Reliance Broadcast Network, CBS Studios team up to launch TV channels
18 Aug 2010
Reliance Broadcast Network Limited and CBS Studios International today announced a 50:50 partnership to launch three English entertainment channels in India.
The channels will be customised for Indian audiences and will feature new and popular CBS programmes such as CSI, Entertainment Tonight amongst others.
The channels will be available to audiences across the Indian subcontinent covering India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Pakistan.
"Our deep understanding of the Indian consumer's entertainment requirement and advertiser needs, coupled with CBS' reputation for creating superior content, will offer unmatched and pioneering entertainment to audiences in India and across the Indian subcontinent," Tarun Katial, CEO, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd, said.
He said the Indian television industry is already on a high growth trajectory and the joint venture would gain from this.
The Indian television industry reaches out to 134 million homes, which includes 103 million using cable or satellite television, including DTH.
The Reliance BIG-CBS joint venture may also explore the option of launching Hindi and other regional language entertainment channels in the future.
Reliance Broadcast Network Limited is part of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group. It operates the radio channel 92.7 BIG FM, OOH entity BIG Street, marketing wing BIG Live and digital arm BIG Digital.
CBS Studios International is the leading supplier of programming to the international television marketplace, licensing to over 200 markets and more than 30 languages across multiple media platforms.