Zee's Differentiated Regional Approach

Zee has entered a bold new era with a refreshed brand identity and the promise, “Yours Truly, Z”. To reinforce its evolving role in the industry, Zee launched an industry-first initiative, ‘Z’ Whats Next — a platform to offer partners a front-row seat to its innovations, vision, and the future of entertainment.

The initiative showcased how Zee is transforming into a content-tech powerhouse, where storytelling transcends platforms, formats, and devices. In line with this transformation, Zee unveiled two new hybrid channels: Zee Power, a high-energy Kannada channel targeting young and semi-urban Karnataka audiences, and Zee BanglaSonar, a culturally rich Bengali channel blending fiction, non-fiction, and films for modern viewers.

Zee Bangla and Zee Kannada are deeply entrenched in their respective markets, Zee Bangla has just completed 25 years and, along with its closest competitor, commands nearly 85% of GEC viewership in Bengal. Similarly, Zee Kannada, turning 20 soon, has held a dominant 40–44% market share for over eight years, with most top-rated Kannada shows airing on the channel.

“The launch of two new channels is a way to address untapped audience needs and whitespace in these markets. Zee BanglaSonar, while building on the strength of Zee Bangla’s family-oriented, mass-appeal content, aims to be more male-inclusive and youth-focused. It will introduce six fresh stories and non-fiction formats, featuring kids, diverse protagonists, and a completely new cultural tone not seen before on Zee Bangla,” says Kartik Mahadev, Chief Marketing Officer, ZEEL.

“Similarly, Zee Power will bring high-energy storytelling with youthful, male-inclusive characters who have a “winning mindset” facing conflict with optimism and drive. The content will be finite and faster-paced, offering viewers a complete narrative arc from the outset, a departure from the traditional long-running drama format,” he adds.
Zee sees India not as ‘Hindi vs regional’ but as distinct language markets, Hindi, Bangla, Kannada, etc. each with its own growth potential. While local GEC content accounts for 35–45% of consumption in most markets, Tamil stands out with over 90%. In bilingual markets like Bangla, where Hindi viewership is also high, Zee aims to break the existing duopoly (which commands 85% share) by tapping into the remaining 15% and expanding the Bangla GEC space.

Siju Prabhakaran, Chief Cluster Officer - South & West, ZEEL, says, “Penetration in the South is exceptionally high between 95-97% and this has been consistent over the past 5–8 years. Television remains central to family life, with Southern audiences spending significantly more time watching TV than other regions. Additionally, the South boasts a thriving content ecosystem with strong film cultures and original storytelling across formats—films, web series, micro dramas, and TV.”

Content stickiness continues to grow, with TV still averaging about four hours of daily viewing. “India is unique with its multi-screen, multi-format storytelling environment, where viewers fluidly shift between platforms. Well-told stories regardless of format find their audience. For GECs on TV, that audience remains large and is increasingly seeking fresh narratives, new worlds, and diverse perspectives, which is exactly what we aim to deliver,” says Kartik Mahadev.

Both Zee Power and Zee BanglaSonar will go on-air in August 2025, backed by extensive multimedia campaigns across Karnataka and Bengal, respectively.