MUMBAI: Essel Group is launching an interactive and gaming channel PlayTV, the first in the country.

Aiming at a mid-March launch, the channel will telecast games, contests, music, movies, entertainment and lifestyle content. Essel Group director Amit Goenka will head the channel.

PlayTV is being planned with an eye on India's growing gaming industry. Globally, gaming as an industry stands at $30 billion.

Announcing the launch, Goenka said, "In Asia, PlayTV is a new concept. Globally gaming with a dash of entertainment and lifestyle is a huge market. It is one of the fastest growing TV segment with active viewers involvement and retention. Viewers across the world watch television not only for entertainment but also to draw some tangible benefit from the programme. PlayTV is not restricted to age, gender, skill and competency."

Along with the regular entertainment content like movies, music and reality shows, PlayTV will provide gaming news, contests, bidding and shopping. The channel will be run on real time basis through SMS, emails and chats.

"We will be telecasting movies, music shows and lifestyle shows as fillers throughout. Contests will be played while shows are running in the background. The gaming shows will be produced in-house," said Goenka.

When queried if Essel Group's online lottery Playwin will be incorporated in the channel, Goenka answered in the negative. "Playwin will be there just as an advertiser," he clarified.

Commenting on the opportunity PlayTV will provide to the corporate sector Goenka added, "Play TV will give opportunity for marketers for interactive advertising and create innovative platform for their target audiences."

PlayTV will be supported by technology from Cellcast, a UK based company. Cellcast will help PlayTV to set up TV SMS technology and also training and developing personnel in India. Cellcast manages complex communications technologies to deliver and bill for digital entertainment, information and services, to consumers across the globe, informs a company release.