MSM and BBC enter infotainment broadcast through JV

BBC decided to partner with an Indian firm as their research indicated that India showed the third highest brand trust for the BBC network

Almost two and a half years after taking its entertainment channels off-air in India, BBC Worldwide has teamed with N P Singh-led Multi Screen Media (MSM) to launch Sony BBC World, an infotainment channel. The channel would be a high-definition one and would be available in Tamil, English and Hindi.

MSM, which runs the Sony Network of channels, will operate and distribute the channel. N P Singh, chief executive, MSM, said, “Sony BBC Earth is a joint venture (JV) between MSM and BBC Worldwide, with MSM owning the majority stake. This partnership gives us an unparalleled edge in distributing factual programming to viewers across MSM’s network in India.”

David Weiland, EVP Asia, BBC Worldwide, said the launch should not be looked at as a re-entry of BBC Worldwide (ex-news). “We took the decision to take the channels off-air some years back based on the environment of that time. We have always been present in one way or another… Now, we see opportunity in the infotainment genre in the country and, having found a partner in MSM, are really excited to bring premium content to India,” Weiland said.
 

Paul Dempsey, President, BBC Worldwide, Global Markets added, “This is a pioneering model for us. By working with a respected local partner of the calibre of MSM we can bring BBC Earth’s world class content to a new audience who we know have a huge appetite for premium factual programming.”

Weiland elaborated that while finding the right partner was part of the job, the network’s conviction in entering the genre in India comes from a research conducted by BBC. According to the research, India showed the third-highest brand trust for the BBC network. The formation of the JV as well as the launch of Sony BBC Earth is subject to necessary regulatory approvals in India.

“Outside of the UK, most of the audience relates the brand BBC with news. The fact is, we are global leaders in producing factual content as well. Also, a market like India has shown tremendous growth in this genre and the content lends itself very well to dubbing, making it universally usable,” adds Weiland.

N P Singh, Chief Executive Officer, MSM said, “Sony BBC Earth is a joint venture (JV) between Multi Screen Media (MSM) and BBC Worldwide, with MSM owning the majority stake. This partnership with BBC Worldwide gives us an unparalleled edge in distributing factual programming to viewers across MSM’s network in India and to sharing with them, some of the best television content ever.”

This is the sixth infotainment channel to be announced in the past month after Shubhash Chandra-led Essel Group announced the launch of the Living Entertainment Network (with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited as the local licenced entity) and the launch of Living Foodz. Chandra announced that the network will launch four more channels in the next 18 to 24 months.

Both, the formation of the JV as well as the launch of Sony BBC Earth are subject to necessary regulatory approvals in India, for which the process is currently underway.