By A Correspondent
Music channel MTunesHD plans to scale up its content library even while offering differentiated programming in a digitized era, notes Saravanan P, CEO of Pioneer Channel Factory, the channel’s promoters.
Reflecting on the past year and sharing the agenda for the way ahead, Mr Saravanan P said:, “2012 was both satisfying and encouraging for MTunesHD. We’ve delivered an experience of watching Music Like Never Seen Before with a series of programming innovations like ‘On The Streets’, ‘AlterNative’, ‘Trending20’, exclusively airing Gangnam Style to rounding up the year with Bollywood’s Top 100 of 2012. With the right mix in programming and strategic selling, we’ve sustained pole position over few weeks among core TGs for music channels and seen higher inventory consumption than competitors. Extended reach, inclusion of global audiences, scaled up content library, digitization, continued differentiated programming and several other enhancements lie ahead for MTunesHD in 2013 to make viewers and advertisers feel the music.”
Starting the year positioned as the channel that is ‘UNbelievable’, MTunesHD has seen programming innovations like MConnect, MBox, Handmade, Kal Ka Superhits amongst others.
Keeping differentiation at the core of programming policy, Sunil Sahjwani, Group Creative Director of Pioneer Channel Factory says, “2012 has been a creatively fulfilling year for us at MTunesHD. In ‘AlterNative’ – our segment dedicated to non-Bollywood hits, we aired Gangnam Style exclusively in India. Launching with Gangnam Style, ‘On The Streets’ went on to make the common man have fun and dance to popular Bollywood tracks. ‘MOriginals’ featured hit Bollywood songs performed in unique styles like ‘A Capella’ where sounds are created through voice, with several other styles to be unveiled in the new year. ‘Trending20’ is the only countdown show formulated using viewership data. We launched ‘Off The Record’, a biopic series with a unique perspective on the life of singers and music directors. ‘AsliVoice’, introduces the video by a tete-a-tete with the singer and a few lines sung by them. And rounding up the music scene from across the country, ‘Gig Guide’ showcases music events in key metros. We ended the year with a tribute to the ‘Bollywood Top100 of 2012’. In the new year, fresh renditions of these existing properties and exciting new properties such as ‘MBio’, ‘MTrivia’, ‘MShots’ and ‘Back To Back(B2B)’ that deliver music like never seen before, will add spice to the channel and make the competition feel the heat while our viewers Feel The Music!”
Giving his perspective on selling a niche channel in a mixed market where even GECs play music, Bala Iyengar, Business Director of Helios Media who manage Sales & Marketing for the channel commented, “Acquiring a list of advertisers across key categories like FMCG, Automobiles, Beverages, Accessories, Electronics, Mobile, Sportswear has been an uphill task. Carefully balancing the programming and business objectives was the major challenge. With innovative properties like Trending20 by Airtel, MFeatures by Sony Bravia and most recently Bollywood’s Top 100 by Sony Vaio, we’ve established the perfect balance between inventory and concept selling. We will continue to lead with innovation in programming and the way it is sold, while reaching out to a wider audience, in 2013.”
