NDTV to launch more int'l, domestic channels

News and lifestyle channel broadcaster New Delhi Television (NDTV) is looking at launching more television channels, both domestically and internationally.

Speaking at the launch of 'MetroNation', its fifth channel in the country targeted at the five-million Delhi citizens that read English language newspapers, Prannoy Roy, chairman, NDTV said: "Whether it is by this year, or financial year end, there will be more channels from NDTV."

Within the country, NDTV operates five channels that includes NDTV 24x7, NDTV India, NDTV Profit, NDTV Good Times and NDTV MetroNation. Internationally, NDTV has launched its channels with international collaborations in Indonesia, Malaysia and Dubai.

Roy also added that NDTV was looking to increase its presence in news-cum-entertainment channels across emerging markets like north Africa, west Asia and south east Asia.

According to Roy, NDTV's Bahasa Indonesia language channel in Indonesia, launched in 2006 in a joint venture with Astro All Asia, has  even begun making money.

For the international market, NDTV launched NDTV Arabia earlier this month with the focus on Dubai and the entire UAE. Within India, NDTV launched its lifestyle channel NDTV Good Times, which has a branding tie-up with UB Group's Kingfisher. It has also launched a Bahasa Malaysia language channel in Malaysia, in partnership with Astro All Asia.

NDTV will launch city channels focused on Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai, under the brand NDTV MetroNation, similar to the channel launched in New Delhi, chief executive KVL Narayan Rao said.

Over the next 12 months, more than 100 new TV channels are scheduled to launch in India, the world's third-largest cable TV market.