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News while shopping: Future TV and Times Now
This is not the first time that Future TV has struck a content deal, however, this is the first time the company is looking at the provision of live content to its consumers
Future TV, by Future Media, the media venture of the Future group, has struck an alliance with the 24-hour English news channel, Times Now, wherein the former will run live news updates across its widespread network at various consumption spaces. Future TV was launched in July this year.
Partho Dasgupta |
This is not the first time that Future TV has struck a content deal, however, this is the first time the company is looking at the provision of live content to its consumers. Before this announcement, it has been running content provided by 69mm.tv, a company that is into content creation, aggregation and distribution of original audiovisual content for web and mobile phones. It also sources content from Riverbank Productions, which provides details on travel destinations in and around Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. Apart from outsourcing content, the company also produces and puts up content that is produced in-house.
| Times Now on Future TV |
The live news ticker being run on Times Now will now be seen on Future TV, too. It will be broadcast across the Future TV network, which is currently being rolled out across 9 cities, at consumption places such as Pantaloons, Big Bazaar and malls such as Orchid City Centre using an exclusive and customized RSS feed.
Sunil Lulla, CEO, Times Now, says, “Times Now has always believed in reaching its viewers with the news that is relevant to them and when it matters. Platforms like Future TV ensure that the viewer doesn’t need to stay away from news while shopping.”
| Sunil Lulla |
The different feeds of Future TV, depending on the ambience of the location of the screen, present a variety of content. For example, Pantaloons has more lifestyle content, while Big Bazaar presents a lot more humour (provided by 69mm.tv). Contests like cricket are common across various feeds.
Apart from providing crated content, brands are also advertised on Future TV. These include brands sold in Future Group stores, as well as those that are not. Some brands that aren’t available on the shelves of the group’s retail stores but are advertised are ICICI Debit Cards, UTI NFO and Kingfisher Airlines. Amongst the few available at the stores is Cadila Sugar Free.
Future TV was launched with 1000 screens across nine markets, and has 500+ consumption spaces across 50 cities.