ITV

Tag: KBC

  • Sony LIV celebrates its 1st Anniversary with an open love letter to its viewers

    Sony LIV celebrates its 1st Anniversary with an open love letter to its viewers

    MUMBAI: Sony LIV, Multi Screen Media (MSM)’s premium video-on-demand service has launched a unique campaign to thank its viewers for the successful completion of its first year. The brand has written an open letter to viewers personifying Sony LIV as the doting partner of the viewer and describing the relationship between the two. The thought was derived from all the gestures couples indulge in when they complete their first year of togetherness like sending each other flowers, chocolates, putting up testimonials on social media, etc. The letter highlights all the high points of the year gone by for Sony LIV and its viewers.

     

    The beautifully-designed letter that put Sony LIV’s gratitude in words was sent to viewers through Facebook and emails. Overwhelmed viewers wrote back expressing their joy at such a warm way to involve them in the celebrations. Messages ranged from thank you notes to congratulatory messages on social media. Some of them read like this: “The letter made be blush, such a sweet gesture from Sony LIV” and “I have been watching shows on Sony LIV right from the start and I can totally relate to the sentiment of the letter.”     

     

    While the first few months passed akin to the honeymoon phase of a relationship, soon Sony LIV began innovating and experimenting to keep its partner interested and engaged. The idea was to give LIV’s viewers breaks that were worthwhile and fun. After all, modern life is all about those little escapes from the mundane. It successfully stayed at the forefront in terms of product development and technological advancements by introducing the iOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry applications so that viewers could truly enjoy the brand proposition: “Mazey Ke Break Lo, Kahin Bhi Dekh Lo”. 

     

    Sony LIV also ran various interactive campaigns to create a buzz around its 1st Anniversary. A special logo was created for this occasion, the Sony LIV website held a contest which allowed fans to wish the brand Happy 1st Anniversary in the style of their favourite Sony character. Fans went all out to express their wishes. Some did it in the signature ACP Pradyuman (of the CID fame) way: “Daya Darvaza Todo, Andar Anniversary ka Cake Band Hai, Happy Anniversary!” or in the style of Dr. Hansraj Hathi from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah: “Arey Komal! Badi Zorose Bhook Lagi Hai, Chalo Jaldi, Sony LIV ka Anniversary Cake Khane! Badhai Ho!”

     

    Also on Facebook and Twitter Sony LIV ran a contest called ‘Gift a Maze ka break’ where people could gift their friends Sony LIV merchandise and movie tickets by tagging them and stating why their friends deserved to win a maze ka break.

     

    The brand came up with promotional videos to drive traffic on the website. Encouraging viewers to participate in the Sony LIVanniversary party from 24th to 31stJanuary where movie tickets, autographed merchandise and gift vouchers were up for grabs.        

     

    Over the past one year, Sony LIV has consistently brought marquee shows from the Sony Network to its viewers on a device that they could access anywhere, anytime. Indian Idol Junior, KBC, Boogie Woogie, Top Gear and other popular shows were brought to the viewers on their preferred device, so that they never had to worry about missing a single episode. The content repertoire expanded over the year to include English shows from AXN and Sports – LIVE streaming of the New Zealand vs India cricket series; thereby catering to different audience groups, both male and female.

     

    Extensive data analysis helped keeping engagement levels high. Innovations such as driving Indian Idol Junior auditions via the online medium and the app, offering the option to vote across all platforms including social media was offered. Also, introducing the play-along gaming application for KBC viewers enabled audiences to become active and facilitated a two-way communication via LIV.

  • Boogie Woogie is back with a bang

    Boogie Woogie is back with a bang

    MUMBAI: One of the oldest and longest running dance reality shows – Boogie Woogie – is returning to television screens after a hiatus of nearly four years.

    The show promises to be bigger and better in its new avatar – Boogie Woogie Kids Champion – even as it retains popular elements like the judges’ trio of Javed Jaffery, Naved Jaffery and Ravi Behl. Scheduled to premiere on Sony Entertainment Television on 7 December, the show will take the slot vacated by Kaun Banega Crorepati, airing every Saturday and Sunday at 8.30pm.

    Produced by R&N TV Productions owned by Ravi and Naved, the show will see 16 talented kids between 7 and 13 years of age compete for the title of ‘Boogie Woogie Kids Champion’. This time round, nearly double the amount of money has been spent on producing the show; informs Naved. The show travelled to 10 cities and auditioned around 1 lakh children, of which 1000 kids were short-listed in the beginning. “100 were finalised, out of which 16 have been selected for the show,” says Naved.

    A lot has been done in terms of packaging to add freshness and newness to the show. For instance, the show will now have two hosts in actor Sargun Mehta and 12-year-old Rakshit Wahi who will keep the audience entertained. Speaking on the sidelines of the show’s launch on Monday, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) VP & Head – Non-fiction Programming, Aloka Guha, said: “While earlier, we didn’t have hosts, this time, we have got Sargun and Rakshit on board to add more fervour.”

