Why channels are shifting focus...

With their reach restricted to cable and satellite homes in metros and big cities and watched by people with higher purchasing power, satellite channels' programming was and still is targeted at the affluent upper middle class, middle and lower middle class urban viewers. But now there is a subtle change happening in their programming content. With the number of cable and satellite homes increasing from 40 million two years ago to nearly 65 million now, satellite channels have started revisiting their programming so as to target viewers in middle-level cities and towns.

After capturing eyeballs in the Hindi heartland with Saath Phere, Kasamh Se and, to a certain extent, Jab Love Hua Zee's new show Banoo Main Tei Dulhan deals with the life of an illiterate girl from Benaras who has a fairytale wedding. As the story moves to Delhi after marriage Vidya realises that her dream of a happy and loving married life is shattered, thanks to her in-laws and husband who ill treat her because she is unlettered.

On the other hand, Star Plus's forthcoming show Karam Apna Apna is the story of Gauri who hails from a small hamlet of West Bengal. She is a simple and semi-educated girl without any ambition who puts the interest of her family before herself and dedicates her life to make her father and her sister happy. Her dream of marrying her fianc Shashank gets shattered when she is compelled to work as a servant in a rich household because of an old unpaid loan that her father owes to the owner of the haveli.

A year or two earlier, these subjects would not have even been given a thought, leave alone giving them prime time space. But market reality has changed considerably in the last three years and channels can ignore it at their own peril. The high level of competition and consumption saturation in metros and big cities has forced business houses, especially fast moving consumer goods manufacturers (they also happen to be the big advertisers on TV), to target consumers in smaller cities, towns and semi-urban areas where household incomes have shown impressive growth.

As television business in India is largely driven by ad revenue and less on subscription income, general entertainment pay channels have no option but to act in tandem with the changing economic reality.
Ashish Kaul, Zee's senior vice-president, corporate brand development, doesn't disagree with the broader changes in economic and business scenario. But he says Zee's primary focus has always been the Hindi heartland. "For us the metros and big cities are secondary unlike Star and Sony which take pride in being upmarket channels," he points out.

"The essence of our programming is determined by the elements and values of the heartland because in any case the upper middle class families don't watch these shows. The audience for serials primarily comes from C and D classes (middle, lower middle and labour classes) though majority of consumers for FMCG and durable goods come from B (upper middle class) and C classes. The D class watches TV because it aspires for economic mobility."

Shailja Kejriwal, senior creative director, Star India says the B class also watches general entertainment channel but she admits that the real eyeballs comes from C and D classes. However, in keeping with the changing market reality Shailja says Star Plus is also focusing on small cities and towns. "Having captured the lead position in metros we are increasing the weightage for viewers of smaller places in our programming.

While the primary viewer of a mass channel is always the housewife, the spread of programming mix must keep pace with economic reality. One can't ignore the urban market but one also can't ignore the emerging middle and small town markets as well," she elaborates. Nina Jaipuria, Sony's vice-president, marketing and communications, denies that Sony caters to only upmarket audience. "Our programming revolves around middle class families and values and our target audience has always been the aspirational viewer who identifies with heartland value system," she clarifies.