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Sony
Goes Down
Under
The Hindi entertainment television
channel looks at capturing a new diaspora market
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Anita
Barar reports from Sydney on the Sony launch in Ozland
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Amidst
fanfare and with a host of dignitaries in attendance, Sony Entertainment
Television made its entry into Australia and New Zealand at a glittering
function in Sydney on 16 August. It became part of Zee Link's South
Asian Pay TV Bouquet, which already had arch rival Zee TV's four
channels on it.
The high commissioner of India in Australia, R.S. Rathore, lit the
traditional lamp. Rathore said that Indians (in the Antipodes) needed
this kind of entertainment. "… Sony and Zee play a vital role in
our cultural and emotional links…" he said.
"…Here
we are working together with our arch rival Zee television.
We have set the example."
---Kunal
Dasgupta, CEO of Sony India. |
Philip
Ruddock, Australian minister for immigration and multicultural
affairs, who formally launched the channel, agreed with Rathore.
He spoke about the importance of having a media linkage with one's
mother country. He was optimistic about a rich relationship developing
between India and Australia, saying: "Maintain your linkages,
but commit to Australia and this will go a long way in sustaining
a rich and enduring relationship between our two countries.
From left-
Director Zee Link Pty Ltd Saba Abdi, Indian high commissioner
R.S. Rathore, Sony Entertainment Television CEO Kunal Dasgupta,
Australian minister for immigration and multicultural affairsPhilip
Ruddock (flanking an unidentified lady) and filmstar Jackie
Shroff. |
The CEO of Sony Entertainment Television Kunal Dasgupta said:
"This is a small niche market which cannot be divided. Bringing
entertainment together makes commercial sense." He also talked
about sports coverage rights which Sony had but said that
it was not viable to relay the matches when Australia is playing
in India.
Jackie Shroff, one of the directors of Sony India, spoke about
the importance of strong family ties and cultural-value packed
programmes on television.He
was visibly impressed by the hospitality and beauty of Sydney
city |
The other directors
of Sony Entertainment, Sudesh Iyer, Sushil Shergill and Rakesh
Aggarwal were also present on the occasion.
Traditional
Indian dance complemented the evening.
Zee Television was launched last year in
August with their four channels i.e. Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee
Music and Zee News.
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Kunal Dasgupta, Rakesh Aggarwal, Sushil 'Sam' Shergill Saba,
Abdi, Jackie, Iqbaal Abdi (a director of South Asian Television
& Saba's husband) and Sudesh Mani Iyer. |
Sony's
launch was a three-day long celebration. After the launch, the
celebrations moved to Melbourne on 17 August and was followed
by screening of the film Lagaan in Sydney on 18 August. Jackie
Shroff cancelled his USA tour to live up to his role as 'The Face
of Sony'. He made himself available to fans throughout the evening
by signing autographs and posing for photographs.
Welcoming the guests at the screening of Lagaan in Sydney,
Saba Abdi, director of Zee Link Pty Ltd recalled when she first
arrived in Australia 12 years ago and felt the need for a connection
back home. She started working to bring at least a part of the
Indian TV world "Down Under".
"We remained committed in our determination and looked upon the
time ahead with great expectation," Saba said. "The strong South
Asian community in Australia & New Zealand is what Zee Link hoped
to hook with the launch of Zee television channel and now Sony
Entertainment Channel."
Click
for interview with Kunal Dasgupta
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