MUMBAI: Disney UTV?s youth general entertainment channel bindass is bringing back its flagship property Emotional Atyachar after October 2011.

bindass has tweaked the format of its iconic property as the fourth season makes its debut on 26 January. Instead of conducting the famous loyalty test on their partners, the participants will now narrate their experiences in relationship crises.

While the participant narrates his/her story with host Pravesh Rana, the whole incident will be enacted between the narrations.

Says Disney UTV executive director youth channels - media networks Nikhil Gandhi says, ?After three successful seasons, we were flooded with feedback on EA. While analysing the feedback and reaching out to the audience, we realised that people are inspired to take matter into their own hands and set things right. We decided to change the format based on that insight.?

The show will be aired every Saturday at 7 pm with repeats throughout the week.

This season will have a minimum of 15 episodes which may be extended considering the popularity and demand in the coming weeks. The show has had celebrities from Bollywood and sports being featured in it. For this season though, there will not be any celebs.

?Our tweaked format is such that the focus will be on the participant. It doesn?t lend too well to the presence of a celebrity. So this time, we will have no celebrities on EA,? informs Gandhi.

The show?s promo was released on YouTube first and then on television with network channels. This was done in keeping with the bindass? thrust on online media in its promotion plans. Apart from YouTube and social media portals like Twitter and Facebook, the channel has tied up with 1000 screens across 40 towns and cities where the EA promos will be shown.

?We also have plans to tie up with dating sites for innovations and associate with event specific sites. For example, if there is a major cricketing event, we shall tie up with a cricket information website,? says Gandhi.

In the ATL domain, the show will be heavily promoted on television, outdoor and in the regional space by tie ups with local radio stations. The show is powered by Score Condoms.

MUMBAI: Disney UTV?s youth GEC bindass is all set to bring back its popular show Big Switch for its fourth season. The latest season will premier on 13 January and will be aired on Sundays at 7.00 pm. The title sponsor of the show for the season is Woodland.

Big Switch across its successful three seasons took the affluent Indian youth out of their comfort zone and tested their mettle by putting them in tough, challenging and unfamiliar situations. Season one saw rich celebrities living in the slums while in season two, youth switched homes and parents. Season three saw well known director Rohit Shetty mentor rich kids encouraging them to live a life without the luxuries that they were used to. This season Big Switch will raise the bar making it not only about survival, but survival with a group of friends!

The 4th season of the show will hunt for India?s Toughest Raeeszade as three brat packs who have redefined the term ?rich and spoilt? take a life-changing journey across the toughest terrain of Himachal Pradesh with nothing but a bag of bare essentials. Marking a first, the fourth season will see the brats fight it out along with their friends as "packs" and get their stamp of individuality by showcasing their camaraderie and friendship within the group. This season will focus on the ?Survival of the Brat Pack? by testing their physical, mental, emotional ability of the contestants

Disney UTV executive director youth channels - media networks Nikhil Gandhi said, "The bindass Big Switch format is a path breaking concept with a very purposive goal. What we bring to our viewers is a unique experience of change. With the introduction of brat packs, Big Switch 4 will while creating a life changing journey also bring alive the spirit of friendship, the moments and situations in the show will showcase viewer?s genuine stories of human transformation and a lot of entertainment. Big Switch is in Season 4 and is extremely popular with the youth."

The season will be hosted by television actor Gaurav Chopraa who will take on the mantle of ?Big Brother? in the show to encourage and lead the contestants. Coming from an affluent background himself, Chopraa knows a thing or two about toughing it out in the ?real? world.

"The journey has not been easy. I had to work for endless hours-often more than 20 hours a day. On many occasions I even questioned my choice of industry. But then somehow I fought on. Therefore I identify with these 12 contestants are and I see myself in them. I have been there and done that...If I could struggle, go through hardships and make it, then so can they and I will guide them and help them as their ?Big Brother?. My aim is to try and change their outlook towards life, I am totally looking forward to the handpick India?s toughest Raeeszade!" said Chopraa.

NEW DELHI: Man Jit Singh, the chief executive officer of Multi-Screen Media, has been elected as the the new President of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), the apex body of country?s fast growing broadcasting industry.

The elections were held in a Board meeting after the Annual General Meeting (IBF) of the IBF in Mumbai.

Times TV Network MD and CEO Sunil Lulla, India TV chairman Rajat Sharma and Zee News Limited MD Punit Goenka have been elected Vice Presidents. Discovery Networks Asia Pacific SVP and GM South Asia Rahul Johri has been elected as the treasurer.

Other members re-elected or inducted into the Board are outgoing President and Star India CEO Uday Shankar, Viacom18 CEO Sudhanshu Vats, Bangla Entertainment Director N P Singh, and Asianet Communications MD K. Madhavan.

Besides these, the 12-member board comprise ETV director I. Venkat, Zee Network promoter Jawahar Goel, NDTV executive vice chairperson K V L Narayan Rao and Turner International India South Asia MD Siddharth Jain.

The Board co-opted Doordarshan director general Tripurari Sharan, Disney UTV MD Ronnie Screwvala and Sri Adhikari Bros. promoter Markand Adhikari as directors.

