Gemini TV to increase its dominance in Telugu genre with new launches

Gemini TV, the Telugu GEC (general entertainment channel) from the stable of Sun Network, has set its sights on further consolidating its share in the Telugu GEC space in the coming year. It is all set to woo audiences with as many as five back-to-back new launches this month.

Beginning December, the channel saw the launch of two non-fiction weekend shows, Deal or No Deal (game show) and Nenu Ready Meeru Ready aa (quiz show). These two properties have been backed up by two fresh weekday offerings (Monday to Friday), in the form of family dramas titled Raktasabandam and Sundarakanda. The fifth property, again a fiction, VV Sastry, airs on weekends.

In addition to Gemini TV, Sun Network's other offerings in Telugu are: Teja (movie channel), Gemini Music, Gemini News, Navvulu TV (comedy) and Khushi TV (kids). Industry estimates put the ad pie for the Telugu genre at Rs 540 crore, with the lion's share of 40 per cent going to Gemini channels.

As part of the strategy to increase its share in the Telugu genre by another 10 per cent, Sun Network aims to further anchor its flagship GEC, Gemini TV in audiences' mindscape.

Sharing the programming strategy of Gemini, Reddy states, "With the new offerings, the channel is looking forward to consolidate its fiction programming and hopes to add new urban viewers from SEC A (in towns with population of more than 1.1 million). However, with 22 soaps a day, the channel enjoys excellent penetration in the markets dominated by women in the 15+ age group."

As per TAM data, the audience profile of Gemini TV shows that in the 15+ women audience, the channel enjoys a share of 50 per cent. The GEC is thus looking forward to strengthen its position further by treating viewers to diverse shows.

Three of the shows launched by the channel this month - Sundarakanda, Raktasabandam and Deal or No Deal - figure in TAM's Top 10 shows on Telugu GECs for Week 50. The three shows have delivered TVRs of 7.3, 6.7 and 6, respectively. With another four properties featuring in this list, Gemini TV has the maximum number of shows in the TAM Top10 list.

The channel backed up its five new shows with extensive marketing. It used outdoor media consisting of hoardings, bus and auto panel branding to reach out to markets with 10 lakh plus population. It also created a website for its show, Sundarakanda, illustrating the topics relevant to the story. The show depicts the plight of a newlywed bride, Sneha, who leaves the country to settle in the United States of America, where she is mistreated by her in-laws.

In addition to the soaps, the GEC is maximising its movie library to pull in the crowds on the weekends. Gemini TV's movie library boasts of 2900 titles, including popular ones, such as Arundhati, Anjaneyulu, Billa, Aarya 2, Puli, Kick, Mahatma, Shivaji, Dasaavataram, Konchem Istam Konchem Kastam, King and Maska. Movies are aired on the channel Monday to Friday at 3 pm; and on every Saturday and Sunday, from 12 noon to 3 pm.

With blockbuster movies, the channel aims to offer the best and the biggest cinematic experience to the viewers. The movies also feed its other four Telugu channels, Teja, Navvulu and Gemini Music, in terms of the full film, clippings for film-based shows and songs.

Pointing out the vision and way forward for Gemini TV, Reddy says, "A solid fiction, film and non-fiction offering with combination of reality shows will help us achieve our target of increasing our dominance and share in the Telugu market within the next 12 months."