History Channel on the anvil

Hyderabad: Indian viewers are in for a treat as two channels are ready to be launched. These include the History Channel from National Geographic Channel Network (India), which will be broadcast from 30 November and POGO, a children''s channel that goes beyond animation and cartoon programmes from Turner International.

Star TV is broadcasting the History Channel while Zee TV will show POGO. The former will be available in Hindi for two hours as part of its India focus and will move to a 24-hour Hindi feed by June 2004, parallel to the English feed, says Zubin Gandevia, managing director, National Geographic Channel Network (India). The History Channel is a pay channel though its price has not been announced yet.

Gandevia says the History Channel is aimed at the adult 25-plus audiences and children in the seven-16-year age group. A host of programmes have been planned on the channel, which include monthly-themed stunts, local co-hosts and ground events across the country. The aim is to make it available in 25 million cable and satellite homes by June 2004.

According to him there is global interest in India and there is a quality production base here. The channel is aiming to have 10 per cent of its global programming from India by 2007.