    Since the show is not trying to compete with any other dance reality show on television, the theme is very family-oriented. “We are competing with ourselves. We were ruling for 17 years and have become a culture in a way,” says Naved, adding that the huge leap in technology in the last three to four years is helping them come up with a better product. “However, only technology can’t really help a show; one has to come up with strong engaging content as well,” he points out.

    While earlier, we didn’t have hosts, this time, we have got Sargun and Rakshit on board to add more fervour, says Aloka Guha

     

    The show is a mix of old and new elements and unlike other dance reality shows, the makers haven’t introduced any audience voting system. “We didn’t feel the need for a voting system. We want the audience to watch the show for its content and nothing else,” says Naved.

    Programming-wise, Sony Entertainment Television is working in tandem with R&N TV Productions and Aloka is of the view that since the channel has hosted some of the best reality shows like Indian Idol and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, it has a team of the top order, which can really help produce an excellent show. Interestingly, SET wanted to start a dance show for quite some time and what better than to revive a brand like Boogie Woogie, which enjoys a long and successful association with the channel.

    About the phantom high-speed camera used for shooting the show, Aloka says: “The camera can record up to 5,000 frames per second and that has given an edge to the show. The show has scaled up in a lot of other ways as well. While we have a very large set-up, we are also following the pyramid shape structure for the first time. Boogie Woogie has never been a reality show where you follow a contestant. It has had special episodes like super moms, weekly etc. However, now, through the 15 weeks, we are going to follow the journey of the contestants and that is a big development.”

     

    The team is trying to get on board the show celebs with a knack for dancing. So, the first episode will have Prabhu Dheva and Shahid Kapoor while latter episodes will see Madhuri Dixit and Arshad Warsi among others.

    Coming to promotions, SET has so far released four videos that are parodies of popular songs including ILU ILU, Lungi Dance, Na Na Na Re and Chaar Baj Gaye.

    16 finalists with the judges

    Aloka says the idea was to make the promotions fun just like the theme of the show. “We were brainstorming for the promotional videos when somebody generally hummed Ye Boogie Woogie kya hai, ye Boogie Woogie..And bang on, we got the idea of what we have to do,” she says.

    Informs SET head of marketing and senior VP Gaurav Seth: “The promotional videos are being promoted on all the Multi Screen Media channels including SAB, SET, PIX, MIX, SIX and MAX.” He hopes the show will help take SET’s ratings up. “Since the weekend slot has worked really well for us, we are hoping for a lot of traction for this as well. Plus, since the concept has worked really well for us in the past, we are planning a lot of on-ground activities to promote the show. We may even come up with a mobile app to reach out to the tech-savvy generation,” he adds.

    Currently, Horlicks has come on board as the ‘powered by’ sponsor whereas other deals are in the process of being finalised. “We would clearly know the final sponsors by the week end,” says Seth.

    SET plans to go in to a digital overdrive as well for the show. However, they want to keep their strategies a ‘secret’ at the moment. “We have to go with the time and we will go all out to make the show a phenomenon. However, we will decide the promotional strategies as we progress,” Javed signs off.

  • Close KBC web game hits 4.3 million plays in three months

    Close KBC web game hits 4.3 million plays in three months

    MUMBAI: Kaun Banega Crorepati’s digital punch ‘KBC Web Game’ has emerged as one of the most popular games. The game that allowed online gamers to test their speed and accuracy on the hot seat has emerged as a big hit witnessing 4.3 million game plays since its launch, three months ago. The web game is packed with a host of rich and immersive video content, exciting features and real-like gaming experience.

     

    The web game allows users to test their speed and accuracy by playing the game online; users can win iPads, gift vouchers and get to watch the show live on the set. The feature allows the users to get a close-to-real experience like the ‘Hot Seat Contestant’ – they can use all lifelines, score points and grow up the money tree.

     

    It is hosted on the KBCSony.com website. The web game has been played 40 lakh times in the past three months. The website comes with the easy to navigate interface that adapts to multiple screens and displays. Viewers can also experience exciting features and play interactive quizzes, contests and games, all on one single digital platform.

     

    That apart, several other games like ‘Globe Quiz’ and ‘Insta Hot Seat’ were also created for KBC   fans.

  • Bebo Imran shake their tooh on KBC

    Bebo Imran shake their tooh on KBC

    MUMBAI: In the upcoming episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati, AB will put on his dancing shoes and shake a leg with Kareena and Imran. Bebo and chocolate boy Imran Khan will make a grand entry on the stage of KBC by shaking their leg on the song ‘Chewing Gum Chaba Ke’ from their upcoming movie. Bebo will also teach Amitabh Bachchan a few ‘thumkas’ of her own. This is not all! AB, Kareena and Imran will take the entertainment quotient of the episode a few notches higher when they dance to the popular song ‘Tooh’. The trio will leave the audience asking for more.

    Catch Kareena and Imran shake their ‘Tooh’ with Big B on Kaun Banega Crorepati, this Friday, 22nd November 2013, 8:30 pm only on Sony Entertainment Television

  • Star Plus and Sony gain big in TAM week 38

    Star Plus and Sony gain big in TAM week 38

    MUMBAI: The war for ‘the best among the rest’ continues even as the top three positions see no change in week 38 of TAM TV ratings. The week has worked wonders for Star Plus and Colors with its high properties Mahabharat and Bigg Boss seven respectively hitting the TV screens.

