Zoom plays around six defining attributes to bring Bollywood closer to its audience

Launched in 2004, Zoom is celebrating its sixth anniversary

Zoom, the Bollywood channel, is celebrating its sixth anniversary this year. The channel, launched in 2004 as an out and out fashion destination, has evolved into a complete Bollywood channel.

Omar Qureshi, editor-in-chief, Zoom Television, says, "We are using our sixth anniversary to bring Bollywood closer to our audience. Our programming and marketing strategy is to focus on and highlight six attributes that define Zoom."

Dishing out film led content, the channel has got on board actors including Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor and Imraan Khan to represent the channel's six appeal communication strategy.

Each of these stars stand for six different attitudes that the channel flaunts. These are sexy, stylish, cool, naughty, bold and passionate.

The channel has put together content comprising songs, special features, vignettes and music revolving around the six Bollywood stars. This is in addition to the channel's regular shows such as Planet Bollywood and Encounters with Qureshi.

Zoom calls itself a 'fully Bollywood' channel and Qureshi says that the channel questioned its positioning as an out and out fashion and lifestyle channel in 2008. The point was how niche could the channel be - given the subject itself represented a niche genre.

It was at this time that Zoom decided to broad base its offerings with a combination of more urbane, upscale content with Bollywood at its core.

Currently, the channel competes with music and youth led channels such as UTV Bindaas, MTV and Mastiii. Qureshi asserts that for Zoom, Bollywood is the core genre, while for others, Bollywood content is a subset. For other channels, lifestyle content revolving around hotels, luxury and reality are the main drivers.

As per TAM data, C&S, 15+ (July 11-September 11), the three leading channels in this space are Bindaas, Mastii and B4U Music, with average channel shares of 15.1 per cent, 12 per cent and 11.8 per cent. Zoom is placed No. 8, with an average channel share of 7.8 per cent.