Considering the reach and penetration of television in India, and the potential it has to grow further, it is not a medium that will perform mutedly for long. Last year can safely be called a year of exception where all media platforms took a hit, TV the least of all though. In fact, it even posted a growth of two per cent. But post the downturn, television's ad revenue is slated to grow by 15 per cent as per the Pitch-Madison Media Advertising Outlook 2010, to touch a total of Rs 9,766 crore in 2010. With print having taken a severe hit, the Ad Outlook projects TV to remain the highest grosser of revenues in 2010 too. It is expected to lord over 46.2 per cent of the total ad pie this year, a further rise from 45.5 per cent in 2009. The projected revenue of Rs 9,766 crore is not only a rise from last year's revenue of Rs 8,492 crore, it is also substantially more than the pre-slowdown revenue of Rs 8,319 crore in 2008, unlike that of mediums like print, outdoor and cinema which are not projected to reach the 2008 levels.

The industry outlook also speaks a similar story. With the GDP expected to grow at a 8 per cent, the advertising industry is also expected to shine as much of advertising in India follows the GDP route. "The good news is that while the recent global economic slowdown has had its repercussions around the world, the Indian economy remained healthy, steady and the outlook remains extremely positive," says Sonali Chatterjee, Sales Director, India and South Asia, CNN International. Majority of the industry is looking forward to a healthy double digit growth. Multi Screen Media, according to Rohit Gupta, Executive Vice-President, Advertisement Sales and Revenue, MSM India, has had a good 2009 with high double digit growth and expects to do even better this year. Gupta says, "In ad revenue we expect to be the No 2 network this year and the No 1, the next." One of the obvious reasons for such a performance is of course the Rs 8,200 crore Indian Premier League (IPL) deal. "The IPL locks large clients. Large properties are relatively risk free; clients see value in a good proposition," elaborates Gupta.

Though reluctant to quote specific figures, Amit Tripathi, Executive VP - Revenue, Zee News projects the growth to be around 10-15 per cent, while some like K Sriram, General Manager of Vijay TV estimate it to touch 20 per cent. With marketers too relaxing their purse strings in 2010, the year looks a bright one for TV. The FMCG sector, which can literally be called the saviour of the medium with over 55 per cent advertising share, will continue to spend at a similar, if not a faster rate in the year ahead.

Uday Shankar, CEO, Star India, however sounds a note of caution by predicting single digit growth for advertising revenues. "The GDP may grow at a healthy rate, but the consumer food price inflation is more alarming than what even the most serious analysts have projected. Semi-urban and rural markets held-up well during the slowdown, but now inflation is catching up with those as well," warns Shankar. What are the avenues for revenue growth? Several, according to the players. Gupta expects ad rates to go up 15-20 per cent this year. "With market opening up and new players coming in, there will be great opportunity in sectors like IPO, government spends, telecom and education," says Tripathi of Zee News.

"Pure FCT deals are part of the past; brands look at resonating with channels with similar ideology and look, which in turn puts the responsibility on us to ideate and deliver; it also helps us form an exclusive set of clientele who would travel with us a long way ahead," explains K Sriram, General Manager, Vijay TV. Rohit Sarma, Executive Director - Network Ad Sales, Turner International, too sticks to the basics: "The biggest opportunity for 2010 will be, as in the years before too has been - client innovations. No longer 'one size fit all' approach attracts any client. 'Mass customisation' will be the underlining mantra as marketers look for more personalised ways to reach the consumers."

A look at some of the key factors that drive revenues remain the same - how seriously channels take their content, how well they time the launch of new shows and initiatives to get the biggest impact, how competitive are the rates on offer and how well are they promoted at both the client and consumer levels. That content is king is the undisputable fact that the industry recognises. "Get your head down and make the content sticky: content drives everything, viewership and revenues," is Sriram's suggestion for all. "Innovation in content is key even when viewership is growing and on the top, but as such, since a few genres have been doing exceedingly well in a few individual markets, it is certainly imminent," agrees Subramanyam of ETV. New programme launches, and big impact programmes (such as the much hyped Rahul Dulhan Le Jaayega on Imagine) are making their way back into television. This rediscovery of the risk appetite is itself a signal of a turnaround. That aside, the revival of television programming should see improved spending on the medium.

Profitability and return seem to be the buzz words of the industry. "I think the industry has been sensitive about returns and hence strategies, going forward would focus mainly on profitability and return," says Tripathi. Reflecting similar sentiments, G Krishnan, CEO, Aaj Tak, says, "I feel 2010 will be much better in terms of profitability as the revenue might increase and the cost management will be far more efficient."

To conclude, the industry hopes that the new catchphrase "All is well" proves true for them this year.