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Tag: Hyderabad

  • DAS Phase III implementation extended by 2 months in AP, Telangana; Indore petition dismissed

    DAS Phase III implementation extended by 2 months in AP, Telangana; Indore petition dismissed

    NEW DELHI: Multi system operators (MSOs) in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh got a reprieve of eight weeks from implementing the Digital Addressable System (DAS) in Phase III towns and cities following stay orders issued by the Hyderabad High Court.

    While the Federation of Telangana MSOs got the relief yesterday (30 December), the MSO Welfare Association of Andhra Pradesh received the orders today (31 December).

    Issuing notice to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the judge also turned down an oral plea by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for being impleaded in the case. He said the regulator was free to file an application in this regard.

    Initially, Justice Vilas V Afzalpurkar recalled an order granted by a bench of which he was a part on 20 August, 2013 with regard to DAS Phase II and noted that all the issues being raised by counsel C Ramachandra Raju – who represented both parties – had been raised at that time and should have been dealt with by now.

    However, counsel Raju said statutory powers always come with corresponding responsibilities. He said the government was meant to give facilities to help people and not create more problems by enforcing a deadline without ensuring adequate seeding of set top boxes (STBs). Furthermore, he said the 2013 case was filed as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by an outside party whereas these petitions have been filed by the major stakeholders – the MSOs. In any case, Raju pointed out that no point of law had been decided in the 2013 case and so that case could not be taken as a precedent.

    He said that even the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh had written to the Centre to say that it was not possible to meet the deadline as STBs were inadequate.

    The judge also heard Assistant Solicitor General B Narayana Reddy on behalf of the government before directing it to file a counter affidavit within eight weeks.

    The Central Government had issued its directive about Phase III on 11 September, 2014.

    MSO Kishna Mohan, who is adviser to the Federation of Telangana MSOs, told Indiantelevision.com that under Phase III, 168 towns with 2.6 million collections were to be covered in Telangana and 178 towns with 3.5 million collections in Andhra Pradesh.

    The 13th Task Force meeting held yesterday was apprised of these cases and of the case in Indore was to be heard today, but assured all stakeholders that the Government will follow the directives of the Courts but will not extend the date beyond today unless directed by any Court to do so.

    Meanwhile, it is learnt that a similar petition by Indore-based MSO Om Systems in the Madhya Pradesh High Court seeking a stay on digitisation in Phase III areas of Madhya Pradesh has been dismissed.

    Earlier, the Bombay High Court had declined to stay the deadline but said that interim stop gap agreements could be signed while asking the TRAI to come out with a model interconnect agreement at the earliest.

  • Sun given option to disconnect signals of Hyderabad MSO on non-payment of dues

    Sun given option to disconnect signals of Hyderabad MSO on non-payment of dues

    NEW DELHI: Sun Distribution Services Pvt. Ltd has been given the option of disconnecting the signals to multisystem operator Lifestyle Communication of Hyderabad for not clearing its dues.

     

    The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal said that it was satisfied that the MSO did not deserve any more indulgence as it had failed to make the payments as directed by the Tribunal. The Tribunal therefore recalled its restraint direction to Sun Distribution issued on 6 May and 4 September when time was given to the MSO against the petitioner. 

     

    However, the Tribunal said Sun Distribution must restore the supply of its signal to the MSO as soon as it receives the payment of the last installment in terms of the order passed on 6 May and also on clearance of the dues of licence fees for the current months.   

     

    The order came on a recovery petition filed by Sun Distribution for realization of its dues of licence fee. 

     

    Since a substantial amount of dues was admitted, the Tribunal had said on 6 May that the MSO will make an on-account payment to Sun of the sum of Rs One crore towards arrears for the analogue GHMC area for the period April 2014 to March 2015. “The payment shall be made in six equal monthly installments and shall also carry interest at the rate of 14 percent per annum. The interest will be computed from the dates, the payments became due till the dates of actual payment. In addition, the respondent shall also pay to the petitioner, monthly subscription fee for the aforesaid area at the rate of Rs 7 lakh per month”. 

     

    The Tribunal had been informed that the last installment payable by 31 October has fallen in default.   Sun Counsel Abhishek Malhotra said the MSO had also defaulted in making payment of the monthly licence fees and the licence fees for the months of October and November had not been paid.

