GECs

Marathi TV: The BTL surge

Published

12 years ago

September 27, 2013

MUMBAI: While shows such as Bigg Boss and Dance India Dance are capable of drawing eyeballs on their own steam, they owe their popularity, at least in part, to extensive marketing and promotion undertaken by the Hindi GECs in question.

Contrastingly, the Marathi GEC space is not too well known for going aggro on advertising, however, there’s one element of the marketing mix which even these channels resort to frequently in order to connect with its audiences.

Viacom 18 EVP and ETV Marathi business head Anuj Poddar says, “On-ground activities integrate elements of emotion, logic, and general thought processes to connect with the consumer. The goal is to establish the connection in such a way that the consumer responds to the show offering at both an emotional and rational response level.”

Poddar gives the example of Kon Hoyil Marathi Crorepati(KHMC), ETV Marathi’s flagship programme, which garnered high views. He says a KHMC van with a ‘hot seat’ travelled to 90 markets in the state, with people getting an opportunity to experience the thrill of being in the coveted seat answering questions.

On the other hand, Zee Marathi, which leads the genre, has on-ground activities weaved into its shows such as Home Minister, which is entering its tenth year and involves meeting women in their homes on a regular basis; Aamhi Saare Khavaiyye and Madhali Sutti to name a few. During rainy season events are conducted indoors while during other times they are outdoor.

Zee Marathi claims to have touched all of Maharashtra’s prime markets, whereas ETV is looking to expand its on-ground activities, mainly in towns and villages. Both the channels undertake these activities on its own. Zee Marathi says the local part is taken care of by local agencies such as booking places.

Most of the times, the cast also accompanies in such activities for which they are also paid. “The casts of the shows are a major crowd puller and play an important role in driving audience for any on-ground activity,” says Poddar.

“Our audiences don’t sit in Mumbai and Pune and so, our on-ground activities are targeted at other towns,” points out Poddar, adding that the channel is currently into on-ground operations for its upcoming dance show, Mhanjech Assal Dancer (MAD).

“On-ground activities, especially experiential marketing, will play a pivotal role in all marketing campaigns as we move from mere product attribute communication to focusing on delivering experiences that develop relationships and bonds that enable brands to grow over time,” he adds.

It turns out ETV devotes 10 per cent of its entire marketing budget to on-ground. Zee Marathi refused to comment on how much it spends on below the line activation. Sources however peg total on-ground expenditure at around Rs 3-5 crore per annum. Again, the expenditure may vary depending on the scale of the show.

Zee Marathi business head Deepak Rajadhyaksha is of the opinion that the impact of on-ground activities is almost always visible. “We get to understand what people like and don’t like as well as the impact of the channel. Viewers give us a clear picture.” All marketing activation of the channel is done under the brand name Utsav Natyancha, involving games, acts and prizes along with discussions. Utsav Natyancha’has travelled to more than 11 towns across the state, claims Rajadhyaksha. He discloses that the channel resorts to close to 15-20 BTL initiatives each year. ETV Marathi says that it selects locations on the basis of viewership contribution as well as market classification.
People participating in the KHMC activity, organized by ETV Marathi

Madison COO Karthik Lakshminarayan says that more than the Marathi channels Hindi TV channels normally go into a greater overdrive on this front and hence get a lot more visibility amongst lay consumers. “Such activities create a lot of buzz for the TV channel and show,” is Poddar’s stated view.

So what happens once an event is done? “We conduct a survey by distributing forms to people asking them about the show,” says Rajadhyaksha. During the course of the event, games are conducted in which contestants are asked questions pertaining to the channel’s shows after which winners get prizes. All contact details of the people is piled into a database and they are informed and invited the next time Zee Marathi does an event.

Same goes for ETV Marathi. Feedback from an event is used in the next event they undertake. Regular mailers, SMS updates, Facebook uploads and Twitter tags are used to build curiosity among the viewers.

“What such kind of marketing does for the channel is that it gives it an opportunity to tailor messages in a personal manner. It also gives marketers valuable insights into their ROIs,” says Poddar. So while print, TV and radio form the main chunk, channels seem to be waking up to the possibilities offered by on-ground as a critical component of reaching out to consumers. Marathi TV appears to be on the road to getting the fourth ‘P’ of its marketing mix right.

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GECs

Sun TV posts steady revenue, profit dips amid rising costs

Published

7 days ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

CHENNAI: It appears there is still plenty of Sun to go around in the Indian broadcasting landscape, even if a few clouds have drifted across the financial horizon. Sun TV Network Limited, the Chennai-based behemoth that dominates airwaves across seven languages, has tuned into a steady frequency for the quarter ending 31 December 2025. While the numbers show a resilient revenue stream, the company’s latest broadcast reveals a few static-filled spots in its profit margins.

