TV channels gear up for poll coverage, eye maximum eyeballs

With an estimated Rs 1,000 crore up for grabs from political parties for advertisements, news channels are gearing up to shore up viewership on election coverage with new programmes by well-known journalists.
While Headlines Today, part of the India Today group, is on with a new programme with noted scribe Karan Thapar 'To The Point', iTV Network's NewsX is launching a new show 'Mandate with Destiny' with veteran journalist and TV show host Vir Sanghvi.
IBN7, part of the Network18 group, is already broadcasting a special election interactive show 'Vinod Dua ka Prashnakaal' by well-known journalist Vinod Dua.
According to industry watchers, these are attempts by the news channels to grab more viewership amid intense competition and help in getting a good share from the spending on election advertisements by political parties.

"There is an additional spending of around Rs 1,000 crore across segments -- print, electronic and outdoors -- in the advertising market coming from political campaigns around elections now. Everyone is trying to get something out of it," an industry source said.
Media planners said the traditional advertising market is down at the moment and political spending is a blessing.

"The spending from the usual advertisers remains the same and they are only just getting redistributed as the market is recessionary. Inventories of even big events happening now are not sold out. So, the additional spending is coming from election campaigns," ZenithOptimedia Managing Partner Navin Khemka told PTI.

Thus, bringing in well-known faces to host programmes are being seen as a good strategy to grab more eyeballs.
"We believe that this show with Vir will add a new dimension to our programming mix and will connect well with both our viewers and advertisers," R K Arora, CEO iTV Network, which owns and runs NewsX & India News, said.
Apart from their in-house senior journalists, Network18 has also roped in experts from outside.
"Given the criticality of these elections, we have also brought in the original election man Vinod Dua with a marquee show 'Vinod Dua ka Prashnakaal'...," Network18 Managing Editor Vinay Tewari said.

In terms of advertising, he said the group's channels are offering innovative solutions and ideas to maximise value to advertisers.