Big Magic to refresh programming line up, introduce new shows

The upcoming launches in the next month include Hum Hain Bajrangi, Police Files and two non-fiction shows which are yet to be named. One of these two shows will be a game show, while the other will be an interactive talk show.

After launching two shows back-to-back, Reliance Broadcast Network's Big Magic has announced a list of upcoming shows in the prime time band. While Hum Hain Bajrangi, to be telecast at 6.30 pm, is a fiction show based on a mix of comedy and mythology; Police files, to be aired at 9.30 pm, will revisit cases from the police records in a dramatised form. The two shows will be launched on March 12.

The channel is also set to launch two more shows which will be named later.

Big Magic plans to launch two-four shows per quarter in 2012/02. The idea is to make shows which will serve a dual purpose - create awareness and also entertain.

Anand Chakravarthy, executive vice-president and business head, Big Magic, says, "The shows are based on local insights and will be closer to people's lives. We plan a balance between fiction and non-fiction. The recently launched shows also have two fiction and two non-fiction shows. Though we plan for more shows in the evening prime time band, we also look forward for relevant shows in the afternoon band. The scheduling plays a very important role in the success of a show. We decide on the time slots as a very crucial part of programming."

The channel will also be featuring Bhojpuri films in the near future.

The channel claims a growth rate of 25-30 per cent each month and aims to maintain it. The success is credited to the new properties. Chakravarthy adds, "The advertisers are also showing more interest in the channel and even national brands are looking forward to the regional channels. Since the spill over is less and the benefits are more in the niche markets, the advertisers are approaching regional channels and Big Magic is surely enjoying the attention."

Big Magic has roped in advertisers such as Unilever, Nestle, Nokia, Mahindra, Emami and Godrej. It also looks to increase its ad rates on the back of the new packaging and programming. It offers increased in-content placement of products and flexibility in the offers and rates for the advertisers.

Big Magic currently claims a viewership of 1.2 crore.

Chakravarthy further adds, "We intend to increase viewership in the Hindi heartland since the stickiness and content relevance of the regional channels is more than the national channels."

For the record, the channel had launched its previous fiction show, Hasya Panchayat, recently on its television and radio platforms.

With digitisation in the anvil, Reliance Broadcast is gearing up to optimise through unmatched content across its bouquet of seven channels, along with a campaign, 'Choose your set-top-box wisely'.