    Star Plus is the highest gainer this week with 534,590 GVTs (477,029), holding the number one slot. Well! the reason is quite clear, Mahabharat opened up with commendable 8,445 TVTs taking it way ahead of competition.

    Talking about Mahabharat’s grand opening, Star Plus, senior vice-president, marketing, Nikhil Madhok exults: “We are extremely happy with the grand welcome it has received. There is very encouraging positive feedback pouring in from all quarters. We are now looking at building further from here on.”

    On the other hand, Bigg Boss seven too saw a healthy start scoring 7,711 TVTs on the grand premier that was held on 15 September, taking Colors score to 479,892 GVTs (463,869).

    Sony Entertainment Television was the next highest gainer this week with 327,089 GVTs (292,852), occupying the number four position.

    Zee TV too saw a rise this week and holds its number three spot with 413,707 GVTs (398,993). Life OK, the sister channel of Star Plus is at number five position with 313,138 GVTs (322,364). Sab takes a back seat at number six with 289,471 GVTs (312,053). Sahara One continues to be at the bottom scoring 26,495 GVTs (28,749).

    All Star Plus’ shows witnessed a rise in the ratings this week. Its popular show Diya aur Baati Hum saw a massive rise in its ratings and rated 9,819 TVTs (8,803). Another prime time show, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai scored 6,587 TVTs (6,144). Pyar Ka Dard Hai reported 7,342 TVTs (6,930) and Saathiya registered 6,456 TVTs (6,002). New epic series Mahabharat witnessed a good week with 6,356 TVTs.

    Second placed, Color’s much hyped reality show Bigg Boss seven witnessed 5,080 TVTs this week. Long running fiction series Balika Vadhu saw a marginal rise and rated 6,551 TVTs (6,278), Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon scored 4,990 (4442) and Uttaran reported 4,140 TVTs (4,154). Comedy Nights with Kapil garnered 7,244 TVTs (7,215).

    Zee TV’s fictional offering Qubool Hai saw a hike recording 6,340 TVTs (5,956). Pavitra Rishta generated 4,733 TVTs (4,280). Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke notched up and scored 5,035 TVTs (4,643). The channel’s historical show Jodha Akbar seems to attract audiences by its interesting track taking its tally to 8,025 TVTs (6,981). Drama series Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se registered 4,612 TVTs (5,047). Its new offering Buddha took its tally to 1,537 TVTs (1,450).

    Fourth placed, Sony’s long running crime series CID witnessed a drop recording 5,070 TVTs (5,391) and Crime Petrol saw a high rise and rated 6,415 TVTs (3,739). The channel’s historical show Maharana Pratap generated 3,266 TVTs (3,151). KBC notched up taking its score to 6,134 TVTs (5,925). Comedy Circus garnered 3,092 TVTs (3,409). Other fiction shows either held on to their viewership or dipped marginally during the week.

    Fifth placed, Life OK’s top series Mahadev has propped up this week as it scored 3,588 TVTs (2,585). Do Dil Ek Jaan stood at 1,801 TVTs (1,666), Savdhan India rated 2,300 TVTs (2,734), whereas Shapath generated 3,988 TVTs (3,410).

    Sixth placed, Sab’s fiction show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah continues to be the channel leader with 7,276 TVTs (6,816). Chidiya Ghar saw a downfall as it rated 3,045 TVTs (3,430). Lapataganj reported 2,066 TVTs (2,347). Baalveer registered 2,605 TVTs (2,057). Other fictional shows witnessed marginal rise and fall as well.

    In the movie channel genre, Zee Cinema reported 187,397 GVTs (191,359); Star Gold witnessed a slight fall to 177,380 GVTs (182,350) and Movies OK rated 96,047 GVTs (100,401). On the other hand, new entrant &pictures garnered 67,480 GVTs (67,774). Max saw a healthy rise when it scored 210,021 GVTs (192,416).

    Well, it seems the GECs are having a roller coaster ride. Let’s see what’s in store for the channels in the coming weeks.

  • When Arnab vanished, almost

    When Arnab vanished, almost

    What happens when the nation’s most vociferous, most articulate news show anchor goes missing? Well, the nation goes into overdrive, demanding to know the whereabouts of the host it has come to love, or hate, as the case may be.

     

    We’re talking about Arnab Goswami, Times Now Editor-in-Chief and presenter of The Newshour, one of the most widely-watched and debated shows on the channel. Goswami’s disappearing act last week, though brief, was enough to set off a cacophony of telephones ringing at the Times Now office. And much like Arnab’s familiar rant on the show ‘The Nation wants to know’, viewers wanted to know where in God’s name was Arnab?

     

    Unable to deal with so many telephone calls, The Newshour even put out a tweet saying: “Our viewers have been asking about Arnab. To them, we would like to say that he will be back on Monday at 9pm on show again”. However, the calls continued unabated. A Times Now employee described the number of calls and emails inquiring whether Arnab had taken ill as ‘astonishing’ and that “Only celebrities get such calls, don’t they?”

