Election programmes to pivot recast Star Plus
Our Corporate Bureau
NEW DELHI, January 13: Barely a few days after the re-launch of EL TV as Zee India TV, Star TV has announced a new packaging for Star Plus.The new identity for Star Plus will be centered around its blend of Hindi and English programmes. Further, the channel is also commissioning a number of new programmes for the forthcoming general election. The election-related programmes include Newstrack with Madhu Trehan, A Question of Answers with Vir Sanghvi, Awaaz with Rajat Sharma, Special Session with Karan Thapar and Ek Din Chunao Ka with Tavleen Singh. Further, the channel has planned two election specials, Star Watch and India Votes. The channel is also commissioning two new Hindi serials, Kabhi Kabhi and Yeh Hai Raaz. The channel is also altering the timings of its popular serials, like Its a Small World and the Bold and the Beautiful. Significantly, from the next week Santa Barbara will be going off air. While, Star
is concentrating on the blend of Hindi and English, Zee has decided to make 90 per cent of the programmes on Zee India in Hindi.The poll-related related programmes on Zee India will include Yehi Hai Politics, Poll Top 10, Campaign Trail, State Countdown, Disha Samvad with the former prime minister Chandra Shekhar, India Debates with MJ Akbar and Zee Face to Face. Zee plans to make the new channel primarily a news and current affairs channel to make its product range varied. However, Star is more keen on repositioning its existing channels. The two channels are locked in a battle of strategies, with Zee showing greater inclination towards programmes in Hindi and Star seems to be satisfied with its strategy of airing Hindi and English on the same channel.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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