Mumbai: Times Network on Tuesday announced its partnership with Yupp TV.
As a part of the association, the broadcast network is set to launch its Hindi channels Times Now Navbharat and ET Now Swadesh in the US, Canada and key international markets.
“We are thrilled to expand our content portfolio by introducing our recently launched Hindi news channels to our global viewers on Yupp TV,” said Times Network chief operating officer and executive president Jagdish Mulchandani. “Our best-in-class entertainment and English news channels are strongly positioned in over 100+ countries and we are now excited to present compelling news content in Hindi language for viewers across international markets.”
Yupp TV is one of the world’s largest internet-based TV and on-demand service provider. With 25,000 hours of entertainment content catalogued in its library, it brings a diverse range of South Asian content with more than 250 TV channels, over 5000 films and 100+ TV shows in 14 languages.
“We have seen a huge scope for Indian television with Hindi language in these markets and Times Network channels will be a great value add for our brand,” said Yupp TV founder and chief executive officer Uday Reddy. “Yupp TV users can now watch their favourite Hindi content globally, giving them more entertainment options to choose from.”
Mumbai: Times Network has partnered with California-based media technology company, DistroScale to distribute its news channels globally. DistroTV is an independent, free, ad-supported streaming television service available across international markets.
Through the partnership, the network channels Times Now, Times Now Navbharat, and Zoom will be available in the UK and Europe. Mirror Now will be available across the UK, US, and Europe. Times Network is now present in over 100 countries, said the broadcast network in a statement.
The channels will be a part of DistroTV specialised Southeast Asian package ‘DistroTV Desi’.
“Catering to the appetite of the rapidly growing global audience, DistroTV is a robust network that offers us the opportunity to strengthen our reach amongst oversees South-Asian viewers and I am confident that with our holistic offering we will continue to keep them informed and entertained,” said Times Network, chief operating officer and executive president, Jagdish Mulchandani.
“Times Network is part of India’s largest media conglomerates and a great brand that provides news and entertainment channels to audiences in India and around the world,” said Distroscale, co-founder and chief executive officer, Navdeep Saini. “We are thrilled to welcome a multitude of their channels, including their news channel Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, to our diverse, and growing fast platform. The addition of these channels signifies our ongoing commitment to deliver thought-provoking and engaging content to a globally-minded audience.”
“We are excited to launch four channels from the Times Network for our audiences from UK, Europe, and the US on our specialised SE Asian package ‘DistroTV Desi’. Our international audiences will consume their daily dose of news and infotainment on the Times Now, Mirror Now, and Times Now Navbharat channels and be entertained by the glitzy showbiz, music, and celebrity updates on Zoom,” added Distoscale, vice president of business development, Rajesh Nair.
New Delhi: Making its foray into Hindi news, Times Network on Sunday launched its new channel, Times Now Navbharat HD. The new entrant is being spearheaded by Times Now’s group editor Navika Kumar who will lead the editorial mandate and handle the overall management of the channel.
The channel will be available across all the leading cable operators, MSOs and DTH platforms including Tata Sky, Airtel DTH, Hathway Digital, and DEN Digital, said the network. It has also launched an extensive outdoor campaign for promoting the new brand with a positioning- ‘Ab Badlega Bharat, Banega Navbharat’.
“We are not in the race for TRP,” said Times Network MD and CEO MK Anand at the channel launch, adding that ‘Times Now Navbharat’ is part of the network’s effort to convey people’s correct and accurate message to the government and vice versa.”
“In the world of English news channels, we have been running Times Now with the same resolution for the past 16 years. Issues which we raise at Times Now, they become a topic of discussion among people the next day and reason for a change in the society and political circles. We work tirelessly on such issues and news which are in public interest and also contribute to the welfare of the country and the society. This helps us get TRP organically,” said Anand. “We believe that news has the power to make an impact on our society and also help make it a better place to live in.”
