Will V make the grade?

The new strategy has been chalked after STAR TV acquired complete control of Channel V's India operations. It will be repositioned as a co...

The new strategy has been chalked after STAR TV acquired complete control of Channel V8217;s India operations. It will be repositioned as a complete music channel to combat its rival MTV and B4U. If you recall last August, Channel V had shifted focus from a pure music channel to a youth one.

What went wrong? 8220;Channel V8217;s winning point was that it was a peppy music channel,8221; says Samir Nair, Head of Programming, STAR TV, 8220;Converting it into a mix of reality TV and a music channel was a mistake. Moreover, a music channel8217;s emphasis has to be on music not on other things8221;. According to Nair, V lost focus from by trying to be other things. Besides, there were too many programmes and too many assumptions as to how the viewership patterns work.

8220;There are some realities,8221; goes on Nair, 8220;India is a single TV household and the youth audience doesn8217;t control the remote. A lot of prime-time viewing is directed towards general entertainment. You have to keep that in mind, when positioning yourself8221;.

For all its failures, Nair denies that while V was experimenting, B4U arrived and MTV took over the lead. 8220;The whole concept of number one, two or three is quite amusing as the ratings are like 0.8, 07, 0.5 and 0.3 and within the niche scenario it8217;s not a big deal8221;.

Nair adds, 8220;B4U has a great library but that doesn8217;t effect on our channel. MTV and V are distinct from other channels as they both project an attitude which is just not about Bollywood music. The real fight is between MTV and us8221;.

So what are STAR TV8217;s plans for V? 8220;Great music is what we plan to offer,8221; replies Nair, 8220;Our music policy is based on three basic principles: the hit, the familiar and new music.8221; For Channel V this means there is no dilemma about whether to play Indian or more international, Bollywood or Indipop, Ricky Martin or Daler. 8220;What we are going to do is play great music, played in a manner easily understood8221;.

Towards that end, efforts are on to improve the conversation skills of the VJs: a bunch of writers will now work with them. There will also be some new programmes and new slots with innovative presentations. 8220;We have introduced a new morning breakfast show, to be aired daily between 7.00 am and 9.00 am, comprising of a combination of anchors,8221; explains Nair, adding,8220;It8217;s a very radio-styled programme rather than a TV-styled one. It will feature lot8217;s of tittle-tattle and will air music that goes along with the chitter-chatter. Similarly, in the afternoon there are two shows: V Request, a total request show, and Very V, which is what8217;s up what8217;s happening kind of thing8221;.

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And for the night birds there8217;s Jammin V, which is the channel8217;s tribute to Indi-pop industry. The show will pick up two artists and profile their lives and subsequently, they will get together and produce one original song.

But for Nair, who is a moviebuff, the most exciting show is V Grade Movies, to be aired in the night. 8220;I have acquired a whole bunch of completely absurd Hindi movies and the show is essentially V8217;s take on these movies. And we are planning to go seriously over the top with this. It is also quite funny as we can put an English voice over it and completely redo the movie, which will eventually become a V Grade Movie,8221; he reveals.

Apart from this the channel plans a series of specials and concerts. Which bring us to new faces. 8220;There maybe some,8221; promises Nair, 8220;but not outrageously8221;. There8217;s Kim actual name Komilla, but the rest are the same: Ranvir, Gaurav, Piya and Purab.

8220;We are making every effort to bring Channel V back to the number one slot within six months,8221; he says. Stay tuned.