next season</a>. For context, WBD's entire market cap is around $18 billion.Investors reacted to the news by pushing the company's stock down by more than 8%.OK. So what's next?If you or I buy something and it turns out we overestimated its value by a lot, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mortgage-rates-seriously-underwater-home-prices-south-midwest-housing-market-2024-5">bad things can happen</a>.But the thing about giant writedowns in corporate America is that while they are admissions of failure, Wall Street tends to be pretty muted when they happen.In large part that's because they're not a surprise. The market has already decided this thing wasn't working, and it was already reflected in its stock price. Which is what's been happening at WBD — its stock has been in decline for most of its two-plus years of existence.WBD CEO David Zaslav is promising Wall Street that everything is going to be fine, and that his digital future looks great. The problem is his traditional TV networks, like TNT, TBS, and TLC — are in long-term decline but still generate meaningful profits. Which makes them hard to do anything with, one way or another.In his words, there are "tough conditions in the legacy business."This is one of the big problems with the break-'em-up plan the company tried out last month — who wants to own the part of the business that isn't working?And, it turns out, WBD has also realized that plan won't work, and killed off its trial balloon this week. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/2ea08a79-b569-4349-8ee8-993ba5599179?accessToken=zwAGHx66YYSokc8uoIp5tWlDSdOO6Jk7pVmReQ.MEQCIFxxOBNm4dahOBbsG6HhF8z6OAmWoFkmhGcm2Z73aaKXAiArpNGIfS9z2vslg2A4tptW7UO7fdR5xtZIh4zaswLoLg&amp;sharetype=gift&amp;token=bf26b4bd-f89d-486b-a8ba-95d01468c795">The new, new plan, says the Financial Times</a>, is to sell smaller chunks of the company. Maybe a Polish broadcasting company, or a piece of its games business.But remember that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wbd-david-zaslav-biden-trump-election-regulation-sun-valley-2024-7">Zaslav's other plan is consolidation</a>: He says he wants to buy stuff, though lots of people think he'll be the one getting bought. Today's news made his company that much more affordable to a prospective buyer.

Warner Bros. Discovery says it overpaid for its TV networks by $9 billion

Mumbai, Viacom 18 has bagged the <keyword id="6391629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bcci-media-rights" source="Orion">BCCI media rights</keyword> in both TV and digital for the next five years, announced Jay Shah, the <keyword id="6354756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bcci" source="Orion">BCCI</keyword> Honorary Secretary. Viacom18 beat competition from Sony Sports Network and Disney Star in an e-auction held on Thursday. "Congratulations @viacom18 for winning the @BCCI Media Rights for both linear and digital for the next 5 years. India Cricket will continue to grow in both spaces as after @IPL, and @wplt20, we extend the partnership @BCCI Media Rights as well. Together we will continue to capture the imagination of Indian cricket fans," said Shah on the social media platform "X". Viacom18, a relative newcomer in the broadcasting world through its TV channel Sports18 and digital platform Jio Cinema, is also the holder of TV and digital rights to the Women's Premier League (WPL) till 2027. It also has the rights to Cricket South Africa matches to be broadcasted in India from 2024-31. Viacom18 has taken the BCCI bilateral media rights from Disney Star, who had won the television and digital rights for the 2018-23 cycle for INR 6138 crore. Disney Star had won the rights to the 2012-18 cycle of broadcasting Indian cricket in the country for INR 3851 crores. "Also, a big thank you to @starindia @DisneyPlusHS for your support over the years. You played a key role in making India Cricket reach its fans across the globe," added Shah, also the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The BCCI has opted for an e-auction for the bilateral media rights, with a base price of INR 25 crore for India digital and rest of world TV &amp; digital rights and INR 20 crore for India television rights, continuing the trend from IPL media rights auction. It brought the combined rights value to INR 45 crore per game for a total of 88 matches for the 2023-28 cycle. Viacom18's cycle of showing India's matches will begin with the three-match ODI series against Australia from September 22-27, a preparatory series before the Men's ODI World Cup. --IANS nr/bsk

