The A to Z of Zee TV with CEO Harish Goyal

Harish Goyal, CEO of Zee Entertainment Africa

Zee TV, the flagship channel of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, launched in October 1992 and is the largest media franchise serving the South Asian diaspora. South Africa was one of the first international markets Zee TV forayed into in 1996. Now, nearly two decades since its launch, Zee TV is the only Hindi 24-hour channel on the continent, and has driven the growth of the satellite and cable industry in India, with its popularity arising from its understanding of Indian culture and beliefs, which are depicted in its programming.

Goyal has grown the channels’ ratings to their highest since their launch in Africa and already met and exceeded all objectives set out for the year, having reached considerable growth since the last quarter.

Here, Goyal further unpacks the channels’ current success as well as his vision for SA and Africa ahead…

1. Let’s talk figures and how the channels have delivered their highest ratings since their launch in Africa.

Goyal: The first month where we obtained our highest ratings since the launch of Zee World was in August 2015, with a 122 GRP or Gross Rating Point. Subsequently, this year we obtained a 143 GRP in August 2016. All of this is only possible due to great content; content which resonates with viewers and content which upholds what we as Zee Africa stand for.

2. List a few of the specific opportunities and challenges for broadcast in Africa.

Goyal: We only see opportunities for Africa, no challenges. This is one market where there has been growth in digital terrestrial TV transmission or DTT and over-the-top content (OTT). DTT creates more space for content and more ways to reach viewers. It also helps with improved wealth for expenditure on entertainment.

3. Talk us through the importance of TV marketing innovation in reaching intended audiences with appealing content and constant engagement with viewers and affiliates alike.

Goyal: Innovative and unique marketing plays an integral role in the channels we have. Marketing and programming work hand in hand with one another. One can’t survive without the other. Without giving away our marketing strategy, we look at innovative ways to market our channels and stand out of the clutter. We look at opportunities that allow us to break through the clutter.

4. Elaborate on the importance of visibility via partnered events and participation in panel discussions.

Goyal: Nothing drives brand awareness and presence like taking a brand to the people where they can touch and feel it. Brands need to be accessible to their consumers, and what better way to do this than by partnering with existing events? We collaborate and partner with events that speak to our viewers and have relevance to them. NexTV CEO Africa, which took place in Mauritius at the end of September, was a great opportunity to do so as it allowed us to communicate and share ideas with other key industry decision-makers in a panel discussion on advertising strategies for both Pay TV and free-to-air or FTA channels on the continent.

5. Exciting times! Looking to the future, tell us more about your vision for SA and Africa and any exciting surprises to come.

Goyal: Zee Africa is going through exciting times. We’ll be launching two new channels in the first quarter of the new year across 44 Sub-Saharan Africa countries. These channels will be in English, and will bring you the best of Bollywood. Zee Bollymovies will be a channel strictly dedicated to Bollywood movies, while Z Bollynova will be a telenovella channel. The launch of these two new channels will bring the number of Zee channels in Africa to 11.

That’s certainly an impressive growth story. Watch Goyal announce the new channels, which will be available on mobile, and share his appreciation of Zee TV’s African audience in the embedded tweet below from Discop:

CEO of Zee TV Africa & Indian Ocean Islands, Harish Goyal makes a big announcement for the future of Zee TVs channel. pic.twitter.com/hcsUqWrfDA

— Zee TV Africa (@zeetvafrica) November 27, 2016