Disney Star to strengthen regional play

New Delhi: The Disney Star network is looking to strengthen its hold on the regional television space, as viewers emerge from the pandemic to demand quality content and are open to discovering new stories and characters that are close to reality. The network commands a leadership position, particularly in the Telugu, Malayalam and Bengali markets, with a 41%, 41%, and 44.4% market share, respectively.

It is also the leading player in the GEC (general entertainment channel) space in Maharashtra, with a 54% share , it said. “Our approach to regional content is driven by the fact that TV penetration is extremely high in these regions. Especially in the southern states, it stands at over 90%. Therefore, we programme a much higher volume of content, including scripted and non scripted shows, for these markets," Krishnan Kutty, head business and content, Disney Star for south India and Maharashtra, said in an interview.

Increasingly, the idea is to create content that can connect with reality and offer audiences aspirational heroes to look up to, Kutty said. The pandemic has led to significant changes in viewers’ lives and tastes, as a result of which their core habits have changed. “This has led to a willingness to explore content across screens, and we have to tap into this evolution," he added.

Disney Star operates channels such as Star Pravah (Marathi), Star Maa (Telugu), Star Vijay (Tamil), Star Suvarna (Kannada), Asianet (Malayalam) and Star Jalsha (Bengali) in the regional television space. To be sure, the regional television portfolio has seen growth, Disney Star claims, and the company has focused on providing wholesome entertainment to family audiences based on deep insights that operations have generated over the years.

Star Maa, the market leader in the Telugu market, features shows such as Brahmamudi, Krishna Mukunda Murari, Nagapanchami, Gunde Ninda Gudi Gantalu and Nuvvu Nenu Prema, apart from fan favourite Bigg Boss. Star Vijay, meanwhile, managed leadership in prime time viewership for around 12 weeks last year and airs shows such as Baakiyalakshmi, Siragadikka Aasai, Pandian Stores, Aha Kalyanam and Mahanadi.

Another success story has been in Maharashtra where Star Pravah rose to the top rank from the third spot and now commands a 54% market share, featuring shows such as Tharala Tar Mag and Premachi Goshta. According to the Ficci EY media and entertainment report 2023, 56% of TV viewership in 2022 was in Indian regional languages.

Assamese, Gujarati, Marathi, and Bhojpuri channels saw the largest growth in reach in that year. In 2022, regional channels received 19% more ad volumes compared with national channels, the report said. Disney Star is owned by Disney India, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Amid growing speculation around Disney selling its business in India, chief executive officer Bob Iger had asserted in November that the company would like to stay put.

“In India, our linear business actually does quite well. It’s making money. But we know that other parts of that business are challenged for us and for others, and we are looking, I’ll call it expansively. We’re considering our options there," Iger had said. Since television continues to be strong in regional markets, it is unsurprising that advertisers look to build brands and deepen engagement on the back of the reach it provides, Kutty pointed out.

“There is a wide class of local businesses which have been built in partnership with our channels. Calling the regional portfolio an extremely critical part of the company’s overall business that has driven growth and been able to build content and consumer connections, he admitted that while OTT is valuable in the convenience it offers to consumers, TV is a shared experience for the family and community.

“Overall, OTT has helped increase the pool of content consumers," he said. Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away!.