SETTING UP OF A TV CHANNEL

Proposal for 24X7 Telugu

News Channel

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Prepared by, AMARContact No. +919700134530,9705474060

TELEVISION INDUSTRY IN INDIANews programmes have suddenly become hot property and are vying

for attention with other popular programmes telecast in different channels. All major television broadcasters are including at least one news channel to their bouquet. The biggest headache for launching a satellite channel is programme software for round the clock. In this juncture, newsgathering is a major task for the 24-hour news channels. To cater this task, the emerging electronic channels have always made an attempt to cover all the incidents irrespective of position, location and time. These channels not only revolutionized the concept of news on Indian television but also changed the news formats. Before 1990s, Doordarshan had monopolized newscast on Indian television and also turned the news programs into a dowdy exercise. Now the private channels made the news an essential commodity like food, cloth and shelter. The strong point of all today’s news bulletins is their topicality, objectivity, glossy editing and high-quality visuals. News has traveled a long way from the DD era. From Local events to International events, breaking news to news analysis, television soap to page3 news, every happening comes under purview of news. In this article, we have covered some significant changes in news broadcasting in India before and after the Gulf War.

Indian Television - Flash Back

Television in India is undergoing significant changes in the current liberalized environment. To understand these changes, one needs to have some brief idea of the road covered by the television channels so far. The journey started as an experimental basis with a financial grant from UNESCO in 15th September 1959. The makeshift studio at Akashvani Bhavan in New Delhi was chosen for location of the experiment. The experiment started with one-hour program, broadcast twice a week, on community health, citizen rights, education and traffic sense etc. As far as news is concerned, it was launched exactly six years after the inception of television broadcasting. Daily one-hour program with a news bulletin was served to the Indian viewers. But one major drawback of television was that you could not enjoy the original colour of the objects because of black and white transmission. First multi-color programme was the Prime Minister’s address to the nation from Red Fort in Delhi on India’s 35th Independence Day. In the same day, DD National channel was launched. The aim of launching the National channel is nurturing national integration, and inculcating a sense of pride in Indians. Indian viewers also enjoyed the colored version of the Asian Games hosted by New Delhi in their drawing room. The coverage of major events and different occasions lend a big hand behind the infiltration of television signals to the nook and corners of the subcontinent. Indian Government had taken all

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possible steps to expand the television broadcasting demographically and geographically. In 1983 television signals were available to just 28% of the population, this had doubled by the end of 1985 and by 1990 over 90% of the population had access to television signals. In 1984, DD Metro channel was added to provide an exclusive entertainment for the urban viewers. In the beginning, this channel was confined to metropolitan cities. As a public broadcaster, Doordarshan presented the news in naturalized manner. All controversial issues were pushed under the carpet. The ruling government had a strong hold on the television broadcasting. Doordarshan news bulletins were unable to provide the international news to the national viewers. Objectivity had been the first casualty as news was invariably slanted to suit the party in power. The news was liberated from the confines of the DD newsroom and gained in objectivity and credibility when New Delhi Television (NDTV) produced ‘The World This Week’ in 1988. Everyone was waiting for the Friday night to watch ‘The World This Week’. This was the only India-based programme, which looked out at the rest of the world. The World This Week was the best current affairs programme on the international scenario and carried good stuff of news, which the regular DD news was failed to carry out. This program is ranked as one of the country’s finest and most popular television shows. In 1989, NDTV produces India’s first live televised coverage of the country’s general elections. The critical and commercial success of the coverage sets a new standard for Indian television. After the Gulf War the media panorama has changed forever.

Gulf War – The Catalyst

Post-1990 satellite television in India has become transnational in nature. It coincided with the entry of multinational companies in the Indian markets under the Government policy of privatization. International satellite television was introduced in India by CNN through its coverage of the Gulf War in 1991. In August 1991, Richard Li launched Star Plus, the first satellite channel beamed the signal to Indian subcontinent. Subhash Chandra’s Zee TV appeared in October 1992. It is India’s first privately owned Hindi channel to cater the interest of Indian viewers. This ignition followed by Sony and a little later by domestic channels such as Eenadu, Asianet and Sun TV. Entertainment programs had begun to occupy center stage in the organization’s programming strategies and advertising had come to be main source of funding. Doordarshan’s earlier mandate to aid in the process of social and economic development had clearly been diluted. Doordarshan had faced a stiff competition in news and public affairs programming with international channels like BBC and CNN. Doordarshan planned to sell some slots for news programme under sponsored category. In February 1995, NDTV becomes the country’s first private producer of the national news ‘News Tonight’, which aired on the country’s government-owned Doordarshan set a new landmark for Indian television because of its on-the-spot reporting with pertinent visuals. In the same year, TV Today Network occupied a 20 minutes slot in DD Metro channel and aired a Hindi and current affairs programme ‘Aaj Tak’. This programme became popular for its comprehensive coverage and unique style presentation by Late S. P. Singh. Still we remembered the sign-up message “Ye Thi Khabar Aaj Tak, Intizar.

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Kijiye Kal Tak”. Large number of viewers across India had been watching Aaj Tak as a daily habit because of its innovative style of news presentation. Besides that Nalini Singh’s five-minute fast paced, condensed daily news capsule Ankhon Dekhi, TV Today Network’s Business Aaj Tak and Newstrack was aired on the Metro channel of Doordarshan. This is the period when satellite channels concentrated on entertainment programmes for their respective channels. Doordarshan was still ruled the most wanted area ‘news’.

