GEC space hots up

The hindi general entertainment channel scene is hotting up with the launch of the 13th channel in the space. ‘Real’—a new Hindi GEC channel—is being launched by Real Global Broadcast (RGB), a joint venture between Turner International India and Alva Brothers Entertainment. The new channel will go on air from March 2009. Speaking to BT, Steve Marcopoto, President, Turner Broadcasting System, Asia Pacific, said: “India is the largest market for Turner International after Japan and contributes 25 per cent to our overall revenues.”

The latest TAM numbers for Week 3—the January 11-17, 2009 period— shows that this space is increasingly getting indistinct. A mere 8 GRPs separate Colors from genre leader STAR Plus (see Gross Rating Points). Can a new player succeed? Says Sudarshan R., Senior Business Director, Mediacom: “All GECs claim they are different but eventually they start showing more or less the same stuff. We are likely to see more strategic specialist channels concentrating on a particular genre in the long run.”

—Anusha Subramanian