Ain’t no sunshine

“They got a huge ‘first’ like Roadies [an eight-season-old travel-based reality show], which made them part of the youth conversation,” he says. “Splitsvilla [a ‘hunt for love’ reality show which has had four seasons] was a similar attempt.” MTV has also successfully cashed in on global formats such as Unplugged and Coke Studio.
If MTV has bested Channel [V] in the youth category, 9XM and Mastiii have squeezed it in the pure music space. “They target the lower socioeconomic classes,” says Mallikarjunadas C.R., CEO, Starcom MediaVest Group India, a media agency. “The content is more Bollywood, which has a mass demand among them.”

The channel has also failed to build on the success of shows such as [V] Popstars—India’s first reality show to choose a group of singers to form a band that the channel would promote. It ran for two seasons. Satyajit Sen, CEO, ZenithOptimedia India, a media agency, points to rival MTV being archetypal in describing generations over the years.

Amar K. Deb’s exit in 2008, after nearly eight years as Channel [V]’s head, was also a blow. Later that year, a reported spat between Channel [V] head Mohit Anand, and Saurabh Kanwar, vice president, content and communication, Star India, led to both leaving.

The channel’s youth focus is likely to continue. One indication is the launch of Humse Hai Liife, a youth fiction show which followed Dil Dostii Dance, the first of its kind. “Pure music channels may enjoy the occasional bull run but we are focussed on building an iconic youth brand,” says Kamath. “We hope to build our relationship through endeavours beyond TV, with properties such as Nokia Indiafest [India’s biggest inter-collegiate festival] and The [V] Spot Café+Bar [in New Delhi].” But as music is universal, the narrow viewer segregation hasn’t worked for Channel [V].

Prem Kamath, executive vice president and general manager, Channel [V], doesn’t believe the channel is in decline. “Today, we cater to our core target group: ages 15 to 24,” he says. “We have also made a conscious effort to progressively bring down the music content by 70%.”

Audience tastes have changed over the years and new players such as UTV Bindass, 9XM, and Mastiii have emerged. Since all channels cannot play the same content, biggies such as MTV and Channel [V] have changed from being ‘music only’ to a mix of music, reality shows, and fiction.

In its early days as market leader, it was on song—earnings from India in 1996 were Rs 24.5 crore, which contributed significantly to the channel’s global advertising revenue. But 17 years on, the Star India channel finds itself at the bottom of Indian viewership charts. The frequent changes in core programming and content as well as a slew of exits at the top haven’t helped. Its share in the
Rs 350 crore music channel space is 7%, compared with 10% to 15% garnered by each of its six big rivals.

MAY 1994, SWEDISH BAND. Ace of Base’s The Sign had topped the U.S. Billboard charts. A line in the song, ‘Life is demanding, without understanding’, could well have been a message for Channel [V], which launched the same month.