Major Players

Doordarshan’s monopoly was broken in 1992, when private television channels infiltrated into the Indian boundaries and entertain the viewers as much as possible. In the beginning of 1990s, the private channels offered only entertainment programmes. The entertainment programs include family drama, comedy serials, children programmes, cartoons, movies, talk shows, recipe shows, musical concerts, non-fiction programmes etc. Private entertainment channels added some infortainment programmes to their Fixed Point Charts (FPC). Keeping the demand of infotainment programmes in mind, the media houses started to produce news magazines, entertainment magazines and news programmes for different channels. India’s premier business and consumer news broadcaster and a leading media content provider, Television Eighteen India Limited (TV18) started India’s first ever entertainment magazine ‘The India Show’ on Star Plus in 1993. This emerging media powerhouse provided prime time television content to almost all leading satellite channels in India including BBC, Star Plus, Sony Entertainment Television, Zee, MTV and Discovery. After The India Show, TV18 produced a weekly business news program India Business Report for BBC World. Indian viewers had very limited options (like public service broadcaster Doordarshan, BBC and CNN) for watching the television news. For televised news, the viewers had to watch Dordarshan and some international news channels like BBC or CNN. In this race to provide more news, more information, Zee Television jumped into the battlefield by launching the news channel Zee News in 1995. This News and current affairs channel revolutionized the way news was delivered to the viewers. Since its inception Zee News has endeavoured to be the fastest to provide news, working towards a single goal of Sabse Pahle (Always First). The other round-the-clock news channel, the Murdoch-owned Star TV beamed its exclusively 24-hour news channels, Star News in 1998. Star made a contract of five year with Prannoy Roy-owned NDTV (New Delhi Television Company) to provide news content for this news channel. The untiring exhaustive coverage of the Kargil war between India and Pakistan gained more publicity and attracted more viewers towards the electronic channel. This televised conflict also sets a news benchmark for wartime journalism. During the Kargil war, common citizens witnessed how their brave Jawans fought despite in hostile conditions and watched the war front live by the exclusively news channels, Star-TV and Zee-News. The live coverage of the battlefield helped to create a euphoria of patriotism among the Indian masses, which later facilitated into collecting huge funds for the welfare of the families of Kargil martyrs. Every news programme draws the attention of large number of viewers but Kargil war

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attracts private broadcasters to invest more money in the broadcasting business by launching a news channel. In November 1999, TV18 entered into a 49:51 joint venture with CNBC Asia to launch CNBC India. TV18 is the sole program provider to CNBC India, and produces 12 hours of local content per day on this 24-hour satellite channel. After the huge success of news programme ‘Aaj Tak’, TV Today group launched a 24-hour Hindi news channel with the same name ‘Aaj Tak’, in December 2000, which covers India with insight, courage and plenty of local flavour. Within 11 months of its launch, Aaj Tak emerged as India’s number one news channel and was awarded Best News Channel award from Indian Television Academy Awards. Some mega events apart from regular interesting items (such as Kandhahar hijack, September 11 attacks, Afghanistan war, attack on Parliament, Iraq war, Godhra carnage and riots) have driven up the viewership. As time passed, NDTV’s five years contract with Star group for outsourcing of news and related programming expired on March 2003. With the expiry NDTV forayed into broadcasting business by simultaneously launching two 24-hour news channels; NDTV 24X7 – English news channel and NDTV India – Hindi news channel, which targets the Indian diaspora across the world. News crazy Indians received more news at faster speed from different channels. Any unusual happening can be caught by the television camera anywhere form Rastrapati Bhawan to bedroom. The power of TV journalism was become more visible by the major sting operations like Operation West End and Shakti Kapoor Case. This style of investigative journalism has brought about a change in the way we look at news, amidst new notions of editorial freedom. The world’s largest family ‘Sahara India Parivar’ launched a 24-hour national Hindi news channel, Sahara Samay, in March 28, 2003. It is the first ever city-centric satellite news channels covering 31 cities in India with their own city news bulletins. Keeping the demand of news in mind, the Union cabinet approved the proposal to convert the DD Metro to DD news in a meeting held on 3 October 2003. Consequent to these decisions, DD-News channel was launched on 3 November 2003. You might have noticed that the news channels are language specific. But DD’s news channel contains the round the clock news bulletins in Hindi/ English are also telecast twice a day on the National Network of DD National. ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ fame Rajat Sharma, Sohaib Ilyasi, the man behind the highly successful ‘India's Most Wanted’ and Taun Tejpal, editor-in-chief of Tehelka roped together and launched a free-to-air Hindi news and current affairs channel India TV on May 20, 2004. Indian viewers had more expectations from this channel. The much-awaited news channel hopes to set itself apart from the existing ones by setting new benchmarks of responsible journalism. Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Rajat Sharma, chairman, India TV, said, “We aim to change the way broadcast news reporting is being conducted in the country. India TV will set new benchmarks by maintaining international standards of responsible and credible news reporting. We will stay away from graphic depictions of violence and sensationalism of news. We will uphold the viewer's right to correct information and their right to truth and verity. India TV is not just a news channel, it is a movement.” NDTV as a pioneer in Indian television news, set to create a fresh revolution in high-quality business news with the launch of NDTV Profit. NDTV launched this 24-hour business channel on January 17th, 2005. There is no saturation point in launching of news

