From TV to Mobile app, History TV18 first to ring in

While everyone has read, heard and are quite aware of world history's most important event - World Wars I and II, interestingly very few knew that year 2014 marks 100 years of the beginning of the World Wars, a 30-year bloody continuum that spread from Europe to the entire globe. With sole aim to commemorate this, HISTORY TV18 examines the two wars as one continuous timeline starting in 1914 and concluding in 1945 with a special six-part series ‘The World Wars’.

Interestingly, for the first time in India, the series will premiere on the newly launched HISTORY TV18 mobile app this week, followed by its television premiere on 11th August 2014.

Adgully caught up with Sangeetha Aiyer, VP and Head Marketing, A+E Networks|TV18 on the initiatives undertaken by the channel and having the 'first movers' advantage in launching a series on their app in the Indian television space.

Speaking about the rationale behind taking this step, she said, “Honestly, I am quite surprised that we are the first in the category and among the first in the business to do this. Every study shows that consumption is shifting by leaps and bounds to mobile. The future belongs to content which is platform agnostic. By premiering one of our top rated shows on the 'App first', we are taking baby steps in this direction.”

In the last few years, there has been a transformation in the way people consume information with a dramatic rise in the number of smartphones and increased connectivity; hence she feels that in this regard, it would be fair to say apps are the new websites. “Television is one of the prime movers of social media, so it made eminent sense for our channel to adapt mobile as a medium to reach our audiences", she added.

The new update of the HISTORY TV18 App will feature VOD as well as live streaming of the channel in Hindi and English. Aiyer beleives that the app is a great way of sampling the channel. Adding further she said, "It’s a dream come true for any marketer and programmer since you are directly talking to your viewers on your own platform. So in a sense, it takes viewer empowerment to a whole new level. Not just consumption, we are even taking major decisions based on viewer feedback on the app as well".

Aiyer states that HISTORY TV18 is gradually becoming the one-stop destination for factual entertainment with an array of shows spanning various genres from science & technology to magic and contemporary history. “Since the launch of our channel, the entire genre has undergone a transformation from survival based shows to artifactual shows, with Pawn Stars becoming the number one show in this genre. We also have an aliens strip at 11.00 PM every night, following the popularity of Ancient Aliens on social media", she remarked.

THE WORLD WARS is a multiple Emmy award nominated show on the 30-year bloody continuum that spread from Europe to the entire globe. This six part series examines the two wars as one continuous timeline, starting in 1914 and concluding in 1945. The most iconic figures of WWII — Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, George S. Patton, Hideki Tojo, Charles de Gaulle and Douglas MacArthur — were caught up in both conflicts. This documentary focuses on how their lives were shaped by WW1, following which they shaped the world during WW2. ‘The World Wars’ is a fitting show to commemorate 100 years since the start of WWI.

Also, The World Wars is being promoted in a traditional way through promos on their channel and across the network (CNN IBN, CNBC etc.). There is also a heavy digital thrust across their social media platforms. She mentioned that the objective has always been to provide clutter breaking content, which is never seen before and that is why for the first time they have a superstar dubbing for their shows (Sabyasachi Chakrabarthy).

Also while 'history' as a subject matter cuts across age groups and geographies, on TG front, Aiyer said, “Most people have read about the World Wars only in textbooks, but it is so much more than that; at its heart, it is a human story, which needs to be told and understood by the present generation. We expect this show to cut across all TGs since it is a core part of mankind’s history.” [By Aanchal kohli | Twitter: @aanchalkohli]