GECs
ETV Urdu hopes to score on the programming front
Going strong on its expansion plan despite the depressed media scenario, the Ramoji Rao owned Eenadu Television Network on Wednesday added “ETV Urdu” to their kitty of regional channels. The 24-hour free-to-air digital channel was finally launched on 15 August (Independence Day) after a long wait by the chief editor Eenadu group of publications and chairman of the Ramoji Film City (RFC), CH Ramoji Rao, at the RFC complex in Hyderabad.
ETV has been building its programming content for the Urdu channel for more than one-and-a-half years now. The target audience will not only be the Urdu-speaking audiences in India but also the Gulf countries. The Urdu spoken on the channel will not be pure Urdu (which not many people understand) but that spoken by common people so as to give it a broader viewership, company officials say.
The Channel will have a fair mix of entertainment and information with hourly news updates, telefilms, family dramas, daily soaps, devotional and musical programmes. The USP of the channel will be fresh and original programming rather than dubbed or outsourced programmes, say officials.
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Khaas Baat (Urdu News) |
Special efforts have been taken to strengthen the news section. Khaas Baat, a news capsule specially designed to cover Urdu speaking areas. ETV has tied up with Reuters Television, CNN International and Transworld International so as to ensure comprehensive coverage of international news and current affairs, according to a company release.
Adakaar is a weekly acting competition hosted by well known actor Nirmal Pandey. And for those die-hard fans of Urdu poetry, Mushaira, a monthly mega event of lyrical excitement, will quench their thirst.
To develop the channel’s indentity, films will not be shown in the initial period. Instead telefilms are being produced that will be telecast exclusively on the channel. Game shows, talk shows and song-based programmes like Mehfil, Gazal Sara, Qawwali are also going to be an intrinsic part of the programming.
The majority of the programming is being done in-house though there are some programmes which are on commissioned basis. The network’s headquarters is in Hyderabad.
On the ad rate front, the figures being quoted would appear a tad optimistic and it remains to be seen whether the channel will be able to get buyers for its time slots. Spot rate for prime time (7pm to 10pm) has been kept at Rs 20,000 as per the rate card. Industry sources say as of now no advertiser has been confirmed though talks are going on.
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A still from the serial Tumhara Intezar Hai |
Even on the distribution front, the channel is likely to face a long haul. According to industry sources, cable connectivity is going to be a major issue the channel will face. In this direction, channel executives have been contacting cable operators in Mumbai and also distributing set top boxes.
That apart, looking at the past record of the group and the amount of homework done by ETV Urdu as far as its programming goes, the channel is certainly expected to make a difference in today’s cluttered scenario.
ETV already has Telugu, Bengali, Marathi and Kannada channels. Next in the pipeline from the ETV stable are Gujarati and Oriya channels.
Technical Specification :
ETV Urdu:
Satellite – APR-I (INSAT-2E) at 83.5 degree East
Downlink frequency – 4005 MHz
Downlink Polarisartion – Vertical
Symbol rate – 27000 Kg Symbol/sec
FEC – 3/4
Downlink EIRP – 38 dbW
Signal type Digital,MPEG 2/clear
Free-To-Air.
GECs
Zee tops fiction charts across six languages with strong show lineup
Broadcaster secures nearly half of top 10 spots as fiction strategy pays off
MUMBAI: Fiction is proving to be Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd’s winning script. The broadcaster has emerged as the dominant force in television fiction, occupying an average of five spots in the top 10 charts across six major language markets.
Across Hindi (Pay), Marathi, Bangla, Odia, Kannada and Telugu general entertainment channels, the company commands a 48 per cent share of the top 10 fiction rankings, according to BARC data for weeks four to seven of 2026 among urban audiences aged 15 and above.
The strong showing reflects the company’s renewed focus on storytelling driven by cultural insight and local relevance. With family viewing still centred around prime time, Zee continues to attract more than 20 per cent viewership share across genres in this high engagement window, outperforming competitors.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, chief content officer Raghavendra Hunsur, said the results underline the effectiveness of the company’s sharply defined multilingual content strategy.
“The achievement is a firm testament to our content strategy across languages, which is clearly resonating with viewers,” Hunsur said. “Fiction shows remain the heart of entertainment. We will continue building both fiction and non fiction offerings that are authentic, engaging and rooted in local storytelling.”
The company’s Hindi flagship channel Zee TV has placed four relatively new launches among the top 10 shows in the Hindi Pay GEC category. These include Tumm Se Tumm Tak, Ganga Mai Ki Betiyan, Vasudha and Lakshmi Nivas, all introduced within the past 18 months.
Regional markets are delivering equally strong performances. Zee Marathi has recorded a 470 basis point rise in market share to 34.7 per cent in January 2026 compared with January 2025. Four of its shows, Kamli, Taarini, Veen Doghatli Hi Tutena and Lakshmi Nivas, feature among the top 10 in the Marathi GEC genre.
In eastern India, Zee Bangla has reclaimed leadership in the Bangla GEC segment in week seven of 2026, driven by five shows in the top 10 including Parineeta, Taare Dhori Dhori Mone Kori, Jowar Bhata, Amader Dadamoni and Chirodini Tumi Je Amar. The top ranked show Parineeta draws inspiration from Gen Z insights, reflecting changing audience sensibilities.
Zee Sarthak continues its five year leadership streak in the Odia GEC space with shows such as Sathi Sata Janmara, Suna Jhia, Tu Khara Mu Chhai, Tuma Bina and Bhagya Rekha occupying the top positions.
In the south, Zee Kannada maintains its long standing dominance, leading the Kannada GEC market for seven consecutive years. Seven fiction titles including Karna, Lakshmi Nivasa, Annayya, Amruthadhaare, Naa Ninna Bidalaare, Adi Lakshmi Purana and Brahmagantu form the top 7 shows in the category.
Zee Telugu is also gaining ground, emerging as the biggest channel across genres in Hyderabad while strengthening its position in the Telugu GEC segment across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Shows such as Jagadhatri, Meghasandesam, Jayam and Chamanthi occupy four of the top 10 spots.
With its regional channels gaining traction, Zee says it will continue sharpening its content playbook, focusing on stories that reflect everyday lives while tapping into evolving viewer preferences across markets.