  • Sony Pix brings Spectre to Pix Premiere Nights

    Sony Pix brings Spectre to Pix Premiere Nights

    MUMBAI: Sony Pix is all geared up to offer its fans the biggest amazement of the year by partnering for Spectre, the latest James Bond movie, a day before its theatrical release in India exclusively for Pix Premiere Nights. The exclusive screening of the film for Pix Premiere Nights is scheduled on 19 November 2015.

     

    Get set to watch the latest Bond thriller  across the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Chennai. Pix Premiere Nights, the largest integrated on ground brand property in the English movie category is a unique proposition for the viewers to exclusively watch the premiere of the latest Hollywood movies one day before its theatrical release in India. Spectre will be screened in 11 screens across 8 cities.   

      

    Sony Pix has previously hosted Pix Premiere Nights for Robocop (2014), The Hobbit: The battle of the five armies (2014), Amazing Spider Man 2 (2014) and Fantastic Four (2015) among others.

  • National award winning Marathi film ‘Court’ is India’s entry for Oscars

    National award winning Marathi film ‘Court’ is India’s entry for Oscars

    NEW DELHI: The National Award winning Marathi film Court, written and directed by first-time filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane, is India’s official entry for the Oscars in the foreign language category.

     

    The decision was taken by a 16-member committee headed by Amol Palekar set up by the Film Federation of India (FFI), which met in Hyderabad. Other contenders included Masaan, PK and Baahubali.

     

    Court, which has already been to several international film festivals and won national and international awards, is the story of a radical poet who is accused of waging war against the state. It follows the never-ending trial of a balladeer who is accused of encouraging a municipal worker to commit suicide through his fiery songs. The multi-lingual arthouse drama examines the Indian judicial system from the perspectives of the accused, the lawyer defending him, the public prosecutor, and the judge presiding over the case.

     

    Court was premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2014 where it won the Lion of the Future Award for the best first feature as well as the top prize in the non-competitive Horizons category. Court also won the National Award for Best Feature Film at this year’s National Film Awards.

     

    The movie’s cast includes its producer Vivek Gomber, Marathi stage veteran Geetanjali Kulkarni, and Vira Sathidar. It has been shot by Mrinal Desai and edited by Rikhav Desai. Tamhane and Gomber are in Japan at the Fukoka International Film Festival where the film is being screened.

     

    This is the third Marathi film to be sent for the Oscars. The first was Sandeep Sawant’s Shwaas in 2004, while the second was Harichandrachi Factory by Paresh Mokakshi.

     

    India has never won an Academy Award in the best foreign language movie category though it has figured in the nominations thrice: for Mehmoob Khan’s Mother India, Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay and Ashuthosh Gowarikar’sLagaan.

  • Hyderabad to host annual Comic Con from next month

    Hyderabad to host annual Comic Con from next month

    NEW DELHI: Comic Con India, which has been held successfully in Delhi and other cities, is now moving to the city of pearls, Hyderabad.

     

    The Hyderabad Comic Con will be held from 10 to 12 October at Hitex Exhibition Centre to mark the beginning of an annual Comics Convention for Hyderabad.

     

    The Comic Con express Hyderabad, the travelling version of Comic Con India in September last year, saw a turnout of over 25,000 and sales worth over Rs 75 lakh in just two days.

     

    Comic Con founder Jatin Varma said, “With the tremendous response at Comic Con Express Hyderabad last September, we felt that a permanent event was required for the city. Hyderabad fans were simply awesome and this year we are ensuring that we bring everything down to the city, and the best of Indian and International content will be on display.”

     

    Comic Con India (CCI) has taken a big leap as they recently announced a joint venture with Reed Exhibitions – part of the FTSE listed Reed Elsevier Group – to grow the pop culture space in India and bring world class events to Indian fans. The Comic Con India team will now work closely with the ‘ReedPOP’ division of Reed Exhibitions, the largest producer of pop culture events in the world.

     

    With this joint venture in place, CCI enters the burgeoning ReedPOP portfolio of pop culture events which includes New York Comic Con, PAX, the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, Oz Comic-Con, Singapore Toy, Gaming & Comics Convention and Star Wars Celebration among many others.

