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According to broadcasting industry sources, the name SAW, which
is undergoing test beaming at the moment, was coined, as the target
audience would mostly comprise people of South Asian origin.
The proposed international channel will be uplinked from Delhi,
while the uplinking base of the on-air business channel, CNBC TV18,
would now be shifted to Mumbai.
The international channel's programming and packaging, according
to the sources, would be different as it would contain lot of entertainment-based
news and some lifestyle shows too.
The channel would also have a fairly sizeable amount of news originating
from the UK and the US, which would be done out of the New York
studio, at present being readied. The name of the Hindi business
news channel, however, hasn't been decided yet as the chosen advertising
agency, Lowe, is to get back to the company with a branding plan
for the channel.
It has also not been decided what would be the modality for the
involvement of CNBC Asia, the current partner of Television Eighteen
Ltd.
"Television Eighteen is awaiting announcements of amendments
to the uplinking norms for news channels that the government had
said is being looked into," an industry source says.
Earlier, the government had said that the information and broadcasting
ministry is contemplating some changes in the uplink norms for news
channel, which were likely to be completed by 31 October.
With two proposed channels from the Television Eighteen stable
slated for a December launch, it's action time for the company that
has been registering steady growth. The company's stock closed the
day on the Bombay Stock Exchange at Rs 154.30, gaining 1.65 per
cent.
The TV-18 group clocked revenues of Rs 169.42 million in the first
quarter of FY 2005 ended 30 June 2004. The operating profit stood
at Rs 86.37 million, while net profit recorded Rs 62.09 million
(excluding forex gains/losses and deferred tax adjustment).
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