MAM
Sony narrows gap with genre leader Star Plus
MUMBAI: The folks at Sony Entertainment Television (Set) are popping the bubbly. Reason: for the second week in a row, the lead channel in the Multiscreen Media (MSM) stable has held on its second spot in the Hindi GEC pecking order. And not just that: it has chomped away another seven GRPs from the entire GEC pie, coming very close to snatching leadership from numero uno Star Plus with its ratings figure of 235.
As per TAM data (C&S, 4+, HSM) provided by Hindi GECs, Set is just eight GRPs away from Star Plus riding on the back of its leading fiction property Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, that garnered 4.8 TVR (last week 4.2 TVR).
Set is also banking upon its crime-based fiction shows – Crime Patrol that saw an increase in viewership to 4.1 TVR (last week 3.8 TVR) and C.I.D which garners an average of 3.5-plus TVR.
Sony sees an opportunity to occupy the leadership chair with the soon-to-launch Amitabh Bachchan anchored show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC).
Says Anita Nayyar, who is joining Havas Media back as the India and South Asia CEO, “Historically, Sony has not been very consistent when it comes to ratings. But the channel has been doing consistently well since the past one year or so. Its shows like Bade Achhe Lagte hain have been doing well for them. The launch of KBC could be a gainer for Sony to some extent and could see it achieving new peaks. It will be a very close contender for the No.1 position.”
And that will be some achievement for team Set – including Sneha Rajani, COO NP Singh, CEO ManJit Singh and president Rohit Gupta.
Aegis Media CEO South Asia Ashish Bhasin does not expect Star India to take things lying down and allow SET to go ahead of it. Says he: “I am sure that Star Plus will come with something to fight and retain its position.”
He, however, cautions that long term trends should be borne in mind before coming to any conclusions. Says he: “I don’t think that the data should be seen on week to week basis. The ranking of Star Plus, Sony, Colors and Zee TV will keep varying depending on one or two programmes that will be a hit for few weeks. In long term if somebody is falling behind, it will have an effect, but if in one week one channel is ahead and in the second week the other is ahead it won’t make much of a difference in the long run.”
While for the second week in a row SET has gained, Star Plus has shaved 11 GRPs to end with 243 GRPs this week. Its leading fiction shows like Diya Aur Bati Hum and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai have seen a slight dip in viewership.
Colors on its part is at the No 3 spot with 228 GRPs, gaining some 14 GRPs. In the week ended 28 July, Colors‘ fiction show on child marriage Balika Vadhu has rated 4.3 TVR (last week 3.8). Its other fiction properties like Kairi, Sasural Simar Ka and Madhubala have also seen growths in viewership.
Zee TV, meanwhile, added a GRP to close the week with 222 GRPs. Its flagship dancing reality show DID lil Masters continues to garner good numbers. The Saturday episode of the show registered 5 TVR (last week 4.4) while the Sunday episode clocked 4.7 TVR (last week 3.9).
The second GEC from Sony Entertainment Network bouquet Sab added three GRPs to clock 132 GRPs while Life OK from the Star Network bouquet added six GRPs to record 107 GRPs. Sahara One with 42 GRPs (last week 41) remains at the bottom of the ladder.
MAM
Microdrama Specialist COL Group International Builds Out With Narativ, Rock Networks & BlingWood Deals
MUMBAI: Microdrama powerhouse COL Group International is building out its distribution network, with its CEO saying vertical video is about to enter its “next competitive chapter.”
The microdrama arm of publicly-listed Chinese company COL Group appointed Narativ Media as its official distributor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and CIS regions and Africa, and a struck new content deal with a new Dubai-based microdrama platform.
The deals were unveiled this morning at MIP London, and also included Rock Networks as its exclusive Southeast Asia telco distribution partner for its app, FlareFlow. MIP London is now into its second day at the Savoy Hotel and adjoining IET London complex.
The deals come soon after COL appointed Harbour Rights to represent its titles in Europe and Latin America, as we reported yesterday in our extended feature on microdrama distribution.
COL’s Singapore-based microdrama unit says its “coordinated global distribution architecture and significantly expanded international content slate” would help to scale its catalogue to more than 1,700 microdrama titles worldwide. These hail from South Korea, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the UK and roll out across Sereal+, FlareFlow and 17K.
A deal with Dubai-based BlingWood, which recently launched as an OTT platform, will expand COL’s access to Middle Eastern and Indian microdramas, and includes a broader pipeline of Indian series from storytelling platform Pratilipi, Korean titles from BeLive Studios and British reality-led formats from Tattle TV — the UK’s first dedicated microdrama app, including titles such as Dog Dates.
“Microdrama is entering its next competitive chapter, where quality, retention and monetization standards are increasingly shaped by data and operational discipline,” said Timothy Oh, General Manager of COL Group International.
“As pioneers in both China and the U.S., scaling some of the world’s leading platforms in this space, we understand what it truly takes to win sustainably. Our role is not simply to offer catalogue volume, but to help partners select, position and scale the right content for their platform and audience. By bringing together a broad, constantly refreshed slate from across regions, we enable smarter curation, clearer differentiation and long-term growth for serious industry players.”
Narativ deal
COL and UAE-based Narativ described their deal as a “strategic expansion of premium vertical content distribution across high-growth emerging markets,” and comes as the microdrama continues to boom financially. The growth of the medium will be among the key topics of conversation today at MIP London, where COL chief Oh will be speaking.
The pact extends beyond content representation and is being billed as part of a more “structured micro-drama distribution infrastructure.”
Narativ will spearhead market development, platform alliances, broadcaster relationships and digital monetization frameworks across the MENA and CIS regions and Africa, where they have identified “rapid mobile-first consumption growth and strong demand for short-form, high-engagement storytelling formats.”
“Micro-dramas are reshaping global viewing habits, particularly across mobile-first markets like MENA, Africa and CIS,” said Manjyot Sandhu, CEO and co-founder of Narativ. “Our appointment as official distributor for COL Group in these territories reflects Narativ’s strategy to build sustainable distribution architecture.
“A key pillar of the collaboration includes integration with FlareFlow, enabling strategic telco partnerships, bundled carrier offerings, and alternative monetization pathways designed to accelerate scale across mobile ecosystems and OTT platforms.”
Oh added: “We are building more than a content slate – we are building the global infrastructure for microdrama. With hundreds of new titles launching every quarter, scale and regional strength are critical. Narativ with its deep foothold in MENA, Africa CIS and other key markets makes them a natural strategic partner as we expand FlareFlow and bring microdrama to new platforms, telcos and audiences.
Narativ, which is joint venture Sandhu operates with Copyright Capital, manages around 7,000 hours of content and has a digital network spanning 150 million subscribers across 21 language.
COL Group has emerged as one of the biggest microdrama platforms, running platforms such as FlareFow. It is also a part-owner of ReelShort.
