NDTV launches 2-in-1 channel

The channel will have live market coverage between 9 am and 5 pm on weekdays. It will air infotainment and entertainment shows 5 pm onwards.

New Delhi Television (NDTV) has launched a new infotainment and entertainment channel, NDTV Prime.

As a part of NDTV's split-channel strategy, the channel will work as a 2-in-1 channel, to be beamed complementary to NDTV's business channel offering, NDTV Profit. While NDTV Profit, in association with The National Stock Exchange of India, will have live market coverage from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays, after 5 pm on weekdays and on week-ends, the channel will sport the logo and content of its new avatar, NDTV Prime.

Announcing the launch of NDTV Prime, Prannoy Roy, co-chairperson, NDTV, says, "This is perhaps one of the most creatively exciting new ventures NDTV has launched, with so many 'firsts' for television in India. The reactions so far, from advertisers and sponsors, have been very, very positive. This new concept, with two prime times, changes many of the traditional views on what prime time viewership is all about!"

NDTV Prime, launched in association with Micromax, will target the 25+ urban male. It will offer an interesting blend of 'specialty bands', which will showcase through the week across genres such as technology, auto, property, education and careers, entertainment and comedy.

Vikram Chandra, group CEO, NDTV, says, "In the digitised word, where viewers surf channels using EPGs, appointment viewing has become very important. NDTV Prime gives everyone full clarity on when they can see their preferred genre of programming. So property comes on at 7 pm. If you are a gadget enthusiast, you can see that programming every night at 8 pm, auto programming is on at 8:30 pm, and then there is entertainment at 9 pm. Of course, many viewers may choose to simply switch on the channel and leave it on!"

Among the big ticket shows on Prime is 'Videocon d2h Ticket to Bollywood', a reality show which will give two lucky winners an opportunity to star in a Bollywood movie. Croma is the overall technology band sponsor. MRF is on board for the auto band and Supertech continues its association with the property band.

The promotional campaign for NDTV Profit and NDTV Prime features Shahrukh Khan in a double avatar reflecting this duality based on the concept of 'Work Hard Play Hard.'

Rahul Sharma, co-founder, Micromax, says, "NDTV Prime provides an ideal opportunity for Micromax to reach out to evolved viewers through new programming on lifestyle, reality, automobiles, sports, music, property, gadgets and gizmos and comedy, all of which are showing increasing acceptance among Indian viewers. Our best wishes are with NDTV, and look forward to a long term association."