History TV18 aims to capture the No. 2 position in India’s estimated Rs 200-crore factual entertainment genre in revenue terms by the end of this fiscal year, said general manager (marketing) Sangeetha Aiyer.
US-based A+E Networks, which runs History channel, completed one year in India this October after it re-entered the market forming a joint venture with TV18. Earlier, the company had operated The History Channel in India in alliance with Star TV for about two years, but made an exit in 2008.
“Soon after its launch, History TV18 accelerated growth for the entire genre from 2% and 15% in 2010 and 2011 to a whopping 29% post launch. The channel now reaches over 72 million viewers and is available in over 55 million households across the country, while reaching a million fans on Facebook,” said Aiyer.
The company is banking on History’s US leadership position for its success in India. “We are yet to achieve the leadership position in India. But, after tasting early success we hope to break the decade long dominance of the genre,” she added.
History TV18 reportedly enjoys more than 30% market share in one million plus towns as per TAM data. Its competitors, Discovery has a 27 per cent market share and National Geographic commands a 15 per cent market share. Other factual entertainment channels in India include TLC, Animal Planet, NDTV Good Times and Fox History & Traveller.
History TV18 broadcasts in six regional languages — Bengali, English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu. History TV18 gets most of its content from History and 18 other JVs.
According to Aiyer, it draws maximum audience between 8 pm and 10 pm. The Greatest Indian, which is the first local production of History TV18, is considered to be the most successful show till date.
Going forward, History TV18 is planning to start a show called Bollywood Star. This is a observational documentary on talent search, she added.
Other popular shows of the channel include Sliced that reveals the inner workings of gadgets, toys and machines; Strange Rituals and Top Shot — a reality show where people have to compete using weapons made over the centuries.