Kids
Pogo goes pay from 1 November
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Pogo, the Cartoon Network’s sibling kids’ channel from the Turner stable, has gone pay from 1 November. The monthly maximum retail price is fixed at Rs 10 per month.
Pogo, which as per company estimates is beaming across 17 millions homes, was a digitally encrypted channel but was available free till now.
Confirming this move, Siddharth Jain, new CEO of Zee-Turner Ltd, which distributes Pogo in India, said, “We are very clear that we want to keep the price at a realistic level, while continuing to provide quality content to the viewers.”
According to him, “The introduction of Rs 10 will include a distribution margin for the cable operators.”
Pogo is distributed by Zee-Turner, a Time Warner and Zee Telefilms Ltd joint venture as a stand-alone channel and will not be packaged along with other bouquet channels. Zee-Turner’s comprehensive bouquet comprises 25 channels.
Keeping in mind the distribution cost involved at every level, an attempt has been made to safeguard the business interest of the cable affiliates, Jain said, claiming that , probably, this is the first time that a broadcaster is sharing distribution margins with the cable operators.
“We hope, this price arrangement would ensure that the broadcaster gets a fair share of the consumer spend,” Jain said, hinting that such a move should arrest the trend of rampant under-declaration in the broadcast and cable industry.
Though Jain was not forthcoming on the dealer margin, a company source said that the maximum retail price of Pogo has been pegged at Rs 10, but an effective rate of Rs 6 will be charged from subscribers.
This would also mean that Zee Turner would have to spin out a different distribution strategy for Pogo as it will be distributed and marketed amongst cable ops as a standalone channel owing to a Telecom Regulatory Authority of India recommendation that new pay channels couldn’t form part of existing distribution bouquets after a price freeze was put in place from 26 December, 2003.
Pogo joins Hungama TV in an environment which is increasingly going to be tough for pay television. Hungama TV, distributed by Star India and priced at Rs 6 a month per subscriber, is according to industry reports already seeing a slip in carriage after the launch of Star One.
Pogo is distributed by Zee-Turner, a Time Warner and Zee Telefilms Ltd joint venture. Launched on 1 January 2004, the channel has content specially designed for Indian audiences like Tiny TV, Prime Pogo and Family Movie Zone. Pogo will double its Hindi language content to 80 per cent by the end of the year.
Kids
Mukta Arts and Green Gold ink MOU to animate iconic film IPs
Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan to spawn animated shows plus features.
MUMBAI: When classic hindi movie meets animation, the result is a fresh reel of nostalgia with a cartoon twist. Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on animated shows and feature films drawn from Mukta Arts’ four-decade treasure trove of iconic IPs. The partnership taps Mukta’s SGM Animation Studio launched in 2025 as its dedicated animation and games arm and Green Gold’s proven track record in building scalable, homegrown franchises. Creative teams from both sides have already kicked off discussions, with the first project currently in development.
The slate will draw inspiration from landmark Mukta films including Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Saudagar and Iqbal, plus character-led spin-offs from those universes. The aim is to reimagine these stories for today’s young, global audiences while preserving their emotional core.
Green Gold Animation (home of Chhota Bheem) founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “This partnership with SGM Studios allows us to apply our experience in building long-lasting animation IPs to a truly iconic film catalogue. Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”
Mukta Arts Ltd. filmmaker and founder Subhash Ghai added, “Mukta Arts has always believed in creating stories with lasting emotional value. Through animation, we are extending our IP into a new medium for the next generation.”
In an industry where timeless tales never go out of fashion, this collaboration promises to bring beloved characters back to life with a modern, animated glow proving that some stories are too good to stay in live-action. Stay tuned for the first animated frame to drop.
