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April 29 2008
Sun TV, Zee outrank Star in South Asia
By ASHISH SINHA New Delhi
Business Standard
(c) 2008 Business Standard Ltd.
Kalanithi Maran’s Sun Network and Subhash Chandra’s Zee Entertainment, the two homegrown media companies, have managed to de-throne Rupert Murdoch’s Star Group as the leading Asia-Pacific pay broadcaster, according to the latest ratings on the south asia market released by Media Partners Asia (MPA), an international media research agency.
According to the MPA report, both Sun Network and Zee Group are ranked first and second respectively in the pecking order of leading pay broadcasters in the region, while Star Group has moved down to the fourth position after Korea’s On Media.
The MPA rankings are based on EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization).
According to the rankings, Sun TV Network’s first position was based on an EBITDA of $142 million (Rs 569 crore) for the financial year 2007-08. Zee Entertainment was ranked second with an EBITDA of $138 million (Rs 553 crore), followed by Korea’s On Media with $105 million (Rs 420 crore). Star Group is ranked fourth with an EBITDA of $103 million (Rs 413 crore).
“Star Group’s standalone EBITDA for 2007-08 (financial year ended June 30) is lower than that of Sun and Zee if you look at the unconsolidated numbers, that is minus the earnings of its equity-accounted associates such as ESPN Star Sports, Phoenix Satellite TV, MCCS, ANTV, Hathway and Tata Sky,” Vivek Couto of MPA said.
However, once clubbed, Star Group will move up to the third place in the Asia Pacific region with an EBITDA of $135 million (Rs 541 crore), Couto added.
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