News Broadcasting
TVC launches 24-hour shopping channel
MUMBAI: TVC a leading brand in direct selling and a pioneer of teleshopping in India has launched TVC Online, a 24 hour dedicated teleshopping channel.
This is part of an ambitious expansion initiative undertaken by TVC Sky Shop.
TVC Online, a free to air digital channel, has a round-the-clock schedule. The telecast will be on a 12 + 12 hours cycle. TVC has 100 odd products in their collection, which they want to promote through the newly launched channel.Briefing the press, TVC chairman Vinod Agarwal informed that the company would be continuing their telecasts in other channels as well.
“We will be continuing with our schedules in other channels. We need some time to establish the TVC channel in the market,” Agarwal said.
Talking to Indiantelevision.com, Agarwal said the company is expecting a three-fold increase in their turnover with the launch of the channel. Agarwal put the company’s present turnover at Rs 500 million. He added that the channel would be viewed in 5 crore houses across India within the next two months.
Worldwide, sky shopping generates 100 billion US dollars. But in India, the industry is yet to catch up. Agarwal attributed this phenomenon to the country’s consumer culture.
“Indians are different customers. They like to feel and touch the product before buying. The middleclass is very particular about it,” said Agarwal. “The strategy TVC has adopted to tackle this is by opening 74 stores across India where people can come, see the product, touch, feel and then buy,” offered Agarwal.
In Mumbai, TVC has opened seven stores. TVC officials reiterated their priority as customer satisfaction. Agarwal pointed out that there was no question of ‘queries unanswered’ as TVC has developed a round-the-clock call center.
“We started with four people and now we have a team of 200 plus,” informed Nerula.
Agarwal expressed his hope that India would also follow the US example by adopting the sky shopping culture at a fast rate.
“We have to set the standards for the industry,” he said.
Regarding the price range TVC is offering, Agarwal said they had reduced the prices as the focus is on volume sale than target marketing.
TVC president marketing MS Nerula said with the people following a hectic life schedule, the significance of a 24-hour shopping channel has acquired immense dimensions.
“Internet shopping could only appeal to a limited section of our society as the common man was not computer savvy. But a 24 hour tele-shopping channel has great potential because television has become a popular media,” commented Nerula.
TVC executive director said that TVC would bring innovative products at affordable prices, as Indians are very particular about prices. Samtani claimed that TVC had five lakhs of satisfied customers.
“We are here for a long run and we are in the diver’s seat. We want to develop the retail industry,” Samtani said.
TVC officials expressed their willingness to carry the advertisements of other brands, which are not part of TVC, in the channel. “We welcome all and we are open to the possibilities of carrying advertisements of external brands,” offered Samtani.
Samtani defended the decision to hire stars to promote the products. “Nowadays, all the reputed brands have stars endorsing them, then why TVC can’t?” queried Samtani in a lighter vein.
TVC has roped in Jackie Shroff, Divya Dutta, Anu Kapoor and Mrinal Kulkarni to endorse the TVC products.
When asked how they were expecting the audience to sit through 25 or 30 minutes of product information telecast per product, Agarwal explained that, establishing their products in people’s minds would need time, as they are new in Indian market.
“You can’t compare them with the market’s top brands who need just 30 seconds of ad time. We don’t have brands and so our products will need more time, naturally.”
Agarwal told Indiantelevision.com that TVC had no prime time schedule as the 24-hour channel is running in two cycles of 12 hours repeat telecasts.
“TVC is targeting the whole society. This will help people to watch the channel at their convenience. A housewife might opt to watch the channel in the afternoon. Kids might watch it in the morning. The working class will be watching it in the evening,” pointed out Agarwal.
Details of TVC channel frequency:
1. Up Linking Frequency : 6570 Mhz
2. Down Link Frequency : 3545 Mhz
3. FEC : ¾
4. Symbol Rate : 26.667
5. Polarization U/L : Horizontal
6. Polarization D/L : Vertical
7. Satellite : Thaicom 3
8. Orbital : 78.5 Deg east
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
