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MUMBAI:
As MTV India strategically decides to move into 2009-10 with
a higher dose of non-music and long-format programming, it
is time to shed flab. The channel says 25 positions are immediately
impacted, while the final shape of a new positioning is being
formulated.
"We
have decided to reduce our music content as we have realised
that the long-format shows have been showering us with ratings
and revenue. We have brought down our staff strength from
180 to 155. We haven't yet frozen on how much of music, short
and long-format content we will exactly have. But the direction
we are going to take is clear now," says MTV VP communications
and consumer products Sandip Dahiya.
MTV
currently has 60 per cent of its content from music, but it
is reality shows like Roadies and Splitsvilla which have brought
in record ratings for the Viacom18 channel. In the last few
weeks, MTV Roadies has done an average of 3.65 TVR and the
ratings of Splitsvilla have touched as high as 1.75, taking
the channel's overall GRPs to 83.
"We
have seen an unprecedented growth in revenues and ratings
with our shows achieving highest-ever ratings in our 15 years
of existence in India. We've set ourselves some very aggressive
goals for the ongoing financial year. This realignment will
help us drive a healthy double-digit growth and maintain the
momentum we've generated over the last year," quips Dahiya.
MTV
India has felt the need to realign its strategy and business
at a time when music channels in India have been struggling
to up revenues. The realignment process would involve changes
in the organisation-structure, reporting relationships and
a few middle and junior level positions across a few teams.
"We
chose the new financial year as the right time to announce
our plans to realign ourselves - both structurally as well
as strategically for 2009-10. Though 25 positions have been
impacted, many among them will continue working on specific
projects and genres as outsourced resources," says Dahiya.
So
what are the strategic changes in programming MTV will introduce?
"Soon you'll see a lot more focus on non-music content
which is bound to deliver far more dividends - in terms of
reach, ratings and revenues. This should place MTV in a different
league altogether," says Dahiya.
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