MxMIndia

Tag: KBC

  • After saying adios to Indian Idol, Sony is set to battle it out with competing GECs with its master show. Kaun Banega Crorepati will begin on September 7, and will air Friday to Sunday at 8.30 pm

    KBC to strengthen weekend reality programming for Sony

    By A Correspondent

     

    After saying adios to Indian Idol, Sony is set to battle it out with competing GECs with its master show. Kaun Banega Crorepati will begin on September 7, and will air Friday to Sunday at 8.30 pm. Produced by Big Synergy Media Ltd, the game show that has created history on Indian television with the iconic Amitabh Bachchan as its host is all set to delight its audiences with a brand new innings this season with ‘Sirf Gyaan Hi Aapko Aapka Haq Dilata Hai’ as the central theme.

     

    Danish Khan, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing at Sony Entertainment Television, said, “Weekend slot offers most fertile viewing. The appointment viewing is immense and we have been doing extremely well with our reality shows in this band. Hence, we decided to air the third season of KBC in this slot.” Previously, only the repeat shows of KBC were telecast in this time band.

     

    KBC has also signed Cadbury as presenting sponsor and Idea as telecom partner, besides signing Axis Bank, Ceat Bike Tyres, Just Dial, Sony Bravia, Aakash Educational Services, and Maruti Suzuki. However, Mr Khan said that in-programming sponsor has not been signed. The show will air on 21 weekends, with 58 episodes that will also comprise of special episodes with unique and distinct themes which will capture a little bit of India in every episode, lined up to ignite the minds and hearts of Indian audiences.

     

    On the occasion of announcing the show, NP Singh, COO, Multi Screen Media said, “It is a glorious moment for all of us at Sony to bring back another power-packed season of the magnificent game show Kaun Banega Crorepati on our network, This year’s theme ‘Sirf Gyaan Hi Aapko Aapka Haq Dilata Hai’ celebrates knowledge as the greatest leveller in our society and a potent change agent.”

     

    Siddhartha Basu, CMD, Big Synergy Media Ltd. Said, “We’re back. This time we’ve gone further down the road into the heartlands and hinterlands of India, and come up with a fascinating line-up of ordinary Indians as contestants, extraordinary for their diversity and individuality, each one of them looking for an opportunity to transform their lives through this knowledge game. They’re more knowledgeable than before, better prepared, and hungry for success. They are the unseen faces of an emerging India, thirsting to prove themselves. It promises the viewer quality entertainment, which engages both the heart and the mind.”

     

    Sneha Rajani, Senior EVP and Business Head, Sony Entertainment Television, said, “We are honoured to have the one and only Mr. Amitabh Bachchan hosting KBC once again. He brings a tremendous amount of charisma and his ability to connect with one and all with his sincerity and humility takes the show to another level. KBC is not just a popular game show, but a powerful platform where people from all across India, cutting across the demographic, geographic and social boundaries converge to celebrate common man’s triumph against all odds. It celebrates knowledge as a powerful tool which can help change his destiny.”

     

    Will the third season of KBC change the destiny of the channel? Time will tell – soon!

     

  • This campaign will work. Because it's rooted in desi culture, it features situations that are relevant to the lives of those who live in the heartland of India

    Debrief: KBC: The power of knowledge

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Well, yet another season of Kaun Banega Crorepati is on the way. And the ad campaign has already gotten underway. I have always believed that for an old and established show like the KBC, the advertising needs to be really fresh and exciting to generate viewer interest. Especially so, because all things are likely to remain constant with the show’s format, including the host.

     

    This time the ad positioning is ‘Gyaan’. KBC promotes the show on the contestant’s knowledge skills. And on how it serves as the great leveller in life. While the idea doesn’t excite me much – it’s much too close to the previous ‘Koi bhi insaan chhota nahin hota’ – the execution of the new ads shines, and the script is very well written. There are many commercials on air, I watched the one featuring a vernacular lad called Bhaskar, who keeps getting dissed by friends and foes alike for his poor English speaking skills. And of course the girls avoid him as if the chap suffers from deadly measles. The TVC ends with Bhaskar winning 50 lakh rupees on the show, purely on the strength of his general knowledge. And haanji, he goes one-up on all those people who had trashed him all his life.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNGT4mQE92I[/youtube]

    This campaign will work. Because it’s rooted in desi culture, it features situations that are relevant to the lives of those who live in the heartland of India. And indeed these are the folks who form the bulk of KBC’s viewers. In that sense, the campaign is highly focussed and will score big on empathy.

