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Modenik Lifestyle ups ad spends by 25 percent; to double revenue growth in three years

Warner Bros. Discovery threatens legal action against NBA over media rights

Meta ordered to delete AI-generated photographs of public individuals

Esports industry divided over forming anti-poaching body

Representational image via Unsplash

Relief for advertisers as MIB restricts SDC for ads to food and health sectors only

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Advertising is in the position where tobacco was: IPG's Arun Kumar 

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There is an opportunity for building a better agency, not just a different one: Manja's Prajato Guha

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Google has a new competitor - SearchGPT by OpenAI

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Piyush Pandey

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Viacom18, the official broadcast and digital partner for Paris 2024, announced the biggest and most immersive Olympics presentation yet in India, with 20 concurrent feeds and a roster of Olympians, starting July 26, 2024, across the Sports18 Network and for free on JioCinema. The network has lined-up a list of former champions across multiple sporting disciplines to amplify the most comprehensive Olympics presentation ever. It also, launched its campaign film ‘Dum Laga Ke… Haisha’, promising an Olympics like never seen before.

For the first time, Olympics coverage in India will be presented across 20 concurrent feeds on JioCinema for free, allowing fans to catch their preferred action and Indian performances at the Olympic Games anytime, anywhere on their preferred device. The presentation will have 17 sports-wise feeds and three curated feeds, all available in 4K. The curated feeds will include an India feed in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, which allows viewers to catch all the action from the Indian contingent as it unfolds on-ground.

A Women Athletes feed will exclusively capture the journey of women Olympians for the entire edition. The curated feeds will also feature a Global Action feed in English and Hindi, thus allowing viewers to track the finest athletes in the world in action at Paris 2024.

On linear platforms, Sports18 – 1, Sports18 – 1 HD, Sports18 – 2 will run India focused feed, Global Action will be available on Sports18 – 3. Sports18 – 1 and Sports18 – 1 HD will present the Games in English with Tamil and Telugu available on language button. Sports18 – 2 will offer the Paris 2024 in Hindi.

The coverage tips off with a dedicated camera feed on the India float throughout the Opening Ceremony giving viewers a ring-side view of the Indian contingent. In addition, viewers will be able to enjoy coverage of Indian medal moments with live interviews with their family members alongside a domain expert from the studio.

“Our presentation of Paris 2024 is built on the idea of putting viewers front and centre as our athletes aim for glory. For the first time in India, an Olympics presentation will have a dedicated Indian feed, a women athletes feed, and a global action feed, giving fans high autonomy with a lean-in experience as they follow the Games,” said Viacom18 – Sports Head of Content Siddharth Sharma. “We strive to capture the inspiring journeys of Indian athletes and rally the country to back our heroes through our never-seen-before Olympic experience.”

India’s first female wrestling Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik (2016 Summer Olympics) will be joined by Beijing 2008 bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh. Four-time Olympian and six-time Grand Slam winner and the first Indian woman to be ranked number one in the WTA rankings, Sania Mirza will be joined by Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medallist, Somdev Devvarman. World No. 7 long jumper and Commonwealth Games medallist, Murali Sreeshankar will be seen in a whole new avatar as Viacom18’s expert during the Olympics.

The studio line-up will also feature former Indian Men’s Hockey Team Captain Viren Rasquinha, Commonwealth Games gold medallist shuttler Parupalli Kashyap, multiple Asian Games medallist and World Doubles Championship gold medallist squash icon Saurav Ghosal, and India’s two-time Olympic archer Atanu Das will add gravitas to Viacom18’s line-up.

In the lead up, Viacom18, the official broadcast and digital partner for Paris 2024, also launched “Dum Laga Ke…Haisha!”, its campaign film for the Olympic Games. The campaign film builds on the philosophy of Olympics unlike anything seen before, breaking away from the conventional advertising template employed by past global sporting events for the Indian market such as tropes of serious looking athletes training to motivational voiceovers. It takes a fresh approach instead, by intertwining the magnitude of the Olympics as a global movement and its impact on our daily Indian lives.

“We wanted to keep the campaign idea rooted in the transformative power of viewing sports.  The film is our ode to the Olympic spirit and imagines a world where watching the Olympics vicariously, inspires us to push ourselves like runners, boxers, gymnasts, archers and weightlifters in our quotidian lives. We married this idea with a re-imagination of the timeless chant ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha! that’s deeply ingrained in the Indian spirit of movement and sports, into multiple regional languages to ignite excitement for the Olympics across the country,” said JioCinema’s Head of Brand and Creative Marketing, Shagun Seda. “To bring our concept to life, we partnered with Jugaad Motion Pictures who brought in a fresh approach and elevated the concept to a rich audio-visual experience.”

Viacom18’s comprehensive coverage of Paris 2024 includes content around must-watch events for India fans, Indians to watch out for at the Olympics, greatest performances in Olympics history, unprecedented landmarks Indians can achieve at Paris 2024, and much more.
 