     

    Over the past three years, Comic Con India has created a first class pop culture experience, acting as a stage for local and international talent to showcase creativity and interact with enthusiasts. With this joint venture, Indian fans should now expect new events and better experiences in the coming years.

     

    Hyderabad Comic Con 2014 will be hosting interactive 40 hours of programming through panels, launches, sessions, gaming and more. Famous international personalities like Ron Marz, an American comic book writer who is well known for his writings for Silver Surfer, Green Lantern; Nathan Edmondson, an American writer best known for Image Comic’s espionage comic series Who Is Jake Ellis?; Vivek Tiwary, a New York Times Best Selling and Eisner Award Winning Author and a Tony Award winning producer; will be attending and taking special sessions here.

     

    Hyderabad Comic Con will be a ticketed event to further expand the scope and size of the event. Only a limited number of VIP tickets will be issued. The tickets would be priced at Rs 250 per day – online and Rs 300 per day – at the venue and Rs 650 for the Super Fan VIP Ticket for all three days. Super Fan ticket offer is available in limited numbers and can be booked online only, these will not be available at the venue.

     

    Cosplay (Costume Contest), one of the major attractions at Comic Con India, will continue to give assured prizes to everyone in costume. Comic Con India has created five categories to increase one’s chances of winning gifts. Each day, one winner will be chosen from each of the five categories:

     

    1. Comic book/graphic novel

     

    2. Animated Series/Movie

     

    3. Manga/Anime

     

    4. Sci-Fi/Fantasy

     

    5. Gaming

     

    All three days, one lucky winner out of the chosen five will get an awesome chance to win a ticket to Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo 2015. 

     

    Fans will find a “Pop Culture Village” at the Hyderabad Comic Con. It is a zone, exclusively dedicated for hosting the trend-setting creative brands that are making the waves in the design & crafts field. Quirky merchandise, funky designs, collectible toys, pop art & technology and the very best of Indian pop culture industry, everything will be under the same roof.

     

    For the sheer love for Comics, more than five new titles will get launched at the convention.

     

    There will be international exhibitors like Oni Press, an American independent comic book publisher based in Portland, Oregon & Toynk.com, a company carrying collectible toys, action figures, replicas/props, statues/busts and other collectible items, bringing international content from all across the globe, especially for Hyderabad.

     

    There will be some anime & manga merch from Japanese merchandiser IINE Toys, along with the best and most exclusive International merchandise at the convention from across the globe. Exclusive Indian merchandisers including Kook N Keech by Myntra, Wacom, Collectors Heritage, Hysteria, Chumbak, Chimp, Planet Superheroes, Lazy Ninja among others will also be present.

     

    The main participants for the Hyderabad Comic Con 2014 are Amar Chitra Katha, Orange Radius, Pop Culture Publishing, Random House, Campfire Graphic Novel, Holy Cow Entertainment, HarperCollins Publishers, Raj Comics, Scholastic India, Mario Gallery, Westland Publishers and Pan MacMillan.

  • Mukta A2 cinemas makes its twin debut – Hyderabad and Sangli

    Mukta A2 cinemas makes its twin debut – Hyderabad and Sangli

    MUMBAI: MUKTA A2 CINEMAS, where movies come to life, made its debut in the multiplex entertainment in the year 2012 with its first screens in Ahmedabad and Baroda. Withover 8 cinemas and 23 screens in the last two years across cities in India, MUKTA A2 CINEMAS is all set to make its debut in Hyderabad and Sangli on July 25, 2014. The movie-goers of Hyderabad and Sangli will now have a landmark in their city to watch blockbuster hits with state of the art technology at affordable prices.

    One of India’s most reputed and esteemed film banners, Mukta Arts Limited has been giving its audiences the best of on-screen entertainment for decades. As the country’s leading production house with business interests across the entertainment spectrum, Mukta Arts has been the largest content provider in the country with over 500 screens with a library of over 35 hit films. Climbing up the ladder, the company has created its own brand of multiplex theaters MUKTA A2 CINEMAS to provide cinematic experience to movie-lovers.

     

    Each property under this banner is designed with state of the art acoustics, comfortable seating, soothing ambience, Dolby digital sound with varied F&B options, 2K digital projection and recliner seats givingmovie-lovers thebest quality and standards in the business. The primary goal of MUKTA A2 CINEMAS is to provide a multiplex experience in cities beyond the metros at affordable prices. Apart from showcasing latest Hindi movie releases, MUKTA A2 CINEMA also caters to the needs and preferences of its audience by bringing movies of local language.

