Mass Effect

In an industry considered highly competitive,where every channel has,until recently,been keeping its content and ideas guarded from rivals,simulcasting seems to be the latest trend. While sports channels have been following the format for years,Aamir Khan’s television debut Satyamev Jayate is considered a trendsetter as far as general entertainment content is concerned. A chat show aimed at creating awareness about social issues,it aired on Star Plus and DD simultaneously. Coke Studio on MTV soon followed suit,also using DD as a platform. Sahara One’s Sur-Kshetra — a show that sees Indian and Pakistani singers fight it out on a talent reality show platform — will also premiere on Colors in September.

The trend may seem revolutionary,but Motwani adds that shows that enter into simulcasting are those with national appeal. Coke Studio producers,following its first season,received feedback from several regions in India,requesting them to air the show on multiple networks since it brought into focus regional musicians. This drove the producers to initiate the deal between MTV and DD. Similarly,Ramayan resonates with audiences across India,and Sur-Kshetra brings to the fore the age-old rivalry between India and Pakistan,which always draws interest.

Production houses’ interest in expanding their audience base — since it offers them the possibility of getting bigger and better assignments — is the core driving factor of the trend. However,the channel benefits from these deals too. For instance,Coke Studio’s branding with MTV was visible on DD too,which acts as free advertising for them. “Similarly,we could leverage upon Colors’ audience base,which exceeds Sahara One’s five-crore viewership,” points out Suresh Mishra,assistant director worker,Sahara One Media and Entertainment.

While the channel official does not confirm this,industry insiders claim that another reason for Sahara One’s strategic tie-up with Colors was that Sur-Kshetra’s production budget was too high. The alliance generated revenue for Sahara One through title sponsors. In return,Colors got a readymade quality product for a price much lower than they would have otherwise paid for production. “Colors has limited properties in the reality genre and Sur-Kshetra helps them offer variety to the audience,” explains an official from Colors.

While each channel forges its own deal depending on the content on offer,for the most part,the channel with content propriety gains from sponsorship deals and a revenue-generation model that they draw up.

In such deals,DD remains a favourite to simulcast shows. Motwani explains that striking an alliance with a rival channel is not practical. “Doordarshan is not a competitor and also has a large viewership,” he says. It works for DD because they acquire content made at a cost beyond their production budget. “It helps us get a variety of shows. Satyamev Jayate helped us make a profit and in return,we signed more simulcast deals,” says Tripurari Sharan,director general,DD.

Industry pundits view this as a testing phase for simulcasting as a concept. A trade analyst,who does not wish to be named,says,“If it works,we may soon see smaller channels utilising the idea to reach out to wider audience,as Sahara has done. They can pitch their popular shows and this may help increase their audience base.”