MUMBAI: Seeing a need to break-free from the journalism that is followed on news channels, Prabhu Chawla is all geared up to launch a news channel called National Voice. With the core focus on laying out the problems and solutions of UP, Bihar and Uttarakhand, he will also launch other channels for the markets of Rajasthan, Punjab, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, etc.
Chawla will be associated with the channel as its chief editorial advisor. The channel is majorly banking on investigative journalism and will use sting without stink, he says.
With an aim to connect various states to one language, the new channel will strive on news first and views later. The motto of the channel is Aapka Sawal, Aapka Jawab. Commenting on the launch Chawla says, “We will fear none and favour none. We have built a team of professional editors who have a combined experience of 50 years in the television news genre. We have a heavily decentralised system in which each one takes an independent decision, but all think collectively”.
The channel has two promoters – the main promoter is an UP-based industrialist while Chawla holds a minor stake in the channel. He also admits that many leading brands have approached him for sponsoring a couple of his channel’s shows, although he was reluctant at disclosing commercial details at this stage.
The channel is banking on content, tone and its vision as its differentiating factor over the rest of the available channels. Focussed at answering the 5 Ws (what, when, why, where, who) and 1 H (how), the channel will chase the story and also provide follow-ups to its viewers. It is starting off with the heartland of the country and will be available on various DTH platforms.
“We are taking UP to India, not India to UP like the national channels. We will go behind and beyond the news. Content is king for us and reporters are the best news smiths. Our channel will be not be led by anchors. On the contrary news will lead the anchor”, he reveals.
Chawla is of the opinion that regional channels are more successful than English and national Hindi channels. His channel will manifest what the people want to see and are curious about and will connect to local people through their vision.
After ideating for over a year, the channel’s logo has been designed by a group of young professionals and is all ready to come out by June. “It is not meant to be in the public domain. It is a team of young professional from a design institute who have been guided by experienced people”, concludes Chawla.
