MUMBAI: Just after two months of launching its Punjabi music channel 9X Tashan, 9X Media, the company controlled by private equity firm New Silk Route, is launching its 24-hour Marathi music channel.

9X Jhakaas, with a tagline of ?Aai Shapaath? will launch on 31 October and will be the first Marathi music channel.

The Marathi television advertising market is around Rs 5 billion plus, with three general entertainment channels (Zee Marathi, ETV Marathi and Star Pravah), one dedicated movie channel (Zee Talkies) and three news channels (Zee 24 Taas, Star Majha and Ibn Lokmat), grappling for a piece of the pie. Other players in the fray include Saam Marathi, DD Marathi and Mi Marathi.

Industry sources say that 9X Media is spending heavily on distribution as Maharashtra is a priority state for advertisers as well as media planners. "Maharashtra is a P1 and very ad friendly market. If 9X Jhakaas manages to copy the success of its Punjabi and Hindi channels, it may have a bright future. The channel is definitely going to get a first-mover advantage here," a senior media planner said.

He added that the new offfering looks "rich" and "full of Marathi heritage" from the promos that he has seen.

Sources claim that unlike the Punjabi market, where 9X Tashan had spent Rs 60 million on distribution, for 9X Jhakaas, the channel will have to spend double. "Punjab has only two major MSOs, while in Maharashtra, which is a big TAM market there are 20-25 MSOs. For a good placement, 9X Jhakaas will have to spend at least Rs 100-120 million on distribution on the state," a source in the cable industry said.

On the content side, like in the Punjabi channel, 9X Jhakaas will have Marathi film and non-film music videos, including folk, popular and contemporary.

The channel will also be streamed live online on the channel?s website, www.9xjhakaas.in, and to mobile phones.
Indiantelevision.com had first reported that 9X Media would be launching two channels by year end. The company was earlier planning a Punjabi and a Bengali channel, but changed its plans and is launching the Marathi channel instead.

Similar to the Punjabi channel, 9X Jhakaas will also air a series of humorous animated shows and shorts presented by animated characters speaking in Marathi. The channel will see a new set of characters apart from 9XM?s popular Bade-Chote.

The Punjabi music channel was launched on 31 August.

MUMBAI: 9X Media, the company controlled by private equity firm New Silk Route, is launching its 24-hour contemporary Punjabi music channel, 9X Tashan, on 31 August.

The Punjabi channel?s tagline is "Yaaran Da". It will have Punjabi music videos including folk, popular and Bollywood.

9X Tashan will be streamed live online on the channel?s website, www.9xtashan.in, and on the mobile platform.

9X Tashan will have a theme song which has been recorded with singers and musicians from the Punjab region. The number, titled ?Tashan? Yaaran Da?, has been recorded by singers including Wadali Brothers, Jaspinder Narula, Inderjeet Nikku, Nachhatar Gill, Feroz Khan, Jaidev Kumar, Sardool and Sikander.

The music is composed by Jaidev Kumar with lyrics by Baljinder S. Mahant, the programming head for 9X Tashan.

Indiantelevision.com had first reported that the Punjabi channel would be launched this month-end.

The channel will also air a series of humorous animated shows presented by animated characters who are part of the 9X Tashan Gang. The gang will entertain viewers with jokes, and anecdotes from Punjab.

The Bade-Chote animated characters on 9XM are now set to entertain the Punjabi speaking viewers with their animated show called Bakwaas Band Kar -- in a Punjabi avatar. Other characters include Bhabi, Falli -- Balli, and Ullu Da Patha.

9X Tashan will have to contest in a market that is flooded with channels like PTC Chak De, ETC Punjabi, Balle Balle, Lashkara and MH1. And to find distribution on cable networks, the channel has earmarked a budget of Rs 60 million on distribution in the Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh (PHCHP) markets.

The company believes that with a targeted approach, the channel will have an edge over the others. A senior sales executive said that even though the PHCHP belt is a B1 market for sectors like telecom, automobiles, beverages and FMCG, there is potential to expand the ad pie.

9X Media Group SVP and business head Punit Pandey said, "The channel will offer a wholesome dose of entertainment to all Punjabi music aficionados. 9X Tashan will air the latest and best Punjabi music across all genres - pop, romance, underground, action, folk, etc - interspersed with rib-tickling short episodes of characters created in 3D animation. We plan to create a loyal viewer following with our animated characters similar to that of 9XM."

9X Tashan MD Sandip Bansal MD added, "We are pleased to partner with 9X Media Group and launch a channel that combines the traditional and modern sounds coupled with the vibrant colours of Punjab. 9X Tashan has an up-tempo, vibrant, happy and humorous personality."

MUMBAI: 9X Media, the company controlled by private equity firm New Silk Route, is swinging back into action. Two regional music channels are readying for launch this fiscal, a source said.

The first to roll out this month is a Punjabi music channel. The Bengali channel will come up by the year-end.
 
"We are launching the Punjabi channel this month," said 9X Media chief financial officer Bhupendra Makhi, while declining to comment on other issues.

The Punjabi channel is named 9X Tashan and will have "Yaaran Da" as its tagline. It will have Punjabi music videos including folk, popular and Bollywood.

Modelled like the flagship Bollywood music channel 9XM, the new channel will also have animated characters like Bade-Chote and Falli-Balli along with some new characters - all in a Punjabi avatar.

9X Tashan will have to contest in a market that is flooded with channels like PTC Chak De, ETC Punjabi, Balle Balle, Lashkara and MH1. And to find distribution on cable networks, the channel has earmarked a budget of Rs 60 million on distribution in the Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh (PHCHP) markets.

The company believes that with a targeted approach, the channel will have an edge over the others. A senior sales executive said that even though the PHCHP belt is a B1 market for sectors like telecom, automobiles, beverages and FMCG, there is potential to expand the ad pie.