If content is king, distribution is god

Large channel distributors welcome the DTH and IPTV opportunity.

With Direct-to-Home (DTH) and IPTV fast becoming a reality, the television market is bound to grow. If a channel's content is king, then its distribution platform is god, and the entertainment business swears by this thought.

No wonder leading distributors like Zee-Turner, which has over 18 channels, OneAlliance with 15 channels and Star India with 11 channels on its distribution list, are in a boisterous mood.

"It is a very good opportunity for a distributor to handle multiple delivery platforms like DTH, cable and IPTV. This would enable a distinct segmentation in the market with each platform targeting a consumer base with a certain profile," feels Arun Poddar, CEO, Zee-Turner.

Anuj Gandhi, president, OneAlliance, a distribution joint venture between Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and Discovery Communications, advocates a similar thought.

"There have been numerous examples of channels that got tanked because of lousy distribution networks. With no exclusive content to offer, it becomes even more critical to have a penetrative distribution network."

SET's OneAlliance, which began by distributing in-house channels like Sony, MAX, AXN, Discovery and Animal Planet, today backs Zee's Dish TV while Star India's answer (Tata Sky) is ready for a launch this July.

Ajay Vidyasagar, executive vice president (marketing), Star India is also looking forward to multiple distribution platforms.

"Analog distribution (to cable operators) has become part of a larger market with inclusion of DTH and IPTV. This can only mean a wider market."

Zee-Turner is ready with plans to increase its penetration in semi-urban and rural markets by introducing channel packages that will have high viewership in a region. With a current subscriber base of 4 million homes, it plans to double its reach by the end of this financial year.

Poddar is also planning to add content to the bouquet by acquiring German, Chinese and French channels that have viewership among the tourists, embassies and even students.

There are those like Sahara Television "" that has channels like SaharaOne, Sahara Samay and Filmy "" who have chosen to abstain from distributors and sell directly to the cable operators and "are at par with Zee and Sony in our reach, if not better," says Purnendu Bose, COO, Sahara One .

Growing at 14-15 per cent annually, India's 61 million cable and satellite homes can look forward to better times as quantity and quality of content coming their way increases.