ITV

Category: GECs

  • Broadcasters beat Covid2019 blues with new channel launches

    Broadcasters beat Covid2019 blues with new channel launches

    MUMBAI: The Covid2019 pandemic was an unforeseen catastrophe for the broadcast industry. With the months-long lockdown, ad revenues troughed, and as content dried up, viewers started migrating en-masse to the greener pastures offered by OTT platforms. But thumbing their collective noses at these setbacks, the broadcasters are seeing the virtue in launching new channels. Television is now starting to mirror the online content space and deliver to the evolved consumer needs around content.

    Even during the lockdown, people turned to television as a means to keep themselves engaged and entertained, with BARC reporting a 43 per cent increase in India's TV viewership during the lockdown compared to the pre-Covid2019 period. Recent BARC data suggests a 17 per cent increase in India’s TV viewership compared to pre-Covid2019 period (week 38 vs weeks 2-4 ’20). The rise in TV consumption signifies the viewers’ appetite for content – and clearly, the time is ripe to green-flag new channels catering to different tastes and smaller sub-segments across geographies.

    ZeeL has debuted two new channels, lifestyle channel Zee Zest and Marathi music channel Zee Vajwa. Enterr10 Television Network has expanded its footprint in south India with Dangal Kannada, close on the heels of its Bhojpuri offering, Enterr10 Rangeela . Star Vijay, owned by Disney-Star, has come out with Tamil music channel Vijay Music. In10 Media Network has recently ventured into the kids’ entertainment space on Children’s Day with a new premium Hindi channel, Gubbare — Masti Ke Phuwarre. On 1 May 2020, Shemaroo Entertainment Media Network launched Hindi GEC Shemaroo TV.

     ZeeL chief consumer officer Prathyusha Agarwal said, “With Zee Vajwa, we promise to provide our audiences with a platform to enjoy some great music deep-rooted in our rich culture. We also identified a need gap in the lifestyle genre to serve a holistic entertainment experience to the focused Sec A target audience. These viewers seek experiences from around the world but from the comfort of their own homes. That’s where Zee Zest seamlessly comes in, with diverse lifestyle content themes such as wellness, travel, lifestyle, food, home improvement, and culture.”

    Media experts highlighted that these are part of long-term plans to strengthen a network’s overall portfolio and expand into new segments. With viewers confined to their homes, it’s the best time to launch new channels. Broadcasters now have more time on hand to try out new content.

    In10 Media Network MD Aditya Pittie shared that the network is focused on building scalable businesses and strategically expanding its footprint in the industry. He added, “In our country, television continues to be a primary viewing platform for kids’ entertainment among most households.”

    Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd CEO Hiren Gada mentioned that the network is always keen to experiment and set milestones in the media and entertainment space. With this industry-first initiative allowing viewers to tune into Shemaroo TV live on Facebook, Gada hopes to reach out to a new and wide set of audience and offer content that they would like to watch and enjoy in their free time.

    Carat media director Grashima Sahni pointed out that broadcasters are bringing in an element of personalisation into the television space and hence, discouraging migration to other avenues and sources. “The vernacular flavour in this expansion is a crucial ingredient too. Zee Vajwa, Dangal Kannada, Enterr 10 Rangeela, Vijay Music are all offerings in local languages of each region, appealing to the “local-masses” or “micro-masses” of each region. With this step, broadcasters are also building immunity for themselves to the challenges of NTO by TRAI. A customised appeal will make sure that the channel remains a part of the selected channel basket by its viewers,” Sahni explained.

    She further highlighted that these channels are a stepping stone for broadcasters to work towards a TV+online content ecosystem. The success of Hotstar has reflected a clear learning that the primary audiences of the content on the channel can and will remain within the ecosystem given their needs are met. When the unstoppable migration from TV to the online screen does happen – due to time flexibility needs or choices (cross-selling the content with a bigger online library) – the audience can be successfully made to migrate internally if the TV hook is present in that household.

    With NTO also setting in and consumers able to pay per channel than a group offering, channel choice mix will be an intricate balance of content on TV & digital.

    Agarwal stated that all of ZeeL’s new launches have not only established themselves strongly in their respective markets but have also aided market growth. Zee Punjabi captured a third of the viewership pie in the first four weeks of its launch, and consumption of Punjabi language content grew by 23 per cent compared to the one per cent growth in total TV viewership in Punjab/Chandigarh. Even during the lockdown, Zee Punjabi capitalised on the surge in demand for content as viewership grew by nearly 60 per cent (BARC data: weeks 12-15). The network’s new movie channels – Zee Biskope, Zee Picchar & Zee Thirai – have also aided growth by capturing significant share in the movie genre, which rose by 28-29 per cent in a growing TV pie. (BARC data: weeks 12-15).