Viacom 18 bags BCCI media rights in both digital and TV for next five years

<ul><li>Whether it was surviving the second wave or breaking viewership records during Diwali, 2021 was a rollercoaster year for the television industry.</li><li>Broadcasters spent the first half of 2021 recovering from the impact of multiple lockdowns but the festive season helped the industry get back on its feet.</li><li>As we move forward this year, a few industry experts tell us about new opportunities that 2022 will bring forth for the broadcast industry.</li></ul>With cancellations of live events and sports and no scope to produce fresh General Entertainment Content, the broadcast industry faced a huge creative challenge and financial burden in 2020. However, the television industry was quick to find its ace card -- they started re-airing their classic shows and movies to woo their audience. The return of old mythological shows like Ramayan and Mahabharat from the 90s not only led to an exponential rise in viewership but also increased advertisers’ count. These shows soon became the main source of entertainment among Hindi GECs, and both adults and kids watched the epic stories together. With the audiences stuck at home, television was quick to break its viewership records. Doordarshan had announced that Ramayan became the world's most-watched show on April 16, 2020 with 7.7 crore viewers. Doordarshan’s average daily viewers also grew by 62 million. The need for escapism, news updates and knowledge also increased in times of trouble, creating a need for content. As the lockdown restrictions eased in the country, GECs resumed their production in phases and the great advertising carnival of IPL brought the much-needed cheer for the broadcast industry and consumers in September. The year 2020, undoubtedly, had a far-reaching impact on consumer behaviour and their viewing patterns changed in 2021. Despite economic challenges that were accelerated with the second wave of COVID-19, legacy advertisers continued to increase spends on TV and starts-up were the biggest advertisers on IPL 2021. The second wave did take the industry a step back but television recovered gracefully as the festive season began in August. As per BARC, Ad Volumes on TV for September 2021 was the highest since 2019, which was 15%. The highest spurt was observed for Bhojpuri language channels, where ad volumes were more than double that of 2019, and 38% higher than in 2020. While Hindi language channels account for the largest share of TV advertising, Tamil and Telugu language channels witnessed robust growth over 2020. At the same time, with new changes in viewing patterns after the pandemic, over-the-Top platforms also posed a big threat to television viewership. However, broadcast players started realigning their goals, understanding these changing patterns and adopting agile approaches for content development. As a result, broadcasters have been working towards tailor-making their content that is adept to multiple platforms’ front-end user interfaces. This approach accelerated digital transformation in the broadcast industry by a few years and helped us believe that television and digital are indeed capable of growing hand-in-hand in India. This trend will continue to take shape further in 2022 as well. So as we move forward this year, the broadcast industry is optimistic about rising to its full strength together. We spoke to a few industry experts to discuss what lies ahead. Here’s what they said: Abhishek Dutta, South Asia Network Head, POGO and Cartoon Network: Homegrown kids’ content is definitely the one trend to watch out for. In 2021, WarnerMedia India’s kids’ entertainment channels, Cartoon Network and POGO launched several successful shows that celebrate Indian flavors as relevant localized content continues to hold sway among Indian viewers. According to FICCI-EY media and entertainment industry report (March 2021), regional languages will make up 60% of television consumption by 2025. This has dictated our strong hold on the pulse of the Indian audience and is reflected in our continued investment in homegrown content. This trend also means there is a massive opportunity for the wider animation industry sector in India – from creation and production to developing talent. Our fans-first strategy has shaped the “glocal” approach to our kids’ business in India. One that is focused on world-class animation and relatable stories. 100% homegrown shows and international content localized to suit Indian viewing preferences will continue to rule the roost. Anu Sikka, Head of Content Creation, Channel Strategy &amp; Research at Kids Cluster, <keyword id="187712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="viacom18" source="Orion">Viacom18</keyword>: Engaging viewers in a language they best understand is essential in order to deliver great experiences. As content creators, it is important to narrate stories in a way that young dynamic minds can understand, relate and build a strong affinity. In India, with an exponential growth in the consumption of regional language content, viewers are keen on engaging with the characters in a language of their choice, thereby leading to larger brand visibility and deeper engagement levels. An increase in multi-lingual content will be the key driver for growth in the television industry. Curating multi-lingual content will lead to audiences developing an unbreakable bond with the storyline and its characters and further strengthen the relationship with the brand. Ruchir Tiwari, Cluster Head - Hindi Movie Channels, ZEEL: In 2021, there was a lot of acceleration because of the pandemic in terms of content consumption. It is evident in the way many billions of Indians have consumed long form content, multi-language content. Predominantly for the Indian market, expectations of the audience are very, very clear. What this is going to do is force all content makers to make good content. I think, right now, whatever the ratio of good content is -- the success rate was never very high because good content is a complex game plan. Now, 2022, it will be an opportunity as well as a challenge to the content creators to make compelling content and then the creators will start from this point of personal development. For me, compelling good content is a must have. Without that, there is no way out and that's the biggest opportunity we all have as an industry. Simran Hoon, CEO, The Q: With the hyper-dynamic market confusion and change in viewers’ preference, the manner and method of storytelling has gained prominence. Innovation in storytelling is hence the need of the hour and this will be one of the strongest trends that will emerge in the coming year. GEC’s will have to re-strategize to showcase content that is not just original and relevant but also interactive and engagement-driven. Another trend for 2022 is how content on Television is viewed. TV will be seen as a medium of entertainment and not ‘the destination.’ The Q has been an early adopter of this trend and has built itself in a unique style with our multi-platform availability. Anshul Ailawadi, Business Head – Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18: While 2021 was about optimism and perseverance, 2022 will be about taking bold bets and experimenting with content. The last 2 years have accelerated several shifts in consumer preferences and habits. Creators are now focussing on different feedback loops as markers of success instead of conventional viewership metrics. Content is being consumed in so many ways, it’s hard to assess (accurately) the potential of a story at the time of greenlighting it. We will see new concepts, new storylines and new faces across genres as age-old rules are tested, and at times, even broken.

