IPL no more an enigma!

Most channels gear up to take the monstrous tournament head on as TV blasts open this year with 74 shows across channels.

Most channels gear up to take the monstrous tournament head on as Television blasts open this year with 74 shows across channels.

With 74 shows ready to launch across the year, the tube is ready to blast open. The audience gets to relish a host of new concepts, lesser or never-seen-before guests on chat shows and innovations on reality shows.

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One string that binds the TV frat is that no channel is considering IPL 5, which flags off on April 8, as stiff competition. With nine teams this year, it’s likely that player auctions could soon be held. Shah Rukh Khan, who owns Kolkata Knight Riders, says, “We’d love to have a couple of our old boys back.”

During the last four seasons, most mainstream channels refrained from dishing out their big-ticket shows fearing poor ratings.

Akash Chawla from Zee TV, the channel that has never bowed to IPL’s might, says, “With so much cricket through the year, we don’t feel IPL is an enigma anymore. We’ve dealt with it so far. With close to 200 days of India Cricket each year, we can’t hold back our plans.”

Sony Entertainment, however, is the channel gaining the most out of IPL, since it’s aired on its sister-concern, Set Max.

Danish Khan from Sony believes that the tournament can be used for promoting the channel’s shows “We’re a family. IPL is widely watched. I think it’s best if one member in the group helps the other.”

Shailesh Kapoor, who heads Ormax Media that conducts extensive media researches, believes there will be room for everyone “Lifestyle channels have never been affected. As for GECs, a lot of them have risked shows last year. And I don’t think anyone has repented. So, it’s time, once again, to switch the TV on!”