| Did you catch experts on economy, business, law, and markets discussing the budget on the music channel MTV early March? And were you left scratching your head when news channels like Aaj Tak and Zee News began featuring snippets of popular entertainment shows like Fame Gurukul and Sa Re Ga Ma? Well, they are all leveraging the synergies between channels or getting into need-based programming, as they say in television jargon. |
| Of late, TV channels seem to be having a field day collaborating with one another in terms of providing exclusive content, popular characters and even anchors, thereby reaching out to each others' audiences. But mind you, the rule is: the channels should not be competing in the same genre. |
| So you have MTV collaborating with CNBC TV 18 to come up with Budget Fundas or with Sony TV for Fame Gurukul @MTV. |
| Ajay Chako, director, marketing, for CNBC TV 18 explains the reason behind the tie-up: "We wanted to demystify the budget and explain the jargon for the youth. After all, personal finance doesn't merely concern a banker or an economist, but the youth or a household as well." |
| So while MTV's humour champ Cyrus Broacha anchored the show, CNBC's Mumbai bureau chief Menaka Doshi brought in the serious element. |
| Besides MTV, CNBC's consumer channel Awaaz tied up with Star TV to create an innovative post-budget show "" Star Parivar Ka Budget. The programme on the impact of the budget featured characters from popular Star Plus serials. |
| Yet another product of this marriage between the two channels was Kaun Rahega Crorepati (KRC), a special weekly show featuring the winners of KBC and their family. The show had India's biggest investment advisors and experts who helped KBC winners plan and invest their money intelligently. |
| Says Puneet Johar, senior vice-president, marketing, Star TV: "We found both the programmes very innovative so we went ahead with the collaboration." |
| But why tie up with a channel which has a completely different target audience? "While we constantly communicate through our group channels, we're are always looking at opportunities to extend our programmes beyond our own platforms," concedes Johar. |
| "Moreover, any additional interaction with viewers shoots up the image of our shows and has a rub-off effect," he explains. |
| Agrees Niret Alva, president, Miditech, the production house behind Fame Gurukul and Indian Idol: "Audiences wanting an after-taste of the reality show switch to any other channel that shows more." |
| No wonder the Fame Gurukul spin off on MTV was rated as the top show on MTV; not just regular MTV watchers, but even Sony audiences sat glued to the channel, he adds. |
| That probably explains why behind the scenes footage, controversies and exclusive interviews with contestants of reality shows like Fame Gurukul, Sa Re Ga Ma or Indian Idol are also featured on news channels. |
| Incidentally, Sony TV appears to be another player which has tied up with several channels across genres for its shows. So while Aaj Tak and MTV lifted Fame Gurukul to a new level, the spicy show Indian Idol Tak-a-tak has provided the newly launched Sab TV with interesting content. |
| Evidently, it's a win-win game for both the collaborating channels: additional eye-balls are always welcome. And if industry observers are to be believed, the trend is likely to pick up in the coming months. |
| "Cross-media synergy is a very healthy trend, and I'm sure it'll only grow. We're open to more such initiatives in future," says Star TV's Johar. |
| However, CNBC's Chacko sounds a mild note of caution. He maintains tie-ups would have to keep in mind the unique position of the channel in the target viewer's mind. |
| His refrain: "We're not looking at garnering great viewership and TRPs, but bringing economic issues and money matters to the mainstream." Well, so long as it has an objective. |
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