In an era of niche TV channels, Focus TV, touted as India’s first women-focused news and current affairs channel, is gearing up for launch by June this year. Meanwhile, the channel’s promoter, Positiv TV Media, has also unveiled plans to launch a Bhojpuri infotainment channel and a metro channel from Hyderabad by June.
Positiv TV Media already runs NETV, a 24-hour news network in the North East with live bulletins in 17 languages of the region; NE Hi-Fi, a first full-fledged entertainment channel focusing on the North East; NE Bangla channel; besides four FM radio stations in the region.
Revealing her plans for Focus TV and two other niche channels, Manoranjana Singh, Promoter of Positiv TV Media, told exchange4media that all necessary permissions for the channels had been received and the channels would be uplinked from their own teleport in Noida and beamed through Insat 2E satellite.
“Ours would be the first news and current affairs channel fully focused on women’s issues. This bilingual channel in Hindi and English would discuss, debate and investigate serious and sensitive issues related to women, including social, economic, crime and legal issues. We will have news, current affairs programmes and chat shows. There would, however, be no soaps or sitcoms though there would be programmes covering fashion and lifestyle, and a weekly dose of films,” Singh added.
Focus TV is expected to emerge as the voice of oppressed women. But Singh is quick to point out, “This will not be a channel to liberate or emancipate women. We will play the role of a socially conscious and responsible news and current affairs channel to celebrate the Indian, and the global, woman.”
While Focus TV would be overseen by Singh herself, for the Bhojpuri channel – Hamar TV – Kumar Sanjay Singh, an ex-NDTV hand, has been roped in as Channel Head. “Hamar TV would be an infotainment channel. Besides six news bulletins in a day, there would be programmes on lifestyle, entertainment and films,” she further said.
Like Focus TV, which is an experimental channel, HYTV, the metro channel from Hyderabad, would also be an experimental channel, and instead of being a regional language channel, would be bilingual (Hindi and English).