According to Anand a “new India” will emerge only when key and important issues are raised in a right manner, and also when there is a proper communication between people of the country and the government.
The channel was launched with seven prime-time shows hosted by Sushant Sinha, Padmaja Joshi, Ankit Tyagi, and Meenakshi Kandwal. The primetime shows include Rashtravad at 5 pm, Log Tantra at 6 pm, Dhakad Exclusive at 7 pm, Sawal Public Ka at 8 pm, News Ki PaathShala at 9 pm, and Opinion India at 10 pm.
The mega marketing campaign launched across Hindi-speaking markets was conceptualised by McCann Worldgroup India. The network has also unveiled a brand film highlighting the channel’s genesis and brand manifesto written by noted lyricist Prasoon Joshi.
Apart from print ads in leading English and Hindi dailies, the network has launched an extensive outdoor promotion spanning across 400 sites across 19 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Patna, Jaipur, Dehradun, Indore, Punjab, Raipur and Varanasi. Kent RO System, Century Ply, Radico Khaitan, Vedanta, Medibuddy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Darwin Platform Group of Companies, Mylab Discovery Solutions, Meghdoot Herbal, Kirloskar Brothers are some of the advertisers currently onboard.
New Delhi : Times Network has named Navika Kumar as the editor-in-chief of its soon-to-be launched Hindi News Channel, Times Now Navbharat HD.
In her new role, Kumar will lead the editorial mandate and play a pivotal role in the overall management of the channel besides continuing in her role as group editor, Times Network and hosting ‘The Newshour’ at 9 PM and the interview show ‘Frankly Speaking’ on TIMES NOW. She will also closely work with the business and leadership teams of the network to drive the channel’s growth strategy and work towards building Times Now Navbharat to become the leader in the Hindi News category.
Kumar is credited for investigating and breaking some high impact stories in the last two decades. “With her sharp journalistic acumen and extensive knowledge of current affairs, politics and business, Navika has played a key role in the success of the network’s flagship brand, TIMES NOW since its inception,” said the broadcast network in a statement.
Times Network, MD and CEO, M K Anand said “Navika has been one of our key assets since the inception of TIMES NOW in 2005. In fact, the largest number of critical news breaks and stories that eventually went into taking TIMES NOW to the top in the English category in spite of our then late entry into that segment has been her work. In the last four years, she has morphed into a compelling and high impact Prime Time presence and made her mark in that highly competitive space becoming one of the most recognised faces on Indian News Prime Time. We are thrilled at the new launch and look forward to serving Hindi audiences with our unique Action orientated journalism and believe Navika Kumar is the best suited to lead Times Now Navbharat to eventual category domination.”
Commenting on her new role, Navika Kumar said, “I am really excited to take on this new mantle, which marks the Network’s debut in Indian language. I look forward to working with our robust team of ace journalists, technicians and crew, to build and nurture a distinctive brand of Hindi news. With a powerful and impactful narrative, I am confident that Times Now Navbharat will bring the much-needed paradigm shift in the Hindi news category and will set the course for superior news coverage.”
New Delhi: Setting the stage for the launch of its new Hindi news channel, the Times Network on Sunday officially unveiled the new logo of its upcoming television channel, which has been titled as Times Now Navbharat HD.
The media network has decided to take the HD route for its latest new offering. According to sources, the preparations are in full swing, and the launch could be announced anytime soon.
Times Network is the television division of BCCL, the parent company of the Times Group, which owns and operates brands like The Times of India and the Economic Times. It also houses the television channels – TIMES NOW, Times Now (World), ET NOW, Mirror NOW, Movies NOW & Movies Now HD, MN+, Romedy NOW and Romedy NOW HD, MNX and MNX HD and Zoom.
The upcoming launch comes almost 15 years after the launch of its English news channel, Times Now, which was launched in January, 2006 and is currently led by the editor-in-chief Rahul Shivshanka and group editor Navika Kumar.
