Culturally Yours, says ZEE, expanding regional footprint further with the launch of 4 new regional channels

With an endeavor to leverage the opportunity that the new India of tomorrow presents, leading media & entertainment powerhouse Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL), announced today that it will further strengthen its regional portfolio to serve the many Bharats within our country. In line with this, ZEE unveiled four new channels - Punjabi GEC Channel - Zee Punjabi and three movie channels - Zee Biskope (Bhojpuri), Zee Thirai (Tamil) & Zee Picchar (Kannada) to add to the extraordinary kaleidoscope of cultures and to successfully continue its journey of winning hearts of viewers across the many Bharats.

29 states…a plethora of myriad cultures…and a billion dreams! India is the proverbial melting pot of cultures where every state has the scale and diversity of a country. In order to win people's hearts in any region of India, one needs to understand them in their cultural context and engage with them in their own 'bhaasha' or 'boli'.

At ZEE, we have always valued the diversity of the cultures and people that exist within 'a mini India' that thrives in every part of the country. As the leading Media & Entertainment powerhouse, we have always led the way in not only talking to the consumer in their language but also taking inspiration from their lives and understanding of their cultures, ambitions, fears, challenges, and moments of celebration. We translate this cultural soul to screen through our stories which has been fueling our success for almost 3 decades now.

Speaking on the occasion, Punit Misra, CEO - Domestic Broadcast Business, ZEEL said, “ZEEL has completed 27 illustrious years, now entertaining over 800mn* people across India, 650mn* of which comes through our non-Hindi offerings. We at ZEEL have always believed that deep understanding of cultures across the many Bharats, and then serving people entertainment rooted in each culture is what wins hearts, be it through original shows, or through curation of content like movies. As India's leading broadcaster with successful channel offerings across states, we have consistently showcased our capability to understand the cultural pulse of our extraordinary country. This is at the core of our differentiated strategy at ZEEL. Our newest offerings are designed to add to our growth trajectory, further cementing our belief in winning hearts across many Bharats.”

“At ZEE we have always believed that at the heart of storytelling lies culture, and for successful and endearing stories, one needs to obsess about getting deep inside this cultural core of each of our regions. This “soul to screen” approach is what helps us bring alive the spirit of that region through unique stories, relatable charming characters and boli that drives love for our brands and helps us belong to our audiences. From a highly TV penetrated but hugely under-consumed latent Punjabi GEC opportunity to insatiable, thriving demand for movies in the Bhojpuri, Tamil and Kannada markets, the regional need gaps present the perfect opening to further deepen these bonds. We crafted and curated these four new offerings powered by deep viewer understanding, loads of passion and hoping that our viewers enjoy them as much as we did creating them!”, said Prathyusha Agarwal, Chief Marketing Officer, ZEEL.

Winning hearts of viewers across the many Bharats - Key Highlights

1. Zee Punjabi: 1st Punjabi GEC that will celebrate Punjab with stories of Punjabiyat. A tribute to Punjabi “Jazba” of “Kar Vakhon da”

Over 20 hours of original weekly content. Epic story of Heer Ranjha to lead the Fiction offerings.

Zee Punjabi will bring the humour of Vilayati Bhabhi, Valor of Kamli Ishq Di, Drama of Khasmanu Khani and Boundless Love of Tu Patang Mein Dor to Punjabi viewers.

Biggest Reality Show of Punjab – Sa Re Ga Ma Pa with Gurdas Maan as mentor and Jazzy B, Sonu Kakkar and Jaidev Kumar as judges.

Blockbuster Cinema, Ground Connect Shows, Chartbusting Music will be on offer as well.

