GECs
CHANNEL V RESTRUCTURES ITSELF; ADAPTS A DIFFERENT STRATEGY; CALLS OFF AWARDS
Channel V has adapted a new strategy to lead the market (or is it for survival?). The earlier confused channel will now refocus itself and concentrate on more businesess including the Internet, radio and merchandising. The channel will make a foray in the radio arena through FM radio. It has not ruled out Internet radio as another platform.
The emptying coffers of the channel has forced it to restructure its activities and adapt an agressive marketing approach to lure advertisors. It has drawn a three-point revenue plan – “e-commerce, merchandising and syndication”.
The channel will enter the merchandising business and is in talks with distributors for the same. It is in the process of designing ad campaigns for this business stream. The rival channel MTV has already finalised its merchandising plans.
[V] will not ignore the WWW. It’s website www.vindia.com recently won the “Best Indian Website of the Year” award at the Abby 2000 awards ceremony. Abby 2000 is hosted by the Advertisers’ Club of Mumbai. The youth channel will acquire portals and enter the broadband arena. It plans to an create online youth channel. It will also webcast tailor-made programmes specially for the Internet.
Channel V has decided to rectify the earlier mistake of ignoring ground-level activities. Ground-level events are a major focus. In the coming academic year, the channel will reach out the youth at college campuses in the urban and semi-urban areas all over the country. It has also lined up a series of road shows. It will concetrate on more semi-urban areas. It has already tied up with a discotheque in Kolhapur!
It plans to export television software to US and European countries where “India” is hot and Indians are in plenty. It will also focus on the neighbouring markets including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh where there are a lot of Hindi-speaking population.
The drying pockets has made the channel cancel the 1999 Channel V awards which were postponed till March 2000. The channel officials have ruled out cancelling the 2000 Channel V awards. Three veejays have been sidelined thus prompting them to leave the channel. “We want to utilise our monetory resources wisely” said a Channel V official. “We know what we are doing. We are in the right direction to lead the Indian market”, he added.
The channel claims a reach to 12 million cable & satelite (C&S) homes out of the total 22 million. It is vying for more a bigger reach.
Will the channel achieve what its aiming? Will it beat all its rivals and lead the market? No one is sure about this. But the channel seems to be working really hard on this.
GECs
Pocket FM partners with Indian Open Pickleball 2026
Audio platform joins forces with major tournament to engage young fans.
MUMBAI: Pocket FM just served up a perfect partnership because when audio storytelling meets pickleball’s fast-paced rallies, even the sidelines start listening. Pocket FM, the world’s largest audio series platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Indian Open 2026, one of India’s biggest pickleball tournaments organised by Global Sports in Hyderabad in association with Pickl’Out and Crosscourts Sports Club.
The collaboration brings Pocket FM’s immersive storytelling to one of the fastest-growing emerging sports in India. Pickleball, known for its accessibility, energy and strong community appeal, is rapidly attracting younger, digitally savvy audiences making it an ideal platform for Pocket FM to deepen its cultural relevance.
Under the partnership, Pocket FM will enjoy extensive on-ground and digital visibility throughout the tournament, which begins on 1 April 2026. This includes centre court branding, venue-wide presence, presenting rights for select matches, player lounge branding, team jersey integration, and strong integration across live streaming and social media.
Pocket FM, SVP and global head for brand marketing and partnerships Vineet Singh said, “Pickleball is building a strong connection with young and engaged audiences in India. This partnership allows us to connect with people in a meaningful way through strong on-ground presence and digital visibility.”
Global Sports and Indian Open 2026, founder Hemal Jain added, “Partnering with Pocket FM adds an exciting new dimension to the experience. As a brand that has built deep resonance with young audiences, Pocket FM is a strong fit for the energy and ambition of this tournament.”
The move reflects Pocket FM’s continued strategy of aligning with emerging passion points and building deeper engagement with communities driven by competition and shared experiences.
In a country where sports and stories often collide, Pocket FM isn’t just sponsoring a tournament, it’s turning every rally into a narrative, proving that the best audio moments sometimes happen when the paddle meets the ball.
