Zee clawing back through new programming initiative

Alok Agarwal
13 April 2001

Not many believed R K Singh, chief executive officer Zee Network, when he announced a couple of months back that Zee TV will reoccupy the number one slot by October 2001. None were ready to place a bet on the Zee stock, which despite assurances by the CEO, went on to touch new lows in the last couple of months.

However, despite the controversies surrounding the company, things may be changing for the better for Zee. Most fund managers are ready to give it a second look and rewrite its script again. This is evident from the stock behavior, which of late has been moving against the general tide of the market and recovering, albeit slowly.

What has worked for Zee? Three things have swung the tide in Zee's favour and this could just be the beginning. These are

• Fading popularity of game shows.

• New programming initiatives with focus on quality of content.

• The Tehelka factor, which has brought back Zee's name and therefore the 'Brand' in the forefront of viewers' mind.