DD Metro raises Rs 1.5 crore from prime time ads

Krishna Gopalan in Mumbai

DD Metro has raised an advertising revenue of Rs 1.5 crore over the last fortnight in the 7-10 pm slot. The channel has decided to market the time band on its own after it was vacated by Channel 9.

According to Vijaya Laxmi Chhabra, controller of marketing, Prasar Bharati, there have been a large number of advertisers on the 7-10 pm time band. “This includes Hindustan Lever, Colgate and Procter & Gamble and the response has been very positive,” she said.

The 7-10 pm time band was vacated by Channel 9 earlier this month. Channel 9 held the slot for a year by paying a price of Rs 121 crore for it. At the end of one year, bids were invited by Doordarshan again for the time band, but failed to find many takers.

Mrs Chhabra said the channel has received committments from several other advertisers as well. “The Kunwar Ajay group will spend around Rs 1 crore on DD Metro,” she added.

DD Metro is offering its advertisers the option of sponsoring programmes besides branded promos and bulk committments.

DD Metro charges Rs 1.5 lakh for a half-hour sponsored programme, while the cost of a 10-second spot is Rs 20,000. “We have broken even on DD Metro from day one,” claimed Mrs Chhabra.

As part of the strategy, DD Metro is telecasting its older programmes in the 7-10 time band, besides acquiring content from B4U. The older programmes that are being aired again are ‘Yeh Jo Hain Zindagi’, ‘Udaan’ and ‘Buniyaad’. DD Metro has acquired the rights to telecast ‘Anupama’ from B4U.

About the reason behind the telecast of older programmes, Mrs Chhabra said the objective was to give the viewers the best programmes that DD owned.