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Radio/TV Variety - Music & Dance Marketing - Marketing Research Summer special: TV channels readying big musical talent shows Meera Mohanty
Line up Sony optimistic of winning back audiences with Indian Idol-3. Star confident of gaining KBC-like visibility. Behind-the-scenes part of game plan to draw audiences.
New Delhi, May 4, TV channels Star, Zee and Sony's big musical talent hunts will not just pit individual talent against talent, but the three broadcasters against one another. Zee TV's 14-year-old property, the oldest running Indian TV show, is back with `Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007'. But this time round it faces competition from Sony's blockbuster, Indian Idol-3, and from Star TV's new show, `The Amul, Star Voice of India', all scheduled for prime time on weekends. The shows on Sony and Zee have been big revenue drivers in the past. The last season of Zee's show peaked at 11.3 per cent in TRP ratings last October, making it the highest rated programme across channels and audience groups. Idol 2 with a TRP of 6-7 per cent may not have done as well as season one (14 per cent), but Sony's Business Head, Mr Albert Almeida, is optimistic about winning back lost audiences with an up-scaled season 3, which premieres an hour earlier at 9 p.m., on the same Friday, May 4. Star's show will premiere on May 18, same time as Zee's, 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and is being produced and directed by long-time Zee associate, Mr Gajendrra Siingh. Mr Siingh insists his new show is different and will focus significantly on the auditions that will be held in front of a live audience. Wanting to steer clear of controversies, he said, "I am tired of the mud slinging", adding that he is in talks with Zee for future programmes. Zee, meanwhile, has gone to court claiming breach of contract against Mr Siingh and copyright infringement against Star for the show.
Pre-launch action
All three shows are throwing in `behind the scene' action in reality TV style for more punch. Sony's marketing team is going all out, painting trains and buses in Idol theme, and arranging special screenings across Mumbai and Gurgaon malls. Star is equally optimistic. Without disclosing its marketing budget, it says the show will be given as much visibility as KBC. "We have never really had a talent show in the last 7-8 years and we are hoping that this show becomes the corner stone of our weekends," said Mr Harsh Rohatgi, GM, Marketing and Content, Star India. Zee, however, will go low on the pre-launch hype. "The product itself is so strong that it rides on the strength of its own quality. The show has not only been the most profitable for the network, but has also launched careers of many of today's most successful playback singers such as Sonu Nigam, Kunal Ganjawala, Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal," said Mr Ashish Kaul, Senior VP, Essel Group.
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