     

    I applaud the ad agency for lifting what is actually a very generic and obvious concept with cool advertising and witty writing.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3.5 Focussed and funny.

     

     

  • This year, the show will focus on 'Idols behind the Idol': follow the journey of the Idol and the people who have played a role in guiding them

    Indian Idol 6 to use drama & emotions for a connect with viewers

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    Music is something that almost every Indian can relate to. So, when in 2004, a reality show was launched which gave the people a chance to show-off their singing talent, the whole country lined up for auditions.

     

    Today that very same reality show, Indian Idol, is getting set to launch its sixth season. From June 1 on Sony Entertainment Television. The show had opened with average TVR of 6.9 in its first season whereas the last season got an average TVR of 2.0. According to Chandradeep Mitra, managing partner, Anvention, the main reason why reality shows lose their audience over years is stagnation: “After a while, one does get bored of watching the same genre of shows. It has happened to a lot of shows, be it KBC or IPL. Also, there are a lot of similar shows on other channels. So, there is a natural decay.” He further explained: “With more and more channels coming up and new genres being experimented, there is division of audience too.”

     

    Danish Khan

    Danish Khan, senior VP and Marketing Head, SET, is optimistic about the upcoming season and feels that every season has to have a unique hook to catch audience’s attention. “We are doing our best to come up with a delight for our audience. I agree that there are a lot of reality shows, so differentiation becomes important to stand out of the clutter.”

     

    This year, the show will focus on ‘Idols behind the Idol’: “We thought of going back this year and focus on how ‘nobody’ becomes a ‘somebody’. We’ll follow the journey of the Idol and the people who have played a role in guiding them to reach that position. So, there are a lot of drama and emotion this time, and we are hoping that it will touch the audience. And help us get good ratings,” Mr Khan said.

     

    However, Mr Mitra feels that for this genre to work well, the show must have quality talent and should be able to use social media well to promote it which will help to create awareness about the show.

     

    The channel will launch the show after the IPL. “It is a deliberate move and we have used the IPL to build the show through various promotions. We have used 360 degree marketing strategy to market the show,” said Mr Khan.

     

  • The next step forward for the industry should be attempts to create differentiation in content in order to create more appointment listeners

    Can a Satyamev-like show be created for radio? Yes, say broadcasters

    By Robin Thomas

     

    Aamir Khan’s ‘Satyamev Jayate’ is the hope to recreate the Sunday morning appointment viewership that was probably lost with the entry of multiple cable television channels in the late 90s. The Sunday morning programme, which premiered on May 6 with much fanfare, has already received rave reviews from viewers and marketers alike.

     

    Appointment viewing in television has become a common practice, with examples galore like season one of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) or soap operas suchas ‘Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ or even earlier epic programmes like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, wherein viewers would often set the time aside for their favourite shows.

     

    But can the same be said about radio? Does a radio programme have appointment listenership? Can they create shows of the calibre of ‘Satyamev Jayate’?

     

    One of the reasons why television programming has evolved is said to be only because of multiple channel offerings, similarly radio programming is also said to evolve with more channel offering, different genres and thus big property shows which could draw more loyal listeners.

     

    According to GG Jayanta, National Marketing Head, Radio Mirchi, a similar kind of experience exists on radio, albeit on a smaller scale, despite the fact that music is the largest chunk of programming on most radio stations. “The breakfast show, from 7am to 11am, usually tackles issues that resonate with local sentiments – be it the case of the battered girl child or petty corruption or question paper leaks or pot-holed roads. There are expert opinions, listener call-ins, diverging points of view et al – but the tone and manner is always upbeat and offers a ray of hope to the listener – entertaining, but not frivolous. It makes for engaging content leaving the listener with a feeling that there is someone listening to their plea. This interactivity is what makes radio powerful.”

