)
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited's (Zee) new channel, Zindagi, could be the start of re-inventing of the network's entertainment channel bouquet. Zindagi is a mass general entertainment channel (GEC) that will showcase content from neighbouring Pakistan and is Zee's attempt at making international content mass-ready.
The channel airs on June 23, across India and test signals are already on. In the first phase, the channel will bring fiction content from Pakistan that would be culturally relevant to India as well, for example, stories about immigrant South Asian families. Zee has acquired 4,000 hours of content from various producers in Pakistan.
After Pakistan, the network will turn to countries like Turkey, Egypt and Latin America for content acquisition. Punit Goenka, the network's MD and CEO, says, "Firstly, we identified content which culturally suits this market, and therefore, the audience will accept it. The idea is not to get foreign content for the sake of getting foreign content. It has to be imported from markets that have affinity with the Indian market. That includes Pakistan, Turkey. We have identified Egypt as another such market and maybe Latin America, as we move forward."
In the future, the channel will tie up with production houses in India and abroad to create fresh content for the channel. Industry experts agree that there is scope for differentiated content in GECs. "The good part about this strategy is that Zee is still targeting a mass audience. The fact is that there is a large section of the audience which accesses such content online, not always legally," says a veteran in the industry, who preferred to remain anonymous.
Zindagi signals a new stage in Zee's life as well. The network has axed some channels and a few more are likely to face the same fate. It has taken off air the fashion and lifestyle channel, Zee Trendz, and the Punjabi entertainment channel, ETC Punjabi, in the last quarter. Goenka indicates that there will be more channels that will follow, depending on their commercial viability.
Zee is pulling out all stops to distribute Zindagi aggressively, targeting 95 per cent availability on the first day itself.
Facing the twin industry challenges of digital subscriptions and 12-minute ad cap, the launch of a new GEC will help Zee increase its ad inventory. "The market share of GECs has increased from 34 per cent in 2008 to 40 per cent in 2013. Last year, when we launched Zee Anmol in the FTA (free-to-air) space, it expanded the FTA share within Hindi GECs from 6 per cent to 8 per cent, as other networks followed. Research conducted across cities for Zindagi has revealed that the audience wants alternative content, as has already been demonstrated in film-viewing, and we aim to bring this fresh alternative to our viewers on television," says Goenka.
Zindagi is targeted at the urban female, and its programmes are geared to resonate with her on issues that are relevant. Zee wants to fragment the audience, since its research shows that there is a sense of disconnect with the content on existing GECs among younger, urban women (below 35 years). As a result, the content that has been acquired for Zindagi is recent fiction content (between 2012 and 2013) inspired by novels. The shows all have definite storylines and so won't go on forever, which is another complaint that Zee's consumer research shows.
But cannibalisation of the viewership share of its flagship GEC does not fluster Goenka: "I always believe in fragmenting the market rather than getting fragmented. As a content company and network, I have to make sure that I fragment (the market). If Zindagi eats into Zee TV, so be it, but as long as my network share grows, I am still happy. In fact, I will be happy if it eats into Zee TV because then it will eat into other GECs' share as well."
In the era of digitsation, a network's bouquet strength is critical. After the split with the distribution joint-venture with Star India, MediaPro, Zee has to move fast in getting value propositions to increase its bargaining power with distributors and local cable operators. With Zindagi, Zee has taken a step towards strengthening its bouquet by occupying a space which may seem risky on the onset, but could end up being a game-changer in a fatigued GEC space.
The initial response from advertisers looks positive, according to media planners. Having already pitched the concept and content to the Mumbai-based advertisers, the Zee team will start roadshows in other metros like Delhi and Bangalore in the next couple of weeks. The channel will also be looking at southern India (success in which has eluded Hindi GECs) in a big way and sponsorship deals are expected to be announced in due course of time.
Marketing moves
* Zindagi's marketing began on social media with buzz about the freshness of its content. The campaign is pegged around the universal appeal of good content and emotions. Its tagline reads Jode Dilon Ko - a proposition of bringing people from across borders closer through stories
* The Facebook page started a conversation around the need for fresh content on GECs. The channel also launched a spoof video on some of the current GEC shows, highlighting the monotony of the current content
* Zee will also highlight the original music on Zindagi's shows. With artistes like Ali Zafar, Abida Parveen and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan lending their voice, Zindagi's campaign will play it up, especially on digital. These singers also have a fan base in India
* Brand films released on the digital platform will give a peek into the packaging and content of the channel. These have been made by the Bollywood director Abhishek Kapoor
