Simulcasts delete need for downloads

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For those in their twenties, the 90s could possibly be the longest decade they have seen for far. As even after having played ‘Waiting for Tonight’ well into the new millennium, fashion, slang and mannerism remain as stuck as that song in our heads. And the reason was our television. Watching the same re-runs of Friends, Sex

and The City and even Baywatch from five years ago, teenagers of yore often confused contemporary with the TV screen and followed religiously what they saw. That, however is changed for now while Star World dares you to keep away from the pirated downloads and telecasts American Idol two days after the US, Zee Café promises to bring the Jay Leno Show the same day and newly launched Big CBS won’t even wait a season to get you your favourite sitcoms.
Aparnaa Pande, the Business Head for Big CBS, says that as compared to movies and music, which were being released almost simultaneously in the country, television was lagging way far behind. “It was understood that the audience didn’t want to wait to see the shows they followed and would either buy, source or download them and were not satisfied with what they were seeing on television. We bring the shows live to the audience, barring the time difference,” says she of the channel which hosts popular shows like the Late Show with David Letterman, The Insider and Entertainment Tonight, adding that this trend has not only seen a healthy response from the advertisers but has intensified the competition as well.
While the regular downloaders are happy with the change, they still can’t reason with seeing the show after it has been aired elsewhere. Jatin Puri, a music producer says, “Detroit 187, which Star World claims to get you immediately, has already aired 12 episodes and I have seen them all. When I know I can get it easily, then I would rather watch it sooner than later,” he says.
But since English entertainment channels came in India only in the late 90s, they had a lot of catching up to do. Like Srikant Avi, a management student tells us. “When they started showing Friends, it was already five\six seasons old in the US, so they had no choice but to start from scratch. But with so many new series coming in now, it’s easier to keep it up-to-date,” he says.