Alva Brothers launches Real Lifestyle Network

Real Lifestyle Network will launch India's first food channel, Food First, in early 2011.

Alva Brothers Entertainment has announced the launch of the first Indian premium lifestyle media network in the country. The channel is slated to unveil a bouquet of sharply focused lifestyle television channels. Real Lifestyle Network's first offering will be Food First, India's first and only television channel dedicated to food and food related experiences.

The HD (high definition) ready channel, Food First, is slated to be launched in early 2011, followed by other channels in the lifestyle space over the next year. The channel has already started technical runs, uplinked from Turner International's broadcast earth station in Hong Kong and is available on select networks across the country.

Food First will be a pay channel and will soon be available across the country on both digital and analogue distribution platforms. The channel targets upwardly mobile English speaking, 18+ male and female viewers.

Speaking about the announcement, Nikhil Alva, group chief executive officer, Alva Brothers Entertainment, says, "The Real Lifestyle Network will offer Indian consumers a bouquet of clutter breaking, well differentiated channels, with incredibly compelling and entertaining content married to world class production values. With Food First and the channels that are to follow, we're going about building new broadcast categories that will set benchmarks for value, quality, relevance and entertainment for Indian consumers."

Manisha Tripathi, business head, Real Global Broadcasting, adds, "Food is universal in appeal and is increasingly becoming an expression of one's lifestyle. Therefore, the first launch, Food First, is dedicated to food. In sync with the times, we are also building strong extensions in the digital media, including web and mobile, to stay connected with the target group that is wired into the new media."

Food First will present some of the best food focused programmes shot in high definition, featuring the biggest names in the world of food from across the globe.