Regional
Time for global news in Marathi
With national news broadcasters feeling the need to expand into regional markets, it is the Marathi space that is grabbing their attention.Joining Zee 24-Taas and Star Majha in the fight for the 120 million TV viewers of Maharashtra will soon be IBN-Lokmat, the Marathi news channel from the GBN-Lokmat joint venture (JV) company.
So, is the Marathi TV news market getting cluttered or will there will be a slice of the cake big enough for them?
For starters, let us look at the fight between the two existing channels – Zee 24-Taas and Star Majha, the eight-month-old channel from the JV between the ABP group and Star.
Star Majha is leading the race by far, stepping ahead since its second month of launch (See table for channel share).
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Channel Share 2007 (%)
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| Channel | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Star Majha | 30 | 56 | 56 | 58 | 59 | 63 | 58 |
| Zee 24 Taas | 70 | 44 | 44 | 42 | 41 | 37 | 42 |
| Source: TAM Peoplemeter System, Maharashtra Market, CS 15+ | |||||||
The gap has widened in 2008 with Star Majha enjoying a higher channel share (See table).
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Channel Share 2008 (%)
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| Channel | WK 1 | WK 2 | WK 3 | WK 4 | WK 5 | WK 6 | WK 7 |
| Star Majha | 70 | 69 | 69 | 65 | 77 | 78 | 75 |
| Zee 24 Taas | 30 | 31 | 31 | 35 | 23 | 22 | 25 |
| Source: TAM Peoplemeter System, Maharashtra Market, CS 15+ | |||||||
Zee 24-Taas explains its slip to distribution issues. “In terms of reach, we are less than half of that of Star Majha. There are issues that involve revamping the deals with cable operators,” says Zee 24-Taas news head Ravikant Mittal.
Mittal, however, claims viewers spend more time on the channel than on Star Majha. “Though our reach is limited, a viewer spends about 33 minutes on our channel as compared to the 26 minutes on Star Majha. We have faith in our content,” he adds.
In terms of content, Zee 24-Taas claims of being a regional channel with national outlook and an international look, whereas Star Majha says it is a national news channel in Marathi.
“The reason for our growth is that we know our viewers like to see global news in their mother tongue. That is what we are providing them – world-class news in their own language,” maintains Star Majha editor Rajiv Khandekar.
IBN-Lokmat is looking at a different positioning. Says editorial director Nikhil Wagle, “Ours will be a global news channel in Marathi language; we are not regional players.”
IBN-Lokmat is banking on a large infrastructure network to cover the state. Says Wagle, “We will have 13 bureaux spread across the state. We are also going to have the latest technology to support our news flow.”
Zee 24-Taas has a network of eight bureaux and 30 stringers across Maharashtra while Star Majha has six bureaux. For news outside Maharashtra, both rely on their national news networks.
The Marathi news channels agree that the needs of the local viewers are different. They cannot be fobbed off with infotainment; what they look for is hardcore news – be it regional, national or international. For informative entertainment, they have the option of tuning in to other Marathi and Hindi general entertainment channels.
“More competition will prompt us to bring quality to our viewers,” says Wagle.
As far as revenue is concerned, Zee 24-Taas and Star Majha claim to have roped in a long list of advertisers. Says Mittal, “We have every big advertiser with us. Maharashtra being a big and financially important state, it is natural to see ad growth.”
Agrees Khandekar, “30 per cent of all the GRPs of national Hindi news channels come from Maharashtra. With the kind of ratings and programming we have, revenue is kicking in.”
The climate may get spoilt with the entry of IBN-Lokmat. The size of the Marathi TV news market isn‘t big enough, with estimates putting it at under Rs 600 million. Besides the two dedicated satellite news channels, there is ETV Marathi which runs a popular band of news slots and DD Sahyadri.
The channels, however, feel that the size of the pie will only grow with more entrants. Says Mittal, “The space is not cluttered; it can fit in more players.”
Regional
GTC Punjabi launches Sweety Beauty Parlour, a bold small-town drama
New show blends ambition, love and grit in a story rooted in Punjab’s heart
MOHALI: GTC Punjabi has premiered its latest fiction series, Sweety Beauty Parlour, a coming-of-age drama that places the dreams and dilemmas of small-town Punjabi women firmly in the spotlight.
Airing from today at 6:30 PM, Monday to Friday, the show follows Sweety, a young woman determined to build her own beauty parlour and carve out an independent life despite social pressures that quietly push her to aim lower. The narrative blends ambition, love and vulnerability, offering a portrait that feels both intimate and familiar.
At the heart of the story is the dynamic between Sweety, played by Mannat, and Goldy, portrayed by Navdeep. Their relationship adds emotional texture to the show, shifting between warmth, tension and tenderness as their lives intertwine.
The series is directed by Gaurav Rana, known for his work on acclaimed Punjabi films Chauser and Mohre. Rana brings a cinematic sensibility to television, with a focus on character depth and understated storytelling. The beauty parlour setting becomes more than just a backdrop, doubling as a space where personal stories unfold and unspoken truths surface.
Speaking about the show, GTC Network founder and MD Rabindra Narayan said, “Sweety is not a character. She is every girl from every small Punjabi town who has sat in her room at night and imagined a bigger life and then woken up the next morning and actually tries to build it. Gaurav Rana has brought cinematic craft to this story that Punjabi television has never quite seen. Mannat and Navdeep make you believe every word. We are proud of this show the way you are proud of something that tells the truth.”
The launch also signals a broader content push by GTC Punjabi. The network has announced a new singing reality show, Surtaaj of Punjab, and confirmed additional fiction series and short film projects in development, pointing to an ambitious programming slate ahead.
Available across DTH platforms and streaming services including JioTV and YuppTV, the show is positioned to reach both domestic and global Punjabi audiences.
With Sweety Beauty Parlour, GTC Punjabi appears to be betting on authenticity over spectacle, telling stories that feel lived-in rather than staged, and in doing so, giving voice to a generation that refuses to shrink its dreams.
