Will Mr. Finance Minister seize the opportunity?

Media News

Mumbai, February 21, 2011

India has been steadily progressing to the center of global attention. Within this decade, experts forecast India playing a crucial role in international economics at par with global super powers. And the first Union Budget of this defining decade will set the agenda for the years to come.

Through Budget 2011, Bloomberg UTV - India's premiere business news channel asks some critical questions on behalf of Corporate India as well as the common man and keenly observes whether the Finance Minister will seize the opportunity. Rightfully therefore, the comprehensive branding for the Budget programming on the channel has been titled as Budget 2011 - The Opportunity.

Continuing the channel's unique style of segregating the Budget programming into Corporate and Consumer sectors, this year too a host of innovative and practical shows will bring the best-in-class analyses, reports, debates, interviews and live on-ground interactive sessions to viewers.

Commenting on the budget programming, Deepak Lamba, Business Head, Bloomberg UTV said, "Following our signature style, this year too we have designed programming with an outlook towards informing, evaluating and debating the Union Budget in a manner that will address the needs of the corporate sector as well as derive the essential take-away for the common man. Our prime objective would be to demystify the complicated statistical and analytical notions about the financial policies through innovative formats and news delivery."

The corporate programming will focus on what India Inc. expects from the Budget, trade policies, corporate tax expectations, sector specific analyses, impact of divestment etc. With the help of the International Bloomberg network, Bloomberg UTV will present the most comprehensive and definitive coverage of the Global reaction to the Indian Budget including several pre-budget discussions on how India stacks up in the BRIC order and what global FIIs want from the FM this year. Another highlight will be the FII panel discussions from London led by Harsha Subramaniam of Bloomberg. The best-in-class editorial team will focus on key aspects of the Government's fiscal policy culminating with the Budget announcement.

Another unique element of 'Budget 2011-The Opportunity' is the exclusive Corporate Decision Maker's Survey being done by the channel in association with Globally renowned research agency Penn, Shoen, Berland.

The consumer centric programming is designed to give viewers a holistic perspective on the Budget and its implications on their day to day life. The programming line up is designed to give viewers actionable information so that they can protect their interests while also broadening their horizons through incisive, impactful shows. Our panel of experts and editors review the industrial sectors which most affect the common man's life and what changes in the sector will imply. The DTC might directly alter the course for Corporate India but how does it influence the income tax. And between all the taxes, duties and policies, how does the average Indian maneuver his personal wealth. All this and much more in the consumer section of 'Budget 2011 - The Opportunity'.

The Railway Budget will be announced on the 25th February this year and Bloomberg UTV will be on the agenda throughout the day. An analysis of the announcement and the direct implication on viewers' life will guide the core of all shows on the channel with a special discussion with industry leaders for the India Inc. perspective. The Economic Survey also scheduled to be released on the 25th February will be reviewed with expert panels clearly segregating the impact on corporate India and the Indian viewer.

On the Budget Day, Bloomberg UTV will bring live and uninterrupted coverage of the FM's Budget speech followed by detailed analysis and a view on possible market implications with industry leaders. Each sector and segment of the economy will be dissected to understand the short-term as well as long-term challenges to scope the opportunities that lie ahead.

In a special show hosted from London, Harsha Subramaniam from Bloomberg will engage with leading FIIs from London to get their reactions to the Budget presentation, discuss what makes India important on their agenda and gauge their sentiments towards deepening their ties in future. Subsequently, he talks to international corporate heads and policy makers taking their reactions and reviews on the Indian Budget in a pacy segment. The global coverage on the channel is further strengthened by a panel discussion out of New York hosted by Ellen Braitman of Bloomberg talking to the biggest business leaders globally keeping India in the spotlight.

Aside from the programming initiatives on the channel, Pulse - the on-ground activation arm of Bloomberg UTV will conduct a panel discussion with market experts decoding the budget from Mumbai, Delhi & Bangalore.

The exhaustive programming agenda on the channel is supported by a robust communications plan recently unveiled across key markets. The campaign which asks a few questions to Mr. Finance Minister seeks to reflect the sentiments of Indians, both corporate and the Indian consumer.

India is poised to take a giant leap towards attaining a holistic growth in the new decade. It's all up to the Finance Minister to seize the moment in Budget 2011 - The Opportunity. For all the action, stay tuned to Bloomberg UTV.

For further information, please contact:

LinOpinion - The Lintas Public Relations Division

Kripa Nayak

Mobile: +919819826335

Email: Kripa.Nayak@loweworldwide.com