Sony launches X Factor; show premiered last night at 9 pm

X Factor will be aired daily until June 4; once the Gala Round begins on June 10, it will be a bi-weekly event on Sony.

Sony Entertainment Television (SET), part of the MSM (Multi Screen Media) network, has announced the launch of X Factor, the international format singing reality show, with its roots in the UK. Already successful in 24 countries, the show hit Indian screens on Sunday, May 29.

The format of the show retained in the Indian rendition of X Factor, will be the same as it is overseas.

X Factor is the brainchild of Simon Cowell's company Syco TV, a partner of FremantleMedia Production. Earlier this year, afaqs! had reported that SET has acquired the rights to telecast the Indian version of the show from FremantleMedia Production, the licence holders to the format, in a multi-year bipartite deal. The show is being produced by Fremantle India Television Productions.

X Factor will be aired daily in its first week -- the auditions will be telecast everyday until June 4. However, once the Gala Round begins on June 10, it will be a bi-weekly event on the channel. With the objective of strengthening the weekend programming band for Sony, X Factor will be aired only on Fridays and Saturdays, post June 10. The show will occupy the primetime slot, that is, 9-10 pm. The show is scheduled to go on until the end of August.

Auditions for X Factor were carried out across seven cities, namely, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Mumbai and Nagpur. Initially -- during February and March -- the media promotion for the show began with print ads and extensive BTL (below the line) activities. The show has been promoted heavily during the IPL that is telecast on SET Max. Now that the show is just a couple of days shy of its release, it is being promoted heavily across all media channels through a full-fledged 360-degree effort.

One such innovation that stands out in particular is the outdoor creative that has been erected at Mahim Causeway in Mumbai. At the theme park, at the junction of the Bandra Flyover, a large 'X', along with life-size cut outs of the show's judges (singers Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal, and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali), has been set up. The creative is visible to traffic that's headed from Bandra towards Worli, either via the sea link, or via the main road. The innovation is even more hard-to-miss at night as the 'X' is a back-lit one.

Sneha Rajani, senior executive vice-president and business head, SET, tells afaqs! that while the TG (target group) for X Factor is mainly the Indian family, technically speaking, absolutely all individuals above the age of four are the show's target audience.

Have the ad rates been upped for X Factor's slots? Refusing to share figures, Rajani informs, "It's the biggest show ever; yes, we have upped ad rates."

Comparisons with the channel's flagship singing reality property, Indian Idol, are inevitable. There are a few basic differences. Firstly, unlike Indian Idol, X Factor does not put a cap on the participants' age. Every contestant over the age of 16 years can enter the auditions. Divided into three categories (16-25 years, above 25 years, and groups), candidates have been screened for their singing talent, attitude and star quality.

Secondly, unlike Indian Idol, the contestants on this show will have mentors. And thirdly, in X Factor, there will be performances by duets and groups, in addition to solo participation; Indian Idol had only solo performers.