     

    Commenting on MUKTA A2 CINEMAS launches Rahul Puri – Managing Director, Mukta Arts Ltd said, “The launch of our two new properties in Hyderabad and Sangli demonstrate the commitment Mukta Cinemas has to rapidly becoming a top 5 exhibitor domestically. These two very different properties show that the company is diversifying its product offerings to suits geography and demographics. Our patrons will be thrilled by the quality and service offerings and we expect to build a loyal customer base rapidly. Mukta Cinemas is committed to reaching its goal of 100 screens within the next year and post this launch 5 more properties will launch in 2014.

     

    MUKTA A2 CINEMAS is launching Hyderabad and Sangli properties on July 25, 2014, taking that forward, the companyis all geared to launch 5 more multiplexes – Maharashtra, Bhopal, Aurangabad in the coming months to give cine-goers a redefined movie watching experience.

  • Piracy & l’affaire JadooTV

    Piracy & l’affaire JadooTV

    MUMBAI: The empire is striking back. In the US,  broadcasters won a battle to disallow transmission of their free to air signals to Aereo subscribers  when the US  Supreme Court declared the Chaitanya Khanojia- founded company’s offering  illegal last week.

     

    Cyber crime cell officials  swooped in on the offices of  over the top (OTT ) or internet protocol TV  services provider Jadoo TV in the Thurmalgery area in the south Indian city of Secunderabad and arrested four of its executives on 29 June 2014.

     

    The alleged crime: the company was illegally tapping into cable TV signals of Indian broadcasters and streaming them to customers over the internet in several countries having south Asian diaspora.

     

    The cybercrime cell took the step following a complaint from Maa Television.  Hyderabad police commissioner M Mahender Reddy while tom-tomming the arrests told journalists that  customers only needed to “buy the Jadoo TV set-top box without having to pay any monthly subscription. Most of the channels are paid channels and the gang was streaming their channels through internet. TV channels running their business legitimately, were incurring huge losses to the tune of several hundreds of crores,”

     

    He additionally said that “this signal piracy was going on for the past six seven years on different names from different cities and the accused managed to escape from the clutches of police by changing their set up to different cities. The ‘Pearl Technology’ was streaming 115 TV channels to Jadoo TV. Two bank accounts of its India CEO Sumith Ahuja have been identified and police are in the process of seizing them.”

     

    However, indiantelevision.com is aware that JadooTV has been in existence for around a decade but started the rollout of its box only in 2008.  Jadoo TV was promoted by Pakistan-origin US national Sajid Sohail (who developed the Jadoo receiving box and gets it manufactured out of China these days), while the Dubai-based Pearl Media Group was promoted by CEO Faisal Aftab and it worked as its content partner.

     

    CEO Sohail had said in an interview to Rawal TV earlier this year that the company has signed legitimate contracts with content providers in various countries- including Pakistan, India and Afghanistan – to stream their channels either from the satellite-delivered beam or from the streams they deliver on the internet. He had said that broadcasters were eagerly contacting him to legally carry their channels on JadooTV because of its popularity worldwide.

     

    He added in that interview: “We have a service call MyJadoo, which allows viewers to add broadcast streams on the internet to their Jadoo service just like YouTube does. But if we get a complaint or notice from the content owner, we pull it off just like YouTube does online. The owner has to write to us under the Digitial Millenium Copyright Act about the objectionable content and we delete it.” (His interview can be seen here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBgm4mCW57M#t=364) .

     

    It was as recently as in March 2014 that JadooTV was acquired by a Silicon Valley-based, privately-funded and Intel Capital-backed company CloudStram Technologies, along with Pearl Media Group and Altair Techonologies to create what has been hailed as a “vertically integrated OTT power house.”

     

    Cloudstream had in its press release stated that “the acquisition catapults it to be the dominant multicultural OTT provider, gaining access to a well-known OTT brand JadooTV, the largest south Asian user base in excess of one million viewers, key content deals, and proprietary technologies.”

