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MUMBAI: If the last six months' TAM ratings in the English
news space could tell a story this is what they would reveal:
| GENRE
/ CHANNEL |
15
JULY - 15 AUG |
15
AUG - 15 SEP |
15
SEP - 15 OCT |
15OCT-15NOV |
15NOV-15DEC |
15DEC-30DEC |
01JAN
- 13JAN 07 |
| ENG
NEWS - TG: CS AB 15 Years +
Market: HSM |
|
| BBC
World |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
5 |
| CNN |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
| CNN
IBN |
23 |
30 |
30 |
27 |
33 |
18 |
20 |
| Headlines
Today |
15 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
11 |
9 |
15 |
| NDTV
24x7 |
38 |
40 |
40 |
36 |
33 |
36 |
30 |
| Times
Now |
15 |
20 |
20 |
27 |
22 |
27 |
25 |
|
(Courtesy: TAM Peoplemeter System)
What started as a one horse market with NDTV 24x7 garnering
the lion's share of the pie saw two new entrants with CNN
IBN and Times Now. Headlines Today, the English news channel
from the TV Today Network continued to be in the shadows of
Aaj Tak.
But has the market dynamics changed with Cas in place? Certainly
a better picture so far as the niche channels are concerned
has appeared post Cas. NDTV 24x7, CNN IBN and Headlines Today
have gone pay while Times Now has chosen to stay free-to-air
(FTA) at least for the time being.
CNN IBN, which started on a high note and even managed to
equal market share with NDTV 24x7 (See table 15 Nov-
15 Dec) has stabilized at the end of one year and
occupies the third position with a 20 per cent relative channel
share (TG:CS AB 15+ years- 1 January to 13 January/ Market
:HSM ). CNN IBN director marketing Dilip Venkatraman would
only say that as far as CNN IBN was concerned, despite the
numbers, he was confident that the "content quotient"
of their channel was bound to bring in viewership. Also the
"stickiness of viewership with the channel" is higher,
he asserts.
Mindshare managing director Gautaman Raghotama believes that
the increase in news channel shares is not so much a reflection
of eating into each other's share but eating into the channel
shares of GEC. Mindshare is also the media agency for CNN
IBN.
Says Raghotama, "There is a definite movement of viewership
from general entertainment channels to niche channels and
especially news channels. The news genre is increasingly becoming
a space for 'infotainemt'. Look at how the Shilpa Shetty controversy
was played out across news channels. It was as good as watching
Celebrity Big Brother on a news channel."
"Another problem with the English news space is that
at present there are no clear differentiatiors. So while the
audience is slowly building a loyalty to certain news channels,
the tendency is also to watch news on one channel and then
breeze through the others for a different point of view."
"With Times Now and Headlines Today there is a connectivity
concern."
Despite that concern, it is these two channels that one must
watch out for in 2007. Times Now weathered a stormy year,
to stabilize at the number two spot with a channel share of
25 per cent (See Table 01 January-13 January 2007). The channel
achieved better clarity on its personality as a general news
channel by slimming down the business band segment and focusing
on what it called the 'Big Story' in the day, mentioned Times
Now CEO Sunil Lulla in an interview to Indiantelevision earlier
in the week. Times Now also led the pack in the TAM Elite
Panel ratings.
It is the minnow of the pack Headlines Today, however, that
has switched gears into the fast mode with some good programming.
TV Today CEO G Krishnan says, "Unlike General Entertainment
Channels that get viewership spikes on tent pole programming
- News Channels get a spike during big stories. Headlines
Today has been able to effectively look at innovative wrap
around content around big stories whether it is cricket, the
Shilpa Shetty controversy or Abhishek-Aishwarya wedding to
engage the viewers. In addition, shows like Entertainment
Quarter, Sports Quarter are doing well for us. This week
the time spent and the reach of the channel has increased
by 50 per cent. We are definitely on the growth path and it's
heartening to note that more viewers are consuming our content
for a longer duration."
Assuming that there is a potential clutter in this space
would it be easier for network channels to woo the advertiser?
Says Krishnan, "Headlines Today as a product caters to
the metro-urbanite. Thus an advertiser is able to reach out
to the younger metro audiences. From a sales strategy - we
are able to optimize revenues by looking at a network approach.
Now with the increase in viewership - we are also working
on a stand alone strategy to maximize on the revenue opportunity."
What is noteworthy is that the market share for these channels
is now more evenly divided. But does a 4-player market
spell a cannibalization of the market share?
"I don't think there is a clutter in the news space
with four channels in the fray. But is there space for a fifth
channel? I would assume not. I don't know if they will be
able to garner channel share but what is certain is that the
existing players will definitely find it tough," says
Gautaman.
Madison Media Group CEO Punita Arumugam looks at the scenario
optimistically as far as the ad pie is concerned?
"Yes, the ER and growth rate will get affected but the
genre itself will grow. Take a look at what's happened in
the kid's channels market or the Hindi movies market. The
market also grew as the players increased."
It's anybody's story so far as English news goes and each
one of them must be looking at increasing channel share. But
isn't the English news channel market a niche within a niche
segment.
Counters Arumugam, "As far as the viewers are concerned
what would happen is that as more and more choices are available
within a particular genre, fragmentation is inevitable. But
personally I don't think this will affect any of the channels
adversely."
"If you consider the profile of new advertisers that
is already happening as the market sees an explosion. The
FMCG sector is looking at this genre more aggressively. Also
a healthy competition between the four channels would see
advertising rates become more competitive."
Gautaman agrees that FMCG players are moving out of the GEC
bracket and looking at niche channels."The English news
channels targeted at the affluent, metro consumers will certainly
benefit from this shift. Local operators and retail clients
will also look at this genre closely. Besides much of this
money will have to come from GEC's and other media options.
There will be a rearrangement of revenue to various genres,"
he says.
Krishnan surely speaks for all channels when he says, "The
operating principle for all advertisers is - "Have viewership
- Will advertise". He further adds, "With Headlines
Today being on a growth path in terms of viewership, advertisers
wanting to reach out out to the younger affluent metro audiences
will look at Headlines Today as an ideal platform."
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