GECs
SPN India TV ad revenue & subscriber numbers rise: Sony Corp
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India – led by CEO NP Singh – is doing well, if one goes by the numbers its Japanese parent Sony Corp announced last weekend.
For one the Sony Corp presentation around its financial results for the quarter ending 30 June 2016 clearly states that it has been seeing “higher advertising revenues in Latin America and India” which has helped boost its media networks business in the period.
Then SPN India’s subscriber numbers too are on the up, according to Sony Corp.
It states in its notes to the financials that the India channel cluster (consisting of SET, MAX, SAB, Pix, Aatth, Mix, Six, AXN, PAL, MAX2, Sony ESPN, Wah and Animax India) has increased its subscriber number from 650.4 million on 30 June 2015 to 690.4 million on 30 June 2016 – a growth of about 6 per cent.
The channels which are distributed over India, North America, Europe, the Pacific, South east Asia, Australia, west Asia and Africa reported an increase in international subscribers from 2 million to 2.3 million an increase of 15 per cent in the same period.
Sony Pictures worldwide media network business – which covers all its TV channels – did a revenue of $588.418 million in the same period as compared to $576.04 million in Q1-2015. It clearly shows that business is on upswing.
Sony Corp’s Pictures segment (including media networks revenue and theatrical box office income) reported a revenue of 183.3 million Japanese Yen ($1.8 billion) and an operating loss of 10.6 billion Japanese Yen ($103.84 million) in the quarter to 30 June 2016. In terms of the Japanese currency that tots up to a 6.9 per cent increase in revenues (Q1 2015 – 171.5 billion Japanese yen), and a 1 billion Japanese Yen reduction in its operating loss (11.7 billion Japanese yen in Q1 2015).
Meanwhile, sales and operating revenue of the mother company Sony Corp decreased by 10.8 per cent compared to the same quarter of the previous fiscal year (year-on-year) to 1,613.2 billion yen ($15,662 million).
This significant decrease was mainly due to the impact of foreign exchange rates, a decrease in Mobile Communications segment sales reflecting a significant decrease in smartphone unit sales, a decrease in revenues in the Financial Services segment due to the deterioration in investment performance in the separate account at Sony Life Insurance Co Ltd as well as decreases in sales in the Semiconductors and Imaging Products & Solutions segments due to the impact of the earthquakes in the Kumamoto region in 2016. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in Game & Network Services segment sales reflecting increases in PlayStation 4 software sales. On a constant currency basis, sales decreased 3 per cent year-on-year.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
