Kids channels boost UTV's dubbing business

MUMBAI: With kids channels crowding the Indian market and localising their content, Mumbai-based production house UTV's dubbing business unit has many takers. The prominent broadcasting clients UTV has roped in include Walt Disney, Nickelodeon, National Geographic Channel (NGC) and The History Channel.

"The segment is very competitive. UTV is the only corporate player in this highly fragmented market," says UTV director operations and finance Ronald D'Mello, adding "UTV has done 461 hours of dubbing in the quarter ended December 2004."

UTV is offering dubbing services to the Walt Disney channels in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu for serials and feature films including Jungle Book. The company has signed a two-year agreement with Disney Character Voices International Inc, which came into force from 1 March 2004.

The company has also a contract running with Nickelodeon. UTV is already providing dubbing solutions to Nick in Hindi for three programmes. The consideration payable by Nickelodeon for a total of 69 episodes is $34,500. As per the agreement, all programmes and copyrights provided to shall remain the property of Nickelodeon.

UTV is the exclusive dubbing partner for NGC and History Channel, says D'Mello. "Both these channels are serviced out of Delhi," he adds.

According to the agreement with NGC Networks Asia, UTV's services include translation and transcription of the original English language scripts into Hindi and Tamil for both dialogues and lyrics and also for dubbing.