Zee's twin strategy targets new hyperlocal viewers, smarter ad outcomes

Mint

18-07-2025

Mumbai: To keep pace with fragmenting viewers and demanding advertisers, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) is rolling out a two-pronged strategy to rewire the rules of both storytelling and monetisation in Indian television. The broadcaster is expanding its regional television portfolio and launching a performance-focused advertisement platform that aims to deliver measurable return on investment (ROI).
The company is launching two new hybrid general entertainment channels (GEC), Zee Power in Kannada and Zee BanglaSonar in Bengali, under its rebranded identity, Yours Truly, Z. The move underscores Zee's bet on the regional markets, particularly in smaller towns, where traditional TV still commands strong viewership. Both channels are designed to tap into sharply segmented audiences with culturally specific programming.
Simultaneously, Zee is turning its attention to advertisers with R.I.S.E (Results Integration Strategy Engagement), a new B2B platform that integrates the company's assets across TV, streaming, digital, and influencer marketing. The initiative aims to give brands full-funnel visibility and trackable outcomes, a response to growing demand for accountable, performance-led marketing campaigns.
'We are not here to just sell media, but growth,' said Ashish Sehgal, chief growth officer at ZEEL. 'Every rupee spent in our ecosystem is designed to be scalable, smart, and accountable.'
In Karnataka, Zee's flagship channel Zee Kannada leads the market with a 44% share and dominates the fiction genre with all 10 of the top 10 shows. The broadcaster, however, sees more potential and is adding Zee Power, a younger-skewed, high-intensity GEC to its portfolio, aiming to tap into impatient, semi-urban viewers, who prefer fast-paced, finite story arcs.
'There's a clear white space for alternative narratives, audiences who want emotionally resonant but crisper storytelling,' said Siju Prabhakaran, chief cluster officer – South and West. 'Zee Power complements our existing brand and keeps us future-ready.'
The new channel will launch in August, converted from the existing movie channel Zee Picchar. It will feature five original fiction shows and one non-fiction property, in addition to films and occasional premieres. The goal is to create a sharper positioning for newer, progressive themes while leveraging full distribution and recall from day one.
Prabhakaran noted that while movie channels once drove bulk viewership, their economics have weakened significantly. 'Satellite movie rights have been commoditized. Original fiction gives us higher return on investment and greater control of content outcomes,' he said.
The content strategy also links back to digital, with Zee developing a micro-drama ecosystem for mobile viewing, short-form, vertical stories that never air on TV, but help feed the larger content flywheel into ZEE5.
In Bengal, the launch of Zee BanglaSonar marks a significant repositioning. The new GEC replaces Zee Bangla Cinema, and will target the underserved male and small-town audiences, with a strong mix of action fiction, regional sports, folklore, gamified non-fiction, and daily films.
'Zee Bangla has a stronghold in urban, female-driven viewership. BanglaSonar is built to complement that with a male-inclusive, mass-market play,' said Samrat Ghosh, chief cluster officer – East, North & premium cluster, ZEEL. 'The content is more movie-like in tone and rooted in cultural specificity, with formats we haven't typically seen on TV.'
The Bengali TV market remains underpenetrated, with 66% television reach versus a national average of 71%, and lower weekly time spent compared to southern states. Ghosh sees this as a latent growth opportunity. 'Our two-channel strategy will help deepen viewership while also expanding the advertising pie, especially for male-focused brands,' he said.
The company will also scale its in-house movie production under the 'Cinema Originals' banner, which has already delivered 100+ direct-to-TV titles. Some upcoming titles will premiere theatrically before moving to ZEE5 and BanglaSonar, aligning with Zee's omnichannel windowing model.
While the GEC launches address Zee's content play, R.I.S.E is a parallel attempt to redefine its advertiser narrative. In a media environment where brands, particularly digital natives and small and medium businesses (SMBs) are looking for performance, Zee is looking to position itself not just as a media company but as a business enabler.
Held first in Mumbai and now travelling to Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata, the R.I.S.E platform brings together CMOs, brand owners, venture capitalists, and agencies, offering a view of Zee's integrated stack across 41 TV channels, OTT platform ZEE5, YouTube, social platforms, music, regional IPs, and influencers.
'We've evolved from selling inventory to delivering full-funnel impact. From mass awareness to hyperlocal conversion, the entire chain is now measurable,' Sehgal said.
The pitch includes performance-based solutions, small-ticket offerings for emerging brands, and AI-led attribution tools to link media spending to business outcomes.
As spendings on ads rise ahead of the quarter that includes key festivals, Zee's big bet is that its dual-channel expansion and omnichannel monetisation play can help it consolidate leadership, while appealing to both traditional TV buyers and a new generation of ROI-obsessed marketers.