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<keyword id="19976119" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zee" source="keywords">ZEE</keyword> Entertainment Enterprises Ltd and <keyword id="19914172" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sony" source="keywords">Sony</keyword> Pictures Networks India on Tuesday said they have settled their disputes related to the failed USD 10-billion merger and have agreed to withdraw all claims against each other. The settlement stems from a mutual understanding between the companies to independently pursue future growth opportunities with a renewed purpose and focus on the evolving media and entertainment landscape, signifying the definitive conclusion of all disputes, the two companies said in a joint statement. ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd and Culver Max Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (CMEPL) have arrived at a comprehensive non-cash settlement, amicably resolving all disputes related to the merger co-operation agreement and the composite scheme of arrangement, it said. Under the agreement, the companies have mutually agreed to withdraw all respective claims against each other, in the ongoing arbitration at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), and all related legal proceedings initiated in the National Company Law Tribunal (<keyword id="6355809" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nclt" source="Orion">NCLT</keyword>) and other forums, it added. The companies will also withdraw the respective composite schemes of Arrangement from the NCLT and inform the relevant regulatory authorities. In January this year, Sony had pulled out from the proposed USD 10-billion merger with ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd citing failure to meet certain "closing conditions" by the Indian firm. The deal collapsed after over two years of announcing it. Subsequently, the two parties went to the courts. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/apple-iphone-16-to-be-launched-on-september-9-heres-everything-we-know-so-far/articleshow/112828818.cms">Apple iPhone 16 to be launched on September 9 – here’s everything we know so far</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/a-company-with-8-employees-looking-to-raise-12-crore-ended-up-getting-applications-worth-over-4700-crore/articleshow/112824522.cms">Delhi firm with just 8 employees seeks ₹12 crore via IPO, gets ₹4,700 crore worth of investor applications!</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/telegram-comes-under-the-scanner-in-india-for-extortion-and-gambling-will-it-be-banned-in-india/articleshow/112807370.cms">Telegram comes under the scanner in India for extortion and gambling – will it be banned in India?</a>

Zee and Sony amicably settle disputes over their failed merger, withdraw claims

<ul><li><keyword id="3441386" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sony-pictures-networks-india-private-limited" source="Orion">Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited</keyword> (SPNI) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd have entered a definitive agreement to merge ZEEL with and into SPNI and combine their linear networks, digital assets, production operations and program libraries.</li><li><keyword id="599253" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="punit-goenka" source="Orion">Punit Goenka</keyword> will lead the combined company as its Managing Director &amp; CEO. </li><li>The majority of the board of directors of the combined company will be nominated by the Sony Group and will include the current SPNI Managing Director and CEO, NP Singh.</li></ul>Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited (SPNI) and <keyword id="381258" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zee-entertainment-enterprises-ltd-" source="Orion">Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd.</keyword> (ZEEL) today announced that they have signed definitive agreements to merge ZEEL with and into SPNI and combine their linear networks, digital assets, production operations and program libraries. The agreements follow the conclusion of an exclusive negotiation period during which ZEEL and SPNI conducted mutual due diligence. After closing, the new combined company will be publicly listed in India. The closing of the transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including regulatory, shareholder, and third-party approvals. Under the terms of the definitive agreements, SPNI will have cash balance of USD $1.5 Bn (assuming an INR:USD exchange rate of 75:1) at closing, including through infusion by the current shareholders of SPNI and the promoters (founders) of ZEEL, to enable the combined company to drive sharper content creation across platforms, strengthen its footprint in the rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, bid for media rights in the fast-growing sports landscape and pursue other growth opportunities. SPNI is an indirect subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (SPE). Under the transactions contemplated by a non-compete agreement, SPE, through a subsidiary, will pay a non-compete fee to certain promoters (founders) of ZEEL, which will be used by such promoters (founders) to infuse primary equity capital into SPNI, entitling the promoters (founders) of ZEEL to acquire shares of SPNI, which would eventually equal approximately 2.11% of the shares of the combined company on a post-closing basis. After the closing, SPE will indirectly hold a majority 50.86% of the combined company, the promoters (founders) of ZEEL will hold 3.99%, and the other ZEEL shareholders will hold a 45.15% stake. Punit Goenka will lead the combined company as its Managing Director &amp; CEO. The majority of the board of directors of the combined company will be nominated by the Sony Group and will include the current SPNI Managing Director and CEO, NP Singh. On closing, Singh will assume a broader executive position at SPE as Chairman, <keyword id="833633" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sony-pictures-india" source="Orion">Sony Pictures India</keyword> (a division of SPE) reporting to Mr. <keyword id="212528" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ravi-ahuja" source="Orion">Ravi Ahuja</keyword>, SPE’s Chairman of Global Television Studios and SPE Corporate Development. The combination of ZEEL and SPNI is expected to achieve business synergies and given their relative strengths in scripted, factual and sports programming, respective distribution footprints across India and iconic entertainment brands, the combined company should be well-positioned to meet the growing consumer demand for premium content across entertainment touchpoints and platforms. The seamless blend of rich expertise in content creation, deep consumer insights and success across entertainment genres is expected to drive the combined company’s ability to accrue higher shareholder value. Under the stewardship of the Sony Group, a global leader in consumer technologies, gaming and entertainment, the combined company is expected to be able to better compete with the world’s largest streaming players. As part of the definitive agreements, the promoters (founders) of ZEEL have agreed to limit the equity that they may own in the combined company to 20% of its outstanding shares. This construct does not provide the promoters (founders) of ZEEL any pre-emptive or other rights to acquire equity of the combined company from the Sony Group, the combined company or any other party. Any shares purchased by the promoters (founders) of ZEEL, must be in compliance with all applicable laws including any pricing guidelines. Commenting on this development, Punit Goenka, MD &amp; CEO, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said, “It is a significant milestone for all of us, as two leading media &amp; entertainment companies join hands to drive the next era of entertainment filled with immense opportunities. The combined company will create a comprehensive entertainment business, enabling us to serve our consumers with wider content choices across platforms. I am immensely grateful to the teams at ZEEL, SPE and SPNI for their efforts, that swiftly led us to this point within the stipulated timelines. This <keyword id="42411" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="merger" source="Orion">merger</keyword> presents a significant opportunity to jointly take the businesses to the next level and drive substantial growth in the global arena. I look forward to working with the guidance of the esteemed members of the combined company’s board to unlock the potential of this merger, and I wish <keyword id="1436102" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="n-p-singh" source="Orion">N.P. Singh</keyword> all the best in his new role at SPE. His contribution to the Indian media &amp; entertainment industry has been invaluable. I am most certain that our collective wisdom, rich experience and expertise will lead to a more value accretive and exciting company for our shareholders and employees, and a more engaging one for our customers and partners.” “Today marks an important step in our efforts to bring together some of the strongest leadership teams, content creators, and film libraries in the media business to create extraordinary entertainment and value for Indian consumers,” said Ravi Ahuja, SPE’s Chairman of Global Television Studios and SPE Corporate Development. “I want to thank Punit and his team at ZEEL and the small army of people at SPE and SPNI who have worked so hard to get us to this point. I especially want to thank NP Singh, who presented us with the idea to explore this merger well over a year ago. N.P. has done extraordinary work building SPNI to what it is today, and we look forward to continuing our work with him in his new role after closing.” MD &amp; CEO, SPNI, N.P. Singh, added, “This merger will create a company that’s best in class and will redefine the contours of the media and entertainment industry. As a representative of SPE on the Board of the new merged company, it will be my endeavour to provide strategic guidance and support to the company’s operating team in achieving our vision. I am also excited at the opportunity of being appointed, Chairman, Sony Pictures India, to oversee SPE’s investments and craft a wider footprint for Sony in India.” SPE was advised on this transaction by Morgan Stanley, KPMG Corporate Finance, and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas &amp; Co. ZEEL was advised by KPMG, JP Morgan, Trilegal and Boston Consulting Group.

