Colors (TV channel)

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This article is about the Indian TV channel. For the American TV network, see Colours TV.
Colors
Launched July 21, 2008
Owned by Viacom 18
Country India
Headquarters Mumbai
Sister channel(s) MTV India, Nick India, VH1
India, Studio 18
Website colorstv.in, colorstv.in/uk, aapkacolors.com
Availability
Satellite Airtel digital TV Channel 114
Tata Sky Channel 123
Dish TV Channel 111
Dish Network Channel 651
Sky Channel 829
Cable Hathway Digital Cable Channel 3

Colors, known as Aapka Colors in the U.S., is a Hindi language Indian general
entertainment channel based in Mumbai,[1] part of the Viacom 18 family, which was launched
on July 21, 2008.[2] The channel got a huge popularity just after its launch with Khatron Ka
Khiladi: Fear Factor with Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and due to its successful ratings, it
received a top position among other Hindi general entertainment channels for a little while,
such as Zee TV, Sony TV, STAR Plus, and Sahara One. The network has successfully
completed its 1st year.
Currently, the channel is featuring a number of successful shows, such as Balika Vadhu, Jai
Shri Krishna and Bigg Boss 4, Uttaran, Naa Aana Is Des Laado and Laagi Tujhse Lagan. The
channels' most popular show, Balika Vadhu has been ranked in the TOP 5 shows of Indian
television's TRPs charts, within 3 months of its launch.[3]
On 21 January 2010, Colors became available on Dish Network in the U.S., where it is called
Aapka Colors (Respectfully your Colors) because of a clash with Colours TV.[4] Amitabh
Bachchan served as brand ambassador for the UK and USA launches.[5]
Colors launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky on 25 January 2010.[6] On 9
December 2009, INX Media confirmed that Colors had bought 9XM's Sky EPG slot on
channel 829 and on 5 January 2010, Colors secured a deal to join the VIEWASIA
subscription package.[7][8] EPG tests began on 4 January 2010 using the 9XM stream,
followed by Colors' own video and audio on 8 January.[9][10] Initially the channel was
available free-to-air and then subsequently was added to the VIEWASIA package on 19 April
2010.[11]
[edit] Shows
Dramas
• Balika Vadhu
• Bhagyavidhaata
• Laagi Tujhse Lagan
• Matti Ki Banno
• Na Aana Iss Des Laado
• Rishton Se Badi Pratha
• Uttaran
• Vidhwa
[edit] Food/Fitness
Mallika-E-Kitchen
[edit] Reality
• Bigg Boss 4
[edit] Formerly broadcast by Colors
• 100% De Dhana Dhan • IPL Rockstar
• Aise Karo Naa Vidaa • Jaane Kya Baat Hui
• Agnipareeksha Jeevan Ki - Gangaa • Jai Shri Krishna
• Bairi Piya • Jeevan Saathi
• Bandhan Saat Janamon Ka • Kahaniya Vikram Aur Betaal Ki
• Bigg Boss 2 • Kitchen Champion
• Bigg Boss 3 • Koi Aane Ko Hai
• Chhote Miyan • Maat Pitaah Ke Charnon Mein
• Chhote Miyan Bade Miyan Swarg
• Chhote Miyan Chapter 2 • Mahavir Hanuman
• Dancing Queen • Mere Ghar Aayi Ek Nanhi Pari
• Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena • Mohe Rang De
• Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi • National Bingo Night
• Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi • Rahe Tera Aashirwaad
Level 2 • Rocks India
• Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi • Sajid's Superstars
Level 3 • Sarvopari Shri Swaminarayan
• India's Got Talent Bhagwaan
• India's Got Talent Khoj 2 • Thoda Hai Bas Thode Ki
Zaroorat Hai
• Yeh Pyar Na Hoga Kam
 Viacom 18

Type Public

Industry Television

Founded 28 October 1996

Headquarters Mumbai, India[1]

