9X gives NDTV Imagine company at No. 3

9X and NDTV Imagine now share the No. 3 position among GECs, each with 8 per cent share. As result Sony Entertainment Television has been pushed to No 5

The latest TAM Media viewership data spells good news for general entertainment channel 9X. According to Week 17 data for C&S 4+, HSM, 9X holds the No. 3 position along with NDTV Imagine with 8 per cent channel share. STAR Plus reigns supreme as always with 31 per cent relative channels share followed by Zee TV with 23 per cent. Sony Entertainment Television has toppled to No.5 position with a relative channel share of 7 per cent.

9X has seen a gradual growth since its launch. Though in the beginning of the year 9X commanded 4 per cent share, its competitor NDTV Imagine had only 3 per cent. In February, this year, the equation changed when NDTV Imagine raced ahead of its rival by almost doubling its channel share to 8 per cent. Come April, and it has maintained its share, surpassing Sony. 9X gradually moved up to 6 per cent in March and 7 per cent share in April.

So what did the trick for 9X? A senior media observer says that it was the introduction of reality shows that did the magic. ‘Chak De Bachche’ and ‘Yeh Hai Jalwa’. ‘Chak De Bachche’, as per TAM’s Week 17 data has recorded viewership of 1.22, while ‘Yeh Hai Jalwa’ has managed 1.18. In its initial days, 9X had tried experimenting with a reality show called ‘Mission Ustaad’, but that did not meet with similar fate. “The concept of ‘Mission Ustaad’ was too futuristic and did not appeal to the masses”, says the media planner.

Indrani Mukerjea, founder and CEO, INX Media, is delighted at the way 9X’s new show ‘Jai Maa Vaishnodevi’ has been performing. “The latest aMap data shows that ‘Jai Maa Vaishnodevi’ has got a rating of 1.03”, she says, taking equal pride in the two reality shows. This mythological series airs Monday-Thursday at 8 pm.

Its better late than never for 9X. According to her, what really worked for the channel, was indeed a well-planned out strategy by the channel executives, which many presumed to be a low-profile start. “We waited for the right time to bring in our big shows. It was a well-thought after strategy for long-term gains”, she says. While they had the option of launching four hours of prime-time programming like other new channels, they refrained from doing so and instead waited to build a set of loyal viewers and sustain growth. “We didn’t take off immediately after launch because we didn’t want to”, she asserts. She believes that the quicker a channel goes up in this genre; it topples with the same speed. “It’s a 5-day series not a T-20!”, she exclaims.

Mukerjea is glad that they have managed to shut the critics up. “We started with two hours of prime-time programming. Today, when we have launched a ‘Jai Maa Vaishnodevi’, on the back of 80 GRPs, it has to do well”, she adds. 9X will have another mythological series being aired soon. But this one will be grander. “Mahabharata, on which Ekta (Kapoor) and I are working, will be launched on August 15, if all goes well”, she informs. In the next five months, several new programmes will be launched on 9X.

If one is to believe the 9X growth story, slow and steady is bound to win the race. With both newbies, NDTV Imagine and 9X, on the same position, the GEC war has taken a new turn. ‘Kahaani mein twist’, as they say.