Movies Catch The Eye On Small Screen Films Catch The Viewers,

Films and film-related programmes rule the roost on the idiot box, holding Indian television audiences spellbound before their sets and swaying advertisers like no other genre of programming. Television viewers spend almost 22.5 per cent of their time soaking in movies, while another five per cent spends time watching movie-related fare.

Thus, with a total share of 27.5 per cent, movies monopolise television viewership charts in the country, says Cable Waves, an Indian broadcasting and telecommunications industries newsletter. However, news and current affairs (N&CA) programming is catching as a result of the election fever raging across the country. As opposed to a pitiable 4.5 per cent share earlier, the N&CA viewership is slowly swelling.

 

According to Cable Waves, out of the 22.5 per cent time spent on watching movies on TV, 31 per cent of the audience spend time on DD1 and DD2, while the remaining 69 per cent watched films aired on satellite channels and cable-delivered movie channels like the Hindujas CVO.

However, despite Cable Waves findings, some advertisers prefer the high-end audience to the masses and for them N&CA programming provides an attractive proposition. Says Ambika Srivastava, McCann-Ericksons senior vice president (media services): N&CA programming has a high level of appeal (for advertisers).

Although, according to McCann figures, STAR News on STAR Plus had an average TV rating point (TRP) of 1.5 before the launch of its 24-hour news channel, Cable Waves says that STAR Movies enjoyed a viewership share of 10 per cent.

In contrast, while Zee Cinema boasts an audience share of 15 per cent, Zee India TV (the predominantly news-related channel from the Zee stable), has been showing maximum rating of 1 across all news and news-based programmes during prime time, according to McCann.

Although most channels are aware that movies and related programmes are perennial cash cows, they have come to realise that even a temporary rise in the viewership of a certain genre of programming like N&CA) can be cashed-in on.

Sony Entertainment TV has introduced election-related programmes and financially beleaguered BiTVs TVI is trying hard to make a come-back with election-based N&CA programmes. Regional-language channels like Asianet, Raj TV and Enaadu TV too have joined the bandwagon. Says Lintas media director, Anita Nayyar: N&CA programming is certainly picking up momentum.

However, media watchers point out that despite criticism, it is Doordarshan that attracts the maximum viewership percentage nearly 90 per cent, even where N&CA is concerned. Says Cable Waves: With the advent of autonomy in DD, the terrestrial network can hope to improve its channel share for N&CA... evidently a majority of viewers have not been worried by criticism of DD news programmes.

To grab a share of the viewership, most channels are devising packages to attract advertisers and sponsors for both movies and N&CA-related fare. And sponsors are biting the bait: BPL has agreed to associate itself with STARs election coverage (on its news channel) for 30 odd days, despite having to cough up nearly Rs 2 crore. BPLs advantage: it gets airtime on STAR channels.

Zee is doing its bit to lure sponsors too. Though Zee executives are tight-lipped, the company has invested about Rs 50 crore on its news channel, Zee India TV, and is selling a package to advertisers which will give them access to other Zee channels like Zee Movies and Zee TV.

Much of the viewership for these programmes (N&CA) is, however, likely to be temporary and many channels may have to change their programme mix once more after the elections are over, says Cable Waves.

The trend may be temporary but as a recent survey by Salmon SmithBarney on Asia-Pacific TV states: The Indian TV market will grow from an estimated commercial revenue level of Rs 13 billion in 1995 to Rs 129 billion in 2005. There is a lot of money to be made here if channels handle their programming imaginatively.