The Hindu Business Line : English movie channels bask in Oscar glory

The four major English movie channels have made most of the opportunity and doled out a whole range of blockbusters. So you have `Oscar Marathon', `Oscar Fever' and the works. The pick — Stuart Little, The Mummy, Philadelphia, Armageddon, Blame It On Rio and more.

While the suspense on Lagaan will be over on Monday morning, the winner of the Oscar channel race will be known only next month.

``Yes, the Oscars present a good opportunity for English movie channels. The interest is especially higher this year because of Lagaan's nomination at the Oscars,'' said Ms Pratibha Vinayak, Senior Business Director, Carat India.

Both advertisers and media planners felt that channels had an opportunity to improve ratings without much cost.

According to Ms Vinayak, while the Oscar line-up may not necessarily boost viewership, it would definitely pull more audiences.

She adds that since these channels have the advantage of a library, it is only a matter of repackaging and rejuvenating films that have secured either an Oscar itself or a nomination in the past.

According to Mr L.S. Nayak, Executive Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, Star India Ltd, ``We have had run-ups to the Oscar night for five years now, and the interest level has been growing every year. However, this is the first time we have found a hook in terms of promotions and marketing thanks to Lagaan.

The idea is to also drive viewers who typically would not watch an English movie channel.''

The HBO's Director - Marketing, Ms Shruti Bajpai, said the current Oscar run-up was the biggest promotion for the channel.

``It is a month-long activity across radio, print, theatres and the Internet. And for the first time, we are advertising on Fashion TV and Discovery Channel,'' she said.

While she refuses to divulge the promotional spends on the Oscar month, she admits that it is `significant'.

According to Antenna, a media news monthly publication brought out by the ad agency, TBWA/Anthem, the year began with Star Movies, HBO, AXN and Zee MGM on equal footing in terms of channel share and reach.

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