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Second coming for weekly shows?
Weekly shows were almost erased from TV grammar when Ektaa Kapoor hit it big with her daily dose of Kyunki, Kahaani and Kasautii. But the good old once- in-a-week format is making a comeback
When Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand disrupted Balaji's reign in the week of May 4-10, 2003, media analysts and planners were compelled to turn around and give the long neglected weekly shows, a harder look. For not only did Des Mein's upsurge turn television primetime equations on their head, it also signaled the recovery of the once-in-a-week format, which till then was relegated to playing second fiddle to the mighty dailies that had come to signify primetime television.
Indeed, Des Mein, Kehta Hai Dil and Sanjivani - weekly shows telecast on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 9.00 pm on STAR Plus - are the new emerging idioms. Further, going by their consistent performance on the ratings chart, these properties could well emerge as the next wave on Indian television. "The audience is lapping up these shows despite being of one-hour duration," says Tarun Katial, senior vice-president, content and communication, STAR India.
A look at the TVR figures in recent weeks will give an idea of their rising popularity. For the week of June 1-7, 2003, Aroona Irani's Des Mein stood at No 4 with a score of 9.3 while Sanjivani was at No11 with a TVR of 7.8, and Kehta Hai Dil at No 14 with a score of 7.4.
The week before, that is, May 25-31, Des Mein was steady at No 4 with a score of 9.4, Kehta Hai Dil came next at No 6 with a score of 8.9,and Sanjivani stood at No11 with a score of 7.2.
Katial claims all three shows have been doing well for the last 13-odd weeks. "There is no concerted effort to push these shows. They are being lapped up by the viewers," he says.
This "lapping up" however, can be traced to tighter storylines, dollops of "emotional drama" and neater breaks (Des Mein, for instance, has a teaser announcing what is in store in the next segment just before a break) that contribute to keeping viewers hooked for an hour. "Considering that they are weekly shows, the wait-in period is greater, leading to higher levels of curiosity, which is satiated only with the next appointment, the following week. All of this works in favour of the show," explains a senior media planner based in Mumbai.
Of course, a fair amount of aggressive marketing also builds recall for the shows, eventually aiding in the crucial appointment at 9.00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. © 2003 agencyfaqs!