JioCinema to showcase the most comprehensive Olympics coverage ever for Paris 2024

As per the latest ComScore data, News18 Hindi has secured its position as the number one digital news platform for Hindi language in April 2024, beating other Hindi platforms like Navbharat Times, Aaj Tak, and NDTV.


At a whopping 57.7 million Unique Visitors (UVs), News18 Hindi grabbed the top spot, whereas other news platforms such as Navbharat Times was at 56.73 million UVs, followed by Aaj Tak at 56.48 million UVs and NDTV at 54.58 million UVs.


To highlight the platform’s power-packed performance, an ad campaign has been launched across print and digital media. As part of this campaign, a front-page advertisement was issued in The Economic Times on May 27, underscoring News18 Hindi’s leadership.


News18 Hindi's remarkable accomplishment can be attributed to its comprehensive coverage during the election season. The platform reached audiences across the nation with its in-depth coverage of important election-related topics from a variety of viewpoints.


Commenting on the remarkable performance, Mitul Sangani, CEO – Indian Languages, News18 Network said, “We owe our position as the leading Hindi news platform to our dedicated viewers, who made us their first choice during this crucial election season. Our viewers’ trust drives us to persistently enhance our coverage and deliver news that not only informs but also empowers. News18 Hindi’s extensive coverage of Lok Sabha elections with a commitment to accurate information, in-depth analysis and product enhancement strengthened our performance and we are confident that the numbers will continue to grow as we enter the counting phase of elections."


News18 Network is an undisputed leader in terms of viewership both on TV and digital platforms. With undivided attention of viewers in every segment, the group has emerged as the go-to source for news. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/firstpost-outshines-bbc-news-al-jazeera-english-on-youtube-30242.htm">Firstpost outshines BBC News, Al Jazeera English on YouTube</a>

News18 Hindi dominates election coverage, secures top spot as India’s No.1 Hindi News site

The Election Commission of India has released a set of comprehensive guidelines for media coverage during the upcoming General Elections to the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim in 2024. The election is scheduled to be held in multiple phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1.


The Election Commission drew attention to Section 126(1)(b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which prohibits the display of any election matter through television, cinematography, or similar means in any polling area during the 48-hour period preceding the conclusion of polling.


The Commission emphasized that during this period, media channels must refrain from telecasting or broadcasting any content, including panel discussions, debates, and news programs, that could influence or affect the election results. Violation of these provisions could result in imprisonment for up to two years or fines.


Additionally, the guidelines prohibit political advertisements on television, cable networks, radio, cinema halls, bulk SMS/voice messages, and audiovisual displays in polling areas during the 48-hour period before polling. The definition of ‘election matter’ includes any content intended to influence or affect the election outcome.


The Election Commission also reminded social media and digital media platforms of the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, regarding political content on their platforms.


Print media outlets were advised to adhere to guidelines issued by the Press Council of India and norms of journalists' conduct during elections. Electronic media was directed to follow the ‘Guidelines for Election Broadcasts’ issued by the News Broadcasting Standards Authority.


The Election Commission urged all concerned parties to ensure compliance with the guidelines to maintain the integrity and fairness of the electoral process. Any political advertisements published in newspapers on the polling day or one day before must be pre-certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee at the state/district level.


The Commission warned against the publication of political advertisements masquerading as news headlines and speculative content predicting election outcomes, emphasizing the responsibility of editors for all published content.


Election Commission issues guidelines for media coverage during 2024 general elections

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued Advisories from time to time for television, print, and digital media, including social media platforms, to maintain adherence to the applicable norms and regulations applicable to the media, especially in matters related to public order, factual accuracy of information being published/broadcast, and communal harmony among various religious communities of India.

On January 20, MIB issued an advisory pertaining to the media coverage of the Ram Mandir. The Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya will be celebrated on 22nd January, 2024 across India. 

MIB stated in its advisory, “It is observed that certain unverified, provocative and fake messages are being spread, especially on social media, which can disturb communal harmony and public order.” 

It added, “In this regard, attention is invited to following provisions of the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995, and Norms of Journalistic Conduct laid down by the Press Council of India under the Press Council Act, 1978, a reference to which has also been made in the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021” 

The ministry shared the norms of Journalistic Conduct, which include: 

Accuracy and Fairness: i) The Press shall eschew publication of inaccurate, baseless, graceless, misleading or distorted material.

Caste, Religion or Community References: vi) It is the duty of the newspaper to ensure that the tone, spirit and language of a write up is not objectionable, provocative, against the unity and integrity of the country, spirit of the constitution, seditious and inflammatory in nature or designed to promote communal disharmony.

Paramount National Interest: i) Newspapers shall, as a matter of self-regulation, exercise due restraint and caution in presenting any news, comment or information which is likely to jeopardise, endanger or harm the paramount interests of the State and society, or the rights of individuals with respect to which reasonable restrictions may be imposed by law on the right to freedom of speech and expression under clause (2) of Article 19 of the Constitution of India.”

