Bold, intelligent and aspirational — that is how Zee Network defines its latest offering, Zee Arabiya, a channel bred in, and for, the Middle East
Photographs: Kamal Qassim
Hot is how they want it to be and hot is how they are serving it. Breathing heat and fire from every pore, Zee Arabiya, Zee Network’s first Middle East-bred channel is defining a new niche.
And that is all about being young, youthful and very “yo.”
Less than a month since the free-to-air channel replaced the television network’s music-focused Zee Music from the UAE, Zee Arabiya has hit the right note, according to Manoj A. Mathew, vice president, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Real Media, which takes care of all interests of Zee Network in the Middle East.
The result of one year of elaborate preparation, including abundant ground work, Zee Arabiya has the unique identity of bringing “relevant Arabic, Asian and Western content in one platform,” explains Mathew.
It is this three-pronged approach underscored by a desire to showcase Arabia and its music to the rest of the world that sets apart the channel.
The launch of the channel coincides with another landmark announcement from the Zee Network stable: Its investment to the tune of $50 million to set up Zee Towers in Dubai Media City.
Zee Towers will serve as the network’s regional headquarters — a relocation from Singapore, which gives greater content management. “The power to manage content with locally produced programmes, commercials and packaging is much more than doing a remote operation,” explains Mathew.
Zee Network Chairman Subhash Chandra said the project, to house all regional offices and studio operations, will have over 100,000 sq ft of leasable space across five floors. Construction is set to begin in December with completion scheduled in February 2007.
Meanwhile, the network is going full steam with plans to further strengthen Zee Arabiya. On the pipeline are more live and interactive programmes.
Mathew says the Asian programming content of the channel is not restricted to Bollywood. “If there is a hit content from other parts of the region, it will be featured. As of now it appears to have a Bollywood flavour because that is one of our core strengths.”
Zee Arabiya has two spoken languages: English and Arabic, not Hindi, reminds Mathew. “And it is not a Dubai-centric channel; it is Middle East-centric.”
Translating that into actual content means having more lifestyle features not just from the UAE but also from other parts of the region. Many programmes are subtitled in Arabic or English, as the need may be, to communicate better to the young and young at heart in the region.
The youth factor, indeed, is the mantra that Zee Arabiya’s programming head, Kalyana Sundaram, stresses on. With experience spanning Warner, EMI, Virgin, Sony, MTV, B4U International and Disney, Sundaram defines the channel as one that is bold and intelligent. With a multicultural mix of VJs — a true representation of Dubai’s cosmopolitan nature — Zee Arabiya seeks to be aspirational; as the one channel youngsters can tune in to identify common grounds.
Sundaram, who is credited with Indianising MTV’s content for the country, says there is no other channel in the region that understands the pulse of the youth.
His brief to his VJs was, not surprisingly, to be “bold not vulgar, intelligent, confident and aspirational.” That is a strategy that works with youth in any part of the world, he says. “Know what you want, present it differently and do not preach. You got to be them (the youngsters) to understand them.”
While music is indeed a prime driver of Zee Arabiya, Sundaram has also shaped an equally strong lifestyle segment which focuses on the core interests of youngsters — cars, fashion, films, adventure, fun…
That is what VJ Simon does. A known face to Dubai audiences, this former VJ of Channel 7 to 9 and ARY Digital, a former RJ of Dubai 92 and the hero of the UAE’s first English film production, Chamale, says he brings to the channel his wacky personality that delivers a touch of hilarity to the proceedings. He presents three shows: H-Factor, a show on Hollywood films; Garage, one on cars; and a first-of-its-kind programme that highlights the world-renowned DJs visiting Dubai.
A random selection of the programming content includes music, request shows, celebrity interviews, trailers from the latest blockbusters and lifestyle features from the region including fashion, motoring, travel, extreme sports and fitness.
Ideally addressing the 15- to 34-year-olds, Zee Arabiya’s eclectic nature reflects the varied tastes of the youngsters, for whom language is no barrier when it comes to music and entertainment, says Yogesh Radhakrishnan, director and CEO, Real Media. “The music mix and attitude of the channel is for all the young and trendy at heart.”
— RN
