In this document we have prepared a communication plan for launching a comedy TV show in Nepal and Bangladesh. We have considered the social, cultural and economic factors to come to our conclusion.

1. IM PROJECT:
COMMUNICATION PLAN
Group 3
Abhishek Bhowmik 15020841005
Anand Gupta 15020841007
Arjun Parekh 15020841070
Krithika Arvindan 15020841028
Miral Shah 15020841032
Rohan Bharaj 15020841046
Syed Mujtaba 15020841055

2. OVERVIEW OF THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY IN NEPAL
Television arrived late in Nepal, but it is now the main source of broadcast news and
entertainment in urban areas. State-run Nepal Television still commands the biggest
audience nationwide because its free-to-air terrestrial broadcasts can be widely
received across the country.
In many rural areas, Nepal Television is the only TV station available. Privately owned
Kantipur Television (KTV) is widely regarded as having the largest audience share in
urban areas. Another private channel, Avenues Television (ATV), is the next most
popular station and is catching up fast on Kantipur.
The private news channels ABC and News 24 are also very popular. The reach of
television in rural areas is limited by the availability of electricity. Where an electricity
supply exists, most households own a TV set, even in relatively poor areas.
But overall, radio still dominates broadcasting in the countryside. In large cities, such
as Kathmandu or Pokhara, on the other hand, there are often two TV sets per
household and no radio. State-run Nepal Television inaugurated TV broadcasting the
country in 1985. It now transmits 24 hours per day on two channels; NTV and NTV
Plus. The state broadcaster is the only TV station which broadcasts free-to-air from
terrestrial transmitter’s right across the country.
Some of the private TV channels also use terrestrial transmission, but they reach most
of their viewers by satellite and cable. Nepal’s first private sector television station,

3. Channel Nepal, was launched on what was then the country’s only cable TV network
in 2002.
But it was the setting up of Kantipur Television and the Image Channel a year later
that started attracting mass audiences to private television. Both these stations were
offshoots of existing media organizations. Kantipur TV was launched by the owners of
Kantipur, Nepal’s largest circulation daily newspaper and the national FM station
Radio Kantipur. The Image Channel was started by the owners of another successful
Kathmandu radio station, Image FM. By 2011, NTV was facing competition from about
15 private channels, broadcasting mainly on cable and satellite. Almost all television
stations have hourly news bulletins, except during prime viewing time in the evening.
Political talk shows are popular– almost all the TV channels have them. Some channels
air more than one a day. However, drama serials which contain a strong dose of social
and political humour and satire attract the biggest audiences on Nepalese television.
Live music video programmes, where the VJ plays music videos and chats with callers
are very popular among the young viewers.
Most television programmes, including the news bulletins, are in Nepali. However
with all private sector TV broadcasters trying to carve their own niche, some now carry
programmes and news bulletins in other languages as well. Nepal 1, which broadcasts
from India, and TTV both carry programmes in local languages from the Terai
lowlands in Southern Nepal, including Bhojpuri, Maitheli and Abadi.
Some channels that mainly target viewers in the Kathmandu valley broadcast news
bulletins in Newari. Image Channel even carries Newari language soap operas. Several
channels, including Nepal Television and Kantipur Television, feature news bulletins
in English. As news and current affairs based programmes and political talk shows
have become popular, television has gained increasing influence among decision
makers in Kathmandu. Cable TV operators provide services in most urban and semi-
urban areas, offering packages of up to 100 or more Nepalese and foreign TV channels.

4. These frequently include international news channels like BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera,
sports channels like ESPN and Star Sports, special interest channels like National
Geographic, Animal Planet and TLC, and Indian entertainment channels like Zee TV,
Star TV, Colors and Sony. Several cable television distributors in cities such as
Kathmandu, Butawal, Pokhara, Biratnagar and Nepalgunj, also offer viewers their own
local channel.
These unofficial cable channels are widely used to play songs-on-demand. Some also
cover local events of special interest. They are slowly becoming fully-fledged,
independent television services. Two companies began offering Direct To Home
satellite TV services to Nepalese viewers in 2010. They merged to become Dish Home
TV. It offers packages of local and international channels similar to those provided by
the cable networks.
The most popular types of TV programme in Nepal are:
1. News: News bulletins attract the highest audiences and the highest advertising
revenue. Most channels have hourly news bulletins.
2. Comedy Serials: These package humour and satire on social and political
issues woven into episodic stories. Particular characters often represent
different ethnic groups and political figures. These serials have universal appeal
across all age groups and sectors of Nepalese society. Popular serials of this type
include Tito Satya, Meri Bassai and Jire Khursani.
3. Call-in Music programmes: These programmes play Nepali pop videos on
demand. The presenter take calls from viewers and plays videos of the songs
that they request. Most television channels (except the news channels) have

