Cartoon Network to have a programming block on Doordarshan

Cartoon Network, which is part of the Turner Entertainment Network, is all set to exhibit the best of its original productions on Doordarshan’s National channel. It has created a special programming block called ‘Cartoon Network Duniya’ for the purpose. The one-hour programming band will be aired at 10.30am on Saturdays, starting July 8, 2006.

The shows include ‘M.A.D’ (a music, art and dance show) and ‘Codename: Kids Next Door’, two well-known and original Turner productions. Turner’s other popular series, including its most awaited original production, ‘Galli Galli Sim Sim’, the Indian version of the globally renowned pre-school series, ‘Sesame Street’, will also be aired on this time band.

Soumitra Saha, senior vice-president, regional ad sales and marketing, Asia Pacific, Turner Entertainment Network, says, “The deal is a win-win situation for both the parties as, on the one hand, Doordarshan gets quality content, and on the other, we get a bigger reach for our advertisers.”

Generally, the content provider has to pay a fixed fee to Doordarshan and it earns its revenues by selling ad slots during the time band. As per the official Doordarshan tariff card, the producer is allowed to sell around 180 seconds of ad slots during a 30-minute programme. So, Cartoon Network will be allowed to sell 360 seconds of ad slots.

Although Saha confirmed that Turner will sell ad slots in this time band, the exact details of how much money Turner would have to pay Doordarshan could not be ascertained.

Cartoon Network also plans to leverage the reach of Doordarshan (the reach of terrestrial television is higher than cable and satellite television in India) to promote its brands and characters. As Turner has now forayed into merchandising and theme parks, this will be an effective platform from which to broad-base the reach of its popular characters, which, in turn, will deliver more monies through merchandising.

As Saha says, “We plan to create multiple touch points, be it through Doordarshan or the new media such as mobile phones, to increase the interaction between the consumers and our popular characters.

© 2006 agencyfaqs!