Q Marathi is India’s first pop-culture Marathi television channel with a disruptive programming strategy offering viewer’s differentiated content experience across genres and time bands. Q Marathi is redefining the Marathi GEC category while equally targeting families and Gen Z with inclusive, universally appealing and relatable content. The channel is the first in its segment to engage and drive synergies with the Marathi creator economy to offer television viewers content in new-age formats.
On the launch of Q Marathi, Neeta Thakare, Channel Head, Q Marathi and Ashutosh Barve, Programming Head, Q Marathi spoke to Medianews4U on the differentiated content the channel will offer and much more.
There are already established players in the Marathi genre with SUN TV joining in what made The q to enter the market now?
NT: Marathi is a popular Regional segment to enter into and leading industry players entering this market is a proof in itself; Moreover despite multiple players here, we clearly see a void of Marathi entertainment addressing the Youth – a gap which Q Marathi aims to fill in successfully Marathi is a very differentiated offering from the content perspective that addresses young Maharashtrians.
AB: We see scope for a unique content offering for the growing and thriving Young Maharashtra. We have a unique content offering that talks to them, is current, and connected to reality. We look beyond the usual trappings of lavish sets and made up artists, and bring to them fresh, raw, unadulterated content from the most popular young digital creators across Drama, Comedy, Romedy etc… with humour and emotions that will tug at the heart strings of Young Maharashtra.
We are completely different and Bhannat, and we believe now is the time bring our clutter breaking content.
More or less the Marathi fiction content centre’s around historical or culture, what would be your USP to gain eyeballs?
NT: Right from conceptualizing this channel our objective has been crystal clear that we wanted to get the best of Digital creator economy. There are multiple Marathi creators who are loved and known in the digital world and now they have Q Marathi platform. We always wanted to be different in our approach hence we took this route keeping our overall DNA of our Hindi GEC, The Q.
AB: We intend to bring the most popular digital and social creators and entertainers from across the cities and rural heart lands of Maharashtra to viewers. There is a plethora of very talented creators who we wish to give a platform to. They have created emotional dramas and crazy comedies that they have poured their heart and souls into which we want to introduce to a larger TV audience. We will be open to all genres but at the moment we will focus on content that we believe will catch the pulse of young Maharashtra today.
Why the tag line ‘Bhannat Aahe’, the reasoning behind it?
NT: QYou Media’s umbrella brand proposition and promise is what will be consistent with all our offerings under the network; having said that, the content proposition of Q Marathi and the pulse of Marathi youth today are a perfect match – We are Pleasantly Different and Crazy and hence Bhannat Aahe!!
AB: We are Truly Bhannat. If the content is not Bhannat or different, cutting edge and unique, it does not make it onto Q Marathi. Bhannat is an emotion, a state of being, a strong differentiator. It has to be Bhannat to be on Q Marathi.
What would be the channels content strategy?
NT: We delved a lot while brain storming our content strategy. As a brand and offering although we have everything for everyone in the family; however comedies, sketch comedies of digital creators and Marathi animation for young adults will be the driving contributors.
AB: We are looking at building our pillars of content in keeping with the choices and passions of our viewers. While we have the best of digital dramas and comedies, romedies, we are also keeping a very special focus on young adults and accordingly have built a very unique band of thriller, horror, and animation. We also want to bring the best of food and lifestyle to our viewers and have also build a strong cooking and lifestyle band with digital superstar chefs like Madhura’s Kitchen amongst others.
What is the TG you are looking at?
NT: Young Maharashtra that will relate to this channel. It’s made for this audience.
There has been a huge digital surge how as a network will be taking the content digitally?
NT: Platform agnostic entertainment is our larger strategic vision for the entire QYOU Media India Network; hence, the same shall be adopted for Q Marathi as well, one step at a time. We will first win the mind-space of our viewers with our Linear TV launch and then spread our wings in the Digital Space.
The marketing strategy for the launch?
NT: We are breaking the campaign in phases mainly driven by ATL. We will build awareness through extensive TV, Print and PR campaign in the launch phase and subsequently after a gap of a few weeks build a strong sustenance campaign including UGC, viewer-engagement channel and network-led initiatives. News on Q Marathi will always remain abuzz so just watch out for us!!
