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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a stern advisory to all private satellite TV channels, cautioning them against broadcasting live coverage of ongoing anti-terrorist operations. 

The move comes after several news channels were found airing extensive real-time footage of counter-terrorism efforts by security forces in the Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu on June 11 and 12, 2024.

In its latest advisory, dated June 12, the Ministry pointed out that such coverage poses serious national security risks and can potentially endanger the lives of both security personnel and civilians. 


Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/mib-launches-indiafightspropaganda-campaign-against-cross-border-misinformation-65204.htm">MIB launches #IndiaFightsPropaganda campaign against cross-border misinformation</a>


"Attention is invited to the anti-terrorist operations which are carried out by Security Forces in Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu. It has come to the notice of the Ministry that during ongoing anti-terrorist operations on 11.06.2024 and 12.06.2024 in Kathu & Doda Districts of Jammu, some News TV channels are carrying extensive coverage of these operations.

Ministry of I&B has already issued advisories to all TV channels in adherence to Rule 6(1)(p) of Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021. Rule 6(1)(p) in the cable service which contains live coverage of any anti-terrorist operation by security forces, wherein media coverage shall be restricted to periodic briefing by an officer designated by the appropriate Government, till such operation concludes," the advisory said.

The advisory reaffirms that live telecasts of such operations violate Rule 6(1)(p) of the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021, which expressly prohibits live coverage of anti-terrorist actions. As per the rule, only periodic briefings by designated government officers are permitted until the conclusion of such operations.


Read more:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/defence-ministry-urges-media-to-refrain-from-live-reporting-of-security-operations-65171.htm"> Defence Ministry urges media to refrain from live reporting of security operations</a>


The Ministry reiterated that violations of these rules could invite strict action. 

This is not the first time the ministry has raised concerns about live news broadcasts potentially compromising operational secrecy. The MIB has issued similar advisories in the past, especially during sensitive security situations such as the Pahalgam attack aftermath or major insurgency crackdowns in conflict-prone regions.

Govt warns news channels against live telecast of anti-terror ops in Jammu

The Maharashtra government has approved the establishment of a Media Monitoring Center to systematically track, analyze, and report news across print, electronic, social, and digital media. With a budget of ₹10 crore, the initiative aims to monitor news trends, fact-check misinformation, and provide real-time reports to enhance communication and governance. Various professional consulting firms specializing in media monitoring will be engaged to implement and operate the system.

According to the Government Resolution (GR) dated March 5 (a copy of which is with Storyboard18), the government has granted administrative and financial approval for the establishment and operation of a unified Media Monitoring Center. The center will scientifically monitor, analyze, and report news from electronic, social, and digital media, providing real-time updates through dashboards and mobile applications. A total estimated expenditure of ₹10 crore has been sanctioned for this initiative.

The Media Monitoring Center will be established as an independent initiative under the Directorate of Information and Public Relations. The plan will initially cover print, electronic, social, and digital media, including online news websites and news applications. In the next phase, additional media platforms may be included as needed.

The media monitoring cell will collect PDF clippings of important news articles from newspapers and categorize them as positive or negative, based on region, topic, and individual relevance. It will monitor electronic and digital media reports every hour and generate alerts on trends, viewpoints, and key topics.

Additionally, the team will summarize and analyze all media reports and generate region-wise, district-wise, and subject-wise reports. Officials will prepare daily, weekly, and monthly reports, as well as on-demand reports, providing integrated information through dashboards and mobile applications.

The media monitoring cell will also analyze public reactions and sentiments regarding government schemes and policies. It will identify and flag false, misleading, or potentially disruptive information circulated through media. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be used to systematically monitor and analyze media reports.

The GR further states, “The Directorate of Information and Public Relations will study the outcomes of media monitoring initiatives implemented in other states. If found beneficial, external expertise will be hired for optimized implementation, cost reduction, and system maintenance.”

