ITV

Tag: Kolkata TV

  • Kolkata TV to launch a GEC ‘Kolkata 24×7’ by March 2015

    Kolkata TV to launch a GEC ‘Kolkata 24×7’ by March 2015

    KOLKATA: The Bengali TV lovers are in for some dose of entertainment. And attempting this is a 24 hours Bengali News channel Kolkata TV.

     

    “We will be launching a general entertainment channel,” informs Kolkata TV owner Kaustuv Ray. Likely to be christened Kolkata 24X7, it is set to be added to the network’s list of channels by March 2015.

     

    “We are working for the launch of the GEC, which will be in line with channels like Zoom. We already have the license for it,” he says.

     

    It should be noted that indiantelevision.com had earlier reported that Kolkata TV was planning to launch a music channel, with an aim to change the way Bangla music is currently being consumed.

     

    According to a source from the channel, the recruitment process for the music channel is on and the pre-production work has already started.

     

    A city based analyst said, “Getting a license now is not a big deal. March 2015 is long way to go. The owner of Kolkata TV would only be able to say why another channel when Kolkata TV itself is not doing too well!”

  • News channels to telecast Durga Puja live

    News channels to telecast Durga Puja live

    KOLKATA:  With the arrival of Durga Puja in Bengal, the biggest festival in the state, India’s national broadcaster, Doordarshan along with other regional Bengali channels will telecast the grand festival from Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal live for the next four days.

     

    Channels planning live telecast of the celebrations include 24 Ghanta, Akash Bangla, Star Ananda, Tara News, ETV News, Channel 10, Ne Bangla and Kolkata TV among other channels.

     

    Talking about the same, a Focus Bangla official said, “We will invite singers to our studios. We will also visit a celebrity’s house for the puja and be a part of their home experience.”

     

    Adding to that, a 24 Ghanta reporter added, “Each year, organisers come up with new themes and try to better their previous attempts. We try to cover all the important pujas from different locations so that old people and the young alike can enjoy the live puja from indoors.”

     

    The 10-day festival which started on 25 September will conclude on 3 October.

     

    Festooned with lights, giant cardboard cut-outs and clay figures adorn the entrances to lanes. The city has also been decked up like a bride to welcome the goddess.

     

  • Kolkata TV to launch a regional music channel

    Kolkata TV to launch a regional music channel

    KOLKATA: For all Bengali music lovers, another music channel, ‘Kolkata 24×7’ from the house of Bengali news channel Kolkata TV, is likely to be added to the existing list in the next two months.

     

    The channel aims to change the way Bangla music is consumed and is slated to run teaser campaigns soon along with other branding and advertising activities to be followed on afterwards.

     

    “The recruitment for the music channel is on and the pre-production work has already started. We plan to have live entertainment bulletins also, apart from recorded content,” said an insider from the channel.

     

    When Kaustuv Ray, owner of Kolkata TV was contacted, he agreed that the media company is working for the launch of the channel but refused to divulge anything more.

     

    Apart from airing contemporary Bangla film music, it is looking to promote Bangla music culture. Industry sources say that an investment of nearly Rs 20 crore to Rs 25 crore is required to start a regional music channel. 

     

    Currently there are four music channels in the state. Kolkata 24×7 would face tough competition from Dhoom, Tara Music and Sangeet Bangla, and newly launched Fatafati.

     

    Kolkata TV was launched in 2006. Later on TV9 acquired a stake in it, which it sold off a few months ago.

  • ABP Ananda continues to be the chart topper

    ABP Ananda continues to be the chart topper

    KOLKATA: The week 26 of TAM TV Ratings has seen no major change from the previous week in the Bengali News space. ABP Ananda has gained highest in terms of gross viewership in thousands (GVT) as compared to other TAM subscribed channels in the state.

