Why Does Shemaroo TV launch as Free-to-Air on DD Freedish Platform

as Shemaroo's New Flagship Operation

On May 1st, 2020 Mumbai-based, Shemaroo Entertainment's Shemaroo TV launched on the Prasar Bharati's DD Freedish platform as a Free-to-Air (FTA) channel, with the tag line ‘Badalte Aaj Ke Liye’. It sums up the channels direction: ‘being change’. The attempt is to appeal to Hindi speaking familie who are looking to keep up with the changing society and be 'with it' and  adapt to new changes. Programming will be bundled into comedy, drama, mythology, thriller, crime, and animated themes to resonate with all ages family. 

The networks' iconic programming library includes: Devon Ke Dev…Mahadev, Dil Se Di Dua Saubhagyawati Bhava, Great Indian Laughter Challenge, and many more.   


Executive Quotes: 

Hiren Gilda, CEO Shemaroo

Hiren Gada, CEO, Shemaroo Entertainment Limited, said, “Shemaroo is spread across different verticals through which we maintain a healthy relationship with viewers and advertisers equally. While we manage large digital platforms, entering into the broadcasting space will help us with reach and enable us to build a stronger affinity with the audiences."  

Sandeep Gupta, COO Shemaroo

Sandeep Gupta, COO – Broadcast Business,Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, said, “If we see the current TV space and particularly the Free To Air space, there is a large consumption of content but with less variety of shows and genres. Shemaroo TV will be enhancing the entertainment needs of the Indian audiences by its vast offerings of iconic shows, along with original shows across various genres. We have worked extensively to understand the needs of our consumers and have sharpened our insights based on what will appeal to them. Shemaroo TV will have an extensive reach and we aim to become one of the most popular destinations in the Free To Air General entertainment space.”

End Quoting.

The new flagship channel for the Shemaroo Group is aiming to quickly emulate the success of ‘Shemaroo MarathiBana’ that after launch quickly succeeded in picking up a strong following. 

Not only on the DD Freedish platform is to be found on all major DTH operators and cable networks across India. Also, it can be availed on Shemaroo’s OTT platform ShemarooMe.

HQ Mumbai. Also has facilities in New Delhi and New York.

ShemarooTV joins approximately 155 other FTA channels on the iCAS set top box satellite reception system that include approx 88 MPEG-2 channels, 17 MPEG-4/HD channels, and 50 educational TV channels. Broken down, there are 80 SD MPEG-2 TV channels and 18 SD MPEG-4 channels apart from 40 radio channels.

Backgrounder: Doordarshan's DD Free Dish is simply a Direct to Home (DTH) free of subscription service. Controlling licensing authority, Prasar Bharati (PB) approved Indian manufacturers to produce new Indian Conditional access system (iCAS) encrypted set-top boxes specifically for DD Freedish. PB stresses that all channels on the platform have to be free to air and free of subscription fees. Impressive was the 2003 move by the then national government to make DD Sports channel available to the whole country that broke a subscription monopoly holding the rights to Indian Cricket. DD Sports is freely available on DD Freedish. The satellite used in Ku-Band configuration is INSAT-4B.  

Digital Teleprompters | UK | Autocue Adds Support Staff

Digital Broadcast Vendor News Asia can advise you of two new sales and marketing appointments in system installation, training and customer support at Autocue, the newsroom automation and teleprompting solutions provider. Simeon Pearl as International Sales Associate and Edward Lynch-Bell as Technical Support Representative have joined Autocue in London from another UK digital manufacturer, ON-AIR Systems. Autocue, a name synonymous with teleprompting, have unbridled prompting from a fixed/static studio position with the innovative QNxt prompting system which goes wherever the TV program presenters go. Digital Broadcast Vendor News Asia understands that the next major trade show Autocue will attend is BIRTV, Beijing August 22-25 which is around the time of the Summer Olympic Games.