    The launch of a new channel provides brands an opportunity to create competitive advantage as they reach sharper audience cohorts that are culturally connected. “For instance, Zee Vajwa, a category first, will allow advertisers to reach to a new audience cohort and hence offers a new opportunity for brand outreach. Zee Zest will use a dual strategy to reach consumers across TV and digital platforms, further making it an attractive proposition for advertisers. The advantage with the launch of a new lifestyle genre/ destination channel is that it opens doors to various new brands to associate with the channel. Therefore, it’s a clear driver of mutual growth,” elaborated Agarwal.

    Multiple projections suggest a recovered economy by mid-2021. Demand is a critical aspect of this recovery and advertising plays a crucial role in this demand generation. BARC has already reported TV ad volumes to be at a five year high. Sahni remarked that with festive season and big-ticket properties, the sentiment is relatively positive and reflects that the business is working hard to gain back its shares or capture newer opportunities in the market due to a refresh and reshuffling in buying cycles.

    She added that the dip in advertising by some mature categories will be neutralised, if not positively overcome, by increased spending from relatively newer and now bullish categories like ed-tech, pharma-tech, etc.

    Agarwal noted that the steady revival in the economy and increase in consumer spending is sparking demand and brands are being both conscious and cautious about the right ROI for the money they are spending. Agarwal shared that the network works very closely with all its  partners across the value chain to help deliver a holistic solution to influence their business KPIs and not just address their communication objectives. She concluded, “We will continue to focus on consumer centricity to drive mutual business growth, that will continue to garner leadership and currency for us.”

    In contrast, Sahni was of the view that each channel is in a unique position of its own, in context to market standing, core audience profile, and competition. While some channels are expanding and increasing footprint in regional space, or even niche genres (Zee Zest); others like HBO and WB are soon going off-air and online only to manage increased pressures from digital content sources in their core territory of English speaking and digitally adoptive audiences.

    However, the road to recovery remains a long and winding path, and the question that arises is: will the broadcasters reach a breakeven point where they are able to maximise profit?

    Sahni opined, “With newer channels and hence, wider owned original content by broadcasters, we foresee long term content solutions becoming an important element in the revenue stream. What the broadcasters will need to do is push their limits on creativity, flexibility and timelines. Future thinking brands have already moved towards creating a larger impact and solutions beyond reach & frequency planning, which will benefit the content owners in the coming years.”

  • Sony Sab goes socially conscious with Kaatelal & Sons

    Sony Sab goes socially conscious with Kaatelal & Sons

    MUMBAI: For its upcoming show Kaatelal & Sons, Sony Sab has released a new campaign Sapno Ka Koi Gender Nahi Hota (dreams have no gender) to underscore the premise of the story – that if you have a goal, you can achieve it irrespective of your gender and the diktats of society. Featuring the serial’s lead actresses, Megha Chakraborty and Jiya Shankar, it challenges gender stereotypes in a patriarchal world with the message Khol Dimaag Ka Shutter (Open up your mind). The music video is composed by the popular music producer Mayur Jumani, who also makes a cameo appearance. 

    The daily soap is inspired by the true story of two sisters – Susheela (Jia Shankar) and Garima (Megha Chakraborty) – who, during a rough patch, take on their father’s ancestral business of running a local men’s hair salon in Rohtak. However, daddy dearest Dharampal (Ashok Lokhande) feels that his business, named Kaatelal & Sons, can’t be passed on to his daughters. As per his beliefs, women are not supposed to pursue such a profession, but his daughters are determined to keep the shop and take it to new heights.

    Sony Sab marketing & communications head Vaishali Sharma said, “The story of Kaatelal & Sons is very hopeful and progressive. The show has a thought-provoking message that roles are not defined by gender. This concept is seeded in everything we are doing whether it is #ungender their dreams or any engagement that we are doing. That thinking resonated very powerfully with our viewers. With the Sapno Ka Koi Gender Nahi Hota campaign, we aim at challenging the deep-rooted stereotypes of gender roles in our society.”

