GECs
Sony on correction course; set to launch 4 new shows
MUMBAI: 2014 was a middling year for Sony Entertainment Television (SET). Though the audience saw the channel experimenting with new concepts and shows, a few earned some fame, while the others failed to grab eyeballs.
SET made some smart moves, whether it was getting out of the studio and moving closer to the audiences in season eight of Kaun Banega Crorepati or Amitabh Bachchan’s television debut in the fiction format – Yudh, which was touted to be India’s most expensive show in that segment (Rs 3 crore per episode). While the channel’s hopes were riding high on the latter, the dark content was unpalatable for the audience.
On the fiction soap front, the channel’s high bet with Itna Karo Na Mujhe Pyaar starring Ronit Roy did not do as well as expected. Other fiction series like Humsafars, Hum Hai Na and Tum Aise Hi Rehna only saw a glimmer of hope.
Reason: Female audiences didn’t stick on and male audiences continued to come on to the channel’s popular shows like CID, Aahat, Crime Patrol and Bhanwar.
However, now the channel is on a correction course and is all set to woo its existing audiences once again as well as rope in new viewers. SET SVP and business head Nachiket Pantvaidya revealed that in order to up the channel’s entertainment quotient, five new shows will go on air over the next two – three months.
Not just to intrigue the audience but to also provoke thought and reactions from them, the channel aims to attract newer audiences (mainly female) with high-concept shows backed by a powerful star cast.
First up, starting 13 April, the channel will launch Reporters, revealing the challenging world of news in a contemporary way. As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the show, produced by Rose Audio Visuals, revolves around the life of journalists with an intense underlying love story.
It will air every Monday-Thursday at 9 pm competing with shows like Diya Aur Baati Hum (Star Plus), Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat (Colors), Laut Aao Trisha (Life OK), Chidiya Ghar (Sab) and Kumkum Bhagya (Zee TV).
Second up, the channel kicked-off auditions for its singing reality show, Indian Idol Junior 2 in Kolkata on 4 April. After Kolkata, the audition process will move to Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai on 11 April, 18 April and 25 April respectively. The show is expected to go live in the month of May.
The third new show from SET’s stable is the mythological show titled Sankat Mochan Mahabali Hanuman. Produced by Contiloe Productions, it will depict the life of Lord Hanuman. The series is set to hit television screens from 4 May. For the record, Contiloe Pictures is currently producing Maharana Pratap, Adaalat and Bhanwar on Sony.
With growing popularity of the mythological genre, Sony will add yet another show to its kitty titled Suryaputra Karn. The show is produced by Swastik Pictures, which had also produced Mahabharat for Star Plus.
Suryaputra Karn will cover life journey of the Great Archer of Indian history Karna, who always craved for legitimacy, had been extremely loyal to his friend and the only one who could defeat Arjun. The promos for the same have already created a buzz. Sources close to the channel say that the show will hit airwaves in May.
Last but not the least, the channel is set to further awaken the masses with period drama called Rani Mahal. Produced by Lost Boy Productions, it stars Sakshi Tanwar in a leading role and will hit television screens in June.
Rubbishing media reports of it being a remake of Game Of Thrones, producer Vikas Gupta said, “This is nowhere close to Game of Thrones.”
It may be recalled that as its first step towards a revamped programming strategy, Sony launched the Ram Kapoor starrer Dil Ki Baatein on 23 March, which is telecast from Monday to Thursday at 9:30 pm.
It remains to be seen whether Sony’s fresh line-up of shows manages to propel the channel up on the ratings chart.
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.
