SET to spruce up prime time programming

Entertainment channel Sony Entertainment Television will introduce a slew of programmes in a bid to consolidate its position in the prime time viewership.

Beginning next month, the company will embark on a drive to introduce more serials and plans to extend the prime time viewing from 7.30 pm to 11 pm.

"Apart from completely revamping the existing serials that are popular, Sony will come up with a new range of serials. To begin with, two serials in the weekend programming section, premiered from Friday. These will be `KKehna Hain Kuch Mujhko' and 'Kab Kaise Kahan'.

And promotions for a whole range of new serials will begin within the next two or three days," said Tarun Katial, executive vice-president, programming and response, Sony Entertainment Television.

Although Katial was tight-lipped on the new serials that will hit televisions within a month, he said the first one will be called Saakshi.

"We intend to expand the prime time viewership band further, in a bid to consolidate our position. With the new offers, we will be placed far better in the market than we are at the moment," the Sony official said.

Katial stated that while the serial `Jassi...' has redefined viewership patters, what is more encouraging that the second generation characters of the serial `Kkusum' have added more punch to the viewership of the channel.

"In fact, the second generation characters of 'Kkusum' have had a greater viewership than `Jassi...' over the past fortnight," the official said.

He added that since September-October 2003 when Jassi was launched, the channel's viewership has shot up to over 20 per cent of the total prime time viewership.

"With completely revamped serials like those covering the crime angle along with the family dramas, our share is increasing by the day," Katial said.

The Sony official stated that the whole idea and intention behind the new programming strategy is to ensure that newer concepts are given to viewers.

"The key is in providing something new and not just repeating content that is being aired on other channels. This is being reflected in the fact that there has actually been a sharp increase in the general entertainment category audiences," Katial said.