5. their own versions of this type of programme. The format is particularly popular
among urban youth. The most popular call-in programme is Kantipur TV’s daily
Call Kantipur show. It occupies a one-hour slot in the late afternoon.
4. Indian soap operas: These are extremely popular amongst housewives and
young women in urban areas who receive Indian entertainment channels such
as Zee, Sony, Star and Colors on cable. Nepalese channels struggle to compete
with the superior production quality and the sheer variety of serials 67 on
Indian TV channels. In areas near the Indian border, many households
subscribe directly to Indian satellite pay TV services which do do not carry any
Nepalese channels.
COMMUNICATION PLAN TO LAUNCH A COMEDY TV
SHOW IN NEPAL
Considering the statistics given above regarding the TV penetration in Nepal and other
socio-cultural factors, we have come to a conclusion that we can start a TV show in
Nepal that has to portray the local culture of Nepal and must have a famous Nepali
actor in the lead role. We can have Sitaram Kattel in the lead role as he is the most
well-known comedians in Nepal.
A communication plan defines the approach that a program will use to communicate
with communities. It helps ensure systematic information sharing and two-way
communication. The six steps that should be considered while making a
communication plan are as follows:
1. Identify your objectives
The main objective of launching a Comedy show in Nepal is because comedy is
one of the most famous genres along with News. Also out of the four most
famous comedy shows in the History of Nepal Bhadragol, Tito Satya, Meri
Bassai and Jire Khursani, two have ended in 2015.
2. Choose your target audiences
Our target audience will be the entire nation of Nepal.
3. Select your communication methods
Radio
The majority of Nepalis still rely mainly on radio for information, news and
entertainment Radio is particularly strong in the rural areas, where 83% of
Nepalis live.
In 2013 there were around 370 radio stations in the country and studies suggest
that over 80% of the population can now be reached by FM radio. Kathmandu
alone has 34 FM stations. There are also 18 FM stations in the twin cities of
Bhairahawa and Butwal, 14 in Nepalgunj, 11 in Pokhara and seven in Janakpur.

6. However, the listening habits of city dwellers are different to those of the rural
population. Most people in urban areas listen to radio during the day in their
shops, workshops, cars and on their mobile phones. At night, they watch
television at home. In rural areas, people have fewer options. The cable TV
networks do not reach far into the countryside and many remote areas do not
have electricity.
A survey conducted in 2006-2007 by the US-based media development
organization Equal Access found that 82% of households owned radios, 95%
had radios in their neighborhood and about 44% of radio owners had radios
that cost less than Rs. 500 (US$7).
A separate survey conducted by the BBC among 4,500 people in 2008 showed
that 90% of the Nepali population listened to the radio regularly. 21 Most tuned
in for two hours every day during the week, but they spent up to three hours per
day listening to the radio at weekends and on public holidays. But the same
survey also showed that more than 80% of respondents watched television.
Another key finding was that 92% of respondents trusted the media more than
any other institution in Nepal.
The availability of cheap Chinese radios costing less than US$1.50 has helped
to make radio popular amongst the rural poor. Increasingly, Nepalese are using
their mobile phones to listen to the radio – particularly young people.
4. Plan for two-way communication
Two-way communication promotes dialogue and allows organizations to gather
ideas, suggestions and feedback from target communities. This can help us
adjust our programs to better fit people’s needs. We can gather feedback via the
radio through hotline. RJs will receive feedback. This feedback needs to reach
the program manager, who can then make a decision about whether to adjust
the program and how to respond to the communities. Responding to feedback
shows the communities that their feedback has been considered and used, even
if the answer to the community’s request is “no.”
5. Establish a time frame
Communication at all stages of the program is important. People need to be
informed about key developments so they will be able to make the most of the
program. You should communicate with community members throughout the
program, especially before starting key activities, before making changes to the
program and upon encountering delays. We need to keep the audience curious
as to when our show will be starting.
6. Draft a budget
Depending on the budget, we may need to be more strategic about when to
invest in communication methods such as radio. The minimum price for a one-
minute commercial is between NPR30 to NPR50 i.e. between Rs. 12 to Rs. 50.

7. The advertising on radio stations is very cheap because more than 350 radio
stations are available in the country.
CONCLUSION
Nepal is a country where TV penetration is rising in urban as well as rural
areas. Comedy is a genre that is loved by all Nepalis. Launching a new comedy
show makes sense as two most famous TV shows closed down in 2015 and
currently there are only two comedy shows available.
Based on the data available, we believe that Radio is the best medium for
communication as more than 80% of the population is connected via the radio
and it also not very expensive to advertise on radio considering the
competition in radio industry in Nepal.