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channel, just booming like sky as the limit. Entertainment channel to infotainment channel, infotainment channel to news channel, news channels to business channel and Business channel to lots more. Now the satellite channels become more topicality with international standard. When we are talking about topicality, CNBC TV18, the only business channel, continues to be the medium of choice for India’s decision makers, affluent audiences across the country since 1999. It has set the pace for the growth in number of television channels by launching a 24-hour consumer channel in Hindi called ‘ Awaaz’. This news channel focusses on empowering consumers on decision-making related to investment, saving and spending. All the programmes are catering to consumers across different walks of life, which included personal finance; variety of markets including commodity, stocks, savings etc.; small businesses; education & career guidance; and verticals like health, shopping etc. Another news channel was finally launched into the already cluttered news space in Indian television. Jagran TV Pvt Limited's news channel, Channel 7 up-linked to the air on 27 March 2005. The channel has been set up to cater to the vast Hindi-speaking audiences, already being targeted by a slew of news channels. Channel 7 developed every programme with a bid to cater to all types of audiences and not just pre-dominantly male audiences who get attracted towards news channels.

Regional Leaders

To cater the interest among the Indians, Doordarshan televises programmes in Hindi and associate Official languages. It has launched a number of Regional Language Satellite Channels (DD - 4 to DD - 11 and DD - 13) and telecast programmes in Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Kashmiri, Oriya and Tamil. The Regional channels relayed by all terrestrial transmitters in the state and additional programmes in the Regional Language in prime time and non-prime time available only through cable operators. The Doordarshan regional satellite channels telecast major news programme with some entertainment programmes. If you think about the private regional channels, they have followed the path of the Big brother (i.e Doordarshan). They are neither completely entertainment channel nor exclusively news channel. They are following the middle path and claiming themselves an infotainment channels. The private channels televise through the state dominant languages. Rising advertising revenues and increasing numbers of viewers have provided the impetus for many big players to enter into the business. Some regional media leaders like ETV, Sun TV, Asianet have a strong grip over the regional market. Some major players tried their luck in different states. Zee television has three regional channels; Zee Marathi, Zee Punjabi and Zee Bangla. Star Network entered into Tamilnadu by launching Star Vijay, one of the most popular entertainment channels in India broadcasting in Tamil. Besides that ETV Network is a part of the well-established Ramoji Group, has created 12 dedicated infotainment regional channels. ETV network is the source of rich entertainment of eight different languages. Those are: Telugu, Bangla, Marathi, Kannada, Oriya, Gujarati, Urdu; and Hindi to viewers in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Every ETV Network channel focuses exclusively on its audience’s unique cultural identity, its aspirations and its distinct socio-political

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character. Let us think about the south Indian language Telugu, there are around fourteen satellite channels are roaming around the sky with different taste and different flavour. These channels include five news channels, two song-based channels and rest are infotainment channels. When we confine ourselves into news, five channels (ETV2, TV 9, NTV, TV5 and Gemini News) exclusively devoted to news programmes. Sahara India Pariwar is proud to have five news channels as the bouquet of Sahara Samay. These channels are: Sahara Samay NCR, Sahara Samay Mumbai, Sahara Samay Bihar & Jharkhand, Sahara Samay Madhya Pradesh & Chattisgarh, and Sahara Samay Uttar Pradesh & Uttranchal. Sahara Samay has already managed to gain a loyal audience in India through a bouquet of National & Regional News Channels since its launch. These channels are youthful and vibrant channels targeting students and women, besides that hardcore news stuff. The regional news channels covers the entire spectrum of genre with specific programs on lifestyle, fashion, food, shopping, health and fitness, sports, education, career and city issues, besides giving user-friendly information on traffic updates, city events, train and air timings, etc. Now national news channels cannot confine its boundary to national level. They cannot ignore the regional news because of the stiff competition form the regional cannels. Regional news channels are entering into the competition with a strong will power and also with an aim to portrait regional issues in national and international level.

Conclusion

Now the television industry becomes more specific. In this competitive market, channels are targeting specific viewers. News channels attract more viewers beyond their target by producing interactive and interesting programmes. Every channel needs to do an extensive research on different concepts and different themes to attract more viewers and in the same time more advertisers. After all, advertisements are the bread and butter for the channels. With increased consumer preference for news programmes, television news channels have grown faster than other niche channels. News channels are booming just like sky as the limit. Those days are not far away, when we will get satellite news channel for every major city in India. Staying in abroad, we can update ourselves about all the happening of our hometown. Now news is not restricted to political happenings. It will be extended its limit to every unwanted and hided corners of the society. At last we can reach in the conclusion that anything, which is strange or disgusting, is news. There are no rigid rules, which defines news.

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INVESTMENT(Exclude building cost and licensing cost)

1. FIELD EQUIPMENT 75 lakhs

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FIELD EQUIPMENT

(Districts and Hyderabad)

PANASONIC DVX 102 B / SONY PD 170 Camcorders – 35 Nos. PANASONIC rechargeable batteries – 35 Nos. ( 7500 mhA ) Tripods – 35 Nos. Cameras carry bags – 35 Nos.