     

    One of the challenges for radio today is the lack of differentiation in content as most radio stations arguably sound the same, especially in the kind of music they play. Gone are the days when radio programmes like ‘Binaca Geet Mala’ and ‘Sangeet Ke Sitaron Ki Mehfil’ were highly popular with listeners who set aside time to listen to these programmes.

     

    Anil Machado, National Programming Head, Radio One, felt: “Radio has a lot of appointment listeners, mostly during the weekends. Programming in every medium is a challenge today, but it depends on how you create a differentiation in your content. The moment a radio station begins to move away from the herd and create a differentiated content, it will attract more listeners and thus bring appointment listenership.”

     

    Nonetheless, those were the days when there were not as many FM stations and the television onslaught was yet to take place. Whether or not multiple frequencies in FM Phase III would create differentiated and innovative shows and shows that of a ‘Satyamev Jayate’s’ calibre, only time will tell. But radio broadcasters would like to disagree. “In fact, Aamir Khan was on air with RJ Jeeturaj on Radio Mirchi Mumbai, wanting to interact with the audience and gauge their reaction to the show. Therefore, a similar sort of programming can happen on radio or for that matter any medium but, what is important is the audience should feel enriched,” said Mr Jayanta.

     

    Radio broadcasters are of the view that such programmes have always been part of radio and that the next step forward for the industry should be attempts to create differentiation in content in order to create more appointment listeners. But there are some who feel that more than shows like Satyamev Jayate, what would work on radio are shows with localised content.

     

    Sarthak Kaushik, Director, Programming, Hit FM felt: “A radio version of Satyamev Jayate’s calibre will not work because radio is an intensely personal and a local medium, so essentially it is the local issues that work on radio. As far as appointment listenership is concerned, it is mainly depends on the maturity of the audience. Radio is one medium which allows a lot of experimentation, all one needs is courage to experiment with a programme and how confident one is to promote that programme.”

     

  • KBC’s Tamil counterpart has declined, however, so it remains to be seen whether the Kannada offering will be able to retain its ratings.

    Kannadada Kotyadhipathi betters KBC in first week

    By Tuhina Anand

     

    If one were to go by the first week numbers of Kannadada Kotyadhipathi or KBC in Kannada which debut on Suvarna Channel then surely the show has made an impression. Launched on March 12, the show has opened with a TVR of 7.32 (Source – TAM, CS 4+ Years) in the Karnataka Market. The average TVR for the show in its first week is 7.66 (Wk 11) which is better than the latest version of Kaun Banega Crorepati which opened at 5.24 TVR in top 3 metros (Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata) and 4.5 TVR (Source :TAM) in its first week in the HSM market. The show Kannadada Kotyadhipathi in its initial week also became the No.1 show in Karnataka.

     

    In fact its counterpart, Neengalum Vellalam Oru Kodi which made its debut on Star Vijay managed a TVR of 5.58 on its opening day and since then has been on a decline with average TVR from Feb 27 to March 1 being 4.69, 3.69 (March 5-8) and 3.36 (Feb 12-March 15).

     

    Puneeth Rajkumar who comes from the first family of Kannada cinema is hosting Kannadada Kotyadhipathi whereas Suriya is hosting Neengalum Vellalam Oru Kodi.

     

    Anup Chandrasekharan, Business Head Suvarna Channel commented, “We are very happy with the initial response of Kannadada Kotyadhipathi, we have got a lot of positive feedback about the show from our viewers. This show is also made us the leader in week day prime time. We hope we are able to sustain the initial ratings.”

     

    On its comparison with Hindi KBC he added, “It is not correct to compare the two shows in terms of ratings as they belong to different markets, KBC is analyzed in the Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) & Kotyadhipathi is analyzed in the Karnataka Market.”

     

    In the past, KBC was aired in Bhojpuri on Mahuaa TV as Ke Bani Crorepati with Shatrughan Sinha as its host and in Bengali as Ke Hobey Banglar Kotipoti hosted by Sourav Ganguly on Mahuaa Bangla. Both the shows did not garner much in terms of numbers. Bangla KBC averaged TVR of 2.29 (period June 6 to August 12, 2011), the Bhojpuri version saw an average TVR of just 0.45 (period June 6 to August 12, 2011). (Data source TAM).

