Mumbai: IN10 Media Network’s premier infotainment channel EPIC has unveiled its brand new look on 16 December. In tandem with a futuristic philosophy of ‘Soch Se Aage’, the channel simultaneously revealed a fresh programming line-up that plans to grow beyond the present and forge an inspiring as well as expansive future for infotainment.
The move seems to have been spurred by the Indian audiences’ growing appetite for all kinds of entertainment, including factual, as a result of being exposed to a wide variety of content in the last couple of years.
Decoding EPIC’s transformation that was built on the brand’s established USP of ‘India ka Apna Infotainment’, IN10 Media Network MD Aditya Pittie had said, “‘Glocal’ is no longer just a textbook phrase for the future, but the very essence of the modern audience that has explored all that is available from around the world and is hungry for more. It is this ‘more’ that is at the heart of EPIC’s new brand philosophy and will be the cornerstone of showcasing content that is ‘Soch Se Aage’ – beyond the known universe of knowledge, ideas, and stories; into the metaverse of an exciting future that continues to celebrate India.”
In addition to launching new seasons of popular shows like ‘Raja Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaaniyaan’, ‘Lost Recipes’ and ‘Regiment Diaries’, EPIC new content slate includes ‘Lakshya 1971 – Vayusena Ke Veer Yoddha’, ‘India Post – Dhaage Jo Desh Jode’, ‘Jugaad Mania and’ Homecoming- A Nation's Fight For Its People’ and digital originals such as ‘EPIC Khoj’, ‘What’s in the Name’ and ‘Short Mid-Wicket Tales’.
In this exclusive interview with Indiantelevision.com, EPIC AVP – content and strategy Nisha Thakkar talks about the rationale behind the brand revamp and programming for the ‘Soch Se Aage’ philosophy.
Edited Excerpts:
On the idea behind the brand revamp, and need for a new philosophy
EPIC has always been a channel ahead of the time. We were the first India-centric Hindi infotainment channel while everyone else was focusing on international content, and since then have showcased exhilarating stories from the country to the world. With the world changing and content consumption patterns evolving, we too have.
The new tagline – ‘Soch Se Aage’ – reflects the channel philosophy of driving thought – leadership, inspiration, pride, and a window to the world ‘Beyond Imagination’. The world is changing at a lightning speed and there is an unseen, unknown universe of knowledge, ideas, and stories to showcase our audience through the platform of EPIC.
Also Read: IN10 Media’s Epic readies for brand makeover starting 16 December
On how the demand for infotainment has evolved through 2020-21 on TV, and digital? And, how is the channel planning to meet that demand through the content strategy?
The infotainment genre has remained stable with the launch of a new line-up across the channels however there has been immense growth on digital platforms. Our property – EPIC Digital Originals – launched early this year, has witnessed immense growth on Youtube & Facebook. There has been almost a 30 per cent organic growth in subscribers within one year.
Today, one wants differentiated content on every genre, and EPIC has been able to deliver more than the expectation of its viewers by offering premium content. We have launched new seasons of our legacy shows – ‘Raja Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan’, ‘Regiment Diaries’ & ‘Lost Recipes’ – as well as a new line-up of compelling shows like ‘India Post – Dhaage Jo Desh Jode’, ‘Jugaad Mania’ among others in the coming months.
On new shows, especially the latest ‘Lakshya 1971’ which premiered on 16 December.
The one-hour-long documentary ‘Lakshya 1971: Vayu Sena Ke Veer Yoddha’, highlights the exclusive story of the 1971 aerial war for the first time through the decisive air battles that changed the course of this iconic war.
Travelling back 50 years to retrieve the breath-taking battle stories, the film will uncover some of the Indian Air Force’s closely guarded secrets and tales of men, machines, and missions. Viewers will get to hear first-hand accounts of the game-changing stories and inspiring heroics by the IAF war legends. Combining archival footage with graphics and recreated scenes will bring the war to life with some of the greatest stories of courage, patriotism, and independence which the world has long forgotten.
On the challenge of meeting the growing demand for purely India-centric content, especially in terms of finding the right talent.
Over the years, factual content has evolved and so have the talent working on the same. The genre is no longer restricted to just documentaries or wildlife content, it has broadened its horizons across the spectrum. Broadcast channels, production houses, artists, and other talent working in the genre have been thinking outside the box to create some phenomenal and meaningful work.
On looking ahead to 2022 and the channel’s plans for content strategy, and overall goal for next year
EPIC is known for its iconic shows and we will continue to bring those to our viewers. New seasons of legacy shows like ‘Raja Rasoi, Lost Recipes, and Regiment Diaries’ will once again tingle the viewers' senses and emotions. As mentioned earlier, we plan to introduce new IPs in the new year. To name a few, ‘Jugaad Mania’ will bring alive stories of ordinary people creating extraordinary innovations and ‘Homecoming – A Nation’s Fight for its People’ that will highlight the efforts of the common man and the government as they faced numerous challenges during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Witnessing great response from the audience, the channel’s digital properties will see the launch of new originals soon. EPIC has been and will be a one-stop destination of amazing stories from across geographies.