Key people Raghav Bahl, Chairman and Managing

Director

Website Official Website

Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd. is a 50/50 joint venture operation in India between Viacom and
the Network18 Group based in Mumbai. Viacom 18 owns and operates various channels of
the Viacom group for the Indian viewers, as well as manage various Viacom's consumer
products in India.
[edit] Channels
• Colors
• MTV India
• Nickelodeon India
• VH1 India
• Studio18
Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd. is a 50/50 joint venture operation in India between Viacom Inc.
(NYSE: VIA, VIA.B, world's leading entertainment content company, comprising brands like
BET, MTV Networks and Paramount Pictures) and the Network18 Group, (one of India's
leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, internet, filmed
entertainment, mobile content & allied businesses, comprising brands like CNBC TV18,
CNBC Awaaz, Newswire18, moneycontrol.com, CNN-IBN, IBN 7, Homeshop18 and E18
amongst others). The joint venture includes leading brands across television, film and digital
media to build one of India's leading multimedia entertainment powerhouse. Viacom 18
Media Pvt. Ltd. includes the vibrant youth brand - MTV, the fastest growing kids channel -
Nick, India's only International Music & Lifestyle channel - Vh1 , Studio18, a new-age
motion picture brand that produces, acquires and distributes Hindi films and also launched
the Hindi General Entertainment channel - COLORS. This apart, Viacom18 also runs
Viacom's consumer products business in India. Viacom18 brings together the unique
strengths of two formidable partners, thus forming an entertainment conglomerate that will
have a competitive advantage in serving the needs of both viewers and advertisers. For more
information on Viacom18, Viacom or Network18, log on to www.viacom18.com,
www.viacom.com and www.network18online.com respectively.

IMC
New channel, Colors launched by Viacom18 has already created a stir among the Hindi GEC
owing to its a little off line programming list.
In its latest initiative to become the market leader, Colors is undertaking innovative
promotions targeting Hindi speaking audience in 90 Indian cities.
To begin with, it has used all media such as TV, radio, print, websites, mobiles, movie
theaters and outdoor for promoting the channel. It has placed 1300 hoardings and launched
road shows across the country.
For a more concentrated campaign, 3000 taxis in Mumbai and 2000 auto rickshaws in
small towns along with local trains and school buses have been painted with Colors brand.
Even the efficient dabba service in Mumbai is used to disburse the channel message.
Along with this 65000 ad spots are booked on TV while 15 million SMS have been send
across all telecom operators.
Coming to specific corporate marketing activties, at Big Bazaar stores, helpers and counter-
guys are wearing Colors T-shirts and giving out information about the channel. In
McDonald’s, the Colors brand is present on the menu while Fear Factor Khataron Ke Khiladi
merchandise is available at Pantaloons and McDonalds.
For program specific advertising, Colors has tied up with ISKCON for promoting its
mythological show Jai Sri Krishna at all ISKCON temples. Also, 1000 temples across Hindi
speaking states are being used to promote the show by putting banners on banner stalls and
giving Krishna merchandise, literature and calendars.
For the show Mohe Rang De, Colors has chosen Punjab and Delhi to organise street plays
as these plays were the maximum witness to freedom struggle.
The marketing strategies seems to be quite aggressive and innovative but ultimately it would
depend upon programming quality and show placement to establish its positiong in the Indian
television space. source
FURTHER

The channel broke the monopoly and monotony of family dramas. Not only did it attract
viewers again to the Hindi general entertainment genre, it forced other channels to evaluate
their programming strategy--now it faces the ‘real’ test