     

    The channel from the house of Kolkata headquartered ABP Group garnered 1,783 GVTs, up from the 1,477 GVTs it recorded in the previous week. 24 Ghanta bagged 1,674 GVTs this week and stood second in the ratings chart. The channel, last week had received 1,394 GVTs. 

     

    Focus Bangla scored higher than Kolkata TV by reporting 734 GVTs, again a hike from the 557 GVTs it received last week. Kolkata TV on the other hand garnered 185 GVTs as compared to 143 GVTs it managed in week 25.

     

    All the TAM findings take into account CS4+ for all the days in the state.

  • 2014 Poll results through the eyes of Bengali channels

    2014 Poll results through the eyes of Bengali channels

    KOLKATA: News channels including ABP Ananda, 24 Ghanta, ETV News Bangla, Focus TV, Kolkata TV and Tara Newz and infotainment channels like Aakash 8 have resembled a battlefield since 8am on 16 May, what with counting of votes taking place in 42 Lok Sabha constituencies.

     

    Each channel has tried to outshine the other with live shows, panel discussions and what have you in terms of the fate of politicians in the state. Not only have they provided byte-by-byte news to viewers who are glued to their TV screens since morning but they have also kept their websites up-to-speed with the latest updates.

     

    While the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has emerged the winner, it isn’t exactly the lion’s share of seats that the party was confident of bagging in the face of a challenge from the left front and the Congress. What’s more, BJP, that was hitherto a fringe player in the state, has sprung a surprise by forging a lead in three seats. These are among the reasons why television channels are now eagerly awaiting chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s reaction on the results.  

       

    Interestingly, while BJP wasn’t able to make the kind of inroads in the state as it desired, quite a few Bengali channels are highlighting the party’s rise in the state.

     

    A city-based media observer said, “Even when the BJP was in power in 1999, it had only one MP from Bengal but this time, apart from the expected historical win at the centre, channels are talking about BJP making inroads in the state.”

     

    Another media expert said, “TMC’s result isn’t entirely unexpected. The major surprise is BJP coming up in West Bengal. The opposition vote has got divided.” Talking about the way Bengali news channels covered election result day, he said, “Panellists in local Bengali channels are mostly junior and unimportant leaders of parties.”

      

    While economist and political analyst, Swaraj Mukherjee questioned, “Kolkata is an island of its own. Trends in the rest of the country never touched this island in the past nor do they today. So TMC wins. The big number is because of big rigging, though TMC will always deny but who can deny the audio-visual documents?”

     

    “People are quiet. They would have rejoiced if the BJP would have got a few more seats in line with the rest of the country. They cannot react so openly for fear of personal security. None the less, the victory of Sudip Bandopadhyay and Dinesh Trivedi augur well as they are liked by the people in their constituencies,” Mukherjee said, adding, “News channels are covering the news but slanted for fear of government action.”

     

    A third expert rued, “It seems most of the channels have forgotten that this is a national election and not a Panchayat poll where they can have an overdose of local politics.”

     

    Whereas Focus Bangla (earlier Ne Bangla) editor-in-chief Biswa Majumdar said that the channel had interviewed most of the big shots in these elections as elections were an important occasion for making a mark in the regional news space.

  • Kolkata TV gains big in week 17

    Kolkata TV gains big in week 17

    KOLKATA: When it comes to Bengali News channels and their performance then Kolkata TV is the clear winner, as per the TAM TV ratings. In week 17, the channel’s gross viewership in thousands (GVTs) was way ahead than any other in the state. It garnered 960 GVTs as compared to the 850 GVTs a week earlier.

     

     

    ABP Anando, from the house of ABP Group, stood second with 418 GVTs against 391 GVTs of last week. At number three was 24 Ghanta which saw a drop as it scored 335 as compared to the 338 in week 16.

     

     

    Last but not the least, the newly launched, Focus TV, is seen to make a mark as GVTs increased from 42 to 103.

     

     

    A city based media expert talking about Kolkata TV gaining said: “The distribution of Kolkata is quite strong. Also, its catchy programmes can contribute to its number one position.”

