GECs
Zeel plans to regain top spot in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu markets in 2020
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) is upping the ante on its GEC portfolio. Zee TV, Zee Marathi and Zee Telugu will witness a lot of content changes this year to gain back their leading positions in the respective markets.
Zee Telugu will be launching a new fiction show Prema Entha Madhuram on 10 February and two more shows- Trinayani and Thoorpu Padamara will launch soon.
In the past three to four quarters, there has been a dip in the market share of Zee’s Hindi GEC. In an earnings concall, Zeel CEO Punit Goenka said, “We continuously want to look at our content portfolio of the channels and improve on that so that the market shares can be gained back."
He further added, “So all these channels where we lost market share, we will be replacing most of the shows, therefore trying to gain back the leadership position. In fact, I am told that Zee Telugu has already gained back or started the trajectory towards upward movement and should be on track within the first quarter of next fiscal.”
During 3QFY20, ZEEL’s television network had an all-India viewership share of 18.2 per cent. While its regional portfolio increased viewership share, that of its Hindi market declined, in both GEC and movie segments.
“Zee TV maintained its weekday prime time leadership, but lost weekend prime time share and was the #3 channel in the pay Hindi GEC segment. Our Hindi movie cluster continued to be the #1 movie portfolio in the pay Hindi movie genre,” said Goenka.
In Q3 FY20 Zeel’s regional portfolio had mixed performance. He also said, “We maintained a leadership position in the Marathi, Bangla and Kannada markets, with Zee Kannada further strengthening its leadership position. While Zee Tamil improved its viewership share, Zee Telugu witnessed a marginal decline. Zee Keralam continued to gain share in the Malayalam market establishing itself as a strong contender for the number two position. Zee Sarthak regained leadership in the Odiya market towards the end of the quarter.”
For the third quarter of FY20, ZEEL reported consolidated revenue of Rs 2048.7 crore. EBITDA was Rs 565.8 crore with an EBITDA margin of 27.6 per cent. During the quarter, ZEEL's international business revenue was Rs 166.5 crore. The advertising and subscription revenues declined by 18.6 per cent YoY and 17.4 per cent YoY, respectively.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
