Mumbai : FICCI-KPMG’s annual report calls 2014 ‘a watershed year, with advertising bouncing back’. The report estimates that Indian advertising registered a growth of around 15 per cent in 2014. Digital medium is expected to grow annually at 30 per cent over the next few years, while the Phase III auction announcements have heralded the growth of radio, which has registered a growth of close to 18 per cent. The entire report will be released at FICCI Frames 2015, the annual global convention on the entertainment and media business, which is scheduled from March 25-27 in Mumbai.
Dr Jyotsyna Suri, President, FICCI, said, “We are now on the cusp of a galloping change with the digital age opening up a world of boundless opportunity, bringing creative minds, industry, government, entrepreneurs, research, and all other stakeholders together.”
Jehil Thakkar, Head of Media and Entertainment at KPMG in India, remarked, “Overall, a return to optimism for the industry – a clear path of double digit growth is ahead. Digital finally came of age and powered ahead – it will continue to grow at close to 30 per cent in the foreseeable future. Digital and mobile are already starting to change industry dynamics. Digitisation in cable is still to fulfill its promise – but with some changes in industry practice, hope continues. Radio was a strong performer – with close to 18 per cent growth. All in all, a year in which the foundation was laid for a robust performance ahead.”
This year, Union Finance and Information & Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley is expected to inaugurate the convention, which will also be addressed by Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis; Union Ministers of State, Col Rajyavardhan Rathore and Gen VK Singh; the TRAI Chairman; the Secretaries of I&B, Telecom and Commerce Ministries, besides stalwarts of the Indian and foreign cinema and media.
The theme of this year’s FICCI Frames, in keeping with the nation’s ‘Make in India’ campaign, will focus on ‘Making India the Global Entertainment Superpower’. At the industry’s annual Mecca, thought leaders will deliberate on the fastest and most efficient routes to making this a reality.
Over 3,000 Indian and 800 foreign delegates representing the media and entertainment industry will discuss the nuts and bolts of the business and the creative thought processes of this unique industry. There will be keynotes, plenary and parallel sessions on a broad spectrum of issues covering the entire gamut of media and entertainment like Films, Broadcast (TV & Radio), Digital Entertainment, Animation, Gaming & Visual Effects over a period of three days.
At FICCI Frames 2015, the first FICCI Women in Media Forum will be launched at an exclusive power lunch and a heart-to-heart with TV news personality Barkha Dutt. The Forum will be launched under the guidance of Jagi Mangat Panda, MD, Ortel Communications and will be a platform for exchange of knowledge and ideas and aim to represent women to relevant policy-makers on issues pertaining to employment terms and practices in the media and entertainment sector.
An entrepreneurship track on the second day of the convention will deal with funding and bringing angel investors, VCs and mentoring to industry professionals and aspirants on a one-on-one basis. A unique initiative, called ‘FrameUrIdea’, will help well thought out scripts get face-time with key decision makers. The initiative would enable idea owners and producers/ co-Producers/ commissioners/ studios/ networks to have a face-to-face interaction encouraging original IP creation in the areas of films, TV series, documentaries, games, experiential entertainment, mobisodes, etc.
The third day of Frames will be celebrated as ‘Digital Media Day’, with a line-up of sessions such as ‘A Founder’s Tale’ with M&E veteran Raghav Bahl; ‘Digital Disruption: Trends, Analysis, Insights And Projections’; ‘Making money off the digital native’: ‘Sustainable revenue models’; and ‘Brand building and engagement in the digital world’. Digital spearheading companies such as MGo, Vimeo, Jabong.com, Yahoo, and YouTube, apart from industry leaders – Star, Zee, Viacom, Disney, agencies such as GroupM, Dentsu, would be sharing their perspectives in these sessions.
