NEW DELHI: Channel 7 from the media group Jagran went formally on air today, promising different treatment to its programming tilted towards non-fiction and hopped on to a DTH platform at the same time to increase its reach, which is supplemented by the cable networks it is managing to ride.
The channel, which has been set up to cater to the vast Hindi-speaking audiences, already being targeted by a slew of news channels, has lined up programmes like Giraftaar that do not have any anchor, but is a seamless series of crime stories.
Some interesting shows on Channel 7 included 7 Special (analysis of the top news of the day), Metro Zindagi (news from metros), Showdown (half hour daily cricket show), Swadesh (national news from the states) and Saat Samundar (reportage and analysis of significant global developments).
Other programmes that deserve a special mention include one-on-one interviews by Arup Ghosh in Nishane Par and Mission Zindagi, which highlights a positive aspect of India. What makes these shows different from others is the treatment meted out to them, a channel executive said.
"This is probably the first news show where there is no anchor, but stories, done by reporters, hold themselves on their own," a senior programming executive of Channel 7 said.
Over the next one month, Channel 7 will unveil more non-fictional programming, including lifestyle ones, with a bid to cater to all types of audiences and not just pre-dominantly male audiences who get attracted towards news channels.
News channels getting into the infotainment arena is increasingly becoming a trend and could be seen even n English ones like NDTV Profit, which is, reportedly, exploring having weekend programmes on the lines of sitcoms.
"Having broadbased programming on the channel also means that one need not have back-to-back news bulletins," the programming executive explained.
The launch of Channel 7, managed by Jagran TV Pvt.Ltd., marks he entry of Dainik Jagran, a dominant print medium player, into the TV broadcasting arena. The free-to-air Hindi satellite channel is also confident of securing a presence in 28 million households, across 300 cities in the first month of operations itself.
According to Jagran TV director Siddhartha Gupta, "A huge untapped market awaits compelling and analytical news programmes. Our research has brought to light the need for quality non-fiction infotainment. Channel 7 will also actively promote appointment viewing as time band specific programmes are built into the weekly programme schedule to empathise with audience viewing patterns."
Channel 7 has claimed that it beaming into 15 million homes during the test run period and the number of households will cross the 20 million mark by the end of 2 April.
The channel has planned an extensive print media, radio, outdoor and Internet campaign to market and promote itself, which will start from 7 April. Its marketing and sales teams have already been able to attract a fair share of national advertisers in support of the channel.
Meanwhile, Channel 7 has joined the DishTV platform, which has raised the number of channels to 113. The
information seeking Indian viewer can now watch over 20 news channels on the DishTV platform including exclusive news channels like CNN Headline News, Euro News and Eurosport News, apart from all the other Indian English and Hindi news channels.
Channel 7 is a venture of Jagran TV Pvt Ltd., which is supported by the Jagran Group, the flagship company of the Jagran group of companies. The group floated an independent entity by the name of Jagran TV Private Limited for its foray into Indian television.
The promoters of the channel include Mahendra Mohan Gupta, managing editor and chairman Jagran Prakashan Pvt Ltd and Managing Director Jagran TV; Sanjay Gupta, editor and director Jagran Prakashan Pvt Ltd and Shailesh Gupta, director, marketing, Jagran Prakashan Pvt Ltd.
