There's a new channel on the block that has been beaming as a test signal since 2 April and its called Channel Guide.

Channel Guide officially launches on 15 or 16 May with the aim of being the "channel junction" for the television viewer, says the company's COO Ravi Deshmukh. It will be a free to air digital channel beaming off Thaicom-3.

The channel hopes to cover television, films, theatre, music and events with a very localised perspective. It will have genre-wise (also language-wise) anchored slots incorporating footage as well as interesting commentary about featured programmes.

Deshmukh appears undaunted about launching a channel at a time when the industry as a whole is facing a cash crunch with broadcasters cutting back on their projects rather than attempting new ventures.

Deshmukh says his channel provides a valuable service to the industry as a whole and expects both broadcasters and cable operators to support the channel. He aims to take his channel to 60 towns and cities across the country within the next four months.