New HD channel Epic TV to showcase India’s heritage

[Bapun]

Come August, Indian television will have its own ‘History’ channel called Epic TV, which will offer content that will showcase the country’s history, folklore and mythology. The channel, which is yet to get regulatory approval, is a part of Epic Television Network promoted by Mahesh Samat, who quit as head of Walt Disney India last year to start his own venture.

Talking to Business Line, Samat, an alumnus of IIM-Calcutta, said that he has roped in a few high profile investors including auto major Mahindra Group’s Chairman Anand Mahindra.

The channel is said to open a new category in Hindi entertainment, termed as ‘segmented’, that presents thematic content focused on a particular genre, thereby, offering increased choice and different viewing opportunities.

The latest FICCI Frames KPMG report has also indicated that digitisation is expected to open up more avenues for broadcasters to launch subscription-driven, specialty channels in India.

“Digitisation has opened up lot of opportunities in terms of diverse viewership in the country. We have through our survey have found that there is a strong affinity for such content in both urban and rural India. We are looking at offering three hours of fresh content every day,” Samat said. The company is also looking at acquiring movies in these genres. He also said that the channel will not be free-to-air.

He, however, refused to divulge any financial details on the company, which became operational from December last.

Samat said this full HD channel will be available on all DTH and digital platforms across all major markets in India.

One of the shows on Epic is based on Indu Sundaresan’s novel The Twentieth Wife that is about Mehrunissa, the twentieth wife of emperor Jehangir.

New channel Epic TV to showcase India’s heritage - Business Line

 

[Gssran]

So it's going to be added on all Dth's.
Hope so.

 

[Vadirocks]

Nice Info Shared

 

[dipak]

some more information in here.

Link Removed

 

[balu]

Nice. Hope they organize is well without hiding any facts and bias towards any one community.

 

[dipak]

Epic TV to experiment with long and short duration content


MUMBAI: Here's more dope on Epic TV, the new historical, folklore and mythological channel that is being wet-nursed by former Walt Disney India head Mahesh Samat and funded by Anand Mahindra personally.

As revealed yesterday, the channel is expected to launch in August sometime. Currently, the company has applied to the I&B ministry for a broadcast license, which it hopes to have in its pocket in a couple of months. It is also negotiating for transponder space - one on the Insat series and the other with a south east Asia based vendor.

Additionally, Samat says that the channel has plans to do narratives and programming of varying duration. "We are focusing on programming based on long form fiction narrative of an hour's duration, non-fiction shows and short form fiction. Long form will have two-three hour episodic shows in a day. These will focus on new situations, supernatural content, drama and crime. Whereas narrative non-fiction will consist of one to two hours programming in a day, underlining narrative documentaries including contemporary, recreational and reenactment styles. And the last short form content will be seen as short vignettes, explaining interesting facts, and short 'behind-the scenes' videos."

Samat says all the shows will be shot in HD and with high production values. "We will be looking at monetising the content even across digital platforms, eking out revenues from wherever we can," he reveals.

Apart from Ravina Kohli and Aparna Pandey other professionals who have come on board include Niharika Kotwal as head production and Manish Thukral as chief financial officer.

Indiantelevision.com > News Headlines > Epic TV to experiment with long and short duration content

 

[me_saket]

Can u post ss

And official website showing program list.

 

[Karthik]

So one more HD channel coming

 

[Karthik]

One more History tv HD.

 

[Greatkarthik]

good channel