Star India to launch Marathi GEC in couple of weeks

Tushar Patel - Televisionpoint.com | Mumbai
Star will launch its Marathi general entertainment channel (GEC) in a couple of weeks, says J C Giri, regional channel head, Star India, to Televisionpoint.com, adding that the launch process is in its final stages.

Star India will officially announce the launch of its Marathi GEC on October 20, 2008. The company launched its Bengali general entertainment channel, Star Jolsha, in September this year, which is the second regional GEC from Star's stable after Vijay TV, a Tamil GEC.

Giri declined to comment on the name of the channel, while an source close to the development said that it might be named Star Pravah. The source adds that Star wants to retain the name for its forthcoming Gujarati GEC as well, which is due to be launched in December this year.

The source also says that Nitin Desai's Marathi serial Raja Shivchhatrapati will be one of the most awaited prime-time show on the new channel.

The network has carried out an extensive research to meet the needs of its target audience in the Maharashtra state. "The Marathi GEC will be culturally rooted and our research findings revealed that the Maharashtrian viewer likes to watch realistic dramas and that the market is very conservative and sensitive to cater on." Giri adds.

The programming and packaging of the channel has been designed in accordance with these research findings. The channel will be positioned as one that reflects the cultural values and pride of Maharashtra, Giri says.

Star's Marathi GEC will be competiting with market leader Zee Marathi, Mi Marathi by Sri Adhikari Brothers and Saam Marathi by the Sakal Group.

It is estimated that the total advertising spend on television for the Marathi speaking market is about Rs 350 crore annually. The figure is majorly dominated by GECs and the recessive part is distributed between Marathi movies and news channels.