Channel and PH

Hello Gals,

I would like to share best of my knowledge in making of show and different scenario of what and how the show is made in simplest form of an understanding as much as possible. This post is especially for Shwetha and to others .

First, let us understand little bit on channels we see on Indian Television .To set up a channel is definitely not an easy job coz it's a business of 450 Crs to 600 Crs (and more or close to 1000 ) .They need investors, share holders, law and policy makers, Satellite rights, Copy rights, State and Government bodies/Boards ,broadcasters, bandwidth,Telecom sector, license approvers, Banking sectors ,marketers, advanced technology ,distributors, advertisers(in so many forms and fields), cable subscribers , now DTH connections etc to name a few.

Now let us understand what "The One Alliance " means in India.

Sony(in India its called Sony but Globally its called as SET) and Star Networks are global channels migrated to India and they have formed a network with Indian channels to have subscribed viewership. They have own partnership, revenues, returns, dividends ,agreements and terms amongst the alliance.

Sony Entertainment channel, Pix, Max, AXN, SAB, Travel and Living, Discovery, Animal Planet,Nick,Vh1,MTV,NDTV 24X7,NDTV Profit, Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Colors etc , are all called as "The One Alliance".

Star Plus, Star Movies, Star World, Star One, Star Utsav, Star Gold, Star News, Channel [V],History Channel, National Geographic ,Star Vijay etc.

They work independently as bodies but they have bond when it comes as share holders , an agreement made between them depending on percentage in their partnership jointly and individually.

[Here you must understand or get a hint on any award programmes we watch on TV .Yes things are done in favor but also some which are truly deserving gets their credit too ,so we need to consider both the sides of the coin before we conclude]

Now let us also take a look on Indian channel which has gone global(outsourced).

Its only Zee network which has gone global having their roots in India. Zee Network strategy is different from Sony and Star Network but independent in India. They have more channels within India which are distributed regionally and few are outsourced having a separate collaboration for global market/subcribers.

Channels like Zee Tv,ZCafe,ZStudio,Zmusic,Znews,Zbusiness,ZUrdu,ZBangala,Ztelgu,Zkannada,Zmarati etc.

There are few more channels down south in India which functions independently regionally and also which have interstate association, their strategy is completely different from the above channels.

Sun Tv ,Sun News, Sun Music, Udaya ,Udaya News, Udaya Music, Udaya Movies, Surya etc.

E nadu Tv(Telgu),EKannada,EUrdu,EMarati etc.

There are few more like Ktv, Kairali(sorry if spelling is wrong) etc.

I guess, we have little knowldged about the channels in India and working of it.

We also have Production team owner turned to channel owners in recent time .Example: Ronnie Screwvala from UTV Productions, they have produced cross over movies,Indian movies like RDB to kaminey, television shows like Shanti (many more unable to get the other show names right now). I am unsure whether he has joined hands to any alliance or not for now. In past we had, Sri Adhikari Brother now called as SAB(Sony) I remember watching their Dekh Bhai Dekh comedy in my teens.

Secondly, lets us discuss about Production Houses in first place.

In order to understand about the production houses , let me take an example of the well known /popular Production house of India - "Balaji Telefilms(BT) " which has produced 200 soaps(more) in many languages in last 14 to 15 yrs which is lead by ladies of BT ' Shoba Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor.

They have their own sets, in Mumbai city itself they have 7 sets of their own ,they have an entire team under their banner be the directors, to story writers, to dialogue writers, script writers,editors,to editing studio, screen play ,camera men, to technical cameras to spot boys etc .Over all, they have everything in abundance from technical team to actors to spot boys working for her Banner BT.

They also produced few soaps for Pakistan channels.

Its not just for hindi soaps ,they has the same set up in other regional languages too .

No wonder, this production has everything in abundance and they do not depend on channels for any support other than to get a time slot to air their shows. The CV's of BT working for channel does not go by Channel calls as the Production House has their terms and condition(not that they do not consider it ,they consider it once in blue moon only) , they rule the channel .The CV's from Channel side will only be nodding head to PH CV's decision but the channel CV's duty is to pass on the response and feedback the channel receives through calls, emails, forums, TRP etc related to the show.[though TRP is yet another game of gamble]

They take care of Food, transportation, costumes, make up, vanity vans for actors, copyrights for song sequence(they even change lyrics) , huge sets, outdoor shoot(not just within India ,they take team to Dubai, NY),promotions, nominations for awards, payments for technicians to spot boys to the actors etc.

It is not necessary to have a 50-50 share and agreement between a channel and PH. It varies , it could be 80% from production house and 20% from Channel partnership. If its money for PH then PH helps the Channels to get fame in getting advertisers/sponsors and TRP's for the show. Their shares, terms and conditions, agreements are different and as per their need and clauses.

In more simple form to make you gals understand then its like I have a story and associate team(actors to technicians) to make a film , all that I need now is a producer to produce it.

I guess people reading this must have got a clear idea by now.

Thirdly, let us discuss about Channel producing Soaps/Shows.

