ZEE TV drops matinees for “original shows

In a bid to offer more original programming during the day and bring in newer audiences, ZEE TV has revamped its daytime schedule from September.

From next month, the midday movies (12pm), which have been a permanent fixture of ZEE TV's schedule since it began broadcasting in the UK twelve years ago, will be dropped to make way for more dramas and light entertainment.

Shaney Burney, Programme Controller of ZEE TV UK, explained the reason behind the move. "It's very simple, we have ZEE Cinema to watch movies and most of our subscribers are already viewing both the channels as it's in the package. We want to give our viewers more entertainment and more original by increasing two more serials that is 'Meri Doli Tere Angana' and 'Rakhi'. To give value for money there will be more serials in the afternoon from October."

Viewers are being given the choice of switching over to ZEE Cinema for movie content and to stay with ZEE TV for dramas and light entertainment during the day. The weekend midday and midnight movie bands will remain unchanged.

As reported exclusively on BizAsia.co.uk in June, ZEE TV will be bolstering its original output over the coming months. The primetime schedule between 18:00 to 23:00 already consists of all original shows. Last month saw the arrival of ZEE TV's first morning-only soap 'Meri Doli Tere Angna' being used as a weapon to garner more housewife eyeballs. This will be joined by 'Rakhi' and a slew of other new dramas in September and October.

Furthermore, the much talked about new children's strand 'Kidz Zone' also kicks off next month, which will be presented by ZEE TV's 'Lil Champs' Diwakar Sharma, Sanchita Bhattyacharya and Sameer Mohammed.