Channel V to launch Exhausted, Kidnap, Dare to Date, School of Cool new reality shows

Channel V plans to overhaul its programming, to arrest low TRPs, by launching new shows from August 22, 2009.The music-centric channel will now focus on reality shows. Around 60 per cent of its programs would be reality shows and the remaining 40 per cent would be music shows.

Earlier, music shows accounted for 90 per cent of the channel’s programming, while other shows accounted for the remaining 10 per cent.

New reality shows will include game shows like Exhausted and Kidnap, a blind dating show, Dare to Date, and Lola Sunday, Campus Blog, and School Of Cool aimed at college-going youth.

The Channel has roped in production house, Endemol, to produce their main show, Exhausted. In the show, participants will have to complete a list of tasks for 48 hours, without sleep.

Channel V’s General Manager, Prem Kamath said, “In the first quarter itself, we have launched five new shows. This revamp would help us differentiate far more significantly.”

He also said that music channels have to constantly reinvent to keep their target audience intact.

“We were one of the first few music channels to air reality shows, we have just extended the content keeping in mind the current trend. Also, though we
have reduced the content of music but the percentage still remains high,” he further added.

In a booming TV media market, Channel V has a market share of only 8 per cent, which has increased marginally from 6 per cent.

This is the fifth time in five years that Channel V has gone in for a revamp. A major reason its revamp plans do not work is because it has been slow to respond to audience tastes.

The channel’s  main rival, MTV, was quick to adapt to local tastes after its launch. The channel quickly moved towards Hindi programming when it realized that international music was not drawing in audiences.

Despite being the first channel in India to launch a reality show, Coke [V] Popstars, in 2002, the channel was not able to cash in on the reality show boom.

MTV launched its reality show, MTV Roadies, in 2003, which is in its sixth season now.

Channel V is now making an attempt to reclaim lost ground in reality shows, when the novelty factor has been long eroded.