The Hindu Business Line : News channels gear for war action

IT'S not just CNN which has gone on an extensive shopping spree or other international channels such as NBC and CBS which are busy hunting locations, preparing equipment and training reporters for the impending US attack on Iraq. But, our own news channels are doing their bit preparing to cover the war.

And this time the focus seems to be on bringing the Indian point of view. "We do not want to give our viewers the Western viewpoint. We want to project what Indians feel and believe," seems to be the unanimous focus of Indian channels. Besides this, channels have also embarked on on-ground preparations.

Zee News' Deputy Editor, Ms Alka Saxena, said that the channel has planned different strategies for a short full-fledged war and a long-drawn low intensity war. It is also tying up with a service provider and looking at a tie-up with an international news channel. Last time, the channel had an exclusive tie-up with CNN and could directly go live using its feed.

Mr G. Krishnan, CEO, TV Today, said that there would be no compromise on the coverage of the war on Aaj Tak. "We will focus on the Indian Diaspora living there, the evacuation process and anything else that will interest Indians." And besides sending out its own team of reporters and camera crew to different countries, the channel will use Reuters Television and AP Television to bring in the pictures.

However, this is going to be a real testing time for NDTV and Star News, which will be charting their own course. So far, NDTV had access to footage from Sky News and Fox News. But post break-up; NDTV will have to forge new alliances. A Star India spokesperson, however, said that its news channel would use feeds from Fox News and Sky News in the event of a war.

The national broadcaster, Doordarshan, has already announced hiring a team of experts under Mr Saeed Naqvi to cover the war.

While most channel heads claim that war is not desirable, this is an opportunity nobody would like to miss, especially since the competition among news channels is set to get tougher April 1 onwards.

Zee News to get new look

WITH a spate of news channels readying to go on air next month, Zee News is being given a facelift. Senior officials said, "We are planning to re-launch the channel by the end of this month."

The channel will have a brand new logo, new sets and there will be a new feel about the channel, said the official.

Meanwhile, the Prannoy Roy-promoted NDTV has decided to call its English news channel NDTV 24X7 (read as NDTV Twenty four Seven) and the Hindi news channel will be named NDTV India. For technical reasons NDTV will manage the English news channel, while NDTV World will manage the Hindi news channel.

Industry sources said that while the English channel is going to be totally upmarket for the classes, the Hindi one will still be classy but will target the masses. The strategy is to reach all networks where Sony is present and touch 16 million households to start with.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
Idea Cellular CEO quits

States still pay dear on Plan loans

News channels gear for war action

In corporate India, it pays to reward performers

Living Media set to take over Reader's Digest in April

The pull of S. Africa, courtesy Team India