Programme Code

The MIB advisory warned that no programme should be carried in the cable service which: Contains attack on religions or communities or visuals or words contemptuous of religious groups or which promote communal attitudes; Contains anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half truths; is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promote anti-national attitudes.

Newspapers, private satellite TV channels and publishers of news and current affairs on digital media are advised to refrain from publishing/telecasting any content that may be false or manipulated or has the potential to disturb communal harmony or public order in the country, the advisory stated. 

MIB also highlighted the role of social media platforms, adding that, as part of their due diligence obligations, the social media platforms are advised to make reasonable efforts to not host, display or publish information of the nature mentioned above.

MIB issues media advisory: No room for false or disturbing content in Ram Mandir coverage

The latest data released by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has solidified News18 India’s number one position during the five-state Exit Polls for the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram.


During the crucial hours of the Exit Poll results, News18 India secured 5,472 AMA’000s, positioning itself as the top choice among viewers for comprehensive Exit Poll coverage. TV9 Bharatvarsh followed closely at 5,264 AMA’000s, trailed by Aaj Tak at 5,258 AMA’000s, and Republic Bharat at 4,632 AMA’000s, among others. 


Asserting its dominance throughout the day, News18 India retained the spotlight with 10,194 AMA’000s, while TV9 Bharatvarsh stood second at 10,164 AMA’000s and Aaj Tak stood third at 9,697 AMA’000s. Competitors such as India TV and Republic Bharat trailed behind with 9,065 AMA’000s and 8,488 AMA’000s, respectively.


On the counting day across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana, News18 Rajasthan's live YouTube stream commanded an exceptional 706k concurrent views, setting a new standard for digital engagement. News18 MP-Chhattisgarh achieved a remarkable 130k concurrent views during the pivotal counting hours. 


BARC data on the assembly elections counting day is slated for release on Thursday, 3rd December 2023, and News18 India stands poised to further solidify its position as the unrivalled leader in viewership and comprehensive coverage.


With the most robust line up of Prime Time shows and anchors in the news genre, News18 Network presents shows that offer unmatched perspective with authentic, comprehensible news. The network’s regional portfolio also stands as the largest in the country and has established leadership across regions in India.


News18 India’s exit poll coverage tops BARC ratings

Ashwini Vaishnaw has retained the Railways Ministry and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Vaishnaw has also been appointed the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, replacing Anurag Thakur, the BJP MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh.

Vaishnaw held the Railway Ministry since July 2021. He had replaced Piyush Goyal, who led the Ministry from September 2017 to July 2021. 

The Indian politician and former IAS officer served as the 39th Minister of Railways, 55th Communications Minister and 2nd Electronics & Information Technology Minister in Government of India from 2022–24 and a member of the Rajya Sabha representing Odisha since 2019.

Vaishnaw did his schooling at St. Anthony's Convent School, Jodhpur and graduated from MBM Engineering College, Jodhpur in 1991 with a gold medal in an electronic and communications engineering course, before completing his M.Tech. from IIT Kanpur. He later joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1994 with an all-India rank of 27.

In 2008, he left for the US to do his MBA from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, following which he came back to India and joined GE Transportation as Managing Director. Later, joined Siemens as the Vice President - Locomotives & Head Urban Infrastructure Strategy.



Ashwini Vaishnaw gets I&B Ministry; retains MeitY and Railways ministry

Ashwini Vaishnaw has retained Railways ministry and MeitY. He has also been given the I&B Ministry.

OpenAI is testing a new search engine, SearchGPT, with real-time summarised information from the web with links to relevant sources. It uses generative artificial intelligence to produce results.

Touted as the direct competition to Google, the AI search engine is powered by the GPT-4 model family. It is currently in its prototype testing phase and is limited to 10,000 test users at launch.

In a blog, OpenAI said that while this prototype is temporary, it plans to integrate the best of these features directly into ChatGPT in the future. 

"Getting answers on the web can take a lot of effort, often requiring multiple attempts to get relevant results. We believe that by enhancing the conversational capabilities of our models with real-time information from the web, finding what you’re looking for can be faster and easier," it read.

"SearchGPT will quickly and directly respond to your questions with up-to-date information from the web while giving you clear links to relevant sources," it added.

OpenAI is working with third-party partners and using direct content feeds to build its search results. 

It is also launching a way for publishers to manage how they appear in SearchGPT, so publishers have more choices.

"We are committed to a thriving ecosystem of publishers and creators. We hope to help users discover publisher sites and experiences, while bringing more choice to search. For decades, search has been a foundational way for publishers and creators to reach users. Now, we’re using AI to enhance this experience by highlighting high-quality content in a conversational interface with multiple opportunities for users to engage," said OpenAI.