     

    So it remains to be seen if KBC in Kannada will do the magic and retain its high ratings in the weeks to come.

     

    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System
    TG: CS 4+ yrs
    Market: Karnataka
    Period: Wk 11: Mar 11 to 17, 2012

    

    

    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System
    
TG: CS 4+ yrs
    
Market: Tamil Nadu
    
Period: Wk 9 to 11: Feb 26 to Mar 17, 2012
    

    

     
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    The Kannada Kaun Banega Crorepati promises to be as big a hit as its counterparts in Hindi and other languages.
    
			
    Kannadada Kotyadhipathi locks ads, to air from tonight
    
			
    By Tuhina Anand
    

     
    

    Kannadada Kotyadhipathi goes on air tonight (on March 12) on Suvarna, and the team behind it has pulled out all the stops to make it a success. The channel has closed on its sponsors which are a mix of both national and local advertisers. The presenting sponsor for the show is Santoor and it is powered by Pepsodent. The telecom partner is Airtel while the banking partner is Vijaya Bank. The associate sponsors for KBC include Confident Group, Bhima Jewellers, Sunfeast, Muthoot Fin Corp, Mentos, Tata Motors. Big FM is the radio partner and Suvarna News is the news partner. It is learnt that in terms of revenues the channel is getting a premium on this property; the average spot rate for this show is three times more than that of a regular show.
    

     
    

    It is seen as the biggest property in Kannada and the channel has been promoting the show heavily on its own platform. Besides, there is a complete 360-degree marketing plan to promote the show across ATL and BTL activities. During the launch phase, there was print advertising in all key publications of the state. Radio activity included radio spots and RJ mentions. In OOH, 100 hoardings are up in the state promoting the show and 10000 posters across the state. There was also a mobile canter activity conducting events across 15 towns of the state is on for one month. Bus shelters across key areas of Bangalore were taken besides branding in high-traffic key retail outlets of the state. 10 kiosks in high traffic areas are planned across Bangalore city plus a mobile application with which key info of the show like schedule, pics, videos and a quiz game will be live for Android phones. In the online space, there has been engagement via Facebook and videos on YouTube.
    

     
    

    For the sustenance activity, the plan is to continue with print advertising in key publications. Radio activity with radio spots and RJ mentions will continue besides the hoardings and mobile application and online activity. Anup Chandrashekaran, the channel’s Business Head, said, “This is the biggest show on Kannada Television and we expect that this show will break all previous records in terms of performance & revenues. The look and feel of the show and the production values are of international standards.”
    

     
    

    “Kannadada Kotyadhipathi is yet another show that stands for wholesome family entertainment. We at Suvarna are happy that Puneeth Rajkumar, the face of the Kannada film industry, is doing this path-breaking show for us. The format of the show is unique as this gives the common people an opportunity to use their knowledge and change their lives. Big Synergy, the production house which produced the Hindi version of KBC, is also doing this version. They are a team of experts and I am happy to be associated with them,” added Mr Chandrashekaran.
    

     
    

    He also said other shows are planned to be launched around KBC. He said, “We have lined up an array of fiction shows to come up in the next few weeks. The first show to be on air would be “Amrutavarshini” this show is about a naive girl from a middle-class family who gets married into a rich family. The show looks at the mother-in-law – daughter-in-law relationship through a new lens. We are also working on a few other fiction shows which fall in line with our channel philosophy of offering differentiated content.”
    

     
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    With Puneet Rajkumar as host, there's much riding on the Kannada KBC to be a game-changer
    
			
    Will Kannadada Kotyadhipati make Suvarna #1 GEC?
    
			
    

     
    

    By Tuhina Anand
    

     
    

    Kannadada Kotyadhipati (KK), or Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) in Kannada, is all set to make its debut on Suvarna, the Star Network’s Kannada general entertainment channel. The show, which will debut in the end of February and will run from Monday to Thursday, is being touted as the biggest format show in Karnataka.
    

     
    

    For the channel, the show will play a pivotal role and people behind Suvarna are hoping that the numbers delivered would do the magic of upstaging the leader Udaya TV. Interestingly, what was unthinkable three years ago can be seen as achievable now, going by the way Suvarna is placed today.
    

