GECs
Discovery goes the mobile route globally
MUMBAI: With mobile being the latest buzzword in the world of entertainment, Discovery has decided to jump onboard.
It has teamed up with Volantis. Volantis which supplies intelligent content adaptation solutions and services will develop, deploy, and host Discovery’s all-new global mobile portal.
The rollout begins in Asia later this year. Discovery’s global mobile service will be available through the branded portals of mobile network operators, as well as ‘direct to device’ for subscribers who have Internet access via their mobile phone.
The new portal will provide consumers around the globe with an array of content from all of Discovery’s brands delivered in various forms including news and information, images, video clips, guides to programmes, SMS/MMS messages, ringtones, truetones and quizzes. It will also offer pioneering services in support of the company’s lifestyle programming such as a Pregnancy Calendar.
This concept, based on an actual conception date, will send a message, every week throughout the duration of the pregnancy, containing pictures and information on the baby’s progress as well as health tips and advice.
The Volantis intelligent content adaptation solution recognises more than 350 attributes of more than 1,300 mobile devices allowing it to generate, in real-time, precise content optimised for each individual mobile handset. This means that each Discovery mobile user will receive an extremely high quality brand experience.
Discovery Networks International VP New Media Tanya Field says, “As a leading provider of entertainment and information programming, Discovery looks for new ways to deliver its content to consumers on their terms. We want to offer a sophisticated mobile solution that complements our existing channels, deepens our customer relationships and provides for more choice and flexibility. Volantis’ award-winning technology and proven success in working with other international brands on a large-scale makes them the ideal technology partner in this endeavour.”
Volantis CTO Mark Watson commented, “Overcoming the challenge of delivering a wealth of brand assets across a diverse global mix of operators and mobile devices is exactly the problem that Volantis Intelligent Content Adaptation technology solves. Our solution will allow Discovery to deliver a consistent brand experience and will support the growth of its creative content distribution in the mobile environment.
The Discovery service will utilise the Volantis Managed Service solution, also used by customers such as Reuters, eBay.co.uk, and FT.com, which provides end-to-end management and optimised delivery of both centralised and localised content to thousands of different devices across any network. Volantis will manage all aspects of delivery including integration in to operator portals and billing systems, content management, download and messaging services.
GECs
ZEEL overhauls sales structure to chase growth across TV and digital platforms
New structure sharpens digital push as viewing habits fragment fast
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is reshuffling its sales playbook as it looks to keep pace with a fast-changing media landscape, where audiences are scattered, screens are multiplying and advertisers are following the data.
According to media reports, the rejig is anchored in the company’s push to build a more integrated, data-led monetisation engine, one that can straddle both traditional television and fast-growing digital platforms with equal ease.
At the heart of the move is a reworked sales architecture designed to deliver cross-platform solutions. With connected TV gaining ground and digital consumption surging, ZEEL is aligning its teams to move quicker, think broader and sell smarter.
The restructuring is being led by chief operating officer, advertisement revenue, Sandeep Mehrotra, at a time when the company says it is seeing tremendous growth. The idea is simple: match the right talent to the right opportunity in a market that is anything but static.
As part of the overhaul, several long-serving executives have been elevated to chief sales officer roles across regions and content clusters. Sanjoy Chatterjee will head the east market, while Gunjarav Nayak takes charge of the west along with high-margin verticals such as hmg, brand works, intellectual properties and digital sales. Rajnish Gupta will oversee bengaluru and chennai markets alongside the kannada and tamil clusters.
In other key moves, Divjyot Dhanda will lead hyderabad and kochi markets and manage zee tv, zee keralam and the telugu cluster. Roshan Vasu Kotian will supervise a diverse portfolio including Zee Marathi, &tv, Zee Punjabi, Zee Anmol, Big Magic and Zee Biskope.
The company is also strengthening its bench, appointing national sales heads across retail, regional clusters, digital and brand solutions. Ankur Kapila’s appointment to lead digital sales signals a sharper push into a segment that continues to outpace traditional formats.
Behind the scenes, dedicated strategy and operations roles have been carved out for both linear and digital businesses. Nitin Shetty, Rajkiran Shrivastav and Priya Nambiar will take on key responsibilities to ensure the new structure runs with precision.
The broader aim is clear. ZEEL wants a bigger slice of advertising budgets that are steadily drifting towards digital and connected TV ecosystems. By integrating its offerings, the company hopes to deepen client relationships while unlocking new revenue streams.
The new structure takes effect immediately, with Mehrotra continuing to report to chief executive officer Punit Goenka and steer the company’s advertising revenue strategy. Senior executive Laxmi Shetty will support the transition, with her revised role expected to be announced soon.
In a market where content is everywhere but attention is scarce, ZEEL’s latest move is less about rearranging the org chart and more about staying in the game.