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DV Players – 35 Nos. ( Mini players to send district feed ) Gun microphones - 35 Nos. ( shure ) Spare Windshields for gun microphones – 50 Nos. Microphone stands – 35 Nos. Spare Microphone stand clips – 50 Nos. Headphones – 65 Nos. ( 30 for editors & browsers ) Sun guns – 35 Nos. Desktops for districts (include UPS & table) – 35 12 volts battery operated spotlights – 35 Nos. Audio long length cables – 35 Nos. Audio short length cables – 35 Nos. Audio, Video cables – 35 Nos. Fire wire cables – 35 Nos. Power cable long length – 35 Nos. Power cable short length – 35 Nos.


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2. News Room solution (Avid iNEWS) 300 lakhs

NRCS(News Room Computing System)

8 TB Central Storage ( 250 Hours of DV 25 @ 100% Mirror)

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7 x MC Soft ( for News Editing) 4 x MC Soft with Mojo SDI ( For Program Editing in Standalone

mode) 3 x MC Soft with Mojo SDI ( For Ingest) 20 x iNews NRCS Licenses ( Floating Licenses across 30

Systems) 2 x Interplay Assist ( For Producer/ Journalist Video Access -

Floating license) 1 x Command ( For Newsroom Automation) 3 x Airspeed Servers ( For News PCR & Program PCR playout with

redundancy) HP Servers & systems required for the above Avid systems.


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3. GRAPHICS 100 lakhs

GRAPHICS

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IBM 6223195 SYSTEM ( 3.4 XEON DUAL PROCESSOR, 4 GB RAM, NVIDEA QUADRO 512 MB GRAPHIC CARD WITH ALL NECESSARY SOFTWARES & FIREWALLS, 500 GB INTERNAL STORAGE ) 04 NOS

SOFTWARE

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4. LIBRARY 3.2 lakhs

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LIBRARY

MINI DV / DV CAM RECORDERS 02 NOS

CREATIVE 2.1 SPEAKERS 01 PAIR

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5. STUDIOS (02) 170 lakhs

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STUDIO 1

DXC D 55 CAMERAS WITH C.C.U/SERVO ZOOM/MANUL FOCUS KIT/5 INCH VIEWFINDER /DOBLE HANDLED TRIPOD/DOLLY

03 NOS TELE PROMTERS 02 NOS COLLAR MIC ( SCHENIZER ) 05

NOS EAR PHONES ( FOR TALK BACK ) 05

NOS LCD TVS 02 NOS VIDEO MONITORS ( FOR ANCHORS ) 02

NOS 4 BAR LIGHTS 07 NOS 2 BAR LIGHTS 07 NOS BABYS 1000W 04 NOS BABY 500 W 04

NOS 1KVA LIGHTS 02

NOS

ALL LIGHTS CANERA MAKE, WITH EXTRA BULBS (TUNGSTEN/COOL) HANGERS, HANGER HOOKS, LIGHT STANDS, CUTTER STANDS, NETS& ECT ACCESSORIES…

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STUDIO 2

DXC D 55 CAMERAS WITH TRIAX /SERVO ZOOM/MANUAL FOCUS KIT/5 INCH VIEWFINDER/DOBLE HANDLED TRIPOD/DOLLY

03 NOS TELE PROMTERS 02 NOS COLLAR MIC ( SCHENIZER ) 05

NOS EAR PHONES ( FOR TALK BACK ) 05

NOS LCD TVS 01 NOS VIDEO MONITORS ( FOR ANCHORS ) 02

NOS 4 BAR LIGHTS 10 NOS 2 BAR LIGHTS 10 NOS

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BABYS 1000W 05 NOS BABY 500 W 05

NOS 1KVA LIGHTS 02

NOS

ALL LIGHTS CANERA MAKE, WITH EXTRA BULBS (TUNGSTEN/COOL) HANGERS, HANGER HOOKS, LIGHT STANDS, CUTTER STANDS, NETS& ECT ACCESSORIES…


6. PCRs (2 production control rooms) 180 lakhs

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PCR 1

SYNERGY SWITCHER 2 01 NOS DIGITAL AUDIO CONSOLE 20 INPUT 01 NOS

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MONITORING SPEAKERS YAMAHA 01 PAIR

