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Ten Sports beefs up programming with football
MUMBAI: While the media focus in the past few weeks has been on who will get the rights for India cricket and on DD’s Olympic coverage, Ten Sports has been quietly going about the business of strengthening its programme line up.
One of the sports that Ten is banking on to bring in the ratings in a major way is football. The channel has been chasing down the rights to properties from different regions.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Ten Sports VP programing Peter Hutton said, “We have made a number of football acquisitions recently. They include Brazilian, Argentinian, Italian, German and Portugese football. This means that we now have regular action from the best national teams in the world.
“In addition, every week we will showcase action from three of the last four Champions League winners. They are AC Milan, Bayern Munich and holders FC Porto”
It may be recalled that Ten had used the Fifa World Cup 2002 as a launching pad. It then moved onto the FA Cup and Copa America. The latter had aired live on the channel earlier this year.
However, Hutton went on to note that because football receives little sponsor support, the acquisition price was, if anything, falling. The story is the opposite when one talks of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) which is arguably the main draw on the channel week in and week out. “Because of the dominant daily ratings for WWE, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the price for these rights are increasing,” Hutton said.
On the cricket front as had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Ten recently secured the rights for Sri Lanka cricket. It also has the rights to cricket coming from West Indies, Pakistan, Sharjah and Morocco.
The Bukhatir-owned broadcaster is also looking to build up hockey. It will air a series between arch rivals India and Pakistan next month. Hutton expressed confidence on the ratings front here despite India’s poor performance at the Olympics.
Hutton also countered this writer’s observation that Ten was lagging behind in terms of presentation and packaging when one looked at what rivals ESPN Star Sports (ESS) did for Euro 2004 and what Max had done in the past for Champions Trophy. In fact, Hutton claimed that Ten Sports’ on-air presentation and packaging was much better than what the other sports channels were doing.
“Our programme innovations such as the wandering reporter in the crowds when India toured Pakistan, new cricket graphics technology, programme titles, the music we utilise, and the creativity behind the editing and scripts is quite strong. Other channels which rehash footage endlessly in various programmes and promos are not improving presentation or packaging in my definition of the words. It basically comes down to the need for other channels to fill up a lot of space.”
Drawing a comparison with ESS Hutton noted that there was a great deal of filler product on those two channels which rates poorly. “Ten Sports as a singular channel generates far more rating points than ESPN and Star Sports combined. We have consistently secured more than 55 per cent of the sports viewing market.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
