Internship Report on DawnNews

TV
2010

Submitted By:
Muhamamd Ammar Hassan
 Internship Report
2010 on DawnNews TV

2006-2-61-5740

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 Internship Report
2010 on DawnNews TV

1.1. Personal Information

Name: Muhammad Ammar Hassan

ID Number: 2006-2-61-5740

Control Number: SP10-071

Major Field: Marketing

1.2. Company where internship was served

Name: DawnNews TV. (Aurora Broadcasting Services ltd)

Duration of internship: 9th February 2010 till 22nd March 2010

1.3. Report based on: Option 1 (Case Study)

1.4. Due date of report: 5th April 2010

1.5. Report submitted on: 5th April 2010

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Table of Contents

Department(s) to which I was attached............................................pg4

Functions of Department...................................................................pg4

The work I did during Internship....................................................pg6

DawnNews Case History..................................................................pg10

Conclusion.........................................................................................pg13

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DEPARTMENT(S) TO WHICH I WAS ATTACHED

Department: Marketing

Supervisor’s Name: Hira Humayun

Designation: Marketing Executive

 Functions of Department:

1. Organizing & Managing events

DawnNews has organized and managed number of

events with in collaboration to different entities and independently as well. While I
was interning, I came across the following events:

• Paint the Change Activity: It is an initiative aimed at instilling patriotic

fervor and a sense of community development amongst the masses by
painting the neglected and graffiti ridden walls of Karachi with illustrations
and artwork depicting a positive image of Pakistan. It is based on the theme
of Positive Pakistan and is in collaboration with "I Own Karachi"

2. Engaging in Media Partnership

DawnNews is an official media partner of following

companies/cafes/restaurants/salons/etc:

• Aga Khan University

• Clippers

• Gazebo

• Mirror’s Salon

• LUMS Daily Student Society

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• The Sports Bar

• Wired-up Gaming Zone

• Avari Towers Hotel

The purpose of engaging in Media partnership with above

companies/cafes/restaurants/salons/etc is to spread the word of DawnNews around in the market
and to create awareness. DawnNews brand themselves at these locations and in return they get
publicity on DawnNews facebook, twitter groups and on its website. Apart from that these
locations/places events are given free coverage at times.

3. Promoting its Documentaries

DawnNews is not just about news; it promotes

documentaries as well for entertainment, for example: Equinox; Enduring
the consequences of Pakistan’s problems, these are people whose voices
have not been heard before. Equinox gives them that chance, Kaleidoscope,
Walled Memories and many more.

4. Involving in CSR Activities

Like other big companies; Shell, PSO, etc. DawnNews is

also involved in CSR activities, for example it has arranged beach clean-up twice at
Sea-view beach, in which students from different schools participate. Other than
that it has been a major player in raising funds for TCF

5. Carrying out BTL activities

DawnNews undertakes several BTL activities like:

visiting several locations and carrying out awareness campaign and telling people
about its shows, documentaries, anchors, etc. The aim was to increase viewership
and to gain market share in terms of TRP’s.

They also have mobile vans which roam around the entire city to create awareness
at different locations.

While I was interning there, there was a Sunday Bazaar Campaign as well. In which
we had 2 stalls at Sunday Bazaar, totally branded with DawnNews skins and pana

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flex. We went around Sunday Bachat Bazaar and interviewed people and gave them
our freebies; Key-chains, mugs, pens, cubes, etc.

6. Carrying out research

Carrying out research at different locations, events, places,

etc has been an integral part/function of DawnNews marketing department in order
to know the awareness level and to overcome the weaknesses and flaws.

The above mentioned functions are related to the corporate objectives in this way that they are
carried out to increase brand awareness amongst the masses. As we know DawnNews is watched
by a particular class (elite class of society). The management wants to reach the entire society
and increase its viewership. Therefore they carry out research, survey, BTL activities, promote
its documentaries and organize and manage events just to inform the masses that DawnNews is
just not about News. The Law of Publicity and the Law of Advertising go side by side. In order
to gain publicity in the market you need to create hype about your brand in the market and by
organizing DawnNews CSR activities and events, they try to create that hype and try to occupy a
particular position in viewers mind that further results in brand loyalty.

 The work I did in the department:

I assisted the marketing executive in managing
and organizing the events. I also helped them in the launch and promotion of DawnNews
8se11 Urdu transmission.