VIDEO MONITORS SONY 14” 12 NOS SONY 20” HD MONITOR FOR PGM 01

NOS DV/DVCAM RECORDERS WITH REMOTE 02

NOS BETA RECORDER WITH REMOTE 01

NOS PHONE IN EQUPMENT 02 NOS SYNC GENERATOR 01

NOS WAVE FORM MONITORS 01 NOS TALK BACK MIC 02 NOS ROUTER 01 NOS CCU 03 NOS DVRS ( FOR GFX PLAYBACK IN LCDS ) 04

NOS PLAY OUT SERVER 1+1 02 NOS A TO D CONVERTERS 02 NOS SYSTEMS FOR TELE PROMPTER 04

NOS

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PCR 2

SONY DFS 800 SWITCHER WITH DKDF 810 CARD 1 N0S+DKDF 811 CARDS 2 NOS + DKDF 840 16 IN PUT DME BOARD

01 NOS DIGITAL AUDIO CONSOLE 20 INPUT 01 NOS MONITORING SPEAKERS YAMAHA 01

PAIR VIDEO MONITORS SONY 14” 13 NOS SONY 20” HD MONITOR FOR PGM 01



NOS PHONE IN EQUPMENT 02 NOS SYNC GENERATOR 01

NOS WAVE FORM MONITORS 01 NOS ZIMMI CONTROL EQUIPMENT TALK BACK MIC 02 NOS ROUTER 01 NOS TRIAX UNITS 04

NOS DVRS ( FOR GFX PLAYBACK IN LCDS ) 04

NOS PLAY OUT SERVER 1+1 02 NOS NEWSCUTTER WITH AVID MOJO SDI 01 NOS A TO D CONVERTERS 02 NOS SYSTEMS FOR TELE PROMPTER 04

NOS

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7. MCR (master control room) 75 lakhs

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MCR

SONY DFS 800 SWITCHER WITH DKDF 811 CARD 01 NOS

DIGITAL AUDIO CONOLE 20 IN PUT 01 NOS MONITORING SPEAKERS YAMAHA 01

PAIR VIDEO MONITORS SONY 14” 06 NOS SONY 20” HD MONITOR FOR PGM 01



NOS SYNC GENERATOR 01

NOS WAVE FORM MONITOR 01 NOS TALK BACK MIC 02 NOS ROUTER 01 NOS A TO D CONVERTERS 02 NOS

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6 DSNG Live Vans (Digital Signal News Gathering) 300 lakhs

Vehicles (10) 30 lakhs UPS 30 lakhs Generator 125 KVA 07 lakhs Air Condition 20 lakhs Network Cost 40 lakhs

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The total investment comes to 13.30 crores

(Exclude building cost and licensing cost)

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*This amount is likely to reduce further. Since the rates quoted on certain equipment was mentioned as per the proposals given by the manufacturers. The purchaser could be able to secure around 2.5 to 3 crores during the process of bargaining with company concerned.

MAN POWER REQUIREMENT

Input EDITOR – INPUT 01 BUREAU CHIEF – STATE 01 BUREAU CHIEF – CITY 01 CHIEF COORDINATOR 01 COORDINATORS – REGIONAL 04 DISTRICT REPORTERS 23 SENIOR REPORTERS 06 JUNIOR REPORTERS 10 TRAINEES 10 DRIVERS 16

Output EDITOR – OUTPUT 01 DESK EDITORS 06 SENIOR DESK EDITORS 12

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JUNIOR DESK EDITORS 12 TRAINEE DESK EDITORS 10 PRODUCTION ASSTS. 06 RRG – HEAD 01 LIBRARIANS 04 PANEL PRODUCERS 10 ANCHORS 12 VOICE OVER ARTISTS 06 MAKEUP MAN 02 HAIR DRESSER 02

Features FEATURES EDITOR 01 PROGRAMME PRODUCERS 08 PRODUCTION ASSTS. 06

Technical TECHNICAL HEAD 01 CAMERA CHIEF 01 FIELD CAMERA CHIEF 01 CAMERAMAN - FIELD 18 CAMERAMAN - STUDIO 12 CAMERAMAN – DISTRICT 27 LIGHTMAN 06 VIDEO EDITORS 28 ONLINE AUDIO ENGINEERS 09 ONLINE VISION MIXERS 09 ELECTRICIAN 01 JUNIOR ELECTRICIAN 04 TECHNICIANS 03 SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR - HEAD 01

SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS 04 GRAPHICS – HEAD 01 GRAPHIC DESIGNERS 05 DSNG STAFF 08

Marketing

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HEAD 01 MANAGER 01 ASST. MANAGER 01 SENIOR EXECUTIVES 06 SCHEDULING INCHARGE 01 SCHEDULING ASST. 01

Administration ACCUNTS MANAGER 01 ACCOUNTANTS 03 OFFICE ASSTS. 05 OFFICE BOYS 08

MONTHLY EXPENDITURE(Exclude building rent)

Salaries 50 lakhs Electricity 05 lakhs Transport 04 lakhs Wire News charges 08 lakhs Network 06 lakhs Miscellaneous 07 lakhs

Miscellaneous includes video tapes, stationery, traveling, maintenance, etc.

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A SNAPSHOT OF INDIAN TELEVISION HISTORY

Television in India has been in existence for nigh on four decades. For the first 17 years, it spread haltingly and transmission was mainly in black & white. The thinkers and policy makers of the country, which had just been liberated from centuries of colonial rule, frowned upon television, looking on at it as a luxury Indians could do without. In 1955 a Cabinet decision was taken disallowing any foreign investments in print media which has since been followed religiously for nearly 45 years. Sales of TV sets, as reflected by licences issued to buyers were just 676,615 until 1977.

