Hindi film industry may have taken a backseat but Hindi entertainment channels are not discouraged by IPL that will hit the small screen on March 12.

The majority of TV channels have launched new shows to keep their daily viewers hooked.

Imagine TV has started two new shows including "Jamunia" and "Kashi" while Sony launched "Godh Bharai", with all new series having broadcast their first episodes on March 08, which is observed as International Women's Day.

Sab TV begun silent comedy series "Gutur Gu" earlier this month and others channels like STAR Plus and Zee TV have recently kickstarted broadcasting shows of "Sasural Genda Phool" and "Behnein" respectively.

Television channels think cricket would not take their core viewers away.

Mr. Gaurav Banerjee, head (Content Strategy), STAR Plus, told, "The IPL is no big deal. It comes and goes and is a matter of just six weeks. But our shows run for a much longer time. IPL doesn't really take away what we believe is our hardcore audience. People will still come and watch our channel as much during IPL as they do at any other time. It doesn't affect us,"

Mr. Anooj Kapoor, the business head of Sab TV, is relaxed about the effect that IPL could have on his channel.

Shailja Kejriwal, executive vice president (content), Imagine TV, said that IPL will have an effect on the viewership of entertainment channels only when they have large numbers of new shows or if the majority of watchers have single TV homes.

"IPL could have a 15-20 percent effect on any new show that a channel may have launched. Not on a show that a viewer has been watching for over a year or so because once the event is over, viewers will bounce back for old shows. Also, in single TV homes, men want to watch cricket; so it is possible that women, who make our core audience, can't watch their favourite shows," she said.

In the meantime, leading TV channel Colors has protected its Television Rating Points (TRPs) by joining forces with IPL to roll out a series of new entertainment plans around IPL and its players.

Beginning Saturday, Colors will see the launch of "IPL Rockstar" - a music contest to be held in the cricket stadiums. It will see 12 singers contending to be IPL Rockstar 2010 and will be judged by ace playback signers Sukhwinder Singh and Kailash Kher.

Moreover, the channel will also have a special IPL version of "Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi" in which many cricketers will go up against one another in daring tasks. The special edition, to be hosted by Akshay Kumar, will be showcased later in the year.

An "IPL Awards Night" is also under way as part of the unique offerings by Colors. (With Input from Agencies)