DBVNA :: TVNZ Charter Renewal - Good News For DTV Vendors

This Digital Broadcasters Vendor News Asia (DBVNA) message is directed at those involved in New Zealand's broadcast TV technology sector both at the individual company level as well as at the TV industry grouping level - to the opportunity for you to influence the digital direction of Television New Zealand (TVNZ). The reason is that it is now review time of the Television New Zealand charter as the country's national broadcaster. This takes place every 5 years. TVNZ faces the expansion of digital, responding to the changing needs of broadcaster - consumer/viewer interaction. Here is your opportunity to influence the choices and technology standards adopted by TVNZ as it moves into digital diversification both in digital delivery and content origination systems. The TVNZ says in its remit for Charter renewal: "of the 'high standards' it wishes to maintain in all areas. At the same time it intends to play a leading role in New Zealand television by setting standards of program quality and encouraging "creative risk-taking and experiment". I interpret that to mean that risks in content will require the need to have the technology available to support content experimentation. This is where manufacturers across all production and distribution areas can put to TVNZ's Engineering management proposals to make proprietary systems the preferred choice of TVNZ. There is no better time than at Charter renewal time when the corporation has to be legally open to new ideas and thinking in pursuit it license renewal - that is what the Charter review is all about. A TVNZ press announcement of earlier in July stated that the process for reviewing the TVNZ Charter is governed by the Television New Zealand Act 2003 which says the Charter must be reviewed every five years by Parliament. In preparation for the statutory review, TVNZ wishes to present the Minister of Broadcasting with a suggested redraft with the public's views on it. The way TVNZ wants to move forward and its proposals are presented online at http://www.tvnz.co.nz , use keyword: Charter Redraft. While the heightened publicity with advertisements on TV One and TV2 flagship channels of TVNZ are directed at a month long public debate, the actual TVNZ submission will not be made until later in the year to the Minister of Broadcasting. I suggest to you as a digital TV manufacturer or distributor, to consider making your move now to connect with TVNZ Engineering and push your case for them to adopt your new digital technology. Remember, that TVNZ will launch new digital channels later this year and early next with TVNZ 6 and TVNZ 7 and increasingly in future years through TVNZ ondemand, the TVNZ website and other media devices. If you are involved in the audio - radio side of the industry, you will be aware of the process that Radio New Zealand went through in its recent Broadcast Charter renewal. TVNZ informed DVBNA that it was following the process Radio New Zealand adopted for its Charter review. To recap, there are two areas that caught the attention of DBVNA in the TVNZ management proposals that give a guide as to new technology requirements as TVNZ moves ahead in the digital TV arena: Innovation and Development of New Zealand talent, as set out as follows: - TVNZ to promote innovation, risk taking and creativity to extend the range of ideas and experiences available to New Zealanders by creative risk-taking and experimentation. Areas of the current Charter covered by this redrafted point: - TVNZ to support and promote the talents and creative resources of New Zealanders and of the independent New Zealand film and television industry. The emphasis on the contribution on a greater contribution from the commissioning of outside production work.

Digital Broadcasters | ACMA Licenses Station without Station ID

Digital Broadcasters Vendors News thinks this is bizarre. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA ) allocated in mid-February a radio license and no one publicly has a clue to what the station is going to broadcast nor what will be its station ID. Actually it looks like carte blanche for the licensee.....Is this bureaucracy gone mad? The future station has paid 200,000 Australian dollars that is all the public knows. The licensee, ANC International Holdings Pty Ltd is to provide a high powered open 'narrowcasting' radio service in Canberra, ACT. The proposed service will operate on 1323 kHz on the AM band. ANC International Holdings bid the A$200,000 at an auction on 8 December 2006 after four applications were received for the licence. ANC International Holdings Pty Ltd must commence the new service by 21 June 2007, or such longer period of time as approved in writing by ACMA. The definition of Open narrowcasting services are broadcasting services that are limited in some way - targeted at special interest groups, or are available in limited locations (for example sporting arenas or shopping centres), or are provided during a limited period or to cover a special event or because they provide programs of limited appeal. Over ninety per cent of currently operating narrowcasting services provide either tourist radio or racing radio services in Australia.