Television has come to the forefront only in the past 21 years and more so in the past 13. There were initially two ignition points: the first in the eighties when colour TV was introduced by state-owned broadcaster Doordarshan (DD) timed with the 1982 Asian Games which India hosted. It then proceeded to install transmitters nationwide rapidly for terrestrial broadcasting. In this period no private enterprise was allowed to set up TV stations or to transmit TV signals. The second spark came in the early nineties with the broadcast of satellite TV by foreign programmers like CNN followed by Star TV and a little later by

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domestic channels such as Zee TV and Sun TV into Indian homes. Prior to this, Indian viewers had to make do with DD's chosen fare which was dull, non-commercial in nature, directed towardsonly education and socio-economic development. Entertainment programmes were few and far between. And when the solitary few soaps like Hum Log (1984), and mythological dramas: Ramayan (1987-88) and Mahabharat (1988-89) were televised, millions of viewers stayed glued to their sets When, urban Indians learnt that it was possible to watch the Gulf War on television, they rushed out and bought dishes for their homes. Others turned entrepreneurs and started offering the signal to their neighbours by flinging cable over treetops and verandahs. From the large metros satellite TV delivered via cable moved into smaller towns, spurring the purchase of TV sets and even the upgradation from black & white to colour TVs. DD responded to this satellite TV invasion by launching an entertainment and commercially driven channel and introduced entertainment programming on its terrestrial network. This again fuelled the purchase of sets in the hinterlands where cable TV was not available.

The initial success of the channels had a snowball effect: more foreign programmers and Indian entrepreneurs flagged off their own versions. From two channels prior to 1991, Indian viewers were exposed to more than 50 channels by 1996. Software producers emerged to cater to the programming boom almost overnight. Some talent came from the film industry, some from advertising and some from journalism. More and more people set up networks until there was a time in 1995-96 when an estimated 60,000 cable operators were existing in the country. Some of them had subscriber bases as low as 50 to as high as in the thousands. Most of the networks could relay just 6 to 14 channels as higher channel relaying capacity required heavy investments, which cable operators were loathe to make. American and European cable networks evinced interest, as well as large Indian business groups, who set up sophisticated headends capable of delivering more than 30 channels. These multi-system operators (MSOs) started buying up local networks or franchising cable TV feeds to the smaller operators for a fee. This phenomenon led to resistance from smaller cable operators who joined forces and started functioning as MSOs. The net outcome was that the number of cable operators in the country has fallen to 30,000. The rash of players who rushed to set up satellite channels discovered that advertising revenue was not large enough to support them. This led to a shakeout. At least half a dozen either folded up or aborted the high-flying plans they had drawn up, and started operating in a restricted manner.

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Some of them converted their channels into basic subscription services charging cable operators a carriage fee. Foreign cable TV MSOs discovered that the cable TV market was too disorganised for them to operate in and at least three of them decided to postpone their plans and got out of the market.. The government started taxing cable operators in a bid to generate revenue. The rates varied in the 26 states that go to form India and ranged from 35 per cent upwards. The authorities moved in to regulate the business and a Cable TV Act was passed in 1995. The apex court in the country, the Supreme Court, passed a judgement that the air waves are not the property of the Indian government and any Indian citizen wanting to use them should be allowed to do so. The government reacted by making efforts to get some regulation in place by setting up committees to suggest what the broadcasting law of India should be, as the sector was still being governed by laws which were passed in 19th century India. A broadcasting bill was drawn up in 1997 and introduced in parliament. But it was not passed into an Act. State-owned telecaster Doordarshan and radiocaster All India Radio were brought under a holding company called the Prasar Bharati under an act that had been gathering dust for seven years, the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990. The Act served to give autonomy to the broadcasters as their management was left to a supervisory board consisting of retired professionals and bureaucrats.

The Indian television business is packed with contradictions as of October 1999. On the one hand, it has some 70 million television homes, giving a viewing population of close to 400 million individuals. They have a gaggle-bag of 100 plus channels to choose from, but on the other hand, the infrastructure is so rickety that this choice cannot be converted into a willing purchase. One the one hand, Internet Service Providers are threatening to deliver the Net to Indian television viewers, while on the other 90% of Indian TV sets have the capability to receive only 12-16 channels . The authorities make a display of

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frowning down upon foreign broadcasters but allows them to operate freely in the country.

It has a glut of television channels, a slowing down advertising revenue stream, a gradual opening up of the pay television market, steady but unregulated growth in cable and satellite television homes and the absence of any machinery to track misdemeanours and crack down on violators. A broadcasting bill has been pending for almost four years, Ku-band DTH television has been stalled by vested interests, and cable TV licensing has not progressed and only a rudimentary Cable TV Network Regulation Act is what governs the massive cable TV operator community.

Result: it gets away with many an activity which is inconceivable in some developed markets. Piracy of local and international movies is rampant, underdeclaration of subscribers to basic pay TV programmers, evasion of government imposts, involvement of shady elements, and a high-handed attitude in the case of some cable operators.

Not that cable operators alone are to blame: because of the relatively low incomes, some subscribers don't cough up subscription fees on time and regularly thus leading the cable operator into a tight corner. The cable operator is hard-pressed to allow many a subscriber to go scot-free without paying, courtesy competitive pressures from neighbouring cable TV operators. The absence of addressable consumer set top boxes allowing him to switch off defaulting subscribers compounds his problem.

With nearly 24 million cable and satellite homes, that is about 150 million viewers, it is a large market which has attracted many a channel from overseas. But the channels that attract eyeballs are those that offer dollops of local fare in local languages: state-owned broadcaster Doordrashan, Zee TV, Sony Entertainment, Star Plus, ESPN Star Sports, Sun TV, Raj TV, Eenadu TV, the local cable TV operator run pirated movie channel. The English and foreign language channels are niche players struggling to stay on their feet. English language channels dubbed in local languages are faring much better.