Trends that will shape the broadcast industry in 2022

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Margarita Simonyan, RT's editor-in-chief, called MTG a blond, fur-wearing "beauty."</li><li>"She is demonstratively heterosexual," Simonyan said of Greene on Sunday.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-sick-and-tired-stupid-people-congress-washington-2023-12">Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene</a> has just won herself some new admirers.The GOP congresswoman was painted in glowing terms during a broadcast on Russian state television on Sunday."Marjorie Taylor Greene, you've just shown is a beauty. She is one of a few members of the US Congress who is trying to look like a person in an old-fashioned sense of the word," Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of Russian state-controlled broadcaster RT, <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1782184532445139006">said</a> of Greene."She is a blonde, who wears white coats with a fur collar. She is demonstratively heterosexual," Simonyan continued.Simonyan lavished praise on Greene during an appearance on the Russia-1 talk show, "Evening With Vladimir Solovyov." Greene, Simonyan said, had been treated unfairly by the US media."Who is Majorie Taylor Greene? She is a 'conspiracy theorist.' She has 'extreme right views,'" Simonyan said, per <a target="_blank" href="https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/demonstrably-heterosexual/">verified translations</a> by Russian Media Monitor. "As soon as a person says something that shows they are normal, America's enormous media behemoth declares them a conspiracy theorist and a person of extreme right views."Representatives for Greene didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.It is unsurprising that Russian media outlets favor Greene. The Georgia Republican has been a vocal critic of US aid to Ukraine.Besides <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-blocks-ukraine-war-aid-russia-advantage-putin-analysis-2023-12">trying to delay</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-aid-good-us-economy-defense-industrial-base-republicans-2024-2"> a foreign aid bill</a> to Ukraine, Greene also pushed for an amendment that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mtg-mocked-by-jared-moskowitz-ukraine-russia-2024">called for lawmakers to enlist in Ukraine's military</a> if they voted for the aid package."If you want to fund the endless foreign wars, you should have to go fight them," Greene <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RepMTG/status/1780953016448774594">wrote</a> on X on April 18.Greene also threatened to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson after he managed to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/which-house-republicans-voted-against-ukraine-russia-aid-2024-4">pass the aid bill to Ukraine on Saturday</a>. The move, Green said on Monday, was a "total betrayal of Republican voters.""Mike Johnson still hasn't shown Congress or the American people the proof that Russia intends to invade the rest of Europe after finishing its campaign in Ukraine," Greene said in an <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1782439737283727410">X post</a> on Monday.To be sure, Greene isn't the only US politician that Russian media has lauded. Back in 2022, Russian state television reporter Denis Davydov commended Rep. Matt Gaetz and Rep. Lauren Boebert's behavior when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Congress in December 2022. Gaetz and Boebert, Davydov said, were the "brave ones.""Congress members Gaetz and Boebert didn't clap. They demonstratively remained seated and didn't jump up. You can feel the fatigue in Washington over the boundless aid to Ukraine," Davydov said of the two GOP politicians.The Russians, meanwhile, have managed to keep the war machine going and boosted their army's size despite sustaining heavy losses while invading Ukraine.Earlier this month, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-war-scale-out-of-proportion-with-nato-planning-cavoli-2023-2">US Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli</a> said in a House Armed Services Committee <a target="_blank" href="https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings/full-committee-hearing-us-military-posture-and-national-security-challenges-europe-0">hearing</a> that the Russian army "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russias-army-15-percent-larger-when-attacked-ukraine-us-general-2024-4">is actually now larger — by 15 percent.</a>""Regardless of the outcome of the war in Ukraine, Russia will be larger, more lethal, and angrier with the West than when it invaded," said Cavoli, who is also NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.

Russian state TV has found itself a fur-clad, 'demonstratively heterosexual' GOP 'beauty' to fawn over: Marjorie Taylor Greene

