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MUMBAI: 9X Media is planning to launch its Bangla music channel this fiscal, the name of which has not been firmed up yet.
Like the other 9X Media channels, the Bangla music channel will also have a pure-play format. The deals for the music rights are presently being worked out.
9X Media managing director Pradeep Guha told TelevisionPost.com that the plans for the channel are underway and the Bangla music channel would be launched this fiscal.
Guha said that the name of the channel has not been finalised.
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) recently permitted 9X Bangla to assume the name ‘9X Bannao’.
“The name of the channel could be changed prior to launch. But we have not taken a final call on this,” said Guha.
The New Silk Route-funded network received its licence for the Bangla music channel in March this year from the MIB.
The Bangla music channel will be held under INX Music, a step-down subsidiary of 9X Media. INX Music already owns and operates Punjabi music channel 9X Tashan.
9X Media owns close to 64 per cent stake in INX Music, while the remaining 36 per cent is held by Sandeep Bansal. As per sources, Bansal will hold a similar holding in the new channel as well.
Industry insiders opine that the Bangla music market is a tough market for music channels owing to the enmity between two big producers Shree Venkatesh Films and Eskay Video.
Venkatesh Films being a co-owner of Sangeet Bangla, all the music from the movie production house is exclusive to the channel; no other channel can air the same tracks. Venkatesh Films makes around 10–15 films a year, providing a large amount of music-based content for Sangeet Bangla.
Meanwhile, Eskay Video Pvt Ltd produces around 3–5 movies a year and shares its limited content with a few channels.
The lack of content has seen three Bangla music channels downing the shutters in recent times.
As per sources, Tara Muzik, which was run by the government after the Saradha chit fund scam, has shut down. The channel is presently running on signal with zero distribution.
Another channel Dhoom has also shut down, as its owners, a firm called Rose Valley, have been found to be involved in a chit fund scam. The channel too is running on signal with zero distribution.
Meanwhile, the one-year old Orange TV also shut down two months ago due to poor management and ratings.
With three channels exiting the market, there are only two players—Sangeet Bangla and Music F Fatafati.
An industry insider says, “It is a two-horse race there. The whole mess is because of the enmity between the two movie producers and it is not so easy to enter the market.”
Sources add that Guha has been in talks with Eskay Video for quite some years and could buy the music rights to some of their films. However, the network must have a strong strategy in place to sustain the channel in such a difficult market as it mainly follows the pure-play music format.
The size of the Bangla music market comprising the two channels is stated to be Rs 12–15 crore (Rs 120-150 million).
9X Media plans to launch Bangla music channel this fiscal | TelevisionPost.com
Like the other 9X Media channels, the Bangla music channel will also have a pure-play format. The deals for the music rights are presently being worked out.
9X Media managing director Pradeep Guha told TelevisionPost.com that the plans for the channel are underway and the Bangla music channel would be launched this fiscal.
Guha said that the name of the channel has not been finalised.
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) recently permitted 9X Bangla to assume the name ‘9X Bannao’.
“The name of the channel could be changed prior to launch. But we have not taken a final call on this,” said Guha.
The New Silk Route-funded network received its licence for the Bangla music channel in March this year from the MIB.
The Bangla music channel will be held under INX Music, a step-down subsidiary of 9X Media. INX Music already owns and operates Punjabi music channel 9X Tashan.
9X Media owns close to 64 per cent stake in INX Music, while the remaining 36 per cent is held by Sandeep Bansal. As per sources, Bansal will hold a similar holding in the new channel as well.
Industry insiders opine that the Bangla music market is a tough market for music channels owing to the enmity between two big producers Shree Venkatesh Films and Eskay Video.
Venkatesh Films being a co-owner of Sangeet Bangla, all the music from the movie production house is exclusive to the channel; no other channel can air the same tracks. Venkatesh Films makes around 10–15 films a year, providing a large amount of music-based content for Sangeet Bangla.
Meanwhile, Eskay Video Pvt Ltd produces around 3–5 movies a year and shares its limited content with a few channels.
The lack of content has seen three Bangla music channels downing the shutters in recent times.
As per sources, Tara Muzik, which was run by the government after the Saradha chit fund scam, has shut down. The channel is presently running on signal with zero distribution.
Another channel Dhoom has also shut down, as its owners, a firm called Rose Valley, have been found to be involved in a chit fund scam. The channel too is running on signal with zero distribution.
Meanwhile, the one-year old Orange TV also shut down two months ago due to poor management and ratings.
With three channels exiting the market, there are only two players—Sangeet Bangla and Music F Fatafati.
An industry insider says, “It is a two-horse race there. The whole mess is because of the enmity between the two movie producers and it is not so easy to enter the market.”
Sources add that Guha has been in talks with Eskay Video for quite some years and could buy the music rights to some of their films. However, the network must have a strong strategy in place to sustain the channel in such a difficult market as it mainly follows the pure-play music format.
The size of the Bangla music market comprising the two channels is stated to be Rs 12–15 crore (Rs 120-150 million).
9X Media plans to launch Bangla music channel this fiscal | TelevisionPost.com