Sony and Zee Entertainment sign definitive agreements to merge, Punit Goenka to lead combined company as MD & CEO

<ul><li>Sony SAB announced that it is entering the mythology genre with its new show <keyword id="13134919" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dharm-Yoddha-Garud" source="Orion">Dharm Yoddha Garud</keyword>.</li><li>We speak to <keyword id="939891" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="neeraj-vyas" source="Orion">Neeraj Vyas</keyword>, Business Head, Sony SAB on the new show, how the channel has been doing, advertiser response since the pandemic and how the channel plans to keep offering content relevant to its audience.</li></ul>It was in 2019 that Sony SAB refreshed its brand identity to ‘Khushiyon Wali Feeling’, in an attempt to come across as an enabler of happiness in its consumer’s lives. The TV channel wanted to stand for a larger purpose in life, that of making people happy through their offerings. Almost 3 years down the line, the philosophy seems to have worked in its favor. Sony SAB has been at Number 2 in the Hindi speaking market for 8 months now. It has been consistently trying to come up with relatable content, in an attempt to go beyond the perception that Hindi GECs are only about family dramas and ‘saas bahu’ daily soaps. It is also trying to change the perception that it is only a comedy channel. As a part of this attempt, Sony SAB has announced the launch of its latest show, its foray into mythological with ‘Dharm Yoddha Garud’. Speaking about the show, Neeraj Vyas, Business Head, Sony SAB said, “The mythology space is completely untested for us. However, for the last few years, we have tried to come up with content that is relevant, and that will add some meaning to our viewer’s lives. While getting into the mythology space, we could easily have done something on Krishna, Ganesh or Hanuman. But we have always endeavored at doing things that have never been done before. Garud’s story had been playing on our minds for a long time. We took almost a year to research on it. We knew it would need a lot of technology and only when we had all the pieces together, we decided to go ahead with it.” The show which has used state-of-the-art technology and visual effects is the most expensive show that the channel has ever commissioned, Vyas shared. While Sony SAB is perhaps most know for its most popular show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (which is also one of the longest running daily comedies in the world, with over 3398 episodes), in the past few years, the GEC has tried to come up with more differentiated content including shows like Wagle Ki Duniya – Nayi Peedhi, Naye Kissey, Shubh Laabh, Aapke Ghar Mein, Ziddi Dil – Maane Na, Maddam Sir, Sab Satrangi, Goodnight India. “We at Sony SAB are dedicated at promoting an enjoyable family-viewing experience and can truly define ourselves as a true blue ‘living room brand’, because we ensure there is something that can appeal to everyone in the family,” explained Vyas. When asked how they are tackling the fight for attention at a time when <keyword id="1245953" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott" source="Orion">OTT</keyword> is coming up with such a huge variety of content, again for consumers of all age and demographies, Vyas said, “If TV has to stay relevant and competitive, we will have to balance between what we think the consumer wants to see and the rating reality. We will have to work a lot harder and go beyond the routine offerings of love stories and ‘saas bahu’ dramas. We will have to invest a lot more because today it is all about the quality of content you offer your viewers.” Advertiser response, however, Vyas shares has been very positive. “We bounced back from the doom and gloom of the first four months of the year pretty well. In fact, the last six to seven months have been superb from an advertising point of view probably because the channel has done very well,” shared Vyas adding that from an advertising revenue point of view, by the end of March, the channel would have grown by almost 70% over last year. The channel has always given a lot of importance to listening to its consumers and crafting content around what they want to watch. On what his focus areas will be going ahead, Vyas shared, “A strong communication strategy will be an important focus for us. As we get into April-May, we will be coming up with a very large consumer campaign that will focus on imprinting our unique brand philosophy into the minds of our consumers. And now that the pandemic is almost over, we will also stay a lot more focused on going out and talking to consumers a lot more aggressively to get a first hand feel of what's happening in their lives. We haven’t been able to do that for a while now but that is the plan for the future. And we will just get leaner and smarter from here.”