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A pastor and spokesman for National Religious Broadcasters voiced support for COVID-19 vaccines on <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/author-and-pastor-explains-why-as-a-christian-he-got-vaccinated-118943301734" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MSNBC</a>.</li><li>Daniel Darling said on "Morning Joe" he believed in the vaccine and didn't want to see more people die. </li><li>NRB fired him for refusing to admit his comment violated a policy to remain neutral on vaccines.</li></ul>A pastor and spokesman for National Religious Broadcasters was fired on Friday after he promoted COVID-19 vaccines, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/national-religious-broadcasters-spokesperson-fired-after-pro-vaccine-remarks-morning-n1277859">NBC News</a> reported. In an interview <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/author-and-pastor-explains-why-as-a-christian-he-got-vaccinated-118943301734" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on MSNBC's "Morning Joe"</a> on August 18, Daniel Darling said he was motivated by his evangelical faith to get vaccinated. Darling told MSNBC's Joe Scarborough that getting the vaccine helps promote the concept of loving "our neighbor" since those who are vaccinated are less likely to spread the virus. "I believe in this vaccine because I don't want to see anyone else die of COVID. Our family has lost too many close friends and relatives to COVID, including an uncle, a beloved church member, and our piano teacher," Darling told Scarborough.On August 1, Darling also published a <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fopinion%2F2021%2F08%2F01%2Fwhy-christians-should-get-covid-vaccine-daniel-darling%2F5413660001%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">column in USA Today</a> titled "Why as a Christian, and an American, I got the COVID vaccine."<a href="https://religionnews.com/2021/08/27/nrb-spokesman-dan-darling-fired-after-pro-vaccine-statements-on-morning-joe-evangelical-covid-hesitancy/">Religious News Services</a> reported that Darling was fired because he refused to say his statement was a mistake. NBC News reported that NRB has an internal policy requiring members to remain neutral about vaccines. "Dan is an excellent communicator and a great friend. I wish him God's best in all his future endeavors," Troy Miller, CEO of NRB, told RNS. Darling told NBC News that he was sad to leave the NRB. "I'm grieved that the issues that divide our country are also dividing Christians. My desire is to build bridges and bring Christians together around our common mission of loving Jesus and loving our neighbor, but sadly we are sometimes tempted by the same things that tempt the world," Darling said in the statement to NBC News. NRB and Darling did not respond to Insider's request for comment at the time of publication.

A pastor from National Religious Broadcasters was fired for promoting the COVID-19 vaccine on TV