    This is a 360 degree campaign that will outreach via digital, outdoor, print, a strategic promotional plan with Paytm and Big Bazaar. As the show progresses, the makers will also highlight the stories of people who have broken a gender stereotype. According to Sharma, the most important part of the campaign is to generate conversation around people. She also mentioned that the campaign has extensively been promoted across Sony Network channels. As far as outdoor activations are concerned, the channel will be looking at focused markets that work well for the organization. Sharma pointed out that there are two approaches which the channel will be following, first is visibility-driven media to generate awareness, and secondly, local media which will help drive the conversation forward.

    Coming to digital, Sharma has individual plans for each social media platform like Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram. To create engagement, the two protagonists of the show will create Instagram stories on a regular basis. The makers will also be putting videos regarding social experimentation. Facebook will be customised with a lot of memes. As part of the marketing campaign the channel will encourage audiences to share their stories on Instagram and Facebook. YouTube will primarily comprise short promotional videos.

    Elaborating on how the campaign will add value to the brand and the advertisers who want to be associated with Sony Sab and the show, Sharma said, “This kind of thought which is hopeful and positive is sure to resonate with the brand and the overall core value of the brand. Light-hearted content that gives hope and happiness is the core of the channel. Shows like Kaatelal & Sons will add back to the brand philosophy. From the advertisement perspective, I feel our environment is happy and progressive and anyone who is part of the environment is sure to benefit.”

    According to Sharma the plethora of distinct content on Sony Sab like Tenali Rama, Baalveer, Bhakarwadi, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, has helped them to become a channel with sunny, feel-good content which is loved by audiences across India.

    In the end, solid ideas and content don’t require too much money or promotion, quipped Sharma. “If the idea is good then the viewers become your brand advocates. With our new show and the video that we have released, we have observed that it is shared by our viewers only. The challenges of dynamic resources and money does not hold anyone back, we pride ourselves in constantly thinking about new ways of marketing and building the brand. In the last three years, brand Sony Sab moved and evolved in ways like never before.”

    Starring Megha Chakraborty, Jiya Shankar and Ashok Lokhande, Kaatelal & Sons will be telecast Monday to Friday at 7:30 pm only on Sony Sab, starting from 16 November 2020.

  • How GECs plan to light up viewers’ Diwali

    How GECs plan to light up viewers’ Diwali

    MUMBAI: Diwali, the festival of lights, symbolises homecoming as well as new beginnings. Whether or not one subscribes to the mythological or religious significance of this festival, it cannot be denied that it’s a time of togetherness, of spreading happiness and good cheer. In a similar fashion, Hindi and regional GECs have curated special programming to light up Diwali for their viewers.

    As we cope with the new normal, TV channels are keeping the festive spirits high with their best programs, presenting viewers with a perfect opportunity to spend this golden time with their families and binge watch their all-time favourite shows. We list down their Diwali line-up this year:

    Zee TV:

    During Diwali there is a special festive event on the cards for fans of the channel’s top-rated shows Kundali Bhagya and Kumkum Bhagya. During the day, audiences can look forward to the telecast of special awards shows and events like Zee Cine Awards 2020, Zee Rishtey Awards 2019 and the film, Good Newwz. The network will also premiere its highly anticipated collaboration with Balaji Telefilms, Brahmarakshas 2, on the weekend after Diwali.

     

     

    Colors Marathi:

    Colors Marathi has curated a special Diwali programming line-up for its viewers. From November 13 to 16, the channel has in store special episodes of its most popular fiction shows like Jeev Zala YedaPisa, Sukhi Mansacha Sadara, Sundara Manamadhye Bharli, to name a few. To drive the audience’s festive sentiment a notch higher, the channel will also host a special singing Diwali show named Ghei Chanda on 15 November at 12 noon, featuring renowned Indian classical vocalists Mahesh Kale and Rahul Deshpande.

     

     

    Romedy Now:

    Lighting up this Diwali with the best visual treat for viewers, Romedy Now has brought ‘Diwali Delights’ through 1 to 14 November, every night at 9 pm. The property will air some of the most wholesome Hollywood rom-coms such as Marley & Me, First Daughter, Love & Other Drugs, Down With Love, Burnt and Bride Wars.

     

     

    Colors Kannada:

    On the non-fiction front, the channel will air special event Jodi Deepavali on 15 November at 1 pm. Couples from Kannada television and cinema will come together and celebrate with fun tasks, rib-tickling gimmicks, songs, and dance to make it a special Deepawali. The show will be hosted by Kannada television’s most energetic and enthusiastic anchor, Akul Balaji. The fun doesn’t end there, as the channel will also air Baahubali at 4:30 pm on 15 November.