Some of the English and foreign language services like DeutscheWelle TV, RTM, TV5, Saudi TV, are pretty irrelevant to Indian viewers but they are still being beamed down by hopeful telecasters. The list of channels which are watched can be whittled down to about 50. Most of these are transmitted via satellite; the only terrestrial broadcaster operating is the state-owned broadcaster DD, which has a bouquet of 19 channels using both modes of delivery.

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They are also migrating towards digital transmissions which enable them to eke out savings in transponder rentals and deliver better quality of sound and picture. Almost 20-30 channels are broadcasting in digital mode. Many more are expected in the near future with existing language players launching second channels and introducing channels in other languages like Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, and Bengali. In fact, it is in regional language niche channels were the action is slated to hot up even further in the coming year.

However, there is hope on the horizon. Over the past year and a half there has been a loosening of restrictions: uplinking has been opened up to private players, private earth station ownership has also been permitted as has Internet delivery by cable operators. DTH is also likely to be opened up soon with the first license likely to go to the platform backed by state-owned broadcaster DD.

Snapshot on TV Advertising in 2007 - Part 1

Key Findings:

31 per cent growth in TV ad volumes during 2007 compared to 2006.

Food & Beverages sector leads in TV advertising during 2007.

HUL maintained its first rank in the top 10 advertisers list on TV across both the years 2006 and 2007.

TV advertising at its peak during the last quarter of 2006 and 2007.

Volumes growth in TV advertising.

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TV ad volumes saw a tremendous growth of 126 per cent during 2007 compared to 2004.

Share of sectors in TV advertising.

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Top 10 sectors constituted 58 per cent share of TV advertising during 2007.

With 14 per cent share F&B had the largest share of TV advertising, followed by Personal Care/Personal Hygiene and Services with 9 per cent and 6 per cent share, respectively.

Sectors having maximum advertising growth on TV.

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Among all the sectors, Telecom/Internet Service Providers has seen maximum advertising growth of 105 per cent on TV, followed Computers and Services sector with 79 per cent and 68 per cent growth during 2007 over 2006.

Positioning of top 10 categories on TV.

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Snapshot on TV Advertising in 2007 - Part 2

Key Findings: General Entertainment Channels had the largest share of TV

advertising during 2007. There was a 45 per cent rise in Print Media promotion and 172 per

cent growth in Radio Channel promotion on TV during 2007 compared to 2006.

Wrigleys was at number one position in the exclusive advertisers list on TV during 2007.

Home Shop 18 topped the chart of new brands advertised on TV during 2007.

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Share of Channel Genre.

General Entertainment Channel led with 1/3rd share, followed by News and Music Channel with 23 per cent and 15 per cent shares, respectively, during 2007.

Top three categories in top Channel genres.

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Social Advertisements topped the category chart on General Entertainment Channels, followed by Toilet Soaps and Shampoos.

Cellular Phone Service took first position in the category list of News Channels whereas Music channels stood at second place.

Print Media and Radio Channel Promotion on TV.

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http://www.indiantelevision.com/tamadex/y2k8/feb/tam6.php

During 2007, Print Media advertising on TV increased by 45 per cent compared to 2006.

Advertisements volumes of Radio Channel promotion grew by 172 per cent during 2007 over 2006.

Top Exclusive Advertisers on TV.

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Among the top 10 Exclusive advertisers, two of the advertisers viz. Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and Trinayani had advertised for the social cause.

Top New Brands advertised on TV.

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Top three new brands on TV were Home Shop 18, Moser Baer DVD/VCD and Ponds Age Miracle during 2007.

Share of Commercial, Programme/Channel Promotion and Tag Promo.

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http://www.indiantelevision.com/tamadex/y2k8/feb/tam6.php

During 2007, commercial advertising had maximum share of 41 per cent followed by Programme/Channel promotion and Tag Promo with 33 per cent and 26 per cent shares, respectively.

Growth in average advertising frequency on TV.

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Average advertising frequency per day on TV grew by 13 per cent during 2007 over 2006, whereas it rose by 65 per cent during 2007 compared to 2004.

Watch out for forthcoming interesting analyses in future.

(Analysis from AdEx India - A Division of TAM Media Research)

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REVENUE GENERATION

The Channel is planning to promote multi-lingual news bulletins with a broad perspective and it is keen more on introducing Hindi - Telugu – English Bulletin mixture for the first time in Andhra Pradesh. The team in the present channel is the most worthy in all respects and its meritorious achievements added with the present studio structure would no doubt takes the channel to the dizzy heights. The trainee batch is also one of the most enterprising one in the Telugu electronic media field and it comprises the cream of the journalism field with mostly Journalism graduates.

The present channel has prepared a comprehensive plan to include the news based programmes and revenue generating concepts that would fetch the news channel the desired results on the revenue generation front. The revenue generation planning is prepared comprehensively for a period of one year at the initial stages of the channel itself and the advertising wing is one of the strongest team in the electronic media side available in Andhra Pradesh today.