Apart from that I was looking after the branding at the events. During my internship,
branding at following events was taken care of:

• PAF KIET – COMBAT 2010

• AURORA ADVERTISING CONFERENCE 2010

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• CIO Conference 2010

• Automation of Banking Industry 2010.

During the launch of DawnNews Urdu transmission awareness campaign we went

around the entire city to make masses aware about our Urdu 8-11 transmission. We distributed
key-chains, pens, cubes, posters, fliers, and other freebies to create hype and to attract them to
our stall and mobile van.

I have been responsible for the direct selling activity arranged for the publicity of DawnNews
8se11 Urdu transmission. The activity was a 10 day assignment based on visiting 10 different
areas of Karachi to promote Dawn News Urdu transmission. I managed the volunteer arranged
from schools like beacon house and bay view and worked by myself too in the activity. A 10 day
extensive report was submitted which was checked by CEO of Dawn News Mr. Shaqeel.

After that i managed the campaign of rickshaw branding, The idea was to promote Dawn News
Urdu transmission among the masses, I formulized and implemented the rickhshaw branding
campaign and visited areas like golimaar, lasbela, kharadar, sadar, baldia town, gulshan and
many others to manage the activity.

I was then involved in the process of mall branding, I visted dolmen mall and searched for
branding options in the mall, After that I submitted a report on Mall branding suggesting
different opportunities for branding in Dolmen Mall with the budget estimates involving the
company vendor.

I was also given the opportunity to show my skill to sort out media partnerships. I formulized
different proposals for LUMS Olympiad and WIBCON `10 during negotiation for getting Media
partnership.

I also did telemarketing for the 1st week and submitted the telemarketing reports, I Also
submitted the reports analyzing questionnaires that we got filled during different Dawn News
Event. I was also a part of a Distribution survey that Dawn News carried out to know the
availability of Dawn News in different areas. I was responsible with other interns in managing
the contest of Dawn News 8se11 Urdu transmission, selecting winners from the list, informing
the winners, making the pay orders for winners and confirmation of the delivery were some of
the step during this task. I was the first intern to make this trend of submitting the “hand over
report” to the marketing head for the facilitation of the coming intern which was appreciated by
the management.

DAWNNEWS CASE HISTORY

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The Dawn Media Network launched DawnNews, which is said to be Pakistan’s first English
language news and current affairs television channel, with an aim to provide its viewers with a
medium that is responsible, credible and balanced.

The test transmission of the station occurred in May 25 2007, and the channel went live on July
23, 2007. Over past three years the channel has established its fame being the most credible
voice in the murky pool of electronic media, in Pakistan. Probably, the most talented and
hardworking journalists of present time have been associated with the channel since the
beginning. Some of them left to pursue their career in the same profession. Nonetheless, with
superb hard-work and dedication they converted the dream into a reality.

DawnNews has broken a number of big stories. It was DawnNews which exclusively
broadcasted the footage of the assassin of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. It was
DawnNews that got official confirmation from Pakistan that lone surviving gunman of Mumbai
terror attacks – Ajmal Kasab – was a Pakistani.

Besides, DawnNews has covered major events including Lal Masjid operation, lawyers’
movement, military operations in tribal areas and 2008 general elections. Most of the time, the
channel beat its rivals despite limited resources.

DawnNews transmission is watched in all urban areas of Pakistan. It also has access to the rural
population, wherever the cable reaches. DawnNews is in agreement with a few satellite TV
channels and can be watched in the US, Europe, Middle East and Africa. But these all things
were not enough for a channel to compete with big Urdu giants: GEO TV, EXPRESS NEWS,
AAJ NEWS, DUNIYA TV, etc.

For a country like Pakistan, where literacy is defined as a person who can read and write English,
according to the latest census report literacy rate is said to be 39%. People’s first priority is an
Urdu channel. English Channel is a preference of a particular elite class segment. Therefore
DawnNews is struggling hard to increase its market share in terms of TRP’s. The viewership is
going down day by day when compared to the big media giants.

The following table shows share of Media channels, express as a percentage. GEO News has
highest market viewership, where

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DawnNews share is just 1/3.

Note: the following stats and figures are of year 2009.

As a result of this, DawnNews CEO, Directors, Producers, HOD’s of Departments and

employees decided to go for DawnNews Urdu 8pm-11pm transmission. A survey was even
carried out at different locations, and it was surprising to see that almost 80% individuals are
willing to watch DawnNews Urdu. They consider DawnNews as most reliable, balanced and
objectivity based media channel.