    As a special Diwali gift for viewers, Colors Kannada aims to spread love with the launch of Hoo Male on 16 November at 9 pm.

     

     

    Dangal TV:

    To celebrate Diwali, Dangal TV has shored up its primetime viewing with the debut of mythological series Devi Adi Parashakti on 9 November. The show has been produced by Swastik Productions and will be telecast Monday to Saturday at 9 pm.

     

     

    Big Ganga:

    Ganga Deewali Carnival is Big Ganga’s hot ticket property for this time of the year. The four-day multi-entertainment, multi-celebrity festivity will begin 10 November and culminate on 14 November.

    Colors Tamil:

    With its special Diwali line-up, Colors Tamil aims to provide viewers with an added reason to look forward to the festivities. In the non-fiction category, the channel has curated special Diwali episodes for Sindhanaigal Simplified and for their recently launched show Colors Kitchen.

    Sinthanaigal Simplified with Gurudev Shri Shri Ravi Shankar will have popular actor Yugi Sethu engaging in a refreshing conversation about life and spirituality on Saturday, 14  November 2020 at 11:00 am. This special Diwali episode is also the show’s finale. Following this, Colors Kitchen will spice up the celebrations at noon, with Chef Damu, Chef Shreya and Colors Tamil artists cooking up a delectable festive feast.

    To pump up the fun spirit of Diwali further, Colors Tamil is also set to present the world television premiere of Chitiram Pesuthadi – 2 on 14 November at 4 pm. A multi-starrer film, Chitiram Pesuthadi – 2 is a hyperlink drama that encompasses four gripping stories which take place in a time frame of 48 hours.

    Further, adding sparkle to its original programming in the fiction category, Colors Tamil has curated a special Diwali line up for its shows Amman, Idhayathai Thirudathey and Uyire.

     

     

    Colors Bangla Cinema:

    Colors Bangla Cinema will rejoice in the festivities of Kali Pujo and Bhai Fonta by showcasing special movies from 14 to 16 November. The channel will air blockbuster films such as Chore Chore Mastuto Bhai, Adorer Bon-Dadar Adesh and Inquilab-Greftaar to entertain its viewers during Diwali.

    Zee Biskope:

    On the eve of Diwali, Zee Biskope has lined up the world television premiere of Aandhi Toofan, co-presented by Nestle Munch.  It will air on 13 November 2020 at 6 pm.

    Nickelodeon:

    Nickelodeon is all set to make sure that kids and their families enjoy the festive weekend through a host of exclusively crafted fun entertainment and engagement experiences.

    To start off, the channel will premiere a made for television movie headlined by kid’s favourite toon Shiva called Rise of the Technosapiens. Set to premiere on 14 November 2020 at 11.30am, the action-adventure film will take kids on a roller coaster ride with super kid Shiva.

     

     

  • Colors launches new social drama, ‘Molkki’

    Colors launches new social drama, ‘Molkki’

    MUMBAI: All she ever wanted was her freedom: to learn, to dream, to study and to empower others, and to truly love someone. But all her dreams and aspirations shattered when she was tagged as a ‘sold bride’- a molkki. Colors presents yet another hard-hitting concept, a family drama, Molkki, that outlines how the skewed sex ratio led to the bride buying custom which is still prevalent in Haryana. It’s the story of 19-year-old Purvi, who is a mol ki dulhan, which means a bride bought in exchange for money. The show follows the relationship of Purvi and Virender Pratap Singh who are bound by this custom and find themselves in a transactional relationship. From the house of Balaji Telefilms, Molkki will premiere on 16 November and air Monday to Friday at 10 pm only on Colors.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “At Colors, we have always believed in the power of storytelling and the impact that it can create. Over the years, through powerful stories like Balika Vadhu, Udaan, Shakti, Barrister Bahu, we have highlighted pertinent social issues. Taking forth this tradition, we bring to you a family drama series set against the lesser-known custom of bride buying. Molkki will chronicle the journey of Purvi, who falls prey to this custom, is married to a widower twice her age but fights it all in her stride.” 

