MUMBAI: Having drawn in new audiences with Indian Idol, Sony TV is now warming up to the task of retaining them.

An early prime time launch of a Balaji daily soap at the 8 pm band is eyeing a wide base audience across the social spectrum, away from the channel's traditional core segment of SEC ABC. Sony believes Indian Idol has generated a mass base for the channel which it can now hold on to with a first-ever romantic love story.

Sony which earlier defined their core TG as 18 - 24 years, SEC ABC has decided to expand their to core TG to SEC DE as well.

Kaisa Ye Pyaar Hai (KYPH), a first of such initiatives will hit the tube on 29 March at the 8 pm slot Mondays to Thursdays.

KYPH is a romantic tale of two distinctly different individuals which is laced with high ambitions, passion, conflicting values and the trials and tribulations of lovers. The key ingredient attributed by the channel is it's musical backdrop.

Why 8 PM?

Traditionally, the 8 pm slot has always targeted the younger TG's across general entertainment channels. Earlier, Sony had slotted Hum 2 Hain Na which aimed at luring younger audiences. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Sony creative director Gursheel Walia says, "The 8 pm slot has always been a very teeny boppy slot across channels. With KYPH, the effort is capitalise on that opportunity and broadbase audiences and viewership."

Also, this habit forming soap is placed with the strategy of creating a vertical funnel 8 pm onwards through primetime right upto 11 pm, and as a horizontal funnel throughout the week.

The channel officials also believe that this show will raise the bar for romance on TV, characterisation's being the biggest USP of the show.

Another interesting aspect is, that the show's male protagonist plays the Pop Idol. The 8 pm slot has been a difficult one for Sony in the last year as Hum 2 Hain Na did not really catch the fancy of viewers. The slot was delivering an average of 0.7 TVR in the Hindi speaking markets C&S 4+. As a warm up to the launch of KYPH, Abhijeet Ka Safar highlighting the Indian Idol's journey was showcased at the time slot.

Throwing light on the same, SET EVP and business head Tarun Katial explains, " KYPH will give the much needed impetus to expand daily primetime; giving audiences a strong viewing option at 8 PM, funneling in that viewership into the existing daily line up and increasing stickiness on the channel. This show will add the romantic element to the diaspora of entertainment offered by the channel, across genres and concepts thus ensuring quality entertainment for every member of the family."

The idea essentially is to expand their prime time in the reverse. The 8:30 pm slot which is currently dominated by Star Plus' Kausauti Zindagi Kay cannot be touched. Although, the 8 pm slot is a fairly open slot in the current scenario. Pitted against Plus' Dekho Magar Pyaar Se, Sony does not seem to have such a tough task at hand.

On the marketing front SET vice-president marketing and communications Tushar Shah says, " The marketing effort will be to create the needed buzz with a robust, innovative and high impact 360 degree blitzkrieg to build awareness and viewership."

Is this a slow and steady move by Sony to conquer part by part or will the leader reinstate its dominance?