The agencies responsible for setting up and operating the center will be selected through an e-tendering process for a one-year contract, extendable up to two years based on performance.

The required expenditure will be allocated under the Directorate of Information and Public Relations budget. Funds will be disbursed per government financial regulations and approvals from relevant departments.

Maharashtra govt sets up media watchdog, allocates Rs 10 crore

Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, has announced the launch of a new video editing app named Edits, positioned as a direct competitor to TikTok’s sister app, CapCut. The announcement comes amidst growing uncertainty surrounding ByteDance-owned platforms, with both TikTok and CapCut experiencing outages recently. Edits is currently available for preorder on the iOS App Store and is scheduled for release on 13 March 2025.

“There’s a lot going on right now, but no matter what happens, it’s our job to provide the best possible tools for creators,” Mosseri explained in a video posted on Instagram. He emphasised that Edits isn’t just a basic video editing tool but a “comprehensive suite of creative tools” aimed at empowering creators.

The app boasts an array of advanced features designed to cater to creators’ needs. It includes:

Inspiration Tab: A dedicated space for users to find creative ideas.
Idea Tracker: A feature to help creators organise and refine their early concepts.
Enhanced Camera: Offering higher-quality video capture for professional-grade content.
Advanced editing options include green screens, video overlays, and other tools commonly associated with TikTok’s editing ecosystem. Additionally, Edits allows creators to share drafts with friends and collaborators, promoting a more interactive and collaborative content creation process.

For Instagram users, Edits integrates seamlessly with the platform by providing advanced insights. These include:

A live performance dashboard.
Detailed engagement breakdowns, differentiating follower and non-follower interactions.
Metrics for tracking skip rates and other engagement analytics.
The launch of Edits signals Instagram’s commitment to supporting creators with cutting-edge tools, especially as competition in the content creation space continues to intensify.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/how-instagram-plans-to-lead-the-social-media-landscape-by-2025-53450.htm">Read more: How Instagram plans to lead the social media landscape by 2025</a>

Instagram unveils 'Edits': A new video editing app for creators

Even as social media platforms tighten the ropes around spreading of fake news, it continues to thrive. A survey released by communication consulting firm The 23 Watts, ‘Truth Be Told’ reveals that a whooping 91 percent believe that fake news can influence voting decisions. During national events like elections, 90 percent of the consensus experiences an increase in fake news and 59 percent fall trap to sensationalism, leading them to share fake news.

Some of the other key highlights from the report include the fact that approximately 66 percent of GenZ population relies on internet portals (YouTube, social media, messengers, online articles) for news consumption. 80 percent of the population alters their perceptions and opinions based on fake news influence and although 95 percent claim to authenticate news, 45 percent share unauthenticated news later found to be fake.

However only 29 percent of individuals authenticate information through fact-checking websites. 


Vijay Ganesan, former Director of Analytics and Data Strategy for Europe at Kantar, was also brought on board to verify the methodology used in the report. In a conversation with Storyboard18, Ganesan discusses patterns. 




These are some alarming statistics around fake news consumption among Delhi youth during elections -What do you think are the primary reasons behind this surge?

 
The significant spike in fake news consumption among Delhi youth during elections can be attributed to several primary reasons, as highlighted by the The 23 Watts report ‘Truth Be Told’.  At the onset, fake news targets and focuses on public figures, politics, and religion, or what we can say are topics of high interest and contention- thereby driving more conversations and shares. There is obviously an apparent lack of awareness and understanding on ways to fact check, with less than one-third of individuals relying on fact-checking websites for authentication. The majority may fall victim to false narratives perpetuated by sensationalized news (14 percent) and emotional biases (20 percent). 
 

