'Fear Factor', 'Bigg Boss' didn't make 'business sense' for Sony

Mumbai, Oct 5 (IANS) While Colors channel touts "Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi" and "Bigg Boss" their most successful shows, a Sony Channel official says its copyright was held by them, but they didn't renew it because it didn't make good business sense.

The first season of both the shows aired on Sony channel and the channel had the copyright of the series.

"We had the licence for the shows, but we did not renew it because we believed it did not make business sense," Albert Almeida, executive vice president, Sony Entertainment Television (SET), told IANS.

"Being successful and hit is different from making business sense. We keep only those shows which have a long run and we forego those that we thought don't make business sense for us," Almeida added.

About the two shows going to Colors, Almeida said: "We are an established channel and have no compulsion as that of a new channel. We have enough of reality shows and right now there is no space for more."

After successful serials like "Kkusum", "Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin", "Heena" and "Yeh Meri Life Hai", Sony planned to give the channel a contemporary look by showing reality and urban centric shows during week days.

"But our plan misfired a bit as the small town audience stopped relating to the kind of programme we were offering during the week days.

"The major chunk of audience for television consists of women from small town who wants to see fiction and we were not providing that. So they turned to us only on weekends for our reality shows. Now, our idea is to change their mindset and gain viewership on the weekdays."

Referring to shows like "Sujata", "Aathvaan Vachan" and ready to go on air "Hum Ladkiyaan", Almeida said they are trying to make the audience believe that Sony has fiction-based serials to offer for weekdays.

The channel is also planning to launch a few more shows.

Sony presently has five shows - "Sujata", "Waqt Batayega Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya", "Aathvaan Vachan", "Babul Ka Aangan Chhootey Na" and "Hum Ladkiyaan" set to go on air Oct 13.

The channel also telecasts three reality shows - "Boogie Woogie", "Comedy Circus" and "Indian Idol". It also showcases two weekly thrillers -- "CID" and "Arslaan".

• Television