It’s been a dream run for Multi-Screen Media (MSM) whose flagship channel Sony Entertainment Television has held on to the number two position among Hindi entertainment channels for six weeks in a row. Besides, four of its shows have been among the top 10 most-watched programmes.units
That’s heady enough. But the MSM brass is clearly aiming higher. The network launched its music channel Sony Mix last month and is planning to launch a premier sports channel by next year. Amidst all this, the network is believed to be in negotiations to buy out Ramoji Rao’s ETV Network, which has a bouquet of 11 channels.
So what’s working for MSM, which runs Sony, Set Max, Sony Pix, Bengali movie-channel Sony Aat and Sony Mix?
The answer is pretty obvious: Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) hosted by Amitabh Bachhan. Sony is using KBC as a tent pole property – one that holds up the rest of its programming by attracting viewers and getting them to stay on for other shows. N P Singh, MSM’s Chief Operating Officer, says, “the weekends were always good for us. But Monday to Thursday needed a strategy change. KBC gave us the needed push.”
The two other serials that acted as catalysts were Bade Achhe Lagte Hain and X-Factor.
All these are the results of two years of hard work and continuous market research to try and adopt a new strategy for MSM’s flagship channel. “We wanted to improve our fiction programming. We decided to focus on women during weekdays and also make content that was appealing to the entire family,” says Sneha Rajani, Sony Entertainment Television's EVP and Business Head.
Though Sony has been known for its innovative programming such as Boogie Woogie, Indian Idol, Big Boss, Fear Factor and fiction shows like CID, Aahat, Heena, etc, somewhere things didn’t click as the network failed to cash in on its success and consolidate the brand across various genres – something that rivals Star India, Zee and Viacom 18, did with great effect.
That’s heady enough. But the MSM brass is clearly aiming higher. The network launched its music channel Sony Mix last month and is planning to launch a premier sports channel by next year. Amidst all this, the network is believed to be in negotiations to buy out Ramoji Rao’s ETV Network, which has a bouquet of 11 channels.
So what’s working for MSM, which runs Sony, Set Max, Sony Pix, Bengali movie-channel Sony Aat and Sony Mix?
The answer is pretty obvious: Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) hosted by Amitabh Bachhan. Sony is using KBC as a tent pole property – one that holds up the rest of its programming by attracting viewers and getting them to stay on for other shows. N P Singh, MSM’s Chief Operating Officer, says, “the weekends were always good for us. But Monday to Thursday needed a strategy change. KBC gave us the needed push.”
The two other serials that acted as catalysts were Bade Achhe Lagte Hain and X-Factor.
All these are the results of two years of hard work and continuous market research to try and adopt a new strategy for MSM’s flagship channel. “We wanted to improve our fiction programming. We decided to focus on women during weekdays and also make content that was appealing to the entire family,” says Sneha Rajani, Sony Entertainment Television's EVP and Business Head.
Though Sony has been known for its innovative programming such as Boogie Woogie, Indian Idol, Big Boss, Fear Factor and fiction shows like CID, Aahat, Heena, etc, somewhere things didn’t click as the network failed to cash in on its success and consolidate the brand across various genres – something that rivals Star India, Zee and Viacom 18, did with great effect.
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