     

    ________________________________________________________________________

    Forget the cold vibes between BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and the party’s tallest leader LK Advani, it was Arnab who was the topic on social media.
    _____****________________________________________________________________

    The twitterati took to their favourite website with a vengeance, sending out both love and hate tweets for the man who loves to play devil’s advocate on The Newshour. Some went on to draw parallels between Arnab’s absence from The Newshour with that of say a Salman Khan from Bigg Boss or Amitabh Bachchan from KBC. Others made unfavourable comparisons with other news anchors in tweets like: “Barkha Dutt to undergo a face implant to look like Arnab Goswami to boost NDTV TRPs” and even derided tongue-tied panellists as: “Panellists on The Newshour speechless as they’re used to speaking for just 10 seconds with Arnab around…”.

     

    Still others heaved a sigh of relief as “they could finally turn up the volume of their television sets rather than turn down.” Forget the cold vibes between BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and the party’s tallest leader LK Advani, it was Arnab who was the topic on social media. So with such an iconic presence missing, did the channel lose out on TRPs or did other news channels make most of the opportunity. Only next week will tell… that is when the TAM ratings are out…

     

    The collective impact of regulation and the creeping tyranny of the minority have stifled innovation in our industry and, dare I say, in the economy as whole. At 15 per cent, we may grow at thrice the rate of the GDP but that is more a reflection of our topline economic growth than the health of our industry. At this rate, it will take us another 15 years to hit $100 billion in value and by then, we will be just three per cent of the world media market. This is just unacceptable.

     

    Till then, both those who love and hate Arnab can sit back and watch his shenanigans as he returns today same time same show on your favourite news channel…

  • Sony back at no four; Star continues to lead the pack

    Sony back at no four; Star continues to lead the pack

    MUMBAI: The war for ‘the best among the rest‘ continues even as the top three positions see no change in week 36 of TAM TV ratings. In week 36, reality shows have worked wonders for most of the GECs.

    The best example is Sony‘s new reality show Kaun Banega Croreprati that has garnered 8,950 TVTs on a Friday and 8,460 TVTs on a Saturday. Sony which was at the fifth position last week has propped up to fourth position and witnessed a huge growth, recording 346,122 GVTs (291,074). Zee TV was the next highest gainer as it witnessed 410,774 GVTs (395,024) and occupies the number three slot.

    Star Plus continues to lead the pack by maintaining its stability and reported 494,732 GVTs (495,509). Not quite far is Colors which continues to maintain its number two position recording 452,851 GVTs (452,921).

    Sab, a sister channel of Sony goes back to the number five position as it rated 322,392 GVTs (319,158). Life OK is at sixth position this week with 276,290 GVTs (269,927).

    Back to the chart topper, Star Plus channel‘s popular show Diya aur Baati Hum saw a drop in its ratings and rated 9,765 TVTs (10,175). Another prime time show, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai saw a slight rise taking its score to 7,261 TVTs (7,024). Pyar Ka Dard Hai reported 6,840 TVTs (6,515) and Saathiya registered 6,079 TVTs (6,127). Reality show Junior Master Chef lost its audiences witnessing a drop 2,370 TVTs (2,671).

    Colors‘ popular celebrity dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa has grabbed attention of the viewers this week generating a huge growth 6,482 TVTs (5,979) on a Saturday and 7,568 TVTs (5,730) on a Sunday. Long running fiction series Balika Vadhu registered 5,912 TVTs (6,127), Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon scored 4,847 TVTs (5,329) and Uttaran rated 4,450 TVTs (5,069). The comedy show Comedy Nights with Kapil is enjoying good attention of viewers generating 7,983 TVTs (7,072).

    Zee TV‘s reality dance show DID Super Moms witnessed drop in its viewership and rated 3,257 TVTs (4,653) on Saturday and 4,012 TVTs (4,490) on a Sunday. Its fictional offering Qubool Hai scored 6,380 TVTs (6,492). Pavitra Rishta generated 5,163 TVTs (5,078). It‘s long running series Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke scored 5,362 TVTs (4,785). The channel‘s historical show Jodha Akbar seems to attract audiences by its interesting track taking its tally to 7,259 TVTs (6,824). Drama series Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se registered 5,946 TVTs (5,188).

    Fourth placed, Sony‘s long running crime series CID saw a healthy rise recording 5,941 TVTs (4,758) and Crime Petrol scored 3,418 TVTs (4,783). The channel‘s historical show Maharana Pratap generated 3,354 TVTs (2,993). Sony‘s Indian Idol Junior aired its grand finale on 8 September and reported 6,290 TVTs. Other fiction shows either held on to their viewership or dipped marginally during the week.

    Fifth placed Sab‘s fiction show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah continues to be the channel leader with 6,751 TVTs (7,094). Chidiya Ghar gets active this week when it scored 3,064 TVTs (2,777). Lapataganj reported 2,062 TVTs (2,093). Other fictional shows witnessed marginal rise and fall as well.

