MUMBAI: Promoting public message by means of movies and television programmes is not new in the television space. But for music channel MTV India, it is. For the first time, the channel will air a movie, Phir Milenge, on 1 December, the World AIDS Day.

The tussle for audiences will be with SaharaOne. While MTV will telecast the movie at 9 pm, Sahara has scheduled the world premier of the movie for the 8:30 pm slot. Phir Milenge is conceived and produced by Percept Picture company and creation of Sahara One.

Responding to a query, Sahara One Television chief operating officer Karuna Samtani offers, "It will not cannibalise viewership. It's our world premier, our movie and we are starting the movie ahead of MTV."

MTV also dismisses any loss in viewership as the two channels address different target audiences. Says MTV Network vice-president marketing Vikram Raizada, "It makes eminent sense for the channel to air Phir Milenge which has prevalence and highlights the social message across. Even in the past, the network has been into aids awareness through the programme MTV Music Summit for AIDS," says Raizada.

MTV has been promoting awareness of HIV/AIDS through the channel since 1997.