News TV kicks into high gear as elections rolls on

livemint.com:

NEW DELHI : Year 2024 was expected to be a blockbuster for TV news channels, and it has lived up to its billing. The Ram temple consecration ceremony in January brought viewership gains, and advertising rates that were 3-4 times higher for a 10-second spot. The ongoing elections promise to bring a bigger bonanza, both in terms of viewership and advertising revenue, and TV channels have drawn up an elaborate strategy to cash in on the campaign frenzy that's beginning to build up.

From ground reportage and expert panels to interviews with key political leaders and special shows, channels say the idea is to ensure all aspects of national and regional politics are covered. Media-industry experts expect a 25-30% increase in viewership during the nearly 2-month, 7-phase voting that concludes with the counting of the ballots on 4 June. GroupM expects companies to spend ₹1,500-2,000 crore in advertising across mediums, including TV channels.

Fast-moving consumer goods, automobiles, building materials, and white goods companies are likely to be the top advertisers in their quest to grab eyeballs and boost sales. “This 18th Lok Sabha election will be the longest in terms of duration, with seven phases, which can cause fatigue in terms of interest," Ritu Dhawan, managing director, India TV, said. "We have strategized our approach where we emphasize on statistics, ground coverage and key expert opinions.

To gauge the actual political scenario, we have deployed multiple reporters in different constituencies. Interviews have been lined up with influential political leaders and multiple new election shows and events have been introduced," she added. On polling days, the channel’s reporters would be on the ground, bringing details about