     

    The JadooTV website openly states that it is offering channels such as News Express, Zoom, Mtunes, Mastii, Aaj Tak, 9XM, Music Xpress, FoodFood, Dhamaal, Big Magic, among many others from India to subscribers. Nowhere are the mainline GECs such as ZeeTV, Sony Entertainment, Colors or  Star or the SunTVs mentioned as being available to viewers, though it says many more channels are available apart from those listed. And a perusal of all its Facebook pages catering to subscribers in various  countries has no mention of mainline channels being delivered either through conversations or comments or promotions on those pages.

     

    The Pearl Media Group describes itself as a “venture capital funded content aggregation and dissemination media company, offering content owners and consumers multi-platform solutions and service offerings. Pearl is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates with development, research and design, and operations facilities located in Hong Kong, India, Japan, Pakistan, and the United States. Our mission is to connect niche content owners and consumers worldwide, whenever, wherever!”

     

    Its website pearlmediagroup.com has a listing of partners which can be accessed at (http://www.pearlmediagroup.com/partners.html) and it is these very channels and services which are mentioned on almost all the JadooTV or Jadoo Plus  product offerings in promotions in various countries.

     

    However, a distribution professional with the conditionality of not going on record told indiantelevision.com that JadooTV had indeed signed legitimate contracts but with only a few niche and news channels in India. “But the mainline channels get  shown illegally in some countries,” he stated. “And you don’t need promotions  or ads to promote these channels, it’s the buzz that was passing this information among the south Asian diaspora in the various countries.”

     

    A scan of US-based customer reviews on Amazon.com however hints that JadooTV may not be resorting to piracy – at least in the USA. Some JadooTV box buyers have complained that popular Hindi channels are not available on JadooTV. One reviewer has clearly stated that “there are just 25 Indian, 42 Pakistani and six Punjabi channels” as recently as last year. Another one Kishan Patel writes on 14 June 2014: “I really loved it. Most of all main Indian news channels. Awesome. Works great with Ethernet cable. Don’t use wifi. Wifi sucks.”

     

    A user named Rubaiyat Islam “Rubaiyat008” from Denton Texas, clearly writes on page 12 of the Amazon reviews page: “For those of you looking to buy Jadoo for Indian channels, let me tell you this; there is NO Sony Entertainment, Zee TV, or any of the mainstream Indian channels. Apparently, only Dish Network has the exclusive rights to these mainstream channels in U.S.”

     

    Clearly, there is something amiss here. Consumers openly dislcosing that JadooTV has no mainline Indian channels. Then what is it pirating is the question?

     

    L’affaire JadooTV clearly needs deeper investigation. May justice be served!

  • Creative Portico New York presents Fashion @ Home Retail Conference 2014

    Creative Portico New York presents Fashion @ Home Retail Conference 2014

    MUMBAI: In its mission to make Indian homes fashionable, leading home fashion brand, Portico New York launched their first edition of Fashion@Home Retail Conference 2014 at Neel, the swanky South Mumbai lounge at Tote on the Turf. The event was a runaway success with over 150 trade partners who attended the launch. This included some of the biggest multi-brand outlets such, large format home furnishing stores, Mumbai shopping channels, popular e-commerce sites and lots more. Fashion@Home Retail Conference 2014 is now billed as one of the biggest home fashion trade event.

    Commenting on the success of the conference, Arun Bhawsingka, CEO, Creative Portico Pvt. Ltd. said, “The support and appreciation we received for Fashion@Home Retail Conference 2014 was overwhelming. This was an important event for us as we welcomed all our trade and distribution partners to be the first to witness the launch of our new 2014 collections. The turnout was fantastic and they could gain a holistic experience of the entire conference. Right from the display concept to the product packaging, we received a fantastic feedback from all. With such a heartening response from Mumbai & Delhi, we now look forward to the next leg of our conference to be held in Hyderabad, Chennai, Ooty and Guwahati in April and May this year.”

    Portico New York showcased all their new collections to be launched in 2014. Products included various exclusive collections, including those designed by Manish Arora, Neeta Lulla and Nishka Lulla. The Kids Collection was particularly well received among the traders for its playful elements and characters. The Enchante Collection with its line of premium bed covers and luxurious silk white duvet made of pure silk were also a hit. Portico’s unique gifting options including its packaging for various occasions like weddings, housewarming, etc, is what makes Portico New York a trend-setter in home fashion.

