News Broadcasting
Nimbus pegs 2-channel package price at Rs 58
MUMBAI: With the Conditional Access System (CAS) controversy continuing unabated at the broadcasters’ level, Nimbus Sports Broadcast has quoted a premium price for two of its channels at Rs 58 to the sector regulator.
The newly launched Neo Sports, which debuted on 1 October in some parts of the country, is likely to turn pay ahead of the January 2007 cricket series. This company has priced this channel at Rs 40.
Even, the yet-to be launched Neo Sports Plus holds a price tag of Rs 40. The company has specified a bundled price of Rs 58 for the two channels.
The proposed prices are yet to be accepted by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), which in the normal course takes about one month to issue procedural clearance. Interestingly, rival sports channels ESPN and Star Sports are priced at Rs 38 per subscriber for the two-channel bundle.
The rates at which the two Neo Sports have been pegged are in line with what Nimbus Communications chairman Harish Thawani had told indiantelevision.com in a recent interview: “We are looking to charge a premium price. Broadcasters so far have not had the guts to charge the price that they feel reflects the true value of their product. What I can confirm is that our pricing will be considerably higher than ESPN Star Sports.”
TDSAT had earlier directed that the rates of the channels available on the direct to home platform (DTH) will cost half the price of what is charged to cable platforms (exclusive of taxes).
This benchmark judgment was issued with respect to Dish TV vs Star India, wherein the two were haggling over price. The reason for the verdict was attributed to DTH being an addressable system where loss of revenue down the value chain is negligible if not zero.
The distribution rights for all Nimbus’ sports channels are held by Rupert Murdoch’s Star India and run till 2010. The Star-Nimbus distribution deal will apply to the two sports channels that will be launching by the end of the year as well as any future sports channels from the Neo Sports stable (a sports news channel is also in the pipeline scheduled for debut in the second half of 2007).
Although Nimbus has proposed the prices of its channels to Trai, it has already created doubts in the minds of the various stakeholders, whether this would be easily accepted by the regulator and if yes, whether it will go down well with the industry.
Under the CAS notified areas, the two Nimbus channels will be charged as per the ceiling price fixed by Trai.
News Broadcasting
Mihir Bhatt appointed as chief content officer at News18 Studios
The media veteran brings two decades of experience across television, digital and radio to one of India’s biggest broadcast networks, Disney+ Hotstar, Discovery+
NEW DELHI: Network18 has a new strategist in the building. Mihir Bhatt, one of Indian media’s more versatile operators, has joined News18 Studios as chief content officer, stepping into a role that will see him shape content strategy, build multi-platform properties and drive brand partnerships across the network.
Bhatt brings more than two decades of experience spanning television, digital and radio, with a track record of doing something rare in Indian media: combining editorial ambition with hard commercial results. At Times Network, where he served as managing editor and chief business officer of Times Influence, he built one of the industry’s more respected content studios, launching marquee properties such as the India Economic Conclave, the Times Now Summit and Leaders of Tomorrow. He also pushed the network into premium OTT territory through tie-ups with Disney+ Hotstar and Discovery+.
His resume stretches well beyond the studio. Bhatt has led Global Investor Summits for multiple state governments, worked alongside the World Economic Forum and played a pivotal role in launching the Indian Pickleball League. Earlier, as editor of Zee Business, he pioneered investor education initiatives that are still cited as industry benchmarks.
At News18 Studios, Bhatt will report to chief executive S Shivakumar and will oversee the studios execution vertical alongside revenue verticals covering emerging markets and campaigns. Sidharth Saini, Hemanth Kumar and Nimar Sarkaria will work under him.
Rahul Joshi, managing director and editor-in-chief of Network18 Group, made the announcement in an internal communication. “Mihir’s ability to build enduring brands, foster strategic partnerships and navigate a rapidly evolving media landscape will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position and explore new avenues of growth in the Studios business,” Joshi said.
In a media industry lurching between disruption and reinvention, Network18 has bet on a man who has spent two decades thriving in exactly that chaos. Whether he can do it again, at greater scale, is the question worth watching.
