Star set to produce first reality TV show in India for Channel V

Sibabrata Das in Mumbai

Star is set to produce its first reality TV show in the country, as it puts big money to acquire the licensing format of the popular international programme, PopStars, from Sportsworld Media group of Australia.

The half-hour programme is expected to be launched on Channel V in January 2002, making it the first music channel in the country to come out with a reality TV show. Though Star officials were not willing to talk about the show, sources confirmed that an official announcement will be made on Monday. The name of the show could not be obtained.

Star India will be investing heavily in the Hindi version of the show, which it believes will keep its music channel in hot competition with main rival MTV. The reality show is identified as a key priority project and could open up an alliance with a record company and merchandising possibilities. “The aim is to find a chart-topping band. A partnership with a music company for the release of the album is a possibility in future,” said a source.

Channel V will screen the reality show as it charts the creation of a pop band, from auditions, through rehearsals and contests. The episodes will follow the thousands of hopefuls before the band itself is created. The end will be a CD which, in UK, is released and promoted by a music company in collaboration with the network.

The format has already been a hit in Australia and the UK. The programme created an all-girl band, Bardot, in Australia and their single and album shot to the top of the charts. In the UK, ITV took the show and created a band called Hear’say. It topped the charts and the network won the ratings game.

The camera follows the procedure of searching the pop band and tracks the daily lives of the performers, their joys and traumas. ITV is believed to have spent 1.5 million pounds in grooming Hear’say to stardom. Sportsworld media group and Screentime retained a three per cent share in the record and merchandising sales made by Hear’say in 2001. Star India will be promoting the reality TV show across its entire network. Unlike the reality show Temptation Island whose original version is being screened on Star World, PopStars will be produced in India. Channel V is planning to launch five shows soon as a further step to beef up the channel.