Despite some great original formats, licensing of Indian TV content is negligible. If Bollywood has got global acceptance, what stops home-made reality TV?
4Ps B&M: Do you think original Indian television show formats have the potential to be licensed outside India?
AP: Yes. It is the classic parallel of asking why Indian/ Bollywood films don’t crossover. Here we’re purely talking about the format or story/ characters. Indians have always been great storytellers from time immemorial; take our mythological tales, for instance. So therefore, yes, some of our shows do possess great potential to be licensed out to other countries.
4Ps B&M: … but of course, there must definitely be certain type or categories of shows that have the scope to be licensed out?
AP: Shows that have stories with universal appeal, with characters, emotions that people identify with, fit the bill. Again, certain shows could appeal in certain places, based on similarity of audience profiles, for example in Pakistan. But our soaps could even do well in a place like Brazil. Interestingly, there are times when you could find a connect even in the most unlikely places; look at Mithun & Raj Kapoor’s films becoming a hit in Russia or for that matter Rajnikant in Japan!
4Ps B&M: And how about the scope for licensing of Indian fiction shows to global markets?
AP: I believe the scope for Indian fiction shows being licensed is immense in certain global markets. However, someone needs to pick them up and market them aggressively.
4Ps B&M: Why is it that despite having some very interesting TV show formats in place, licensing them out to global markets has not yet become a regular practice in India?
AP: Well, the focus hasn’t moved sufficiently to alternative revenue streams. For example, Bollywood, in the past, focussed only on the Indian box-office. Then, with a few hits, not just within the South Asian diaspora, but amongst others across the world, they realised the potential of earning more money, and then they started chasing an ‘NRI’ and other content consumers. Same is the case with television shows… Some of it may also be a function of rights. Most cases show that the rights are taken over by the broadcaster. And a lot of them have global footprints, eg. Zee and even MTV India beam (that reaches out goes out to several markets like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, US, parts of UAE and Maldives) and Star... It is monetised through advertising/ subscriptions. But internationally, a lot of the production houses retain rights and then the format holder(s) exploits these through all other sources possible.
4Ps B&M: What needs to be done to encourage the licensing out of original Indian TV formats?
AP: Ease of registration of formats, supporting and facilitating the same through forums at Cannes are a few important steps that will encourage the licensing out of Indian shows. More so, greater consideration should be given to organising more intra-industry events, trade fairs, etc…
For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN
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IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri
4Ps B&M: Do you think original Indian television show formats have the potential to be licensed outside India?
AP: Yes. It is the classic parallel of asking why Indian/ Bollywood films don’t crossover. Here we’re purely talking about the format or story/ characters. Indians have always been great storytellers from time immemorial; take our mythological tales, for instance. So therefore, yes, some of our shows do possess great potential to be licensed out to other countries.
4Ps B&M: … but of course, there must definitely be certain type or categories of shows that have the scope to be licensed out?
AP: Shows that have stories with universal appeal, with characters, emotions that people identify with, fit the bill. Again, certain shows could appeal in certain places, based on similarity of audience profiles, for example in Pakistan. But our soaps could even do well in a place like Brazil. Interestingly, there are times when you could find a connect even in the most unlikely places; look at Mithun & Raj Kapoor’s films becoming a hit in Russia or for that matter Rajnikant in Japan!
4Ps B&M: And how about the scope for licensing of Indian fiction shows to global markets?
AP: I believe the scope for Indian fiction shows being licensed is immense in certain global markets. However, someone needs to pick them up and market them aggressively.
4Ps B&M: Why is it that despite having some very interesting TV show formats in place, licensing them out to global markets has not yet become a regular practice in India?
AP: Well, the focus hasn’t moved sufficiently to alternative revenue streams. For example, Bollywood, in the past, focussed only on the Indian box-office. Then, with a few hits, not just within the South Asian diaspora, but amongst others across the world, they realised the potential of earning more money, and then they started chasing an ‘NRI’ and other content consumers. Same is the case with television shows… Some of it may also be a function of rights. Most cases show that the rights are taken over by the broadcaster. And a lot of them have global footprints, eg. Zee and even MTV India beam (that reaches out goes out to several markets like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, US, parts of UAE and Maldives) and Star... It is monetised through advertising/ subscriptions. But internationally, a lot of the production houses retain rights and then the format holder(s) exploits these through all other sources possible.
4Ps B&M: What needs to be done to encourage the licensing out of original Indian TV formats?
AP: Ease of registration of formats, supporting and facilitating the same through forums at Cannes are a few important steps that will encourage the licensing out of Indian shows. More so, greater consideration should be given to organising more intra-industry events, trade fairs, etc…
For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN
IIPM Related Links
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri
