GECs

Does ‘finite’ spell death for long sagas?

Published

12 years ago

June 16, 2014

MUMBAI: Once upon a time, there was only Doordarshan and viewers lapped up whatever it served without complaint. Then came the satellite and cable TV explosion, giving DD a run for its TRPs. That’s when daily soaps like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and KumKum became popular, carrying on for years at a stretch, without audiences, especially women, tiring of them.

However, viewers today are an altogether different breed and broadcasters cannot engage them in the same manner, given their restlessness and constant need for new, fresh content.

A common tactic fast gaining traction among broadcasters is opting for limited episodes not just in non-fiction but also in the fiction space. Does this mean death for the long sagas of yore? Indiantelevision.com spoke to a cross-section of industry to find out.

Given that Star India is all set to launch three finite shows Airlines, Hospital and Everest next month, we asked Star India senior vice president programming Ashish Golwalkar whether finite shows had already become a trend?

“Trends are formed on the basis of consumers. Our consumers are our viewers. It is not yet a trend, because people have to come and see success. By the nature of content, non-fiction always had limited episode series, but in fiction, that wasn’t happening and we thought if we could offer something fresh and different. Currently, we all are experimenting,” he replied. “At Star Plus, we constantly endeavour to give something fresh to our viewers. In order to do that, we think there is a set of talent that works for television.”

Recalling the good old DD days when legends like Shyam Benegal penned finite series for the channel, Golwalkar said, “Legends used to work for television and all of a sudden, they all disappeared. And we realised that television is very tiring. To produce for six days a week is very tough, but we are happy that we have cracked it and there is where the numbers are coming.”

Stressing that there was a need for people who could bring a fresh new perspective to storytelling, he said, “But all those creative people and creative talent, they will never be able to do a show that will last for two to three or five years. The other reason is that while there are shows which keep going on and on, there are other shows which just have a finite story.”

Speaking of Channel V which believes in doing bi-weeklies and has been fairly successful at that, Golwalkar said, “When we at Channel V select those stories, we realize that at the end of the day, our selection has to be based on the story and not on our convenience. We do not want to unnecessarily stretch shows. If there is a show which can go beyond 10 years, let it be. But if there is a show which needs to close in 25 episodes, then let that be.”

“When you know it is a finite show, the net of story selection widens. So now, you have more number of stories to tell. Technically, in a traditional conventional way, we wouldn’t select those stories, here we can,” Golwalkar added.

He expressed the view that if the shows being launched in the coming months get a good response, they would definitely introduce more finite series in future. “Because of the change in the content of ecosystem, if we can get fresher and different talent and different stories which are limited in nature and if viewers respond well to it, maybe later on, we will think of doing all our shows like that,” he said.

Shows like 24 on Colors and Encounter on Sony demonstrated the rise of finite in the non-fiction space. At the same time, Sony Entertainment Television’s big bet with Amitabh Bachchan’s Yudh saw the rise of finite fiction as well.

Sudhir Sharma of Sunshine Productions said broadcasters and viewers were becoming more quality- and content- conscious day by day and keeping that in mind, limited episode series were definitely coming in a big way. “Almost all broadcasters are doing this. The reason behind this is better control on content and it’s very sharp and worked out content so your quality definitely goes up,” he said.

With this move however, the challenge would be to attract viewership in a big way. “Now, the task for broadcasters is how to attract new viewers, because viewership is getting stale from the last two to three years and the numbers are dipping day-by-day for all Hindi GECs. However, it doesn’t mean that daily soaps will vanish. They are here to stay because there is a large number of viewers and their staple TV diet continues to be soaps,” Sharma said.

Beyond Dreams producer Yash Patnaik said that finite fiction was not a new trend but a trend that had made a comeback recently. “The advantages of finite series are you can pack the story, you know the beginning till the end. So, drama can be created at a different level,” he said.

According to Patnaik, thrillers would work best in the finite fiction space. “It is another variety of entertainment where you don’t need a commitment to watch for a longer time… particularly in a finite series, a thriller falls into this category better… because you can’t drag a thriller for long.”

Patnaik said finite series would do well for broadcasters and would have their own set of audiences. “It all depends on the slots the channels are planning to put and the kind of audience they want to create for finite series. They will have their own set of viewership and good finite series on a good platform will definitely work,” he concluded.

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GECs

Sun TV posts steady revenue, profit dips amid rising costs

Published

5 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

1 week 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.