Secondly, the report indicates that a considerable portion (27 percent) of people find news verification tedious and lack time for it. This time constraint coupled with the ease of sharing information on social media platforms can lead to the dissemination of unauthenticated news, even among those who claim to authenticate news (95 percent).   Additionally, the reliance on social media and messaging apps for news consumption, particularly among young people in Delhi (66 percent), exacerbates the issue. These platforms often lack rigorous fact-checking mechanisms, making it easier for false information to spread rapidly.   




The report indicates that 91 percent of respondents believe fake news influences voting patterns. What measures do you think should be taken to mitigate this influence and ensure informed decision-making among voters?
 



Addressing the influence of fake news on voting patterns is crucial for maintaining the integrity of democratic processes. Several measures could be taken to mitigate this influence. One such measure is media literacy. 
Since the accessibility of social media and the internet is just a click away, I feel it should be ideal starting at an early age.  We can make aware and empower individuals to critically evaluate information sources, distinguish between credible and unreliable sources, and recognise manipulation techniques used in fake news, such as tone of sensationalism or lack of significant digital footprint.



When the report asked our respondents how they identify fake news, the majority answered that they use fact-checking websites. Therefore, another effective approach could be fact-checking initiatives, such as supporting and promoting fact-checking organizations. These initiatives help debunk misinformation and provide accurate information to the public.  With that being said, nearly 89 percent believe that not enough initiatives are being taken to prevent fake news and here is where the government needs to provide a safer cyber experience for a population that tends to believe what they see. We should acknowledge these insights as a call for stricter regulations and policies for social media and content shared online.  

I believe that taking small steps towards awareness can make a huge difference. 



With 80 percent of respondents admitting to altering their opinions based on fake news, what role do you see for media literacy education in addressing this challenge among the younger generation?

 
Media literacy education plays a pivotal role in addressing the challenge of fake news among the younger generation, especially considering the alarming statistic that 80 percent of respondents admit to altering their opinions based on fake news. By integrating media literacy education into school curricula from an early age, we can empower young people to critically analyse information sources, discern between credible and unreliable sources, and recognise manipulation tactics employed in fake news.

 Additionally, media literacy education can equip students with the skills to navigate the complexities of the digital landscape responsibly. They can learn how to fact-check information using reliable sources, understand the implications of sharing misinformation, and become more discerning consumers of media. By creating a mindset of being digitally “woke” through media literacy, we can significantly reduce the susceptibility to fake news. 


 

Given that only 29 percent of individuals authenticate information through fact-checking websites, what strategies can be implemented to promote fact-checking behaviour among young people?

 As mentioned earlier, media literacy is paramount. It's crucial to promote and make fact-checking tools easily accessible. In today's digital age, institutions need to equip young people with the means to access accurate information. Encouraging them to bookmark reliable fact-checking sites and integrate them into their daily information consumption habits is essential.   


Moreover, social media platforms should integrate features that encourage fact-checking, such as pop-up notifications prompting users to verify information before sharing or highlighting fact-checked articles in news feeds.


 
Another way could be to make it mandatory for educational institutions to integrate fact-checking initiatives into existing programs. This could involve guest lectures from one of the fact-checking websites or from the PIB Fact Checking Unit, collaborative projects, or student-led campaigns to promote fact-checking awareness on campus.

 
To promote fact-checking among young people, we can start by running government-supported awareness campaigns about its importance. These campaigns should target youth through schools and social media. Also, partnerships between government, companies, and schools can help expand fact-checking efforts. It's essential to teach fact-checking skills in schools so that young people learn to spot fake news. These steps can help young people become better at telling truth from misinformation and curb the spread of fake news
 



Considering that 59 percent of respondents admit to falling prey to sensationalism and sharing fake news, how can social media platforms be better regulated to prevent the dissemination of false information?

 
To stop fake news on social media, platforms can do a few things. Regularisation of how they check and remove fake news by using better technology and more people can definitely. Working with fact-checkers can help label fake news. Platforms should also be clear about how they decide what shows up in feeds. Teaching users about spotting fake news and making rules stricter for verified accounts can help too. Platforms need to work with regulators to make sure they're responsible for what's shared.


