ITV

Tag: NCR

  • NDTV plans to launch MetroNation Chennai in April

    NDTV plans to launch MetroNation Chennai in April

    NEW DELHI: NDTV is readying for the launch of MetroNation Chennai in April while cutting costs in MetroNation Delhi to keep losses in check amid an economic downturn.

    Jennifer Arul is the managing editor of the channel. “We have already hired about 100 people and will be launching MetroNation Chennai in April,” says NDTV MetroNation CEO Rajiv Lulla.

    As reported first in Indiantelevision.com, NDTV will launch the Chennai city-centric channel through a joint venture company with the Hindu Group where it will hold 51 per cent stake.

    So what led to the delay when the channel was supposed to launch last year? “There were licence issues and it took us time arranging for everything,” says Lulla.

    Meanwhile, NDTV has scaled down the operations of MetroNation Delhi by axing jobs and reducing fresh programming on the city-specific channel for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). The channel has converted its mobile studio, ‘The Metronation Bus,’ into a mobile election studio to be used by the two sister news channels, NDTV 24X7 and NDTV India.

    “MetroNation is a resilient and nimble channel. We are cutting costs and will hire people when the time is right,” says Lulla.

  • Rajiv Lulla is NDTV MetroNation CEO

    Rajiv Lulla is NDTV MetroNation CEO

    NEW DELHI: NDTV has appointed Rajiv Lulla as the CEO of its city channel network NDTV MetroNation. Lulla replaces Sanjay Nigam who was heading NDTV MetroNation.

    Lulla comes in from Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Texas where he was working as senior VP. He has worked in various places that includes Stanford University, CBS Radio and MTV Networks.

    Nigam will be handling other verticals of the group, a NDTV spokesperson said.

    Commenting on his appointment, Lulla said: “The foundation for MetroNation is laid and going forward we will now actively leverage rich local content across cities, develop stronger relationships, serving our local audiences and advertisers.”

    NDTV’s first city-specific channel for Delhi and National Capital region (NCR) has been on air since September 2007.

  • TV Today Network to launch NCR centric news channel –Delhi Aaj Tak

    TV Today Network to launch NCR centric news channel –Delhi Aaj Tak

    MUMBAI: Lack of adequate bandwidth with cable networks be damned. And, notwithstanding the lingering uncertainty over CAS despite a favourable court ruling, TV companies are gung-ho over introduction of new products.

    The Aroon Purie-promoted TV Today Network Ltd is poised to launch a 24-hour news channel catering to the national capital region (NCR) of Delhi, which will be the fourth from its stable.

    According to cable industry sources, the boxes have to be seeded before a formal launch. The new product is likely to be called Delhi Aaj Tak, trying to cash in on the brand equity of elder sibling and Hindi news market leader Aaj Tak.
    The tag line for the new channel would be Delhi Aaj Tak: aapka sehar, aap tak (Delhi Aaj Tak: your city, up close). Sources said that the proposed Delhi-centric Hindi language news channel is looking at going on air in the second quarter of calendar year 2006 (April-June).

    According to information available with Indiantelevision.com, the team which will oversee the news channel is already in place. The proposed channel will beam via Insat 2E. The existing news channels from the TV Today stable like Aaj Tak, Headlines Today and Tez beam off the same satellite.

    The Delhi-NCR region already has a host of news channels with which Delhi Aaj Tak has to compete. Existing players in this segment include the Sahara NCR, S1 and Total TV. NDTV is also planning a new product to service the metros cities, including Delhi.

    However, ahead of the launch of the new product, TV Today has once again become a poaching ground for competitors. Recently, Aaj Tak’s senior anchor and deputy-executive producer Ashutosh had put in his papers to join as the managing editor of Channel7 (to be renamed IBN7), which is part of the TV18 network. It is being said that some other senior TV Today staffers are also likely to quit with new products luring them.

    The TV Today scrip, which opened today at Rs 88.60 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) had touched a high of Rs 92.85.