GECs
Sony adds colour with two new shows
MUMBAI: So what if it’s currently yo-yoing among the bottom three as far as TAM ratings go? Sony Entertainment Television is leaving no stone unturned to regain lost ground.
Earlier this week, the GEC has launched a new show titled Desh Ki Beti Nandini with another one, Bhoot Aya, preparing to air every Sunday, at 11:00 pm, starting 13 October.
Desh Ki Beti…, produced by Rashmi Telefilms, traces the journey of a typical Indian woman from the confines of her home to the limelight of politics and is a comment on how every Indian woman is a delicate mix of softness and strength.
In sharp contrast, the upcoming Bhoot Aya, produced by Akashdeep Sabir and Sheeba’s Cinetek Telefilms, explores the dark forces through real-life, spine-chilling encounters of ordinary people.
Speaking about the marketing campaign for Desh Ki Beti… , SET senior vice president, head – marketing Seth says: “Nandini’s rise to, the promise of the show is that one day, she is going to run the country and that is something we have showcased in all our communications. Whether it was in music, promos or it’s been the visual imagery in print or outdoor. It shows the journey and definitely gives that hope and umeed to say that an empowered, confident and intelligent woman has no feelings.”
We will dominate that slot through the power of our idea and our concept, says a confident Gaurav Seth
Seth adds that in a bid to get people to understand the concept, the channel asked them the question: “Do you believe, ek ladki joh ghar chala sakti hai.. desh bhi chala sakti hai?”
As regards the non-fiction show, Seth says: “Firstly, we have tied up with the Indian paranormal society, which in a sense we refer to as ghost hunters. They go out and validate whether it is a fraud or for real. We are marketing it in a very interesting manner using this scary super-natural spooky zone to promote it. We have press ads which are going to show on the day of launch.”
Independent experts have been roped in who will relate how these things happen to the audience and the channel is confident the show is going to really scare people. It has even created five to six television spots for the purpose of promoting the show.
This apart, Sony’s official page, which boasted around 460,399 likes at the time of writing this article, will be used to promote the new shows. Asked why no exclusive pages have been devoted to the programs, Seth reasons: “We have stopped creating individual character pages. We are pushing Nandini as a show and concept across all social media.”
What about competition considering Desh Ki Beti will air at 9:00 pm? “It all lies in the concept. There’s always going to be competition at any given slot across multiple channels. And I don’t think competition is something we are really worried about. We will dominate that slot through the power of our idea and power of our concept,” Seth shoots back confidently.
With one of Sony’s best and longest running crime shows, Crime Petrol, having been cut down to accommodate Bhoot Aya, isn’t the channel worried about viewership? “We are just making a three-day thing to a two-day thing. There won’t be a problem in that. We want to introduce some novelty and some differentiation,” quips Seth.
Meanwhile, asked if the new shows will help Sony reclaim its number three position or higher, a media planner says: “We cannot be wrong in saying that, Sony has been very experimentative in nature. I see some positive vibes from Nandini, the storyline and concept is relevant in today’s time. As far as Bhoot Aya is concerned, the concept is not something unusual. Already there are shows like this; people want to see something different. I don’t know what different the channel plans to show viewers, but this non-fiction piece will definitely fail viewership.”
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
