Kids’ channels ready for a gender shift in 2006

It might not be intentional, but it is a fact that most kids’ channels in India cater to young boys for the most part, leaving young girls with little choice but to watch soaps with their mothers on the general entertainment channels (GECs).

Close watchers of the industry such as Nandini Dias, vice-president, Lodestar, say, “Time and again, research has shown that evening soap operas are more popular with girls than boys. In addition, the kind of content kids’ channels have today are by their very nature boy-oriented as they include more animation, sports and science fiction. So, girl viewers are left with no option but to move to GECs or movie channels.”

However, the executives at the kids’ channels say 2006 could present a different picture.

According to Nachiket Pantvaidya, director, programming and productions, Walt Disney Television International India, “Kid viewers in India are slowly moving from GECs to their own channels. If only 8 per cent of kid viewers watched kids’ channels in 2004, the number grew to 14 per cent in 2005.”

Pantvaidya is hopeful that in 2006, the percentage of kids watching kids’ channels will increase to at least 30 per cent. And this shift will be mainly because of the rise in the number of young girl viewers on kids’ channels.

Zarina Mehta, who is the programming head of Hungama TV, agrees with Pantvaidya.

She says, “We were the early ones to realise that girls tend to watch more soaps on GECs, which results in kids’ channels losing their share of viewership. So, we launched ‘Sanya’, which has proved quite successful and is watched equally by boys and girls.”

Dias offers a piece of advice to the kids’ channels. She says, “It’s very important for the kids’ channels to maintain a balance between boy and girl viewers.”

She clarifies: “It’s already been proved that young girls prefer soaps to other programmes. Today, if kids’ channels bend over to the other side and start having too many programmes meant for girls, there will be very little difference between a kids’ channel and a GEC.”

Another senior media planner, Basabdutta Chowdhuri, COO, Madison Media Plus, agrees with Dias. She says, “There is certainly dearth of content on kids’ channels for older girls. But then the kids’ channels need to have more programmes for older kids in the age group of 12-16 years, be it girls or boys.”

Then there are those media planners, Kajal Malik, regional director, Optimum Media Solution, among them, who feel that there will be no abrupt change in the scene.

Malik says, “There are differences in the viewing habits of girls and boys. Girls who watch GECs will continue to do so, while boys will prefer their own channels.”

© 2006 agencyfaqs!