    The story of Molkki revolves around Purvi (played by Priyal Mahajan), an upright girl with a strong moral compass, who is unknowingly sold as a bride to a sarpanch, a man twice her age, Virender Pratap Singh (played by Amar Upadhyay). Purvi is a self-sufficient, headstrong girl who has always made sure she paved her way in life. She paid for her education by tutoring kids and never footed for any privileges. On the other hand, Virender Pratap Singh is still overcoming his first wife's death and is soaked in the guilt of not being a part of his kids’ life while in their growing up years. But now that he has married for a second time to a bought bride, he does not view it as a real relationship. Transporting viewers to Haryana, Molkki reflects on how Purvi finds her space in society, wins the respect of the people around her, and manages to establish a relationship based on trust and mutual respect with her much-older husband. But will she be a wife, a mother or will she forever be just a bought bride? Will a relationship born out of a money deal, blossom into love?

    Viacom18 hindi mass entertainment CCO Manisha Sharma said, “With this show, the aim is to continue giving our viewers variety of entertainment with path breaking concepts and engaging story plots.”

    Balaji Telefilms producer Ekta Kapoor said, “At Balaji Telefilms, we have always worked on presenting stories that are realistic, relatable and have a high entertainment quotient. Molkki is one such show that puts the spotlight on the custom of buying brides that is prevalent in India even today. We are happy to be partnering with Colors who are known to present such hard-hitting and socially relevant topics, and I am sure that the viewers will admire this unique story.”

  • Diwali with a bang: Hindi GECs bet big on special programming

    Diwali with a bang: Hindi GECs bet big on special programming

    MUMBAI: Crackers may be banned, but television channels are making sure Diwali 2020 goes off with a bang for their viewers. With the outlook that viewers will stay at home rather than jostle with crowds in the age of Covid2019, Hindi GEC’s have taken up an aggressive stance programming-wise to maximize viewership in the run-up to the festival of lights.

    Festive fervour has taken hold of Zee TV. While ongoing shows like Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega, Tujhse Hai Raabta, Qurbaan Hua, Ram Pyaare Sirf Humare will see drama spikes and highpoints, its latest fiction offerings – Apna Time Bhi Aayega and Hamariwali Good News will see significant milestones that are bound to keep audiences on the edge of their seats this Diwali week. There is a special festive event on the cards for fans of the channel’s top-rated shows Kundali Bhagya and Kumkum Bhagya. During the day, audiences can look forward to the telecast of special awards shows and events like Zee Cine Awards 2020, Zee Rishtey Awards 2019 and the film, Good Newwz. The network will also premiere its highly anticipated collaboration with Balaji Telefilms, Brahmarakshas 2, on the weekend after Diwali.

     

     

    Colors Bangla, too, has a treat in store for its viewers. “Focusing on the special days including Navratri and Dussera, Karva Chauth, and Diwali, we started airing special programming called Shandaar Ravivaar hosted by the comic duo Bharti Singh and Harsh Limbachiyaa from 25 October, 12 pm. It will culminate over the Diwali weekend. We will also launch a new show Molkki featuring Amar Upadhyay and Priyal Mahajan that highlights another custom prevalent in Haryana wherein brides are bought by people. It will air starting 16 November. Apart from this, we have planned festive special segments on Bigg Boss and a few other fiction shows,” said Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria.

     

     

    Dangal TV has shored up its primetime viewing with the debut of mythological series Devi Adi Parashakti on 9 November. The show has been produced by Swastik Productions and will be telecast Monday to Saturday at 9 pm.

    Ganga Deewali Carnival is BIG Ganga’s hot ticket property for this time of the year. The four-day multi-entertainment, multi-celebrity festivity will begin 10 November and culminate on 14 November.

    Promotional sparklers

    Besides special programming on the small screen, Diwali is always associated with contests and exciting games. Zee TV business head Aparna Bhosle mentioned that the channel has introduced Zee Wali Diwali contest for its loyal viewers, wherein they get a chance to win gold and special vouchers everyday through 2 November to 19 December. She added, “This contest will be promoted across digital, social media and PR where we will invite our viewers to share their experiences of making rangoli, mithai etc together as a family. We want to give our viewers another reason to make a fresh start, take a step forward, and make a shubh shuruwaat (auspicious beginning) with Zee TV through this contest and our on-going shows.”

     

     

    With Children's day and Diwali coinciding this year, Colors is going to run a campaign that will show the audience how to bring alive the Diwali spirit with children at the heart of it. The channel will host a #DIYwali party with the participation of notable characters and celebrities. The initiative will have a series of micro-videos that will teach DIY ways to do multiple festive rangoli, food, art & craft activities symbolic of the festival of lights.

