Soapy challenge: Show churn hits record levels as GECs look for next hit

Rishton Ke Bhi Roop Badalte Hain

Naye Naye Saanche Mein Dhalte Hain

Ek Peedhi Aati Hai, Ek Peedhi Jaati Hai, Banti Kahani Nayi…

If you’re a millennial, chances are you’re already humming this tune in your head.

Any 90s kid will instantly recognize these iconic lines from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, with Smriti Irani’s warm smile drawing us into the drama of the Virani household. But this wasn’t the only tune that stayed on with the generation. Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki introduced another memorable melody through Sakshi Tanwar’s captivating presence, and even earlier, Neena Gupta’s Saans gave us Saansein Sada, a soulful track sung by Hariharan with Gulzar’s poetic brilliance.

It's not about the jingle though.

These soaps were not just entertainment—they were rituals, woven into the very fabric of 90s family life. The audiences had moved on from Chandrakanta and Doordarshan, enthralled by the daily drama unfolding on new-age television.

Oh, the stress! Keeping up with Tulsi, Mihir, Mr. Bajaj, Mr Kapoor, Anurag, Prerna, Sujal and Kashish felt like a full-time job to most growing up in the 90s. They knew their stories by heart, lived their dilemmas, and couldn’t afford to miss a single twist.

From prime-time rituals to catch-up convenience

Fast-forward to 2024.

No more panicking about missing an episode—catch-up content on OTT platforms has changed everything.

There is no escaping the fact that digital too is becoming an integral part of family entertainment. Like  Kevin Vaz, CEO – Broadcast Entertainment, Viacom18, said at APOS 2024 in Bali, Indonesia, last month, "“Multi-screen experience is where the future of entertainment lies."

The bliss of on-demand entertainment has allowed modern consumers to seamlessly integrate content into their fast-paced lives. But in the process, where have the soaps gone? Perhaps stuck in a major transition phase—and that’s not great news for businesses.

According to latest TRAI numbers, the subscription revenue, which accounts for a major share of the overall TV industry revenue, has decreased by 3.69% from Rs 40,700 crore in FY 2021-2022 to Rs 39,200 crore in FY 2022-2023. Advertisement revenue has increased by a marginal 1.6% from Rs 31,300 crore in FY 2021-2022 to Rs 31,800 crore in FY 2022-2023.

Let's look at some examples of shows shutting earlier than expected.

On Zee TV, several recent launches, such as Mithai and Main Hoon Sath Tere, were  taken off air within mere months of their debut. Mithai, which premiered in April 2022, ended in September 2022, while Main Hoon Sath Tere, launched in April 2024, concluded in August 2024.

Other shows such as Maitree and Kyunki Saas Maa Bahu Beti Hoti Hai also experienced similarly brief runs.

Moving on to Sony. The channel has also has seen a range of its shows being swiftly removed from the airwaves. Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2, which debuted on May 25, 2023, ended just a few months later on August 11, 2023. Similarly, Dabangi-Mulgii Aayi Re launched on October 30, 2023, and concluded in June 2024. The trend continued with Hum Rahein Na Rahein Hum, which aired from April to September 2023. Even on Sony SAB, shows like Aangan Apno Ka and others faced early shutdown.

Some popular shows like reality dance show India’s Best Dancer 4 and mythological series Shrimad Ramayan witnessed ratings between 0.4 and 0.8, hinting at potential for growth in their viewership.

Then there is Star Plus, that has experienced similar difficulties, with shows such as Aankh Micholi and Baatein Kuch Ankahee Si quickly taken off the air within months of their start. Aankh Micholi ran from January to April 2024, while Baatein Kuch Ankahee Si concluded in March 2024 after a brief stint. Shows like Banni Chow Home Delivery and Titli also faced early cancellations.

Similarly, Dil Ko Tumse Pyar Hua has garnered ratings between 0.6 and 0.9, and Do Dooni Pyar has seen ratings of 0.4 to 0.6, indicating that there is still hope for Star Plus to enhance its viewership with better-targeted content.

