GECs
TV cos take to the great outdoors to hawk their wares
Television companies have significantly increased the use of hoardings to increase awareness about the shows they have on air.
Although print medium (specifically newspapers) still takes the lion’s share of advertising, the total adspend on hoardings from TV companies have gone up by over 60 per cent over last year, Shankar Shetty, associate vice-president of Prime Site, estimates. Prime Site is a division of Mudra Comunications Ltd and coordinates what are known in the trade as out of home advertising.
Shetty said the market had dropped out of the business following the dotcom bust but post-October had seen TV companies filling the void to some extent. Shetty estimates revenues of over Rs 3,000 million at an all-India level with the TV industry contributing over Rs 800 million in the current year. Last year the TV industry spent below Rs 500 million on hoardings. The figures are collated from 22 cities in the Hindi speaking belt.
Industry sources reveal that the biggest spenders on hoardings are Star, Sony and Sahara TV. Zee TV has a much more modest budget where hoardings are concerned, the sources say. As for how much a Star or Sony spend, the sources said the figure was over Rs 100 million. And of this the biggest chunk was taken by Mumbai, with a Rs 70 million spend (per channel).
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.
