News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

This article was first published 20 years ago
Rediff.com  » Business » Sahara plans news on rails in Mumbai

Sahara plans news on rails in Mumbai

By Anusha Subramanian in Mumbai
April 07, 2003 13:03 IST
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:

After the launch of its news channel Sahara Samay, Sahara Media and Entertainment is now foraying into satellite radio.

As a part of this plan, the company will launch its first satellite radio, Sahara Swar, in Mumbai's suburban trains. The project is expected to go live from July this year.

Sahara has booked four channels on the WorldSpace platform, and intends to start with the Mumbai channel first. This broadcast will offer both music and news.

Sumit Roy, head of Sahara Media and Entertainment, said: "The news will be broadcast for two minutes every half an hour."

"The other three radio stations on the WorldSpace platform will be introduced in a phased manner and would focus on education, entertainment and other fields," he added.

M G Chandrashekhar, chief operating officer, Asia Star, part of World Space Corporation, US, said: "We are providing four channels to Sahara. They have taken two 64 KB satellite and two 32 KB satellite feeds from us. Both are music and voice formats and will be uplinked from Singapore."

Sources said Sahara Media is investing close to Rs 5 crore (Rs 50 million) on this project.

Roy refused to confirm the investment. While a large part of the content will come from Sahara itself, the company will also outsource some stuff, Roy said.

For music, Sahara media will talk to music companies directly. Work is already on in full swing and the installation of speakers in all compartments of both the Western and Central Railway suburban trains will start soon.

"The 24-hour channels will have a captive audience. And while some of the infrastructure to transmit the audio feed via satellite is in place, others, including a studio in the city, are being put in place," Roy said.

According to the latest KPMG report on the Indian entertainment sector, satellite radio provides better reach as it has the ability to transmit to areas that cannot be reached by FM channels.

"Satellite radio can provide about 50-100 channels. This will revolutionise the radio business as it provides clarity, coverage and global, local and regional content," Chandrashekhar said.

Unlike the traditional radio, the satellite radio has the advantage of recovering costs via subscription, in addition to advertising.

Sahara's radio channel will depend on advertising for a steady revenue stream. Meanwhile, Roy said the company has received good response to its newly launched news channels from both viewers and advertisers.

After having launched Sahara Samay in UP, the company plans to go live in Bihar and Delhi in May 2003.

The company is also working to broadcast Sahara Samay in Maharashtra, MP and Rajasthan by July 2003, thereby covering all the 31 states.

A new beam

  • Sahara will launch its first satellite radio Sahara Swar in Mumbai's suburban trains. The project is expected to go live from July this year.
  • Sahara has booked four channels on the World Space platform, and intends to start with the Mumbai channel first.
  • Work is already on in full swing and the installation of speakers in all compartments of both the Western and Central Railway suburban trains will start soon.
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:
Anusha Subramanian in Mumbai
 

Moneywiz Live!