Some shows launched by Colors channel too were taken off air within a few months of their debut. For example, Pracchand Ashok debuted on February 6, 2024, and concluded on March 29, 2024. Another show Chand Jalne Laga premiered on October 23, 2023, and went off air on February 4, 2024. Similarly, Doree, Durga Aur Charu and Harphoul Mohini too had a short run.

Recently launched shows like Mishri experienced a rating between 0.7 and 0.9 from week 27 to week 38, as per the data accessed by e4m. Similarly, Megha Barsenge saw a rating between 0.6-0.9 from weeks 32 to 38. Another show Suman Indori saw 0.5-0.6 rating in weeks 36, 37 and 38.

Meanwhile, ratinngs of some of the popular shows on Indian television

Breaking down the rating data

While there’s no strict standard for a successful TVR, experts suggest that ratings above 2.0 or 3.0 indicate popularity, depending on the market and time slot. An average TVR ranges between 1.0 and 2.0 (or 3.0), while anything below 1.0 signals a smaller audience.

If we look closely, most of these shows are either adaptations from other languages or sequels—season 2 or 3 of shows that once succeeded. However, experts say this formula no longer works.

Fragmented viewership, shrinking ad budgets: The struggles of GEC

While content quality is a significant factor, it is not the only concern.

“Television today faces significant challenges from several fronts, ranging from measurement issues to evolving viewer habits and shrinking ad revenues. Traditional methods of measuring TV viewership struggle to capture the fragmentation caused by digital consumption. This shift to catch-up viewing means a significant portion of viewership goes uncounted, complicating assessments of a show’s performance,” said Neeraj Vyas.

Vyas is a media veteran with close to three decades of experience in the GEC space. Vyas was the business head for Sony Entertainment Television, Sony SAB, PAL, and Sony MAX movie cluster until August 2024.

Additionally, there has been a clear migration of premium audiences toward connected TVs and OTT platforms, reducing TV’s reach. Channels that have traditionally catered to affluent viewers, now see large portions of their audience moving to digital platforms.

No wonder, the GroupM’s TYNY report said, in 2024, CTV will account for 11.3% of TV advertising revenue with a five-year CAGR of 26.7% and this share is expected to rise to 24.9% by 2029.

According to Vyas, the shift toward campaign-to-campaign ad rates further complicates the revenue model for broadcasters, especially as FMCG companies—one of the few sectors still advertising heavily on TV for the lowest possible rates. The dependence on FMCG advertisers has grown, but these brands frequently negotiate rates down to get maximum value.

“This financial pressure directly affects production budgets, creating a vicious cycle where reduced funding limits creative output and diminishes the overall appeal of television content,” he added.

According to latest TAM data, in the first half of 2024, the advertising landscape for General Entertainment Channels (GEC) witnessed a notable shift. Compared to the same period in 2023, ad volumes declined by 6%. Despite this dip, the ‘Hindi GEC’ genre maintained its dominance, consistently capturing a significant 24% share of ad volumes in both years.

“Choosing between brand and product-focused advertising, especially in GECs, depends on where a brand is in its life cycle and its target audience. For legacy brands with a broad service umbrella, GECs make sense. However, for products with specific features—like a high-end camera phone—the focus should be on niche marketing to reach the right consumers,” said Mayank Prabhakar, head of digital marketing at Vivo India.

Premium pricing despite declining viewership

While there is drop in ad volumes, GEC is still the most expensive inventory on TV.

How does that work?

Vinay Hegde, chief buying officer at Madison World explained. “GECs have traditionally been the reach drivers and have therefore always commanded better pricing. In the current scenario, where digital footprint has increased to an extent where it is no longer a residual alternative, reach is becoming the most critical parameter for brands and to some extent a surrogate to common currency,” Hegde said.

“While ratings may have dropped largely due to a drop in the time spent (again multiple devices is the reason), reach is still TV's biggest strength and hence GECs, despite drop in viewership still command better pricing as long as demand from certain categories is still strong,” he added.

