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With
the divorce, the eight-year affiliation with the 'Star' brand has
come to an end. Media Content and Communications (MCCS), the company
that owns and operates the news channels, said Monday that after
the split, Hindi news channel Star News would be named ABP News,
Bengali news channel Star Ananda would become ABP Ananda and the
Marathi news channel Star Majha would be called ABP Majha.
Says MCCS chief executive officer Ashok Venkatramani, “Star
and ABP have decided to discontinue the Brand Agreement where Star
News has lent the brand to MCCS. Right now Star continues to be
a shareholder in MCCS."
ABP,
whose core business is news, will continue to “promote and
establish” its own brands in the broadcast news space through
its subsidiary company - MCCS.
Media buyers have expressed concern about the shedding of the 'Star'
brand. "Hindi news channel Star News could be hit the hardest
as 'Star' is a strong brand with its popular entertainment channels
having a tremendous impact in the Hindi heartland. There may not
be any impact in West Bengal where ABP is a stronger news brand,
with its overwhelming print presence. There will be a need to promote
the new branding, though all of us know that ABP has a credible
equity in the news arena," says the head of a media buying
outfit on condition of anonymity.
Agrees
Lintas Media Group head of planning-Mumbai Dhirendra Singh. “The
change in the brand may take some time to sink in. Considering the
competitive environment in Hindi news genre, media planners /buyers
would like the channel to stabilise first and then invest on it.”
Crest
COO Karthik Lakshminarayan believes that the challenge for ABP would
be to maintain its ratings. “As far as the channel maintains
its content quality and ratings, I do not see any reason for advertisers
to shy away from the channel,” he says.
Also
Read:
Murdoch
set to exit TV news biz in India
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