    Sixth placed, Life OK‘s top series Mahadev rated 2,511 TVTs (2,995). Do Dil Ek Jaan stood at 1,462 TVTs (1,721), Savdhan India rated 2,651 TVTs (2,271), whereas Shapath generated 3,339 TVTs (2,455) and Gustakh Dil rated 1,333 TVTs (1,372).

    Sahara One continues to be at the bottom scoring 28,742 GVTs (29,645).

    In the movie channel‘s genre: Zee Cinema reported 206,038 GVTs (246,750); Star Gold witnessed a fall with 176,904 GVTs (194,992) and Movies OK rated 105,357 GVTs (118,643). On the other hand, Max witnessed a drop with 179,760 GVTs (223,692).

    Well, it seems the GECs are having a good roller coaster ride. Let‘s see what is instore for the GECs in the coming weeks.

  • The seven season itch

    T he daggers are drawn and the battle field is set for what promises to be one of the most closely watched fights in recent television history.

    We’re talking about the ensuing tussle between two of the small screen’s hottest properties: Sony Entertainment’s Kaun Banega Crorepati season seven vs. Colors’ Bigg Boss season seven.   

    While there really are no guesstimates as to which among these two shows will succeed in grabbing more eyeballs (… and TVTs), both Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) are more than ready for the kill.  

    Sony is betting big on the seventh season of KBC which comes to drawing rooms beginning 6 September, in a new and improved avatar. Not to be outdone, Colors is kick-starting Bigg Boss season seven – The ‘Wow’ and the ‘Aow’ barely nine days later i.e. 15 September.

    We identify our strengths and weaknesses, and then see how we can complement our strengths with new shows, says confident Raj Nayak

    Rechristened Saptakoti Mahadhani… Kaun Banega Mahacrorepati, KBC will be aired every Friday to Sunday at 8:30 pm. whereas Bigg Boss season seven will be telecast Monday to Sunday at 9:00 pm.

    So what is the USP of this particular season, which the GECs are banking on?

    KBC aims to create a platform of opportunities for Indians across ages, genders and socio-economic groups, and has had a makeover in terms of its format and prize money, which is now a whopping Rs 7 crore, among others.

    Bigg Boss, on the other hand, arrives with a novel theme of heaven vs hell – The ‘Wow’ associated with the former and the ‘Aow’ with the latter.

    A quick look at what’s new in both the shows:

    KBC’s money tree will now comprise 15 questions and it will boast a brand new lifeline called ‘Power Paplu’ to aid those who seek to revive an already used lifeline. ‘Flip the question’ (Alat Palat) will replace ‘Ask the expert’ while ‘50:50’ will replace ‘Double Dip’.

    In the entire game play, a hot seat contestant may now use only four of the five lifelines on offer.

    A new feature ‘Play along’ has been introduced for the Fastest Finger First contestants who do not make it to the hot seat.

    Well, competition is a reality. Within the very aggressive, competitive market, you have to differentiate the niche, says N.P Singh

    Using ‘Play along’, they can play with the hot seat contestant and the one who answers the maximum number of questions in the minimum amount of time gets to win one lakh rupees at the end of the episode.

    Additionally, the time limit for the ‘Phone a friend’ lifeline has been increased from 30 to 45 seconds. What’s more, audiences can win by playing the Ghar Baithe Jeeto Jackpot.

    In contrast, Bigg Boss promises to be a roller-coaster ride for audiences, what with the heaven vs hell theme.

    Of the 14 contestants, seven will be new names residing in a separate heaven themed house while the remaining seven will be old members, staying under one roof in another hell themed house, who’ve already been members of the Bigg Boss house during the last six seasons. The contestants from both the houses would be pitched against eachother in a series of tasks.

    Among the newbies entering the Bigg Boss house are Shekhar Suman, Vatsal Seth, Suraj Pancholi, Kushal Tandon, Pratyusha Banerjee and Sonarika Bhadoria. The seventh newcomer is still to be identified.

    Blast from the past: Hellcat Pooja Mishra is among the old members who will continue to occupy the house. Other members are still not confirmed.

    There will be some amount of competition and fragmentation between the two shows, says Deepak Netram

    Apart from programming frills, the channels themselves seem super confident about their respective properties. Moreso considering Bigg Boss has had a successful run last season with an opening of 4.0 TVR (television viewership ratings); ditto for KBC’s last season which opened with 6.1 TVR.

    Colors CEO Raj Nayak says the channel is very clear and conscious in its strategy to be a complete household entertainment channel. “Today if you do a FPC (Fixed Point Chart) check across all channels, you will see Colors has the maximum variety. While strategy is one part, everything we do involves risks. But when I say risks, we take calculated risks. We identify our strengths and weaknesses, and then see how we can complement our strengths with new shows. If we succeed, they become better. If not, we keep trying,” he exults.

    Asked if Sony has any particular strategy to beat the competition, SET chief operating officer N.P Singh says, “Well, competition is a reality. Within the very aggressive, competitive market, you have to differentiate the niche. Sony in its last 17 years has always run shows which are different from the rest and that has set us apart and we continue to follow that strategy.”

