There was a time when families would gather together to watch quiz shows that would not just coax the viewers to get their neurons ticking, but also spell good ratings for the channel that aired them. It was Quiz Time, an inter-collegeiate competition, anchored by quiz guru Siddharth Basu that captured the viewers imagination to perfection in the mid-80s. There was also Proffesor Yash Pal, who anchored a science quiz show on Doordarshan, paving the way for others like Narottam Puri and Derek O?Brien. Their shows fuelled public interest in quizzing. Kaun Banega Crorepati took this genre of television programming to newer heights, acting as a bridge between a quiz-show and a reality show.

However, the explosion in the number of channels and the diversity in programming has led to the extinction of this once popular genre.

Shrinking market share

Shows such as Mastermind on BBC hosted by Siddharth Basu, were high on knowledge quotient, but were phased out after the fifth season. Home-grown quiz formats such as The Bournvita Quiz Contest (BQC), which used to be an on-ground event organised at schools across India, was adapted as a TV show in 1994 and was first aired on Zee TV and later on Sony Entertainment Television.

Despite being popular, the show was pulled off air after a few seasons. Danish Khan, Head, Marketing, Sony Entertainment Television (SET), says, ?BQC used to be aired on Sundays when a general entertainment channel?s (GEC?s) viewership was normally low. It is not viable to have a quiz show on air anymore as the market for these shows has shrunk drastically over the years. The premium on knowledge is dipping by the year. With the evolution of the internet, kids are not interested in watching quiz shows on TV anymore.? Besides, other avenues of entertainment like multiplexes and online games have also hacked the market for quiz related programming.

These days quiz shows have been spruced up to the viewers? liking in more appealing formats such as reality shows. Pragmansu Mukherjee, Creative Director on Project, Miditech and Series Producer of the Nat Geo Genius quiz show, feels that channels are weary of running quiz shows as there are fewer takers for this genre in these times. ?There is a lot of money at stake so GECs think twice before delving into a niche subject. These shows have thus undergone a sea change and have been repositioned as entertainment or infotainment shows.?

The greatest chunk of viewership among Hindi GECs was hogged by Star Plus when Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) was launched in 2000 and was hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. The first episode of KBC experienced TRP ratings of around 12.

Keeping up with the popular trend, Star Plus went on to produce shows such as Shah Rukh Khan?s Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain. Launched in 2008, it suffered from poor ratings due to the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. While the first episode of Paanchvi Pass… garnered a rating of 4.7, the second episode took a beating to the IPL with 3.7.

Fragmented entertainment

Proliferation of channels and fragmentation in the entertainment space have also led to a shrinking audience for quiz shows. Knowledge based quiz shows have thus shifted to niche and news channels such as National Geographic, BBC, CNBC and NDTV Profit. ?Though niche quiz-based shows can attract viewers, a greater share of viewership can only be achieved when a mainstream Hindi GEC airs such shows,? adds Khan of SET.

VS Mani, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Lintas Media Group says, ?There is an audience that watches quiz shows when quiz-based reality shows are spruced up with big celebrities. KBC was a show that had catapulted Star Plus?s fate. But then again, while the first season was a huge success, the ratings for the subsequent seasons dropped.? Channels make sure to go that extra mile to market these shows as well.

Often famous film personalities don the garb of a quizmaster, which adds to the glitz factor of these shows. ?Whenever there is a celebrity on board, the channel indulges in huge publicity campaigns that generates the right amount of curiosity as well. Channels do need star value to pull in the audience for a quiz show,? says Mani.

However, the glitz factor and blind imitation of the west doesn?t always wok in the favour of a show. Take for instance the desi version of UK?s popular show, The Weakest Link called Kamzor Kadi Kaun.

The show had all the popular ingredients ? a celebrity host, participant from all walks of life and an internationally successful format. However, the nasty behaviour of the anchor did not go down well with the audience, making the show sink without a trace.

Shift in format?

The cost of production for quiz shows versus the returns is higher for a quiz show than any fiction show. But the main challenge these shows face is a dearth in viewership.

Siddharth Basu, quiz master, Mastermind India on BBC feels that there are barely any knowledge based shows on now. ?Channels believe that the core viewership of these shows is too small to justify meaningful investment. KBC has been the all time exception in the general entertainment space,? says Basu. Experts also feel that quiz shows can benefit a lot if they are delivered to the correct target audience. A kids channel could benefit a lot from quiz shows since these shows are highly educative and are also able to hold the attention of children better.

It will take a lot more than celebrities and marketing strategies to salvage the fate of these slowly vanishing and once popular quiz-shows.