Pentamedia set to launch its broadband portal

Chennai-based Pentamedia Graphics Limited is slated to launch its Internet television venture called NumTV (New Millennium TV) in the US on 14 April 2000. www.numtv.com or NumTV is an entertainment portal catering to the Asian diaspora worldwide. Its objective initially is to bring India in all its colours to Asians across the globe.

The company, which started its test run in December 1999, has so far invested close to $20 million in infrastructural facilities, which are spread across in three cities namely Los Angeles (US), Singapore and Chennai (India).

Says Pentamedia Graphics director V Sundararjan: "NumTV.com is specially being developed for those who are away from home as well as for those who would love to see their favourite programmes live at home, at any hour of the day and in any part of the world. NumTV will be webcasting 40 Asian Channels (including 25 Indian channels), latest news events, sports, attractive programmes, movies, music (including live coverage)."

He adds, "The demand for the programmes by the consumers could also increase and we are trying to give them complete entertainment on the net. The programmes are being made available to the viewers who wish to watch at their convenience and cater to the different time zones across the globe."

Unlike other dotcom companies, NumTV is looking at integrating newspaper dailies on the Internet. Says Sunderarjan: "We are looking at having newspapers and magazines and journals on NumTV.com and providing rich content to the news and feature stories. What we mean by rich content is that the stories and features would be accompanied with some good animation and graphics. The content would be changed to suit the stories. Num TV will be available in various languages and will evolve itself to be accessed through Radio, Print and also stage live shows shortly."

NumTV.com will cater to the Asian community but Indians will not be able to view the broadband content due to the non-availability of high-speed access. But once it kicks off in India, NumTV.com hopes to be a success there too. The broadband portal will face competition from the recently launched Homeland Networks' tvofindia.com which too targets a similar community.

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