     
    

    


    


    

    
Anup Chandrashekaran

    
    

    

    As Anup Chandrashekaran, Business Head for Suvarna explained, “In an IMRB tracking, the perception that came about Suvarna was that we deliver fresh ideas and differentiated content and are seen as a young vibrant channel.”
    

     
    

    To reach this level has not been easy, it has taken a strategic shift in the channel’s programming to get newer audience into its fold. This was done by introducing format shows which, according to the channel, is nothing less than social experimentation because of the content of the shows.
    

     
    

    “Of late, only 60 per cent of our GRPs come from fiction. While the format shows ensure that we get newer audience to experience Suvarna, we flank these shows with good fiction that resonates with audience. Ours is a holistic family entertainment channel that includes fiction, non-fiction and movies, and shows what Kannada GEC stands for. We have a healthy mix in terms of SEC demarcation. We have reworked our fiction where we got young protagonists and stories that resonate with the Kannada audience. Our production value is of superior quality and there is a freshness to what appears on Suvarna. This change also shows in our numbers,” added Mr Chandrashekaran.
    

     
    

    Despite the fall in Kannada GE (KGE), Suvarna has grown by 5 per cent in Q4’11 and by 24 per cent in Q3′ 2011. Also Suvarna contributed 48 per cent of KGE’s growth in Q3’11. (TG :CS 4+, Karnataka market. Data updated till wk 53’11). Also Suvarna was the leading prime time channel inBangaloremarket and beat Udaya TV (CS 4+, Wk day19:00-24:00. Wk 41 – 53’2011).
    

     
    

    Even in weekday prime time in Karnataka market, the difference is of 50-60 GRPs and that’s where Suvarna hopes that Kannadada Kotyadhipati will play a major role.
    

     
    

    Considering that KBC has been a successful show in Hindi, especially in 2011, Suvarna is hoping the same magic will work in Kannada.
    

    The channel has roped in Kannada film star Puneet Rajkumar as the show’s host, and is aggressively marketing the show.
    

    Talking about the marketing plans, Anil Narang, Head-Marketing and Strategy, Suvarna said, “We have planned to reach out to Karnataka markets in 3 phases. The first is the audition phase and the communication is on how you can register for the show. The response has been better than what we expected and got representation from entire Karnataka. We also have a Facebook page to reach out to new audiences.”
    

     
    

    Mr Narang added, “In the second phase, we will be launching 100 hoardings across Karnataka to ensure visibility. We also have mobile vans that will cover 13 districts and will have a mock KBC set where people can play KBC with a host who will wear a Puneet Rajkumar mask. The third will be the sustenance phase, once the show gets on air, to maintain that the audience.”
    

     
    

    There will be also be print, cinema and TV advertising. The advertising revolves around the idea that ‘knowledge is the key quotient and with basic common knowledge one can win a crore’. The estimated budget could run into Rs10 crore.
    

     
    

    Suvarna is also planning to launch a historical soap along with KK.
    

     
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Neengalum Vellalam Oru Kodi is touted as the biggest ever TV property in Tamil
    
			
    Star’s Vijay TV hopes to win big with Tamil KBC, nets superstar Suriya as host
    
			
    

     
    

     
    

    By Tuhina Anand
    

     
    

    Star India’s Vijay TV is looking at its next leap with its biggest property Neengalum Vellalam Oru Kodi or Kaun Banega Crorepati in Tamil, to be hosted by superstar Suriya. In fact, this is touted as the biggest property ever not just for Vijay TV but for the Tamil television industry too. The channel is pinning its hope on the show to weave its magic and catapult Vijay TV to garner good numbers. If one looks at the channel share, the scenario among Tamil entertainment channel is that Sun TV leads and relies mainly on its fiction whereas KTV, the movie channel from the Sun TV network is clearly at number two though at times on really rare occasion may be toppled by Vijay TV. Then there is Sun Music and Kalaignar TV which again was positioned as rival to Sun TV placed somewhere in between. However, in this entire number game one thing to keep in mind is that the gap between the leader and the second channel is huge and not easy to bridge.
    