In this scenario, the channel has a concept then a story and its own team to work for a show and they look for a PH .Again, its not necessary to have a 50-50 deal between the PH and Channel. In this case, it will be 80%-20% or 60% - 40% partnership agreement ,it varies. Here, it's a channel call completely to come up with track or decision or changing of decision again if it does not work as they go by the feed back requests through calls, emails ,forums etc. PH CV's are just nodding head but Channel CV's are decision makers. Channel does invest from their end and expect PH to do the same from their end to whatever contract they have signed for. Channel depends for the sponsors/advertisements for their show to run it financially.

To make it simple, its like I have the money but I need a story ,a director and a team to make it work.

Now you gals decide for your self.

If you guys remember the post Shwetha had made in which Eks gave the link where Gautham Hegde had replied. The whole scenario fits the bill here. Yes LNMDJ is Star One's baby. I know to what extent they are working hard for the show, I can clearly understand and see their hardwork in their execution. If you guys have noticed carefully from this week we have On air Promotion and Packaging too from Star One's end. They are going extra mile from their end towards the show. Thanks for the new Montage Star One.

PH does have responbility, but to what extent are they really doing their job. In one of the Shwetha's post something she had mentioned about the future of LNMDJ. In that post, I had made a reply stating my fear about PH. Coz Shakuntalam Telefilms is not wel established like those PH's where it can manage to run 3 shows in parallel(on air). I am not saying it's a poor production house coz they can make or afford to full fill one show's demand and needs which includes maintenance or other things that a PH needs to take care of successfully having its own team.(more to do with budgetting)

I will not like to explain further ,just know where the Show is standing today. But I have faith on Star One completely where they will do anything to have this show till June 2010 even if PH tries to back off from their contract period.(Legally PH cannot do so, coz they may have to pay penality)

Hope everything goes smooth between them, if they cannot really afford financially for the show to whatever percentage they need to , at least let them not interfere with the Channel, that's the least they could do from their end. If they cannot go hand- in-hand with the channel or vice versa.

I will sing praises for the Star One Channel through out this journey of LNMDJ.

This was my little bit knowledge I had to share across.

Love,

Ash

Hi ash thanks for the in depth knowledge on how the television industry works,most of us including me just concentrate on what's happening on-screen without thinking about the issues happening off-screen.And even i appreciate star one for giving us LNMDJ its one of the best in terms of cast,and in the way the show is executed .

but dere shud b promos atleas all da shows in star 1 ha promo xcept lnmdj

Dear rexy34,

Originally posted by: karneetholic

but dere shud b promos atleas all da shows in star 1 ha promo xcept lnmdj

Originally posted by: ash_cosmic

Dear rexy34,

I will answer your question.The PH cannot do the same here coz its contribution towards Star One is different unlike the other two channel.In this case,what PH is trying to do with LNMDJ is cost cutting so that they divert the money for the other two shows is PH show completely.

You know how much the actress is paid per episode playing the role of Ammaji? They have to pay for the whole team and loads of maintence cost is included there.

I did watch,first episode of Devi on NDTV.You have any idea how much they have spent on the sets and the advanced camera they have bought on rent(rent is paid in terms of hrs ) to shoot that sequence for that particular episode .

How can they really afford for all these? In case of LNMDJ hardly they have contributed and more over its Star One's show completely and not PH show .

I do not know,whether you get what I am trying to make you understand or not.I hope you get to see the difference I am tryiing to convey.

Hey Ash..

Thanks for your post. It is true money speaks.. it is the norm

however it is sad somehow here LNMDJ is being treated unfairly...

if the PH can't handle the show, can Star1 take over and get some1 else to give the attention it deserves??

-- Mru

Hi ash!!!!

Originally posted by: ash_cosmic

Dear rexy34,

I will answer your question.The PH cannot do the same here coz its contribution towards Star One is different unlike the other two channel.In this case,what PH is trying to do with LNMDJ is cost cutting so that they divert the money for the other two shows is PH show completely.

You know how much the actress is paid per episode playing the role of Ammaji? They have to pay for the whole team and loads of maintence cost is included there.

I did watch,first episode of Devi on NDTV.You have any idea how much they have spent on the sets and the advanced camera they have bought on rent(rent is paid in terms of hrs ) to shoot that sequence for that particular episode .

How can they really afford for all these? In case of LNMDJ hardly they have contributed and more over its Star One's show completely and not PH show .

I do not know,whether you get what I am trying to make you understand or not.I hope you get to see the difference I am tryiing to convey.

Thanks for the analysis. I never knew what goes on behind the scenes of making a show and you did an awesome job explaining it but one question why doesn't Ekta Kapoor launch her own Channel? 😆😆 You don't have to answer the question (it's just for fun). I absolutely do not like Balaji and that's why I am in awe after reading your post as to why when Ekta has the team, then why her shows are completely ruined to utter nonsense. ( no offense to anyone).

As for Love ne PH, I haven't even heard of Shakuntalam telefilms until I started watching Na Aana and then switched to love ne when I got to know that the same PH was producing Love ne.

In the end, I just hope PH is able to give us some promos. I want promos of this show. *fingers crossed.*

thanks. Lovely post.