[V] and they fine-tune the channels of profit and TRPs

The frenetic behind-the-screen activity at ChanneL [V] and the bloodletting since the past six months has led to endless speculation as to what [V] is upto. Head honcho Jules Fuller has left, disgruntled by all outward appearances. Veejays Rishma, Sophiya, Suchitra and Vinay have been unceremoniously sacked – or so they claim. An enraged Sophiya said, "After seven years of hard work, the least they could do was inform us… I am still waiting for an apology from them."

[V], however, refuted this. "All the veejays who have left had been informed six months in advance. There is nothing they can say now," says Parul Gosain,spokesperson, CHanneL [V].

Twelve new veejays. Twenty-five new programmes, all under such a thick cloud of secrecy which even rumours have failed to break through. In other words, a complete makeover? Yes, says Fuller. "They look to be restructuring for the sake of it. A lot like throwing out the baby with the bathwater, and I hope that there’s something big around the corner to justify all this," he says.

MTV, the `other’ channel, too, had a change at the helm plus a veejay hunt. But there isn’t the kind of turbulence that one sees in [V]’s purple-yellow office at Khar.

The mantra [V] sticks to is that it was `time for a change’. "For the last year, we had stopped taking risks and trying out new things. We have a great formula, let’s work on it, was the credo," says Gosain.

MTV, on the other hand, is cagey. "We are continually refreshing everything, which is what keeps MTV in its position," says Niren Hiro, Director (Marketing). So there!

The third contender, Zee TV’s baby Music Asia, is farbehind, but can hardly be ignored. Zee reaches as many homes as do the other two channels, and Music Asia is a free add-on. And while packaging and polishing of the programmes has yet to begin at Music Asia, which appears more like a non-stop Chitrahaar, its viewership – 35.9 per cent; as compared to [V] (23.4) and MTV (40.7) according to INTAM surveys – is significantly high.

Ranjan Bakshi, spokesperson, Zee Telefilms, states that "Music Asia is not in competition, since we have a distinct personality of a complete Indian music channel, whereas the other two are perceived to be foreign music channels." A statement that is pooh-poohed by a market that believes, "Music Asia seems to have been relegated to the position of a `visual radio’, with no specific programmes or personalities to set it apart".

In a race that has MTV and [V] running neck and neck, MTV, say media watchers, is getting ahead with its 70-30 Hindi-English programme strategy, as opposed to [V]’s 50-50 formula. With better veejays, creativedirection and this year’s turnover – which, in the first trimester, has already surpassed all of last year’s – they are humming happily to the bank. Their target audience, the Socio-Economic Classes (SEC) A, B and C, age group 15-34 has seen them through. While [V]’s official version is that they are targetting SEC A and B, age group 15-24, and how focussed they are on it, sources say the channel has lost the ground it had gained in the last year for various reasons, primarily mismanagement and complacency. Suddenly awakened to the hordes gaining by inches, not only did a lot of staff come in the line of fire, [V] also realised that expansion and innovation was the need of the hour. So December should see [V] setting up full-fledged offices in Bangalore, Delhi and Calcutta and hiking their staff strength by almost double.

Yet, the face that they both present is one of complete indifference to the other. "If I were asked last year, I’d say MTV was competition. But they’ve changed track, and are nowtargetting a rural audience, while we have a high-profile audience. We’re not targetting the same market," says Mahesh Murthy, consultant with CHanneL [V]. MTV’s Hiro reciprocates with a curt: "All channels young people watch are competition. MTV’s mission is to be the channel young people in India switch on first."

Media watchers, however, are clear about the differences. Says N D Badrinath of Mediavision, the media-buying division of HTA, "The total audience of each channel reflected by their cumulative viewership is roughly about 12 million (monthly). However, MTV enjoys significantly higher ratings on an average programme." When it comes to revenues, nobody has a version for public perusal. But market sources state that while [V] pulls in about Rs 25 crore annually, MTV takes home Rs 20 crore and Music Asia well under Rs 5 crore.

Another six months, and the world should know who’s in tune and who’s out.