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The Nepalese Hindi entertainment channel with a focus on entertainment
and news and current affairs will kick off with coverage of the
imminent US attack on Iraq.
"Probably we are the only entertainment channel in the world that
will make its debut by starting off with a studio discussion on
the Gulf war with former army personnel, including army generals
and Gurkhas who have served during wars in the past," Singh told
indiantelevision.com in Delhi just an hour before the proposed launch,
sounding exhausted, but excited.
Singh also said the Gulf War has given them a chance to establish
the credentials of the channels that will have a mix of programming
and "what better way to start than to air an issue that is being
followed avidly in the region." However, the war situations may
affect the quality of transmission from Thaicom 3 satellite around
6 p.m. IST, Singh added.
Nepal One, which is being uplinked from India and will primarily
target Nepal cable homes and people of Nepalese origin in India,
is a brainchild of Singh's company, TV Live India.
The permission for uplinking from the Indian government was sought
sometime in November last and the permission came through last month.
The channel is beamed via the Thaicom 3 satellite and uplinked from
Delhi, Singh said.
Nepal One is scheduled to have a mix of music, entertainment and
news and current affairs programming, including Nepalese and Hindi
films to attract viewers in Nepal and across the border in India
in places like the North-East. The channel would also have some
programming in Bhojpuri language.
Asked by indiantelevision.com whether the Indian government's policy
decision on channels desirous of uplinking from India and the 26
per cent FDI cap affect Nepal One, Singh replied in the negative.
"We understand the situation well. Since ours is a wholly-owned
Indian company, we don't fall within the ambit of the policy on
uplinking. But in future if we want to get in some non-Indian investment
into the company, then we'll have to apply afresh to the government
for uplinking," Singh said. However, she refused to give any details
on the financing of the channel. There were some speculation in
the media that one of the funders may be a Nepalese businessman.
See related story-
Nalini Singh's Nepalese-Hindi
channel to launch in March
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