English Channels to Change Indian Strategy

Action channel AXN is planning to change its content strategy for Indian TV audiences in the wake of changing habits as well as learning from other success stories. Taking the cue from Star India, it expects to increase its percentage of Indian programming content from the present 10 per cent to 25 per cent in future. With plans of taking the channel to hinterlands, the AXN is looking at localizing content to make it appealing to the masses. Having reduced its movies to 25 per cent of its programming content, there has been an added focus on its serials and special features to gain Indian viewership. Adapting its programmes such as Amazing Race Asia and the Man's World show for Indian audiences, AXN now intends having more shows, which are going to be relevant for Indian audiences. It has decided to focus on action sports and has recently launched a new show, `Fight Night', featuring martial arts and boxing.

New Genres
Channel is also planning to introduce new genres of channels through the DTH platform, which will be niche and premium in their offerings. We can definitely hope the same for IPTV subscribers in future. Tapping into new genres there are channels such as the Game Show Network, which focuses on the genre of gaming, which could possibly be introduced through the DTH platform in the country. AXN will also looking towards merchandising products such as T-shirts and apparel in near future and for the same AXN will be positioning itself as youth centric brand. Same strategy is being adopted by ZEE English, which has decided to move away from comedy and drama, its original positioning plank, and dabble in action programming instead. Sister channel ZEE MGM, meanwhile, is keen on acquiring movies from studios other than Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, its existing partner. The rationale, again, is to look at audiences beyond its traditional set of viewers.

AXN is already moving towards a strange concept of dabbling into Hindi feeds. Though restricted to reality shows such as Ripley's Believe it or Not, and action movies, it marked a break from its earlier stance of "only" English programming. Strange as it may sound, English channels beaming Hindi programmes is another strategy of getting more viewership. HBO's decision to telecast the Mummy trilogy (which is, The Mummy, The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King) in Hindi was an initiative which paid off handsomely.

In all it shows that there will be a heated activity among broadcasters to launch new genres of channels to create a differentiation among plethora of choices but the moolah will come only from the content customization for Indian viewers as experienced by France telecom and PCCW. Interesting observations can be derived if someone can get hold of viewership data of Dish TV's premium channels.