MUMBAI: Bollywood music is slowly losing its charm among the youth and music channels as it does not bring any exclusivity or premium value. The main reason: similar content is also available on multiple platforms.

So does that mean that the viewer is no longer looking for the feel of FM radio in the visual space? Is this the reason behind Channel [V]?s latest announcement of doing away with music content completely?

The answer is yes. Bollywood Music has become a commodity and the players are not making the moolah.

So has Channel [V] taken a wise decision to move away from Bollywood music? Answers Channel [V] EVP and GM Prem Kamath, ?We didn?t want to be a commodity channel. We were working on this strategy since over two-and-a-half years and we built it in phases as the cost of original content is too high compared to music. But yes, we are making good progress as the time spent on the channel is too high and all our shows are getting good numbers.?

Last year, the whole youth and music genre got divided into two categories? pure play music channels and youth channels. However, it seems that now there will be four. There will be pure music, gossipy and news-based (Zoom, UTV Stars, E24), youth channels which also air music content (MTV, Bindass), and youth content channels (Channel [V]).

Explains MTV India EVP and business head Aditya Swamy, ?Music in itself has two different categories today. One is acquired music that is Bollywood and all the channels are just platform providers. The second is original music, upon which MTV is focusing more. With shows like Coke Studio, Sound Trippin, and Unplugged, we have created over 150 songs in the last one year. So there is definitely a market.?

These channels need to differentiate in a cluttered market. And by virtue of being a youth nation with 70 per cent youth population, all the channels have youth viewers. So the music channels claim to be youth channels in disguise, says a senior media executive.

Flarepath president Saurabh Kanwar, who has worked at both MTV and Channel [V], believes that music is harder to monetise as it is the same content. "It will, however, continue to survive on channels for some more time. What has changed today is that consumption of music videos has become an internet phenomenon. Ultimately, digital will change the way the channels air content in future. Having said that, original content is very expensive compared to music and it may work on branded platforms because of the legacy.?

But does that mean that music channels will not survive? 9X Media EVP Punit Pandey believes that there is enough market for both the genres to co-exist. ?Why then are so many pure play music channels launching if there is no scope? Our research shows that a viewer knows what he or she wants. If he wants music, he comes to music channels like ours. If he wants fiction or nonfiction shows, he goes to such channels. And monetisation is merely a reflection of performance.?

The genre has 19 players fighting over Rs 3.5-4 billion that they have to share amongst themselves a year as they generate 200-240 GRPs (gross rating points) on a weekly basis. This goes to explain their volatile nature.

MUMBAI: Within a year of its launch in India and the Middle East, UTV is launching its Bollywood channel UTV STARS in the UK market starting 11 June.

In UK, however, the channel will be named as UMP Stars. ?We are launching Stars in UK, ahead of our plan after seeing its success in India. We already have a very successful Hindi movie channel in UK (UMP Movies) and UMP Stars will further add to the Bollywood quotient and increase our foothold in the diaspora,? Disney UTV executive director- Youth Channels, Media Networks Nikhil Gandhi tells Indiantelevision.com.

Starting Monday, UMP Stars will be available as a free-to-air channel on Sky EPG 853. The ad sales of the channel will be handled by Sky Media, while TVMedia3.com, which distributes Disney UTV Channels in UK and Europe, will handle distribution.

UK is the fifth market UTV Stars is stepping into. After a simultaneous launch in India and the Middle East, the channel was subsequently launched in Malaysia, Australia.

UMP Stars, says Gandhi, will live up to the philosophy of ?Living Bollywood?. ?Bollywood cuts across and there is huge diaspora in the UK with high appetite for the Bollywood content. After the launch of UMP movies in December last year in UK, we see this as the next logical step. We actually preponed our launch plan,? Gandhi adds.

UTV Stars?s content primarily has film music, features and non-fiction programming and news segments.

?50 per cent of our FPC is dedicated to music as we are catering to the youth audiences and music is an integral part of Bollywood. But in primetime we have all new content. Our content is not run of the mill that other channels air. Because of this, we are getting better subscription and ad revenues,? Gandhi claims.

He also adds that the content of UTV Stars is being offered on many international flights as in-flight entertainment.

UTV Stars is a full HD channel and was launched on 19 August.

