National Geographic Channel open to be on DTH platform  ( September '24,2004, HBL)

THE National Geographic Channel (NGC) is open to being part of the direct-to-home platforms of both Prasar Bharati and Essel Group's Dish TV.

According to Mr Zubin Gandevia, Managing Director, NGC, "We are open to being part of the DTH platform. But since there is no proposal from any of the broadcasters, we have not considered it. In principle, we have no problems as the idea is to reach a wide range of audiences."

While the DTH offered by the national broadcaster is free, Dish TV is a pay platform.

Currently the NGC is available in about 27-30 million cable homes across the country in both Hindi and English languages.

The broadcaster had considered the option of Tamil and Bengali languages, but no decision has been taken.

The channel is looking at beefing up its content and increasing viewership by launching a new series - Innovation that explores the dramatic stories behind many technological advances that change lives.

Along with this, it has tied up with IIT Delhi to launch a national search for the Innovator of the Year and the Young Innovator of the Year.

"These are designed to identify and recognise outstanding innovators and concepts that have the potential of improving lives," Mr Zubin added.

NGC aims to be different from Discovery Channel. Ms Dilshad Master, Senior Vice-President, Content and Communications, said, "We are a thinking channel and all our shows are based on this philosophy." The channel will have programmes that will make the viewers think in a magazine format driven by anchors. Currently Science and Technology shows and shows shot in India are very popular. Moreover, the offering from NGC seems to have gone down well with advertisers. It has managed to add new ones such as Indian Airlines, Max New York Life, IBM, Diamond Trading Corporation, Hyundai, Hero Honda and Kerala Tourism, taking its total number of advertisers to over 90.