NEW DELHI: From documentaries, television shows, cross-over films, promotional advertising films and 3 D long-format television series, Moving Pictures Company Limited (MPCL) is moving on to an interactive infotainment city-centric channel. A channel, to based on the lines of voice of people, will have various forms of information and entertainment, says MPCL managing director Ramesh Sharma.

MPCL is strategically planning to launch the channel during the latter half of the year, banking on the upswing in the consumer spending during the festive season. The channel will be initially launched in free-to-air mode.

For MPCL, such initiative is a natural progression especially with various broadcasting technologies emerging as an attractive proposition in the near future. Moving Pictures is an integrated multimedia company. The idea is to synergise the strength of the company, said Sharma.

The channel will have news, information and entertainment, which be useful for people. It will be similar to FM concept, except for the fact that it will be on television. Whether its shopping, highlighting needs or problem of people in residential areas or political news, the idea is to position it as a channel, which is the voice of the people and speaks for the people, he said.

Citing examples on how the channel will associate itself with viewers, Sharma said, There will be political news. The idea is to make the channel as an interface between policy makers and people. There will be lots of phone-ins and other forms of interaction. Then there would be dos and donts from traffic or probably a daily segment on real estate. There will be various forms of entertainment whether its through entertainment news, game shows, countdown/music shows etc.

MPCL is not only looking at local advertisers but also national spenders, who can strategise their communication programmes in a focused manner. Obviously, local advertisers would be part of the spenders list. Why a local cinema hall would spend on a national channel? So this platform can be used by local companies or retailers. But even the national advertisers would find this useful such as ones from FMCG sector, said Sharma.