In a Round Table with the media on the occasion of the launch of the SD version MK Anand MD & CEO – Times Network spoke on this top-down approach and much more.
Times Network has announced the launch of its Hindi News brand, Times Now Navbharat in the SD version starting January 01, 2022. Given the Times Group legacy of creating disruption and aiming for dominance in every segment they enter into, the Hindi news genre is expected to witness disruption.
“We are expanding our Hindi News channel offering into SD just ahead of the elections to cater to the needs of the masses in this crucial year,” said MK Anand, MD & CEO of Times Network at a recent Round Table with the media. “With the extensive list of channels in Hindi news, we entered the genre with a radically different approach of launching Times Now Navbharat brand in HD version first, which is totally unheard of in the Indian News Broadcast landscape. Since its launch in August 2021, the channel has been very well received in terms of Content, Packaging, Distribution which is reflected by the overwhelming advertiser confidence that led to revenue targets being achieved ahead of projections.”
By focussing on the HD viewers who form the upper crust of the spectrum, the Network has established its distinct brand proposition and differentiation. With the elections coming up in some of the most crucial States of the Hindi Speaking Markets, the SD channel is the natural next step for the brand. It may be noted that the earlier channels from the Network all enjoy dominance in their respective genres, be it Times Now which was a late entrant, ET Now which challenged a formidable competitor or Movies Now which completely revolutionised its category. The MD & CEO explains that dominance is not the end goal for the Network but a result of wanting to provide genuine value to the most important stakeholder – the viewers.
The path that leads to such success is methodical, process-driven and tested as he further elaborates.
HD first
As a group, we believe in brand development first and have built many iconic brands in the past. With AajTak HD as the only other competitor in the Hindi news genre, we believed the HD first approach was a brilliant opportunity to come Top-down. Launching first in SD would have demanded a mass and ubiquitous Distribution strategy which may have ensured revenues, but as a brand we would remain undifferentiated.
This strategy led the brand into a very discerning and exacting position amongst a smaller section of HD audience. Distinctive Packaging, carefully curated Content and a clutter-breaking FPC led the end-product to be well received by both the viewer and advertiser. This coupled with viewer requests to experience the channel inspired the Network to launch the SD version within 5 months of HD.
Missing the masses
Our clear strategy was to focus on the HD audience to establish the brand and deliver content based on our deep understanding of the market, the viewers and how news is consumed. This not only helped us to build a very powerful brand supported by best in class content, impact created in short span and aggressive marketing that set us apart. The masses therefore were not missed but rather conditioned into anticipation for the channel in SD through brand advertising on mass and digital media.
The strategy stands validated on the one hand by the 100 million+ viewers who digitally engage with the brand each month and by ADEX data on the other, which places Times Now Navbharat HD at 55-60% of AajTak HD at comparable rates.
Launch of SD
We are launching in January for the potential reach and bandwidth. We will optimize all our efforts to ensure that we are present in the right place and marketing it to the viewer at the right time. The product is as good as the people who are associated with it and we have the right people working as a team.
The Network plans to distribute Times Now Navbharat on DD Freedish apart from all other leading platforms across the country with an obvious concentration in the Hindi Speaking Markets.
ET NOW in Hindi
After demonetization, and interest rates coming down, people are participating in mutual funds and financial markets to beat inflation. We as a brand believe in the cult of equity and have observed that while India is rising, Indians are not. FII’s, sophisticated retail investors and corporates are benefitting from the India growth story and its stock market, but not enough Indians are taking the advantage. The ET NOW clarion call of ‘Rise with India’ is actually for every Indian, hence to step up to our promise to help every Indian, we have launched ET Now Swadesh.
Monetization Strategy
Both Times Now Navbharat HD and ET NOW Swadesh have been launched with sponsors who secure 60-70% of the annual revenue projections. This helps us to maintain our ER at desirable levels, thereby maintaining an equilibrium in the brand and category competitors.
