Zindagi announces new prime-time line-up sans Pakistani shows

Zindagi has announced its evolution with a new prime-time line-up that will start from October 3, 2016.

Addressing a press meet in Delhi yesterday, Dr Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Zee Entertainment Enterprises and Essel Group, said, “It’s an unfortunate decision we had to take to stop all programming from Pakistan. We at Zee have tried for the past 24 years to bridge the gap, however, the one-way street is not working. We took a decision in our hearts right after the Uri attack. Our team met and agreed for the same. We at Zindagi want to respect the sentiments of our viewers, and of our country, and that is why we had to take this step.”

He further said, “Zindagi has been the reason for the rise of a number of stars from Pakistan, but when we requested them to at least condemn the attacks without naming their country, none of them came forward.”

Sunil Buch Chief Business Officer, Zee added here, “The Alpha Club numbers give us resounding encouragement that we are on the right path of providing premium entertainment. What sets the channel apart is its consistent commitment to show finite, real, vibrant, and premium world stories. Zindagi will enhance its slate of shows from October 3, 2016. Hand-picked stories from India, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Latin America and Korea, amongst others, will now be available on the channel. For our bi-lingual premium audiences, for the first time ever in India, Zindagi will also soon be available on a dual feed of Hindi and English. It will also be the first channel in the entire Indian TV industry to offer live streaming on Periscope, simultaneously with the linear TV feed.”

The new shows include a light-hearted Turkish drama, ‘Little Lord’ at 7.30 pm, which is an endearing tale of a parent-child relationship seen through the lens of six-year old Mehmet. Zindagi will also air the second season of ‘Feriha’. Another Turkish serial, ‘Fatmagul’, which is currently being aired at 9 pm, will continue in this time slot.

Three Indian originals that push societal thinking are also part of the new offerings and includes a rip-roaring comedy by Sunjoy Wadhwa’s Sphere Origins’, titled ‘TV Ke Uss Paar’, at 8.30 pm. The series is a tongue-in-cheek sitcom on the world of daily soaps and a reality check on how today’s society is obsessed with television. Anupam Kher’s first fiction production on TV, called ‘Khwaabon Ki Zamin Par’, will air at 10.00 pm. Produced by his company Actor Prepares, it is the story of a 24-year old boy, Arya, who leaves behind his girlfriend Niyati, and his family to go to Mumbai to fulfill his dream of being a star. Gulshan Sachdeva’s Film & Shots have produced the next love story, ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’, which will air at 7.00 pm. The story centres around the journey of a rich Delhi girl, Neema, who marries a simple, middle class boy Ravi, much against her father’s wishes and how they deal with her meddling father.

Speaking on the channel’s new positioning of ‘Yeh Lamha Hi Hai Zindagi’, Buch said, “It does justice to the brilliant brand name, and mirrors the essence of the word Zindagi. Anywhere in the world, life is a finite procession of moments and it’s important that we live each and every one of them. There is no sense in doing Rewind – Play and lose our today, our moment in the quest of analysing/ living in the past. That’s the top line of the channel, literally, amongst a plethora of only base lines that exist for brands across the world. Again, a departure from traditional base lines associated with most brands/ channels and true to the thought leader grain of Zindagi.”

A robust marketing campaign has been lined up to deliver both the core and surround across all traditional and digital mediums about Zindagi. The channel’s campaign will dominate mediums like DTH, cinema and mobile, and will be initiated with a simple yet thought provoking catchphrase, ‘#ZindagiKehtiHai’, that is designed to create conversation around our life, our Zindagi. #ZindagiKehtiHai will dip in the currency of the world happenings and reflect the sentiments of people as they voice their views on everything that affects their lives. There will be a high impact roadblock across the Zee network of 33 channels on September 30, 2016. Campaigns will also be visible across print, TV, digital and OOH. The publicity campaign will build advocacy through unique experiences that evoke the brand proposition and mirror viewers’ premium lifestyles.

Having garnered discerning and premium audiences, Zindagi, over the last 27 weeks, has maintained its position as the No. 1 premium entertainment channel with 710 average GTVTs. (Source: BARC Alpha Club ratings; TG: NCCS A1, 6 Metros, Period: WK5’ To WK 32’ 2016, AV GTVTs).

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