GECs
Sony Pal set for a revamp in 2015
MUMBAI: It was a dream come true for Multi Screen Media (MSM) CEO NP Singh when he announced the launch of the network’s much hyped Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC), Sony Pal. With the tagline – ‘Yeh Pal Hamara Hai’, it targeted the housewives in the age group of 15-34 years in SEC BCDE. However, it seems that his dream of seeing the channel compete with the top general entertainment channels, is far from being achieved.
Reason: failure of few of its shows to connect with the hearts of its target audience. As a result, the newly launched channel decided to cut down a few original hours of content. The status now is that Sony Pal which launched on 1 September 2014 with nine shows, currently is airing only four.
The nine offerings were Simply Baatein produced by GR8 Entertainment and anchored by Raveena Tandon, Dil Hain Chotasa Choti Si Asha, produced by SOL Productions and hosted by Ragini Khanna and Jay Soni, Shashi Productions’ Ek Rishta Aisa Bhi, Miloni Films’ Khushiyon Ki Gullakh Aashi¸ Singhasan Battisi by Creative Eye, Pia Basanti Re by Rashmi Sharma and Pawan Kumar, Tum Sath Ho Jab Apne produced by Sphere Origins, Sister Didi by DJ’s Creative Unit and Yeh Dil Sun Raha Hain by Balaji Telefilms.
Amongst these programmes, the five that have shut their shops include Simply Baatein with Raveena which ended at week 49 of TAM TV ratings with 109 TVTs, Khushiyon Ki Gullakh Aashi in week 50 at 206 TVTs, Pia Basanti Re and Tum Sath Ho Jab Apne in week 50 at 247 TVTs and 314 TVTs respectively and Dil Hain Chotasa Choti Si Asha in week 51 at 189 TVTs.
Amongst the five, two reality shows like Simply Baatein with Raveena and Dil Hain Chhotasa Chhoti Si Asha came to a natural end as they were commissioned for 13 episodes.
One of the producers informs that a month back the channel had sent out notices to the above mentioned production houses to stop shooting and shut down their respective shows. For the other production houses, the channel has not sent out any notices yet.
From 3.5 hours of original content, Pal has slashed 1.5 hours of content and is now showcasing only 2.0 hours of original content starting from primetime 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm.
When contacted Sony Pal and Sab SVP and business head Anooj Kapoor says, “When we went out checking with our core TG (women GEC viewers) to what they found right and not right with the channel in terms of content, the consumers came up with very interesting answers which threw some pointers on what core corrections were required.”
“We are soon going to come back in the same slots which have been shut down with new programmes in terms of dailies and with consumer feedback on-board. Hopefully, this time around we will go to the next level. We are going to come back with exact consumer expectations as they have articulated after viewing the channel.”
GECs
ZEEL overhauls sales structure to chase growth across TV and digital platforms
New structure sharpens digital push as viewing habits fragment fast
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is reshuffling its sales playbook as it looks to keep pace with a fast-changing media landscape, where audiences are scattered, screens are multiplying and advertisers are following the data.
According to media reports, the rejig is anchored in the company’s push to build a more integrated, data-led monetisation engine, one that can straddle both traditional television and fast-growing digital platforms with equal ease.
At the heart of the move is a reworked sales architecture designed to deliver cross-platform solutions. With connected TV gaining ground and digital consumption surging, ZEEL is aligning its teams to move quicker, think broader and sell smarter.
The restructuring is being led by chief operating officer, advertisement revenue, Sandeep Mehrotra, at a time when the company says it is seeing tremendous growth. The idea is simple: match the right talent to the right opportunity in a market that is anything but static.
As part of the overhaul, several long-serving executives have been elevated to chief sales officer roles across regions and content clusters. Sanjoy Chatterjee will head the east market, while Gunjarav Nayak takes charge of the west along with high-margin verticals such as hmg, brand works, intellectual properties and digital sales. Rajnish Gupta will oversee bengaluru and chennai markets alongside the kannada and tamil clusters.
In other key moves, Divjyot Dhanda will lead hyderabad and kochi markets and manage zee tv, zee keralam and the telugu cluster. Roshan Vasu Kotian will supervise a diverse portfolio including Zee Marathi, &tv, Zee Punjabi, Zee Anmol, Big Magic and Zee Biskope.
The company is also strengthening its bench, appointing national sales heads across retail, regional clusters, digital and brand solutions. Ankur Kapila’s appointment to lead digital sales signals a sharper push into a segment that continues to outpace traditional formats.
Behind the scenes, dedicated strategy and operations roles have been carved out for both linear and digital businesses. Nitin Shetty, Rajkiran Shrivastav and Priya Nambiar will take on key responsibilities to ensure the new structure runs with precision.
The broader aim is clear. ZEEL wants a bigger slice of advertising budgets that are steadily drifting towards digital and connected TV ecosystems. By integrating its offerings, the company hopes to deepen client relationships while unlocking new revenue streams.
The new structure takes effect immediately, with Mehrotra continuing to report to chief executive officer Punit Goenka and steer the company’s advertising revenue strategy. Senior executive Laxmi Shetty will support the transition, with her revised role expected to be announced soon.
In a market where content is everywhere but attention is scarce, ZEEL’s latest move is less about rearranging the org chart and more about staying in the game.