For TV to stay relevant, there needs to be a balance between what we think consumers want to watch and the rating reality: Neeraj Vyas, Sony SAB

Marriage story: how Sony Pictures came to rescue of Zee Entertainment

<ul><li><keyword id="3186877" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sony-pictures-networks-india" source="Orion">Sony Pictures Networks India</keyword> (SPNI) and <keyword id="174248" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zee-entertainment-enterprises-ltd" source="Orion">Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd</keyword>. (ZEEL) have entered into an exclusive, non-binding Term Sheet to combine both companies’ linear networks, digital assets, production operations and program libraries. </li><li>The combined company would be a publicly listed company in India and be better positioned to lead the consumer transition from traditional pay TV into the digital future.</li></ul>Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) have entered into an exclusive, non-binding Term Sheet to combine both companies’ linear networks, digital assets, production operations and program libraries. The non-binding Term Sheet provides an exclusive negotiation period of 90 days during which ZEEL and SPNI will conduct mutual diligence and negotiate definitive, binding agreements. The combined company would be a publicly listed company in India and be better positioned to lead the consumer transition from traditional pay TV into the digital future. The <keyword id="42411" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="merger" source="Orion">merger</keyword> of ZEEL and SPNI would bring together two leading Indian media network businesses, benefitting consumers throughout India across content genres, from film to sports. The combined company is expected to benefit all stakeholders given strong synergies between ZEEL and SPNI. Under the terms of the non-binding Term Sheet, Sony Pictures Entertainment, the parent company of SPNI, would invest growth capital so that SPNI has a cash balance of approximately USD $1.575 billion at closing for use to enhance the combined company’s digital platforms across technology and content, ability to bid for broadcasting rights in the fast-growing sports landscape and pursue other growth opportunities. Sony Pictures Entertainment would hold a majority stake in the combined company. Current ZEEL Managing Director &amp; CEO <keyword id="599253" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="punit-goenka" source="Orion">Punit Goenka</keyword> is to lead the combined company. The combined company’s board of directors would include directors nominated by <keyword id="1192557" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sony-group" source="Orion">Sony Group</keyword> and result in Sony Group having the right to nominate the majority of the board members. It is anticipated that a final transaction would be subject to completion of customary due diligence, negotiation, and execution of definitive binding agreements, and required corporate, regulatory and third-party approvals, including ZEEL shareholder vote.

