ABP to add Punjabi, Odia news channels

Kolkata-based media group currently broadcasts three popular 24-hour news channels in Hindi, Bengali and Marathi

After buying out Rupert Murdoch-controlled STAR in Media Content and Communication Services (MCCS), the Anandabazar Patrika (ABP) group is planning to expand its news television network with two more regional language channels in Punjabi and Odia.

MCCS currently broadcasts three popular 24-hour news channels — ABP News in Hindi, ABP Ananda in Bengali and ABP Majha in Marathi. According to sources, the Kolkata-based media group has now zeroed in on to launch the Punjabi and Odia channels .

When contacted, managing director and chief executive officer of ABP Pvt Ltd, Dipankar Das Purkayastha, said: "We have plans of launching some regional language channels. I cannot disclose details. This is an internal matter." However, he added, any expansion in the news television business would be done through the MCCS platform.

Sources suggested the ABP group had decided to focus on news business, as its maiden venture in the entertainment television space hardly saw any success.  In July 2011, the group had launched a Bengali-language general entertainment channel, Sanada TV, on its own that shares the name of a woman's magazine published by the group. However, the channel saw hardly any success and was shut down by the end of 2012.

Also, the Sananda TV was competing with another Bengali entertainment channel STAR Jalsa, which is owned by STAR, its partner in news business. This, sources say, did not go well with STAR and had later triggered the termination of its decision not to lend its brand to the news channels broadcast by MCCS.

In April 2012, MCCS officially announced dropping of the STAR prefix from the name of its channels and replaced it with ABP. Later, ABP bought out STAR in the the joint venture in June 2012, said Purkayastha. He, however, did not comment on financial transactions in the deal.

"Over the last one year, it has successfully transferred the brand equity and credibility of the news channels despite the change in the brand name. The ABP management is of the view that it is right time to expand its news television business," said one source close to the development.

Analysts pointed out there is scope for large media companies to grow in the regional news televison space in north Indian laguages, which is primarily dominated by local players apart from ETV and Zee Network. "Unlike south Indian languages, news television space in north Indian languages is not crowded. Media players may find here space to grow," said Ashesh Jani, partner in Deloitte Haskins & Sells.

Apart from its news television venture, the ABP group has large exposure in print media with Bengali daily Anada Bazar Patrika, English daily The Telegraph, along with several other publications. It is also into the book publishing businesses through two publishing houses — Anada and Penguin India.