MUMBAI: “The great thing about getting older is that you become more mellow,” quoting Irish author, playwright and columnist Maeve Binchy who died in 2012. However, viewers are hoping that the same will not be the case with India’s long-running lifestyle channel, NDTV Good Times, as it becomes all of 10 today.
Launched on 7 September 2007 in partnership with the now allegedly tarred former Indian liquor magnate Vijay Mallya, its intent was to offer a wide range of aspirational lifestyle programming on health, fashion, food, travel, and luxury.
And it has been doing that effectively by engaging and entertaining English-speaking upscale TV audiences in India the US, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Maldives. In India, In fact, it has gone on to define the lifestyle niche – being present across all major cable markets and all six DTH platforms in the country - even as others have fallen by the wayside. (Mallya is no longer associated with the channel, but the Good Times brand has stayed with NDTV Lifestyle – a division under the NDTV network.)
A press release issued by the network says the uniqueness about NDTV Good Times is that “it presents fresh, original programming that gives its viewers mantras on how to enjoy food both highway and Michelin star, find good health through salsa and yoga, follow fashion on ramps both Indian and global and most of all on how to live life to the fullest, no matter where you are. The line-up of shows covers every aspect of the lifestyle genre to portray and cater to an increasingly global India."
Indeed, some of NDTV Good Times’ shows like ‘Band Baajaa Bride’, ‘Yarri Dostii Shaadi’ and ‘My Yellow Table' have become iconic.
The channel has won several programming awards at the Indian Television Academy Awards, indiantelevision.com's The Indian Telly Awards and the World Media Festival for key shows and interstitials like Highway on My Plate, No Big Deal and Making of the Kingfisher Calendar.
And on its tenth anniversary, the channel’s team, says its logo, icons, idents and a vibrant and dynamic colour palette are a testament to its evolution.
“We are continuing to offer programming that is impulsive, interactive and with an attitude to match,” explains NDTV Lifestyle CEO Smeeta Chakrabarti. “We have planned an exciting line-up and fresh seasons of hit shows, starting with My Yellow Table with the popular chef Kunal Kapur. Also planned is an exciting contest to gratify our viewers who could win luxury experiences.”
Adds channel head Arati Singh: “Our focus has always been to provide an immersive Good Times experience through 360-degree multi-platform content. NDTV Good Times inspires its viewers to #LiveYoung and #LiveIndian which has been the channel’s tagline and has been integrated with its social media as well.”
With that kind of go-getter attitude, there’s no stopping the good times for its TV viewers.