I knew we had a pretty good plan in place where content, distribution and scheduling was
concerned, which immediately differentiated us from other GECs (general entertainment
channels). But what I didn’t know is that we were going to be so successful from Day 1,”
says Rajesh Kamat, chief executive of Colors. He still wears a look of disbelief on his face as
he talks about how Colors spiralled to the No. 2 spot in the competitive general entertainment
space within 10 weeks of its launch in July.
The ease with which Colors, the Hindi GEC of Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd, a joint venture
between US media conglomerate Viacom Inc. and Indian media house Network 18 Media
and Investments Ltd, managed to rise is surprising. There had been only one leader in the
GEC space till then—Star Plus. The GEC run by Star India Pvt. Ltd, a News Corp.
subsidiary, had held on to the top spot by a wide margin for nine years. When Colors
debuted, the contenders included Zee Television of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd and
Sony Entertainment Television of Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd, which complacently
occupied the No. 2 and No. 3 slots, respectively, waking up only when a new entrant—such
as NDTV Imagine of New Delhi Television Ltd or 9X of INX Media Pvt. Ltd—joined the
race. But for all the high-voltage launches and marketing campaigns, these newcomers failed
to make a real dent—and it was back to the status quo.
 Dream run: Colors CEO Rajesh Kamat says
the channel had to cancel a few shows and
change some to arrive at an ideal mix which
was differentiated and disruptive. Madhu
Kapparath / Mint
Colors changed all that.
Certain strategic challenges faced by this
genre had till then virtually ruled out any
changes in the channel hierarchy. First, the
cost of content had been going up steadily.
According to estimates by a media buying
agency which did not want to be named, a 30-minute episode of a big-ticket programme,
which cost Rs2-3 crore in 2000, now costs Rs20-30 crore to make.
Second, the overall share in total viewership had been declining. According to TAM Media
Research Pvt. Ltd, a Mumbai-based television audience measurement agency, the
viewership share for the Hindi GEC genre fell from 24.2% in 2004 to 22.6% in 2007 before
moving up to 23.2% in 2008.
Industry professionals put this down to changes in the television- watching habits of
consumers. Viewers wanted newer, shorter shows with an international appeal. The days of
52-episode family dramas or religious serials were over. “A sense of fatigue had set into the
whole saas-bahu saga and the Ramayana and Mahabharata serials...there was a dire need for
differentiated content to pull viewers back into this genre...and that is exactly what Colors
did,” says Hiren Pandit, managing partner of GroupM ESP, the entertainment, sports and
partnerships division of media buyer GroupM.
Agrees Kamat: “We broke a certain monotony that was setting into the Hindi GEC space
with the soaps and serials that were based on one common theme...this formula was clearly
not working. So we decided to come in with new content, new faces and basically things that
viewers cannot associate another channel or programme with—it had to be fresh.”
Also See Remote Control (Graphic)
Their launch had its share of criticism. Industry experts were dismissive, saying the channel
had no future, especially because its parent companies, Viacom and Network 18, brought
little experience to this genre. Viacom had not had much success with the children’s channel
Nickelodeon, while its music channel MTV had slipped from the top rank.
“The companies that launched Colors did not have a track record in this space. The challenge
for them was, will they have distribution in place and how will they cope with the high
carriage fees?” says Pandit.