 

In your opinion, what role do stakeholders, including tech companies, media organisations, and educational institutions, play in addressing the fake news epidemic among the youth population?


 
It is about challenging a notion. Everyone has a part to play in tackling the spread of fake news, especially among young people. Tech companies need to step up and create better tools to spot and stop false information from spreading online. They can team up with fact-checkers to flag fake news and make sure it doesn't get seen by too many people.  Media outlets also have a massive influence. They need to focus on telling the truth and showing where their information comes from. Fact-checking should be a top priority to fight against fake news. And let's not forget about schools! They play a crucial role in teaching students how to think critically about the news they see online. By giving young people the skills to tell fact from fiction, schools help them become smarter consumers of media.

91 percent believe fake news affects voting, yet many share unauthenticated news: Survey

Shares of Patanjali Foods Ltd fell over 3 percent in early trade on February 28, despite the company clarifying through an exchange filing on February 27 that the Supreme Court's observation of "misleading advertisements" over some of the products sold by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd will not affect its business as it is a separate listed entity, as per a Moneycontrol report. 

Shares of Patanjali Foods have gained over 3 percent in a month and nearly 30 percent in six months. At 9.23am, shares of Patanjali Foods traded 2.5 percent lower at Rs 1581.80, marking its third day of decline, the report further stated.

"The observations do not have any bearing on the regular business operations or the financial performance of Patanjali Foods," the company informed exchanges.

An apex court bench had issued a show-cause notice to Patanjali Ayurved, co-founded by yoga guru Ramdev, and managing director Balakrishna for going back on their promise to not make "misleading claims" in advertisements for its medicines.

In November 2023, the Supreme Court reprimanded Patanjali Ayurved for continuing to publish misleading claims and advertisements against modern medicine.

The Supreme Court was hearing a writ petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) over misleading advertisements by certain companies.

Following this, the court directed Patanjali Ayurved to not publish misleading advertisements in the future and also to not make any casual statements about it in the press.


In December quarter, Patanjali Foods' standalone net profit declined to Rs 216.54 crore from Rs 254.54 crore in the September quarter. The company saw its revenue from operations rise to Rs 7,910.70 crore in the December quarter from Rs 7,821.89 crore in the quarter ago period.





Patanjali Foods shares fell over 3 percent; despite 'no threat' assurance following SC crackdown on Patanjali Ayurved

The longstanding debate on the rolling and unrolling of data for news channel viewership may be nearing resolution as the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) board gears up for a crucial meeting with officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on December 19.

People close to the development said there are two focal points for the upcoming discussion. First on the agenda is the unrolling of data, a move that would grant broadcasters access to weekly viewership data for the news genre. The second item slated for deliberation is the potential expansion of panel homes.

Towards the end of November, the MIB allowed BARC to discard the four-week rolling average data system for news ratings. Initially implemented after a 17-month hiatus due to the alleged TRP scam the move was opposed by some broadcasters. Soon after, MIB urged BARC to maintain the status quo, promptly splitting the stakeholders in the broadcasting industry into.

This split stakeholders in the broadcasting industry into two camps, those favouring weekly data and those supporting the four-week rolling data.

The upcoming meeting is anticipated to see a resolution from the MIB.

As for increasing panel homes, BARC recently increased the sample size by about 25,000 and presently has a 55000 homes panel. They are also committed to add more as per government guidelines.

In an earlier interview with Storyboard18, Shashi Sinha, chairman of BARC India had explained how it works.


“To start with, BARC is a very robust currency but there are certain smaller segments like the news genre where the sample is very small so the chances of variations are very high and increasing the panel homes reduces that. This kind of sample size reduces infiltrations of any sort,” he had said.

