By Ankit Ajmera
Media

Malayala Manorama to launch three new channels

The newspaper group is planning to launch a general entertainment channel, followed by a youth channel and then a business news channel, all in Malayalam, next year

Malayala Manorama TV (MMTV), the television division of Malayala Manorama, has plans to increase its television offerings in 2009. It is planning to launch a general entertainment channel, a youth channel and a business news channel, all in Malayalam, in 2009.

MMTV has two channels on air currently, Manorama News and Manorama News International. agencyfaqs! had reported earlier that the group was planning to launch its third channel, a GEC in Malayalam. The GEC is likely to be launched in the first quarter of 2009.

Anil George, chief operating officer, MMTV, says that once the GEC is able to consolidate its position in the market, they will launch the youth entertainment channel, in the latter part of 2009. The business news channel will follow.

Malayala Manorama to launch three new channels
In all, by the end of 2009, MMTV will have five TV channels. Commenting on whether the market has the scope for so many new channels, George says, “Malayala Manorama has years of professional expertise in the media segment. We will be drawing upon this expertise to make a success out of our TV venture. When the group launched its first channel, Manorama News, in August 2006, marketers were sceptical about whether the channel would survive in an already competitive market. But Manorama News has done fairly well so far.”

George believes localisation of TV content always helps in capturing audiences. It also provides a good opportunity for advertisers to reach regional audiences through the channels with which they best relate.

Manorama News claims to have a channel share of 35-40 per cent. Other existing Malayalam news channels are Asianet News, Indiavision and People TV. Prominent Malayalam GECs are Asianet, Surya TV, Jeevan TV, Kairali, Amrita TV and the recently launched youth channel, WE TV.

Apart from the television business, the Malayala Manorama Group is also contemplating converting its monthly health supplement, which forms a part of The Week magazine, into a full-fledged magazine. However, these plans are still to be formalised.

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