Content refresh, need of the hour?

Now, coming to the content aspect. Experts and industry veterans argue that content is a major concern. They note that while consumer preferences have evolved, society has progressed, and audiences have stayed ahead of the curve, content has failed to keep up.

“This stagnation has led to two main outcomes. First, there’s more critique now than before. Previously, viewers had limited options, but today, they have plenty of choices,” said another media veteran who has led a GEC network for over two decades.

“Second, networks are trying to keep up by researching grassroots consumer behaviour, but they struggle to convert that data into actionable content. There’s a lot of work happening around Usage and Attitude (UNA) studies, but the insights aren't translating into fresh, innovative shows. As a result, we’re still stuck with kitchen politics and stereotypes instead of diverse, experimental content,” they said.

On the flip side, it's also important to understand the challenges networks face.

According to them, the ROI situation is tight, with subscription revenue growing slowly — around 4-6% — and ad revenue staying stagnant.

“Yes, festive seasons see some spikes, but annual growth has plateaued, rarely crossing 10%. With these pressures, margins shrink, making it harder to invest in new content or take risks. Networks are forced to focus on delivering EBITDA without the luxury of experimenting with genres or formats. This is the chicken-and-egg problem. Networks are criticised for not innovating, but without revenue growth, how can they?” they added.

They also explained why and how shows that are taken off air.

“There’s little room for mistakes or investment in risky content. We can’t afford to work on 10 shows without knowing if they’ll deliver returns. This is why networks often drop shows within two months — because every day’s airtime is perishable, and they can't wait six months for a show to succeed. The reality is that creating new shows is expensive, and networks don’t have the freedom to fail,” they said.

Consumer behaviour has also shifted with more individual viewing on personal devices. Family viewing patterns are changing, further complicating programming decisions.

As per GroupM’s February 2024 report on the changing landscape of Indian television, TV households in India have grown only by 1.1% CAGR over 2020-2023, reaching 217 million.

On the other hand, connected televisions are expected to reach more than 45million households by the end of 2024. 65% of Indian internet users watch ad-supported video content.

The constant demand for content—delivering shows from Monday to Sunday with occasionally extended 40-minute episodes to gain ‘time-spent advantage’ aces significant strain on writers, producers, and production quality said experts.

With stagnant budgets and in some case reduced budgets, maintaining high creative standards has become increasingly difficult, leading many talented actors and creators and most importantly writers to shift towards OTT platforms, where budgets and creative freedom are more favourable.

Moreover, post-COVID, content on streaming platforms and on-demand services has surged in popularity across India, reshaping both viewing habits and advertising strategies.

Manesh Swamy, MD & CCO at LS Digital, explained the opportunities and challenges this shift presents for advertisers.

“Content on streaming platforms and on-demand services have become popular in India post Covid, which also offers unique opportunities and challenges for advertisers, The viewing habits have changed and advertisers have started leveraging these as alternative strategies and better integration with the content. Brands can now tailor make hyper- personalized messages for specific audiences to increase the effectiveness of the campaigns on different OTT platforms,” Swamy said.

“Plus, the metrics that come with streaming platforms are more robust, agile, and attractive for brands to experiment with,” he added.

Way forward for GECs?

A leading FMCG advertiser said, “We recognise the need for innovation in GECs to effectively engage audiences and attract advertisers. Our strategy focuses on a diverse programming mix that resonates with target demographics, particularly during the festive season. By aligning media investments with India’s vibrant festivals, we aim to maximise market share while ensuring long-term brand relevance. Putting all our resources into soaps, as was done a decade ago, no longer works.”

The constant demand for content—delivering shows from Monday to Sunday with extended 40-minute episodes—places significant strain on writers, producers, and production quality.

As Vyas suggested, a shift back toward diverse programming, with distinct content offerings on weekends versus weekdays and also some imaginative marketing could help television regain relevance. Without meaningful changes, however, the decline in reach and creative quality may push television toward a slow but inevitable decline.

e4M reached out to all major GECs, but no comments were provided by the time of publication.