<ul><li>Before COVID, summer and winter vacations were the most important period of the year for kids’ TV channels. However, after COVID, kids have been home for a year and a half and are turning to TV and OTT channels to entertain themselves from the safety of their homes.</li><li>Category leader <keyword id="16123" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nickelodeon" source="Orion">Nickelodeon</keyword> has stayed on the number one rank in the kid's entertainment space for seven consecutive years and Sonic has reached number two from number seven in three years.</li><li>Now, to celebrate its 11th year of existence, Nickelodeon is unveiling a fun new show called ‘<keyword id="12298070" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chikoo-aur-Bunty" source="Orion">Chikoo aur Bunty</keyword>’ based on sibling rivalry.</li><li>We talk to <keyword id="321502" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nina-Elavia-Jaipuria" source="Orion">Nina Elavia Jaipuria</keyword>, Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18 about cluster’s content library, growth of local content in television, change in viewership patterns and her vision for <keyword id="910910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kids-entertainment" source="Orion">kids entertainment</keyword> genre.</li></ul>The Diwali vacation is almost here and Nickelodeon, the category leader in the kids’ network from Viacom18, is as excited as online school kids are for their vacation at home and is all set to make the most of this time. It is unveiling a new show called ‘Chikoo aur Bunty’ that is based on sibling rivalry. It has already onboarded three sponsors -- Phillips, Pediasure and Flipkart Shopsy for its new show, which is slated to go live on October 18. Telling us why the channel chose October to schedule its launch, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18 said, “I think that it's always a good time to deliver new content in the quarters that are very busy from a festival perspective. So, kids are at home, they have a vacation from even online schooling and have more time on their hands. And in the festive quarter, we've always realised that partners and advertisers are also looking to advertise that much more on the genre. And so it's a great marriage of viewership and revenue that that makes us go after this particular quarter, where it's Diwali and Christmas time, kids are having fun, and they're actually watching so much more than they'd love to check out a new show from their favourite franchise.” Nickelodeon is going all out to promote its new show and has pivoted its media plans outside of TV with digital getting the lion’s share. It is advertising across OTT apps, including Disney+ Hotstar during the IPL playoffs. It is launching AR filters, GIF packs and stickers to be a part of daily conversations. Nickelodeon has also partnered with Belgian Waffles, Smoking Joe’s and New York Burrito Company to offer a specially curated Chikoo and Bunty meal. Finding strength in home-grown content The 2-14 year age group forms the universe for kids broadcasters. A mix of local shows and international cartoons are aired daily to keep kids glued in front of the television. However, in the last five years, home-grown content has grown tremendously and is dominating the category. 8 out of top 20 animated characters are from the Nickelodeon franchise and only 2 of them are syndicated. The kids category in India was shaped by Cartoon Network in the 90s as it was the first channel to be launched in the genre in 1995. Since then, the genre has seen about 12-15 players catering to pre-schoolers and tweens. Cartoon Network occupied the majority of the market with its international content for a long time, post that, its sister channel Pogo climbed the top with its local hero, Chhota Bheem. Then came Turner, followed by Nickelodeon which took over with its local content and a few international shows eight years ago. Since then, it has focused on launching one home-grown IP each year to maintain its leadership position and expand its presence further by localising its content. Currently, its home-grown content of 10 IPs drives the majority of viewership on the category. Jaipuria said, “The Nickelodeon franchise and what we deliver to children, at least on Nick and Sonic, is all almost local except for Ninja Hatodi, which is syndicated content. We really are not playing any other international content on the channel outside of Ninja. Local has also grown in its own way. As you create local, you have to keep in mind the dynamic target audience that you have. And you have to therefore write stories accordingly, contemporize, take care of the look and feel and fashion, apparel, and music. The overall local content has evolved over the years.” The kids genre has been growing year-on-year too, despite COVID-19, channel segmentation and other new channel launches. During the lockdown(s), with no friends, no playgrounds -- kids weren't even allowed to step out. In such a scenario, TV and OTT entertainment channels acted as their escape and respite. Egro, kids’ entertainment category has also seen more interest from new advertisers across categories. “We are a mass channel as we enjoy 7% of the total viewership. In the pandemic, particularly where TV has been the primary screen of entertainment for families, co-viewership is actually making the genre even more attractive. We have kids and non-kid advertisers on the channel. We have partners who have been with us for several years, and new partners on board as well. So, we have a good mix of advertisers who are looking to even not just talk to kids who are in-house consultants, they influence almost every other household decision and purchase, but they're also now looking at families and parents, who are actually watching with their children. And therefore you see lots of FMCG brands on the channel. And we've seen right from handwash, and sanitization to cosmetics to Britannia and, Parle and BYJUs, Amazon, Flipkart. So there is this whole robust co-viewership that Nickelodeon as a franchisee enjoys. And that is why you have advertisers who are targeting both kids as well as families,” shared Jaipuria. Co-viewership on the genre has been very crucial from both advertising and viewership points of view. It has been growing consistently, as more and more parents are keen on becoming friends with their kids. Viewership patterns and vision for the cluster The Nickelodeon cluster with three channels (Nick Jr, Nickelodeon and Sonic) grabs 33% of the kids market share. It also has the maximum share in kids ad revenue pie, with a strong 35% lead. It is the network’s robust library with 700+ hours of content that has helped it stay ahead of the curve and consistent with its performance. Due to COVID, the overall television viewership saw a hike. Nickelodeon also witnessed a similar trend. However, as schools open up for kids above 7th grade across the country now, the viewership is likely to go down. Telling us how the viewership might change, Jaipuria said, “It grew at a very robust percentage of almost 39-40% during the lockdown and we have seen a decline of about 10% as of now, but I think at some point it will stabilise and I do feel that it will stabilise slightly above the pre-COVID level. So, we may not go back to the pre-covid level but we will obviously not stay at this very high level of 40% also, that's very unnatural and cannot happen as things open up and as the remote move from person to person in the household. But it will continue to be a very mass genre and I think it will stabilise above the pre-COVID-19 level.” With 11 homegrown IPs, Nickelodeon will now focus on reaching out to its viewers at multiple touchpoints and continue building a content library that caters to India’s diverse needs. “From a kids entertainment perspective, the vision is to ensure that we continue to custom-make and tailor-make content for kids in the country. The vision is to make sure that we continue to curate and conceptualise content that has great potential, which is either relatable, identifiable or has the ability to transport kids it into a imaginary world. I think the vision is to create content, which is agnostic, so that we can cater to their entertainment needs and preferences across any device that they choose to actually consume us. So I think the vision is to create an ecosystem -- a very dynamic evolved engagement ecosystem as an entertainer, where we not only engage them on television, but we are there with them on social media, Ott and we're able to engage with them and give them the ability to play with the characters at various levels, which is in terms of gaming in terms of challenges, DIY, short form long form. So we want to be the one stop shop for entertainment. We want to be an overall kids ecosystem where we are able to engage and entertain with them holistically and responsibly,” shared Jaipuria on a final note.

We want to build an overall kids ecosystem where we’re able to engage and entertain holistically and responsibly: Nina Elavia Jaipuria of Viacom18

New Delhi, Jan 14 () Shares of TV18 Broadcast on Tuesday zoomed 16.5 per cent after the company reported a 39.60 per cent rise in consolidated net profit for the December 2019 quarter.
 The scrip jumped 14.89 per cent to close at Rs 28.55 on the BSE. During the trade, it advanced 19.11 per cent to Rs 29.60.
 On the NSE, it climbed 16.49 per cent to close at Rs 28.95.
 A total of 22.78 lakh shares were traded on the BSE and over three crore units exchanged hands on the NSE.
 Media firm TV18 Broadcast on Tuesday reported a 39.60 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 205.16 crore for the quarter ended on December 31, 2019.
 The company had posted a net profit of Rs 146.96 crore for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, TV18 Broadcast said in a regulatory filing.
 Consolidated revenue from operations stood at Rs 1,425.37 crore for the quarter under consideration, as against Rs 1,474.70 crore a year ago.
 "Our emphasis on delivering value to the consumer, expanding the partner ecosystem and raising profitability were the primary milestones during the past quarter," TV18 Chairman Adil Zainulbhai said. 


