MUMBAI: Gujaratis are known to be good business men and hoping to add to their business acumen is one of India’s leading media companies – Network 18. It has decided to launch a Gujarati business news channel called CNBC Bazaar as well as an online business website called firstbiz.com.

When contacted, Network 18 group CEO B Sai Kumar confirmed the news. While additional details on CNBC Bazaar were not available, firstbiz.com will be led by Firstpost editor R Jagannathan.

2013 was a tough time for the entire news industry and even the network as it underwent rationalisation and consolidation with some employees being laid off.  Network 18 already runs several other news channels- CNN-IBN, IBN7, CNBC TV 18, CNBC Awaaz, IBN Lokmat. 

On the other hand, Network 18 subsidiary Viacom 18 is all set to launch two new channels as well in the coming few weeks. One is its second Hindi GEC  Rishtey that has already got on board several platforms and the other is a new music channel in partnership with PepsiCo called MTV Indies.

The flurry of launches this year indicates that the TV network has once again got into expansion mode and the days of overhanging debt are far behind it now.