Sunday, January 13, 2008

More Nano!

I have not even attempted to go to the Auto Expo since Thursday, the crowds coming to this Expo, 10 years after RNT unveiled the Indica at the same venue are beating all records and those silly protesters sitting outside, screaming and shouting have finally realised that the Indian middle classes do not give a damn, and nor does the media, because the media feeds off the middle classes. R.K Pachauri and Sunita Narain are keeping so quiet, it isn't funny. Yes, there are the couple of mails they fire off, but the fantastic PR job that the Tata's PR agency- Vaishnavi have pulled off needs to be complemented. Even more so, other than the stark raving mad British media, who are more concerned about losing more of their industrial empire (built on India's money, mind you) to India, even though I think the Jaguar and Land Rover deals are not that great for the Tata's, but that is a different kettle of fish.
Let's not get too caught up, shall we? Honestly, until one drives the Nano, no-one will know how good or bad it will be. It could be pathetic for all you know. I do not expect it to be very exciting since no Tata Motors product is, the Indica being very ordinary to say the least. Big inside, but not exciting, involving or anything of the sort, maybe with the new Fiat engine it could be, but...
Back to the media, Triveni Infrastructures, a Delhi-based construction company of rather, can't quite find the correct adjective here to describe them, but they are not a DLF, Unitech, Omaxe and Parsvanath. Won't call them shady, but there have been some not-so-encouraging stories. Now, these guys want to get into the media and some people who have sidelined in other media groups have joined them. A good-looking guy from an English channel has joined them as channel head and told me that they will beat NDTV Good Times. Fair enough, not that the mark is quite high, but he also added that these guys will come out with a lifestyle publication next year. Wow!
No experience in media, but you've got some deadwood and paying them lots of money, including signing bonuses in cash (no tax), well, I would be more than a bit suspect. I am pretty sure they will start but as other channels recently have proven, no matter how much money you throw, you are not guaranteed success, and how do I know that the channel is not going to become a giant advertorial.. for bungalows. If it starts, that is.
I don't know, but I am still rather scepital about this particular channel. I know that NewsX will eventually start in one form or another, but this one? Let's wait and watch TV, Nat Geo maybe.

5 comments:

thalassa_mikra said...

No experience in the media + Wants to start lifestyle channel = Lalaji wants a hip makeover

Everyone wants a little bit of borrowed glamour - too bad the glamour is so contrived in the first place.

Anonymous said...

What about VS pulling out of NewsX?

Quirky Quill said...

Very hehe. But hey dude- please dont leave sentences hanging mid-air & let grammar go sliding down the hill.
I don't aspire to play teacher- but I do like this blog you know!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
K said...

Guys, shameless self-promo 'advert' comments can be done without. This is spam, no different from adverts selling Viagra. If you want an ad, pay me and I'll put up a banner, I'm not averse to adverts, but publicity... Unless I know you, I'll skip it.