 
 
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TV18 Broadcast shares zoom 16.5 pc after Dec quarter results

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="10662589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="athletes-unlimited">Athletes Unlimited</keyword>'s inaugural <keyword id="200067" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="lacrosse">lacrosse</keyword> season begins Friday, July 23.</li><li>56 of the world's best lacrosse players will compete in a four-week season in Maryland.</li><li>A record 22 games will air on broadcast <keyword id="6355065" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="TV">TV</keyword>, while 8 games will stream on Facebook and YouTube.</li></ul>Professional women's lacrosse is about to light up TVs across the country.<keyword id="24261" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Athletes">Athletes</keyword> Unlimited - the innovative network of professional <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> leagues that brought softball and volleyball to the masses - is kicking off its inaugural lacrosse season in July. More than half of the league's 30 games will air on broadcast television, and another eight will stream online.<div type="image" title="sammy jo tracy" height="3888" width="2488" msid="83144596" hostid="261"></div>"We have put together a distribution plan that will provide the widest ever visibility for pro women's lacrosse," Athletes Unlimited CEO and co-founder Jon Patricof told Insider. "It combines cable television exposure as well as digital distribution and importantly won't require any additional subscription fees."CBS Sports Network will serve as Athletes Unlimited's lead television partner for the 2021 lacrosse season. The network will air seven games, including weekly matchups of the league's top two teams and the championship game on August 22. Fox Sports is picking up 15 games of its own, with 11 airing on FS1 and the remaining four on FS2.<div type="image" title="michelle tumolo" height="1670" width="2226" msid="83144600" hostid="261"></div>The additional games will stream on Athletes Unlimited's Facebook and YouTube channels. Between those online platforms and the league's TV partnerships, Athletes Unlimited is providing unprecedented viewership access to women's lacrosse fans in the United States and abroad."Our approach at Athletes Unlimited is to provide wide access to fans," Patricof said. "We are excited to be delivering on that."The group of 56 players participating in the 2021 lacrosse season include national champions, All-Americans, world champions, Tewaarton Award winners, US national team members, and more.Some of the biggest names in the world of lacrosse - including Taylor Cummings, Kylie Ohlmiller, and Alex Aust - will compete during the league's inaugural four-week campaign.<div type="image" title="taylor cummings" height="1666" width="2222" msid="83144601" hostid="261"></div>Additionally, 13 graduating college seniors will be invited to participate in the upcoming season held at Maureen Hendricks Field in Boyds, Maryland. Athletes Unlimited will host a college draft on Facebook and YouTube Tuesday, June 8 to announce the invitees.But even with an impressive slate of athletes already locked in and more to come through the draft, Patricof and his team at Athletes Unlimited say they are not resting on their laurels."We have always said the number one criteria for success is player satisfaction," Patricof said. "We are honored that so many great players have signed on but our focus as an executive team is all about making the experience great and continuing to improve so they want to return."<div type="image" title="caylee waters" height="1020" width="1360" msid="83144604" hostid="261"></div>Part of that effort has come in the form of the Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse Player Executive Committee. The group of lacrosse icons and celebrities have directed the league on "who to invite to play, the rules and format of the game," as well as "discussions about distribution," according to Patricof."We feel strongly that level of coordination and getting their input early and often will be an ultimate key to success," he added.Likewise, Athletes Unlimited has congregated former lacrosse players and power players across the sports world to consult the league on decisions ahead of and throughout the upcoming season.The resulting Media Advisory Board comprises Emmy winners, Senior Vice Presidents, COOs, and more from the likes of Yahoo Sports, SC30 Inc., DraftKings, NFL Films, and Wasserman.<div type="image" title="kayla treanor" height="1999" width="1316" msid="83144605" hostid="261"></div>"We have been working with the board since the beginning of the year and they have been providing great insight into our approach to game production as well as strategy for social and digital," Patricof said. "The key insight from all of them has been how we can actively engage fans on game days and non-game days. Too often sports can be insular and only look at what's been done in their sport before. For us, having outside voices and perspectives makes sure we don't do that."The inaugural lacrosse season will employ an athlete-centered model in which players earn points based on team wins and individual performance. The player leaderboard will change in real time, and at the end of each week, the top four point earners will become the leaders of reshuffled squads for the following week's games. The newly-minted captains will have the opportunity to select the players for their teams via a draft that will be streamed on Facebook each Tuesday.And though Athletes Unlimited's successful softball and volleyball campaigns were both inventive and player focused, Patricof says the lacrosse league is "innovating a little more on the game itself then we have in softball and volleyball."<div type="image" title="sam apuzzo.JPG" height="1665" width="2220" msid="83144609" hostid="261"></div>"We all love the college lacrosse game but as we have seen World Lacrosse is innovating with a new format for the Olympics and our version falls somewhere in between," Patricof said. "We think fans are going to love the fast pace of Athletes Unlimited."Still, Patricof and his team are leaving room to alter the product if necessary."That said, if we have missed in any way we will change going forward," he added. "It's all about constant innovation driven by the players and fans. We have no agenda other than that."Athletes Unlimited's inaugural lacrosse season begins Friday, July 23. Check out the full schedule below:<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100.001%; height: 302px;" border="1"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Week # </td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Game # </td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Day </td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Date </td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">Start Time EDT </td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">US Live Coverage </td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">1</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">1</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">23-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">5:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">CBS Sports Network</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">1</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">2</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">23-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">7:30 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">CBS Sports Network</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">1</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">3</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Saturday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">24-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">12:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">1</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">4</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Saturday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">24-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">3:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">AU Digital Platforms</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">1</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">5</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Sunday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">25-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">12:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">1</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">6</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Sunday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">25-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">3:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">AU Digital Platforms</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">2</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">7</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">30-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">5:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">CBS Sports Network</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">2</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">8</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">30-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">8:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">2</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">9</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Saturday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">31-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">12:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">2</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">10</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Saturday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">31-Jul</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">3:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">AU Digital Platforms</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">2</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">11</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Sunday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">1-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">11:00 AM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">2</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">12</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Sunday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">1-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">1:30 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">3</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">13</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">6-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">5:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">CBS Sports Network</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">3</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">14</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">6-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">8:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">3</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">15</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Saturday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">7-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">3:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">AU Digital Platforms</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">3</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">16</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Saturday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">7-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">6:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">AU Digital Platforms</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">3</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">17</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Sunday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">8-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">2:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS2</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">3</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">18</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Sunday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">8-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">4:30 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS2</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">4</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">19</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">13-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">5:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">CBS Sports Network</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">4</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">20</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">13-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">8:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">4</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">21</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Saturday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">14-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">12:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">4</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">22</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Saturday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">14-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">3:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">AU Digital Platforms</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">4</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">23</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Sunday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">15-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">1:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">AU Digital Platforms</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">4</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">24</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Sunday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">15-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">4:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS1</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">5</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">25</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">20-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">5:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">CBS Sports Network</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">5</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">26</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Friday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">20-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">8:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS2</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">5</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">27</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">Saturday</td><td style="width: 16.6879%;" valign="top">21-Aug</td><td style="width: 16.5605%;" valign="top">12:00 PM</td><td style="width: 16.6908%;" valign="top">FS2</td></tr></tbody></table>

