FORBES INDONESIA Companies & People

Power Programmer Amit Goenka sees a bright future for his Zee TV shows in Indonesia.

BY AASTHA SABOO

AMIT GOENKA, 39, first came to Indonesia to enjoy its beaches. Now he has returned as he sees the country as a good business opportunity. Amit is the son of , one of India’s biggest media tycoons, and his family has launched two pay-TV channels in Indonesia in the last two years. The two channels are now ranked among the top three most- watched international channels in the country, according to the company. Amit attributes the success to good research and the parallels between the cultures in India and Indonesia. “When we were conducting our sur- vey before entering the market, we were surprised to see the potential in Indonesia, as Indonesia is the country whose roots are closest to India,” says Amit, in a rare interview, done over the telephone from his ofce in . The two channels are Zee Bioskop, a movie channel, launched in January last year, and Zee Hiburan, a general entertainment channel, launched in March this year. Both have original Indian programming that is dubbed in Bahasa Indonesia. They are available over nine pay-TV services such as First Media, BigTV and Transvision. Amit feels Indonesia can become one While Indian programming, such of Zee’s biggest markets outside of its as films and other shows, has been home market in India. shown for years on Indonesian TV on a

44 | FORBES INDONESIA NOVEMBER 2015 FROM LEFT: Maria Liza; Amit Goenka, Dr. Subhash Chandra and Punit Goenka. one-of basis, the Zee channels are the nesses, now oversees the Indonesian early 2000s, which boosted its mass first full-time all-Indian programming operations. He has been in the posi- appeal in Indonesia. “Our strong con- channels available in the country. Amit tion from last month, while his older tent connect gives us an edge over says Indonesian viewers can’t get brother Punit is the chief executive English, Korean and Japanese chan- enough of soaps like Jodha Akbar, Ra- of the entire Zee Entertainment firm. nels present here, and we aim to cap- zia Sultan and Ramayana, which have Aside from Indonesia, Zee is look- ture the number one spot in the over- become big hits in Indonesia. ing at Thailand and Vietnam as other all entertainment section by the end More is to come. Within six markets for expansion, and it already of next year.” says Maria Liza. months, Zee will launch reality as a strong presence in the Middle “Indonesia and India share a lot of shows, like Dance India Dance and East and some other global markets. similarities when it comes to culture, Super Moms. Next on the cards is the However, Amit feels Indonesia can values and entertainment appetite, in launch of a children’s channel, fol- become one of Zee’s biggest markets addition to being maritime neighbors. lowed by a lifestyle channel, all to be outside of its home market in India. Indonesia is economically one of the added within the next three years, ac- To reach that goal, Zee has al- fastest growing market with huge cording to Amit. ready invested more than $10 million potential for pay TV growth. I am Zee Entertainment is a part of in its Indonesian operations. It also confident these launches will flag the Essel group, which was founded appointed cable TV veteran Maria of a new beginning for our venture by Subhash Chandra, Amit’s father, Liza Ginting to led the company here, and relationship between the two in 1991. With a net worth of $5.2 a Filipina whose experience includes countries,” said Subhash at the time billion, Subhash is widely considered eight years as a division head of First of the launch. as India’s media king, and the Zee Media. It further plans to invest more Amit too is upbeat about the Entertainment Enterprises has over than $250 million in Asia by the end long-term growth of the Indonesian $700 million in annual revenues, the of next year, with Indonesia possibly media industry, and sees that Zee crown jewel in Essel’s media group. getting a large share of that as it is can share in that growth. To deepen Subhash’s Essel also controls three one of the biggest markets in the re- its presence here, the company also other media groups, Dish TV, Siti gion. Amit says the Indonesian opera- aims to start local production of Cable and Zee Media. The company tions have already broken even on an Indonesian movies and TV series claims 700 million viewers over about operational basis. in the next few years and may also 170 countries. Indian programming has been look at partnering with a local media Amit, as chief executive ofce for getting more sophisticated, and be- group, says Amit. The market looks Zee’s international broadcasting busi- come more family-oriented since the promising indeed for Zee. F

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