Music and Youth
Zee Music mulls Mid-east foray; to change profile
MUMBAI: In a bid to drive growth, Zee Music is all set to create space in the south Indian market by tweaking its programming to suit local tastes. Besides, the channel is exploring a foray into the Middle-East market by the end of 2005 with a dedicated localised feed.
Zee Telefilms sources confirmed that the Middle East foray is definitely on the drawing board as part of an expansion plan to not only have a wider presence outside India, but also to attract local advertisers of the region.
“As and when the plan is put in place, Zee Music will sport a different look for the Middle East region from what is seen in India. The customisation will include local programming too,” a source close to the development said.
This move relating to Zee Music is on the lines of Zee Network announcing last year the launch of a dedicated Zee TV beam for Singapore, apart from further extending its South East Asia beam to include Hong Kong, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan. Such moves offer viewers of various geographical regions outside India to watch television shows at their local time and not on a deferred basis coinciding with Indian standard time.
At the moment, Zee Music’s global footprint exists only in the UK where the channel beams as a free-to-air channel. The music channel’s offering ranges from Bollywood to Bhangra and from Asian pop to remixes. The outline of the channel has been designed to include programming such as Upbeat, Jus’ Bhangra, Sorted, Mint and Mutz Cutz to target the Brit-Asian youth.
Meanwhile, Zee Music, primarily showcasing Hindi film and non-film music, is also attempting to expand its viewership base in the non-traditional and non-Hindi speaking markets of South India.
The music channel would be introducing English music to cater to the south market. Zee Music business head Bharat Ranga confirmed this proposed move, but did not specify other programming details.
These days the channel banks heavily on interactive live programmes such as Suniyo-re and Please Tho Play.
Music and Youth
TLC launches ‘World On My Plate’ with Shipra Khanna
New travel-food series premieres 29 March at 7:00 PM.
MUMBAI: Shipra Khanna just packed her bags and her flavours because when a celebrated chef takes you on a global plate tour, even the couch starts feeling like first-class. Warner Bros. Discovery India has announced the launch of World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna, a new travel and food series set to premiere on TLC on 29 March at 7:00 PM. Hosted and curated by the popular chef and television personality, the show blends food, travel and culture through an intimate and immersive lens.
Across three visually rich episodes, Shipra journeys to global destinations to explore not just what people eat, but why they eat it, uncovering the stories, traditions and human connections behind every dish. The series opens in London, weaving its iconic landmarks with diverse culinary scenes, before moving to Spain’s vineyards, olive orchards and coastal kitchens.
Warner Bros. Discovery head of advertising revenues for South Asia Tanaz Mehta said: “At TLC, our focus has always been on bringing authentic stories that reflect how people live and connect. World On My Plate builds on this by using food as a lens to explore shared traditions across geographies. We’re excited to collaborate with Chef Shipra Khanna, whose perspective brings both depth and relatability to these narratives.”
Shipra Khanna added, “Food has always been my way of connecting with people and understanding cultures. With World On My Plate, I’ve had the opportunity to step into new worlds, learn from incredible individuals, and share stories that go far beyond the plate. This show is very special to me.”
The series promises strong visual storytelling, meaningful interactions and a fresh perspective on global cuisine celebrating flavours alongside the emotions and traditions that shape them.
In a world where travel shows often feel like distant postcards, Shipra Khanna is serving up something far more personal: a passport to cultures through their kitchens, proving that the best way to understand a place is still through the plate. Tune in to World On My Plate with Shipra Khanna starting 29 March at 7:00 PM on TLC.
