The Hindu Business Line : Bowling over `Star-stuck' advertisers

Wonder what's on? This is the opening page of Star India's presentation on its flagship channel, Star Plus, to its host of advertisers, who are bound "to fall in love with her". May be it has to do with all the `strong' women portrayed in its shows, for the channel has given itself a feminine cast while the presentation itself dwells entirely on the viewing habits of females in the age group 15-plus in SEC ABC towns.

Circulated to its major advertisers earlier this month, the pithily written presentation with headlines which could come straight out of its shows, makes the telling point that over the past year, ever since the Star resurgence happened with the launch of KBC, it has been gaining ground against rivals, Sony and Zee.

Saal Bhar Ka Hisab Kitab makes the claim that Star Plus channel share trends from the first week of January 2001 till date "shows very clearly that be it prime time or all day, there is no matching the power of Star Plus". In prime time, the channel share of Star is more than three times that of Sony and almost five times that of Zee.

Quoting figures from rating agency TAM for all-day channel share trends in Hindi-speaking markets for females in the 15-plus age group, it makes the point that in week 47 in 2001, Star Plus' channel share was 21.8 per cent versus Sony's 9.2 per cent and Zee's 6.2 per cent. Going on to outline prime time channel share trends (6 p.m. to midnight) in the same markets, it drives home the point in huge percentages - that Star Plus' channel share is 337 per cent that of Sony's and 477 per cent that of Zee TV's.

If Star has sewn up the prime time slots, what about earlier in the day? Dopahar Main Aagaya Rang Star Plus Ke Sang - with that paean to its programming, Star's presentation says that the Star Dopahar ( afternoon) time band has also seen a "phenomenal increase in channel shares through 2001". The increase has been to the tune of "565 per cent in the 13 hrs - 14 hrs time band... with the launch of Kasauti Zinadagi Kay in week 44 in 2001, the 15 hrs -16 hrs time band has registered mind boggling gains and is rapidly rising".

Again quoting from TAM and drawing a comparison between Star Dopahar and prime time Sony and Zee in the period November 25 - December 22, it says that neither of the channels are even close to the ratings that Star has got for its afternoon programming. Star, the figures say, has got a television rating point of 4.36 for its afternoon slot while Sony prime time has managed a TRP of 1.97 and Zee 1.49, says the presentation. Star Plus prime time slot is even higher with a TRP of 7.62, it says.

Not done with the Hindi headlines, it goes on to say Waqt Waqt Ki Baat. Tongue firmly in cheek, it even goes on to suggest that with people spending more and more time watching Star Plus "may be it really was a good idea when someone suggested that TVs be subsidised so that population can be controlled"!

More hosannas follow with a quick steal of the Hero Honda punch line, Yehi to hai Desk ki Dhadkan as "cutting through the diversity in the Indian populace, Star Plus manages to engage audiences for the longest time across all regions".

The 9 o'clock band, Star Plus promises, is all set for action this year with new programmes that are "guaranteed to keep you glued to the TV". With Des Main Nikla and Kamzor Kadii already making waves on Mondays and Tuesdays, the channel claims, things promise to get even more interesting on Wednesdays and Thursdays with two new shows soon to be launched.

The viewers wait, with bated breath presumably.

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