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With three Telugu
satellite channels already fighting for viewership in Andhra Pradesh,
another digital Telugu satellite channel ‘Maa TV’ is planning
to go on air by the second week of April. To be beamed from the
INSAT 2E satellite with 3/3 zonal beam transponder, Maa TV plans
to focus on the younger generation with its entertainment fare.
The channel is also tying up with Discovery Channel for an hour’s
programming in Telugu. Unlike the other channels in the space which
are free-to-air channels, Maa TV is going to be a ‘pay’
channel. “Rather than being free in the beginning and becoming
a pay channel later, we have decided to go pay right from day one,”
said D Rajendra Prasad, executive director and spokesperson of Maa
TV.
“Drawing
inspiration from late Ramakrishna, founder of Siti Cable, the channel
is promoted by Kiranmayi Ramakrishna, wife of late Ramakrishna,
Nikhil Sanghia, Suresh Babu and Satyamurthy who were all associated
with Zee TV group and Siti Cable,” Prasad said. The initial
investment towards developing this channel is about Rs 25 crore
and the group is hoping to generate a total business of Rs 22 crore
in the first year of its operations. Advertising via satellite and
cable television is expected to grow at a rate of 25 per cent per
annum. On the sales and distribution front, the channel is hopeful
of reaching 75 per cent of the viewers in the state in the first
three months after its launch. The programmes include gameshows,
daily serials, film-based programmes, current affairs, educational
programmes, devotional programmes, musical programmes, etc.A cable
channel ‘Maa Cinema’ will also be unveiled soon.
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