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MSN, Mark Burnett enter partnership for ‘Rock Star: INXS’
MUMBAI: MSN and Mark Burnett Productions have entered a deal wherein MSN will be the official online home for Mark Burnett Productions’ upcoming reality series Rock Star: INXS in the US.
MSN will create content and sell advertising on the site, which will be available at http://rockstar.msn.com and accessible across the MSN network.
Launching in June, the MSN Rock Star: INXS site will extend and enhance the show for both the contestants and the audience by taking fans backstage and giving them a VIP rock star experience through video, content and communication tools from MSN Entertainment, MSN Video, MSN Music, MSN Spaces, MSN Messenger, MSN Alerts and MSN Shopping. The site will let people see up-close the talent and commitment it takes to become a rock star by bringing them virtually inside the competition.
Rock Star: INXS, which will air on CBS in the US this summer, is the ultimate aspiration television series: a competition aimed at finding a new lead singer for the multiplatinum band INXS. Each week, a contestant will be voted off the show by a combination of INXS band members, judges and audience members.
Fans who visit the official site for the series on MSN can do the following:
Get the latest information and gossip from the show
Relive contestants’ performances again and again on MSN Video and share them with friends
See exclusive content filmed specially for MSN
Download custom playlists from the contestants and INXS band members on MSN Music
Check out blogs on MSN Spaces from key members of the show
Chat with other fans to share thoughts about the show and support favorite contestants through MSN Messenger and MSN Spaces
Shop for official Rock Star: INXS merchandise on MSN Shopping
Take Rock Star: INXS polls and quizzes via the Encarta online encyclopedia.
Brand advertisers interested in the unique opportunity to reach a massive, highly engaged, cross-generational, 18- to 49-year-old target demographic — and all fans of rock n’ roll and reality TV — can advertise on the official MSN Rock Star: INXS site and within the multiple MSN services that Rock Star: INXS will leverage.
Ad opportunities on MSN for the site include 15 second or 30 second streaming video ads on MSN Video, and standard Universal Ad Package (UAP) ads on the MSN Rock Star: INXS site and throughout the MSN network.
“We’re excited to team up with MSN for this series because it gives us access to a massive online audience and multiple platforms to reach fans and build communities. In addition to offering exclusive video and music content, we can use interactive communications services like MSN Spaces and MSN Messenger to help fans develop an even deeper connection to the series,” said Mark Burnett.
“Mark Burnett is a rare talent, and we’re thrilled to be working with him on such an exciting project. By combining the creative excellence of Mark Burnett with the customer reach and technology expertise of MSN, we will deliver a dynamic site that lets people interact with the show and our advertisers’ brands in compelling ways,” said MSN Information Services and Merchant Platform senior vice president Yusuf Mehdi.
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Network18 reshuffles editorial leadership across platforms
Expanded roles and new reporting lines aim to sharpen focus on growth across digital, social, CTV and linear TV.
MUMBAI: Network18 is giving its leadership structure a fresh edit because in the fast-changing world of media, even the newsroom needs a compelling new headline. The company has announced expanded roles for its editorial leadership across social, digital, connected TV (CTV) and linear platforms. In an internal communication, Rahul Joshi, MD & Group Editor-in-Chief, outlined new reporting structures designed to drive stronger coordination and growth.
Smriti Mehra, S Shivakumar and Mitul Sangani will now report directly to Joshi. Ganesh Iyer and Abhinay Chauhan will continue reporting to him as well.
Prabhat Chatterjee, Business Head of Forbes, and Arun Thapar, President of Content & Communication for AETN-18, will report to Smriti Mehra and lead revenue growth, marketing and product initiatives. Mallika Nath Handa will spearhead the development and scaling of special projects, including new shows and non-linear properties, and will also report to Mehra.
Jayesh Gokalgandhi, CFO for AETN18, will report to Ramesh Damani. Sidharth Newatia, CRO-ILC, will report to Mitul Sangani and focus on expanding reach and revenue across Hindi and regional language markets, with special emphasis on Tier-II and Tier-III regions. Pankaj Soni, Head of Marketing-ILC, will report to Mitul and work functionally with Ganesh Iyer.
The branded content business of Moneycontrol has been consolidated with News18 Studio. Don Zarrar will now collaborate with Shiv in the News18 Studio business while continuing to head his existing Studio/Focus teams at Moneycontrol.
Pranav Bakshi has taken on additional responsibility for the international business, alongside continuing to lead growth in Connected TV and social platforms. Naveen Mathur, who oversees Revenue Management for Network18’s international business, will report to Pranav, who continues to report to Puneet Singhvi.
Rajesh Sharma (Head of Broadcast Technology & IT), Rahul Singh (Head of Events & Technical Operations) and Bhupender Bhardwaj (Head of IT Security) will now report to Puneet Singhvi. Darshil Parekh, Head of Sales Strategy, Planning & Ops, will work directly with Ramesh Damani and Rahul Joshi, while Stanley Cyril, who manages Digital Sales Operations, will report to Darshil.
Jitamitra Mohanty, who leads the viewer and audience-focused Research & Analytics function, will now work with Santosh Menon to convert data on reach and engagement into actionable insights for content strategy, product innovation and sustained viewership growth.
In a media landscape where platforms multiply faster than breaking news, Network18’s latest reshuffle is clearly aimed at keeping its editorial and business engines firing in sync. Expect sharper storytelling, stronger revenue plays, and a more agile approach across every screen that matters.