    On the marketing side, Colors has designed a TV-focused campaign panning across network & non-network channels in all the Hindi speaking markets, along with print presence. The concept of bought bride or Molkki, the channel's newly launched show, will be brought to life with a promotional tie-in with Amazon, where customers will come across a unique buying proposition. In order to tap into the massive reach of 84.25 million people on its social media platforms, the ‘Colors golden petal club’ virtual event has flagged off ahead of Diwali.

    Ad spends rocketing too

    With market sentiments improving over the last few months, brands have started coming up with new and dynamic ways to connect with consumers. Experts observe that the festive season is the same every year – from consumer as well as advertisers’ perspective – enthusiastic and buoyant, even if celebrations may be a little toned down this time around. OMD Mudramax EVP & principal partner Navin Kathuria stated that if not all, most categories like e-commerce (Amazon, Flipkart, Pepperfry etc), cars, paints, white goods have started advertising.

    Jaipuria noted that gaming and edu-tech brands are also seizing the opportunity to invest big and have been receiving good traction for the last six months. She further added, “In the April-June quarter, most broadcasters gave attractive discounts to advertisers which helped the ad volumes to bounce back. However, ad rates were down due to the discounting. July to September quarter has witnessed a strong revival in pricing, with September discounting down to zero for movies and GEC genres.”

    According to both Kathuria and Madison Media Sigma CEO Vanita Keswani, the surge in advertising is more prominent on TV and digital. Meanwhile, print, radio, cinema, and OOH are nowhere close to their yesteryears’ inventory levels, though there also is a marginal increase in advertising. The only difference between last year and this year will be the scale of celebrations, advertising and spending / purchasing.

    Keswani also mentioned that ad spends started recovering since August and has almost reached the pre-Covid2019 levels in October, riding on the back of festive spending and the IPL. She said, “We expect ad-ex to recover in H2 2020 and grow at a dramatic rate of 60-70 per cent of the collapsed H1 half, or grow 6 per cent to 13 per cent versus H2 2019. This will lead to ad-ex in 2020 contracting by 14 per cent to 18 per cent.”
     
    Kathuria opined that advertisers will advertise only if they sense consumer demand. And many festive categories like cars, paints, e-commerce, electronic retail shops, home loans are advertising. In fact, a latest report indicated home purchase in October 2020 being higher than January this year – when the pandemic had not set in India. So all these signals point to consumer demand going up.

  • Audience wants light-hearted content, we deliver: Zee Punjabi

    Audience wants light-hearted content, we deliver: Zee Punjabi

    MUMBAI: Zee Punjabi has witnessed the most successful GEC launch in over four years. Within weeks of its debut in January 2020, the channel captured a third of the viewership pie and attained leadership as the most preferred entertainment destination for Punjabi-speaking audiences. Zee Punjabi has over 20 hours of original programming for the bilingual market of Punjab.

    Zee north, west and premium channels cluster head Amit Shah revealed that the time spent on Zee Punjabi has exceeded that of national GECs, highlighting the strong connection that the channel has established with the Punjabi viewers. Said he: “Not only did we lead, but we have also aided market expansion in Punjab and invested in developing the creative ecosystem by encouraging the local talent of the region.”

    Zee Punjabi business head Rahul Rao mentioned that the channel has so far launched six fiction and five non-fiction shows. Apart from this, it offers the best of Punjabi movies and is also hosting world television premieres on a regular basis.

     

     

    The channel has a mix of fiction, non-fictions, movies and music and its core focus is to be authentic and relatable to the Punjabi diaspora by narrating the stories inspired by the region. Shah shared, “Punjabiyat is a way of life and our endeavour is to bring it alive on screen through our characters and shows. Be it Heer Ranjha or Tu Patang Main Dor – all the stories are deeply rooted in Punjab. In non-fiction, we did Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Punjabi to tap into the rich musical talent of Punjab and two comedy shows – Hasdeyan De Ghar Vasde with Gurpreet Ghuggi and Hasseyan Da Halla with Jaswinder Bhalla. We also have a music request show called Selfie Sitara and a cookery show called Swad Aa Gaya to offer holistic entertainment catering to every family member.”

    The show Hasseyan Da Halla is telecasted every Saturday and Sunday from 7 pm to 8:30 pm. Elaborating more about the channel’s plan to keep the fun quotient alive on it, Rao said that the style of the programme is optimized to the current protocols in place, while the effort on their part is to increase the entertainment on-air to provide more enjoyment to the viewers.

     

     

    The show is produced by Reliance Big Synergy. The series features a range of artists including Mintu, Lucky, Nisha Bano, Gurpreet Bhangu and a spectacle of celebrity guests. It has been written by the renowned Manoj Sabharwal.

