Star Ananda & Star Majha Launched In USA

GEN-I to distribute the 24-hr premium Bengali & Marathi news channels for the NRI Bengali & Maharashtrian diaspora in North America.

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | September 7, 2010

GEN-I (Globosat Entertainment), one of the pioneers in the business of distribution of ethnic television networks in North America & UK has partnered with MCCS, Media Content & Communications Services India Pvt. Ltd., to distribute its 2 premiere regional news networks STAR Ananda & STAR Majha, in USA & Canada.

MCCS, Media Content & Communications Services India Pvt. Ltd., is a 74:26 joint venture between ABP TV - a 100% subsidiary of Anand Bazar Patrika Pvt Ltd and STAR News Broadcasting Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the STAR Group (which is a part of News Corp group).

On entering the USA market, Ashok Venkatramani, CEO of MCCS, STAR Ananda & STAR Majha said, “We are more than happy to launch STAR Ananda & STAR Majha in the US through our associates GEN-I. Both the channels have always been ambitious, innovative, and trend setters and after consolidating the leadership in India, we have decided to take the brands to the world. The US has a sizeable Bengali & Marathi population who want to be in regular touch with their roots. STAR Ananda & STAR Majha will definitely be able to fill this gap.”

“Globosat Entertainment is privileged and honored to partner with MCCS for the distribution of their premiere news networks, STAR Ananda & STAR Majha, in North America”, said Adris Chakraborty, Director of GEN-I.

Launched 5 years ago, STAR Ananda, India's 24 hour national Bengali News channel immediately introduced a paradigm shift in the broadcast of regional language news. STAR Ananda draws the enduring heritage of Anand Bazar Patrika and the various standards of the STAR Network. Headquartered in Kolkata, with state of art production facilities, STAR Ananda brings unparallel, comprehensive, and incisive news coverage in Bengali language, through extensive bureau network. The channel achieved the leadership position in Bengal in the launch week itself and continues to consolidate and uphold its position while adequately reflecting the aspirations of Bengali population.

As per TAM-Neilsen reports, STAR Ananda is leading with 41% market share in the current FY and reaches out to 7mn people on a weekly basis. Besides West Bengal, the channel has a strong foothold in the neighboring states like Orissa, Assam, and Jharkhand in India. Star Ananda's equity index of 6.49% (as per latest research by Nielsen) is also a reflection of its brand strength. Only 8% of the brands in India get this kind of score.

Since its launch, STAR Majha has captured the leadership position in the genre. Compared with all the news channels in Maharashtra including national Hindi & English, STAR Majha stands at no.1 position. Some of the leading new bulletins on STAR Majha is 10chya Batmya, Vishesh, Batmya Superfast, Mumbai East West. STAR Majha has a special program for catering to the needs of the farming community. This agricultural program, Saat Barachya Batmya, recently won the prestigious KRISHI MITRA award from the State government for its outstanding contribution in development of farming & rural community.

Both STAR Ananda & STAR Majha will be available on Dish Network across USA. Dish Network is the most favorite platform for South Asian viewers today in US and also maintains its leadership in international programming in USA with over 170 international channels in 28 languages.

“STAR Ananda, the 67th South Asian channel in our bouquet, further entrenches us as the leader in South Asian television entertainment space", said Chris Kuelling, Vice President, International Programming, Dish Network.

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