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DD to pitch itself as attractive platform to push mid-level brands
NEW DELHI: Forget dominance in viewership; project the sort and quality of spending these viewers do. This is the message that TBWA Anthem has conveyed to India’s pubcaster Doordarshan that is attempting to come up with a brand building and revenue generation strategy to exploit the scenario that would unfold in a post-CAS regime.
The import of the advise is that nobody disputes the dominance in viewership of DD — the pubcaster through its 17-odd channels covers terrestrially almost 90 per cent of India’s population — but what needs to be projected is the type of audience that come on to watch the DD channels, especially the DD National and DD Metro channels.
The spending power of such audiences needs to be highlighted in the proper manner if DD is serious about maximizing its revenue, which just about managed to meet the annual target for the financial year ended 31 March, 2003.
TBWA Anthem, along with JWT, has been contracted by Doordarshan to spruce up its image and come out with a brand building strategy. The former will focus on the revenue generation part of the strategy, while JWT is supposed to look at the aspect of driving viewership. The two agencies are in the process of giving presentations to DD’s director-general SY Quraishi in Mumbai today.
It is also being sought to be impressed on DD by TBWA Anthem that the quality of spending and the areas DD viewers spend on need to be put across to advertisers and clients in an effective manner.
In this regard, it has been pointed out that Unilever’s Indian arm Hindustan Lever, the biggest spender on media in the country, has an array of products out of which it may like to advertise some of them on DD if the profiles of the viewers are available. HLL, for instance, may opt for the satellite channels with high-end premium products, but DD can be a better vehicle for a particular brand of soap aimed at middle class and lower middle class households. Especially if such products are targeted at rural and semi-urban areas of the country where satellite penetration is still in its infancy.
The two agencies will also help DD to launch a massive promotional campaign that will highlight the reach of DD, the quality of viewership and the reasons that make DD a better option, especially in a post-CAS scenario when it is expected that in the short term the viewership of pay channels will fall because of the need of a set-top box to access pay channels as mandated by the government.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
