GECs
MTV US pumping up volume with different genres
MUMBAI: MTV US is going ahead full steam to strengthen its position among viewers in the 12-24 year age group. It has in the pipeline, a host of innovative shows in different genres.
The projects range from animation to street racing, reality, music and news documentaries. The content aims at capturing the interests and lifestyles of the young adult. With these projects, the broadcaster is looking to further fuel its successful Ten Spot and Sunday Stew programming blocks through 2004-2005.
On the music front, the channel is developing new programmes with Jay-Z. Ultimate Mash-Ups will bring artists from different musical genres together to blend their distinctive styles into one new sound. The concept will be to mix two separate songs into one before a live audience.
MTV US programming president Brian Graden said,”MTV’s Ten Spot is not only the most watched among 12-34 year olds but has also grown tremendously – up 260 per cent over the previous three years. For years, constant development has allowed us to always have something new to offer our audiences who have voracious appetite for fresh programming.”
“With this new slate, we’ll continue to ensure that Ten Spot remains a must-watch destination of our viewers.”
One of the shows that has been greenlit for a pilot is Trippin. Cameron Diaz and a group, including her Charlies Angels co-star Drew Barrymore, travel to Chile to discover adventure and highlight environmental issues.
Then there is Granted, a reality series with Frankie Muniz. In each episode, Muniz will surprise three unsuspecting viewers and whisk them off to solve their problems, jump-start their fantasies and help them live out their dreams.
Muniz enlists the help of sidekicks as well as celebrity experts. The pilot episode features basketball star Derek Fisher helping a team get back its game.
Another reality show is Who Wants To Be A Superhero? Eight comic book fans, who clothe themselves as their comic hero, will compete against each other in games and other challenges. This is aimed to relive their fantasies into exhilarating real-life situations.
When the dust settles, the winner will get to see his/her character featured in his/her very own comic book written by comic book legend, Stan Lee.
In the documentary genre, the broadcaster has come up with the concept of House Arrest. Each episode will feature a different celebrity going home to spend a week with his/her parents and also do their bidding. Can they resolve the long-standing issues they’ve had with mom and dad since childhood?
Another reality show, Power Girls looks at the mechanations of the public relations (PR) industry. The show will explore the life of a team of young publicists, led by press maven, Lizzie Grubman and her PR company. The company controls much of Manhattan, Hamptons and the trendy Miami nightlife.
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
