he thumb-rule in television programming is that there are no rules at all. Opportunity can surface at any moment, many a times when the chips are down, with the result that programming executives find themselves going back to the drawing board every now and then in search of innovative solutions. As ZEE TV president Sunil Khanna explains, "The idea is to keep doing market research and proactively understand what kind of new formats or shows viewers would like to watch."

In the general entertainment space, considered to be one of the most competitive of genres, this proactive approach by ZEE, or for that matter by No 2 channel Sony, has translated into unique programming initiatives aimed at breaking the tight hold of STAR on television audiences. In the last one year, viewers have been treated to unusual formats and story lines by both these in the hope of wooing audiences over to their side. ... more