We want to build a rural TV network through language, genre expansion: Bharat Ranga

Beginnen Media, the company helmed by media veteran Bharat Ranga, has big plans going forward. The company, which owns and operates rural-focussed Hindi GEC Azaad TV, plans to launch a suite of channels in the regional language space. It also aims to launch channels in different genres like movie and kids among others. Beginnen Media also plans to create non-media products for rural consumers once the network builds a strong relationship with the audience. Ranga spoke to exchange4media about the progress made by Azaad TV and the company's plans ahead.

Excerpts:

What is your game plan to make Beginnen Media a successful venture?

There are three steps. Step 1 is the launch of this brand, Azaad TV. Step 2 is to make the entertainment project successful. Step 3 is to get the network in place in languages as well as genre side because there is a rural Bengal, there is a rural Maharashtra, and there is a rural Karnataka. We want to build a rural TV network. We will pick and select some rural markets in languages and genre side. Since there are not many movies for single screens, so there is a movie channel that is required. We also want to understand the kids' category. We have launched animation band with that thought in mind.

Then our real journey will begin. Entertainment is just a way to reach these consumers. The reason we want to be consumer focussed is not to create just these channels but to establish a relationship with them. Once rural audiences find Azaad a credible platform, it will be very easy for us to create non-media products for them. There are many such areas that we have identified where rural consumers want to be catered to.

What progress has Azaad TV made since its launch?

We wanted to create a unique platform for rural audiences, and we knew that it is not going to be easy, especially because rural audiences are exposed to everything that urban audiences are consuming. The FTA market focussed channels of pay broadcasters carry more or less similar content. We knew that when we start offering them stories from their perspective, it would initially surprise them and make them take notice of it. We did anticipate that they would take time to understand that there is a channel which is telling them their stories. Once they relate to our content, there is no stopping them from coming to our platform.

Our plan was to come up with original stories for them. Currently, this audience segment doesn't have any content which is created for them. The pandemic delayed our original content strategy, which is why we had to start the channel with acquired content, films, and some animation content. Therefore, there is a slow growth in that sense. Our original content in prime-time has seen 60% growth in the last two months. Launching original shows in the prime-time is the largest risk that we have taken as went against some of the best shows of large networks. Prime-time is the most difficult phase in the GEC environment. We have already launched three shows and have launched a fourth one on 15th November. We have one more show which is in the pre-production stage.

Furthermore, we believe that as original content will start taking over the FPC, the rural audiences would start taking note of that.

Have you started monetising Azaad TV?

Apart from being consumer focussed, we have also created a unique model. We want to establish a new business model for Azaad TV, and we are happy that we are able to do that. We have a dual revenue stream of advertising and subscription, but we are an FTA channel. Our subscription revenue comes from digital in a B2B format. We did an exclusive content deal with MX Player. From the beginning, we were clear that we will not create our own digital platform, and we would rather go with a platform. MX Player is the default digital destination for Azaad TV content. We wanted a digital partner who is equally excited about rural India. MX Player has a large rural base, and they want to expand it more. There is a commonality of objectives between the two partners. Digital will help us reach audiences which we would not be able to reach otherwise.

We have 7-8 advertisers on-board. We managed to add Top FMCG major Godrej to the roster apart from Indira IVF with increased investments from HUL, Reckitt and L'Oréal. For us, selling advertising inventory has not been a problem, but it's about how soon we can fetch the yield. So, yield is linked to the value that one is able to create. We have the advantage of getting feedback through BARC and our digital partner. As the combined reach grows, and we get a sense of real traction, it will be possible for us to fetch the yield that we deserve. We plan to have 15 minutes of advertisements in a clock hour.

What is your content strategy?

We plan to begin with 2.5 hours of original content in prime-time, out of which 2 hours are already done. In the non-prime time, we have a 5-hour band of animation content for kids. In the morning, we have devotional content. We have also acquired some shows from Disney Star network and Sahara TV. In about four months, we have already got 52% of DD Free Dish audience sampling us without much marketing. DD Free Dish is a unique platform as it is analogue digital. To get a good reach on DD Free Dish, a channel needs to launch on a frequency which has a good manually tuned base. Channel discovery is a huge challenge on DD Free Dish. Whenever a channel gets allotted a frequency on DD Free Dish, by the time the viewers know that this new channel has launched, it could be one year.

What was the idea behind launching Azaad TV?

The thought was to create a unique channel that caters to rural audiences because urban audiences are served well both through TV and OTT. Historically, rural has been a fringe market, but everyone realised the importance of this market once there was a saturation in the urban market. We are going through the same rigours and challenges that other industries went through while catering to this large consumer base.

