Zing adds fresh content to increase youth base

The bold and daring youth today is constantly looking out for ways to bring innovation in their day to day lives. Be it in terms of technology, fashion or even content on television. This generation is outgrowing the regular romance fiction stories that dominate our television screens and craves for novelty in concepts. In terms of themes, love and romance have always been an all time favourite for this generation and now channel Zing which recently re-positioned itself with youthful content and fresh look is here to cater to the spirited youth across India. Showcasing film previews, music launches, celebrity gossip, music and much more the channel recently launched its new television series and the first fiction show titled Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya based on a concept where passion meets crime with a twist.

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Anurag Bedi, EVP & Business Head- Zing, talked about the new show, new trends in the industry, the channel’s latest plans and much more.

Zing first launched in 1997 as Music Asia, was re-launched as Zee Muzic in 2000, revamped in 2005 and finally repackaged as Zing in April 2009 and positioned as a fun loving channel for the young. Sharing with us the thought behind coming up with a show of this nature Bedi said that for Pyar Tune Kya Kiya they drew inspiration from the confidence of the younger generation. “We tried to bring alive a novel concept to the regular love-fiction already on air by adding the unique touch of letting the audience decide for themselves the conclusion of each episode. It gives me great pride to launch Pyaar Tune Kya,” he said.

Briefing us about Zing as an entertainment channel which believes in innovating constantly and where it is heading today he explained, “India has a huge youth viewer base and Zing aims to strengthen its position within this age group by adding new fiction content and music to the current programming. The new positioning is targeted at strengthening Zing’s position in the minds of the youth. These shows are set to epitomize the spirit and lifestyle of the youth across the country. The first show Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya was launched on 23rd May, 2014 and it is in line with the channel’s new positioning. Apart from that, a refreshed library of Bollywood music is interspersed with the existing programming.”

In terms of content, Zing is venturing into the space of fiction shows which basically target the youth. But if we look at the content on television today there is greater focus on the romance, thriller and crime genre. What is making this genre popular amongst viewers? Bedi avers “All channels have content focusing on romance, thrillers and crimes as these are more popular with the youth. Today’s bold younger generation follow their heart and live by their own rules. Broadcasters have developed specific content in order to cater to the mindsets and lifestyles of these viewers.” 

Zing’s new show Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya seeks inspiration from heart throbbing love stories of everyday. Telecasts 13 original episodes the show delves into the lives of star crossed lovers, played by the biggest celebrities on Indian Television depicting real, young, burning love, with raw emotion unlike anything ever witnessed in the Indian home before. Each story is bound in a rich mix of lover’s affection and devotion imprinting the minds of viewers with the question “Isne crime to kiya, lekin kuch galat nahi kiya!”

Other shows in this genre are Yeh Hai Aashiqui, Ishq Kills and Gumraah which too are based on themes of love and crime so how different would the new show be from the rest?  “Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya is unlike any other show on air as its format is completely new to this genre of fiction. It’s open ended in the sense that in every story we present situations that various couples face and things they do to protect their love but ultimately leave it to the viewers themselves to decide the conclusion. This kind of show is very new and we are sure it will gain popularity with the youth as they love making their own decisions,” replied Bedi.

Being the first fiction show launched on Zing, the essence of each story will resonate with each teenage boy or girl across the nation, be it in a small village or a large city. Bedi believes that the youth who are passionate about fighting for their love would have encountered similar situations in their real lives or in the lives of their friends and family. “The content is very real and based on true stories,” says Bedi.

Keeping in line with the unusual show format celebrity hosts, Meiyang Chang and Surbhi Jyoti will take viewers through a journey of the plot, background and characters during each episode. The show which is bold in nature has an amazing start cast including Sana Khan, Shaleen Malhotra, Pratyusha Banerji, Ayaz Ahmed and many more.

Channel V, Bindaas, MTV and others too are youth centric channels. Commenting on how in terms of programming Zing is different from the other channels, he said, “Our competitors are youth oriented too but our content will differentiate us from the others. Zing has recently undergone a complete change in its look and strategy, repositioning itself in the youth audience. The channel, with its all new avatar is promising new fiction shows that will keep the youth hooked and wanting more.”

Zing targets youth and for the channel the key markets are the Northern regions like Delhi, Punjab, Haryana etc. The marketing plan started four weeks prior to the launch of the show.  The channel also utilized social media platforms to promote the show and received great feedback from fans on Twitter and Facebook.

Zing which has been running shows like RiseUp, Page 3 Life, Zing Happy Hours, Zing Back to Back and now lately Pyar Tune Kya Kiya has more plans in the pipeline which will be revealed only at a later stage.

Updating us on the channel’s future plans Bedi concluded to say, “Our focus is currently increasing the youth base, strengthening our position by adding new fiction, fresh content and music to the current programming. The long term plans would be to become the Number One entertainment channel for the youth.”

Discover the fine line between love, passion and crime in “Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya” every week only on Zing.