Sony Pictures Networks India and Zee Entertainment announce merger

<ul><li>StudioNEXT that produced one of the most popular Indian web series last year, <keyword id="10079277" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="scam-1992" source="Orion">Scam 1992</keyword>, is now getting ready to launch its next offering, <keyword id="97974" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="whistleblower" source="Orion">Whistleblower</keyword>.</li><li>We speak to <keyword id="2067078" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indranil-chakraborty" source="Orion">Indranil Chakraborty</keyword>, Head StudioNEXT who takes us behind the scenes of these shows and what have worked in their favour. He also tells us what we can expect from StudioNEXT in the next few months.</li></ul>The Over-the-top (<keyword id="1245953" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott" source="Orion">OTT</keyword>) space had been growing at a healthy pace even before we were hit by the pandemic. But it was during the lockdown that the OTT industry had its watershed moment. People discovered that the OTT platforms opened up the world for them, with content that went beyond boundaries. Great content from across the world kept us hooked, making the lockdown just a tad bit easier to bear. It also put the responsibility on content production houses to create clutter-breaking content because differentiation is what will help platforms stand out in the space which is getting cluttered fast. Last year, one of the biggest web series hits, Scam 1992, came from the stable of StudioNEXT, an independent business unit of <keyword id="3186877" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sony-pictures-networks-india" source="Orion">Sony Pictures Networks India</keyword> (SPN), and <keyword id="1322450" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="applause-entertainment" source="Orion">Applause Entertainment</keyword>. It is also the content production house responsible for <keyword id="17940" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kaun-banega-crorepati" source="Orion">Kaun Banega Crorepati</keyword>. When the division was set up around 2.5 years back, the aim was to function as a content creator for SPN media business as well as for other channels, networks and OTT players within India and globally. The goal was to produce new IPs whilst leveraging the existing ones under SPN media. On the occasion of the launch of StudioNEXT’s latest series, Whistleblower, we caught up with Indranil Chakraborty, Head StudioNEXT, to take a look back at the production house’s journey and to understand a few factors that have helped the company create content that has worked for viewers. The journey so far When SPN had set up the division, the destination hadn’t been written in stone. The aim was to create a flexible division, shared Chakraborty. “Having said that, we’ve had a fantastic journey so far. We have produced over 15 shows in the last 2.5 years across various languages. We began with KBC, our first web series, Scam 1992 has now been voted as the best web series to be produced in India so far. However, when we began our journey, we were clear that we wanted to create entertainment shows with a purpose for both TV and Digital. Our motto was to create good entertainment content and something with a purpose. We realized that there's a gap between a production house or studio which focuses on such shows and content,” explained Chakraborty. The company has also been especially focussed on collaboration, especially with content creators. On the TV side, it is experimenting with a few formats across languages. For a web series, it is collaborating with a whole lot of known as well as lesser known talents. “As of now we are working on around 10 shows. And from now till December next year, we have a mandate to deliver at least 6 shows. If we can do that, I believe we will be one of the biggest production houses for the digital ecosystem of the country. I can't think of many production houses which can deliver 6 shows in a year, and that too of such scale. Going forward, we want to do things that we are doing at a multiplied rate,” he added. Earlier this year, StudioNEXT also announced it will be collaborating with Venture Catalysts as the startup ecosystem advisor for the very first edition of <keyword id="1417364" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shark-tank" source="Orion">Shark Tank</keyword> India which Chakraborty feels is one of the major highlights for the company, along with producing KBC in Kashmir and the reception that Scam 1992 received. Indianizing successful international content With the production of Shark Tank, is the content house considering Indianizing more such successful international IPs? “We associated with Venture Catalyst because they had great domain knowledge and they are known in that space and this partnership helped us a lot. Talking about more such formats, we are exploring a few game formats along with a few other things, but right now, our focus is on making Shark Tank a success. We want to see how this does, if it goes into multiple seasons and has the potential to be done in multiple languages too. So right now, we are concentrating on growing deeper inside the shows we are already doing, rather than laterally expanding ourselves,” he shared. The content India wants to consume The last year has shown that Indians are hungry for good content. Series like Scam 1992 have won the internet and people are on the lookout for such content. On what he feels works for an Indian audience, Chakraborty said, “While I don’t know the exact numbers, viewership has been on a steady rise. In fact, in the content industry, there is more demand today than supply. But I feel if a story is honest, sincere and has integrity, it will work for the consumers. We have realized that the audience likes to discover different people, places, nuances and cultures and that's an important element in our shows. People are wanting to learn something from watching a show, a discovery of sorts and that's something we are trying to give them with our content.” With more and more platforms racing each other to produce and license better content, is it challenging to come up with clutter-breaking ideas? “I don’t believe the space is cluttered yet because there are too many stories to be told and we have just begun on this journey. There are many genres like romance, family drama etc that we are still exploring. I really feel it's a very exciting time for creators and writers,” he said. Apart from Whistleblower which will launch tomorrow, StudioNEXT’s next few offerings include Faadu by <keyword id="3294492" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ashwini-iyer-tiwari" source="Orion">Ashwini Iyer Tiwari</keyword> and the second season of Scam by <keyword id="4684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hansal-mehta" source="Orion">Hansal Mehta</keyword>.

StudioNEXT that co-produced Scam 1992, is aiming at winning the OTT content race with quality, purposeful content

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6697608" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="UEFA-Euro-2020">UEFA EURO 2020</keyword> has brought in 54 million viewers to <keyword id="4782135" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sony-Pictures-Sports-Network">Sony Pictures Sports Network</keyword> (<keyword id="4850136" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="SPSN">SPSN</keyword>).</li><li>The 1st Quarterfinal between Switzerland and Spain was the most watched match of the week with 9.8 million viewers.</li><li>The second most watched match was England vs Germany with 9.3 million viewers.</li></ul>The <keyword id="6373925" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="uefa">UEFA</keyword> EURO 2020 has kept viewers glued to their screens this year. The tournament saw 54 million viewers tuning in to Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) to watch the entire coverage of the first 46 matches of the tournament between June 11 and July 2 2021. Here are a few of the key highlights from the tournament so far: The entire coverage of the tournament has been watched by 54 million viewers on the <keyword id="9451858" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="sony-sports-network">Sony Sports Network</keyword> till date (<keyword id="65298" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BARC">BARC</keyword>, All India, CS2+, Cumulative reach of LIVE matches +wraparound shows+ highlights+ repeats on SPSN) The 1st Quarterfinal between Switzerland and Spain was the most watched match of the week with 9.8 million viewers (TG: CS 2+, All India U+R) The second most watched match this week was England vs Germany with 9.3 million viewers (TG: CS 2+, All India U+R) The Hindi feed for Live matches has been watched by 16.4 million viewers across the country (TG: CS 2+, All India U+R) The Malayalam and Bengali feed on Sony SIX/SIX HD have been watched by 8.4 million viewers across Kerala and West Bengal (TG: CS 2+, Kerala and WB U+R)

UEFA EURO 2020 rakes in 54 million viewers for Sony Pictures Sports Network for the first 46 matches of the tournament