     
    

    For Vijay TV to come up with KBC which is a popular game show and has been played across 116 countries in 83 languages in the past 13 years is definitely a big move. Six years ago, Sun TV had introduced a show with a format similar to KBC, with Sarath Kumar, which had not fared well and could not go beyond its first season. However, much has changed in the Tamil GEC since then and Vijay TV has been the one that has experimented with talent-based reality shows earlier and given audience a taste of non-fiction shows. Now this time with Suriya who makes his television debut and is much revered by the Tamil audience, they definitely have an ace. Also the show is being produced by Big Synergy, the producers of KBC in Hindi, thus ensuring the same high quality in production, sound and sets.
    

     
    

    Bridging the gap
    

    K Sriram, General Manager, Vijay TV said, “This by far is the biggest investment by any South Indian channel as we have bought the rights from the original to bring out KBC in Tamil. We are looking at bridging the gap with the leader with this property. The treatment of the show is fantastic and it’s a superior product offering to the Tamil audience. We have also tied up with ITC’s Sunfeast as the presenting sponsor.” This year KBC 5 saw all the big brands riding on it and Sriram says that even though the format has its limitations when it comes to getting brands on board, but they along with Synergy are working out ways to provide greater value to brands on the show.”
    

     
    

    The show will be launched in February 2012 and Vijay TV is leaving no stone unturned to capture the minds of its audience. It is breaking a high-decibel campaign starting today (December 21) inviting people to participate in the show which will then be followed by a highly visible 360-degree campaign that will continue till the show debuts on TV. The show will air Monday to Thursday from 8-9.30 pm. The tone of the show will be similar to what Sony has done this year to give voice to unsung heroes and bring out stories from people who have financial constraints but emerge winners on the show, thus the prize money of Rs 1 crore gives wings to their dreams. Sairam however adds that the participants will be a careful mix, thus providing equal opportunity to all.
    

     
    

    The launch of KBC will also see simultaneous launch of the two biggest fiction shows on Vijay TV to ensure audience stickiness post-KBC.
    

     
    

    Vijay TV’s tryst with reality
    

    Narendra Alambara, Vice President, Starcom Chennai is of the opinion that KBC being a knowledge based show will pull in Tamil audience initially but the real task for Vijay TV will be to sustain viewers once the novelty value of popular host, new show and winners fades. Giving his take on why Vijay TV is probably the best channel to showcase KBC, he said, “The channel has had winners in the past in its talent based reality shows so in that sense it’s in the DNA of Vijay TV as Sun is seen more tuned to fiction.” He added, “Within trade circles KBC has been received well. I think interest will pick up among viewers once the promotion starts. Vijay TV has invested in producing superior quality shows and the quality of KBC will determine the channel’s position as an option for quality programming.”
    

     
    

    John Britto, Business Manager, Mindshare, explained, “The buzz on KBC is positive and this should have a positive impact on Vijay TV. As it is the biggest property and will be marketed well, the brands will be keen to get on it.”
    

     
    

    Giving an insight on why KBC should work this time even though in its earlier avatar it didn’t in TN, he said, “The awareness level this time is much more and the anchor Suriya has a great following. Even earlier, Vijay TV has adapted Koffee with Karan, Laughter Challenge and Talent competition with success.”
    

     
    

    KBC in other regional languages
    

    It’s not just Vijay TV which is gearing up for KBC in Tamil but there is also Suvarna which is readying for launch of KBC in Kannada with superstar Puneet Rajkumar. KBC had made its debut in Bhojpuri on Mahuaa TV as Ke Bani Crorepati with Shatrughan Sinha as its host and in Bengali as Ke Hobey Banglar Kotipoti hosted by Sourav Ganguly on Mahuaa Bangla. While the Bangla KBC averaged TVR of 2.29 (period June 6 to August 12, 2011), the Bhojpuri version saw an average TVR of just 0.45 (period June 6 to August 12, 2011). (Data source TAM).
    

    With Suriya as host and Big Synergy ensuring that production and programming standards are standards, Sriram is hopeful of the Tamil KBC delivering rich dividends: not just for the programme, but for the channel too.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Are reality shows over-hyped in the desi entertainment channels? Are they worth all the effort and the expenditure? Is too much expectation being loaded on them?
    
