The picture brightens

It isn’t so bad being a new television channel, after all—it’s particularly good if you are a new general entertainment channel (GEC), or a new music channel. Consider 9XM, the new music channel from INX Media, which has gate-crashed into the top 10 channels as per TAM data from it (CS 15-24 years, Hindispeaking markets in the week ended February 2, 2008). Another Johnniecome-lately, NDTV Imagine, has done even better and created a record of sorts by pushing its way into the ninth slot by carving a share of 6.6 per cent in the fourth week of this year as per TAM data from the channel (CS 4+ years, Hindi-speaking markets). Media planners, however, are less surprised by NDTV Imagine’s showing, as it had a new version of the evergreen mythological Ramayan in its armory. It’s 9XM’s performance that’s created more of a flutter.

The folks at 9XM, of course, aren’t taken aback with their good show. “We sought to offer Hindi music, a segment that was obviously being ignored, by others. We are not into reality shows or lifestyle,” says Vikas Varma, Head of Music, Entertainment Channels, 9XM.

Sizing up the market, Nandini Dias, CEO, Lodestar Universal, says: “9XM has had a dream launch. They have identified the need gap well. While there are other music channels most others have changed the programming mix to suit a section of people. Like MTV is addressing youth and not music lovers alone, ETC is addressing movie buffs rather than people fond of music,” she says.

However, it may still be a bit too early for INX Media or NDTV to be popping the champagne. The reality is that the share of each of these channels currently is really low. “The channel share of NDTV Imagine, 9XM (along with other new channels like Bindaas and Bindaas Movies) is low. So, it is difficult to say how individually or cumulatively they have impacted others. But most of these channels are less than three months old and are yet getting their distribution in place. I have no doubt that they will impact market shares of other channels,” adds Dias.

Not without reason, none of these channels is scurrying to increase its media rates yet. “This is a time for a very fragmented GEC market. Budgets are getting challenged as the cost of building GRPs is going up,” says Satyajit Sen, MD (North & East), ZenithOptimedia India. Planners also feel that ‘island properties’ are coming in at a time when, traditionally, this is a lean season for advertising spends. One such property is a proposed mega-show from STAR Plus, in partnership with Synergy Adlabs and Bulldog Media & Entertainment, called Kya Aap Panchvi Pass Se Tez Hain? The show will be hosted by Shah Rukh Khan and is modelled after the international game show called Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?

But will these attempts at blockbusters come unstuck because of competition from cricket—the much-hyped Indian Premier League will begin by April 18, this year? “To my mind properties such as Kya Aap... represent good opportunity and work to attract the male audience, much like cricket does. Also, these are slotted for the weekend and hence are unlikely to come in the way of weekly shows targeted at women,” says Basabdatta Chowdhuri, CEO, Madison Media Plus. In such situations, there will be at least one clear winner—the couch potato.

— Shamni Pande