(*Source: BARC Data, All ZEE Channels Cum. Reach, 2+; India (U+R); Wk 50'18-49'19)

(**Source: BARC Data, All ZEE Regional Channels Cum. Reach, 2+; India (U+R); Wk 50'18-49'19)

2. Zee Thirai: A new Tamil movie channel that will represent the passion of Tamilians for their cinema and will fuel their heroic spirit through powerful movies

Library of 400+ celebrated titles from Tamil Cinema including a wide spectrum of genres from blockbuster hits to critically acclaimed movies which include Mersal, 2.0, Kanna, Nerkonda Parvai, Irumbuthirai, Dhilluku Dhuttu 2, Kolamavu Kokila among many others
For the first time ever for any Tamil movie channel, a premiere every week of the year with 52 premieres in 52 weeks
Uninterrupted entertainment with Breakless movies in the afternoon slot
A grand first look of the channel at the Zee Cine Awards Tamil in January 2020

3. Zee Picchar: A new Kannada movie channel that will make every day a superhit day for the Kannadiga families

Library of 350+ celebrated titles spanning across genres and generations from timeless classics like Mayura, Jogi, Milana, Bul Bul to new age trendsetters like Pailwan, Kurukshetra to four out of top five highest ever rated movies on television like Doddmane Hudga, Hebbuli, Nattasarvabhowma and The Villain
Launching with 12 Picchar premieres to be aired on 12 consecutive days
One-break movie at specific slots for entertainment with minimal disruptions

4. Zee Biskope: A new Bhojpuri Movie Channel to rejoice Bhojpuriyat Aathon Pehar (24/7)

Library of 300+ superhit movies with the biggest blockbuster movies of the last 5 years and the biggest hits of the top 3 superstars of Bhojiwood – Nirahua, Pawan & Khesari
World Television Premier movies every weekend
Curated slots including Lablitis, Fattam Fight and Jilla Top amongst others, based on consumer & cultural insights with a Bhojpuriya Tadka
A movie ++ content mix comprising of movie songs, events and special shows
The channel boasts movies across eras featuring the legends and the current heartthrobs of Bhojiwood
With the brand proposition Aathon Pahariya Luta Lahariya, we are creating a space for the viewers to rejoice their Bhojpuriyat to its unabashed best

ZEE is currently present across 8 regional languages (Marathi, Bengali, Oriya, and Bhojpuri in HSM and all four southern languages), boasting of 12 SD and 8 HD channels, reaching almost 200 mn people every day*. With the upcoming launches, we will be expanding into a 11th language - Punjabi, while further strengthening our presence in Kannada, Tamil, and Bhojpuri.

An extraordinary country with a diverse cultural milieu deserves extraordinary entertainment! With a portfolio of 42 SD and HD channels across various entertainment genres and 10 languages catering to the consumer's every entertainment need, and with four new offerings, Zee Entertainment offers viewers a kaleidoscope of quality content firmly positioning itself as the one stop entertainment destination for your entire family!

Annexure 1

ZEE's Regional Growth Story - Key Highlights

ZEE's regional portfolio contributes to more than 50% of its overall share, with GECs contributing almost 90% of ZEE's regional share.

ZEE is the dominant market leader across Marathi, Bangla, and Kannada.
ZEE holds a commanding position in the Marathi cluster through its GEC and Movie offerings, leading in both genres.
In the Marathi & Bangla markets, ZEE has maintained an undisputed market leadership with over 50% share in both markets. While Zee Marathi has been a market leader for 7 consecutive years, Zee Bangla has been a strong leader for the last 2 years consistently.
Zee Kannada has been a consistent growth driver and has surpassed its nearest competitor to become the market leader, a position the channel has been maintaining for almost 50 weeks.
Zee Keralam, the newest entrant in the ZEE bouquet is amongst the most successful channel launches in the last five years, by gaining a 10% share* across the Malayalam GEC genre within a year of its launch.

(Source: BARC Viewership Data, for market share: YTD FY20 Apr - Oct, relevant Urban markets and 15+ TG; for leadership – relevant periods, markets and TG)

(*BARC, TG: Universe, Gender : Male and Female, Age : 2+ Yrs, NCCS : ABCD/E, Market : Kerala Urban, Platform : Both, Duration : Avg of 30 Mins, Weekly Share in Malayalam GEC Genre (ZEE Keralam, Asianet, Mazhavil Manorama, Flowers TV, Surya TV, Kairali TV, Amrita TV) Time Band: 24 Hrs, Period : Week 48, 2019 Date : 23rd Nov to 29th Nov)

Annexure 2

New Channel Launches - Key Details

Zee Punjabi is the first 'Punjab ka Apna GEC' which understands the pulse of the people of Punjab and will bring stories infused in local language. The channel reflects the beliefs, ideas, and attitudes of a Punjabi and will narrate stories of the inherent Punjabi spark. With the brand promise 'Jazba kar vakhon da', i.e. “Passion of making impossible possible”, Zee Punjabi aims to be the fuel that will pole vault people towards their extraordinary dreams.