DawnNews will now focus on masses rather than just being limited to a particular segment of
elite class. Though this niche market contributed a lot towards market share, but that wasn’t
enough to combat with competition. Therefore DawnNews planned to launch Urdu transmission
from 8pm-11pm.

Question: How will the masses be informed about DawnNews Urdu 8pm-11pm transmission
time slot?

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Several issues and alternatives were presented at the meeting. Everyone proposed their own ideas
and thoughts. After a brainstorming session, following things came forward:

 Advertisements on different Radio Stations.

 Big hoardings, banners, posters on walls, rickshaws, cars, etc will be put up all over the
Pakistan in most crowded areas where visibility index is high.

 8 Bolan vans will be branded with vinyl stickers pasted, displaying 8pm-11pm Urdu
shows and anchors, which will roam around in metropolitan cities of Pakistan.

 Awareness activities in flats, apartments, shopping plazas, malls, etc will be carried out.
(explained in detail of how DawnNews will go about this activity after these following
points)

 E-Marketing and advertising will be conducted.

 Informative advertising through SMS Marketing.

 Informative advertising in different newspapers.

 DAWNNEWS URDU TRANSMISSION AWARENESS ACTIVITY PLAN

Objective:

I Submitted this activity plan to increase awareness of DawnNews Urdu transmission of 8pm-
11pm, by visiting apartments/buildings/shopping plazas/crowded areas/etc in various areas of
Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad and interacting with individuals and families.

Geographical Plan: (21days Activity)

 Karachi – 10 Days (18th Feb 2010– 27th Feb2010)

 Lahore – 5 Days (28th Feb 2010 – 4th March 2010)

 Islamabad/Rawalpindi – 6 Days (5th March 2010 – 10th March 2010)

Plan of Action:

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The activity requires the following items:

 Pana flexes

 Branded Transport or mobile van for 7days (2pm till 8pm)

 Sound system playing our Urdu promos.

Promotional Material:

 Flyers (Quantity: 10,000)

Distribution of flyers: Karachi: 4000, Lahore: 3000 and Islamabad: 3000

 Key Chains (Quantity 8000)

 Pens (Quantity 10000)

 Contest Flyer (Flyers for promotion of the contest having its details, quantity: 5,000)

Research Survey:

During this activity we will also make our audience fill our questionnaire which will give us a
viewer insight about our programs and what they want to see more in our 8 se 11 transmission.

News team activity:

To increase the scale, intensity and reach of informing our audience of the activity, a cameraman
and a reporter will be around the point of activity to take views and suggestions of residents and
individuals regarding DawnNews Urdu transmission. Later their views/suggestions will be on air
all day long as a 5 minute spot. Like this they will be motivated to watch DawnNews and see
themselves.
CONCLUSION
In my opinion, I think going for Urdu Transmission for 3 hours in an English channel doesn’t
seem to be a good decision. If DawnNews will broadcast Urdu transmission in their English
channel, their brand image can be distorted and damaged because in viewers mind DawnNews is
portrayed as the first English media channel.

This step will create confusions in people mind about DawnNews brand personality and brand
identification. People will be confused whether it is an Urdu channel or an English channel. Why
I am saying this is because while I was conducting awareness research survey, many people
asked me this question. They said that DawnNews claims to be the first English Channel, then

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why is it planning to show Urdu transmission within the same channel? Even other media
channels made fun out of it in newspapers and on air.

In my point of view they should start another channel as Dawn Urdu. I know there are a lot of
costs and expenses involved in doing that, but it will save their brand image, or they can even
give it some other name, having DawnNews as a parent brand. This move is said to be a flanker
brand (a small brand not so popular, but serve as a tough competitor to other big giants).

When a channel, individual, product, etc possesses two different personalities, qualities and
features then in long run they cannot concentrate on their core value. They are confused on
which one to focus and it results in a failure. They should try to concentrate and narrow their
focus on their strengths and on one particular characteristic. This is called as Law of
Concentration in branding.

These are my assumptions. I am not saying that the move made by top management of 3 hours
Dawn Urdu transmission is a wrong move and will result in a failure, because I know that
DawnNews TV is said to have the most efficient human resource in terms of ideas, innovation,
creativity and management. They would have thought about it before whatever I am thinking, but
for me it doesn’t seem to be a nice and sound decision

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