National Geographic Channel is aiming at a viewer base of 12 million by 2000, for which the channel would be getting into marketing and promotion activities over the next few months.
As part of the India focus, the channel would shortly be bringing television documentaries titled 'India Diaries', which would examine six subjects that reach into the heart of Indian culture, presented by Mark Shand and photographed by Aditya Patankar.
Deborah Armstrong, vice-president, marketing, National Geographic Channel Asia, said the latest initiatives signal phase-II of the channel's plans for India. The channel, at present, has a viewer base of eight million households, which is projected to increase to 10 million in the next two months.
"During 2000, there would be much more advertising in metro cities as well as greater emphasis on associations with schools and institutions. National Geographic is already a leader in this genre and we plan to consolidate that position here," said Armstrong.
Programming would also be attuned to focus more on event-based subject matter and, according to Armstrong, the channel presents an ideal opportunity to develop the highly underdeveloped Asian documentary market.
