Mediacorp Plans Local Channel By September

Singapore-based MediaCorp News will launch its regional news and information channel, Channel NewsAsia, in India by September-end. The company will form an independent local arm in a year's time, said Shaun Seow, the chief executive officer of MediaCorp News.

"We will eventually form an alliance with an Indian production house or entertainment company in order to source the funds for our future plans. We are looking to build a strong company that would interest Indian investors or may take the route of getting listed," Seow said.

He indicated that the Indian operations will be more on the lines of CNBC India, wherein the parent will own the brand while the country operations will be managed by the local partner.

 

Charu Muttreja, country manager (India), MediaCorp News said, "The channel will be based in Delhi as we plan to be in the centre of the political hub."

The channel has adopted a format whereby 60 per cent will be general news while the remaining slot will be devoted to business news.

The channel has already funded the initial phase of investments to set up the infrastructure for its Singapore feed and will be further investing in marketing and technical aspects, including the uplink and transport costs.

Seow said the company has of $150 million investment plans over the five years for its pan-Asian expansion, which includes India. He, however, declined to specify.

The channel is in talks with various production houses to source India-specific programmes. Currently, it has commissioned ANI news agency and has recruited three Indian journalists as correspondents. "We will enter the second phase of our recruitment shortly," Seow said.

Commenting on the channel's Indian foray, Seow said: "Our unique selling point is that we are fully Asian owned and managed. With Asia becoming a region of increasing importance in the global arena, we will provide local content to viewers in which India plays an important role."

Besides NewsAsia, MediaCorp Group of Companies includes Television Corporation of Singapore, Radio Corporation of Singapore, Singapore Television Twelve, MediaCorp Studio, MediaCorp News, MediaCorp Interactive and MediaCorp Publishing.

...ties up with INCablenet

Our Corporate Bureau in Mumbai

Channel NewsAsia yesterday signed a carriage licensing agreement with cable operator IndusInd Media & Communications which will enable it to broadcast to four million subscribers in India.

The channel will operate under the brand name INCableNet and will form a constituent of the latter's bouquet of channels delivered to its subscribers in New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Indore, Agra, Belgaum, Nagpur, Bangalore, Mysore, Nashik and Hyderabad.

Seow said, "We are in talks with other cable operators in order to air our channel." The 24-hour channel is currently offered as a digital unencrypted English service via Palapa C2 and Apstar IIR. The viewers will also have access to 'Inside India', Channel NewsAsia's Indian commissioned programme, which has made locally.