NEW DELHI: Unarguably, the leader in the Marathi-language television space, capturing 57 per cent of the viewership share in FY’20, as per BARC with Zee Marathi, Zee Yuva and Zee Talkies, Zee Network is all set to add another one to that list. This time, it is a music pay TV channel Zee Vajwa which is scheduled to flag off in October.
Speaking at its virtual launch Zeel chief consumer officer Prathyusha Agarwal shared that it was a natural decision for the network to build on its existing popularity in the region and launch the channel.
She added that Zee Vajwa will be quite different in its offerings. “We have curated more than 3000 playlists suiting every mood. Not just that, the channel, apart from music shows, will also air short-form and long-form content of various kinds.”
“One of the key differentiators would be experiential music slots with several category firsts which will truly amplify the moment for the audiences. Marathi viewers are extremely proud of their culture and the channel will celebrate it by giving the youth a platform to voice their opinions and be heard. A category first, Zee Vajwa will also have a non-fiction show in the comedy genre.”
Overall, in look and feel, the channel has tried to merge in the youthful and historically rooted signages for the channel, creating a mass appeal. It will be dominated by pop culture icons, taken both from the TV and digital world and some classic elements of traditional dance and music will create an additional rustic vibe. The sonic identity of Zee Vajwa is a fresh take on traditional Maharashtrian sounds of duff, sitar, tomtom, etc.
But is it the right time to launch another pay TV offering when the market sentiment is slow and advertisers are spending very carefully?
Agarwal stated that the intention of launching the channel is to offer something different to the market, which had a lot of scope. “But I also think that we are seeing positivity in the market and it seems like a huge opportunity for us,” she added.
Zeel chief revenue officer Ashish Sehgal exuded confidence that Zee Vajwa will also prove an interesting platform for advertisers - even in these cash-strapped times. Said he: “Our growing viewership and revenue share in Maharashtra is a reflection of our successful journey so far. Our objective has always been to provide holistic surround to our consumer/customer and in Maharashtra, with Zee Vajwa, we see an opportunity for us to not only strengthen our music cluster but further gain viewership/revenue shares as well. We are excited to dial up the impact for advertisers this festive period.”
Another challenge that the channel might have to face is the increasing popularity of digital options like apps and streaming platforms.
“The Indian market, when it comes to music streaming is still heavily dominated by TV channels. Firstly, when it comes to apps, the experience is more personalized and inward. But when it comes to sharing with the whole family, television will remain the preferred choice. Secondly, on digital platforms, you have to go and search for the kind of music you want to listen to, but with our playlists, we are taking that hassle away.”
The channel will soon kickstart a high-decibel marketing campaign across TV, digital, and other platforms, utilising the strength of existing Zee platforms.