			
    Thakraney: Sony after KBC. Reality shows must face the music
    
			
    By Anil Thakraney
    

     
    

    I really don’t know what Sony’s revenue model was for the recently concluded KBC. As in, did the channel actually make money on advertising and sponsorships after deducting the massive costs? Which include phenomenal sums going to the host Big B, not to speak of all the prize monies (Mr Sushil Kumar alone walked away with five crore rupees). Maybe they did make a little profit on the show, maybe they did not. But here’s what has happened immediately post the show: On the ratings chart, the channel slipped to No 3 from its position of No 2.
    

     
    

    Now, traditional programming logic suggests that expensive reality shows and blockbuster cinema films play the role of a magnet, of getting a channel some stickiness with the viewers. Having come onto the platform, viewers would taste the regular fare on the channel and hopefully stay on. Well, KBC doesn’t seem to have delivered on that promise. After enjoying the show, clearly many viewers defected to the other channels. This naturally raises a doubt in the mind: Are reality shows over-hyped in the desi entertainment channels? Are they worth all the effort and the expenditure? Is too much expectation being loaded on them?
    

     
    

    


    


    
    

    

    There are no easy answers to this one. But one thing is clear: You can tempt patrons into a restaurant by offering an outstanding dessert, but they will only return if the food is delicious. You can’t build loyalty through window dressing. The idea should be to first build a powerful back-end… which is to create super regular programming. And then run a huge reality show, so that viewers like what they taste when it comes to the ‘bread and butter’ shows.
    

     
    

    In this context, one has to wonder if Sony put the cart before the horse. Star Plus’s consistent No 1 position should provide a way forward for other channels: Which is to first do the basics rights. And then dial Mr Bachchan’s number.
    

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    PS: LOL! Watch this ad for Snickers. A good example of how to (literally) use research methods in advertising, AND make it work very nicely!
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    does it for Sony; channel records a new high.
    
			
    Sony touches new ratings high with Rs 5 crore KBC episode
    
			
    By Rishi Vora
    

     
    

    Every Indian does seem to harbour the dream of becoming a millionaire. Last week’s ratings of Top 10 television shows reveal that Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) has, in its fifth season, registered a new high, becoming the highest TRP grosser among all weekday shows after Colors’ Uttaran did in 2009.
    

     
    

    The episode aired on November 1 registered 7.2 TVR while the episode on November 2 touched 8.03 TVR. The KBC episodes on these days were much-publicised and aired the winning of Rs 5 crore by a resident of Bihar. The channel has also upped its GRPs to 287 from last week’s 236, with KBC being the No 1 show in the week with an average TVR of 6.4. However, industry watchers feel Sony will see a dip in GRPs post KBC.
    

     
    

    

     
    

    Sneha Rajani, Senior EVP and Business Head, Sony Entertainment Television said, “The success of Sushil Kumar in KBC is an emphatic endorsement of the fact that KBC is not just a game show, but a melting pot of knowledge and aspirations of the aam aadmi, and the numbers show that KBC this season has broken all barriers of demography and geography and transformed lives of people all across the country.”
    

     
    

    In absolute numbers, the show has managed to reach out to 25 million people on November 1, and 27 million people on November 2, with 18 percent reach and 43 minutes of average time spent.
    

     
    

    Other channels too gained in week 45. Star Plus jumped to 335 GRPs from last week’s 273. Colors rose to 240 from 236 the previous week, while Zee TV rose from 131 to 143.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Sushil Kumar turns ‘Atithi Sampadak’ at Prabhat Khabar’s Muzzafarpur edition
    
			
    KBC winner guest edits Prabhat Khabar for a day
    
			
    By A Correspondent
    

    From being a face in the billion-plus fellow Indians, Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 5 winner is a star. With reason. Hailing from a humble background, the man achieved what several others — with more privileged upbringing – could not. The Rs 5 crore jackpot.
    

    So, Sushil Kumar ‘Motihari ka Moti’ (pearl of Motihari) was Guest Editor of the Muzzafarpur edition of Prabhat Kabhar on Monday. Mr Kumar was in the office as early as 6am and went on occupying the Guest Ed’s chair till 7pm. He carefully went through the day’s news reports and also got a feel of the newspaper’s operations.
    

