Adgully Exclusive | Music channels no longer for teenyboppers: B4U's Kalyan Sundaram

During the watch of Kalyan Sundaram, the business head of B4U, the channel underwent a significant revamp. Sundaram has stated to the media that the change was spurred by the strategy to make B4U an appointment-driven offering. In an exclusive interview, Adgully talks to Sundaram about the channel's other plans, and also delves into his career.

Sundaram begins by sharing details of his background. "I have been in the media business for about 15 years," he said. "I started off in MTV, as its programming director. I was a part of B4U's editorial team during the launch, in 2000. Then I worked with Disney for a short while. After that, I moved to Sahara as its fiction and non-fiction head. Sometime later, I launched Zee Arabia in Dubai. Now I am back in Mumbai, and back again at B4U."

Sundaram's rich experience made him the right candidate for the latest B4U stint. But he is modest about his current role: "We were at the Number 11 spot when I joined B4U last April," he said. "We are almost at Number 1 today. So I'll let the figures speak."

As for the recent changes sweeping the channel, Sundaram said the initiative was powered by viewers' desires. "We reflect what our viewers want," he said. "If they want us to dance, then we dance. If they want us to be serious, we are serious." He said the channel vigilantly monitored the market situation. "The market is very dynamic, it keeps changing," he said. "So every three months, we carry out a research study to feel the pulse of the market."

Sundaram said that over the past 10 years, B4U had been offering non-stop music blocks like Bajao and Full Volume. "But after a while, programmes become stale," he said. "So we rechristened and repackaged all our five non-stop blocks. Avaz De Kahan Hain, which is a retro show with classic songs, is the first ever music show in B4U for which people come with appointments. For the past year, we have been ruling the roost on the prime band, which runs from 9 pm to midnight."

Sundaram said the channel had also introduced a show called Orange Funk. "It is a very light takeaway programme," he said. "If you had been partying the previous night and have a hangover, this show tells you how to get over the hangover by sitting at home." He said Orange Funk offered home remedies, after a fashion, in an entertaining and modern manner. Other anxious viewers' questions covered include: how do you know if someone is hooked on to you, and how to get biceps at home without all the fancy equipment.

"Then we have Purple, a fashion show basically, which profiles models," Sundaram said. "It covers fashion designers, lifestyle stores, and spas. We are re-introducing the concept of non-film artists. We are a music channel which aims to promote non-film artists. We are re-visiting that segment and will keenly concentrate on that."

Sundaram remains upbeat about the fate of music channels despite some industry buzz about saturation. "In 2009, there were 10 music channels, and by the end of 2011, I promise you there will be 15 channels," he said. "There are serious players coming in. I don't want to name them. I think it is a big market and will grow. Of course, the share in relation to the industry as a whole will be miniscule. Nevertheless, I see a 30% increase this year in the music business." As an illustration of the market's potential, Sundaram said that B4U itself had enjoyed a 300% increase in revenues. "And advertisers?" Sundaram said, "you name them and we have them all: Pepsi, Nike, HUL etc¦" Now that the channel's look has changed and new programmes launched, the channel was ready to engage in a marketing blitzkrieg, Sundaram said. "Come September, and we will roll out our new marketing plan," he said.

Adgully then asked Sundaram If B4U was attempting to reach out to a wider swath of audience. "Normally, the TG that connects to music is between 15 to 24," he said. "What we got to the table is 15 plus. We have got clients like LIC, which has never been on a music channel. What we see in the future is that music channels, which were defined as a youth brand, will no longer be only that. We will not only have growth in the youth group, but the cap will move to 44 from 24." B4U has also been working on its digital reach. "We have extended all our software and content to new media," he said. "We have tied up with BSNL. That has worked extremely well for us."

In terms of distribution, Sundaram said B4U was second only to MTV.

Talking of content strategy, Sundaram said his channel would focus on music and Bollywood. "We ensure that we present a proper mix of not only contemporary music but classics as well," he said. "And of course, the popular tracks. We will never deviate from that model. We are not getting into movie space or anything like that."

Sundaram said the channel saw no reason to telescope into regional markets either. "We are doing pretty well in the mainstream," he said. "Once we are winners here, maybe we can look at experimentation [such as going regional]."