Aaj Tak plans to start regional news channels

New Delhi: Aaj Tak, the extremely successful Hindi news channel of TV Today Network, is planning to launch a news channel in regional languages.

To begin with, it will launch a news channel in one regional language and depending on its success other regional channels will be planned, according to TV Today executive director and CEO G Krishnan.

“TV Today Network has sought the government’s permission to start a new news channel, which is necessary for it to be able to take a transponder on a satellite,” says Krishnan. “We would take a transponder on Intelsat.”

But he does not reveal the languages being considered by the company. “TV Today will only launch its channel in those markets where there are no existing players and also if there is an advertising market for the channel in that region. And we will provide news on a daily basis.”

The projected time for the regional channel to break even is 12 to 18 months. As per the latest TAM (television audience measurement) ratings on television viewership for the week ended 14 September 2002, Aaj Tak had a share of 57 per cent in full-day channel viewership in Hindi-speaking markets, with a prime-time share of 61 per cent.

TV Today Network was incorporated in 1988 after the successful launch of the first investigative video newsmagazine called Newstrack.

The first Hindi news and current affairs programme, Aaj Tak, was launched in 1995 and was aired at 10 pm daily on Doordarshan Metro channel. In due course of time, the programme became increasingly popular for its style and comprehensive coverage. Witnessing the popularity of Aaj Tak, TV Today Network launched a 24-hour Hindi news and current affairs channel on 31 December 2000 with the same title.

Aaj Tak has a team of over 300 professionals and a sizeable number of them are involved in newsgathering across India.