    When Mr Kumar charmed the newspaper’s staff,  that he had turned into a star was evident from the dignitaries who visited the newsroom for an audience. Also, around 14,000 phone calls were made to the allocated numbers, Mr K K Goenka, Managing Director of Neutral Publishing House (publishers of the Ranchi-based Prabhat Khabar) told MxMIndia.
    

     
    

    Picture: Prabhat Khabar staff photographer
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    With big faces reigning on reality and other shows, what is the scope for newcomers and can a new face create the same magic?
    
			
    Can telly newbies score with biggies around?
    
			
    

     
    

     
    

    By Dhara Salla
    

    Whenever one thinks of Antakshari on Zee TV there is only one face that comes to mind: Annu Kapoor. Or it’s Sonu Nigam for Sa Re Ga Ma. Fast forward to today, and the story is much the same – the big faces on television have always helped audiences to connect and reinforce the recall value. Today, all the channels have either celebrity hosts or celebrity contestants, be it the Big B Amitabh Bachchan in KBC, Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt in Big Boss, Akshay Kumar in Khatron Ke Khiladi, Mithun Chakraborty in Dance India Dance, Madhuri Dixit in Jhalak Dikhla Jaa… and the list goes on. In the reign of big faces, the question to ask is, what is the scope for newcomers and can a new face create the same magic?
    

    Ms Anita Mookerjee, GM, Mediacom, said, “It depends on the newcomer and the format of the show. However, a big name is most often successful. In most of the cases the celebrity, along with the mass appeal, also has the ability to engage and enthrall the audience. Amitabh Bachchan is an icon, a legend people can’t get enough of.” She further adds, “Salman Khan has a unique mass appeal, he was media elusive for a long time and it was the fact that the audiences were getting to see a more personal side of him which worked to the advantage of the show. Akshay Kumar took Khatron Ke Khiladi to a different level; the same show as Fear Factor didn’t really click.”
    

    Mr Jamnadas Majethia, MD, Hats Off Productions, says, “No, I don’t believe a newcomer can create the same magic as the big stars. The life of a reality show is limited to about three months or 12-14 episodes. So it would take time for a newcomer to get established. By the time they reach the third or fourth week the viewers would have already shifted their loyalties. The pull that a Hrithik or any celebrity like Madhuri can give, nobody else can give.”
    

    Industry pundits’ views seem to reflect that a newcomer cannot create the same magic that big names and faces can. An established celebrity with an X-Factor, hence, can add more to the flavour of the show than a newcomer can. Having said that, the success of reality shows depends on influences such as the celebrity quotient, programme promotions, the channel on which the programme is telecast, controversies and PR, and lastly the concept.
    

    We may remember that Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Genelia D’Souza and R Madhavan were also hosting shows which did not do well and were taken off air, so the success of reality shows depends not only on the celebrity but also on other things. There is more to it, as Rajendra Dwivedi, Vice President, Starcom Worldwide, Mumbai, explains. “Emotional stakes are more valuable than financial stakes. A real life credible drama or story of the participants works better than prize money. The format has to be engaging and good talent scouting should be undertaken. Then the celebrity host can build on these factors.”
    

    On Indian television, where there are celebrity hosts there are also celebrity participants on the other side. Examining the question of which one works better, Ms Mookerjee says, “Celebrity participants definitely work; we see spikes in episodes with celebrity participants.”
    

    On the contrary Mr Majethia says, “The shows with celebrity anchors or judges work better but not really the shows with celebrity participants. Celebrities should be there as they add a lot of value to the content. There is a lot of fresh talent, and because of these celebrity hosts they also get some mileage.”
    

    When almost all the reality shows currently on television include celebrities, then how does the TG differ? According to Mr Dwivedi, the TG of the reality show depends on the format of the show. Hence, for KBC it will be all individuals but for Emotional Atyachar it will be youth and for Khatron Ke Khiladi, it will be males.
    

    The big faces have been ruling the roost on the small screen for a long time in the reality show format. What is more interesting, however, is that the emotional storytelling and the HSM focus has added to the success of shows as it helps with audience connect. That’s something for media planners to note.
    

    Photograph: Fotocorp