Robert Thomson, Chief Executive, News Corp, said, "For the heavens to be in equilibrium, the relationship between technology and content must be symbiotic and provenance must be protected.”

Soon after the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced 11-year media rights deals with the Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal and Amazon Prime Video which includes streaming and broadcast distribution starting with the 2025-26 season, it stirred up conflicts with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). 

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/amazon-prime-video-inks-11-year-global-media-deal-with-nba-37905.htm">Amazon Prime Video inks 11-year global media deal with NBA</a>

The league, apparently, has rejected WBD's bid to match Prime Video’s $1.8 billion per year offer. 

While announcing the deal, the NBA said that WBD's offer "did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video's offer."

“The digital opportunities with Amazon align perfectly with the global interest in the NBA. And Prime Video’s massive subscriber base will dramatically expand our ability to reach our fans in new and innovative ways,” added NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Result of this, WBD reportedly is threatening to sue the league. It has to be noted if it loses the legal battle, it could damage WBD's reputation in any future media rights talks with other leagues.

WBD's TNT Sports now has released a statement on NBA media rights. According to it, WBD matched Amazon’s offer as is its right under an existing contract and do not believe the NBA can reject it.

TNT Sports is a division of WBD and is considered a global leader in the delivery of premium sports content.

It said, “We think they have grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect to the 2025-26 season and beyond, and we will take appropriate action. We look forward, however, to another great season of the NBA on TNT and Max including our iconic Inside the NBA.”

According to the new draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill that the government shared with stakeholders, social media influencers, creators, or podcasters who upload content specific to the news genre and current affairs could be classified as 'Digital news broadcasters'.

As reported earlier, on July 9, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) added new provisions to the Bill. One of which said that the OTT and digital news broadcasters have been exempted from criminal penalties for failure to notify the government upon surpassing the statutory threshold. Additionally, the definition of OTT broadcasting service has also been revised, which now includes social media creators.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/advertising-codes-for-linear-on-demand-broadcasters-to-vary-under-new-draft-broadcasting-services-bill-36998.htm">Advertising codes for linear, on-demand broadcasters to vary under new draft Broadcasting Services Bill</a>


The Bill was first released for public consultation in November 2023 and aims to unify all broadcaster regulations into a single law. However, broadcasters and streaming services have been raising various concerns in meetings with the Ministry.

The Ministry has also requested feedback and comments by July 31 on the latest version of the Bill. Concerns have also been raised around the purview of the music streaming services, and AI-generated content.

In its recent meeting with the streaming service providers and broadcasters on July 9, MIB discussed the Bill's purview concerning social media news content and other concerns raised by the stakeholders in the past.

The Ministry shared with the stakeholders that it has added a new provision that grants the central government power to direct any internet service provider or social media company to take appropriate action for implementation of the Bill. Additionally, the Ministry is reviewing the existing program and advertising codes, as there is a suggestion to have different program and advertising codes for both linear broadcasters and on-demand broadcasting.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/mib-meets-stakeholders-on-regulating-ugc-on-social-media-under-broadcast-services-bill-36873.htm">MIB meets stakeholders on regulating UGC on social media under broadcast services bill</a>

The latest version is the second draft of the Bill is said to replace the Cable Television Networks Act, 1995.

The last meeting saw representations from broadcasters including Netflix and Hotstar, streaming platforms like Spotify, social media companies with the likes of Google and Meta, and industry associations including FICCI, NBA, and IAMAI.

"Don't miss out! You have only 5 minutes left to enroll at the current price. The course price will rise to Rs 50,000 after that, so act now!". 

Have you also come across such advertisements? Are you someone who acted promptly and purchased the course?

The internet is inundated with innumerable below-average courses on the stock market and investments that target gullible investors by charging exorbitant fees. 

Last month, the market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) cracked down on unregulated financial influencers who might be giving misleading investment advice. However, Sebi allowed people to educate others about investing, as long as they're not giving specific advice or promising guaranteed returns.

Storyboard18 checked the background of some of the finfluencers (someone who shares money management advice on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and others) who are not Sebi-registered but are selling "certified paid courses" on trading. Most of them have changed their intro to 'educationist', and 'digital creator ' and have disabled the comment section.


Pratyush Kumar, whose Instagram handle name is Stock Burner, has put a disclaimer in posts that read, "All information on this page is for educational purposes only. We are not Sebi registered. We only try to provide important information. We do not want to invest/trade based on our posts. You must consult your financial advisor. We will not be responsible for any of your profit/loss". Several other similar accounts have started adding disclaimers. 

Kavitha Menon, a Sebi-registered investment advisor, appreciated the market regulator's decision but said protecting the retail investors is a long way off.

Menon said,"They have only made one important change and left the other one open. Education is a subjective and open-ended term leaving to being manipulated at a whim. I have always maintained that any educator must be qualified by education and experience. We don't hire teachers in our schools without basic training and qualifications, so why allow anybody and everybody to run courses on investing".

Do online courses add value?

