Zee's 2011 Cine Awards Delivers the Biggest South Asian Programming Rating Since April of Last Year

The Event Averaged a 4.6 Rating Among Asian Indian Households in Zee's Seven Wired Markets of Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, DC


NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - February 18, 2011) - The 2011 Zee Cine Awards aired in the United States on Friday, February 4th at 9 pm ET on Zee TV. A Red Carpet Special at 8:30 pm ET featured entrances and interviews of award nominees along with Bollywood's biggest stars as they made their way into the venue. The Zee Cine Awards has remained a proud Bollywood tradition since 1998.

Zee TV earned the top telecast of 2011 as the 2011 Zee Cine Awards, aired from 9pm to 12:30am ET, averaged a 4.6 Live HH rating in the Asian Indian universe in Zee's seven wired cable markets. To give perspective into the show's success with respect to the Asian Indian TV universe, the 2/6/11 broadcast of Super Bowl XLV did a 9.3 rtg in Asian Indian Persons 2+ and a 6.7 in A.I. Persons 25-54 in the Washington, DC market. The Cine Awards did a comparable 7.2 P2+ and 5.0 P25-54 Asian Indian rating in that same DC market. The 8:30pm Red Carpet Show scored an additional 4.7 Asian Indian HH Rating (7-market avg.) as it has grown to become one of Bollywood viewers' most treasured events. The Cine Awards easily outperformed popular specials like the Star Screen Awards and last year's Filmfare Awards as well as blockbuster movies such as 3 Idiots and even the finale episode of Indian Idol! It delivered not just the biggest rating of 2011 among South Asian networks, but it was also the biggest telecast since April'2010 according to Rentrak TV Essentials.

The Zee Cine Awards are the truest measure of viewer's choice as millions of Bollywood fans from more than 168 countries across the world vote for their favorites. The show recognizes and rewards the best. From visionary filmmakers to imaginative cinematographers to versatile actors, it is the ultimate recognition for Bollywood's immense talent.

The glittering evening, hosted by superstar Akshay Kumar and renowned filmmaker Sajid Khan, included performances by Bollywood's biggest names such as Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone. The top Bollywood talents also took home the coveted 'Zenith' award with Shah Rukh Khan and Vidya Balan as best actor and actress and 'Dabangg' as best film of 2011.

About Zee TV
Zee TV -- the name that has become synonymous with unparalleled quality in entertainment -- has been a dominant player in broadcasting content for more than 17 years in the national and international space. As an Indian channel, Zee TV is committed to supporting the values and traditions that appeal to South Asians across the globe. 

In July 1998, Zee TV expanded its presence in the international space by establishing itself as a mainstay in American households, reaching more than 2 million viewers. As the undisputed leader in the market for over 11 years, Zee TV has successfully evolved its content to meet the changing needs of the market across genres and languages. The network caters to a wide audience with a growing number of channels, including Zee Cinema, Zee Sports and Alpha ETC Punjabi.

Contact Information:

Contact:
Vibha Chopra
Head of Marketing / PR
Asia TV USA Ltd.
646 745-9012