The inaugural Athletes Unlimited lacrosse season schedule includes unprecedented broadcast and streaming slate

<ul><li><keyword id="3820" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="mukesh-ambani" source="Orion">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> has set his eyes on the <keyword id="6354312" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ipl" source="Orion">IPL</keyword> broadcast and streaming rights auction, which is set to happen in June this year. </li><li>In this regard, <keyword id="10924" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ambani" source="Orion">Ambani</keyword> has raised ₹13,500 crore from James <keyword id="49627" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="murdoch" source="Orion">Murdoch</keyword> and <keyword id="105547" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="uday-shankar" source="Orion">Uday Shankar</keyword>’s investment platform, Bodhi Tree Systems. </li><li>We evaluate the options available for the trio of Ambani, Murdoch and <keyword id="4458" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shankar" source="Orion">Shankar</keyword>, and the competition that they are up against. </li></ul>Mukesh Ambani, India’s second richest person, has now set his aim on winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) broadcast rights, boosting his war chest with a ₹13,500 crore investment from James Murdoch – the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch – and former Walt Disney veteran Uday Shankar. The investment will be done by Bodhi Tree Systems, an investment platform run jointly by Murdoch and Shankar. As part of the deal, Bodhi Tree will acquire a stake of nearly 40% in Viacom18, the joint venture between Reliance’s TV18 and ViacomCBS, now called Paramount Global. “James [Murdoch] and Uday’s [Shankar] track record is unmatched. For over two decades, they have played an undeniable role in shaping the media ecosystem in India, Asia, and around the world. We are very excited to partner with Bodhi Tree and lead India’s transition to a streaming-first media market,” said Mukesh Ambani, chairman, Reliance Industries. In the run up to bidding for IPL broadcast rights, Viacom18 has set up a sports channel called Sports18, and appointed Star Sports’ Anil Jayaraj as the chief executive officer, sports. Currently, Sports18 is airing matches from the NBA (National Basketball Association), LaLiga and the FIFA World Cup. But to really gain traction in India, it will have to start offering cricket broadcasts, and there’s no better way to do it than win the IPL streaming rights going up for auction now. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="91119786" title="The big gets bigger – Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries crosses ₹19 lakh crore in market cap" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Bidding for the IPL satellite television and digital streaming rights will begin on June 12. Star India, the current holders of IPL rights, won the bid for the ongoing term in 2018 for ₹16,300 crore for five years, under the leadership of Uday Shankar. With Shankar throwing his weight behind Viacom18, Ambani’s statement about making India a streaming-first media market, and Viacom18 buying the invitation-to-tender (ITT) document, it is likely that the company could bid for IPL digital streaming rights. Prior to Star India, Sony held the broadcast rights for the first ten 10 seasons of IPL, from 2008 to 2017, with the contract valued at $1.03 billion. It might seem like a steal compared to Star India’s bid for 2018-2022, and more so, compared to the base price for the 2023-2027 term. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Ambani’s Viacom18 is up against giants like Disney, Sony and others" comment="subhead" text="Ambani’s Viacom18 is up against giants like Disney, Sony and others">Ambani’s Viacom18 is up against giants like Disney, Sony and others</cmsannotation> According to a report by the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/ipl/top-stories/ipl-media-rights-big-boys-on-board/articleshow/90654844.cms">Times of India</a>, Viacom18, apart from media giants Disney, Sony, Zee and even Amazon, has bought the IPL tender document already. Interestingly enough, iPhone maker Apple could also reportedly buy the document, although it’s unclear if it is merely to test the waters or if it is actually serious about bidding. It is worth highlighting that Mukesh Ambani already owns Mumbai Indians, the most successful IPL team, and also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/here-are-the-ipls-most-valuable-teams-according-to-a-forbes-report/slidelist/91117759.cms">the most valuable</a>. BCCI has set a base price of the complete IPL broadcast and streaming rights package at ₹32,890 crore. The full package has been divided into four buckets, namely: <ol><li>Indian subcontinent television (all matches). </li><li>Indian subcontinent digital (all matches). </li><li>Indian subcontinent digital (18 matches). </li><li>Rest of the world. </li></ol>Interestingly enough, the winner of the A package will have the right to re-bid for the B package, giving it another chance to mop up the streaming rights. This could lead to fierce bidding for the A package, and drive up the prices. With bigwigs like Disney, Sony and Amazon in the fray, the trio of Ambani, Murdoch and Shankar have their task cut out. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/gautam-adani-is-now-as-wealthy-as-bill-gates/articleshow/91115934.cms">Gautam Adani is now as wealthy as Bill Gates – rally in Adani group companies makes him the fourth richest person in the world</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/adani-green-is-now-more-valuable-than-state-bank-of-india/articleshow/91093002.cms">Adani Green is now more valuable than State Bank of India – here's why</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/reliance-industries-market-cap-cross-19-lakh-crore-check-out-ril-share-price-target-and-more/articleshow/91119786.cms">The big gets bigger – Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries crosses ₹19 lakh crore in market cap</a>