<ul><li>Sony Sports has played a key role in bringing non-cricket sports to India.</li><li>This year, Sony Sports is the official broadcaster of the once-in-a-four-year global sports event, Tokyo Olympics.</li><li>Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer, Distribution and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India tells us how the broadcaster is trying to popularize other sports in India, its plans to immerse consumers with innovative marketing and more.</li></ul>With the lockdown being enforced, subsequent stoppage of play on the field and IPL getting postponed, advertisers have been starved of a good sporting tournament. After the pandemic, many sports properties have either been cancelled or postponed, directly affecting India’s ad revenue and sponsorship pie. While India’s most worshipped sport, cricket, still dominates viewership and sponsorship, <keyword id="3132005" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sony-Pictures-Network">Sony Pictures Network</keyword> (SNP) has given its fans more choices between sporting events and SonyLiv has given them options in terms of what, when and how much to watch, leading to a rise in demand for subscription viewing in live sports. After a long, dry spell, millions of Indians are expected to tune into Tokyo Olympics this year. Sponsors and brands have also started seeing the Olympics as the one occasion to capitalise on the media and consumer attention. As a result, Sony Sports has seen an uptick in demand from sponsors and advertisers across categories for the summer games. To help its advertisers get the best bang for their buck, SPN launched an ‘innovative’ advertising format ‘Split-screen ads,’ which has <a href="https://twitter.com/Archit_0106/status/1418542834395729923">gained </a><a href="https://twitter.com/PrashantMUFC/status/1420988968238161920">mixed </a><a href="https://twitter.com/LifeIsAnElation/status/1418552243893116935">reviews </a>on social media. We caught up with Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer, Distribution and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India to further understand what kind of response the broadcaster and streaming player has seen from advertisers and sponsors, how it is trying to increase non-sporting events’ viewership in india <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. This year, brands across categories have started to roll out campaigns celebrating the inspirational journey of athletes. This wasn't the case a few years ago. More and more advertisers are exploring international sports that represent India. Are advertisers open to exploring sports beyond cricket now?" text="Q. This year, brands across categories have started to roll out campaigns celebrating the inspirational journey of athletes. This wasn't the case a few years ago. More and more advertisers are exploring international sports that represent India. Are advertisers open to exploring sports beyond cricket now?">Q. This year, brands across categories have started to roll out campaigns celebrating the inspirational journey of athletes. This wasn't the case a few years ago. More and more advertisers are exploring international sports that represent India. Are advertisers open to exploring sports beyond cricket now?</cmsannotation> Indians have always been extremely supportive of the Indian athletes when they compete at a global stage. Their performances are celebrated as it is a huge thing to even get to participate, let alone winning a medal at Olympics. More and more business houses/organizations/brands have started promoting various athletes and or Indian contingent. Sports in India is growing dramatically as an entertainment option beyond just cricket. This year. Sony Sports has embarked on a mission to popularize the athletes participating in the <keyword id="7932992" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="olympic-games-tokyo-2020">Olympic Games Tokyo 2020</keyword> and to make them household names. Sony Sports launched the grandest ever campaign in the history of Indian Olympics, Hum Honge Kamyab to galvanize the whole nation to cheer for the India contingent. From the honorable Prime minister of India himself to the sports minister as well as industrialists, sports personalities, philanthropists, Bollywood Superstars, Youtube influencers joined us in our endeavor. Sony Sports has collaborated with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as well as eminent personalities and joining the brigade are Union Minister for I&amp;B and Youth Affairs &amp; Sports, Shri Anurag Thakur, General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff and Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Mr. N.P. Singh, MD &amp; CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Sajjan Jindal, Sudha Murty, Nita Ambani, Gautam Adani, Rana Daggubati, Yuvraj Singh, Anjali Bhagwat, Parth Jindal, Boman Irani, Farhan Akhtar, Sonakshi Sinha, Johnny Lever, Ali Fazal, Adille Sumariwala, Arshad Warsi, Pullela Gopichand, Vijender Singh, Anjali Bhagwat, Harsha Bhogle, Shankar Mahadevan, Anurag Basu, and many more to catalyze the Olympic momentum in the nation for the landmark event. This was unprecedented and Sony Sports’ efforts have pumped up the volume of Olympics in India and the #Olympicsjosh decibels have gone up to another level. <div type="Youtube" id="-bnwo0ezgQE" title="Watch PV Sindhu, Manu Bhaker, Mary Kom, Deepak Kumar, Hockey (M) &amp; others LIVE, TOM, July 25 on Sony" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-bnwo0ezgQE/mqdefault.jpg"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. Can you tell us what kind of interest you have seen from advertisers and brands?" text="Q. Can you tell us what kind of interest you have seen from advertisers and brands?">Q. Can you tell us what kind of interest you have seen from advertisers and brands?</cmsannotation> We have received a phenomenal response from advertisers and we have got sponsors on board across categories like beverages, FMCG, education, automobiles, banking, finance, gaming, sports foundations amongst others. The sponsors are Coca-Cola India Pvt. Ltd., LIC, JSW, MPL, Hero MotoCorp, Amul, Reserve Bank of India, AMFI and other advertisers include Visa, Byju’s, Adani Group, Herbalife Nutrition &amp; Lenovo and more. