Whose the Prime Time leader?-SNS

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tanu

@Armu4eva

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Posted: 14 years ago

Who is the prime-time leader?

The cash cow for general entertainment channels is weekday prime-time. Fiction shows are the lifeline of GEC business, which bring in consistent eyeballs and ensure robust consumption of content. They are also the most cost-effective and efficient long-term products that deliver higher returns as compared to star-powered non-fiction shows. Overall weekly GRPs can be at times misleading and may not reflect the overall health and return on investment of a GEC. According to TAM data for week 29 (July 10 to 16, 2011), Star Plus scored 320 GRPs, Colors 271, Zee 185 and Sony 182, while the figures for previous week stood at 309 for Star Plus, 252 for Colors, 193 for Zee and 184 for Sony. The weekly reach for the top four channels was 94 million viewers for Star Plus, 89 million for Colors, 82 million for Zee and 86 million for Sony. For week 29, the Monday to Friday fiction band from 7 to 11.30 pm of Star Plus delivered 135 GRP, while Colors notched up 127, Zee scored 89 and Sony finished with 66. Six months ago, it was neck-to-neck fight between Zee and Colors at prime-time; while Star Plus had a comfortable lead of 20 to 30 GRPs. Out of nine half-hour slots between 7 to 11.30 pm, Star Plus leads with five shows, Colors leads in three blocks and Zee has one leader. But in few slots the margin of leadership is not too high. It's anybody's guess which GEC has the strongest fiction line-up and who is really milking the cow, taking into account each GEC's parent network's strength in terms of collective leadership and health of its sibling channels in their respective genres. This is because generally sales are done not individually but by clubbing group channels.

Maryaada…Lekin Kab Tak , 11pm.

Rating 1.8

A cocktail of attempted rape, sexual violence, domestic abuse, homosexuality, suppressed anger and revenge, it is a story about four women in a typically patriarchal Haryanavi family. It has a predator father, a loving mother, a homosexual son, and a daughter-in-law who is seeking revenge against her molester (father-in-law). The show recently completed 200 episodes. Being a late-night adult show it has had limited success, though lately it has improved its ratings. But it doesn't have an original show for competition as most GECs service their 11 pm slot with repeats.

Man Ki Awaaz…Pratigya , 10.30 pm.

Rating 3.9

It's a perfect Hindi heartland show - over-the-top drama and aggressive, regressive as well as progressive in characters and content. The show started with a girl's fight against eve-teasing and soon moved into family space with Pratigya's marriage to Krishna. Since then it's been one big fight between Pratigya and the rest in Thakur Sajjan Singh's haveli on host of issues confronting women. Not long ago, the show used to notch up close to 5.5 to 6 TVR but it has come down lately. It has had a good competitor in Na Aana Iss Des Laddo(3 TVR) and often it's been a neck-to-neck fight for leadership between the two. While Sanskaar Laxmi is lagging far behind with 0.7 rating, Pratigya and Laado now have another new competitor in Bade Achhe Lagte Hain(3.4).

Uttaran , 10 pm.

Rating 4.7

Rivalry, obsession, love, hatred and jealously are the key elements that have kept the show high on drama and eyeballs. It started as a friendship story between a rich and poor girl but turned into a high-pitched emotional drama of discord marital and relationship. Since the generation leap in Uttaran nearly two years ago, the rivalry between Tapasya and Ichha has yielded a messy and obsessive triangular conflict between the protagonists. In fact, it is the biggest asset of the show that thrives on emotional mess. It's been at the top, middle and the lower steps of rating charts. But it's been a fairly consistent performer and hasn't got a big competitor yet to take away the eyeballs. The recent launch Mrs Dikshit Ki Paanch Bahuyein (1.7) has a long way to travel. Saas Bina Sasural has touched 2 TVR recently after a long time. Will Navya at 3.2 TVR wrest leadership from Uttaran? It's going to be a tough battle though.

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai , 9.30 pm.