Storyboard18 spoke to some of the retail investors who purchased courses from financial influencers such as Akshat Srivastava (2.13 million YouTube followers), CA Rachana Phadke Ranade (4.97 YouTube followers), and Sharan Hedge (3.1 million YouTube followers). The responses were subjective- both critical and laudative. 

An individual, who wishes to remain anonymous, purchased a personal finance course by The 1% Club, co-founded by Sharan Hegde. The individual said, "I paid between Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 fee, and the course offered guest lectures of certified people. It was a good beginner course perhaps I had higher expectations".

Digital marketer Harshit Agarwal enrolled in one of the courses by YouTuber Akshat Shrivastava in June 2022. Agarwal said, "Before joining Akshat Shrivastava's course, I was randomly investing in stocks and mutual funds. I did not know how to build a portfolio. However, after I purchased Srivastava's course, I learned about investing in stocks that otherwise I would never have done on my own. I also learned about investing in different sectors, as well as, on international stocks such as Alphabet, Apple Inc, Meta, etc". Agarwal said he purchased the course for Rs 23,000 and had one year of access to it. He claimed that he booked 135% of profit in around 18 months by investing in Meta and 117% of profits in nine months by investing in HDFC MC.

Notably, Srivastava is not a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). Last year, in a post on X, he mentioned that becoming an RIA was a "hyper complicated process and required massive compliances". 

Some of the individuals have taken the ed-tech platform routes to become financial coaches. A working professional showed Storyboard18 how to become a trainer on the American learning platform Udemy. Shockingly, the platform never checks the educational records of the educators.

An official from Udemy responded to Storyboard18's query on signing into the platform as a coach. Scott Rogers, Senior Vice President, Instructor & Content Strategy at Udemy said, "Although signing up is designed to be simple and accessible because we want to encourage knowledge sharing, only the most insightful and well-prepared content stands out".

In case of inappropriate content, Rogers added, "If an instructor violates any of Udemy’s policies, their account will receive strikes and immediate action will be taken. These actions can range from mild measures, such as warning emails, to severe consequences, such as blocking or removing their course or account".


Problem for regulated educators


Raghav Gupta, co-founder at The 1% Club told Storyboard18 that they onboard experts after doing a background check, like inspection of content, taking reviews of former students, and conducting multiple rounds of interviews. Gupta acknowledged the need to regulate the online courses on trading and investment. However, the issue arises when an uncertified individual creates a substandard course on investment and absolves himself of any responsibility in case of financial loss to his student, he added.

SEBI Registered Research Analyst Sumit Shrma said, "There should be some eligibility requirement for selecting a teacher to teach a particular subject. Online platforms should disclose the qualification of the educator and potential conflict of interest".

Nevertheless, Shrma added the rising interest in the stock market and the mass followership of influencers are likely to overshadow regulated entities. He said, "The market share of finfluencers selling courses will eventually increase and regulated courses will struggle to match numbers as they are bound by compliances".

However, Menon suggests, "SEBI in conjunction with National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) should offer a mandatory training program for anybody who wants to run a course on investing," the investment advisor added that "Institutions who are into training should only hire such qualified professionals".

Shrma added, "The best solution to prevent people from financial course-related traps is to restrict and regulate the advertising and marketing of such courses. The crackdown is required on social media and internet platforms where these sorts of courses are being provided".

(Note: We have updated the story by adding a quote from Scott Rogers, Senior Vice President, Instructor & Content Strategy at Udemy)

Amazon Prime Video and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have announced an 11-year media rights agreement set to commence with the 2025-26 NBA season. Prime Video will present exclusive global coverage of 66 regular-season NBA games, including an opening week doubleheader, a new Black Friday NBA game, and all games from the Knockout Rounds of the Emirates NBA Cup, including the in-season tournament’s Semifinals and Finals.

Prime Video also acquired rights to exclusive coverage of every game of the postseason SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, first and second-round playoff games, and Conference Finals in six of the 11 years of the deal. Prime Video will distribute its package of games in the U.S. and internationally, with an expanded package of games in select territories, including Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland. This expanded package includes a minimum of 20 additional primetime regular season games each year, a Conference Finals series each year, and the NBA Finals in six of the 11 years.

As part of the agreement, Prime Video Channels will also be the strategic partner and third-party global channels store destination for NBA League Pass, the NBA’s subscription service for streaming live and on-demand games, in the U.S. and internationally.

“The digital opportunities with Amazon align perfectly with the global interest in the NBA. And Prime Video’s massive subscriber base will dramatically expand our ability to reach our fans in new and innovative ways,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

“NBA and WNBA basketball will serve as yet another cornerstone of the robust sports business our Prime Video team has built in just the last six years,” said Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.  

“When combined with our original films and shows; partner streaming services; licensed content; and rent or buy titles – our sports offering is a major driver of Prime Video’s evolution into a genuine one-stop shop for everything our customers want in video,” he added.

