MTV India targets regional versions of flagship properties for reach beyond Hindi-speaking markets

livemint.com:

reality shows such as Roadies, Splitsvilla and Hustle. “The question we’re asking ourselves now is if we can transition from just the Hindi-speaking market to regional versions.

That is the next opportunity because all of those audiences are very discerning and most of our peers cannot speak of IP ownership the way we can," Anshul Ailawadi, head, youth, music and English entertainment at Viacom18 said in an interview. Some of the relevant IPs include the network’s longest-running property, MTV Roadies, a youth adventure reality show currently in its 19th season and MTV Hustle, the rap reality show, which helped in the discovery of underground hip-hop artists.

Ailawadi said these IPs can be accessed by the target audience, which is the 15-24 cohort, across short video platforms, linear television or streaming services. The company has also forayed into consumer experiences through a Roadies-inspired experiential holiday staycation called Roadies Rostel, in collaboration with Leisure ARC in Ahmedabad and a Roadies Koffeehouz, launched in several locations including Chandigarh and recently Surat.

Besides, Viacom18 has KaanPhod, that it describes as an artist-first label that offers music tracks, unscripted shows, documentaries on music personalities, masterclasses and even live jam sessions with artists. Ailawadi said engagement among audiences starts on social media such as Facebook and Instagram besides YouTube and the company’s own streaming platform JioCinema that has scaled up post the latest season of the IPL (Indian Premier League).