Rating 4.2

Simple story, simple treatment, easy pace, small tiffs, grouse, grief, happiness, sadness, celebrations, rituals, customs but no melodrama and no scheming and plotting….that's every day life beautifully captured and which pleases eyes, ears and other senses. Not that it has not resorted to TRP gimmicks like misunderstanding, pregnancy and miscarriage to come out of its lows, but the show has chronicled post-marriage journey of an arranged married couple quite well over the last two and half years. It's been the number one show for many months a couple of times and continues to be among the top five dailies most of the times. But now it's getting competition from Ram Milayi Jodi, which recently saw its first high in ratings (close to 4 TVR). Mukti Bandhan is no competition to both the shows. But loyalty gives Yeh Rishta… an edge, unless Ram Milayi…capitalises on its current momentum.

Pavitra Rishta, 9 pm.

Rating 4.5

Zee's most successful property and Balaji's only successful show in recent years, it has endeared viewers with its simple, lower middle-class love story entangled in a chawl backdrop. It was a big competitor to Bidaai and may have had an easy going after the latter went off-air in November last year. A story of a wrong marriage that turns into a love story before it breaks into bitter separation because of family pressure and later leads to a happy reunion, the show has swung between two extremes of the husband-wife relationship. Probably that's what helped it strike a strong emotional connect with viewers. Now after four-year leap and prosperity for Manav and Archana one needs to see where the story is headed. But both Gulaal (2.3) and Phulwa (2.3) are laggards and Pavitra Rishta may continue to enjoy its run because of weak opposition at peak prime time.

Balika Vadhu, 8 pm.

Rating 5

It was thought to be a down-market show meant mainly for non-urban markets and definitely not a potential channel driver for sure. The fairy tale Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat was going great guns at 8 pm and Balika Vadhu was not expected to give it much fight. But within a few months not only did it become a clutter- breaker but a game changer too as Balika Vadhu became the channel's brand identity for directional growth. In three years it has seen many highs, including the biggest 10-plus TVR, and several lows. But the lows have never been below average. Still an eminently watchable show, it continues to be slot leader, though it did get fair bit of competition from Jhansi Ki Rani. Currently it has newcomers Iss Pyar Ko Kya Naam Doon and Shobha Somnath Ki for competition. While the former is creating traction at 2.7 TVR, the latter has come down to 1.4 TVR after opening at 2.3.

Laagi Tujhse Lagan, 8.30 pm.

Rating 3

It was a slow starter. Some shows go down after a change in their time-slot. But this one grew after it was shifted from 9.30 pm. Dark, Mumbai underbelly story of a girl who is made to hide her beauty by her mother, the show was expected to lose on ratings after its protagonist got her fair skin back. But frequent twists and turns have kept it in competition with Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli. At one point it even crossed 5 TVR but currently it's a fairly close fight between the two for leadership. At 2.6 TVR Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli is a close second. Maayke Se Bandhi Dor at 1.9 may not be far behind, but it still has a lot of ground to cover.

Saath Nibhana Saathiya, 7 pm.

Rating 4.1

It came as a breath of fresh air but turned out to be a big differentiator. A story of middle class boy getting married to a rich brat, it not only defied the formula of fiction but also proved that viewers are open to watching good stories where serious issues are tackled in a positive way with right mix of emotions, drama, fun and humour. It had a slow growth but once it overtook Choti Bahu which was a clear leader earlier and had made the 7.30 pm slot hugely popular, Sasural Genda Phool bloomed as a mature show for urban audience. Lately, it has been sliding down the ladder. Whether it's because of story stagnation and too much focus on Suhana and Ishan is anybody's guess. But it has started getting competition from Sasural Simar Ka (2.3) while Choti Bahu has its share of loyal viewers at 1.5 TVR.

Sasural Genda Phool, 7.30 pm.

Rating 2.8

It came as a breath of fresh air but turned out to be a big differentiator. A story of a middle-class boy getting married to a rich brat, it not only defied the formula of fiction but also proved that viewers are open to watching good stories where serious issues are tackled in a positive way with the right mix of emotions, drama, fun and humour. It had a slow growth, but once it overtook Choti Bahu ,which was a clear leader earlier and had made the 7.30 pm slot hugely popular, Sasural Genda Phool bloomed as a mature show for urban audience. Lately, it has been sliding down the ladder. Whether it's because of story stagnation and too much focus on Suhana and Ishan is anybody's guess. But it has started getting competition from Sasural Simar Ka (2.3) while Choti Bahu has its share of loyal viewers at 1.5 TVR.

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