Jay Marine, Global Head of Sports, Prime Video said, “Over the past few years, we have worked hard to bring the very best of sports to Prime Video and to continue to innovate on the viewing experience. We’re thrilled to now add the NBA to our growing sports lineup, including the NFL, UEFA Champions League, NASCAR, NHL, WNBA, NWSL, Wimbledon, and more."

Prime Video’s regular season NBA coverage will tip off at the start of the 2025-26 season with an opening week doubleheader, and will include Friday night games, select Saturday afternoon games, and Thursday night doubleheaders, which will begin in January 2026 after the conclusion of Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football schedule. Prime Video will present live NBA pregame, postgame and halftime shows as part of its coverage, with additional details around talent and production to be announced at a later date.  

It will also stream half of all NBA Summer League games, as well as a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.

The international live game package rights extend worldwide, with the exception of Greater China, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands, with rights in Canada beginning in the 2026-27 NBA season.

Amazon Prime Video inks 11-year global media deal with NBA

Having grown in double digits in FY24, Modenik Lifestyle is on the path to grow in the mid-teens this year and plans to double the growth in the next three to four years. This revenue growth will be driven by leveraging its two major brands— Enamor and Dixcy across various channels, expanding the geographic footprint, and capitalising on India's economic growth. 

Apart from brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce presence, interestingly, for Modenik Lifestyle, quick-commerce has become a significant channel for growth.

In an interesting conversation, Shekhar Tewari, CEO of Modenik Lifestyle, talks about how the company continues to target both metro-centric sophisticated audiences and buyers in the hinterlands.

Last month, Modenik Lifestyle- backed by Advent International, also announced the appointment of L.V. Vaidyanathan, former Chief Executive and Managing Director at P&G India, as its Executive Chairman effective July. 

Tewari highlights how the company is set for accelerated growth after Vaidyanathan’s appointment.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/pgs-l-v-vaidyanathan-joins-modenik-as-executive-chairman-32847.htm">P&G's L.V. Vaidyanathan joins Modenik as executive chairman</a>

The innerwear maker’s portfolio includes five brands: Dixcy Scott Originals, Dixcy Scott Maximus, Josh by Dixcy Scott, Slimz and Enamor. In the country, it competes with Page Industries, the exclusive licensee of Jockey International Inc.

Edited excerpts:

How do you intend to grow in the current fiscal?

As a company, we grew double digits in FY24 and grew higher than the top quartile of the competition. By the end of this fiscal, we expect mid-teens growth for Dixcy and much higher growth for Enamor. The revenue ratio between Enamor and Dixcy is 30:70, respectively.

Overall, the company aims to double its revenue growth in the next three to four years. 

What gives the confidence?

The men's and women's wear markets in India are substantial, but precise figures are unavailable due to the lack of syndicated studies. The men's wear market is highly branded, with five or six major national brands earning revenues between Rs 1,000 and 4,000 crores, dominating the unbranded segment.

In contrast, the women's wear market is similar in size but predominantly unbranded. Few large national brands exist, yet the branded segment is growing faster due to rising brand awareness and financial independence among women. Our company holds a significant share in both markets, though specific figures are not available.

We aim to capitalise on the trend of women becoming more fashion-conscious and financially independent, driving growth in the branded women's wear market over the next 8-10 years. We are confident these strategies will achieve substantial growth in both men's and women's wear markets. 

Overall, Dixcy's established strong presence in smaller towns and Enamor's entry into largely unbranded markets position both brands well to capitalise on the growth opportunities in Bharat.

How receptive is Bharat to your brands?

Both Dixcy and Enamor are experiencing significant growth in Bharat, which includes smaller towns and rural areas in India. Dixcy, with sub-brands like Dixcy Slimz targeting various niches such as the economy women's segment, is already widely distributed in tier-two and three towns, maintaining a presence in tier-one cities as well. The growth in these smaller towns is driven by increasing media consumption through television, OTT platforms, and digital channels, which create demand even in areas without a physical presence. This demand is further supported by online orders from these regions.

Enamor, positioned as a mid-premium to premium brand in women's lingerie, has also seen notable growth in Bharat. Over the past five to six years, the increasing penetration of mobile and digital media in smaller towns has exposed consumers to similar media as in urban areas, leading to a surge in demand. Although high distribution costs pose a challenge to establishing a physical presence, the rise of online shopping allows Enamor to reach PIN codes without physical stores.

Additionally, the growth of e-commerce has significantly expanded market reach, allowing both brands to serve customers in areas where they lack physical stores. 

As P&G's L.V. Vaidyanathan joins Modenik, how is the company set for accelerated growth?

The company's long-term vision remains steadfast, emphasising continuity and stability. LV brings with him extensive experience from his 28-year tenure at P&G, renowned for his leadership in sales and business turnaround strategies. His addition promises significant value to our team, enhancing our capabilities and guiding us towards future success.

