Zee News initiates creative pitch

The pitch process is being held in New Delhi.

Zee News, the Hindi news channel from Zee Media Corp, has initiated a creative pitch in New Delhi.

While Zee officials were not available for comments, sources in the industry confirm the news to afaqs!.

The incumbent agency on the account is Bang in the Middle. The agency will pitch to retain the business.

In August 2011, Zee News had changed its baseline from 'Zara Sochiye' to 'Jazba Soch Ka'. The tagline was changed to 'Soch Badlo Desh Badlo' to show the focus of the channel on hardcore and serious news.

According to experts, news channels are not very big accounts for creative agencies. Unlike brands that hire creative agencies to get creative solutions/ads from them, channels like these look at enhancing the brand's presence and positioning.

Zee Media Corp (ZMCL) was recently in news when its chief executive officer Alok Agarwal (former chief operating officer of Cheil Worldwide India) announced his exit after a stint of 17 months.

The company later got media coverage when it gave Samir Ahluwalia, Zee Business editor and business head, additional responsibility of being the interim CEO of ZMCL.

Ahluwalia, an old hand at ZMCL, had joined Zee Telefilms in 1997.

In October 2012, Bhaskar Das ended his 32-year stint with The Times of India Group to join ZMCL (earlier Zee News) as group CEO for the overall news cluster.

In July 2013, Zee News announced a new philosophy along with a new identity. Zee Media Corporation adopted a new tagline, 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - The World is my family.' With this, the company intended to have a global outlook, albeit being attached to its roots. It also unveiled a new logo.

The channels operated by Zee Media Corporation are Zee News, Zee Business, Zee Punjab Haryana Himachal, Zee Sangam, Zee 24 Gantalu, Zee Madhya Pradesh Chattisgarh, Zee 24 Taas, the first 24-hour Marathi news channel. 24 Ghanta, a 24-hour Bangla news channel is operated by a subsidiary company known as Zee Akaash News Private Limited.

For the record, the company was incorporated as Zee Sports Limited on August 27, 1999 and its name changed to Zee News Limited in May 27, 2004. ZNL was de-merged from Zee Telefilms Limited on March 31, 2006 as per the scheme of arrangement approved by the Hon. Bombay High Court on November 17, 2006.

The company became a listed entity on January 10, 2007.The name of the company was further changed to Zee Media Corporation with effect from July 6, 2013.