Sign up for afaqs! Newsletters
Zoom races ahead in the numbers game
Zoom, the television channel from the Times Group, has come a long way, beating other channels with a similar viewership profile. It now plans to change its programming in the coming months
After lying low for months now, Zoom has started getting the right numbers for itself. Statistics from TAM Media Research (C&S, SEC A&B, 15+, six metros) show that the channel has gradually increased its market share in terms of viewership among channels with a similar viewership profile.
Zoom seems to have equal channel share with even music channels such as MTV and Channel [V]. But as a senior media planner points out, it is unfair to compare Zoom with music channels because their audiences are very different.
In terms of channel share, Zoom has picked a relative channel share of 24.14 (at par with Channel [V] and MTV) as against a mere 13.79 for AXN in Week 26. Zoom’s share in the earlier weeks was between 21 and 22 and went up suddenly to 25 in Week 25.
“We have grown considerably and, most importantly, haven’t been stagnant,” says MK Anand, business head, Zoom. Now the channel is planning to roll out new programmes in the pre-festival season.
When asked whether Zoom was broad-basing its audience from niche to a more mass yet urban one, Anand says, “We want to redefine what is really upper end in India.” Describing the channel’s current profile, he says that it’s an urban mass entertainment channel, catering to 20-35 year old metro audiences, who can shuffle easily between Hindi and English.
However, the rising numbers fail to position Zoom as the ‘next big thing’ among senior media planners.
“It would be incorrect to judge the channel by its ratings, considering that it gets double decimal ratings. It is a niche metro channel and planners prefer it because of its unique content,” asserts Divya Radhakrishnan, vice-president, The Media Edge. Moreover, she says, the channel’s programming hasn’t changed since its launch, except for the recent ‘Santa and Banta Unlimited’.
Hiren Pandit, general manager, MindShare, believes that the ratings won’t render any dramatic change for the channel.
Basabdutta Chowdhury, COO, Madison Media Plus, feels that while viewership can only be limited for channels such as Zee Café, a channel like Zoom stands a greater chance of attracting an additional ‘incremental’ audience.
Most media planners are of the opinion that it is Zoom’s uniqueness in terms of its content and audience that works for the channel, since there are already so many other channels that cater to the masses.
© 2006 agencyfaqs!