How have you strategised the growth plan for this year?

Our growth will be driven by strategically leveraging the brands across various channels, expanding the geographic footprint, and capitalising on India's economic growth. By focusing on these areas, we aim to achieve mid-teens growth and solidify our market position.

Our strategy includes tailoring communication to diverse markets and leveraging strengths to build a stronger presence. By focusing on areas where we already have a strong presence, we will use our learnings to expand into new regions and optimise our distribution networks.

Talking about communication, shed some light on your marketing strategy…

The advertising budget for this fiscal has gone up by around 25-30 percent over the last year. Our marketing strategy has evolved to prioritise consumer-centric approaches, adapting to shifts in consumer behavior and market dynamics.

Each brand's ad budget allocation reflects its target audience and market positioning. For Dixcy, we prioritise mass media, such as television and out-of-home advertising, to reach a broad audience. Despite the higher costs, digital advertising has grown with 20-25 percent of Dixcy's budget now allocated to digital media to enhance reach, especially in saturated markets like Uttar Pradesh.

For Enamor, a mid-premium to premium brand targeting a metro-centric and sophisticated audience, our focus is primarily on digital media. Almost all of Enamor's advertising is digital or out-of-home, with about 70-80 percent of the budget allocated to digital media. This approach leverages celebrity endorsements and targets high-traffic areas crucial for apparel and fashion brands.

What importance do marquee properties hold for your brands?

For Dixcy, marquee properties are crucial, targeting males aged 18 to 45 in SEC B and below segments, with a strong focus in Andhra Pradesh. We leverage blockbuster movies like 'Pushpa' for extensive visibility and engagement. Cricket, particularly through events like IPL and the T20 World Cup, also plays a significant role, supported by brand ambassadors Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mohammed Siraj. Meanwhile, Enamor enhances digital engagement and explores innovative digital properties.

How has the retail presence of the brands been growing? Heard quick-commerce has also become a significant channel?

Levi's innerwear sells through a strong presence on e-commerce, 350 exclusive brand outlets (EBOs) and multi-brand outlets (MBOs).

Dixcy is already well-distributed in tier-two and tier-three towns, with a well-established presence in tier-one cities. Its growth will come from expanding across various geographies.

Enamor spans four main channels: department stores, EBOs, online platforms, and MBOs, including small mom-and-pop stores and we see significant opportunities across all these channels. There are more than 70 EBOs for Enamor, and we should cross 100 this year.

One of our most successful recent initiatives is leveraging quick commerce. Initially focused on groceries and FMCG products, quick commerce is now expanding into new categories, including lingerie. Our early results on quick commerce platforms have been phenomenal, and we anticipate substantial growth from this channel. With the convenience of shopping and return policies, online sales are expected to continue growing.

In terms of sales, please share the revenue breakup between the offline and online channels?

Dixcy predominantly operates as an omnichannel business, with approximately 98 percent of sales from multi-brand outlets (MBOs) and online platforms, excluding department stores and exclusive brand stores. In contrast, Enamor's e-commerce segment constitutes a substantial 25 percent to 30 percent of our total business and is rapidly growing compared to offline channels.

Our increased investments in online channels are pivotal, given their rapid evolution. We prioritise leveraging technology and data-driven insights to enhance supply chain efficiency, utilising AI and predictive modeling for optimised inventory management across the network of 300 warehouses and beyond.

Also, while we explore AI/ML applications, their integration into our operations is still in early stages.

Read more:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/positive-budgetary-measures-to-push-brands-increase-advertising-spends-by-least-15-percent-to-tap-rural-demand-in-h2-37732.htm#google_vignette"> Positive budgetary measures for rural to increase advertising spends by 15 percent in H2</a>

How optimistic are you of rural revival? 

The recent period has presented significant challenges, particularly in the post-COVID environment, impacting FMCG sectors which have endured several challenging quarters. However, recent data shows signs of a turnaround. Factors such as a favourable monsoon, supportive budgetary measures, and increased liquidity are starting to alleviate stress, particularly in essential categories like basic consumer goods. Consumer behaviour, as noted by Alan Greenspan, often mirrors broader economic conditions, including in categories like men's underwear. Despite pressures such as down-trading and reduced consumption, optimistic signals of recovery are emerging, bolstered by stable inflation and supportive economic policies. Over the next three to four months, we anticipate a gradual demand revival, particularly in rural areas, buoyed by these positive developments.

The Union government defended the formation of a fact-checking unit (FCU) before the Bombay High Court on July 24, arguing that the right to receive factually correct information and the right not to be misled were just as vital as the right to free speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), as per reports.

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, the Editors Guild of India, and the Association of Indian Magazines have challenged the constitutionality of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023, which allow an FCU of the Union government to identify "fake, false, or misleading" online content "related to the business of the Central Government" and demand its removal, the report further stated.

Justice A.S. Chandurkar, the tie-breaker judge, is hearing arguments in the case after a Division Bench of the High Court issued a divided ruling on January 31, 2024.

