CNN International, a Time-Warner group company, has entered into the second phase of regionalisation by commissioning more than 20 hours a week of new programming from CNNI's Hong Kong, London, Berlin and Atlanta studios and recruiting a total of 700 new staff in Asia and Europe by mid-1999. However, major emphasis will be on Asia-Pacific, which includes India.

"The move is to create programming which will appeal to the region and dispel the misconception that CNNI is a US-centric news channel," CNNI President Chris Cramer said.

According to Cramer, Asia is the second most important market for CNNI, apart from Europe and from early June more regional programming has been started.

"The TV market in Asia is far too sophisticated for us to take viewers for granted," Cramer said, adding, "People have to have a reason to watch CNN."

Cramer said that CNNI would be spending between $ 8-9 million in Asia on new programming. This huge investment in resources, which began in September 1997, has since helped CNNI achieve a 35% increase in Asia-Pacific advertising revenues. Regional distribution has grown from 20 million to nearly 26 million households.

In India, CNNI claims to have a penetration of 4 million cable households, which is still less than BBC World's approximate 5 million households.

Pointing out that this is CNNI's drive to create programming relevant to its regional viewers in a new branding strategy, Cramer said, "We are looking at maintaining the growth in advertising revenue in Asia, which has grown at the rate of 12% last year."

Cramer admitted that "sub-regionalisation" is an option, which CNNI has been studying for India. "By sub-regionalisation, we mean that we'll be sourcing programmes out of India to give our lineup a local flavour." He said that CNN has been talking to independent producers in India for procuring local fare, but admitted: "It's a matter of prioritisation... it (India) is an area which will lead us to do local programming."

But Cramer felt that misconception about CNNI's priorities to regional viewers or the lack of it is changing. "Advertising revenue has been growing significantly from India, especially from those companies like Daewoo and Intel, who also want a pan-Asian viewership base," Cramer said.

"While other broadcasters are on the retreat, CNNI is on the attack," said Cramer. "This tremendous show of confidence by the CNN News Group and Turner Broadcasting is the single, largest investments in the network since it was launched in 1985. We can now move into the next phase of regionalisation and solidify our position as the foremost international news provider."