Sony reworks afternoon band; to reduce frequency of JCPK

SET’s efforts to rework its afternoon slot and cut down the frequency of Jeeto Chappar Phaad Ke coincides with the launch of a series of Yash Chopra movies on Saturdays from June 2

A month after the introduction of two daily Hindi soaps in the night prime band, Sony Entertainment Television is renovating its afternoon slot starting June 4. Simultaneously, it is cutting down the frequency of Govinda-hosted Jeeto Chappar Phaad Ke, from three days a week to two. This coincides with the launch of a series of Yash Chopra movies on Saturdays from June 2. "JCPK will now run on Fridays and Sundays only at 8 pm," confirmed Rekha Nigam, senior vice-president, programming and production. This will continue even after July 15 once the film-festival comes to an end.

Sensing JCPK's sliding TRPs, Sony had launched specials beginning April (besides holiday specials) and worked at increasing viewer interactivity with contests. This month saw two saas-bahu specials and two haasya kavi editions, followed by a celebrity special with Raveena Tandon on May 25. The show's popularity has been dipping to as low as 3 TRPs in the wake of a viewer-fatigue setting in for game shows. Even Sun TV's remake of KBC, Koteeswaran, is losing steam. Airing has been cut down to once a week, according to a report in the Financial Express yesterday, with a new soap - Soolam - taking its place.

Sony had introduced two new soaps in March - Hum Pardesi ho Gaye and Your Honour - followed by two earlier this month - Kusum and Kahin Diya Jale Kahin Jiyaa. "After we strengthened the prime band, it was time to take a look at the afternoon slot," explains Nigam. The new afternoon slot is scheduled to run between 12-3 pm as against the channel's earlier focus on 2-5 pm, and is choc-a-bloc with soaps (more originals and less repeats).

Sony has always been a formidable force in the afternoon slot, having branded it as "The Matinee Band". Based on perception studies and TAM reports, Sony gathered that a large chunk of women audience was available between 12-2 pm. But due to a lack of focus, the channel had not worked consciously at this group. The new matinee band, which begins next month at 12 pm, takes off with a "light programme that is universal in appeal" - Boogie Woogie. Ek Mahal ho Sapno ka, which was moved from the afternoon slot to the prime band last August, is being shifted back on popular demand (to 1 pm), according to Nigam. This will be followed by a new soap - Kaun Apna, Kaun Paraya.

One minor but significant factor that may have been ignored in the chase for afternoon viewership may be the ubiquitous ‘sleep' factor. Basic polls suggest that most people (mostly women) catch up with afternoon television before and during lunch (12-2), and for a small time after lunch (2-post 230), before snoozing. Sony's chief rivals, STAR and Zee, run their afternoon slots between 1-4 pm and 12-4 pm respectively. Sony is not only attempting to catch viewers early but have them stuck on with more originals playing in the afternoon. Star has a winner on its afternoon slot in Shagun, a UTV production. Sony's taking it head-on with the original telecast of Ghar ek Mandir from June 2.

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