R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, NOV 9
ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEE) on Friday announced significant growth in its South Cluster while unveiling its strategy for the upcoming DP World International League T20 (ILT20) 2025.
This will be the third season of the professional Twenty20 cricket league in the United Arab Emirates, organised by the Emirates Cricket Board. The ILT20 2025 is set to enhance viewer engagement and bring global cricket to the homes of viewers in the Southern part of India said, Ashish Sehgal, Head – Integrated Advertisement Revenue, Zee Entertainment Enterprise Limited (ZEE).
- To strengthen regional presence further with original innovative content
- To expand reach and engagement across South India with immersive DP World ILT20 experience.
Addressing senior journalists, Mr Ashish Sehgal said, “ZEE’s storytelling legacy deeply rooted in Indian culture resonates with audiences in India and the Indian diaspora worldwide. Its understanding of the consumer and empathetic approach to content creation has led to creation of compelling original shows that reflect the cultural ethos, traditions, and diverse regional aesthetics of every region. This has led to ZEE’s South Cluster channels setting new benchmarks in regional entertainment with a strong regional presence across South India.”
He further said, despite the competitive media environment in Tamil Nadu, ZEE Tamil enjoys an 18% market share in 15+ Urban for the Tamil GEC genre. A strategic overhaul of prime-time fiction programming has led to a notable increase in viewership in Tamil Nadu (Urban + Rural), rising from 25% in April 2024 to an impressive 28% in October 2024 among the top 3 channels. In addition to the success in Tamil, ZEE’s other regional channels in the South have made significant strides. ZEE Telugu holds a strong No. 2 position with a 33% market share in the Andhra Pradesh urban region with a leading 42% share in Hyderabad for over 10 years. ZEE Kannada has firmly secured the No. 1 spot, maintaining a healthy margin of 48.6% lead ahead of second position and commanding a 40% market share in Karnataka (Urban). Meanwhile, ZEE Keralam, the youngest and fastest-growing general entertainment channel, has quickly climbed to No. 2 in Kerala with a market share of 13.5%.
Now Zee will strengthen its regional content further with a line-up of original content in both Tamil and Telugu in collaboration with some of the biggest content creators and regional talent. The new content slate includes series such as Mahanaya, produced by Mythri Movie Makers (creators of the blockbuster Pushpa), and Annaya, produced by popular Kannada actor Pramod Shetty. Zee Tamil’s Anna will delve into the deep connection between an elder brother and his four sisters, bringing fresh, heartfelt narratives to television screens in the South.
When asked about the lined up of new original web series in Tamil, Mr Sehgal said three series are upcoming and it will be notified soon. Reply to a query, he said ZEE Entertainment is ready to work with Superstar Rajinikanth, as its previous attempts were not fructified, he added.
Recognizing the strong connection between South Indian audiences and the UAE, ZEE will also expand the reach of the DP World ILT20 Season 3 to make global cricket more accessible than ever. This season, from January 11 to February 9, 2025, ILT20 will air on ZEE’s 15 linear channels and also stream for free on ZEE5, allowing fans of the game to catch the action taking place at three iconic UAE locations, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah across channels and screens. Zee will also attract Indian viewers to enjoy the tournament first-hand in the comfort and luxury of UAE venues.
Advanced digital technologies will enable delivery of ILT20 and other sports content seamlessly across mobile, desktop, and smart TVs. The multi-channel strategy will boost ILT20’s visibility within the T20 landscape, to reach 230 million viewers and maximize visibility and engagement. This will ensure fans never miss a moment and amplify the impact for sponsors.
To build a dynamic community around the game, ZEE will also elevate the fan experience with pioneering innovative broadcasting techniques and cutting-edge technology to enhance interactivity—from showcasing key moments and integrating emojis to gamification and live statistics. This approach aligns seamlessly with India’s mobile-first landscape, where cricket is predominantly consumed on mobile devices.
Bridging cultural connections through storytelling and uniting fans through cricket’s grandest spectacle, the DP World ILT20, ZEE is poised to further strengthen its regional presence, setting new standards in the media and entertainment industry to engage audiences like never before. ZEE Entertainment targetted to increase the viewership to 2.5 mn from 2.2 milion viewers during last season of ILTT20, said Mr Sehgal added.
He said, the South contribute about 35 to 40 per cent of the overall revenue of ZEE Entertainment.