REVENUE SOURCES

Slots Buy Telebrands & Private Programs Air Time Commercial Ads – Corporate, Retail, Public

Messages Scrolls Day Basis/Packages Strip Ads Day Basis/Packages Sponsorships Day/Episode wise Logo Branding Day/Hourly basis Live Coverages Commercial/Events

MARKETING OPERATIONS

Advertising is the major stream to generate ad revenues for channel by selling air time, and with other advertising options, our operations are well planned strategically and professionally with our Corporate office situated at Hyderabad - AP, and Regional offices at New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore with an Marketing Head, Regional Managers and Sr. Executives for national marketing.

Revenue generation wholly depends on TRP (Television Rating Points), Channel Placement (Distribution), Innovation and Presentation.

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FIRST YEAR PROJECTION

1st – 3rd month roughly 30 lakhs can be generated per month, as during this period marketing team needs to maintain their PR, Presentation with clients and agencies.

3rd – 6th month roughly 40 – 50 lakhs can be generated per month from regional market. And also extends their network to national markets.

6th – 9th month roughly 75 lakhs can be generated through corporate commercials, sponsorships, and slots. During this period channel and marketing strategy becomes stronger with the support of TRPs, News Presentation, and Content.

9th – 12th month 1 crore plus will be generated confidently, the marketing team takes initiative to get breakeven and plans to generate more and more Ad revenues at par with the market potential and also compete with other channels.

By the first year of channel launch it is ensured to be the No.1 in content presentation and also in the revenue generation. With the day by day growth of advertising revenues, clients’ budget can be enhanced with different options of Ad commercials which can be designed by the marketing team. Roughly targets to reach 1.5 crores per month after completion of 12th month from day of launch.

Ad revenue generation grows 40 – 50% at a time during election fever through campaigns, political party messages, Government commercials, and it will be grown also during the period of March to June (Educational Admissions, Results, Live commercials, programmes)

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5 YEAR PROJECTION

There will be approximate monthly hike of 25% in expenditure and 40% in revenue from 2nd year start onwards.

YEAR EXPENDITURE REVENUE

In 2nd year every month

1 Crore approx 1.4 Crore approx

In 3rd year every month

1.25 Crore approx 1.96 Crore approx

In 4th year every month


In 5th year every month


*Above given figures are absolutely approximate, they are proven results of established News channels in Andhra Pradesh at present.

POTENTIAL MARKETS

MUMBAI, NEW DELHI, HYDERABAD, CHENNAI, BANGLORE and other regions.

ADVERTISERS

Corporate clients, Retail clients, Ad agencies (INS and Local) Govt. Departments, Public messages, Private slots etc.

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SENIOR COPORATE EXECUTIVES

M.V.RAMANA RAOEditor

Ramana, 40 years, is the Editor. He has 11 years experience in print & electronic media. He is known by his different style of story presentation and script. Record of his career is, first sting operation in telugu media was done by him. He did several human interest stories in his career, they are memorable in the history of telugu electronic media. He worked with MAA TV NEWS, ZEE TV.He has done his Masters degree in Political science from Osmania University

Heads the channel in terms of news content, airing, rights of reservations, decision making and also responsible to guide and supervise the news dept, desk, and other related departments till the news content airs on channel.

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AMARENDAR.BBureau chief-City

Amar, 38years, is Editor VISSA T.V. He has 16 years experience in print and electronic media. He has very good experience in reporting. He has his own style of storytelling. He ran a newspaper, and has his own media agency. He has very sound PR relations across Andhrapradesh. He was with Hathway Communications, SITI CABLE, VISSA (Raj Group). He contributed many news stories as freelancer.

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KRISHNA MOHANHead – Marketing

Krishna Mohan, 36 years, is the Marketing Head. He has 11 years experience in advertising sales. Started career with Zee access group in 1997, worked for seven years and then joined in MAA TV RAJ T.V during the launch period, later joined with HY TV He has very successful track record with Ad agencies, corporate clients, and Govt. departments.Now

MANAS.S.RChief Cameraman

Manas, 40 years, is the Chief Cameraman. He has 10 years experience in electronic media. He worked with ETV, Mana Telugu TV as Cameraman and Chief Cameraman. He worked for many live programs, Discussions, Game shows, Regular studio programs. He leaded for many huge lighting productions with Ramoji Film City. Participated in several live, online, offline productions, worked as Camera Head for many documentaries. He was trained as advanced cinematography under the guidance of Hollywood cinematographer & director Marty Volinston, sponsored by KODAK international.

ALLAM SRINIVASHead – Field camera

Srinivas, 39 years, is the Field Camera In charge. He has 14 years experience in electronic media as cameraman and senior cameraman. He worked with Popular TV, C-Channel, MAA TV. He covered communal riots, US President visits, Basheerbagh Electricity agitation and many more.

SHAIK MEERA HUSSAINMANAGER [ADVT]16YEARS EXPERIENCE IN PRINT MEDIA IHAVE VEARY GOOD P.R WITH INS AND NON INS ADVETISING AGEANCY DIRECT CLIENT RELATOINS WITH CORPORATE CLINT AND GOVT DEPART MENTS

SKILSGood presentation in front of client

Team motivation

Monthly bussiness plan

Big client dial in 6.month or year plan

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SETTING UP OF A TV CHANNEL

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