Dubai: By adding new channels and offering HD capabilities on existing ones, India’s satellite TV majors are aiming to get a better lock on to their viewership numbers in the Gulf. By doing so, the broadcasters hope to tap into an advertising market that is estimated at $30 million (Dh110 million) to $35 million and, more importantly, growing at a fairly healthy 5 to 10 per cent.
IndiaCast, a joint venture between Viacom18 and TV18, has just launched MTV India, the Indian version of the popular youth-centred music channel on its Middle East beam. This is the second launch from the IndiaCast stable after Colors — the Hindi entertainment channel behind the popular ‘Bigg Boss’ reality shows — in September 2010. Having got some traction going in the Gulf markets, the company now plans to get more active with new channel launches, though no specific names were mentioned.
As for MTV India’s prospects in the UAE and Gulf, Gaurav Gandhi, chief operating officer at IndiaCast, “While MTV as a brand can mean multiple things to multiple people, we feel it will soon have an extreme connect with viewers here based on the programming content which obviously includes a sizable Bollywood-specific material. And these days Bollywood content appeals to an audience beyond South Asians.”
That is the key point. Not just Bollywood-themed channels, even Indian language entertainment channels are finding favour with other nationalities, and particularly Arabs. It explains why Zee Entertainment, the pioneer in Indian satellite TV broadcasting, will soon have the formal launch of its second Arabic language channel, Zee Alwan, after earlier airing Zee Aflam. The former’s content will feature popular Indian serials and shows dubbed into Arabic as well as repeat viewings of popular Arabic serials.
“We are investing in creating new entertainment experiences tailored for an Arabic speaking audience,” said Mukund Cairae, CEO for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, Zee Entertainment Enterprise LLC. “We are taking the next step by localising content, which means bringing a sizeable investment to the region as well as providing opportunities for the talented Arab creative.”
Gandhi reckons that well over half the region’s advertising pie would be garnered by Hindi channels among the Indian language channels being beamed in the region.
Going forward, more broadcasters chasing the Middle East advertising dollar can end up “localising” content. “Ultimately, television rates are linked directly to the audiences they capture; the total Mena population is estimated at 350 million, of which less than 1 per cent are Indians,” said Azhar Seddiqi, managing partner at Mojo Media. “The real opportunity lies in talking to the Arab audiences.
“By catering to Arab audiences, they can command significantly higher rates for commercial spots than other Indian channels catering solely to the Indian audience base.”
