Zee Telefilms is looking at foraying into yet another unexplored arena: beauty pageants. The decision follows the success of its recently concluded 'India Teen Queen Pageant'. The pageant, organised on an experimental basis, was aimed at youth, the core demographic group where the craze of such pageants rages the most.
The media company is now coming up with two more innovative pageants: the Cutie Pageant, aimed at kids till 2 years of age and the Mr & Mrs India pageant aimed at couples. While the former will be held in October this year, the later will be held in November 2001.
"We are building these three strong properties as part of our long-term strategy. They will be Zee's exclusive and unique property," said Sandeep Goyal, group broadcasting chief executive officer, Zee Telefilms.
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With regard to the India Teen Queen, Goyal said: "At Zee today, we are strongly focussed on youth-related initiatives and the India Teen Queen contest and the other pageants that have been lined up is in keeping with it."
"As a satellite television channel spanning 15 channels, and with a presence in 80 countries, we have a constant requirement for new talent. The India Teen Queen in its various avatars will help us to identify and nurture talent from across the world," he said.
The channel will also choose these winners and some of the good-looking faces for their own channel and probably give them a chance within the company as Zee Music VJs, anchors for Zee News or even look at casting them for some of their in-house serials, etc.
According to media analysts, one reason for the firm's new strategy is to garner additional advertising revenues.
The network is taking the India Teen Queen to the next level, where in the second stage of this pageant in October an India World Teen Queen will be chosen from amongst contestants of Indian origin from 24 countries where there is a substantial NRI population. The final stage will see the World Teen Queen pageant being staged with representatives from the various countries participating.
The company is currently in talks with various sponsors for the Cutie and the Mr & Mrs India pageants.