There is another rule in the guidelines issued by the ministry that says 25 percent of the panel homes should be rotated every year. The rotation is to be done such that older panel homes are removed first while maintaining the representativeness of the panel. This rotation is expected to be achieved in a staggered manner by rotating panel homes every month. All of this helps in better and fairer measurement of data.

Debate on news data may soon conclude as BARC meets MIB on Dec 19

The print industry is gradually shaking off the post-Covid lull, showing a significant boost in ad volumes during the first half of 2023 (January to June), amid subdued performance by the TV sector. 

 According to the latest report from TAM, ad space per publication in print saw a 43 percent growth compared to the first half of 2021 and a 5 percent increase over the same period in 2022.

Experts suggest that advertisers are boosting their festive ad budgets for print by up to 15 per cent.

TAM's report also highlights a striking trend in the advertising landscape. Between January and June 2023, a total of 51,000 advertisers with 67,000 brands exclusively advertised in print as compared to the corresponding period last year.

According to Sujata Dwibedy, chief investment and trading officer, Amplifi, the supply-side management platform of dentsu, with no readership survey for print, it is difficult to prove numbers. However, trends in the usual sectors remained steady, she said.

“For instance, the first quarter does see BFSI and Auto in addition to CPG (consumer packaged goods) and e-commerce which are the lead spend categories, growing,” Dwibedy added.

While World Cup and other big-ticket events will be a spending booster for H2, it is primarily the festive season that will add significantly to AdEx, said Dwibedy.

According to her, the festive season leads to a lot of activations in print and large-format ads for announcements and promos. “Some of the clients advertise only around the festivals! Even without the larger properties, the ad expenditure sees a higher share of spends in the second half,” she said.


Advertiser and brand breakdown

As per TAM numbers for the first half of the year, the top sectors dominating the print advertising landscape in the first half of 2023 came from diverse interests. The education sector claimed the lead with a substantial 19 percent share, emphasising its commitment to reaching a wide audience. Following closely, services and auto industries secured the second and third positions with 16 percent and 11 percent stakes, respectively.

Meanwhile, retail and banking/finance/investment sectors held strong at 8 percent each. The rest in the top 10 included personal accessories at 6 percent, personal healthcare at 5 percent, and food & beverages, as well as durables each claiming a 4 percent share and personal care/personal hygiene contributing 2 percent.

In terms of leading advertisers, the top 10 advertisers contributed 13 percent share of ad space in print. Maruti Suzuki India secured the lead with a strong presence, followed by SBS Biotech, Reliance Retail, LIC of India, and Hero Motocorp, each making noteworthy contributions. Think & Learn, Titan Company, MG Motor India, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India and Allen Career Institute also made their mark. Allen Career Institute held its position among the leading advertisers, reflecting the dynamic landscape of print advertising's key players.


What worked for advertisers?

Maruti Suzuki India which topped the advertisers list is equally excited about the second half of the year to leverage the medium’s reach and create recall.

Shashank Srivastava, senior executive director-marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki India, explained how print works for the brand.

“Our print advertising strategy encompasses four primary categories. Firstly, we announce new launches; secondly, we take up sustenance advertising for existing brands, thirdly, we engage in tactical advertising, often tied to seasonal themes. Lastly, we conduct corporate branding efforts,” he said.

“In the first half of this year, we went heavy with advertising related to new launches because we had three major launches which included the Fronx, Invicto and Jimny. These campaigns print extensive ads for maximum reach. Moving forward, our advertising budget in the second half will remain consistent but a larger portion will be allocated to festive tactical advertising. Our focus will be on creating engaging conversations and amplifying recall across all regional markets,” Srivastava said.

Chirag Shah, vice president, Madison Media Sigma, a media planning and buying firm, also highlighted how the regional markets performed well in the first quarter.

According to him, regional genres, specifically Maharashtra and West Bengal, saw significant growth in ad volumes in H1 2023 over the same period last year.