    Since it is the seventh season, both shows have a great following and it will be very hard to choose one, says Ashish Bhasin

    While Lodestar UM vice president Deepak Netram agrees there will be some amount of competition and fragmentation between the two shows, he is quick to point out that they cannot be compared. “They are unique in their own way. From the past what we have seen is KBC ratings have been there year on year. So we hope to maintain that. Bigg Boss on the other hand is looking bigger; the promotions are really huge and have happened way in advance. So it will be interesting to see how this pans out,” he observes.

    Aegis Group plc chairman India and CEO southeast Asia Ashish Bhasin echoes Netram’s sentiments saying it will be a tough call between two very established properties. “Since it is the seventh season, both shows have a great following and it will be very hard to choose one. What viewers always believe in is content. If the content is of the viewers’ interest, people will definitely opt for that. The main competition will be when something else comes at that time – say a big movie is being launched by another channel or any big news event – which show loses out in that instance is going to be more interesting to watch,” he opines.

    peaking from the point of view of advertisers, Bhasin says this particular slot is becoming increasingly attractive to them as it is also the hub of reality shows. “Advertisers will go where the eyeballs are and choose the most cost-effective way to get them. That’s how pricing will be done. And that can vary depending upon what the market rates are for that channel around that point of time. I don’t think finding advertisers for any of these shows will be an issue,” he says.

    On his part, Nayak maintains Colors’ non-fiction shows generate more traction from advertisers than its fictional shows and Bigg Boss gets some of the biggest brands. However, he adds that it works as a loss leader and the channel has been investing in it because it is a cult show. This apart, it generates a lot of buzz. Estimates are that it is in the region of Rs 15-20 crore.

    Most advertisers across categories agree that since both KBC and Bigg Boss are big properties and have local audiences across age groups, they cannot afford to ignore any one of them.

    “Who would not want to take advantage of these shows to reach out to their target group? People are waiting for the shows to start and with festivals coming up; no one would be a fool to favour one over the other. Maximum eyeballs give us maximum reach,” says an advertiser who didn’t wish to be named.

    As things stand, both the shows have gone viral on various digital platforms. Bigg Boss seven’s official Facebook page boasts around 1.8 million likes and more than 30,000 people talking about it. KBC Seven is not far behind with 1.6 million likes. Both are popular on Facebook but don’t seem to be trending that much on twitter.

    Whether Big B’s charisma will work or Salman Khan’s swagger, only time will tell…

  • The seven season itch

    The seven season itch

    The daggers are drawn and the battle field is set for what promises to be one of the most closely watched fights in recent television history.
    We’re talking about the ensuing tussle between two of the small screen’s hottest properties: Sony Entertainment’s Kaun Banega Crorepati season seven vs. Colors’ Bigg Boss season seven.   

    While there really are no guesstimates as to which among these two shows will succeed in grabbing more eyeballs (… and TVTs), both Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) are more than ready for the kill.  

    Sony is betting big on the seventh season of KBC which comes to drawing rooms beginning 6 September, in a new and improved avatar. Not to be outdone, Colors is kick-starting Bigg Boss season seven – The ‘Wow’ and the ‘Aow’ barely nine days later i.e. 15 September.

    We identify our strengths and weaknesses, and then see how we can complement our strengths with new shows, says confident Raj Nayak

    Rechristened Saptakoti Mahadhani… Kaun Banega Mahacrorepati, KBC will be aired every Friday to Sunday at 8:30 pm. whereas Bigg Boss season seven will be telecast Monday to Sunday at 9:00 pm.
    So what is the USP of this particular season, which the GECs are banking on?

    KBC aims to create a platform of opportunities for Indians across ages, genders and socio-economic groups, and has had a makeover in terms of its format and prize money, which is now a whopping Rs 7 crore, among others.

    Bigg Boss, on the other hand, arrives with a novel theme of heaven vs hell – The ‘Wow’ associated with the former and the ‘Aow’ with the latter.

    A quick look at what’s new in both the shows:

    KBC’s money tree will now comprise 15 questions and it will boast a brand new lifeline called ‘Power Paplu’ to aid those who seek to revive an already used lifeline. ‘Flip the question’ (Alat Palat) will replace ‘Ask the expert’ while ‘50:50’ will replace ‘Double Dip’.

    In the entire game play, a hot seat contestant may now use only four of the five lifelines on offer.

    A new feature ‘Play along’ has been introduced for the Fastest Finger First contestants who do not make it to the hot seat.

    Well, competition is a reality. Within the very aggressive, competitive market, you have to differentiate the niche, says N.P Singh

    Using ‘Play along’, they can play with the hot seat contestant and the one who answers the maximum number of questions in the minimum amount of time gets to win one lakh rupees at the end of the episode.

    Additionally, the time limit for the ‘Phone a friend’ lifeline has been increased from 30 to 45 seconds. What’s more, audiences can win by playing the Ghar Baithe Jeeto Jackpot.
    In contrast, Bigg Boss promises to be a roller-coaster ride for audiences, what with the heaven vs hell theme.

