MUMBAI: Within a year of its launch, Times Television Network’s news channel Mirror Now has achieved phenomenal publicity. Not only has rapid digitisation and its focus on socio-economic issues spurted the channel’s ratings and impact on viewers but also the impressive aura of its executive editor and primetime anchor Faye D’Souza championing the cause of women in media.

The channel launched on 23 March 2017 replacing Magicbricks Now, the network’s partnership with real estate company Magicbricks, which focussed on the country’s realty business. On the other hand, Mirror Now highlights issues that impact people’s daily lives covering issues such as crime, women’s safety, traffic woes, cleanliness, health, environment, power and water to make India a better place to live.

Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Faye D’Souza says, “The trend which we started and other channels are now following is to bring up the real issue. It was an idea for a channel that the management and we believed in. The kind of response we got from the viewers is very heartening.”

The channel is getting more traction from primary urban centres like Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad and Kolkata. “The traction is not only in the form of ratings but also as feedback through emails and social media platforms which we receive,” D’Souza adds.

In the month of July last year, the strongest markets mentioned by D’Souza were Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. Its plan last year was to engage viewers of 34-36 cities with a million plus population in India. “Our aim is to be number two in English news channel genre by the end of 2018. We take a lot of feedback from our viewers. We don’t want to compete with other English news channels because if we compete we will be forced to cover news the way they do” she says.

The channel’s aim is to increase news coverage in more cities. “For Mirror Now 2018 would be to constantly think of fresh ways to approach the news by putting up lot more programming and launching more shows after we had a slight setback because of the Kamala Mills fire,” D’Souza says.

The blaze that erupted in the Kamala Mills compound in Mumbai on 28 December impacted the operations of Times TV Network which has its headquarters and operations there. Right now, Mirror Now is using the Times Now and ET Now offices to function. D’Souza says that it will be a month before the channel can resume operations in its own office.

Also Reads:

Times Television Network's operations affected by Kamala Mills compound fire

Mirror Now & govt working together on public issues without yelling, says Faye D'souza

Mirrow Now aims to engage viewers in 34-36 urban cities