His expectation is that advertising and consumer promotion expenditure will see a significant surge in the second half of 2023. “It will be spurred by factors such as inflationary pressure cooling off, marquee cricketing events like Asia Cup and ICC World Cup coming up in H2,” he said.

 
The print publisher’s take

Satyajit Sengupta, chief corporate sales and marketing officer, DB Corp Ltd, said the first half of the year has been encouraging for the brand with double-digit growth in advertising revenue.

 “Almost all verticals have shown strong growth. Education, real estate, jewellery, health sector, automobiles and BFSI, all strong print categories have been growing over the last year. We are already talking to our advertisers regarding festive plans and budgets are going to be up in most cases to the tune of 10-15 percent,” Sengupta said.

 Like most marketers, Sengupta also believes this year's robust cricket calendar with the Asia Cup and One Day World Cup would fuel advertising.

 “We also have state elections in the large states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. So we have got our hands full. We can see that advertisers are increasingly gravitating back towards print,” he added.

Print advertising gains momentum in H1 2023; brands seen boosting festive ad budgets by up to 15%

News18 India has done it again. With a 14.3% market share, the channel is again in the number one position in the HSM market in the Week 34-Week 37 period. The market share has also shown growth between Week 33 and Week 37. Between Week 33 and 36, News18 India had a market share of 14.1%.

Competition numbers are still way behind that of News18 India. TV9 Bharatvarsh, Aaj Tak, India TV and Republic Bharat clocked a market share of 11.7%, 11.4%, 11.1% and 10.5% respectively in Week 34-37. In fact, Aaj Tak and Republic Bharat also showed a drop in market share between Week 33-Week 37. 

<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/WhatsApp-Image-2022-09-22-at-12.12.19-PM.jpeg" alt="" width="412" height="341" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2198" />

 In the 1800-2400hrs, TG 15+ HSM (Week 37, All days) market, News18 had a 14.8% market share. The others in the top five in order of rankings were TV Bharatvarsh, Republic Bharat, India TV and Aaj Tak. The channels had market shares of 12.1%, 11.7%, 11.7% and 11.5% respectively. 

<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/WhatsApp-Image-2022-09-22-at-12.12.19-PM-1.jpeg" alt="" width="931" height="477" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2200" />

 In terms of cumulative reach too, News18 India topped the charts. In the HSM- Urban + Rural, the channel’s reach touched 88447000, way above the second ranking channel TV9 Bharatvarsh that stood at 67914000.Aaj Tak, India TV and Republic Bharat were the other channels in the top five list.

<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/WhatsApp-Image-2022-09-22-at-12.12.19-PM-2.jpeg" alt="" width="960" height="1024" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2199" />

The return of ratings has been a big relief for the industry, experts said.

“It always helps to have the measurement mechanism for decision making. Ratings form the basis on which decisions on channel selection and spends are made,” said Amol Dighe, CEO, Investments and Business Development, Madison Media, in a separate interview with Storyboard18 as part of our Media Mavens series.

Dighe says they saw a change in the pecking order of news channels with the return of the ratings in the genre. “ Some channels dropped in ratings while some channels saw an increase in their ratings. We are still seeing a fluctuation. As buyers, this needs to be keenly watched and deals will be dynamic till this settles down,” he adds.

News18 India leads the show yet again

News18 India is at an all-time high when it comes to market share. As per the latest BARC data, News18’s average market share in the HSM-Urban + Rural Market stands at 14.1% between week 33 and week 36. Others in the top five list in the same category are far behind. Aaj Tak, TV9 Bharatvarsh, India TV and Republic Bharat clocked a market share of 11.8%, 11.5%, 11% and 10.6% respectively in the same period.

<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/g2.png" alt="" width="375" height="375" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2060" />

The network’s English offering, CNN News18, has also been on a growth trajectory ever since BARC ratings in the news genre resumed in March this year. In the All India (Urban + Rural), AB15+ category, CNN News18 saw a 2.2% jump in their average market share between the periods of week 33-35 and week 33- 36. The channel holds a 33.4% market share, leaving behind Republic TV at 25.9%, Times Now at 22.5% and India Today Television at 10.0%.