Zee Punjabi will go on-air in January 2020, with a robust programming calendar that will be a mix of both fiction and non-fiction shows along with an extensive movie library. The channel understands the pulse of the people of Punjab and will focus on local stories from the Punjab heart land and bring out the essence of the Punjabi culture and way of life. The original fiction show line-up includes Khasma Nu Khani, Kamli Ishq Di, Tun Patang Main Dor, Heer Ranjha, Vilayati Bhabhi and one animated series - Chaar Shahibzaade. In addition, the channel has path- breaking non-fiction shows including Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Hasdeya De Ghar Vasde, Jee Aaya Nu and Aajo Jine Khedna Hai that will bring together viewers across different age groups. Punjabi legend Gurdas Maan will be seen as a mentor on the non-fiction show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa along with Sonu Kakkar and Jazzy B.

Zee Thirai is set to resonate with the pulse of Tamilians and their love for cinema that has deep cultural and social context. The brand tagline - 'Rathathil Kalandhadhu Cinema' which literally translates to 'Cinema runs is infused in our blood' represents the passion and impact that movies have on the 'Tamil Makkal' and the power it has to inspire the dreams and visions of the common man.

Launching in January 2020, the channel aims to change the conversation from the 'what' to the 'why' of cinema. Its entry to the market during the festive and auspicious occasion of Pongal is going to make the season a true celebration of culture and cinema. With 400+ films in its library that includes some of the biggest films of the industry, from Thalaivar to Thala's, the biggest USP of the channel is set to be the 52+ premieres, with one premiere lined up for each week of the year. The channel will present viewers with the best of cinema; a holistic mix of blockbuster and critically acclaimed films that is no doubt bound to satiate the entertainment needs of Tamil Cinema lovers around the world.

Zee Picchar will bring the magic of Kannada cinema to the television screens of every movie buff and culturally unite the diverse people of the state. With carefully selected movies, the channel's library is an ode to the passion that Kannadigas have for their movies. The channel aims to bring families together with unmatched entertainment and become a staple in every Kannadiga household. With 350+ films and a never-seen-before 10 premieres in 10 days, Zee Picchar will make every day a superhit for every KANNADADIGA FAMILY its ardent viewers. Among its key features are the marquee segments, where for instance, families for the first time ever can appear together on TV to review newly released movies; and films with no commercials on specific slots that allow for uninterrupted family entertainment time with Zee Picchar.

ZEE Biskope promises to be a space where viewers can live their Bhojpuriyat to its unabashed best. With a purpose to rejoice Bhojpuriyat with every Bhojpuriya, ZEE Biskope will be the go-to destination for every Bhojpuri movie lover. Stemming from the insight of 'Authenticity is more liberating than pretence', the channel aims to be as unabashed as every Bhojpuriya and rejoice true Bhojpuriyat with them. Content, channel lingo and its look and feel have been carefully curated and designed to ensure it highlights every Bhojpuriya's love for hyperbolic fun and to ensure that they never have a dull moment in life as long as they're on ZEE Biskope: Aanthon Pahariya Luta Lahariya.

ZEE Biskope will be launched with the largest Bhojpuri movie library across genres.  It will be a perfect blend of all genres – action, romance, drama & comedy served on a platter for every Bhojpuriya.  The strong content library boasts of 300+ movies and a blockbuster World Television Premier every weekend. Movies of highest-grossing actors such as Nirahua, Pawan Singh and Khesari Lal Yadav will rule the content library. The channel will also offer a mix of other content such as special events, music-based and chat shows.