    Of the 14 contestants, seven will be new names residing in a separate heaven themed house while the remaining seven will be old members, staying under one roof in another hell themed house, who’ve already been members of the Bigg Boss house during the last six seasons. The contestants from both the houses would be pitched against eachother in a series of tasks.

    Among the newbies entering the Bigg Boss house are Shekhar Suman, Vatsal Seth, Suraj Pancholi, Kushal Tandon, Pratyusha Banerjee and Sonarika Bhadoria. The seventh newcomer is still to be identified.

    Blast from the past: Hellcat Pooja Mishra is among the old members who will continue to occupy the house. Other members are still not confirmed.

    There will be some amount of competition and fragmentation between the two shows, says Deepak Netram

    Apart from programming frills, the channels themselves seem super confident about their respective properties. Moreso considering Bigg Boss has had a successful run last season with an opening of 4.0 TVR (television viewership ratings); ditto for KBC’s last season which opened with 6.1 TVR.

    Colors CEO Raj Nayak says the channel is very clear and conscious in its strategy to be a complete household entertainment channel. “Today if you do a FPC (Fixed Point Chart) check across all channels, you will see Colors has the maximum variety. While strategy is one part, everything we do involves risks. But when I say risks, we take calculated risks. We identify our strengths and weaknesses, and then see how we can complement our strengths with new shows. If we succeed, they become better. If not, we keep trying,” he exults.

    Asked if Sony has any particular strategy to beat the competition, SET chief operating officer N.P Singh says, “Well, competition is a reality. Within the very aggressive, competitive market, you have to differentiate the niche. Sony in its last 17 years has always run shows which are different from the rest and that has set us apart and we continue to follow that strategy.”

    Since it is the seventh season, both shows have a great following and it will be very hard to choose one, says Ashish Bhasin

    While Lodestar UM vice president Deepak Netram agrees there will be some amount of competition and fragmentation between the two shows, he is quick to point out that they cannot be compared. “They are unique in their own way. From the past what we have seen is KBC ratings have been there year on year. So we hope to maintain that. Bigg Boss on the other hand is looking bigger; the promotions are really huge and have happened way in advance. So it will be interesting to see how this pans out,” he observes.

    Aegis Group plc chairman India and CEO southeast Asia Ashish Bhasin echoes Netram’s sentiments saying it will be a tough call between two very established properties. “Since it is the seventh season, both shows have a great following and it will be very hard to choose one. What viewers always believe in is content. If the content is of the viewers’ interest, people will definitely opt for that. The main competition will be when something else comes at that time – say a big movie is being launched by another channel or any big news event – which show loses out in that instance is going to be more interesting to watch,” he opines.

    peaking from the point of view of advertisers, Bhasin says this particular slot is becoming increasingly attractive to them as it is also the hub of reality shows. “Advertisers will go where the eyeballs are and choose the most cost-effective way to get them. That’s how pricing will be done. And that can vary depending upon what the market rates are for that channel around that point of time. I don’t think finding advertisers for any of these shows will be an issue,” he says.

    On his part, Nayak maintains Colors’ non-fiction shows generate more traction from advertisers than its fictional shows and Bigg Boss gets some of the biggest brands. However, he adds that it works as a loss leader and the channel has been investing in it because it is a cult show. This apart, it generates a lot of buzz. Estimates are that it is in the region of Rs 15-20 crore.
    Most advertisers across categories agree that since both KBC and Bigg Boss are big properties and have local audiences across age groups, they cannot afford to ignore any one of them.

    “Who would not want to take advantage of these shows to reach out to their target group? People are waiting for the shows to start and with festivals coming up; no one would be a fool to favour one over the other. Maximum eyeballs give us maximum reach,” says an advertiser who didn’t wish to be named.

    As things stand, both the shows have gone viral on various digital platforms. Bigg Boss seven’s official Facebook page boasts around 1.8 million likes and more than 30,000 people talking about it. KBC Seven is not far behind with 1.6 million likes. Both are popular on Facebook but don’t seem to be trending that much on twitter.

    Whether Big B’s charisma will work or Salman Khan’s swagger, only time will tell…

  • Sonys Maha gamble

    Sonys Maha gamble

    MUMBAI: A look at Sony Entertainment’s TAM TV ratings from week 33 to week 34 shows that the channel has slipped to number six position with 292,684 television viewership ratings (TVTs) from its earlier score of 349,377 TVTs.

     

    With yo-yoing TVTs to contend with, Sony is betting big on the seventh season of Kaun Banega Crorepati, which comes to drawing rooms in a new and improved avatar.

    Big B to play Sapt Koti Mahadhani… Kaun Banega Maha Crorepati starting 6 September

     

    Sapt Koti Mahadhani… Kaun Banega Maha Crorepati premieres on Sony on September 6 at 8.30pm and will be aired over 13 weekends, with the aim of creating a platform of opportunities for Indians across ages, genders and socio-economic groups.

     

    The channel is looking for a big change in viewership numbers through the show. “Yes, we are not satisfied with a few of our currently running shows. Also the TAM TV ratings have moved to a new currency and we will take time to stabilise. The show will surely help us gain momentum,” says Multi Screen Media CEO Man Jit Singh.

