MUMBAI: Telugu news channel TV5, promoted by Shreya Broadcasting, has around 290 reporters covering the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,and delivering hourly news bulletins and 30 special bulletins. It has, however, gained a reputation for its incisive business reportage and programming.
Now the management led by MD B Ravindranath is spawning a digital baby exploiting TV5's business specialisation USP. Called TV5 Money, it will make its debut as a channel on Youtube, as an app, a website and on IPTV platforms on 3 August and it will be focused on business and lifestyle news.
The new service is being steered by TV5 business head Vasanth Kumar and a separate editorial team - from that employed by the mother news channel - has been put in place. TV5 Money will deliver real time financial market coverage, business news, commodities trends and life style content, says Kumar. The management claims that it will provide unbiased, in-depth investment analysis and assist investors on mutual funds, insurance products, derivatives and commodities trading.
The test signal was started in an informal programme on 29 July by Ravindranath.
Kumar points out that it was the success of TV5's business news programming voices that encouraged the company to consider launching a separate business news channel. But the management decided to take dainty steps initially in the digital domain. He, however, is sanguine that channel’s market research expertise will make viewers' journey into the complex financial markets easy.
Ravindranath too is confident that TV5 Money will gain traction quickly with viewers. "TV5 commenced operations in 2007," he says. "But it very quickly positioned itself on top of the ladder in the regional broadcast news industry. It is known for its unique regional content, unbiased attitude and exceptional coverage of state, national and international news, making it Telangana and Andhra’s leading Telugu news and current affairs channel."
Shreya Broadcasting chairman BR Naidu believes that its track record and team which will stream out non-stop coverage are sure to contribute significantly to the overall rise of regional broadcast news. "Telugu viewers from the smallest part of India nationally will be attracted to it," he says.
A view that is echoed by a media analyst. Says she: "First of all Andhra and Telangana are very broadband friendly thanks to the strong IT focus the government has set out. Because of this, it should find a online audiences tuning in, especially in offices where broadband pipes are pretty thick. Then, the Telugu speaking populace is very industrious and they have seen an upgradation of their lifestyles over the years as the economy there has progressed. They want to know where to invest their money, and TV5 Money could help give them perspectives and opinions. By launching as a live streaming service, the company is cutting short its time to market and also keeping distribution and other costs low. But it will have to give it an extensive social media and digital marketing push to capture eyeballs quickly."
