GECs
Thumbs up for new Zee FPC – opinion poll
MUMBAI: It’s a gamble that could pay off. Just about. Results of the latest indiantelevision.com poll seeking viewer response to the proposed Zee plan to run serials Sunday to Wednesday have given a green signal to the channel, with 83 persons voting in favour.
Its not a cushy margin, though. 78 respondents averred that the plan may not be that great an idea. 14 respondents have admitted that they have no clue whether the novel strategy will work at all.
The results are a pointer to the uncertainty that shrouds Zee’s latest programming strategy. The channel is treading uncharted territory, but not for the first time. It has done this once before, with disastrous results. That was in mid 2001, when newly appointed CEO Sandeep Goyal relaunched the channel with 24 new shows and a new channel mascot. The strategy flopped, but the poll results indicate that viewers are willing to give the beleaguered channel a second chance.
Zee now plans to air soaps and the like in the pre 9 pm slot for five days, beginning Sunday. The logic is that by Sunday evening, families anyways are in the week schedule mode as kids have to be prepared for school and adults have to ready for work the next day. Therefore the programming will also be tailored accordingly.
Zee’s FPC is being built keeping in mind a very metro-centric audience. Love Marriage, Kittie Party and Lipstick all fall into that thinking. The strategy has obviously been to build a different programming from that available on other channels and not try to be a ‘me too’ channel. It is also aiming to wean away the Star and Sony soap regular viewer by dishing up a blockbuster movie on Thursday nights and wooing him to watch the new Zee soaps.
The moot point of whether a show commencing Sundays, traditionally a weak day in terms of viewership, will be able to command viewer interest will remain unanswered till Zee launches in its new avatar. Of course, with viewership already at a nadir, Zee doesn’t have much to lose. From here on, it can either stay where it is or move in one direction. Upwards.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
