UTV Television, the television content, acquisition, sales and syndication arm of integrated media and entertainment company UTV Software Communications.
MUMBAI: After years of low profile, it’s a comeback time for UTV Television, the television content, acquisition, sales and syndication arm of integrated media and entertainment company UTV Software Communications.
The unit beefed up its manpower by hiring key people from production houses such as Optimystix, Endemol and Miditech over the last one year and is now working on three reality shows for Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC).
According to analysts, the move follows the burgeoning demand for good content from GECs. A media analyst said that these channels were not a “soap factory” and so, reality shows were a better bet for them. “But we expect some changes in the GEC space in a year and we’ll have to wait and watch if it’s a good long-term opportunity,” said the analyst.
Reality shows also provide a good weekend prime-time television opportunity. On an average, a reality show gets a topline of above Rs 45 lakh per episode against a soap that gets just Rs 8-10 lakh an episode.
“Besides, reality shows are creatively stimulating too. Our latest song and dance show Ek Se Badhkar Ek recently went on air on Zee,” said Ajit Thakur, the chief operating officer of UTV Television. He added that a quiz-based reality show for Bindass was on the cards too.
“Then there’s a big-budget song and dance show on one of the upcoming GECs,” Thakur said. Though he did not reveal the name of the GEC, all fingers point to Viacom-18, which debuts in July.
In story-based serials, UTV’s research team is exploring international formats that can be adapted to the Indian market. For example, Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, which had a successful run on Sony, was a neat adaptation of Ugly Betty.
UTV Television is also eyeing regional channels down South. Besides producing new shows, it is acquiring some from local production houses and selling airtime for them. “We’re producing Kallakkal Cricket for Sun TV, Vanthutangaya Vanthutanga for Kalaignar TV, and Sunaina, Sravanthi for Gemini TV. Plus, we’re taking over eight shows from production houses such as Radaan, Vikatan and Mana,” Thakur said.
In the 1990s, UTV Television was pretty active. It produced India’s first daily soap Shanti and also Sea Hawks and Zabaan Sambhaal Ke. However, it lost some steam after the saas-bahu fever gripped the country in 2001.
“I wouldn’t say we kept a low profile, but we didn’t do as well in TV content as we did in movie content through UTV Motion Pictures. There wasn’t a shift in focus. It was just that competition was better,” Thakur said.
The company recently began syndicating its library of 19 live action and 12 animation series to broadcasters across Asia and select markets in the UK and the US.
c_arcopol@dnaindia.net
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