Marketing of services: Star India Pvt.

Limited

LIST OF CONTENT

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1.0 Introduction of STAR India Pvt. Limited………………………………………..….02

2.0 Environmental analysis of Indian mass channel market in cable industry…….……03

3.0 Scope of the study……………………………………………………………….….03

4.0 Marketing & promotion strategies of STAR India Pvt. Limited……………….…..04

5.0 Service differentiation management by STAR……………………….….………....07

6.0 Management of service quality by STAR……………………………….………….11

7.0 Managing productivity by STAR…………………………………………………..12

8.0 Current scenario &SWOT analysis of STAR………………..……………………..12

9.0 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….14

1.0 INTRODUCTION OF STAR INDIA PVT. LIMITED:

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 Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

India is the shining light of STAR's operations, driving both growth and profitability.

STAR India has been delivering television services to India since economic reforms began in the
country in 1991.  Since then, set against the backdrop of unprecedented economic growth in the
country, STAR India has developed into a leading television network with a national footprint. 
Today, STAR India is one of India’s most diversified media companies.

STAR India broadcasts 20 channels in seven languages.  Its television brands include STAR PLUS,
STAR MOVIES, STAR WORLD, STAR ONE, STAR NEWS, STAR GOLD, STAR UTSAV,
STAR VIJAY, STAR SPORTS, CHANNEL [V], ESPN, STAR ANANDA, Asianet, Asianet Plus,
Suvarna and Sitara.

STAR PLUS, STAR India’ flagship Hindi general entertainment channel, redefined Indian television
with the launch of Kaun Banega Crorepati (Indian version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire) in
2001, catapulting the channel to a leadership position it still holds today.

Other leading channels in STAR India’s stable include Bengali general entertainment channel STAR
JALSHA, which is No. 1 in West Bengal and Malayalam general entertainment channel Asianet, the
No. 1 channel in the Southern state of Kerala.

STAR India has also taken the best of Indian content to a global audience, reaching the Indian
Diaspora.  STAR’s channels are now available in the U.S., the U.K., the Middle East, Australia,
New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong.

STAR India has also built alliances with an array of entities to augment its business.  Its investments
include cable (Hathway), DTH (Tata Sky), distribution (STAR DEN), Southern language
broadcasting (STAR-Jupiter), filmed entertainment (FOX STAR Studios), news (MCCS) and home
shopping (STAR-CJ).

2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF INDIAN MASS CHANNEL MARKET IN CABLE

INDUSTRY:

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 Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

Hindi entertainment television is the fuel for growth in the Cable and Satellite television industry
with 46.8 per cent share of total viewership and 57.4 per cent share of total advertising revenue.
Hindi Mass Channel market has the highest share among all genres of Hindi Channels (Mass, News,
Movies). Major players in Hindi Mass Channel market are Star Plus, Sony and Zee TV with a
combined market share of more than 90% in the prime time slot (Figure 1). Other players like Sahara
One and SAB Television simply complete the list. The current analysis primarily focuses on the top
three channels.

Channel Average Channel Share (%)(As such)

    Star Plus 37.2    
    Sony 30.8    
    Zee TV 25.0    
    Sahara One 5.3    
    SAB TV 1.7    

Channel Average Channel Share (%)(during prime time)

    Star Plus 61.2    
    Sony 23.2    
    Zee TV 11.5    
    Sahara One 2.9    
    SAB TV 1.3    

The analysis shows that Star Plus, which is the leader in this category due to its appealing content
and packaging, yet it needs to innovate continuously to maintain the edge. Sony, now firmly second
place, has offered certain innovative programmes but needs a greater variety.

3.0 SCOPE OF THE STUDY:

The scope of the study is to emphasize importance of marketing and promotion strategies in mass

TV channel market of India.

4.0 MARKETING & PROMOTION STRATEGIES OF STAR INDIA PVT. LIMITED:

Following are the key marketing strategies which makes STAR India “The market leader”.

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Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

 Maintaining aggressive promotion and packaging approach for all programmes.

For Example, Star promoted recently started TV show “Sach Ka Samna” in such a way that it
created excitement in viewers’ mind.

 Hold on to the leadership position in 10-11 pm slot through timely innovations based on
audience feedback. Hold feedback sessions in the form of discussions arranged for viewers of
particular programmes.
Again taking example of “Sach Ka Samna”, Star timed the program from 10-11 pm.

For the feedback of the program, STAR launched a website

http://www.sachkasaamna.com which is having feedback
session and a funny online lie detector test which we can use
on our friends. So it creates a kind of excitement in viewers’
mind.

 Expand the market by launching programmes that are relatable to all generations’ audience.
STAR concentrate on each age group of viewers and broadcast programmes at specific time.
During morning time, Star broadcast spiritual programmes.
For example, 06:00 - 06:30 Seva Ganga

06:30 - 07:00 Ek Nayee Zindagi

During noon time Star broadcast TV serials for women, as women are generally free during noon
period.
For example, 12:00 - 12:30Bidaai

12:30 - 13:00 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata hai

13:00 - 13:30 Tujh Sang Preet Lagayi Sajna

At afternoon time, they broadcast programmes for children as they are free from school at this time.
For example, Shaka Laka Boom Boom was being broadcasted at 7 pm.