8. Overview of the Television Industry in Bangladesh
The media market in Bangladesh has mushroomed over the past 10 years, with a large
range of highly profitable newspapers and satellite TV channels springing up. At the
national level, the media has become dominated by a few large corporations – often
with primary interests in other commercial sectors. Brand new web-based initiatives,
which go right down to the village level, are now being driven by a few energetic
individuals and by donors. Bangladesh has one of the highest mobile phone
penetration rates in the world, and, as mobile services improve (even in rural areas).
Population: 161,083,804 (July 2012 est.) [7th most populous country in the world]
Ethnic groups: Bengali 98%, other 2% (includes tribal groups, non-Bengali
Muslims)
Religions: Muslim 89.5%, Hindu 9.6%, other 0.9% (2004)
Languages: Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Literacy: Total Population: 47.9%; Male: 54%; Female: 41.4% (2001 census)
Urban Population: 28% of total population (2010)
The majority population is Muslim, and Bengali. Literacy is 47% which means that for
our TV Show, the Target Audience will be, of course, the literates and we’ll have to
produce the TV Show in Regional language – Bangla.
TV has become the dominant form of mass communication over the past decade. In
2011, according to the A.C. Nielsen National Media and Demographic Survey, 74% of
the population had access to TV.
There are an estimated 11.4 million internet users in Bangladesh, and use is
unrestricted by the government; however some journalist's emails have been
monitored. People also using online newspaper and news portal. There are huge online

9. newspaper and news portal in Bangladesh. But all the news portal are not listed by
Bangladesh government.
There are an estimated 11.4 million internet users in Bangladesh, and use is
unrestricted by the government; however some journalist's emails have been
monitored. People also using online newspaper and news portal. There are huge online
newspaper and news portal in Bangladesh. But all the news portal are not listed by
Bangladesh government.
The most popular types of TV Programme in Bangladesh is:
News: News channels and portals have the highest viewership in Bangladesh.
Channel I leads the TRP charts of Bangladeshi TV channels.
However, the local GEC channels of Bangladesh are not doing great.
GEC (General Entertainment Channel): To win in the growing Bangladeshi
media market race, TV channels need to produce quality, credible and objective
demand based programs. That’s why Bangladesh immediately needs specialised TV
channels that will serve particular groups.
In India, most of the channels are specialised channels. Star India provides, among
other channels, STAR Gold, STAR Movies, STAR Cricket, Jalsha Movies and Movies
OK. All these channels are specialised channels that focus on very specific subjects.
Instead of aiming at the mass market, they serve particular groups. This is also
applicable for news channels that are doing work under informal censorships.
Communication Plan to Launch a Comedy TV Show in
Bangladesh
The media in Bangladesh is diverse, competitive, commercial and profitable. This is a
boom time, with most media outlets making money and wielding some political

10. influence in an expanding market. With the advent of popular, independent,
commercial satellite TV in the past ten years, as well as better communication, higher
literacy rates and mass audiences.
Considering the statistics given above regarding the TV penetration in Bangladesh and
other socio-cultural factors, we have come to a conclusion that we can start a TV show
in Bangladesh that has to portray the local culture of Bangladesh and must have a
famous Bangla actor in the lead role. We can have Shakib Khan in the lead role as
he is the most well-known actor in Bangladesh.
A communication plan defines the approach that a program will use to communicate
with communities. It helps ensure systematic information sharing and two-way
communication. The six steps that should be considered while making a
communication plan are as follows:

11. 1. Identify your objectives
The main objective of launching a Comedy show in Bangladesh is because
comedy is one of the most famous genres along with News. Also out of the four
most famous comedy shows in the Mirakkel Akkel, Aaj Robibar,
Nokkhotrer Raat.
2. Choose your target audiences
Our target audience will be the entire nation of Bangladesh.
3. Select your communication methods
TV
In 2015, according to the A.C. Nielsen National Media and Demographic
Survey, 74 per cent of the population had access to TV. The same survey
suggests that radio listening had declined to only 16 per cent of the population
by 2011. The TV Advertising market, is worth a reported Taka 1,000 crore ($122
million).
4. Plan for small TV spots
According to Nielsen Survey 2015, 82 percent respondents agreed that they
watched TV ads with full attention; only 11.87 percent respondents agree that
TV ads are frequently irritating.
5. Establish a time frame
Communication at all stages of the program is important. People need to be
informed about key developments so they will be able to make the most of the
program. You should communicate with community members throughout the
program, especially before starting key activities, before making changes to the
program and upon encountering delays. We need to keep the audience curious
as to when our show will be starting.
6. Draft a budget
Spot advertisement rates

12. Telecast Fee for Package Program
CONCLUSION
Bangladesh is a country where TV penetration is rising in urban as well as
rural areas. Comedy is a genre that is loved by all Bangladeshis. Launching a
new comedy show makes sense as there are not many new comedy shows at
present.
Based on the data available, we believe that TV is the best medium for
communication as more than 74% of the population is connected via the TV
and it also not very expensive to advertise on TV considering the competition
in TV industry in Bangladesh.