Shankar B

On Friday, August 9, all roads lead to the second edition of the South India Media Summit in Chennai. Around 350 delegates are scheduled to be in attendance with around 50-odd speakers from across the country addressing the audience.

Organised by Fourth Dimension Media Solutions, there will be panel discussions on issues like Fake News, the importance of regional languages and OTT and how South Media is becoming an important centre for medical tourism amongst others.

As he was stitching up arrangements for the Summit, Shankar B, CEO of Fourth Dimension Media Solutions spoke to MxMIndia (Disclosure: MxMIndia is a media partner of the South India Media Summit). Read on…

01. How’s this edition of SIMS different from the last one?

The success of this format is due to the sessions and panellists who have contributed all their experience and agreed to be a part of this event. Also South India doesn’t witness such large format events and my only aim is to educate and make people learn out of this event – there is no other motive.

01a. How’s this edition of SIMS different from the last one?

This Edition has mix of speakers from all walks of Life. I have MDs,CEOs and also CMOs from large corporates. This year the focus is more on digital, health care branding and women empowerment. There hasn’t been a session till date on healthcare branding and Chennai being the sort of capital for medical tourism – I badly wanted to address this.

02. Does the fact that you have a separate summit for South India mean that the existing events held aren’t inclusive? That the southern players feel left out?

Am glad someone asked me this question. South India is different in all aspects – the language, food, culture, clothes etc but there is abundant potential which lies in each of these five states and One Union Territory. The way Retail/Regional brands in the South have given a  tough fight to most of the MNCs is worth mentioning. I always try and educate the media fraternity on the Do’s and Don’ts and now people have taken cognisance it seems to be working well.

03. Would you advocate similar events for other regions as well? Would you consider conducting a simiar Summit elsewhere in the South where there is a formidable media presence?

I don’t know how to answer this – I strongly feel there was a strong need for marketers and brand owners to understand the South more closely. Though there are events held in South – there aren’t events which involves the Retail Biggies who have actually contributed to South’s GDP. I always evangelise for South – I still feel we are left out. Without naming anyone – the so-called big industry events which happen hardly have any knowledge sessions on South – I have bought this to people’s notice – it went unnoticed. That prompted to start the SIMS.

04. Would you advocate similar events for other regions as well?

Yes, we plan to take this to the smallest of towns in South India –there is no point in doing events in Chennai, Bangalore & Hyderabad. You should do events where people from smallest of towns stand to gain form these knowledge leaders, which otherwise wouldn’t happen.

05. I notice that Federal is the presenting sponsor which is a sibling of PT. Is this why there is no representation from Sun, the largest player from the South?

We have always wanted to do an event for Federal and this fitted their bill. This has nothing to do with Sun Group – they are the market leaders in South and there is no doubt about that. Frankly speaking – we didn’t approach them for Sponsorship.

05a. But there’s no one from the rivals of PT/Federal among the panellists?

Well, Hindu and Dighvijay are there. Deccan Herald couldn’t make it. I  approached Sun last year, but there was no response… so there’s nothing much one can do.