PREVIEW

Untamed Amazonia to premiere on Discovery
In keeping with its endeavours to showcase nature in its full glory and introduce exotic and endangeared species of animals from all over the world to the televiewer, Discovery Channel is premiering Untamed Amazonia on February 23. Untamed Amazonia, as the name suggests, will feature animals unique to the Amazon. Dividing the animals into five cateogries - The underwater, treetop, forest, plains and marsh world, Untamed Amozonia ‘offers viewers a close-up of the extraordinary world of beauty and cruelty along one of the world’s greatest rivers, the Amazon and its tributary Rio Negro.’

Filmed and post-produced entirely on digital systems, Untamed Amazonia is produced for Discovery International in collaboration with the Brazilian government and the Vitoria Amazonica Foundation. The series filmed by Frederic Lepage trails the habitats of jaguars, tapirs, agoutis and pumas in Brazil’s enormous, economically rich Amazon region. Says Rex Recka, VP, Programming, Discovery Networks International, “Not only does Untamed Amazonia take viewers throughout the region to give them a full appreciation of its rich animal life, natural resources and its complex, immeasurable important eco-systems, the series also offers an intimate look at the hunters and the hunted, in ways you’ve never seen before.”

After ... Amazonia, Disocvery is all set to telecast a special series on Asia. This one will feature interesting vignettes of people’s lifestyles, culture and tradition in a magazine format. Says Kiran Karnik, MD, Discovery India, “The vignettes on India will include the transition of Rajasthan from its old, traditional form to a modern one, there will also be a snippet on an ayurvedic medical centre, an odissi temple dance, a spotlight on hospital for birds and for Mumbaites there’s a special episode on the famous dabbawalas who carry peoples’ lunch boxes from home to office and back!” Titled The Living Asia the programme is expected to be aired in the last quarter of the year.

Discovery which is yet to break even, is introducing a new software for advertisers willing to advertise on the channel. Kiran Karnik however claims that they are happy with the way they have been garnering viewers over the last year. According to a study conducted by National Readership Survey (NRS), Discovery reaches 15 million C & S homes in Urban India. Citing figures from an analysis commissioned by Discovery and done by Indian Media Research Bureau (IMRB), Kiran Karnik expressed satisfaction at being the No.3 channel. Zee is No.1 with a bonding of 75 per cent, Sony is second with 62 per cent and Discovery is No.3 with 58 per cent. The trends also indicate that Disovery has a larger audience segment in 15-25 year age group.