The other part is that media industry is going through certain changes. On the face of it, it looks like a shift from linear TV to OTT. But the real shift is the movement from a creative-led industry to a consumer-led industry. We believe that we are truly consumer focussed, and we also realised that rural was a huge audience segment which was untapped. It is being tapped currently by FTA mode where the same urban content is repackaged, but we realised that it was the time for us to create original content. It is something similar to how regional TV began in India, wherein national content was initially dubbed in local languages followed by creation of original local content. This is the journey we are taking right now.

Also, TV penetration in rural areas is growing at a much faster pace along with the average time spent (ATS). They might not be engaging so much with the pay GECs, but they are watching movies, sports, news etc. All the major indicators point to the fact that there is a big pie going there, but nobody seems to be focussing there, and that's how we saw the opportunity.

Is there really an urban-rural divide when it comes to content?

On the face of it, one can say that content is universal. There is a certain type of content which has got universal appeal, but a large chunk of the audience are seeking original content with a localised flavour. Currently, rural India is consuming everything that is made for urban, but our research shows that majority of rural audience doesn't consume free content but actually consumes pay content. On pay platforms, they are consuming pay channels and not FTA channels. So, it's a myth that all FTA is equal to rural. They are watching pay channels and not FTA because the same content is offered everywhere. Their engagement level on these pay GECs is not that high because they don't find the content meaningful enough.

The way measurement of audience is happening on BARC, top networks have realised that they can either be urban or rural channels, so they focussed all their storytelling purely for urban audiences. This is happening ever since the TRAI became strict about it following the implementation of NTO 1.0 in 2019. This is when the BARC decided that ratings will have to be separate for urban and rural. Suddenly, top networks stopped talking about their HSM ratings and started talking about their urban ratings. The buying and selling process has changed. The advertisers have started buying urban ratings of pay channels. This pay content even if it is set in rural context is written entirely from an urban audience point of view. Rural audiences who pay for these channels don't find them meaningful enough. Which is why movie channels have a larger reach than GECs in rural HSM. This means that the drama consumption is less, and they are ready for a change. Slowly, they will want to watch stories which they can relate to and is produced keeping their tastes in mind.

Are you heavily dependent on DD Free Dish to reach rural audience?

As I told, the majority of rural India accesses pay platforms, but there is a bigger challenge there. Rural subscribers on pay platforms just don't go to FTA channels. They remain around the pay channels like GEC, movies, etc. Our conversation with all pay platforms was that we are an original content based rural channel and don't put us along with FTA channels because we are giving original content. But they are not willing to listen.

Which are the key markets that you have identified?

For us, the key markets are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan. These states have high rural base and TV penetration is good, barring Bihar. We believe that the stories that we have created are closer to their hearts. Rural Maharashtra also has a great affinity for Hindi content. Hindi FTA channels work very well in rural Maharashtra. DD Free Dish also has a good penetration in Maharashtra. After these four markets, we are going to tap Maharashtra. Gujarat and Punjab have high affinity for pay GECs.

Currently, what is Azaad TV's reach and time spent?

Our reach is 16.5 to 17% in HSM. Our weekly reach is 5-5.5%. We will be in a good position once the weekly reach goes up. Most of our original shows began with 5 minutes of time spent, which has now reached 8-10 minutes in 1.5 months. There is a clear growth in time spent. For us, reach is a big issue. Top GECs have 16 minutes of time spent on their top ranking shows.

From December, we are launching our originals in off prime-time also. This will help us to allow greater sampling of content. We didn't want to open the off prime-time slot till we launched four shows. We will reduce the animation content to 3-3.5 hours. We used animation content as a reach builder. Kids are an important TG, so we will keep some animation content on the platform.

What is the positioning of this channel?

It's female focussed family entertainment channel. Just like in urban India, we have single TV phenomenon, in rural we have 7-8 homes watching one TV set. If we only focus on female audience, we will miss out on others. That said, female audiences remain the heavy-duty viewers. Switch on is done by females.

What are the viewership trends in rural HSM?

There is some difference in viewing patterns of urban and rural audiences, but the difference is marginal. In rural, some bit of viewing happens in morning, evening and prime-time. The prime-time in rural starts at 5 pm and goes on till 10 pm, whereas in urban the prime-time extends all the way till 11 pm. In terms of FPC, rural audiences start early and end early. Our prime-time starts at 5 pm and ends at 9.30 pm. Other channels start their prime-time at 6.30 pm.