<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/h2.png" alt="" width="439" height="260" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2061" />

While ratings have brought more perspective for marketers interested in the genre, investments in news never stopped, said Jai Lala, Chief Executive Officer, Zenith in a separate interview with Storyboard18 as part of our Media Mavens series. Lala says there is a school of marketer that believes in perception planning but there is another group that swear by GRPs and TRPs. 

“It's a complete scientific way of planning. These channels go completely by the BARC data. So basically it is data-driven planning. Either way the good part is investments in news never went off the charts and it continues to be an important genre for advertisers,” Lala said.

Lala also highlights the fact that shuffling of rankings have led to change in ad rates too. “Channels that fell from the top ratings had a hard time holding on to the rates they sold inventory for before the blackout period and channels that climbed the chart obviously had new rates,” he said.

News18 widens lead over competition between Week 33-36

Note to readers: Media Mavens is a new Storyboard18 series featuring media investment firms and power players - the X-Women and X-Men who make the big calls on how and where to spend advertisers' money. This is a peek into their minds - how they work in a dynamic landscape, the next big trends they’re watching for, insights into what advertisers need today, the disruptions driving change and the factors driving their decisions. Watch this space for all that and more.

Media planning has a pre-pandemic and post-pandemic phase. The rules of planning and buying that were a hit two years back are redundant now. Brands are no longer following a yearbook with scheduled spends for particular seasons and planners are motivating them to be proactive and ready all year long.  

“Marketers have realized that there is no particular season for advertising,” says Jai Lala, chief executive officer, Zenith. According to Lala a lot has changed after the pandemic when it comes to advertising. And it's not just ad rates.

Read on

Festive season is round the corner and we can already see fresh campaigns from a lot of brands. What are your observations in terms of spending patterns?

It is safe to say that things are all getting back to normal in terms of the pandemic but there are certain other concerns that impact the overall business ecosystem globally. The Ukraine-Russia war and the existing condition of the global markets, which I wouldn’t call a recession, but the impact of the market movement is having repercussions in India.

While people say things like how the next decade belongs to India, there are certain pullbacks that are happening. The pull backs are happening on two points. There are certain inflationary trends which are happening with commodity prices going up and that is impacting the FMCG players who are seeing a ripple effect of that. This is holding them from spending the kind of money we expected they’d spend around the season. 

Secondly, a lot of VC funding has been restricted. Unlike the beginning of the year or the last year where we saw a lot of new companies putting in a lot of money on advertising and celebrities, we are seeing a little pullback. 

So, coming back to the festive season, there will definitely be growth in spending if we compare it to the previous months but my personal prediction is that we won't see a boom like last year. It will be a little restricted.

However, there is no denying that brands especially in some categories like automobiles who have launches lined up during the season will be spending on impact.



<blockquote>In pre-pandemic times, we were going as per a January to December plan where we’d advertise in the first quarter, go slow in the second and make a comeback and so on and so forth. This pattern in planning went for a complete toss.</blockquote>



There is a lot of cricket coinciding with the festive season. Is it a favorable situation to have the festive period and cricket which is, in a way, a festival in itself, overlapping?

It is definitely a plus. There are more brands that are ready to spend and our observation in the last seven to nine years is that this is a period where there is some sort of cricket going on. Be it a bilateral series or the World Cup or any other series. Mentally we'll have to be prepared that there will be cricket around the festive period and also the fact that there is an opportunity in that and it can be cashed on. So, brands have also started thinking on that line.

The last two years have changed a lot of rules in the marketing and advertising playbook. What are the changes that you think the industry will stick to?

