NetworkPlay signs ad sales agreement with Sun Direct TV

NetworkPlay will represent Sun Direct TV in the market, and sell advertising inventory available with the DTH service provider.

Digital media firm NetworkPlay has entered into an exclusive advertising sales agreement with direct to home (DTH) service provider, Sun Direct TV.

According to the agreement, NetworkPlay will represent Sun Direct TV and sell its advertising inventory. Speaking to afaqs!, Ampreet Singh, co-founder, NetworkPlay, says, "We will help to monetise the default or home channel and video-on-demand service available on Sun Direct TV."

He explains that advertisers will be allowed to showcase video, television commercials and static page ads on the home channel. The video ad spots on the home channel will be sold for Rs 25,000 for 15 minutes. Various advertising options will be offered on the video-on-demand channels. For instance, advertisers will be allowed to run branded Aston bands, put logos or even sponsor the video-on-demand channel.

Singh clarifies that ads on Sun Direct TV will not be interactive in nature in the initial phase. "Later, as Sun Direct TV offers interactive options, we might offer interactive ads, as well," he says.

Sun Direct has 6.7 million subscribers across India. Of that, about 85 per cent users reside in South India. In an official communiqué, Mahesh Kumar, chief executive officer, Sun Direct, says, "Sun Direct has a large and unique share of the rapidly growing DTH space and has been one of the fastest growing DTH brands in the country. NetworkPlay's experience and leverage in the area of DTH advertising gives us the opportunity to monetise this growth in an effective way." NetworkPlay also monetises the DTH services of Airtel.

NetworkPlay is funded by Capital18, the venture funding arm of the Network18 Group.