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Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

 Check competitors from gaining market share by introducing flanker programmes, e.g., airing a
popular Hindi movie in the same time slot where competitors' main programme is aired.
For example, world TV premier of popular Hindi movies like “ Jane Tu Ya Jane Na”.

Advertisement of programmes by print media:

Star advertises about their programmes by news papers, hoardings and internet in a pleasant manner
to promote and advertise their current and new shows.
This advertisement shows such a slogan or tagline about the next episode that create curiosity in
viewers.

Celebration of festivals:

India is a country of festivals. We have countless festivals in all seasons. Looking towards the Indian
culture, STAR celebrates all the festivals in their daily shows.

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Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

They invite celebrities in their shows during

festival season.
They decorate the home of daily TV serials
according to festivals and show them
celebrating festivals in pure Indian culture,
which in tern attracts people towards the
shows and hence channel.

Broadcasting famous TV show for full day:

STAR frequently broadcast some of their very

famous TV shows during vacation season to
promote their channel through popularity of that
particular TV show.
For Example: Star telecasted famous comedy
serial Sarabhai V/S Sarabhai full day as “Sara
Din Sarabhai”.

Use appropriate medium for promotion,

e.g., Hoardings of Kyunki Saas... at
supermarkets, restaurants, and theme parks,
etc. - places that are frequently visited by
families.

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 Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

STAR Parivaar Awards:

STAR organizes “STAR Parivar Awards”
every year. In that, they invite people
associated with STAR India and gives
awards in various categories. This strategy
has given STAR a family image

ESPN:
Sports broadcaster ESPN Software Pvt. Ltd is preparing to flag off a high-voltage campaign to
promote two big-ticket cricket tournaments that will be aired on its Star Sports channel, taking the
cue from the marketing formula that made the Indian Premier League (IPL) such a big success.
The broadcaster has lined up a Rs100 crores marketing campaign across media platforms to boost
viewer and advertiser interest in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Champions Trophy in
September and Champions League in October.

5.0 SERVICE DIFFERENTIATION MANAGEMENT BY STAR:

STAR has covered all areas of entertainment through various channels. Currently STAR is having 21
channels in India which include music, movies, sports, entertainment and regional channel.

India's No. 1 Hindi entertainment channel

Star Plus is India's No 1 satellite channel and has redefined Hindi
television entertainment with a programming line-up that includes
popular drama series, popular comedies, 'Bollywood' movie
blockbusters, lifestyle, current affairs, kid's programmes and game shows.

 Star Plus is India's No.1 channel for five years in a row

 The channel is the ideal campaign platform for any brand in India
 Is the ideal platform to reach out to the entire Indian family
 Star Plus is watched by over 75 million people every week
 Regularly accounts for 42 to 46 of the top programmes in India

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Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

India Ka Sabsey Favorite Hindi Movie Channel

Star Gold brings to the audiences a complete new cinema experience,
with one of the largest libraries comprising of outstanding critical and
commercial successes of recent years. The channel has an exclusive
programming mix for the entire family and is synonymous with innovative programming properties
that take the viewer closer to Bollywood than any other movie channel.

The Next Generation of Hindi entertainment

Star One, STAR network's latest Hindi entertainment channel, is targeted at the
urban, upwardly mobile Indian viewer. The channel has unleashed a new
generation of Hindi entertainment with an innovative and diverse mix of
programming that marks a turning point in the history of cable and satellite television. With its
distinctive look and feel, cutting-edge production values and engrossing line-up of original
programming, the channel has brought international trends in programming to Indian audiences.
Some of the very popular programs are Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai, Instant Khichdi and the smash hit, The
Great Indian Laughter Challenge

Absolutely everybody loves Star World

Star World is the ultimate destination for the most popular and critically
acclaimed shows from around the world. Star World provides the latest
choice in top-rating, award-winning entertainment from the USA,
Australia and the UK. Spanning genres like drama, comedy, action, reality television, talk shows and
live and exclusive international events, Star World is synonymous with the latest and best in English
entertainment.

A trendy music and lifestyle hotspot for the Indian youth

In India, youth with attitude connect with Channel [v]. The channel is a vibrant
mix of the latest chart-topping music videos, artists, trends, popular VJs and
youth culture. Locally-produced programming, packaging and local presenters
ensure that Channel [v] reflects the humor, taste and attitude of its vast youth

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Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

audience. Popstars 1, Popstars 2 and Samsung [v] Super Singer, programmes that have been widely
imitated by others
Come Home to Hollywood
No other channel brings you closer to Hollywood than Star Movies.
Showcasing the biggest blockbusters and featuring over 100 movies each
month and a minimum of 40 premieres every year, Star Movies is the
dream destination for the Hollywood buff. Exclusive deals with top film
studios ensure access to the latest releases, while programming unique to
the channel includes live and exclusive events such as the Academy Awards (The Oscars), Taurus
Awards, and acclaimed specials such as Taken, Grid and Lost. Come home to Hollywood. Come
home to Star Movies.