    Portico New York’s range include an impressive mix of bed sheets, comforters, duvets, duvet covers, soya bean quilts, blankets, memory foam pillows, towels, shower curtains, a wide range of kids licensed merchandise and the Therapeia range of health bedding products. Portico New York has also tied up with renowned fashion designers and important environmental causes. Indian designers Manish Arora, Neeta Lulla and Nishka Lulla have brought their design aesthetic and launched exclusive collections.

  • Indian Badminton League to commence from 30 September

    Indian Badminton League to commence from 30 September

    MUMBAI: The second edition of the Indian Badminton League (IBL) will be held from 30 September to 15 October, the IBL Governing Council said on Monday as reported by PTI.

     

    The governing council has decided to allow franchisees to increase the team strength from 11 in the first year to 13 players. Each franchisee can pick two more players – Indian or foreign – which will further intensify the competition.

     

    “Badminton competition at the 2014 Asian Games gets over on the 29th of September, 2014. Players can directly fly-in from Incheon for the league,” said the Badminton Association of India president and IBL Governing Council chairman, Dr Akhilesh Das Gupta.

     

    “Last year, too, players had reached Delhi directly from Guangzhou, China, after taking part in the World Badminton Championships. This period ensures us the right opportunity to have world’s best players for the IBL, which already has created a buzz the world over,” he added.

     

    Dr Das Gupta, who is also a member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) executive council and a vice-president at the Badminton Asia Confederation, said: “BWF is very impressed with the IBL and want to know more about it. They consider India a very important country and what can get bigger than the fact that the BWF Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held here during the Thomas and Uber Cup.”

     

    The first edition of the IBL, held between 14 and 31 August, 2013, was won by PVP Ventures-owned Hyderabad Hotshots. The team captain Saina Nehwal had remained unconquered in all the seven matches on her way to the title triumph.

     

    “Following the success of the inaugural IBL, many top players are already approaching us for this year’s event. To ensure that world’s best are available for IBL 2014, the IBL Governing Council has decided to make the most of this window,” said Sporty Solutionz chief exectuive, Ashish Chadha.

     

    The league will be played in six Indian cities – Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

  • TV18 launches ETV News Kannada, targets Rs 20 crore revenue

    TV18 launches ETV News Kannada, targets Rs 20 crore revenue

    MUMBAI: With digitization setting in and general elections just round the corner, television networks are increasingly looking to tap regional markets. Not so long ago, Network18 acquired a posse of channels from the Ramoji Rao-founded ETV Group.

     

    And now, its news broadcasting arm – TV18 – has gone ahead with the launch of ETV News Kannada that went live yesterday at 5:00 pm. G N Mohan has been roped in as editor, S Divaakar as business head and Subba Naidu as general manager, with Rajesh Raina as ETV group editor. The channel has 150 full-time employees and nearly 150 stringers on board with the latter to keep a close eye on political developments in each district of Karnataka.

     

    While ETV News Kannada is currently operating out of its Hyderabad studio, the channel will shift base to Bengaluru post-elections and set up five to six bureaus in the state.

     

    Raina sounds confident about the venture.  Speaking to indiantelevision.com, he says,“Ultimately, it is the survival of the fittest. ETV group has always stood for credibility and we are sure we will do well in the market.”. The pay TV channel has already invested Rs 5 crore and will be pumping in another Rs 10 crore in the coming months. “The Karnataka market is very fertile. A 10-second slot in the Hindi market is priced at Rs 500 whereas there, it is nearly Rs 1,500,” says Raina. He added that business worth Rs 50 lakh has already been booked by advertisers.

     

    Official sources say the channel is targetting an ad revenue of Rs 20 crore. 

     

    Promotional campaigns have already begun across Karnataka through radio, transit advertising and digital with print to follow soon. The channel has decided to stay out of outdoor due to the high cost of hoardings in Bengaluru.

     

    Election Express and an election satire are among the shows to be broadcast on the new channel. Initially, the channel will be available on cable TV with DTH platforms yet to be signed on. Karnataka chief minister K Siddaramaiah and Union petroleum and natural gas minister M Veerappa Moily are expected to grace the launch event.

     

    More ETV news channels are expected to follow suit like ETV Himachal/Haryana in March, ETV News Gujarati in April, and ETV News Odia in July.