MUMBAI: In a bid to expand into the regional news space, Sahara India Entertainment & Media (SIME) has chalked out plans to launch a pan-Rajasthan channel from 28 February.

The aim is to bring and expose local content, with cultural and society bulletins. Sahara Samay Rajasthan will be the sixth region specific channel from the Sahara stable.

"The 24-hour free-to-air news channel put alongside Sahara Samay's Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,Uttranchal and Chattisgarh targeted channels, is a channel tailor-made for the state," Sahara India Media and Entertainment senior vice president Ambikanand Sahay explained.

The channel will feature similar programme that has made the network's other regional news channels a force to reckon with. The Rajasthan news channel will broadcast in Hindi language and will be headed by Debasish Chatterjee. A total of six regional bureaus will cover the whole state. According to Sahay,"Commitment to encourage and develop city news is a major part of the regional agenda. The channel will incorporate 25 per cent of rapid-fire news on Indian and international scene."

Apart from that other news covered will include the fields of arts, culture and society. The Sahara group, which is all set to unleash the Delhi region-centric channel, will start beaming D1 too from 28 February.

Some other regional players include the six Alpha channels from the Zee stable and ETV Network, which has 11 regional channels in languages like Telugu, Kannada, Bangla, Marathi, Rajasthan and Urdu.

These regional players are all trageting small and regional brands and advertisers.