CANNES: India was everywhere at the Palais in Cannes as Mipcom 2007 kicked off this morning and even the weather gods seemed to have got into the act.The climate was pleasant as the market welcomed thousands of delegates attending the world‘s biggest television market.

Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India CEO Kunal Dasgupta opened proceedings for the high-powered Indian presence at Cannes by offering a detailed overview of the third largest TV viewing market after China.

Marking out television as the engine of Indian media industry growth, Dasgupta said revenues are projected to triple by 2011.

Offering a macro view, he outlined key industry drivers as:

    Development of content for niche viewers
    Pricing remains a key driver, whether it is for cable subscription, film tickets or newspaper prices
    Increased consumerism and increased advertisement spend by marketers fueling further growth
    Use of technology for special effects, animation and other creative work leading to better quality of media products
    Enabling regulations related to broadcasting, print and radio by the Government

Not surprisingly, the opportunities thrown up by India‘s young population increasingly exposed to, and hence aspiring for, a better lifestyle, and therefore willing to spend more on entertainment was one of the cornerstones of his speech.

While touching on the complexities that the Indian market represented, Dasgupta‘s focus was clearly on the advantages India offered on the global media map and the opportunities on offer for international players looking to do business in India.

Television:

    Production/co-production of content including animation
    Broadcasting of TV channels
    Distribution of TV channels through cable and new delivery platforms like DTH and IPTV
    Technology transfer for digital content creation
    Marketing of TV rights/air times
    Strategic investment in existing companies in broadcasting, distribution and content
    Adapt show formats
    Dubbed movies
    Branded European blocks

    Radio:
        Investment in FM and satellite radio
        Content creation for radio channels
        Marketing of air times

    Films:
        Production/co-production of films
        Processing, distribution and exhibition of Bollywood films
        Shooting of overseas films in India
        Development, distribution and exhibition of Hollywood/overseas films
        Training for technical and functional areas of film making
        Supply of hardware to film studios

    Music:
        Creation of content for film and non-film music
        Marketing of film and non-film music
        Strategic investment in local music companies

    Print:
        Strategic investment in news and non-news publications
        Tie-ups for providing content to Indian publications