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Today to pump in Rs 5 crore to beef up operations

India Today group-promoted television software house, TV Today, plans to pump in around Rs 5 crore over the next 12 to 18 months to strengthen its news gathering, production and marketing capabilities. Also in the offing is a major foray into regional language programming and pepping up of the online effort.

Discounting rumours in the industry that the group will soon launch a news channel, TV Today executive director G Krishnan said that there are no immediate plans to start a satellite news channel.

Instead, Krishnan said TV Today is looking at increasing its programming content in Doordarshan and make news and current affairs programmes for the regional language market.
“We are looking for several Indian languages including Punjabi, Bengali and some South Indian ones,” Krishnan said.

The company is already producing a Bengali news programme for Calcutta-based RPG Group.
TV Today is looking at increasing its presence on Doordarshan, Krishnan said. By September this year the company plans to do around three hours of programming per day for Doordarshan, a sizable step-up from present level of little over one hour per day.

TV Today is also looking at making regional news programmes for Doordarshan’s regional channels, company executives said. Talks are also on with some other regional satellite channels for programming related to news and current affairs.

On the online front, the company is looking at increasing the frequency of bulletins and strengthening its online activity.
Krishnan said that in the coming months the company plans to invest in strengthening its manpower and technology resources. The company may spend upto Rs 5 crore over time to pep up its infrastructure and news gathering activities, he added.
Interestingly, mandarins in Mandi House indicated that if the television house does go for a separate news channel, it may be asked to vacate its popular news programme on Metro channel, Aaj Tak. Interestingly, Doordarshan is in the process of finalising its programming mix for DD Metro.

With the Metro channel being touted as entertainment channel, it remains to be seen whether Doordarshan will continue to have news programme on DD Metro-or find a new slot for Aaj Tak.

For now though, Aaj Tak’s future seems secure. The news programme will be completing a five-year run on Doordarshan on July 17. Its contract with Doordarshan has recently been extended by one more year and the company plans to do a special one-hour programme to commemorate the completion of five years of the show.

Sudipto Dey