Zee, one of India’s major media networks with a reach of 854 million viewers across 208 million households, has announced a new industry initiative titled ‘Z’ Whats Next. The platform is designed to present Zee’s latest developments in content and technology to its partners, alongside the company’s new brand identity and tagline, ‘Yours Truly, Z.’
The initiative is intended as a recurring showcase to provide a closer look at Zee’s evolving business direction and its integration of technology and storytelling. It focuses on how the network is adapting to changing content consumption patterns, while maintaining a presence across traditional television, OTT platforms, and social media.
At ‘Z’ Whats Next, Zee unveiled two new hybrid channels – Zee Power and Zee BanglaSonar – as part of its strategy to broaden offerings in regional markets.
Commenting on the initiative, Kartik Mahadev, Chief Marketing Officer, ZEEL, said, “With ‘Z’ Whats Next, we are reimaging entertainment through the lens of culture, creativity and technology. The ‘Z’ brand continues to stand as a cultural cornerstone for Bharat. It’s a brand that evolves with its audiences while staying anchored in their realities, dreams and aspirations. The launch of Zee Power and Zee BanglaSonar further symbolises this vision, highlighting our conviction in the strength of Language markets and our commitment to delivering future-forward content that resonates deeply, reflects the pulse of a changing India.”
Zee Power will be a new Kannada channel targeting younger and semi-urban viewers in Karnataka. The channel’s content will include five fiction series, a daily non-fiction programme, regular movie screenings, and occasional World Television Premieres. It is set to go on air in August 2025, supported by a state-wide multimedia campaign.
Siju Prabhakaran, Chief Cluster Officer – South and West, ZEEL, stated, “As market leaders in Karnataka, a region with 99% TV penetration, Zee has a deep understanding of audience sentiment and their cultural nuances. We realise Kannada viewers are not homogeneous today, and differentiated content preferences are emerging, leaving a clear ‘white space’ for progressive, high-intensity narratives. Echoing viewer needs, we’ve developed a robust dual-channel strategy with Zee Kannada continuing to cater to our core family audience, while Zee Power captures a different beat with sharper, grittier, and more contemporary content lens. For us, Zee Power is not merely expanding our regional footprint, it is our way of redefining the landscape of Kannada television.”
The second channel, Zee BanglaSonar, will cater to Bengali-speaking audiences with a mix of fiction, non-fiction, films, and other formats. The channel is designed to complement Zee’s existing Bengali channel, Zee Bangla, and is also scheduled for launch in August 2025, accompanied by a multimedia campaign across West Bengal.
Samrat Ghosh, Chief Cluster Officer – East, North & Premium Cluster, ZEEL, said, “West Bengal is a burgeoning TV market specially in the Bengali General Entertainment Category. It is ready for innovation and a fresh take on entertainment. Zee BanglaSonar launch has been strategically envisioned to complement our flagship channel Zee Bangla by catering to evolving and diverse audience base through differential content offerings. Zee BanglaSonar is being strategically launched, not only with a diverse programming slate, but also with content curated for the male audience. With the launch of Zee BanglaSonar we are about to unlock untapped potential through engaging storytelling that is rooted in tradition and relatable across our fiction, non-fiction and movies, delivering a truly differentiated experience.”
Zee currently operates 50 channels in 11 languages. Through ‘Z’ Whats Next, the company aims to continue developing content that reflects local cultures while adapting to the technological and behavioural shifts in the entertainment sector.