Talking to Indiantelevision after his unanimous election as the IBF president, Man Jit Singh said, "I would continue the work done by my predecessor whether it?s the content regulation, Barc (Broadcast Audience Research Council), or digitisation.. There has been a tremendous change in the industry in the last few years and we are also faced with challenges that are critical to the industry."

Singh says his priority as IBF president will be to oversee the successful implementation of Barc and digitisation. He also felt that the self-regulation mechanism designed by the IBF was working well, hinting that there is no need for any sort of government intervention.

Queried about the progress on Barc, Singh said: "We have completed the study on Barc and we will be inviting RFPs (Request for Proposal) for installing meters, data coverage and data analysis. The Barc will ensure there is proper accountability."

The outgoing president Shankar thanked all Members for their support during his two-year term. "Last two years have been very important for the broadcasting industry with new changes and technology being ushered in. I have had the most eventful tenure as President as I witnessed all these changes happening right in front of me, be it DAS or institutionalizing the self-regulating mechanism in the form of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC)," Shankar said.

"It is a moment of change and I would expect that the momentum that we have generated finds a new impetus after my presidency," Shankar said while pledging all support to his successor Singh.

Shankar advised the IBF members to be "well prepared for the implementation of digitisation and plugging the loopholes, if any, before the deadline". This sentiment found echo with the new President Singh, who said: "Digitisation is the biggest challenge that stares at us currently and its timely and phased implementation is of prime concern. With very little time left for implementation, the IBF must take the lead on the issue."

The IBF Board will now comprise three Vice Presidents, instead of one, as had been the practice since the Foundation?s inception in 1999. This has primarily been done for dealing with the growing challenges confronting the Industry and for better coordination across different Industry initiatives, be it digitisation, regulatory, fiscal and content-related issues or matters pertaining to the industry as a whole.

MUMBAI: UTV Stars, the Bollywood lifestyle channel from Disney UTV stable, is looking at operational break-even this fiscal, according to a senior executive.

The channel, just over a year old, is banking on growth from ad sales, syndication and subscription coupled with strict cost controls to achieve this target.

"We expect to break even in FY?13," Disney UTV Executive Director, Youth Channels ? Media Networks Nikhil Gandhi tells Indiantelevision during an interview.

The Walt Disney Company, which owns Disney UTV, follows the financial cycle ended 30 September.

"The kind of cost control that we have got and hopefully if the markets start looking well, then we should be there," he adds.

UTV Stars competes with Times Television Network?s Zoom and BAG Films? E 24 in the Bollywood lifestyle space targeted primarily at the youth SEC AB 15-24.

E24 had informed that it had achieved operational break even in FY?12 posting a cash profit of Rs 13 million.

According to Gandhi, UTV Stars wants to reduce its dependence on ad revenues going forward. The plan is to grow the distribution and syndication revenue streams among others.

"Currently, ad sales is at about 60-75 per cent (of our total revenue) but going forward we would like to bring it down to 50-55 per cent. With digitisation, we are hopeful that this will change," Gandhi avers.

UTV Stars? business model includes advertising, distribution, syndication, video on demand and on-ground events.

The channel is distributed in countries like Australia, UK, Malaysia, Pakistan and Nepal to tap into the Indian diaspora.

UTV Stars syndicates in-flight entertainment content to airlines in India as well as abroad, according to Gandhi.

The channel?s content mix comprises Bollywood news and the entertainment shows in addition to music and movies.

"We have Bollywood music and movies but our large prime time play comprises news and shows. In the non-prime hours, we play music because the TG loves it and also because Bollywood music lends itself well with the channel," he explains.

Currently, UTV Stars produces three and half hours of original content every day which includes shows like Live My Life, Up, Close and Personal with PZ, Superstar Santa and Lux The Chosen One.

Apart from television, the broadcaster has built an online presence. "We have been able to create buzz on the web with half a million fans on Facebook. We are also the largest content provider for Bollywood on YouTube with 30 million views," Gandhi says.

The entire UTV Group (Disney UTV) content is powered by UTV Stars on YouTube. "We power the UTV group content engine on YouTube per se including UTV Motion Pictures; also we have got 10,000 hours of content that we had shot last year. So I think that gives us an edge," he asserts.

MUMBAI: Bindass, an Indian youth entertainment brand, is bringing back its reality travel series ?Beg Borrow Steal?.

Starting 12 August, the ninth season of the series will air every Sunday at 7 pm.

This season explores Thailand with Aaliyah embarking on her first international journey with Beg Borrow Steal season nine. She will dodge through the floating market, Chinese Temple and Thai villages as she kick starts her journey which she has to complete in eight days and with Rs 1000. While she will be rewarded for completing her tasks, she will also be subjected to penalties in case she doesn?t.

Disney UTV executive director youth channels - media networks Nikhil Gandhi said, "BBS has been an absolute hit with the audiences, which is what has prompted us to come back with the ninth season. Our aim is to always offer our viewers with something new so that we keep evolving the seasons and this time we are back with yet another twist! This season, Beg Borrow Steal goes International; we will take you through one of the most exciting tourist destination - Thailand. Carrying the legacy of being a show with demanding tasks, challenging penalties and a relentless drive for survival, this season will see some interesting twist and turns that are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. on the side you are sure to get some handy travelling tips as well!"