GECs

Who controls the remote?

Published

12 years ago

July 19, 2014

A TV remote control is the most sort-after item in a household. From parents to kids, everyone wants to get their hands on the small black device controlling the idiot box in the living room.

The battle has been going on for decades now. The broadcasters, a very few of them in the beginning, understood it very early wherein they smartly segregated their programmes into time slots pertaining to a particular gender.

Afternoons were meant for housewives who after finishing their work had their daily dose of soaps to entertain them before the children came back from schools and tune into shows catering to their tastes. It was in the evening that men got hold of the television set to catch-up on the day’s news.

The pattern has been passed down the history even though the number of channels available to entertain a household has multiplied. Everybody is spoilt of choice, be it the women or men of the house or children.

Everyone has numerous channels to surf before they pick their favourite.

As per a new research published by Croma, the electronics megastore from Infiniti Retail, India’s women ‘own’ the household TV throughout the day; however by the time the clock chimes 9 pm it’s the men who take over.

The findings highlighted in Croma’s ‘Household Habits’ survey reveal that 9 pm as a form of ‘Remote Relay’ hour is when control of the ubiquitous and all-important remote finally passes from female to male jurisdiction. According to the findings nearly 40 per cent of men claim that their female partners dominate the remote control all afternoon (from midday to 9 pm); while over half of all respondents collectively claim that it’s their respective mothers who rule the remote during the same period. Over half of the female respondents actually admit to ‘fighting for control’ of the precious device.

Before the recently concluded FIFA World Cup even started, the jokes doing the rounds were of men telling their wives to keep away from the remote control at night. Every now and then, the battle intensifies especially during sporting events or some major political development. However, this doesn’t mean that women aren’t interested in sports or politics but in general it’s the soaps that catch their fancy.

However, with the increase in disposable income and technology wherein multi-device and cross-screen usage has become common in certain sections of our society, the survey demonstrates the importance, protocols and household politics relating to control of the household TV set. And, according to the findings, the females of the household exercise a near monopoly on the remote; at least during daylight hours.

The 9 pm slot symbolises a form of ‘changing of the guard’ when the females of the household cede control of the TV to their male counterparts. This form of ‘remote control diplomacy’ confirms the central role and meaning the TV set continues to exert in the Indian household.

While women clearly rule the noon and evening slot of the remote relay, men take over from 9 pm, with over a quarter of all respondents citing fathers overtaking mothers for control of the remote during this period. The time slot (primetime as per most channels) has seen a significant increase in male partner dominance in terms of control over the TV remote.

But, if men rule the 9pm slot, one is forced to think about the primetime slot which broadcasters, especially general entertainment channels (GECs), invest in?

As per various media analysts who study the medium and plan and buy for it every day, the study might be true, but the ‘change of guard’ doesn’t happen sharp at 9!

They insist that times are changing and men too are interested in watching what their partners watch every night. It is a transition period wherein almost for one to two hours, both men and women, sit and watch two channels overlapping the couple’s or of family’s interest.

It is family time where everyone watches together. And as kids and others move away from the TV sets as night progresses, men are left as the sole controller of the remote, free to watch whatever interests them.

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GECs

Sun TV posts steady revenue, profit dips amid rising costs

Published

2 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

6 days 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.