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. This once-in-a-four-year sports event attracts eyeballs from across the world hosting sports such as shooting, wrestling, long jump, and hockey. Which sport do you think will perform the best in India in terms of viewership?" text="Q. This once-in-a-four-year sports event attracts eyeballs from across the world hosting sports such as shooting, wrestling, long jump, and hockey. Which sport do you think will perform the best in India in terms of viewership?">Q. This once-in-a-four-year sports event attracts eyeballs from across the world hosting sports such as shooting, wrestling, long jump, and hockey. Which sport do you think will perform the best in India in terms of viewership?</cmsannotation> We expect great Sports like Wrestling, Shooting, Archery and Hockey, which have also done extremely well on TV in the past, due to the medal winning performances by Indian Athletes. Additionally, there has been high interest to watch Athletics and Gymnastics, owing to the visually engaging nature of the sports. During the 2016 Rio Olympics, Badminton had the highest viewership owing to PV Sindhu winning a silver medal. The final match between PV Sindhu and Carolina Marin was watched by 42 million viewers across the country. This year, we have our largest contingent ever of 127 athletes travelling to Tokyo and the whole nation will want to support and watch our athletes in the various sports disciplines they are competing in like boxing, wrestling, tennis, athletics, badminton, hockey, shooting, archery, weightlifting, Equestrian, Table tennis and more. Some of the athletes that the audiences are already looking out for are Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary in shooting, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia in wrestling, Amit Panghal and Mary Kom in boxing, Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das, PV Sindu in badminton and more. Also, for the first time, we will see participation in fencing with Bhavani Devi and Fouaad Mirza making it to the equestrian event which will also attract audiences. Additionally, to reach out to a wider audience and engage viewers across India, Sony Sports will have a Live wraparound studio show called SPORTS EXTRAAA with a distinguished panel that comprising former Olympians and legendary Indian athletes like Vijender Singh, Gagan Narang, Karnam Malleswari, Anjali Bhagwat, Anju Bobby George, Sakshi Malik, Viren Rasquinha, Somdev Devvarman, Trupti Murgunde, Rahul Banerjee, Kripa Shankar and Satish Shivalingam. We will also have the world-renowned Sprinter and four-time Olympic medalist, Yohan Blake, considered to be the second fastest man after Usain Bolt as a marquee expert on the show. The comprehensive coverage for the global event will be broadcast LIVE in four languages: SONY TEN 2 and SONY SIX channels in English, SONY TEN 3 channels in Hindi and in Tamil &amp; Telugu on the newly launched SONY TEN 4 channels. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. How do brands get to benefit from advertising on Olympics through Sony this year? What is your advice to brands who are advertising? How can they get the best bang for their buck?" text="Q. How do brands get to benefit from advertising on Olympics through Sony this year? What is your advice to brands who are advertising? How can they get the best bang for their buck?">Q. How do brands get to benefit from advertising on Olympics through Sony this year? What is your advice to brands who are advertising? How can they get the best bang for their buck?</cmsannotation> The Olympic Games is an extremely premium global sporting event, the greatest show on earth with 200+ countries, 11000+ athletes across 339 events in 33 different sports, encompassing a total of 50 disciplines. As I mentioned earlier, this year, we have rolled out the grandest campaign for this showcase event involving 30+ luminaries across the country. The sheer association to the Olympics for any brand will create and drive great brand perception and awareness value. We have offered value-based propositions to our clients and have ensured that we amplify their associations with athletes in the Indian contingent which they might be sponsoring. The brands have also been given the opportunity to ride on the back of the amazing build- up programming which we have locally produced adding to the brands association and visibility. Series like “Torch bearers” are resonating well with our audiences. We are also excited to offer a new breakthrough innovation “Split Screen” advertisement opportunity during the live broadcast. This will help the brands break away from the clutter and amplifies the brand’s visibility manifold without intruding into the viewing experiences of our audiences. This new technology is a game changer and will surely get the best ROI for our key sponsors. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Q. How do you think sports marketing has changed in India in the last few years? Any interesting trends that you are expecting to see as we move forward?" text="Q. How do you think sports marketing has changed in India in the last few years? Any interesting trends that you are expecting to see as we move forward?">Q. How do you think sports marketing has changed in India in the last few years? Any interesting trends that you are expecting to see as we move forward?</cmsannotation> While Indian Cricket will dominate viewership and revenues, Sony Sports has been consistently making efforts to massify and popularize other sports. Sony Sports is a global multi-sporting arena and sports marketing here, is not only talks to the purists but also focuses on attracting fence-sitters and newer audiences to join the Sony Sports community. This has paid off and every year our viewership for sports like WWE, UFC, football properties like UEFA Champions League and non-India cricket is steadily growing. Even the recently concluded UEFA EURO 2020 on our sports channels has seen massive growth compared to the last edition in 2016 by almost 70% Sports as an entertainment quotient is only going to grow.