    Please Read More: Reliance Big Synergy’s new comedy non-fiction series to air on Zee Punjabi

    Over the past several months, the industry has been going through unprecedented challenges due to the global pandemic and everyone has had to adjust to the new normal. According to Shah, audience preferences during the lockdown have changed  and the consumers are turning towards slice of life, light-hearted content and shows and movies that reflect a spirit of hope and positivity.

    “As responsible broadcasters, we have also realigned ourselves to the new normal and have commenced the shoot of original shows with stringent protocols crafted by all stakeholders in line with the respective state government guidelines,” he added.

    Sets are being sanitized on a regular basis, shooting is taking place with an optimum crew, whose members use face shields, gloves, and other necessary safety equipment. Medical help is also made readily available, were there to be any exigency. As needed, the makers have also recrafted scripts to ensure that the logistics of the shoot can be managed within the constraints.

    Shah further mentioned that even during the lockdown, when the availability of fresh content was low and the audiences’ demand for at-home entertainment was surging, Zee Punjabi grew by 16 percent, peaking at thrice the rate of the overall Punjabi GEC genre (5 per cent). Eventually, it has emerged as the number two channel. (2+, U+R). (Source: BARC-Nielsen reports on TV and Smartphone consumption during this crisis, Mar-Apr 2020)

    As far as marketing and promotions are concerned, the channel has adopted a 360 degree strategy where its aim is to engage with viewers across all platforms – TV, print, digital, outdoors, radio etc. Rao said, “We are focused on sampling our content through all mediums. The core message of the channel – Jazba Kar Vakhon Da –embodies the spirit of Punjab and we are taking this to every household. The idea is to increase the sampling of our content across all modes, as availability of quality content in a language draws more viewers who can relate to that content, leading to a growth in engagement.”

    As per the latest BARC data, Zee Punjabi’s Khasmanu Khani, Kamli Ishq Di and the airing of the blockbuster Filman featured amongst the top five programmes of Punjab.

    Shah revealed that a lot of brands have associated with Zee Punjabi over the last few months. These include the likes of Dabur, Prestige, Loreal and Britannia. Said he: “With a strong presence in the Punjab market and a complete entertainment offering for the whole family, we continue to see a strong interest from varied advertiser segments.”

    The festive season is a celebratory time on-screen and off-screen as families come together to rejoice special moments. This year, given the current situation, will be a bit different on the small screen. But through its specially curated content line-up for the festive season, Shah is leaving no stone unturned to entertain Zee Punjabi’s viewers. He concluded, “We have in-store special episodes of our shows and some exciting initiatives which we will unveil as we go forward.”

  • ZEEL Q2: Ad revenue recovers, ZEE5 drives subscription revenue growth

    ZEEL Q2: Ad revenue recovers, ZEE5 drives subscription revenue growth

    KOLKATA: Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd (ZEEL) has reported operating revenue of Rs 1,727.7 crore for Q2 FY21. The broadcaster’s advertising revenue stood at Rs 902.8 crore and domestic revenue has grown by 10.6 per cent to Rs 800.3 crore.

    The company has witnessed a massive decline of 77.2 per cent in profit after tax to Rs 94 crore from Rs 413.2 crore compared to corresponding quarter last year.

    While the domestic subscription revenue has grown by 2.3 per cent year-on-year, it has been primarily driven by an uptick in ZEE5 subscription revenues. Advertising revenue has started recovering, as the number declined by 26 per cent compared to 66 per cent in Q1.

    The network which commands 19 per cent of all India entertainment share in Q2 claims to have made a strong rebound in ratings across the markets with the resumption of original content.

    Its digital arm ZEE5’s global MAUs and DAUs stood at 54.7 million and 5.2 million respectively in September. ZEE5 users spent an average of 152 minutes per month on the platform, which has grown by 36 per cent quarter-on-quarter.

  • Viacom18 ropes in Network18’s Rajesh Iyer

    Viacom18 ropes in Network18’s Rajesh Iyer

    NEW DELHI: Viacom18 has appointed Rajesh Iyer to take on independent charge of Colors' regional portfolio of Bangla, Odia, Tamil and Gujarati.

    Network18 MD Rahul Joshi, said: “Regional broadcast entertainment is a key pillar in our endeavour to chart out a high-growth path for Viacom18. India is witnessing an unprecedented boom in the segment and agility is the need of the hour to get to leadership positions in our existing regional markets. With his years of leadership experience across TV and digital ecosystems, Rajesh is ably poised to take on the challenges presented by the genre and successfully grow the business.”