  • Elections 2014 through the eyes of Bengali TV channels

    Elections 2014 through the eyes of Bengali TV channels

    KOLKATA: Most television channels in West Bengal have started election coverage about a month ago and with the state going to polls from Thursday, it will only intensify in the coming weeks.

     

    With elections in five phases between 17 April and 12 May, both news and infotainment channels are pulling out all stops to ramp up their reportage of poll-related news and analyses.

     

    Not only 24×7 Bengali news channels such as ABP Ananda, 24 Ghanta, ETV News Bangla, Focus TV, Kolkata TV and Tara Newz but also infotainment channels like Aakash Bangla that has three news slots, are beginning to resemble a battlefield before the onset of war.

     

    Even networks that were hitherto fighting shy of election coverage are now taking to it like a fish to water, with crowd shots of the constituencies going to polls including Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar, among others. Television channels have gone so far as keeping their websites up-to-speed with the latest election updates.

     

    Focus Bangla (earlier Ne Bangla) editor-in-chief Biswa Majumdar said that the channel had interviewed most of the big shots in these elections. “For elections, we have 14 special programs. Celebrities will go to places and interact with people,” he said. Focus Bangla has dedicated five to six hours every day for election coverage and earmarked anywhere between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh for it.

     

    For ETV News Bangla, elections are an important occasion for making a mark in the regional news space. “This year, the election is colourful and especially in Bengal with many celebrities contesting either from TMC or BJP. For Thursday, we have deployed the team and OB vans for Darjeeling. From 8am till 12 noon and then again from 4 pm to 9 pm, we will telecast live news, latest developments and talk shows to stay ahead of the others in terms of content,” said ETV News Bangla editorial advisor Prabir Ghosal. He added that the channel would be spending a huge amount on election coverage.

     

    TARA (Television Aimed at Regional Audiences) Newz, one of the survivors of the now defunct media arm of the Saradha Group has formed three teams to cover elections in the state and will deploy one more team for election coverage in the national capital.

     

    Tara Newz chief reporter cum input editor Dipankar Nag said that the channel had saved the money collected from advertisements and donations to buy a back pack, so that it could telecast on-ground happenings to viewers within seconds.

     

    While elections seem to be top priority for most of the TV channels, one of the news analysts opined, “The reporters are sweating but hardly anything new is coming out. All the channels are doing the same sort of stories and even special programs are very similar with no sense of innovation.”

     

    While another rued, “It seems most of the channels have forgotten that this is a national election and not a Panchayat poll where they can have an overdose of local politics.”

     

    A third expressed the view that while some news channels are carefully passing on information to viewers, others are manipulating facts to up the news quotient.

  • Kolkata TV to be auctioned for the third time

    Kolkata TV to be auctioned for the third time

    KOLKATA: On 28 March, a 24X7 Bengali news channel, Kolkata TV, will be ‘auctioned for sale’ under the supervision of the Kolkata High Court. Sources in the know said the stated base price would possibly be around Rs 50 crore. They also said that a few people have shown interest in the channel while some have even contacted the official liquidator.

     

    “We are going to sell Kolkata TV and with the realized amount, the government will clear all the claims of vendors, financial institutions and employees,” said the official liquidator. He hinted that the base price would be fixed on 28 March itself and would be mostly above Rs 42 crore.

     

    It is learnt that this is the third time Kolkata TV is on auction in the last one year, as no one showed interest on the earlier two occasions, given the high base price.

     

    Launched in 2006 by SST Media, the ownership of the channel changed hands a couple of times. Some years ago, Hyderabad-based Associated Broadcasting acquired a majority stake in Kolkata TV via TV9. When contacted, TV9 officials simply said, “Associated Broadcasting has no more interest in Kolkata TV” suggesting that TV9 had sold off its stake in the channel.

     

     Kolkata TV airs a wide range of programmes including hourly news, analyses of major news events and international news.