MUMBAI: The television broadcasting business of Reliance Broadcast Network (RBNL), which houses four channels under the Big CBS JV and Big Magic, posted an operating loss of Rs 186.29 million for the three-month period ended 31 December.

In the year-ago period, the company had reported a loss of Rs 3.25 million under this segment. However, in the trailing quarter, the company had posted a segment loss of Rs 216 million.

The revenue from the TV segment was at Rs 59.30 million. The company has not posted the revenue figures for the earlier year for this segment. In the second quarter of the fiscal, it had reported a revenue of Rs 26 million.

RBNL employed Rs 785.99 million (segment asset less segment liabilities) towards the TV segment during the fiscal third-quarter.

Meanwhile, Big FM, the FM radio brand of the company, has reported operating profit for the fourth straight quarter, while all other businesses of the company are bleeding.

The radio broadcasting business? Ebit stood at Rs 44.15 million for the three-month period ended 31 December, up from Rs 22.12 million in the corresponding quarter of the earlier year. In the trailing quarter, the operating profit, however, was higher at Rs 120.33 million.

Big FM?s revenue stayed flat at Rs 480.69 million compared to Rs 483.89 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. In the trailing quarter, it was Rs 571.01 million.

Total capital deployed on the radio broadcasting segment stood at Rs 2.41 billion as of 31 December 2011.

RBNL CEO Tarun Katial said, ?Our radio and television businesses will gain from industry reforms like Phase III of radio and DAS - cable digitisation which will increase reach and addressability, while improving margins. We look forward to innovate and deliver exciting content across all our platforms to both consumers and advertisers alike.?

On a consolidated basis, RBNL?s net loss widened to Rs 287.39 million from Rs 45.86 million a year ago. In the trailing quarter, the net loss was at Rs 244.47 million.

Total income of the company jumped 18.88 per cent to Rs 821.35 million compared to Rs 690.92 million a year ago. However, expenses jumped 46.28 per cent to Rs 1.07 billion (from Rs 729.87 million).
Among the other segments, the outdoor business posted an operating loss of Rs 62.09 million, up from Rs 37.05 million in the year-ago period. Income from the segment was at Rs 101.04 million (from Rs 60.51 million).

Experiential marketing segment loss stood at Rs 25.53 million, up from Rs 14.20 million. Income from the segment fell to Rs 86.55 million, from Rs 126.59 million.

TV production business posted operating profit of Rs 0.15 million on an income of Rs 118.16 million.

MUMBAI: Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) will be launching a show simultaneously on its FM radio and television channels, the first time that this has happened in India.

Titled ?Hasya Panchayat?, the special show with Hindi poet and humourist Surender Sharma will be broadcast on Big FM and Big Magic simultaneously.

The television series will first premiere on Big Magic from 13 February. The radio broadcast will start sometime around Holi festival, from which date it will be simultaneously broadcast on the TV channel as well.

The hasyakavi, popularly known as Sharmaji, will feature daily across 92.7 Big FM stations in Hindi speaking regions for an hour.

The comic artist will feature simultaneously on Big Magic?s daily show titled ?Hasya Panchayat? in a special segment, where he will present viewers with his hilarious take on different topics. People from the Hindi heartland of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand will also get to watch shorter capsules featuring Sharmaji?s celebrated one-liners.

A company spokesperson said, "Few things in life can compare to the joy one gets in making someone laugh. We?re proud to bring a much-loved persona like Surender Sharma into the lives of our consumers and trust his wittiness will give us many reasons to laugh. This double treat on 92.7 Big FM and Big Magic will ensure people never miss out on the King of Kavi?s rib tickling humour."

The time slot of the show on both platforms is yet to be decided.

MUMBAI: Big Magic, the regional entertainment for Hindi heartland from the Reliance Broadcast Network (RBNL) group, has added a new show to its content lineup.

The channel which is available in UP, MP, Bihar and Jharkhand, has started a new Bhojpuri music band.

The band ? ?Hamaar Des Hamaar Sangeet? - will air everyday at 9-9.30 am.

The new band, Big Magic hopes, will cater to the audiences spread across the Hindi Heartland who enjoy Bhojpuri
Music.

