MAM
Promos & Programming are heart & soul of television channels: Raj Nayak
MUMBAI: Colors CEO Raj Nayak opened the PromaxBDA India 2016 Conference highlighting the ever growing importance of promos for shows on channels.
Starting on a lighter note, Nayak said, “I have noticed a few changes compared to last year and biggest change that I have seen in the industry is that the time is fleeting. It feels like it was just like just yesterday when I spoke at the last PromaxBDA.
Giving insights into how the industry had changed over the years, Nayak said, “Today you have to create promos that tell a story within 20 to 60 seconds. With every passing day the competition is getting more aggressive, more and more channels are launching, more and more shows are being launched. Therefore, there are so many promos to run in lesser time, which makes the job even more challenging.”
Nayak said that earlier even promos were creatively brilliant. The amount of exposure they got on TV made sure that they stuck in the consumers mind, but today that luxury no longer existed. “In fact the biggest problem that we face in Colors is we don’t have enough promo time on our own channel and we go and spend millions of dollars buying promo time outside the network for that’s the kind of money we spent to promote our shows,” while stressing the importance of promos.
Nayak shared that at one point of time in the television industry, though the promo department was an important department for the channel, in terms of hierarchy, it always came after the programming department. He said, “It was always seen as the support function but that concept has changed now. Programming and promo departments could be defined as the heart and soul of a television channel. One doesn’t know which one to call the heart and which one to call the soul. At Colors we believe that both of them are equally important in today’s time.”
Nayak said that in the past unless it was big ticket shows like Fear Factor, India’s Got Talent, Kaun Banega Crorepati and Indian Idol, channels never spent money on producing or shooting promos separately for their other shows. He observed that that thinking had changed now. “I think now even for fiction shows channels shoot promos, sometimes before the channel has even started casting for them. At Colors, we shot the promos for our show Ashoka Chakravartin Samrat six month before launching it. Also, for Naagin, we shoot the promo with dummy actors before finalizing the cast,” Nayak shared.
This was the fourth consecutive year that Nayak had donned the role of chairperson for PromaxBDA India 2016. The PromaxBDA India 2016 conference programme ran over two days. The first day or ‘Boot Camp’ schedule comprised of workshops’ on promos, branding, marketing including news marketing and animation.
The second day of the conference or ‘Master Class’ schedule comprised of speakers sharing their knowledge and a panel discussion. The day culminated with an awards function.
Lee Hunt LLC founder Lee Hunt who made two keynote addresses. Lee’s opening keynote was ‘Dynamic Branding’, while his second keynote scheduled for the post lunch session as a closing keynote was titled ‘Death of the Channel Brand’. Other sessions included ‘The next generation of Viewer Connection’ by 602 Communications president Graeme Newell and ‘Creativity is An Option: Fake It Till You Make It’ by SBS Belgium creative director Steve Brouwers.
Lunch was followed a panel discussion – ‘Panel Session: State of Our Art’ moderated by creative director and co-founder of Dynamite Design Sheetal Sudhir. The panellists were The 120 Media Collective & Sooperfly founder and CEO Roopak Saluja and Studio Eeksaurus founder and creative director Suresh Eriyat.
Like every year, PromaxBDA India 2016 has encouraged marketing professionals to send in their best work for the opportunity of being recognized at the PromaxBDA Awards in the midst of the best in the business. PromaxBDA represents more than 10,000 companies and promotion and marketing professionals at every major media organization.
When you plan to buy medical insurance for your family, the first question is often about savings. You may assume that buying online automatically means paying less, but that is only part of the picture. The real issue is not just whether the premium looks lower, but whether the policy gives you suitable family health insurance without adding avoidable costs later.
Buying online can sometimes appear more budget-friendly because you can compare plans, review features, and complete the process without depending entirely on offline assistance.
Still, a lower visible price does not always mean better value. To understand whether you can truly save more, you need to look at the full buying experience and the policy terms together.
Why Online Purchase Can Look More Economical
When you explore family health insurance online, you usually get access to plan details in a more direct and organised way. This can make the buying journey feel simpler and more transparent.
A few reasons online purchases may seem cost-effective include:
● Easier comparison of policy features
● Direct access to premium details
● The ability to review inclusions and exclusions at your own pace
● Fewer chances of making a rushed decision
● More control over the plan selection process
This does not mean every online option is automatically cheaper. It simply means the online route may help you assess choices more carefully, and that itself can influence how much value you get from the policy you choose.
Saving Money is Not Only About a Lower Premium
A lower premium often catches your attention first, but that should not be the only measure of savings. If you buy medical insurance based only on what looks affordable at the start, you may overlook conditions that matter later.
A family health insurance policy should be judged on overall value, including:
● The scope of cover
● Waiting period terms
● Exclusions
● Room eligibility conditions
● Sub-limits, if any
● Claim-related terms
● Renewal conditions
If the premium is lower but the policy has stricter internal conditions, the apparent saving may not feel meaningful when you actually need hospitalisation support.
So, the better question is not only whether online purchase costs less, but whether it helps you select a plan that remains financially sensible over time.
Comparing Plans Online Can Prevent Overspending
One clear advantage of the online route is that it allows you to compare different options without pressure. This can help you avoid paying for features you may not need or missing features that matter for your family.
Before you buy medical insurance online, look closely at:
● Who can be covered under the plan
● How the sum insured works for the family
● Whether day care procedures are included
● How pre-existing illness rules are explained
● Whether add-ons are optional or built in
● How clearly the policy wording is presented
This level of comparison can support better decision-making. In many cases, savings come not only from the premium itself but from choosing a policy with fewer surprises.
Online Discounts Should be Viewed Carefully
Online discounts can make a plan look attractive, but they should always be read alongside the policy details. A discount may reduce the upfront cost, yet the true worth of the policy depends on what it covers and how it responds during a claim.
When reviewing discounted online plans, check whether the policy has:
● Treatment-specific limits
● Room rent restrictions
● Co-payment clauses
● Disease-wise waiting periods
● Claim deductions linked to the hospital category
● Limited cover for selected benefits
These points are important because a policy that looks cheaper at purchase may involve more out-of-pocket spending later. That is why discount-led buying should be replaced with detail-led buying.
Final Thoughts
Yes, buying online can sometimes help you save more when choosing family health insurance, but only if you look beyond the headline price. The online route may give you better visibility, easier comparison, and more time to review the policy terms.
That can support smarter choices and may reduce the chances of paying for a plan that does not suit your family well.
If you want to buy medical insurance online, treat savings as more than a discount. The real advantage lies in choosing family health insurance that balances affordability, clarity, and meaningful coverage for your household.