From a marketing standpoint what has happened during the pandemic was that there was a period where everything was shut down followed by a time when things opened up suddenly. So marketers also went from sitting quietly in the lockdown to getting ready to advertise when things started opening. 
What we were doing in the pre-pandemic time was that we were going as per a January to December plan where we’d advertise in the first quarter then go slow in the second and then make a comeback and so on and so forth. 

This pattern in planning went for a complete toss. 

Last year, when the pandemic went low during June-July, a lot of categories came back because they saw an open window which was an opportunity for them. They thought they should be reaching out to their consumers in that period. The June-July period is otherwise a slow period especially for categories like auto. So what the pandemic has done is that it has all of us on our toes. 

We have to be ready all the time. Marketers have realized that there is no particular season for advertising and you can plan your campaigns at any given point of time. The ecosystem has now built itself up in a way that you can plan campaigns in a shorter span of time. Being ready and being proactive is something that has happened for marketers and the trend will stay on.

From a consumer standpoint a lot of viewership has shifted to digital viewership and that continues to remain because it's created a habit. So, there has been a shift from TV. There has been co-viewing which has gone up a lot and connected TV has become very popular. Next is the growth of e-commerce. The pandemic has amplified the expected growth. So all these three changes are here to stay and our planning is now based on these three facets.   



<blockquote>We have to be ready all the time. Marketers have realized that there is no particular season for advertising and you can plan your campaigns at any given point of time. The ecosystem has now built itself up in a way that you can plan campaigns in a shorter span of time.</blockquote>



Digital is growing at a fast pace and everything in the marketing ecosystem is changing around it. How have traditional marketers coped? And how has the role of the planner changed with the addition of digital on every brand’s marketing mandate over the years?

The attitude towards digital has changed dramatically. I would confidently say that there isn’t any advertiser who's looking at digital marketing spends as a complimentary spend. TV has its reach and is not dying but the investment on digital is on an upswing across all categories. A lot of TV heavy brands have now made digital as a key component of their plan.

Coming to the role of a planner, Indian is a complex market with so many different regions, languages, cultures. Planning in India is like planning for Europe. There is no 'one plan that fits all' kinds of shortcuts here. So we are constantly learning and we are trying because the knowledge that was relevant three years back might be completely redundant now. It is an ever evolving job that requires a lot of training. If you are living in a cocoon that you are a TV planner or a digital planner, you must come out of it. Everything is integrated. The planners who are on top of it are the best planners. 

Speaking about the News genre, it’s been six months since BARC ratings have returned. Do you see a change in investments in the genre with the return of ratings?

Investments in news never stopped. There are two schools of thought when it comes to clients. The first set are the ones who believe in GRPs and TRPs. It's a complete scientific way of planning. These channels go completely by the BARC data. So basically it is data-driven planning. The other school of thought believes in something we call perception planning where they also believe in the live data they collect on ground, from trade partners and others and that influences their decision and not just ratings. So we have a very frank discussion with our clients and we plan accordingly. Either way the good part is investments in news never went off the charts and it continues to be an important genre.

When the ratings returned we saw a lot of shuffling in rankings. How did that impact ad rates?

Just because ratings were not there doesn’t mean consumers were not watching. It’s just that there was no measurement. As for shuffling of rankings, obviously there have been changes in ad rates too. Channels that fell from the top ratings had a hard time holding on to the rates they sold inventory for before the blackout period and channels that climbed the chart obviously had new rates.

What would you say are the big trends to watch out for?

We keep pushing clients to spend money on connected TV because it’s definitely going to grow. There is so much good content on digital, people would want to watch it on a large screen. So that is one big change.

The other change is moving away from a planned calendar. Digital is the space to watch out for. The last two years have been very difficult for the industry and now is the time of stabilization. Overall as a medium digital is on a growth trajectory but we will not see any drastic changes in the next two years where digital will become 70 percent of an ad plan. It will hover around the existing 35-40 percent for the next couple of years till we see the next bout of growth.

NEWS