Sony Sports has embarked on a mission to popularize the athletes participating in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and to make them household names: Rajesh Kaul of SPN

<ul><li>SPN has announced key transitions in its senior leadership team.</li><li><keyword id="192573" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rohit-Gupta">Rohit Gupta</keyword> has transitioned from his role as Chief Revenue Officer – Ad Sales and International Business and taken on the responsibility of being SPN’s Advisor to the Management and the Board.</li><li><keyword id="1554863" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajesh-Kaul">Rajesh Kaul</keyword>, in addition to his existing role as the Chief Revenue Officer – Distribution and Business Head – Sports, will take on charge of International Sales. Sandeep Mehrotra has been appointed Head - Ad Sales, Network Channels.</li><li>Danish Khan, Business Head – <keyword id="17942" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sony-Entertainment-Television">Sony Entertainment Television</keyword>, Digital Business and <keyword id="6983273" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="StudioNEXT">StudioNext</keyword> will take additional charge of Network Channels Licensing.</li></ul><keyword id="3186877" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sony-Pictures-Networks-India">Sony Pictures Networks India</keyword> has revamped its organizational structure, making several leadership changes. These changes are effective immediately. Rohit Gupta has transitioned from his role as Chief Revenue Officer – Ad Sales and International Business and taken on the responsibility of being SPN’s Advisor to the Management and the Board. Rohit’s efforts have contributed immeasurably to the organization over the last two decades, and we thank him for his tremendous contributions to the growth of our network. In this new role, Rohit will be advising senior management on industry trends, developments and work closely with the CEO on various industry issues that could positively impact the company’s strategy and growth. Rajesh Kaul, in addition to his existing role as the Chief Revenue Officer – Distribution and Business Head – Sports, will take on charge of International Sales and will work in-collaboration with the Digital team to expand SPN’s brand presence and reach across the world. Neeraj Arora, currently heading International Sales will now be reporting directly to Rajesh Kaul. Sandeep Mehrotra has been appointed Head - Ad Sales, Network Channels. With an illustrious career, spanning over two and a half decades, Sandeep has a proven record in driving revenues and delivering efficiencies to clients and businesses. Within SPN, he has moved multiple channels, regions and ranks and has invested his time in curating long-term client relationships with a unifocal thought of creating business solutions. In his new role, Sandeep will directly report to the CEO. Danish Khan, Business Head – Sony Entertainment Television, Digital Business and StudioNext will take additional charge of Network Channels Licensing. This alignment will enable an end-to-end view of opportunities at play between channels and digital and thereby enable us in taking decisions, best suited for the network’s growth. <keyword id="11723990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="tushar-shah-business-head">Tushar Shah, Business Head</keyword>, English, Factual Entertainment &amp; Sony AATH, takes on an additional role of the newly created position of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for SPN. His expanded role will include taking the corporate brand to the consumer and furthering its reach besides managing his existing channel portfolio. Aditya Mehta, in addition to his current role of Corporate Strategy and Business Development, will spearhead the formation of Data Analytics CoE to strengthen SPN’s approach to being a data driven organization. He would also be responsible for Business Monetization which will leverage the power of data and act as a bridge between Digital &amp; Linear revenue opportunities. Nitin Nadkarni, Chief Finance Officer (CFO) will take additional charge of the Broadcast Operations and Network Engineering (B.O.N.E) department. Kingshuk Bhattacharya - Head, B.O.N.E. will now report to Nitin. Commenting on the revamp, <keyword id="305969" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="NP-Singh">NP Singh</keyword>, MD &amp; CEO, SPN said, “SPN has embarked on Vision 3.0 to create a future-ready organization based on a culture powered by corporate values and a management structure backed by an operating model that accelerates growth. All leadership changes announced today are reflective of that evolutionary intent.” Manu Wadhwa, CHRO at SPN added, “The organization remodeling is a result of our constant focus to strengthen our talent and leadership capabilities and will ensure that we stay ahead of the curve in a dynamic media and entertainment industry.”

Sony Pictures Networks India revamps organizational structure, announces key leadership changes

<keyword id="6358096" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="snapchat">Snapchat</keyword> has announced that it now has 293 million daily active users in the second quarter this year, an increase of 55 million year-over-year. Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, said that its revenue increased 116 per cent to $982 million in Q2 2021 compared to the prior year. The company said that its net loss improved 53 per cent to $152 million in Q2 2021, compared to the prior year. "Our second quarter results reflect the broad-based strength of our business, as we grew both revenue and daily active users at the highest rates we have achieved in the past four years," said <keyword id="1659524" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Evan-spiegel">Evan Spiegel</keyword>, CEO. "We are pleased by the progress our team is making with the development of our augmented reality platform, and we are energized by the many opportunities to grow our community and business around the world," he added. The DAUs increased sequentially and year-over-year in each of North America, Europe and rest of the world. "DAUs increased sequentially and year-over-year on both iOS and <keyword id="6355645" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Android">Android</keyword> platforms. We invested and innovated in our camera and augmented reality platforms, the company informed. The company launched a record 177 new international Discover Channels, including 36 in the UK and 24 in India, one of which is a partnership with <keyword id="3132005" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sony-Pictures-Network">Sony Pictures Network</keyword> to launch five <keyword id="4805" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="shows">Shows</keyword>. "We improved several try-on capabilities with Lens Studio 4.0, including multi-person 3D body mesh, advanced cloth simulation, and a new visual effects editor for more realistic Lenses," it added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/zomato-and-swiggy-are-best-food-delivery-apps-in-the-world-says-zomatos-ceo/articleshow/84668175.cms">Zomato and Swiggy are best food delivery apps in the world, says Zomato’s CEO</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/vodafone-idea-and-airtel-shares-fall-as-sc-rejects-agr-dues-re-computation-appeal/articleshow/84668288.cms">Vodafone Idea sinks nearly 10% and Airtel tumbles a bit after India’s Supreme Court denies a discount on past dues</a>

Snapchat records highest growth in users since going public in 2017

<ul><li><keyword id="3186877" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sony-Pictures-Networks-India">Sony Pictures Networks India</keyword> is foraying into audio streaming with its ‘Go-Beyond <keyword id="1590914" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Podcast">Podcast</keyword>’.</li><li>Some of the guests on the podcast include <keyword id="3557635" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chef-Amrita-Raichand">Chef Amrita Raichand</keyword>, Actor and Comedian <keyword id="786" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ash-Chandler">Ash Chandler</keyword>, Former Australian Cricketer <keyword id="150099" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jason-Gillespie">Jason Gillespie</keyword>, Environmentalist Bittu Sahgal, Author Samit Basu, and Historian <keyword id="140016" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikram-Sampath">Vikram Sampath</keyword>, amongst others.</li></ul>Sony Pictures Networks India is the first major Indian broadcast company to venture into audio streaming with the ‘Go-Beyond Podcast’. The specially curated podcast celebrates individuals who have been exemplary in dealing with the cards that life dealt them. Launched in SPN’s 25th year anniversary month, so far this podcast has featured eleven eminent guests from different walks of life. The guest line-up ahead is just as exciting and varied. The podcast capsules are a conversational amalgam of laughter, wit, insights, and inspiration. Over the last twenty-five years, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s entertainment ecosystem. Addressing the needs of an ever-evolving audience, the brand has crafted genre traversing experiences, adding a host of pioneering firsts to its credit. Well-known personalities with remarkable journeys and stories across sports, literature, business, entertainment, history, and the culinary arts, to name a few, have already graced SPN’s ‘Go-Beyond Podcast’. These guests include renowned names such as Chef Amrita Raichand, Actor and Comedian Ash Chandler, Former Australian Cricketer Jason Gillespie, Environmentalist Bittu Sahgal, Author Samit Basu, and Historian Vikram Sampath, amongst others. The Go-Beyond’ podcast will enable the brand to foray into a segment that is surging in India with more people opting for digital audio streaming. According to a PWC Report India is the third-largest podcast market, after China and the US and is estimated to reach 17.61 million listeners by 2023. NP Singh, Managing Director and Chief Executive officer (CEO), Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) said, "As the digital audio craze continues to explode, ‘The Go-Beyond Podcast’ creates deeper engagement with audiences by bringing to the fore real-life stories and insights of achievers who braved small or big limitations to resonate with success. SPN has a pioneering history of creating compelling content across formats and platforms, and the Go-Beyond Podcast is our endeavour to both inspire and entertain a global listener-base."

