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MUMBAI:
UTV-Astro's youth general entertainment channel Bindass will
launch on 17 September. The second channel Bindass Movies
will be unveiled shortly after.
Speaking
to Indiantelevision.com Bindass CEO Zarina Mehta says,
"We have locked 17 September for the launch of Bindass.
This will be followed by the launch of Bindass Movies."
 UTV
has already put 40 per cent of its distribution in place and
is looking to launch with 50 per cent connectivity in Hindi
speaking markets.
"40
per cent of our contracts for distribution have been signed
with major MSOs in HSM markets. We plan to launch with 50
per cent connectivity in these markets. In Cas (Conditional
Access System) markets it will be priced at Rs 5 and in non-Cas
zones it will be priced at Rs 10," adds Mehta.
Both
the Bindass channels have received government clearance and
will be uplinked from the Essel Shyam teleport in Delhi. The
soft launch for Bindass will kick off on 3 September and will
run for two weeks in Hindi speaking markets along with Bangalore
and Hyderabad.
Accompanying
the launch of the television channel is the mobile and IVRS
facility as well as the official website www.Bindass.com
and the website for the driver show www.Lagegi.com.
Backing
the launch of UTV's youth brand is a full fledged 360-degree
marketing push that commences with the 'Bindass Go to Space
Contest.'
"The
marketing plan will kickstart with the 'Bindass Go to Space
Contest' and will serve as a reach builder for the channel
and the brand. Essentially, it will drive viewers to the channel
at 8 pm, which is when our driver show Lagegi will
air," opines Mehta.
The
marketing budget for the first year for brand Bindass is Rs
200 million.
Bindass
and Bindass Movies, are part of the joint venture company
between UTV and Malaysia based Astro - Genx Entertainment.
A total of four youth channels will roll out by April 2008.
The company is eyeing the regional space as the other two
channels are likely to be in Tamil and Telugu.
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