Janmat in makeover mode, to don 'news' image

MUMBAI: With competition hotting up in the news channel turf, Janmat is planning a major makeover. Shifting from its primary positioning as a ?views? channel, the focus will now be on offering news as it expands its infrastructure network across the country.

While news will broadly take up 70 per cent of the content, 20 per cent will be on analysis and 10 per cent on interviews. "We are re-launching the channel. We will be news rather than programme-driven. Analysis will supplement the news and not the other way round," says Janmat editor and CEO Sudhir Chaudhary.

The upgradation will involve an investment of Rs 400 million. "Speed and selection of news will be important for us. What we hope would set us apart is viewer-oriented packaging and our focus on news that viewers can use," says Chaudhary.

Acting to this plan, Janmat has added bureaus in Srinagar, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata and Guwahati to its existing ones in Mumbai and Delhi. The Marathi reporters of sister channel Mi Marathi will also pool in their resources.

Some of the existing programmes will get a makeover to fit into the channel?s new image while others will be axed. Prime time shows are going to be slotted between 7-11 pm and will include top stories of the day, news makers and news analysis.

The channel will also have shows on sports, astrology, entertainment and business, informs Chaudhary. Talk shows and features on soft news will dot the programming on Saturdays and Sundays.

The core target audience of the channel will be in the 25-44 age group. "Ours will be a common man?s channel," says Chaudhary.

Janmat?s updated studio will include "Octopus" automation system and "Wizrti" graphic software which creates virtual sets (like a stadium when the anchor is presenting a show). They have also got a dozen of OV vans all over country.The sets have been redesigned by art director Nitin Desai (of Jodha Akbar and Mission Kashmir fame).

"We will concentrate on both the perception and the numbers game," Chaudhary says.