Music and Youth
Sony targets 9m HD subs & diaspora with youth-focused Rox in Dolby quality
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network India (SPN) has launched its second channel in music genre. The group has strengthened its position in the Hindi music space bringing in Sony Rox HD, a youth-focused contemporary Hindi music high-definition channel.
Sony Rox HD launched across key direct-to-home (DTH) and digital cable platforms such as Tata Sky, Fastway, In Cable and UCN, among other. It will showcase latest Hindi film music in high-definition visual format of 1080i resolution that is enhanced by Dolby Audio.
True to its positioning of being a youth-focused music channel, Sony ROX HD revealed the channel look and offerings at a music-styled event that included a special performance by the first two ROX original artistes in Mumbai. The event was witnessed by select media as well as the millions of followers of the SPN network channels simulcast on Facebook Live.
Served through a day-parted playout with unique programming initiatives, the latest channel on the block promises to be the most exciting. Its tagline: ‘Music Melody Madhoshi’ captures the approach of taking the core ingredient of the genre i.e. ‘Music’, curating and treating it through the perspective of beautiful music i.e.‘Melody’ to transcend the music experience on Sony Rox HD to a high of ‘Madhoshi’.
Speaking at the launch, SPN CEO NP Singh said, “In the last few years, as a network, we have been growing aggressively. We have been launching more channels and expanding our portfolio in all the genres. When we launched Sony Mix, that was the first time we were getting into Bolllywood music. Six months post the launch, Mix has become the number one channel in the Hindi music space. Building on this gratifying experience, we decided to launch Hindi music super premium channel which is youth focused and which will offer you good quality video i.e 1080i with Dolby Audio. I am confident that Sony Rox HD too will be the leader in the Hindi music space.”
SPN Hindi movies and music sluster senior EVP and business head Neeraj Vyas said, “A youth-focused contemporary Hindi music channel Sony Rox HD’s music content and programming initiatives will make it the leading hangout destination on television for 15-21-year olds. We are a ‘True-Blue HD Hindi Music Channel’ ensuring our viewers enjoy music that looks good, sounds great and feels awesome.” Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Vyas said that Sony Rox would be primarily targeting the nine million HD homes in India and the sub-continental diaspora across the globe. With Dolby collaboration, he said, Sony Rox aimed at enhancing the sound quality for the music aficianados.
To a question on the DTH traffic moving on to OTT/VOD platforms, Vyas quipped: “It’s going to take time (in India),” adding that, in the west, in spite of good penetration of Internet and that too at a high speed, television still was a growing phenomenon.
One of the channel specials: ‘Rox Original artiste of the Month’ sets Rox HD as the first ongoing platform for upcoming Indie artistes on the national television. At the center of it all is a comprehensive music content acquisition strategy ensuring tie-ups with all the leading labels in contemporary music such as T-series, Zee Music, Sony Music, YRF, Eros Music, UTV-Disney and Tips, etc.
Dolby Laboratories emerging markets senior director Pankaj Kedia said, “Great sound is essential for a complete cinematic entertainment experience and Dolby is excited to work with Sony Rox HD to unveil a dynamic audio experience for consumers. Together with Sony Rox HD, we aim to transform the way music is consumed in the country.”
The channel will be promoted extensively across all Sony Pictures Networks’ HD channels, carrier platforms, coupled with print, a robust digital and social media presence to engage with audiences at different touch points.
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
