KOLKATA: National news channel, Times Now, has tied up with Guwahati-based News Live, a 24x7 satellite news channel from the house of Pride East Entertainments, for election poll coverage.
As per the agreement between the two channels, with polling starting from the North East, Times Now will telecast the news and feeds covered by News Live, starting Monday. Feeds on election coverage at different constituencies at the later stage will also be shared on 12 and 14 April.
Apart from this, both the channels will share expert views and participate in discussions aired on each channel, informs a senior editor from News Live.
“To cover the polling, News Live has deployed 17 OB (outside broadcasting) vans and 17 journalists”, says Pride East Entertainments CEO Caushiq Bezboruah
“Mainstream media, especially TV, has always ignored the North East. In fact, clubbing all stories under the ‘North East’ is an easy way out for them which is unfair to the people of the region. It is good to know that a leading TV channel has tied up with an Assam-based network. We can hope to see substantial increase in coverage from the different states during this election season,” says television expert Pranab Ganguly.
Similarly, a business consultant and White Canvas Services founder Samaresh Shah adds: “This was extremely needed. North East is an integral part of India's economy and deserves as much attention as the rest of the country. This is a welcome step. I hope that the same will lead to some interesting feeds for the audience.”
Talking about the channel, News Live, which was launched in January 2008, Bezboruah says, “The channel has become one of the favourite among the viewers in North East market. The TRP of the channel last week was 190.8.”
He adds that the channel is available in all cable homes of the North Eastern states including Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and in parts of New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, North Bengal belt and Bhutan. “It is the only channel of the region which finds space on Freedish as well. It is also available on Dish TV, Sun Direct, Tata Sky, Airtel Digital TV, Reliance Big TV and Videocon d2h.”
While the channel had tied-up with Times Now earlier as well, it will get its due ‘credit’ this time.
Pride East Entertainments employs around 350 people including journalists and technicians.