This Music band will feature songs from the latest and popular Bhojpuri films. Apart from popular Bhojpuri Music, it will be interspersed with Bhojpuri gags to increase the entertainment quotient for the viewers.

The gags, performed by Bhojpuri comedians, will showcase typical characters from the region like a doodhwala bhaiya, policeman, and politician performing gags on local insights.

The band will keep introducing more interesting local characters over a period of time, the comoany said in a statement.

MUMBAI: Lucha Libre US has announced a long-term partnership with Reliance Broadcast Network (RBNL).

With the deal in place, the first season of Lucha Libre? Masked Warriors will air simultaneously on RBNL?s English entertainment channel Big CBS Prime, part of the Channels launched through its joint venture with US? CBS Studios International, and its regional entertainment channel - Big Magic - targetted at the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

The show will air on Big CBS Prime each Friday at 9 pm and on Big Magic - each Saturday and Sunday at 7.30 pm.

This programme is a free style wrestling show. The series includes a roster of Mexican and US wrestlers, such as Lizmark Jr., Super Nova, Marco Corleone, Shane Helms and Tinieblas Jr.

RBNL said in a statement, "Sports programs are known to draw huge audiences in India. A deep audience insight mapping indicated an excellent opportunity to bring to India the Masked Warriors, showcasing the new and iconic warriors of Lucha Libre. We are confident that this offering will resonate well with our audiences across both channels, and are extremely pleased with the partnership".

Lucha Libre USA CEO Steven Ship said, "We are excited to be partnering with RBNL to bring this incredible tradition of Lucha Libre to audiences in India and allow them to view the program across demographics. We are confident, the reach and rich relevant audience base of Big CBS Prime and Big Magic will allow us to create sizeable impact in the Indian market".

MUMBAI: Big Magic, Reliance Broadcast Network‘s music and entertainment channel for the Hindi heartland is launching a new devotional singing reality show for children.

The show, Big Bal Kalakaar, premieres in mid-December.

Powered by the company‘s FM station Big FM, auditions for the show will begin in 14 cities in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The show will be hosted by singer Prajakta Shukre and will be judged by Jatin Pandit and Rajan-Sajan Mishra. Pandit Gulshan Bharti is the mentor for the kids.

The city auditions will culminate in four cluster auditions from which 10 young voices will be chosen for the 26 episode TV series with each episode having a special theme. These 10 participants will be mentored by Gulshan Bharathi for two weeks before the TV show begins.

Through the show Big Magic wants to reach out to the local young talent and will spread across music schools in the region as well.

Big Bal Kalakaar calls for auditions through media platforms of both Big Magic and Big FM. This will also be supported by a holistic media campaign involving - print, local cable, SMS pushes etc, the channel said in a statement.

MUMBAI: Reliance Broadcast Network (RBNL), the Reliance ADAG?s multi-media entertainment company with businesses across radio, television, intellectual properties, out of home and television production, has appointed Madhukar Pandey as business head for its Central India Cluster covering UP, MP, Bihar and Jharkhand.

This cluster would include RBNL?s variety entertainment channel Big Magic and Big FM?s network of 11 stations in the cluster.

Pandey will report to RBNL EVP marketing and Big Magic Anand Chakravarthy.

In his new role Pandey will be responsible for the overall functioning of the businesses in the Central India region, in functions that would range marketing and sales, managing the P&L and overseeing the product development and implementation of plans in the region.

"We are pleased to have someone who brings a hands-on approach to running a business as well as creativity, on board RBNL. Madhukar will lead Big Magic and Big FM?s operations in the highly competitive and growing central Indian market. With his unique depth of experience in the region, I am sure he will contribute enormously to help take the company to greater heights," Chakravarthy said.

Pandey added, "The values and winning culture of RBNL are truly motivating and I am sure this new journey is going to be very fulfilling. I look forward to capitalise on the many opportunities that lie ahead and set new benchmarks in this challenging role."

Prior to joining RBNL, Pandey was with MetLife Insurance serving as GM regional head.

He comes with over 14 years of experience in areas such as life insurance and information technology. He started his career in the area of IT education and served organisations such as NIIT, CMC, and Informatics in various capacities.

Later, he made a transition into the life insurance space and spent over seven years working with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, HDFC Standard Life and MetLife Insurance.