MAM
Bollywood frenzy catapults Star Plus to top in digital homes too
MUMBAI: Star Plus ended rival Colors’ six-week run as the top Hindi general entertainment television channel in digital homes in the first week of 2013, riding high on the Bollywood obsession among Indians.
The telecast of Big Star Entertainment Awards, an annual event that honours the chosen best in Bollywood, for three-and-a-half hours on the New Year‘s eve helped Star Plus displace Colors from the No. 1 position in digital homes. Star Plus enjoys a leading position in the overall market (including both digital and analogue television homes).
In the first week of the new year ended 5 January, Star Plus notched 275 GRPs (up from 225 in the 52nd week of 2012) with 44 of those contributed by just the Bollywood awards show, according to TAM Media Research data sourced from a television channel. In the overall market, the Bollywood awards show garnered 41 GRPs. It helped Star Plus widen its lead to 34 GRPs from 7 GRPs in the 52nd week of 2012 against its immediate rival Colors, which remained in the second position.
Star Plus GM Nachiket Pantvaidya said, “It is indeed heartening to see a brilliant response from our viewers (to the Big Star Entertainment Awards show).”
In fact, Star Plus regained the top position in digital market (HSM, 4+) after a gap of seven weeks since the first week of November 2011. Apart from the previous six weeks where Colors was at the top, Zee had occupied the top position in week 46. In week 44 and 45, Star Plus was at the number one position in digital market, as it was in the overall market.
The government had mandated complete switchover to digital delivery of television channels in the top four metros from 1 November but the adoption of digitisation has happened almost fully in Mumbai and Delhi and to a great extent in Kolkata. Chennai is lagging far behind and is caught in a legal hurdle in the Madras High Court.
Colors could add just three GRPs (gross rating points) to gross 245 GRPs in the first week of 2013 (previous week 242 GRPs). The Viavom18 channel had aired Colors’ Golden Petal Awards, the channel’s in-house awards function, which notched 4.56 TVR in the digital market, same as in C&S market. The Golden Petals Awards contributed 32 GRPs to its total GRPs in the first week.
Colors CEO Raj Nayak had, on being consistently at the top in the digital market for several weeks, said, “….With the digitisation completed in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata (to a lesser extent though), these three markets put together contribute to a large proportion of the digital universe weightage. Hence, a strong base (of Colors) in the markets of Mumbai and Delhi helps.”
Sony Entertainment Television (Set) lost 22 GRPs in the digital market to end the first week with 188 GRPs while Zee TV followed with 183 GRPs (previous week 177).
Following Zee TV is Sab with 143 GRPs (previous week 149) and Life OK with 95 GRPs (previous week 105).
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