Mumbai: UTV Stars, the Bollywood entertainment channel, is set to launch a new show ?Lux The Chosen One? with Genelia Deshmukh as mentor from 2 June.

?Lux The Chosen One?, marks the official hunt for the face of UTV Stars. It is the hunt for a "Bollywood fanatic" who has it in her to be the industry insider and therefore be part of the industry itself. The Chosen One will be chosen by Bollywood as she gears up to be part of their family, the channel said.

The show will feature 11 girls who have been chosen via on ground auditions held in five different cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Lucknow and Ahmedabad) and brought to Mumbai. They will undergo grooming and training on the show and will be put through several tasks to test their mettle. Deshmukh will join the contests as their mentor. She will guide the contestants through each of their tasks and will play a key role in nurturing the contestants as they face challenges put forth.

According to the channel, the show aims to serve as a stepping stone for a successful entry into Bollywood. Additionally, every episode will witness the presence of one film actor. Each of the tasks will be designed and judged by the actor himself/herself. Designers, directors, make - up artists and other technicians from the industry will also be part of the show.

UTV Stars business head Nikhil Gandhi said, "UTV Stars promises to fulfil dreams and change peoples? lives. With Lux The Chosen One, we will give an opportunity to consumers to become a part of Bollywood. This is the biggest franchise of the Brand UTV stars and cuts across platforms of TV, Web, Mobile and On-ground."

Lux brand manager Swarnim Bharadwaj added, "From Aishwarya to Katrina, Lux has always been the brand of choice for the most desirable Indian women. Through ?Lux-the chosen one? we are looking to find that bold, alluring and sensuous beauty who truly embodies the qualities of Lux and make her dreams come true."

MUMBAI: Sony Music is creating a roadblock for ?Tu Hi Mera? song from Vishesh Films? movie Jannat 2.

The song will take over the small screen as a roadblock strategy across youth and music channels including MTV, 9XM, UTV Bindaas, UTV Stars, Zing, ETC, MTunes, Zoom, B4U and E24.

The roadblock will be on 24 March between 8 pm and 8.30 pm.

Additionally, this initiative is being supported by a print campaign across leading publications in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Ahmedabad and Baroda.

Sony Music Entertainment India marketing director Sanujeet Bhujabal said, "Post the success of Jannat, there is a lot of expectation riding on the music of Jannat 2. We, therefore, decided to create a roadblock wherein fans will get an opportunity to view ?Tu Hi Mera? from Jannat 2 across leading music and youth channels. We are confident that the music will be appreciated and will surely have people hooked on to it.?

Starring Emraan Hashmi and Esha Gupta, Jannat 2 is the sequel of the 2008 film Jannat. It is slated for a 4 May release.

MUMBAI: In a bid to expand its footprint on-ground after its TV launch, UTV Stars has partnered with People Magazine for ?The Best Dressed Show 2011?.

The on-ground event will see an exclusive fashion show by designer Manish Malhotra. Walking the ramp as the showstopper will be Priyanka Chopra, who will also feature on the cover of the annual issue of People magazine, featuring the Best Dressed People of the year.

UTV Stars said that this association marks the beginning of a long term partnership with People for more such on ground initiatives.

The event is sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, World Gold Council, Teachers Origin, Schwarzkopf, Vero Moda and Jack&Jones.

UTV Stars, the Bollywood channel, will also show a special feature
based on the on-ground event.

UTV Stars business head Nikhil Gandhi said, ?UTV Stars has been able to etch a strong mark in the Bollywood, lifestyle and fashion space in a very short time. It has an urban upmarket appeal and we have already tied up with like minded partners to make the 360 degree experience more holistic and true to the brand. I am happy to announce
this association of UTV Stars with People magazine for the Best Dressed Show as our first such initiative among many others planned in the coming year."

Gandhi claims that UTV Stars, in its first month itself, has got rave reviews and good response from the viewers as well as the advertisers. "In four week itself, we have got over 50 per cent of our inventory sold," Gandhi added.

The channel now plans to extend its 360 degree presence with associations and on ground properties. The brand has already initiated advertiser funded properties and it will provide advertisers with customised solutions and ommunication packages on air, on ground, on mobile, web, and digital.