Sponsors are No 1 on Sony’s Govinda show

Sponsors are No 1 on Sony’s Govinda show
Anuradha Raman

New Delhi, December 18: Sony’s answer to Kaun Banega Corepati (KBC), set to storm TV screens on January 12, has taken the advertising fraternity by surprise. Sony has assured advertisers -- verbally -- that if the viewership of Chappar Phad Ke (CPK) anchored by Govinda falls below a guaranteed rating, they will get their paisa vasul. In other words, Sony has promised to compensate advertisers with attractive ad-rates (at a discount) on its platform. But CEO Kunal Dasgupta does not want to divulge his strategy.

The assurance, normally a practise in the West because of good audience prediction models, is unprecedented here. ``Either Govinda is a big draw or Kunal Dasgupta is confident that CPK will prove true to its name,'' says a media observer, adding either way, it is an ambitious plan.

At a time when ZEE's programme, Sawaal Dus Crore Ka (SDCK), just dipped in viewership ratings, Sony's bold promise has come as a surprise.

The advertisement rates are likely to be pegged at Rs 2.75 lakh for 10 seconds, a rate much higher than what Star started with on its KBC show. Star has only recently revised its ad rates to Rs 3.75 lakhs for 10 seconds of advertising -- further hiking it to Rs 4 lakh.

While KBC, after its launch on July 2, changed the fortunes of other programmes in the Star family by taking at least 16 programmes of Star to the top 50 list!

The latest figures from TAM to which Star subscribes to, shows 11 programmes of Star in the top 10 list while ZEE's programme Koshish Ek Aasha comes at number 12 with a TRP of 5.7.

SDCK, on Zee Television, which started on October 24, had the opposite effect of dragging other programmes down along with it. Before the launch of KBC, ZEE had 32 programmes featuring in the top 50 list, Star had three. Post-SDCK, the story had reversed for ZEE, even as the broadcaster works out an alternative to keep the programme and its viewership intact.

While Sony sources are tightlipped about the frequency of the show, and the time slot, it is learnt that Chote Miyan will be pitted against Bade Miyan in a battle of wits with the prize money ranging between white goods and bigger prize money. Videocon, Electrolux are likely to sponsor the show on Sony. Talks with Maruti, which got stalled because of the strikes in the car company, are still on.