GECs
SET witnessing continued fall in ratings
MUMBAI: As far as the ratings go, Sony Entertainment appears to be in a bit of a slump at the moment. If Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai, SET’s matchmaking blockbuster show hosted by Bollywood screen siren Madhuri Dixit singularly failed to sizzle the charts for the channel, the start has been equally unimpressive for another big ticket programming initiative from the channel – the weekender Kya Hadsa Kya Haqeeqat.
The big budget serial from the Balaji stable that is costing Sony Rs 1 million per episode has failed to register on the Top 100 list. According to market research agency AC Nielsen’s TAM ratings covering all cable and satellite homes (24 panels), for the week from 11 August to 17 August, Sony’s highest rated show was the long running thriller series C.I.D. at 39 with 3.56 TVRs.
Even the Balaji dependables Kkusum and Kutumb have been steadily slipping. Kutumb was at 41 with 3.52 TVRs while Kkusum was at 42 with 3.51 TVRs. The only other show in the Top 100 for Sony was Heena at 89 with 2.72 TVRs.
Speaking about Kya Hadsa…, Sunil Lulla, executive V-P – SET, said it was far too early to pass judgment on the show’s performance. Lulla, while admitting that the channel’s ratings had seen a dip in the last three months, was however, quite categorical that the present slump was just a blip on the radar for SET. Lulla maintained that the Kkusum, Kutumb franchises still had positive cachet with audiences and said that the tweaking in the programming already brought about for Kutumb, as well as what was planned for Kkusum, would show results in the coming weeks.
Lulla also expressed confidence that the slew of new shows that would be unveiled over the next few months would reinforce the message that there is freshness and excitement to be had on the channel.
See related report:
Madhuri show fails to jack up the TRPs for Sony
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.
