Special Report: Why ZEE TV UK’s new schedule spells magic
It’s no secret that ZEE TV has had an uphill struggle in UK ratings. Being the first satellite Asian TV channel in the UK market and going by perception, ZEE TV UK was expected to annihilate its rivals with colourful numbers. However, the reality is far from the truth.
After experimenting with a number of different programming initiatives, ZEE TV UK has unable to reach the successes witnessed by bigger Hindi rivals, including Star Plus, Sony TV and Colors. In latest weekly reach figures for week ending 28th April 2019, ZEE TV sits at No.6 behind, with Star Bharat and Hum TV also delivering better numbers than the long-running Hindi broadcaster.
However, ZEE TV’s fate could be about to change! The channel has undergone its biggest ever revamp with a brand new UK schedule, which consists of shows from across its current UK network of channels. The new schedule gives ZEE TV UK an edge over its rivals, with more original programmes than any other UK Asian TV broadcaster.
In a first for ZEE TV, the channel has now become a hybrid service with shows from Zing, Living Foodz and &TV being broadcast on one service, ahead of the imminent closure of the three channels in the UK. ZEE TV UK now boasts of over a record 16 hours of original (non-repeat) shows. That’s the largest original content from any other Asian TV broadcaster. It has strengthened its output with not just a strong evening line-up but also daytime shows look striking for the conventional housewife audience during the mornings and afternoons.
Weekday mornings
During weekday mornings, ZEE TV kicks off its original shows with Swami Ramdev yoga at 05:30, which lasts for an hour, followed by religious programming and a ZEE News bulletin at 07:00. The lifestyle and religious strand continues until 08:30, which then leads to a cookery block from Living Foodz. The one-hour slot sees ‘Peggy’s Kitchen’ and ‘Snack I’m A Box’ fill the 08:30 – 09:30 band. Surprisingly, ZEE TV’s popular evening show ‘Aapke Aa Jane Se’ has been moved to 09:30, giving viewers the only telecast of this series. The original shows takes a break at 10:00 for a repeat of ‘Rajaa Betaa’. The channel then experiments with its youth romantic series ‘Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya’ at 10:30 (which has performed well so far). The &TV series ‘Paramavatar Shri Krishna’ airs its original episodes at 11:30. The cookery slot returns at midday for an hour until 13:00, followed by re-runs of ‘Aur Pyar Ho Gaya’ and ‘Punar Vivah’ between 13:00 – 14:00.
Weekday afternoons
In another boost for ZEE TV, the popular weekend primetime show ‘Love Me India’ from &TV will air at 14:00, which will give the channel a strong original programme for the afternoon . ‘Bollywood Business’ from Zing airs at 15:30 for the younger audience returning from schools and colleges. The channel then switches back to cookery shows between 16:00 and 17:00. This then is followed by non-stop original shows until after midnight.
Weekday prime time
The channel’s prime-time kicks off earlier than any other Asian TV service in the UK, with ‘Ye Teri Galiyaan’ moving out of the late evening slot to 17:30. ‘Shoorveer Sisters’, which did well on &TV will continue on ZEE TV in the 17:30 slot. ‘Rajaa Betaa’, ‘Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega’ and ‘Tujhse Hai Raabta’ retain the 18:00 – 19:30 slot. However, &TV’s flagship show ‘Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain’ is given a prime time slot on the channel by being aired at 19:30. ‘Kumkum Bhagya’ and ‘Kundali Bhagya’ retain their 20:00 – 21:00 slot, while another favourite from &TV ‘Happy Ki Ultan Paltan’ airs at 21:00. This also offers viewers light-hearted alternatives from other channels, which air serious fictions in the 19:30 and 21:00 slots. ‘Ishq Subhan Allah’ and ‘Man Mohini’ continue to air at 21:30 and 22:00 respectively. Switching back to &TV shows after 22:30, ZEE TV will air romantic thriller series ‘Lal Ishq’ and ‘Agent Raghav’ between 22:30 and midnight.
Weekday post-midnight
While other Asian TV channels are resorting to repeats after midnight on their channels, ZEE TV UK will air original shows from &TV. The channel has scheduled ‘Main Bhi Aradhangini’ and ‘Meri Hanikarak Biwi’ until 01:30.
Weekends
ZEE TV UK is still quite dependent on movies being aired during its weekend output. It airs four movies at the weekends with a telecast at 11:00 and 14:30. Its original content primarily airs after 18:30 with ‘Shadi Ke Siyape’ from &TV taking the 18:30 slot on both days. ZEE TV’s flagship singing reality show ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ airs at 19:30 until 21:00. It then airs local UK shows ‘Out & About’ (Saturdays) and ‘The Place To Eat’ (Sundays) at 21:00. ‘Fear Files’ airs at 21:30 for 60-minutes, followed by &TV horror series ‘Daayan’ at 22:30.
As is demonstrated in the schedule above, ZEE TV UK is leaving no stone unturned this time around to ensure it lures fresh eyes to its channel. Not only is it a bold and brave move to combine shows from four different channels, it also can prove to be the winning formula ZEE TV has been seeking. How successful the numbers are will be something worth watching out for.
It is worth noting that the changes took place on 1st May 2019 and already the channel is gathering some interest as reported in overnight ratings. On Tuesday 7th May 2019, ZEE TV’s share has jumped up from 0.02% to 0.05% – showing signs of recovery. If the channel sustains these type of numbers, it would’ve been a successful gamble. Not only is the network saving money from costs occurred by the other flanking ZEE channels, it also boasts of a great line-up of shows for ZEE TV.
