TV Channels For Sale

Uninteresting shows and extremely bad TRPs claim Hindi entertainment channel

Barely a year after its launch, a prominent Hindi entertainment channel is apparently shutting shop. Buzz about its closure has been doing the rounds of the television world for a while and the rumours refuse to die down.
The latest is that a newspaper group has decided to take over the network for a song. However, it is learnt that a prominent producer of TV soaps was on the verge of buying a large chunk of bandwidth in the same entertainment network as barter for services rendered.

It is learnt that the shows failed to grab eyeballs, and extremely poor TRPs of epic dramas multiplied losses.

No bailout in sight

Says a source, "Till March, the channel will somehow sustain itself after which they would need funding if they want to continue. But no investor is now stepping forward to bail the owners out who are trying to figure out their next move."

It is learnt that a leading television producer, who has always been interested in launching a channel, has evinced interest only in the operational aspects, and not the monetary aspects.

Continues the source, "The telly producer does not want to pour money into it because of the current recession. But has agreed to be part of it only if there are adequate financiers for its running. The soap maker is game to put in her expertise to turn the fortunes around for the channel."

Apart from a general entertainment channel, the group also has a Hindi music channel and an English news channel.

The name behind the channel preferred to rubbish off the buzz by stating "Don't waste your time on gossip."

3 news channels in trouble

Three news channels two, reportedly owned by real estate barons and one by a North Indian political heavy weight are facing rough weather. All of them have not paid their employees for the last three months and most of them have put in their papers.

Up for grabs?

Rumour has it that two other entertainment channels are offering themselves up for sale. Like Sony taking over the SAB channel, both are looking at bigger channels doing a takeover.