With an eye on IPL, Mukesh Ambani boosts his war chest with a ₹13,500 crore investment from Murdoch

The <keyword id="82970" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ministry-of-information-and-broadcasting" source="Orion">Ministry of Information and Broadcasting</keyword> on Tuesday blocked 22 YouTube channels, including 18 Indians for spreading disinformation related to the country's national security, foreign relations and public order. The <keyword id="48413" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ministry" source="Orion">ministry</keyword> also blocked three Twitter accounts, one Facebook account and one new website. For first time 18 Indian YouTube news channels were blocked under <keyword id="645424" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="it-rules" source="Orion">IT Rules</keyword>, 2021. In a statement, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said, "Utilizing the emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021, has issued orders on 04.04.2022 for blocking of twenty-two (22) YouTube based news channels, three (3) Twitter accounts, one (1) Facebook account, and one (1) news website." "The blocked YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 260 crore, and were used to spread fake news, and coordinated disinformation over social media on subjects sensitive from the perspective of national security, <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s foreign relations, and public order," the ministry said. This is the first time action has been taken against the Indian YouTube based news publishers since the notification of the IT Rules, 2021 in February last year. Through the recent blocking order, 18 Indian and four (4) Pakistan-based YouTube news channels have been blocked. Analysis of contents shows that multiple YouTube channels were used to post fake news on various subjects such as the Indian Armed Forces, Jammu and <keyword id="6354495" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kashmir" source="Orion">Kashmir</keyword>, etc. "The content ordered to be blocked also included certain anti-India content posted from multiple social media accounts operated in a coordinated manner from Pakistan," it said. The ministry claimed that it was observed that a significant amount of false content published by the these Indian YouTube based channels related to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, and aimed at jeopardising India's foreign relations with other countries. "The blocked Indian YouTube channels were using templates and logos of certain TV news channels, including images of their news anchors to mislead the viewers to believe that the news was authentic," the ministry said. With this action, since December 2021, the Ministry has issued directions for blocking 78 YouTube based news channels and several other social media accounts on grounds related to national security, sovereignty and integrity of India, public order, etc. "The Government of India remains committed towards ensuring an authentic, trustworthy, and safe online news media environment, and thwarting any attempts at undermining India's sovereignty and integrity, national security, foreign relations, and public order," the ministry added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/delhi-sees-a-decline-in-hiring-in-march-this-year/slidelist/90663738.cms">Delhi sees a decline in hiring in March this year</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/39-tigers-reported-dead-in-last-four-months-across-india-says-report/articleshow/90663789.cms">39 tigers reported dead in last four months across India, says report</a>

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