All doubts were soon put to rest. Colors had an impressive 81 gross rating points, or GRPs, in
its debut week starting 20 July. The ranking that week was: Star Plus (315 GRPs), Zee TV
(216), Sony Entertainment Television (99), NDTV Imagine (94) and 9X (87)—GRP is the
sum of ratings achieved by a specific media vehicle or schedule; it represents the percentage
of the target audience reached by a programme. Colors had a 7% viewership share against
Star Plus’ 27% and Zee TV’s 19%.
According to the latest TAM data for the week starting 15 February, Star Plus had 302 GRPs,
Colors 234, Zee TV 204, Sony 75, NDTV Imagine 73 and 9X 28. Colors had a 21%
viewership share in the Hindi GEC genre, while Star Plus and Zee TV had 27% and 18%,
respectively.
Eight months after its launch, Colors is a well-entrenched channel available in 66.8 million
homes, with a 24% market share. The channel has 200 of the 280 advertisers in the Hindi
GEC space on board, up from 10 on the first day.
Its advertising rates are on a par with other leading channels, with a 10-second spot going for
Rs1.5 lakh—at the beginning, it was as low as Rs20,000, according to a media buyer who did
not want to be named. According to industry watchers, the channel clocked Rs300 crore in
turnover in October-December, though company officials declined to confirm the figure.
The channel’s success has had other benefits. “Colors has done two things. First, it has
expanded the Hindi GEC pie. Earlier, it was eight or nine channels attracting 800-1,000
GRPs but after Colors, it has increased to 1,200,” says Anand Shah, media research analyst at
Mumbai-based Angel Broking Ltd. “Secondly, because of Colors, Star Plus and Zee started
evaluating their programming strategy,” says Shah. “Saas-bahu episodes were not working so
Star did away with it... new and improved programme is unfolding from the existing players
of the Hindi GEC genre.”
In some time bands, the channel is giving Star Plus a run for its money. Its flagship
programme Balika Vadhu has consistently outperformed programmes on rival channels in the
same time slot. According to Colors, the serial had the highest TVR of 10.18% on 26
February. TVR, or television viewership rating, is the proportion of the potential TV audience
that watches a programme.
Since September, Star Plus has begun doing away with the ‘K’ serials produced by Ekta
Kapoor, and this month will see some more family dramas going off-air. “There is intense
competition among the channels. Colors has some good shows (and) so does Zee. Star One,
Sony and NDTV Imagine also have been launching shows in the last couple of months. Add
to that the fact that there is a new channel... (Real),” says Keertan Adyanthaya, executive
vice-president and general manager, Star Plus.
New programme offerings are indeed the new mantra. Star Plus is launching four new shows
for its prime-time spot, including a soap called Sabki Laadli—Bebo about a family that craves
a girl child—interestingly, a completely different take from the new soap on female
infanticide lined up for Colors, Na Aana Is Des Laado.
For Zee TV, programmes such as reality dance show Dance India Dance and Chhoti Bahu, a
soap that also strategically stays away from the saas- bahu theme, have proved beneficial.
The channel had inched closer to Colors by the end of February.
Luck apart, industry professionals say Colors’ disruptive programming strategy did the trick.
“Colors (was) launched with two blockbuster properties Khatron Ke Khiladi and Bigg Boss
2, which won them the eyeballs immediately. Then for soaps they addressed social issues and
stayed away from the family drama,” says a senior media buying expert involved with the
channel who did not want to be named.
Agrees Kamat: “Our learnings from other channels were that we needed a big-ticket item for
the launch. We were confident about our distribution but it was content we were looking out
for. We had to cancel a few shows and change a few shows to arrive at an ideal mix which
was differentiated and disruptive. As regards marketing, we leveraged on the strength of the
network to funnel audiences to us initially.”
Apart from the risks it took on the programming front, the channel also spent close to Rs40
crore on promotion, according to a senior advertising executive who did not want to be
named. Colors had an added advantage in that it is a free-to-air channel and was able to
establish a large viewer base within a short time. Most of its rivals are pay channels.
But as the dream run continues for Colors, its team isn’t ignoring reality. “We have pinched
ourselves often but we have to get ‘real’, no pun intended,” says Kamat, in a reference to
Real, the Hindi GEC by Real Global Broadcasting Pvt. Ltd, or RGB, an equal joint venture
between Alva Brothers Entertainment and Turner International that was launched on 3
March. Real poses a threat to all existing players with its established content production
group of Miditech Pvt. Ltd, which has produced successful shows such as the Indian Idol
series and Fame Gurukul for Sony and MAD, a children’s how-to-do programme, for Pogo, a
Turner channel.
Real is following in the footsteps of Colors: It had a similar launch strategy and an equally
big marketing campaign. It has debuted with two big-ticket properties, including the reality
show Sitaron Ko Choona Hai and Ninja Pandav, a serial on martial art experts who save the
world from destruction.
“We need to be very distinctive in our offerings, which is why we have deliberately chosen
our proposition of being about real people and real entertainment—it will be reality TV and
drama side by side,” says Sunil Lulla, director, RGB. “The Hindi GEC now has some 12
players, so there is (an) opportunity for segmentation and differential offerings, so channels
will look at different ways of entertaining people and creating a space for themselves.”
Colors is working to ensure this year is as successful for it. To begin with, it is expected to
become a pay channel from 1 April. Further, it has added four shows to its portfolio—Na
Aana Is Des Laado and Mere Ghar Aayi Ek Nanhi Pari, a horror show Koi Aane Ko Hai, and
reality show Chhote Miyan Bade Miyan. There is also Fear Factor-Khatron Ke Khiladi Level
2 and the third season of Bigg Boss.
It is also entering the afternoon space in three months. “Prime-time TV is still the
breadwinner, and afternoon yield is the lowest, but from a channel’s strategy standpoint you
need to have (the) afternoon to de-risk the ratings,” says Kamat.
Kamat is unfazed by the current slowdown and apprehensions of a fall in ad revenues. “The
shares in the ad revenue pie will certainly be realigned now. We now have a 23-25% share in
viewership in the GEC space and we want to match that in terms of ad revenue pie. We are
on track to match that objective,” he says.
The channel will benefit from negotiating from a position of strength—with GRPs having
crossed the 250 mark a few times, the effective ad rates it asks for and gets will be much
higher. If it was nibbling at the leftovers last season, since advertising money typically gets
allocated in March-April for the entire fiscal, this time it can pick and choose. The channel is
looking at getting on board another 50-60 advertisers. “All these will see us through in a year
which is otherwise expected to be more challenging,” says Kamat.