"We can’t afford to go commercial free"

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: and 80% of the market is terrestrial, cable penetration being low. China is closed to outside content and except for a local general entertainment channel, which occasionally airs our movies, we cannot independently get into that country.

Who are your main competitors?

Today television entertainment competes not only with other TV channels, but with other media such as the internet. A lot of people watch TV serials and sitcoms on YouTube. Thankfully, most movies are too lengthy and need a bigger screen for better viewing. But the point is that there are so many mediums and channels for entertainment that the market has become more competitive.

HBO is able to meet different viewer preferences for the simple reason that we are backed by killer content. This is also our USP as getting the best Hollywood movies from the largest production is expensive and this library fee is not affordable for all channels. Today STAR Movies and HBO are in that sweet spot and therefore we alternate between No 1 and No 2. Many channels claim to enjoy prime ranking; but these are false claims and misleading. Channel PIX recently claimed that it is ranked No 1 in Delhi, but if you see the fine print it was No 1 for a particular week.

What are some of your recent branding initiatives?

In India we’ve made our brand relevant by small subtle initiatives. For example, we got quite a few requests from our viewers in the south and places such as Baroda requesting sub-titles, as the American accent is not always understan- dable to the Indian audience. A suggestion we took up and executed. On Independence Day we dubbed a few movies in Hindi, a trend we may continue if it makes business sense. For Diwali we are planning specials relevant to our audience.

How does HBO India manage distribution?

Distribution was not a problem eight years ago; today, with 300 to 400 channels running in the same 24-hour time span, there is a much bigger battle for the prime spots. Our distribution and our advertising are outsourced to ZEE Turner which negotiates on our behalf with the CAS, DTH and media planning partners.

What part of your content comes from outside production studios? How much do you produce in-house?