SATELLITE & CABLE TV NDTV LAUNCHES ITS 2 NEWS CHANNELS 10 June 2003: After an initial delay from its original launch date of April 1, Prannoy Roy promoted NDTV finally launched its 2 news channels - NDTV 24x7 in English and NDTV India in Hindi, simultaneously on April 14. NDTV had announced its plans to launch its own lews channels last year when its contract with Star ended in March 2003. NDTV decided to go on its own after Star TV insisted on taking editorial control of the news on the channel. Though there was a delay in the launch, the two news channels in English and Hindi were finally simultaneously launched on Pas 10. Sources claimed the state-of-the-art graphics and editing equipment of NDTV had to be integrated with the rest of the system, in the studio. Also, NDTV could not advertise its channels before April 1 as they were under the contract with Star. The 14 days enabled NDTV to promote the lhannels on other channels in the Sony-Discovery bouquet as NDTV was joining the One Alliance distribution platform. With the launch, NDTV now joins private news channels, Aaj Tak, Zee, Sahara and Star. THE CHANNELS The 2 news channels will be independent of each other in functioning and will have a distinct identity. The Hindi channel will primarily target north India and the English channel, the south and metro cities. NDTV hopes to increase its viewership substantially. "In the earlier 50:50 Hindi-English format, many Hindi viewers would leave us when the channel switched to English and vice versa. We have wanted to separate Hindi and English into 2 channels for many years now. Finally, that dream has been realised," said Roy. Marketing and ad sales of the channels is believed to be overseen by Raj Nayak who was earlier with Star TV. RECEPTION Both the NDTV channels are broadcast from the PAS 10 satellite at 68.5 degrees East. Both channels are free to air and are distributed by One Alliance. Since these channels are free to air, they are not a part of the One Alliance bouquet. Both channels share the same reception parameters viz: Frequency 3897 MHz, Vertical Polarization with SR 8680 and FEC 3/4. Cable networks can receive both these channels, using free to air digital satellite receivers. LOCAL FEEDS NDTV plans to provide local feeds, for specific geographical areas. This will be enabled with the introduction of opt-out technology. For example, viewers in Maharashtra will be able to watch local Marathi news for an hour in the evening while the rest of the country watches national news. COVERAGE The news coverage ranges from breaking news to outstanding shows with the very latest technology. NDTV has undertaken a major expansion drive whereby it is shifting its focus to Mumbai, making it a national news hub parallel to New Delhi. NDTV also plans to produce and directly telecast specialised bulletins through the day from Mumbai. This would then culminate into two prime time newscasts, one in Hindi and the other in English to integrate Mumbai into the national news. NDTV will also go live from Mumbai with it;? business news, which would include stock market specials, a metro show, a crime watch, entertainment and Bollywood news. AD PROJECTIONS NDTV's President Prannoy Roy said that even prelaunch, the channels had received an excellent response from media buyers. Rs 10-12 crore of advertising hai, already been tied up for the 2 news channels, which should reach about 12 million cable homes. About Rs 4 crore worth of ad time has been booked on NDTV 24x7 by the buying arm of Mudra, Optimum Media Solutions. Half of that is for Samsung and the other half for a host of other clients. DISTRIBUTION NDTV has joined the One Alliance platform for the distribution of its two news channels, instead of being on its own. The channels have been added in the bouquet and are initially being given at the same bouquet price. BIG VISION NDTV also plans to go international. In an interview NDTV's president Prannoy Roy said "I'd like to see NDTV become a significant news force not just in India, but internationally too. It's perhaps time that the dominance of western news organisations ended We have, in India, the people, the software, the imagination and the energy to be among the best in the world. But we don't quite have the funds that international news channels have. Fortunately, capital costs are coming down in the digital era and with it the international barriers to entry are dropping for an Indian news organisation," said Roy. A fantastic past track record & a great vision, is what Prannoy Roy has to lead his channels into the future.