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US TV networks promote new shows through website video clips
MUMBAI: In India the concept of streaming media never caught on. Jalwa Media, indianbroadcast.com, TV of India shut shop quietly not too long after unveiling grandiose plans to introduce the technology in the country in a big way. Even the major broadcasters Star and SET India blink at the idea of giving viewers previews to their shows through the web.
However in the US the scenario is different. After years of neglecting the video areas of their websites, television networks have discovered that there is intrinsic value in promoting their new shows to surfers through clips.
A report in the USA Today indicates that although the technology of streaming video is expensive broadcasters like Fox, CBS want the viewers to experience the video now. As CBS.com gets maximum traffic during the day it makes sense for the site to have video clips to whet viewers appetite for the before and after dinner shows.
Helping matters is the fact that the gloom and doom in the technology sector has not hurt net usage which has in fact risen 17 per cent this year, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. There have been cases where sites promoting shows like Fox’s American Idol get flooded with traffic. The use of Windows Media Player and RealPlayer software has risen 36 per cent in the last year.
CBS.com and TheWB.com are running current promos for all their new shows. NBC has sneak peeks and cast interviews for all its rookies, and Fox is pushing four of its six new shows with video. That the Rupert Murdoch owned broadcaster is serious about this promotional mode can be gauged from the fact that the new science-fiction drama Firefly, from Buffy creator Joss Whedon, has 34 video clips – more than almost all the other new network shows combined.
However the broadcaster is also being discriminatory as to the amount of attention a particular show gets. Producer David E. Kelley’s new Girls Club, a legal drama has a simple one-paragraph description and a ”full site coming soon” blurb. The show premieres later this month
UPN has video for two of its three new shows. In a reversal ABC is promoting just two of its seven new series through streaming video. This is odd considering that it had conducting major promotions at Disney theme parks and movie theaters during the summer.
According to Nielsen//NetRatings CBS is the most popular of the networks’ entertainment sites, attracting 5.1 million users in July, followed by Fox and its American Idol site at 3.8 million, ABC had 2.2 million users; NBC, 1.9 million. CBS attracted 63,000 subscribers at $9.95 a month to watch live video of contestants from Big Brother 3 this summer. However the networks’ attempt to sell outtakes from Survivor 3 didn’t workl. Footage from the new Survivor show is free.
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.