    Iyer joined Network18 in March 2019 and has worked closely with the leadership team to spearhead new initiatives. Prior to this and as part of the broadcast leadership team at ZEEL, Rajesh successfully launched its second GEC ‘&TV’ in 2015. He is no stranger to Viacom18, having served the organisation for six years when he led the marketing portfolio of the network’s flagship GEC Colors. He has also worked with Star, YuppTV and Ambience Publicis/Ogilvy & Mather.

    Ravish Kumar will continue to lead the network’s regional broadcast forays in Kannada and Marathi. Both Rajesh and Ravish will work closely to grow the regional broadcast footprint of Viacom18.

  • Zee launches ‘Ticket To Hollywood’ in 10 languages

    Zee launches ‘Ticket To Hollywood’ in 10 languages

    MUMBAI: Zee has lined up a slew of Hollywood blockbusters to thrill viewers during this festive season. Catering to the evolving Hollywood fan base in India, ‘Ticket to Hollywood’ will showcase the latest international hits on Zee’s English movie channel &flix with a simultaneous telecast of the dubbed versions on its regional language channels.  

    Starting with the ultimate action hero Vin Diesel-starrer, Bloodshot, the simulcast with &flix will be seen across &PrivéHD, Zee Café, &Pictures, Zee Thirai, Zee Cinemalu, Zee Punjabi, Zee Biskope, Zee Talkies, Zee Picchar, Zee Sarthak and Zee Bangla Cinema. This will be followed by simulcast of other recent superhits like Spider Man Far From Home, Jumanji-The Next Level, Bad Boys For Life, Charlie’s Angels (2019), among others.

    Zee chief consumer officer Prathyusha Agarwal said, “With Ticket To Hollywood, we aim to unlock the true potential of Hollywood in India whose fandom cuts across demographics and regions. &flix’s multi-language block ‘Flix For All’, delivered a 41 per cent jump as viewers aspired for a premium movie experience in their native language, further fuelling the need to curate a property that offers the best of Hollywood experiences in a language of the consumers’ choice.”

    Zee west, north & premium channels cluster head Amit Shah said, “When it comes to Hollywood, viewers’ affinity for English movies has grown considerably over the years. Consumption of Hollywood movies on TV is on the rise and the genre continues to operate at 40 per cent higher viewership compared to pre-lockdown unearthing countless passionate fans for the latest Hollywood titles in their native language. With Ticket To Hollywood, we have an opportunity to deepen our engagement with a broader pool of Hollywood buffs across the nation, offering the latest blockbusters via a multi-channel and multi-lingual brand."

    About Bloodshot: Based on the bestselling comic book, Vin Diesel stars as Ray Garrison, a soldier recently killed in action and brought back to life by a team of scientists as the superhero Bloodshot. With an army of nanotechnology in his veins, he’s an unstoppable force, stronger than ever with a special superpower – the ability to resurrect and heal instantly. But in controlling his body, the organization has sway over his mind and memories, too. Now, Ray doesn’t know what’s real and what’s not – but he’s on a mission to find out.

  • Critically acclaimed American dystopian drama, ‘Fast Color’ to premiere on MN+ and Romedy NOW

    Critically acclaimed American dystopian drama, ‘Fast Color’ to premiere on MN+ and Romedy NOW

    Mumbai: Offering some of the most celebrated Hollywood movies of all time to its viewers, MN+ and Romedy NOW will simulcast the Indian Television premiere of the American supernatural movie, ‘Fast Color’ this Sunday October 25, at 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM.

    Written and directed by Julia Hart, starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint, and Saniyya Sidney, Fast Color narrates an inspiring story of redemption, recovery and healing, featuring three generations of strong women coming to terms with their special abilities. Set in the American Midwest, in a dystopian near-future, the movie allows space for questions and confusion. The story revolves around a woman named Ruth (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who is forced to go on the run when her superpowers are discovered. She flees back to her family where she begins to mend the broken relationships with her mother and daughter and learns that the power she needed was inside her all along. With an introspective take on the superhero movie, Fast Color is a sci-fi film which exploits the superhero ethos, leaving audiences pondering at the end. The movie received praise for its visual style, performances, direction, and stimulating story.

    MN+ and Romedy NOW treat its viewers this weekend with a movie that explores the universal theme of superpower with an empowering narrative that fits today’s era.