Sony Pictures Networks India becomes the first Indian broadcast company to venture into audio streaming

<ul><li>The daily wage earners from different parts of the country are bearing the brunt of the lockdown and SPN and <keyword id="413856" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalyan-Jewellers">Kalyan Jewellers</keyword> have started an initiative to support their families.</li><li>To announce the initiative, prominent actors from across the country came together to work on a short film titled Family.</li><li>The film has been remotely directed by <keyword id="1397913" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prasoon-Pandey">Prasoon Pandey</keyword>.</li></ul><keyword id="3205208" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sony-Pictures-Networks">Sony Pictures Networks</keyword> India and Kalyan Jewellers, along with actor <keyword id="6357912" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword> have started an initiative, 'We Are One', through which the monthly ration of 1,00,000 households across the country will be funded. Through a commercial tie-up with a leading chain of hypermarkets and grocery stores in India, digitally barcoded coupons have been distributed to a verified list of workers from the All India Film Employees Confederation. Furthermore, monetary help has also been extended to those in need. To unveil the initiative, actors from different parts of the country including Bachchan, Rajnikanth, <keyword id="6357861" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ranbir-kapoor">Ranbir Kapoor</keyword>, <keyword id="1655" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Priyanka-Chopra">Priyanka Chopra</keyword>, <keyword id="6354526" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="alia-bhatt">Alia Bhatt</keyword>, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Sonali Kulkarni, Shiv Raj Kumar, <keyword id="96633" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prosenjit-Chatterjee">Prosenjit Chatterjee</keyword> and <keyword id="1071287" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diljit-Dosanjh">Diljit Dosanjh</keyword> came together for a short film titled Family. The film spoke about the importance of staying at home while also the need to support the daily wage workers who are being severely impacted due to the lockdown. <div type="Youtube" id="ju7ku--S6F4" title="#Family - A Made At Home Short Film" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ju7ku--S6F4/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Conceptualized and virtually directed by Prasoon Pandey in collaboration with Bachchan, the movie was shot from each actor’s house. Speaking about the initiative, NP Singh, Managing Director and CEO, SPN said, “In trying times, we have to collectively front and face issues that affect the industry. So, as part of its CSR outreach, SPN has taken the initiative of working alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Kalyan Jewellers to support the households of daily wage earners of the Indian film and television industry. SPN’s support will ensure that at least 50,000 workers and their families have their home supplies for a month. Additionally, this film made by Prasoon is very special since it has been virtually directed. Like-minded celebrities have come together in this short film, which we are delighted to premiere on all channels of our network and on SonyLIV. While the times may be tough, the human spirit is resilient &amp; strong, and this film captures that essence.” TS Kalyanaraman, Chairman &amp; MD, Kalyan Jewellers added, “We are witnessing an unprecedented global pandemic, and in these very testing times we have decided to support the initiative of Amitabh Bachchan and work alongside him and Sony Pictures Networks India to support the households of 50,000 daily wage workers and their families by providing them with supplies for a month. The Film being made is very special as it brings together all the best creative minds of our Industry.”

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Zee and Sony amicably settle disputes over their failed merger, withdraw claims

PTI

Sony and Zee Entertainment sign definitive agreements to merge, Punit Goenka to lead combined company as MD & CEO

BI India Partner

For TV to stay relevant, there needs to be a balance between what we think consumers want to watch and the rating reality: Neeraj Vyas, Sony SAB

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Marriage story: how Sony Pictures came to rescue of Zee Entertainment

Business Insider India

Sony Pictures Networks India and Zee Entertainment announce merger

BI India Partner

StudioNEXT that co-produced Scam 1992, is aiming at winning the OTT content race with quality, purposeful content

Samarpita Banerjee

UEFA EURO 2020 rakes in 54 million viewers for Sony Pictures Sports Network for the first 46 matches of the tournament

BI India Partner

Sony Sports has embarked on a mission to popularize the athletes participating in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and to make them household names: Rajesh Kaul of SPN

Karuna Sharma

Sony Pictures Networks India revamps organizational structure, announces key leadership changes

BI India Partner

Snapchat records highest growth in users since going public in 2017

IANS

Sony Pictures Networks India becomes the first Indian broadcast company to venture into audio streaming

BI India Partner

Sony Pictures Networks India and Kalyan Jewellers’ initiative to fund monthly ration of 1,00,000 daily wage workers from the entertainment industry

BI India Partner

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