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ETV News Gujarati targets Rs 40 crore revenue in first year
MUMBAI: The last few months saw several regional news channels sprout from the Network18 group. The channels from the bouquet charged into the states of Karnataka, West Bengal and Haryana/Himachal Pradesh and soon another channel is set to make headway into the land known for its lions.
In the presence of the new Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel, ETV News Gujarati is set to launch in 21 June. The current news bulletins on its sister general entertainment channel ETV Gujarati will cease to exist with the arrival of the news channel. “For the last so many years our Gujarati viewers have been demanding a 24 hours news channel for the region. Since, ETV news is known for its credibility, viewers were not satisfied with only a few news bulletins which ETV was running on the existing Gujarati channel,” says ETV news group editor Rajesh Raina.
The existing team that was creating the bulletins has now been enhanced with additions in the constituency level. Currently, being broadcast out of the network’s previous owner Ramoji Rao’s massive studios in Hyderabad, it will later shift to its headquarters in Ahmedabad and a sub-office in Gandhinagar. Naresh Dave is the editor while Neeraj Attri will be looking after the marketing and sales head of the channel.
“Hindi channels are strong in Gujarati because of lack of quality content on regional channels. There is still a potential here and also a vacuum. FMCG, pharmaceuticals and agricultural companies are potential target advertisers,” says Attri.
The competitors to ETV News Gujarati are TV9 Gujarati and Sandesh News. The size of the entire state’s market including the national Hindi channels is about Rs 500 crore to Rs 550 crore out of which regional channels command close to Rs 100 crore to Rs 110 crore.
Sources in the channel say that that ad rates is quoted at Rs 4000 for a ten second slot. While the channel is looking at a break even in about two years, the aim for the first year is to reach revenues close to Rs 40 crore.
Hoardings have already been placed across Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda and Rajkot as well as promotions on other ETV channels. Media planners and buyers are being reached out through e-mailers. Print and radio advertisements are not yet in the pipeline.
Distrubtion across cable networks in the state including the leading GTPL as well as Den and InCable have been secured. It is also looking at covering the border areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In Mumbai it is available on all national connections. DTH platforms are yet to be added.
“ETV is known as the voice of people in the entire country as we operate channels in different regional languages. Expansion will definitely help to reach out to a sizeable population of Gujarati speaking people in the state and outside,” says Raina.
Bulletins will cover both national and regional news. This apart, film based news, sports based news, business news and city bulletins will form a part of the FCP. Live bulletins will air from 6 am to midnight. Devotional and astrology shows in the morning and cookery and women’s magazine shows in the afternoon will be aired as well.
A popular ETV Hindi programme Central Hall will also be telecast.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
