Quality programming it already has. It's the image that now needs a makeover. That's the brief to SSC&B, the agency that has bagged the Sahara TV account.

The focus, says SSC&B president Ajay Chandwani, will be on overall positioning of the channel to differentiate it from its mainstream rivals. No mean task this, but the agency has already started with a multi media pronged tackle on two of Sahara's new shows - Shubh Mangal Savdhan and Parcchaiyan. Chandwani says the agency will focus on print, outdoor as well as radio to promote programmes, which will go on air in a phased manner.

The channel is also doing its promotions on television, apart from a corporate campaign for the entire group that is running on various channels currently. "We will be involved in evolving an umbrella strategy for the entire media segment of Sahara, which includes not just the television channels but also several print publications," says Chandwani.

Next on SSC&B's plate will be the news channels Sahara Samay, Sahara Samay Uttar and Sahara Samay Mumbai, which will be launched by the end of the year. While rivals NDTV, Aaj Tak and Star News are all readying to come up with their own channels by next year, Sahara is banking on its extensive network of news bureaus throughout the country and the speed at which news can be collated and disbursed, to beat the other channels.

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