It’s Zee’s turn to be on top this week in the continuing musical chair among Colors, Zee and Star Plus for the top slot in GEC ratings. Even though Zee’s lead is marginal, it has the historical significance of being the first time in nearly a decade that the Subhash Chandra-owned channel has become No.1. According to data from audience measurement firm TAM Media Research, for the week ended 27 June, Zee had a GRP (gross rating point) of 243.14, while Colors, at No.2, had 242.76. According to this Business Standard story, Zee is also the leader in the prime time band.
While the churn among the top three has lost all competitive significance (historical milestones notwithstanding), what is becoming increasingly clear is that the opportunities in the GEC space is closed for any new entrant. The top three players–Colors, Zee and Star Plus–have cornered some 66% of market share. Include NDTV Imagine, and that figure becomes 73% (according to TAM data for the month of April). The last of the new entrants–Real–is languishing at the very bottom, with a 1% market share, lower than 9X, even though the latter barely has any fresh programming.
Reality Boom
The GEC segment is also set to see a wave of new reality shows. Rakhi Ka Swayamvar has already opened on NDTV Imagine to mixed reviews. India’s Got Talent, the local version of the Got Talent series that is best known for the Susan Boyle phenomenon on its British version, launched on Colors last week. Sony (NYSE: SNE), currently at No.5, will soon launch I’m a Celebrity; Get Me Out Of Here, while Star Plus will soon launch Sach Ka Saamna, the Indian version of the controversial show The Moment of Truth.
ET Now
This was the first full week when ET Now was on air and the channel has effortlessly beaten UTVi, the business news channel from the UTV Group. For the week ended 27 June, ET Now had a market share of 8% in metros and 6% in the ‘All India’ segment. In Metros, CNBC TV18 had a 67% share and NDTV Profit had 20%. UTVi had 6% (view slideshow). ET Now is still expanding its distribution footprint. “Distribution is a complex operation, and necessarily gets ramped up over time. Cable is now pretty much in place in Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat, and increasingly available in other markets. DTH is not on yet,” said Chintamani Rao, chief executive of Times Global Broadcasting, which broadcasts Times Now and ET Now.

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