Sri Adhikari Brothers to launch four new channels by March next year

In the pipeline is another comedy channel, christened 'Happii', a channel dedicated to music and the youth of the northeast, named 'Se7en' and two other channels in the regional space

Archit Ambekar | Mumbai | May 2, 2016

Manav Dhanda

App stores hawk dozens of apps that offer consumers almost identical on-demand content. Then there are television broadcasters who are slapping on their television content onto the digital platform. The deluge of content notwithstanding, very few players are actually offering a library of original content to the web viewer.

Among broadcasters who have taken pains to create and build up a good content library is Sri Adhikari Brothers (SAB). The group has a wide array of original content in the form of comedies and are now gearing up to make comedy content for the digital audience as well.

The group went through a demerger in November 2015, that resulted in three distinct registered entities within the umbrella of the SAB Group ? Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network (SABTNL), TV Vision and SAB Events & Governance Now Media Ltd. Manav Dhanda, Group CEO, Sri Adhikari Brothers, shared some insights into the group's plans for the year ahead on both the digital platform and in broadcasting, during in a tête-à-tête with BestMediaInfo. Excerpts:

Does the SAB group intend to launch any new channels?

Happii is our new comedy channel. Se7en (read as seven) is a music and youth entertainment channel for the north east. The channel will look for local talent. The other two channels are going to be regional. We've not decided which language they will be in. We intend to launch these channels within this financial year.

What kind of investment will these new ventures involve?

About Rs 400 crore to Rs 500 crore will be invested in the 'Happii' brand. A sizeable investment has gone into the other two channels as well.

What is your strategy for the digital medium?

Our focus is to create comedy content for the digital medium under the brand name Happii Fi and we are incorporating that across multiple platforms. We are looking for strategic tie-ups with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and/or telecom operators. We are in talks with platforms, OEMs and telecom operators keen to buy our content.

Our vision is to be the largest comedy brand. If anyone can build the next big comedy brand, then it will be us. In doing so, the question that we have to grapple with is ? should we just do a platform or open it (our content) up to the masses out there.

The comedy content is under process. The insight for all our shows is the common man. Our digital opportunity is targeted at the masses out there and not the elite.

Which will be your first series in the digital space?

'Gharbar' is a show with a twisted take on the modern Indian family and its adventures ?as when it decides to bring a bar into the home. The series features Shakti Kapoor as Sharmaji ? the most 'seedha' (straight-forward) man ever. This will be a 10-minute or 12- minute long series, divided into seven parts to begin with.

How do you propose to monetize the web initiative?

I would love to know if anyone in the digital space is monetizing their ventures right now. We are all players in the digital space because we know it is the future. People have different approaches to monetisation and we have our own. The biggest factor that comes into play here is brand integration in the story.

How will you tackle the problem of bandwidths on the digital space?

In our strategic partnership, we will offer content via telecom operators. Today, we are facing bandwidth problems and data is expensive. With 4G, data will see the same revolution that voice saw a decade back. Data will be cheaper and people will consume more video content on mobile. All telecom operators are also focusing on video consumption, for which too they are building platforms.

Who, in your opinion are the successful players on the digital space?

While the Netflix model is good, they are not creating original content. A majority of their library is syndicated content. They have just about begun creating original content. Then there are the broadcasters, who are showing television content on the digital platform. Meanwhile, a difference has crept in the viewing patterns. Viewing patterns have changed from appointment viewing (as in television) to on-demand viewing (on the web) or catch up TV.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com