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta of the Union government stated that the FCU will protect people against incorrect information.

"This strategy is the least restrictive method for combating fake, incorrect, and misleading information. Private companies and individuals have fact-checking teams, and the government is equally justified in giving correct information to the public. In many cases, the government serves as both arbiter and beneficiary, such as in property disputes. However, in this case, I do not act as an adjudicator. "My (government's) role is simply to identify and highlight instances of falsehood or misinformation," he explained.

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta of the Union government stated that the FCU will protect people against incorrect information.

The petitioners finished their argument.







Union govt defends formation of fact-checking unit before Bombay High Court

Rediffusion has announced the launch of Konjo, a specialist agency that will provide strategic thinking and brand support to new-age startups. The agency will be based in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi and will be overseen by Carol Goyal, Group Director. 

A full-time CEO for the agency has been identified and will join in October from his current assignment overseas.

Rediffusion in its 51 years of existence has been the birthplace of many famous brands like Maruti Suzuki, Airtel, Tata Sky, Colors TV, Lakme, Garden Varelli, Kaya Clinics, SBI Yono, Kingfisher Airlines and many more. Even brands like Pepsi, Canon, Casio, KFC and Revlon, were first launched in India by Rediffusion.

“Rediffusion was set up in 1973 by Diwan Arun Nanda, Ajit Balakrishnan and Mohd Khan as an Indian agency that would work with the growing tribe of local entrepreneurs and visionaries. That tradition has continued over the past five decades at the agency and we are proud to have been the birthplace of some of India’s most famous brands”, says Rediffusion Chairman, Dr. Sandeep Goyal. 

“Konjo will be a small but smart integrated communications agency that will work with startups in different stages of their brand journey,” he said.

Adds Carol Goyal, “Konjo was then the story of Dr. Goyal’s own entrepreneurial venture, Dentsu, which he launched, nurtured, and grew over nearly a decade. We are going to bring the same value systems, work culture, and strategic goodness to the clients of Konjo.”

Konjo will work on a remuneration system where it will participate in the equity value of its client brands. It will also examine possible investments in some of its client brands through direct equity.

“We have already signed up two clients and another two should sign up by next month when we will formally announce them”, concludes Carol Goyal.

Rediffusion launches specialist agency for start-ups - KONJO

Britain's Informa has reached a deal to buy Cannes Lions Festival owner Ascential for $1.6 billion, adding the flagship ad industry conference to its portfolio of events. Informa already has a number of its own experience-led, festival brands such as the Monaco Yacht Show, London Tech Week, and the Black Hat cyber security festival.

Informa said it would expand both events and accelerate growth, helped by its data platform and understanding of both the marketing and fintech sectors, according to a Reuters report.

It is said that Informa wants to extend money 20/20 into the Middle East and Africa, due to the region’s rapid growth and significant investment in financial technology, particularly around payments. This includes the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where Informa has established a joint venture partnership Tahaluf. 

Stephen A. Carter, Chief Executive, Informa, said that both companies delivered double-digit growth in the first half of this year and were confident about their prospects. "Powerful brands serving specialist markets are doing extremely well. e're not buying this business for cost reduction, we're buying this business for growth," he said.

Ascential reportedly employs around 700 people. The company's CEO, Philip Thomas said, “Informa is a highly respected business, famed for its expertise in B2B events, strong, ethical culture and commitment to innovation. This offer will not only deliver substantial value for our shareholders but also, together with Informa’s international footprint and extensive capabilities in data and analytics, will unlock further growth opportunities for our brands and our people.”

Cannes Lion owner Ascential agrees to sell to Informa for $1.5 billion

An MOU has been signed between Digital India Bhashini Division (DIBD) and New Media Wing (Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) to foster collaboration across language translation services.

Bhashini is government’s AI-powered language translation platform.

The collaboration would ensure translation into 12 languages and services would include text-to-text, text-to-speech, speech-to-text, audio localisation, live video/audio translation, and subtitling.

The New Media Wing's A.I.-driven communication hub will provide DIBD with datasets in text, audio, and video formats. The datasets will be utilised by DIBD to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and quality of its translation services. 

Additionally, DIBD will train AI models with these datasets to meet Ministry of I&B and Media Units' needs.

The collaboration also aims to develop advanced language translation and transliteration technologies, introducing innovative features and functionalities to existing systems. Further, both DIBD and NMW will establish rigorous quality assurance processes to identify and correct errors and inconsistencies throughout the translation process.

This strategic partnership is a step towards improving language translation services and ensuring high-quality communication in multiple languages across various media platforms.

Bhashini also translated Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget 2024 speech into Hindi in real-time on June 23.


Ashwini Vaishnaw gets I&B Ministry; retains MeitY and Railways ministry

Ashwini Vaishnaw has retained Railways ministry and MeitY. He has also been given the I&B Ministry.

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