Viacom looks to monetise rise in viewership in Hindi, Kannada
viewership share, Reliance Industries-owned Viacom18 is aiming to grow revenue market share in Hindi and Kannada general entertainment categories, which generate combined ad revenues of more than ₹9,000 crore each year, said a top company executive.
As per Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data for urban NCCS ABC audiences aged 15-50, the company's Hindi GEC Colors has grown its evening prime-time market share from about 20% in week 27 to 27% in week 49.
Meanwhile, Colors Kannada has lifted its viewership share from 27% in week 27 to a whopping 37.2% in week 49 to become the top Kannada GEC.
Both Colors and Colors Kannada compete with channels run by Disney Star, Zee Entertainment, Sony Pictures Networks India and Sun TV Networks.
Kevin Vaz, chief executive of Viacom18's TV business, said the company's strategy of catering to an entire family by offering a mix of fiction and non-fiction content has played a major role in growing viewership.
Fiction shows primarily attract female audiences, while non-fiction shows like Bigg Boss cut across age and gender.
«Revenue share will grow automatically as viewership share increases. However, there is a time lag in monetising that viewership growth,» Vaz told ET.
He said both Colors and Colors Kannada are onboarding new advertisers even as existing advertisers are boosting their spending on the two channels encouraged by viewership growth.
According to a Pitch Madison report, total TV and digital video ad spends in India stood at ₹31,000 crore and ₹10,000 crore, respectively, in 2022.
Viacom18 recorded a net profit of ₹11 crore on revenue of ₹4,554 crore in FY23.
Having turned around its operations in the Hindi and Kannada markets, Vaz said the network will
