Dileep Kumar
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MUMBAI: It started off with an aim to target those whose hands controlled the small black device that runs the id*ot box. In its bid to win over women, Multi Screen Media (MSM) made a move by launching a third GEC – Sony Pal, under its bouquet to scale up its popularity amongst the core general entertainment TV audience.
However, MSM’s six-month-old off spring did not see its vision being fulfilled for long. In February this year, the channel canned its quota of original shows. The reason was the failure of a few of its shows to connect with the heart of its target audience.
Interestingly, what followed post the closure of the original content went unnoticed. When Pal decided to do away with its new shows, MSM made a smart move by revamping the channel with some of the best shows from its other channels like Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and Sab to keep the flanking channel alive.
If one were to connect the dots here, it can be noted that the channel had sent notices to the producers working on the channel to stop shooting from 13 February this year.
Post that, Pal had a different story to tell.
When I ndiantelevision.com scanned through the ratings of the channel pre and post the ‘so-called’ revamp, it was noted that before the revamp, on an average the channel recorded 25-30 million GVTs. Post the revamp; in the week 8 of TAM TV ratings (15 – 21 February, 2015), it generated 39 million GVTs.
Courtesy of shows likeBade Achhe Lagte Hain, Saas Bina Sasural, Parvarrish – Kuchh Khattee Kuchh Meethi, Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, FIRandComedy Circus Jubileeamongst others. Since then, the channel has been consistently delivering numbers between 45-49 million GVTs on an average.
A media planner believes that the move made by the network was an interesting one. “Pal decided to get those shows onto the channel, which worked for Sony and Sab, further bringing in the visibility for those shows. These programmes were once the shining stars for the respective channels until other big channel’s different concepts came into picture, which worked. These series were loved by the audiences and somehow the content still relates to the core TG and is thus still being able to deliver decent numbers despite being a repeat,” the executive opines.
Another media expert asserts, “Once upon a time, Sony had a strong base of loyal viewers who enjoyed watching shows, which had a powerful storyline and Pal decided to get those programmes on-board. With this move, the old viewers have switched back again to Pal, who otherwise don’t go on the main GEC, SET for their own reasons.
Sony’s experiments with differentiated content have not paid off so far and we hope when Pal revamps, it keeps its core TG’s expectations in mind.”
What failed?
Launched with a tagline – ‘Yeh Pal Hamara Hai,' it targeted the 'traditional, yet modern' Indian woman.
A media analyst explains that Pal had positioned itself incorrectly. “If the channel claims that it targets the housewives, it should have experimented in the afternoon slots. This would have given Pal many reasons to rejoice. Firstly, visibility, secondly, it would have been the only channel in the GEC space running original content in the afternoon slot and thirdly, good advertisers also would have come in who otherwise don’t have options to put in bucks apart from prime-time and other demanding slots.”
The analyst further goes on to say that in the initial six months, Pal should have seen the response from the audiences and then build up its prime-time slots.
It can be further noted that, even though MSM is trying to target the GEC audience that has been addressed by other Hindi channels so far, the brief for Pal’s programming was decidedly different. The content was designed in a way to be different from what a GEC usually portrays, sans villains.
The channel had also signed up a brand ambassador in keeping with the theme - actor and co-owner of Indian Premier League franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, Juhi Chawla, who was involved in promoting the channel through appearances in activations and on television.
Read More:-
http://www.indiantelevision.com/television/tv-channels/gecs/sony-pal-where-original-shows-failed-old-shows-did-the-turnaround-150530
However, MSM’s six-month-old off spring did not see its vision being fulfilled for long. In February this year, the channel canned its quota of original shows. The reason was the failure of a few of its shows to connect with the heart of its target audience.
Interestingly, what followed post the closure of the original content went unnoticed. When Pal decided to do away with its new shows, MSM made a smart move by revamping the channel with some of the best shows from its other channels like Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and Sab to keep the flanking channel alive.
If one were to connect the dots here, it can be noted that the channel had sent notices to the producers working on the channel to stop shooting from 13 February this year.
Post that, Pal had a different story to tell.
When I ndiantelevision.com scanned through the ratings of the channel pre and post the ‘so-called’ revamp, it was noted that before the revamp, on an average the channel recorded 25-30 million GVTs. Post the revamp; in the week 8 of TAM TV ratings (15 – 21 February, 2015), it generated 39 million GVTs.
Courtesy of shows likeBade Achhe Lagte Hain, Saas Bina Sasural, Parvarrish – Kuchh Khattee Kuchh Meethi, Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, FIRandComedy Circus Jubileeamongst others. Since then, the channel has been consistently delivering numbers between 45-49 million GVTs on an average.
A media planner believes that the move made by the network was an interesting one. “Pal decided to get those shows onto the channel, which worked for Sony and Sab, further bringing in the visibility for those shows. These programmes were once the shining stars for the respective channels until other big channel’s different concepts came into picture, which worked. These series were loved by the audiences and somehow the content still relates to the core TG and is thus still being able to deliver decent numbers despite being a repeat,” the executive opines.
Another media expert asserts, “Once upon a time, Sony had a strong base of loyal viewers who enjoyed watching shows, which had a powerful storyline and Pal decided to get those programmes on-board. With this move, the old viewers have switched back again to Pal, who otherwise don’t go on the main GEC, SET for their own reasons.
Sony’s experiments with differentiated content have not paid off so far and we hope when Pal revamps, it keeps its core TG’s expectations in mind.”
What failed?
Launched with a tagline – ‘Yeh Pal Hamara Hai,' it targeted the 'traditional, yet modern' Indian woman.
A media analyst explains that Pal had positioned itself incorrectly. “If the channel claims that it targets the housewives, it should have experimented in the afternoon slots. This would have given Pal many reasons to rejoice. Firstly, visibility, secondly, it would have been the only channel in the GEC space running original content in the afternoon slot and thirdly, good advertisers also would have come in who otherwise don’t have options to put in bucks apart from prime-time and other demanding slots.”
The analyst further goes on to say that in the initial six months, Pal should have seen the response from the audiences and then build up its prime-time slots.
It can be further noted that, even though MSM is trying to target the GEC audience that has been addressed by other Hindi channels so far, the brief for Pal’s programming was decidedly different. The content was designed in a way to be different from what a GEC usually portrays, sans villains.
The channel had also signed up a brand ambassador in keeping with the theme - actor and co-owner of Indian Premier League franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, Juhi Chawla, who was involved in promoting the channel through appearances in activations and on television.
Read More:-
http://www.indiantelevision.com/television/tv-channels/gecs/sony-pal-where-original-shows-failed-old-shows-did-the-turnaround-150530