For the quarter in question, Sun TV’s total income climbed by approximately 3.31 per cent, reaching Rs 958.39 crores compared to Rs 927.66 crores in the same period last year. Revenue from operations also saw a healthy bump, rising 4.32 per cent to Rs 827.87 crores.

The real star of the show, however, was domestic subscription revenue, which surged by 8.86 per cent to Rs 472.99 crores. This growth highlights the enduring appetite for Sun’s diverse content, which spans everything from daily soaps in Tamil and Telugu to its burgeoning OTT platform, Sun NXT.

Despite the revenue growth, the picture quality of the profits was slightly blurred by rising costs. Eitda for the quarter stood at Rs 409.79 crores, a dip from the Rs 432.14 crores recorded in the corresponding 2024 quarter.

The profit after tax followed a similar downward trend, settling at Rs 316.44 crores against the previous year’s Rs 347.17 crores. Advertisers also seemed to have switched channels slightly, with advertisement revenues sliding to Rs 291.94 crores from Rs 332.17 crores.

Sun TV isn’t just playing on home turf; its sporting ambitions are becoming increasingly global. The network now owns three major cricket franchises: SunRisers Hyderabad in the IPL, SunRisers Eastern Cape in SA20, and SunRisers Leeds Limited in The Hundred (UK).

The foray into British cricket saw the company acquire a 100 per cent stake in Northern Superchargers Limited (now SunRisers Leeds) for approximately £100 million. While these franchises brought in Rs 14.61 crores this quarter, they also incurred corresponding costs of Rs 19.89 crores. Over the nine-month period, however, the cricket business is a major player, contributing Rs 487.64 crores in income.

The company’s bottom line took a minor hit from exceptional items, including a Rs 4.23 crore charge related to India’s new Labour Codes, which consolidated 29 existing labour laws. Additionally, the consolidated results reflect the amalgamation of Kal Radio Limited with Udaya FM, a move that became effective in May 2025 and required a restatement of previous figures.

To keep investors from reaching for the remote, the Board has declared an interim dividend of 50 per cent, that’s Rs 2.50 per equity share. This comes on top of earlier dividends of 100 per cent (Rs 5.00) and 75 per cent (Rs 3.75) declared in August and November 2025, respectively.

With a massive cash reserve and a dominant position in the South Indian market, Sun TV continues to shine, even if the current quarter required a bit of fine-tuning. For now, shareholders can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

GECs

SPNI hires Pradeep M with responsibility for standards and practices in the south

Published

1 week ago

February 3, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has hired Pradeep M to handle standards and practices for its southern market, bolstering its compliance bench as content rules tighten across platforms.

Pradeep, who has nearly 13 years in the entertainment media industry, takes on responsibility for content standards in a region that is both linguistically diverse and regulatorily sensitive. His brief spans television, OTT, sports and digital platforms.

He specialises in content review and compliance across shows, commercials, on-air promotions and international feeds, ensuring alignment with broadcast, OTT and advertising codes. He has also handled brand approvals and sponsorship integrations for heavily regulated categories—including online gaming, cryptocurrency, NFTs and lottery brands—offering guidance shaped by fast-evolving rules.

Before Sony, Pradeep worked at Jiostar as assistant manager for content regulation from November 2024 to January 2026. Earlier, he spent nearly seven years at Viacom18 Media, rising from senior executive to assistant manager in content regulation between 2018 and 2024. There he served as a key compliance touchpoint for the network.

His career began on the creative side. Between 2013 and 2018, he worked as executive producer on feature films and television shows, gaining hands-on exposure to production. He also had a stint as a non-fiction show director at Star TV Network in 2017. That mix of creative and regulatory experience gives him a dual lens—how content is made and how it must be managed.

As regulators, platforms and advertisers all tighten the screws, broadcasters are investing more in gatekeepers who can keep creativity within the lines. Sony’s latest hire shows where the industry is heading: in the streaming age, compliance is content’s quiet co-star.

GECs

Colors Gujarati rolls out two new shows from 2nd February

Published

2 weeks ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Colors Gujarati has unveiled two new prime-time shows as part of its push to strengthen culturally rooted storytelling for regional audiences. The channel will premiere the devotional saga Gangasati–Paanbai at 7.30 pm, followed by the romantic family drama Manmelo at 9.30 pm from February 2.

Inspired by Gujarat’s spiritual and literary heritage, Gangasati–Paanbai: Shyam Dhun No Navo Adhyay draws from the timeless bhajans and poetry of saint-poetesses Gangasati and Paanbai, weaving devotion and human values into a contemporary narrative aimed at younger viewers.

In contrast, Manmelo explores love and responsibility across social divides, tracing the lives of three middle-class sisters whose relationships with three affluent brothers reshape their futures. The show delves into ambition, emotional conflict and the realities of married life, offering a layered family drama.

A Colors Gujarati spokesperson said the new launches reflect the channel’s commitment to authentic Gujarati entertainment that blends cultural values with modern storytelling.