It is the only channel in India to telecast the Academy Awards, LIVE

Star Utsav caters to viewers who have recently entered the fold of
Cable and Satellite television. It gives them the opportunity to revisit
the glory years of Indian television programming by re-running the best
shows from the exhaustive Star Plus library.

Star Vijay is a general entertainment channel that has taken Tamil Nadu
by storm. With highly innovative programming, including soaps mounted
on a massive scale, film review shows, comedy and spoof shows, quality
Tamil movies and blockbuster Hollywood movies dubbed in Tamil, Star
Vijay provides comprehensive entertainment for the entire family.

STAR NEWS offers 24-hour Hindi news that is relevant to today’s

Indians. It covers the full spectrum of news ranging from politics to
business, investigative reports to consumer issues, crime to the
environment.

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Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

The worldwide leader in sports

ESPN brings viewers in Asia the most exciting sports action from around
the world. The channels mix of regional and international programming
ensures fans enjoy the most comprehensive sports coverage.

STAR SPORTS is a leader in sports programming and offers viewers a

diverse array of top-flight Asian and international sports.

ESPN and STAR sports cover all famous sports tournament including,
Wimbledon tennis tournament,
US open tennis tournament (ESPNSTAR.com/Tennis/US-Open),
Australian open tennis tournament,
ICC world cup,
ICC champions trophy,
Formula one,
English premier league,

A channel totally dedicated to showcase first-class cricket action from

around the globe, STAR CRICKET broadcasts live / non-live
international and regional cricket events as well as programming
meticulously customized for the Indian audiences, including cricket news
update, magazine and reality shows. STAR CRICKET is the one stop
destination of all the cricket action, history, updates, views and reviews.

Other Regional channels are:

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 Asianet (Malayalam)
 Asianet Plus (Malayalam)
 Sitara (Telugu)
 Star Ananda (Bengali)
 Star Jalsha (Bengali)
 Star Majha (Marathi)
 Star Pravah (Marathi)
 Suvarna (Kannada)

6.0 MANAGEMENT OF SERVICE QUALITY BY STAR:

Strategic Concept: Providing superior service has been a challenging task for STAR and they have
proved themselves in all areas of entertainment by providing endless entertainment. STAR always
identifies their target customers and come with new ideas and entertainment shows to serve the
viewers.
When there was a bloom for reality shows in country, STAR introduced many reality shows for each
generation. Those are,
Voice of India
The great Indian laughter challenge
Nach baliye

Commitment of top management:

Recently STAR announced Uday Shankar as CEO of STAR India. Top management of STAR is
committed to provide best entertainment to the viewers and along with that they are concerned about
employee satisfaction and corporate social responsibility.

High standards:

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 Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

STAR has standardized Indian television to such a height that other private channels are following the
way of STAR. STAR has become benchmark for Indian television channel industry. With the given
constraints STAR put their maximum efforts to provide all kind of entertainment to the viewers.

7.0 MANAGING PRODUCTIVITY BY STAR.

STAR India in Mumbai, India, knew the time had come to digitize. STAR has more than 50,000 hours
of videotape material sitting on their shelves and keeps adding new material at a rate of about 9,000
hours per year.

STAR India MassStore Workflow Asset Management (WAM) suite which helps to store material in
an orderly way, digitize new programs, save these newly created files in long-term digital storage,
utilize these files in nonlinear editing suites, create videotape and DVD copies of stored files, and
easily and efficiently manage the entire process including metadata.

STAR India utilizes an Avid Unity system with various editing workstations. STAR also has Apple
Final Cut Pro editing systems. Each of these NLEs has its own way of formatting digital files.

8.0 CURRENT SCENARIO & SWOT ANALYSIS OF STAR:

The year 2008-09 has been a tough year for everyone. There was negative subscription growth from
analog cable, with the only silver lining coming in from the healthy growth of subscription revenue
from the new Direct to Home platforms. However, even in a bad year, STAR has seen growth.

According to industry sources, the overall advertising revenue of STAR India declined by around 7-8
per cent in 2008-09. However, its subscription revenue registered a high double-digit growth.

STAR India remains a highly profitable business, with decent growth exposure as it secures a national
footprint with the launch of new regional entertainment channels. MPA analysts suggest that STAR

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India could be worth more than 1.6 billion in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation
and amortization) by the financial year ending June 2013.

SWOT Analysis of STAR India Pvt. Limited

9.0 CONCLUSION:

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Marketing of services: Star India Pvt. Limited

The TV channel Market is evolving continuously. The major players would like to consolidate their
positions while new channels are increasingly posing a threat to them. With immense advertising
revenues and viewership at stake, the channels need to continually assess and re-assess their
strategies.

Catering to the taste of Indian viewers can often be a tricky proposition. Words like "Fresh and
Innovative Programmes" and "Promotion Blitz" might sound trite but a lot of smart and hard effort
goes in creating the appropriate content for the audience. A proper insight of audience taste is,
therefore, a pre-requisite to any successful programme launch.

The evolving integration of media vehicles (TV, Radio, Internet, Print, etc.) is also an interesting
development and in future, many exciting activities are likely in this arena.

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