MUMBAI: Ringing in the new financial year are two regional general entertainment channels (GECs) under the belt of Network18 – ETV Kannada and ETV Bangla.

Treating its audience on the Bengali New Year is ETV Bangla. The channel has come up with a dedicated afternoon time band called ‘Duronto Dupur’ which goes on air from 15 April.

Four new shows will feature in the time band between 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm from Monday to Saturday. This includes two fiction shows Gouridaan- a remake of Balika Vadhu and  Shesh Theke Shuru. Two non- fiction lineup includes a mythological show Durgesh Nandini and a neighbourhood based game show Parar Shera Bouthan hosted by Bigg Boss Bangla winner Anik Dar. Prior to this, the slot had reruns of the evening programmes.

Marketing for these shows have already begun in West Bengal. The channel is banking heavily on OOH, by putting hoardings and banners in markets, railway stations, bus back panels, rickshaw back panels, ferry branding and bus shelters. Also a 15 day radio campaign with an average of 72 slots across four channels has been devised.

On the other hand, viewers of ETV Kannada will be treated to a buffet of five new shows in the next three months.  This includes two fiction and three non-fiction shows, of which one will be a mythological programme, named Srinivasa Kalyana, which is based on the tale of Lord Balaji.

 “Kannada is a good market for us to introduce this show. We wanted to make the show perfect and which is why we delayed it a bit. It is looking brilliant,” says Viacom 18 executive vice president Ravish Kumar who handles ETV Kannada, Bangla and Oriya.

The timings and launch dates for the Kannada shows are still undecided but will be within three months.