     

    A measure of just how much is riding on the show is the many changes it has undergone in terms of its format, level of audience engagement, prize money and so on.

     

    For starters, not only has the set moved base from Film City to Yash Raj Films Studio, the set design too has had a complete makeover.
    Sneha Rajani is hopeful that the format, its simplicity and Big B will surely make it tick

     

    This time round, audiences will get to hear a different sound track as well. While the music has been scored by Sawan Dutta, Varsha Jain has done the set designing.

     

    Explaining why they’ve changed the set, Sony EVP & business head Sneha Rajani says: “We had booked YRF Studios last year to shoot this season of KBC. The set this time is bigger, better and grander. We have added more elements.”

     

    Adding to this, Big Synergy Media CMD Siddhartha Basu says: “It was a challenging task, but we achieved it. The licensors loved the changes and accepted the change in format and set. They have also suggested that it be used in other countries, if affordable.”

     

    The biggest change comes in the form of the prize money, which has been increased from Rs five crore to Rs seven crore. About the figure, Singh says, “Seven crore in the seventh season, is the right amount.”

     

    Elaborates Basu: “We had to increase the engagement level of the audiences. With the changes in format, the drama has risen and so has the engagement of the audience,” and points out that the show needed a change. “It has been accepted by people for 13 years. But now, the viewers deserved evolution, development and variety. Keeping the fundamentals same, we have given our audiences the change,” he says.

     

    Speaking at the show’s press launch at ITC Grand Maratha in Mumbai, Rajani says, “Big B is roaring in this season. The format, its simplicity and Big B will surely make it tick.”  

     

    What’s new?

    ·The money tree will now consist of 15 questions.

     

    ·Introducing Sapta Koti Sandook, which will give contestants a chance to win anything from Rs one crore to three crore, five crore and seven crore.

     

    ·The Fastest Finger First round will now be a ‘best out of three’ with the winner at the end getting to the hot seat.

     

    ·More choice of lifelines – Flip the question (Alat Palat) replaces Ask the expert and 50:50 replaces Double Dip.

     

    ·A brand new lifeline called ‘Power Paplu’ that will aid those who seek to revive an already used lifeline.

     

    ·In the entire game play however, a hot seat contestant may use only four of the five lifelines on offer.

     

    ·Introducing Play along for the Fastest Finger First contestants, who do not make it to the hot seat. These contestants can now play along with the hot seat contestant and the one who answers the maximum number of questions in the minimum amount of time gets to win Rs one lakh at the end of the episode.

     

    ·The time limit for the Phone a friend lifeline will now be 45 seconds instead of 30 seconds.

     

    ·Audiences can win by playing Ghar Baithe Jeeto Jackpot.

     

    As things stand, the first three episodes have already been shot and Sony is going the whole hog in terms of marketing and promoting the show. “It is a 360 degree market campaign on radio, TV, print and hoardings,” informs Rajani while a highly placed media planner reveals, “KBC is the biggest show for Sony. The channel hopes to improve its position in the ratings chart through this. It would have spent anywhere between Rs 10-12 crore on promotions.”

    The team brings a better, bigger and grander Kaun Banega Maha Crorepati

     

    Digitally-speaking, the channel is leaving no stone unturned to promote the show. It has launched its flagship KBC 2013 website (www.kbcsony.com) and the KBC official mobile application. On the cards is a host of rich and immersive video content and games that will see users take home Apple iPads.

     

    The website will include entire episodes of the show and an AB special, where users can watch Big B rendering poetry and catchy one-liners. Joyous moments of contestants on winning large sums of money and glimpses of interactions with stars and celebrities will also feature on the website. Surfers will be able to play games like Globe Quiz, where they can scroll and move round the earth’s axis, click on any part of the world and answer a trivia question. Other highlights will be the KBC Web Game, where users can test their speed and accuracy online, Insta Hot Seat and Prize meter & Heat map to name some.

     

    Elaborates SET executive VP-new media, business development and digital/syndication Nitesh Kripalani: “KBC is one of the most admired and loved game shows on television today. The popularity quotient is huge and the fan base is getting bigger every year. Our digital platform is especially designed to give our users much more than what they can get from their television sets – a whole new immersive on-demand second screen experience right at their fingertips.”

     

    He explains that the idea is to bring “the KBC experience up, close and personal, across multiple platforms, be it mobile, tablet or online.”

    With the changes in format, the drama has risen and so has the engagement of the audience, says Siddhartha Basu

     

    Says the top-placed media planner, “The channel will look strong with the show in the ratings chart,” and points out that with an airing time of one and a half hour, it will rake in money from advertisers. “The channel should have sold its advertising slot at Rs 3.5 crore (approximately) for per ten second advertisements. They would be targeting getting close to Rs 200 crore through ad sales,” he says.

     

    While Sony is sure hoping Big B’s charms reflect on its ratings, “The real competition will come from Bigg Boss and 24, both to be aired on Colors. Though the show will get good viewership in its first week,” he adds.

     

    Now whether this Maha Crorepati will have a maha effect on Sony’s rating, is something we will have to simply wait and watch…