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In a deal signed two days ago but announced today, Zee-Turner has
entered into a distribution agreement with the Zone Broadcasting
(Maximum Realty) Ltd for distribution in India of Realty TV, a channel
devoted solely to reality television programming. The channel will
be launching in India in January, industry sources say.
It is further learned that Zee-Turner will be hiking its full package
rate from the current Rs 42 to around Rs 60. The full package includes
all the Zee channels, the Alphas, the Turner channels (Cartoon Network
and CNN), Zee's educational channel ZED and Realty TV. However,
judging by the packaging structure that Zee adopted earlier in the
year wherein it offered various combinations of channels at different
prices, most operators will be paying lower rates.
Meanwhile, today's Financial Express has quoted Star India
CEO Peter Mukerjea as saying the lead network had decided to maintain
status quo on its rates and would concentrate instead on driving
up connectivity.
While Star's distribution head Tony D'Silva maintains that a final
decision on this would only be made next week, if as reported Star
has decided to refrain from going in for a hike, it is bound to
increase the pressure from cable operators if Zee hikes its full
package rate to Rs 60.
Meanwhile, industry sources say that Turner will inform Zee by
next week whether premium movie channel Cinemax can be brought into
the bouquet to replace HBO. HBO being a stakeholder in Cinemax does
complicate matters. Further, with HBO and Star Movies having tied
up most of the rights for new Hollywood blockbusters, there may
also be an issue of getting decent titles on the channel to contend
with.
Realty TV is a UK-based channel launched about a month ago, industry
sources say. Realty TV is also available in South Africa.
Alongside the Realty TV announcement, Zee also informed the Bombay
Stock Exchange that its board had today approved and ratified the
distribution agreement entered into between Zee-Turner Television
Eighteen India Ltd for distribution of CNBC channel in India.
See related headlines:
One
Alliance hikes subscription rates to Rs 55
HBO
defects from Zee, joins Sony platform
ESS
hikes subscription rate 33% to Rs 32
Zee-Turner
hopes to get the combos right with new subscription packages
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