MUMBAI: Big RTL Thrill, the action entertainment channel, has signed television actor Arhaan Behl as the new host for their marquee show, Fear Factor... Khatron Se Takkar.

The stunt reality show which pits contestants against each other in a variety of extreme physical and mental stunts will make its Indian debut on Big RTL Thrill later this March.

The channel launched in November last coinciding with India?s march towards digitisation.

In his role as the host of the show, Behl will be seen taking viewers on an action-packed joyride while leading them through the different stages of the competition as the contestants fight the odds to win the prize money.

Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) Business Head ? Language TV Sunil Kumaran said, "With Arhaan hosting Fear Factor...Khatron Se Takkar, we enhance the Indian flavour to our international content. We are confident of him hitting it off with audiences from start and are excited about the avenues that it opens for audiences and marketers.?

MUMBAI: Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) has narrowed its TV business operating loss to Rs 133 million in the third quarter ended 31 December, a 28 per cent drop from Rs 170.2 million a year earlier, on revenue growth and reduction in carriage costs.

RBNL?s TV business revenue grew 97 per cent to Rs 117 million in the third quarter from Rs 59.7 million a year earlier. The company?s loss before tax and interest during the quarter also narrowed to 167 million from Rs 186.2 million a year earlier.

The highlight of the third quarter was a 57 per cent reduction in carriage costs year-on-year due to cable TV digitisation in the three metros of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, RBNL said but did not disclose the amounts paid to MSOs as carriage fees.

Operating profit from FM radio business remained flat at Rs 122 million during the third quarter. The company said it has posted highest quarterly revenues so far from radio business at Rs 517 million in the third quarter, an 8 per cent increase from Rs 480.6 million a year earlier.

Commenting on the financial performance, RBNL CEO Tarun Katial said, ?Reliance Broadcast has delivered impressive results in both radio and television businesses, with radio recording its highest ever revenue quarter. The television business has reported significant growth in revenue and reduction in carriage, reaping benefits from digitisation, and a well-crafted business strategy. We are on track to deliver improved margins, and build reach and value in the long term.?

The production business posted operating profit of Rs 1.5 million in the third quarter, up 90.66 per cent from 0.1 million a year earlier. The TV production business grew 7 per cent to Rs 127 million in the third quarter from Rs 118.1 million a year earlier.

On a consolidated basis, RBNL?s net income from operations in the third quarter declined to Rs 687.5 million from Rs 767.5 million a year earlier. Its expenses for the third quarter fell to Rs 851.1 million from 1.06 billion a year earlier.

MUMBAI: Reliance Broadcast Network (RBNL) has announced the launch of the second edition of 92.7 Big FM Punjab?s ?Big Punjab Entertainment Awards?.

The awards will honour and recognise the contribution of some of the "best" talent housed in Punjab from across fields including film, music, dance and sports.

The Big Punjab Entertainment Awards will present popular awards basis votes from listeners across the region in 13 unique categories along with some expert comments from an eminent panel of jury members.

The awards will be aired on Spark Punjabi. However, the date of telecast is yet not announced.

Big Punjab Entertainment Awards will honour the heroes of the Punjabi entertainment industry with categories like Big Most Entertaining Actor (Male and Female), Big Most Entertaining Music Director, Big Most Entertaining Singer (Male and Female), Big Most Entertaining TV Actor (Male and Female) and Big Most Entertaining TV Actor of the decade (Male and Female).

The awards will be promoted across extensive on-ground activation, out of home, print and digital.

92.7 Big FM business head Ashwin Padmanabhan said, "The second edition of the BIG Punjab Entertainment Awards will provide the Punjabi entertainment industry with a unified platform to celebrate the best talent housed in the state. The event will recognise the talent and creativity which has raised the bar while creating new standards of entertainment in the industry. We are extremely glad to announce these awards and are looking forward to a star-studded night which will celebrate the spirit of entertainment in Punjab."

MUMBAI: Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd (RBNL) will launch by the end of this month a Bhojpuri channel called Big Magic Bihar and Jharkhand.

Realising the potential of the emerging regional markets, Big Magic is already present in Central India with its channels Big Magic and Big RTL Thrill, the later being a joint venture with Europe?s RTL Group.

The mother channel Big Magic will extend the names of several of its shows to the new channel in the local dialect of Bhojpuri with fresh production to make it relevant to the region. Some of these shows include Police Files (with Bhojpuri superstar Ravi Kishan as the host), Pyaar Ya Dehshat (with folk-singer Malini Awasthi), Superhit Bhojpuri films, special Bhojpuri music shows like Magic Top 20, reality show Big Memsaab, upcoming youth talent hunt Big Fame Star and the Big Annual Kids Talent Awards.

The new channel will aim at tapping 110 million people in the region of Bihar and Jharkhand. Says RBNL business head, Regional TV, Sunil Kumaran, ?Big Magic Bihar and Jharkhand is our first foray into the Bhojpuri entertainment space. We believe there is tremendous potential in the regional markets and it is these emerging markets like Bihar and Jharkhand, which are delivering enormous growth both in terms of audience maturity as well as marketers? increasing demands to reach these markets. We are confident that the deep engagement and impactful multimedia properties which will be aired on the channel will result in better cost efficiencies making for unmatched returns on media investments.?

The channel will reach audiences not only across the larger markets of Dhanbad, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Arrah, Jamshedpur and Ranchi, but will also penetrate deeper into the Tier II and Tier III towns.

"The economy of Bihar has grown at 13.1% in 2011-12 making it the fastest growing State for the second year in a row. Jharkhand has also displayed phenomenal growth as its GDP has grown from 3.71% in 2002 to 8.7% today. Big Magic Bihar and Jharkhand is poised to become the destination the entertainment destination for a cross-section of audiences 25-44 M/F, Sec ABCD," RBNL said.

The channel will be distributed across 80 networks of the region, reaching 77 towns across Bihar and Jharkhand. lt will be also distributed across local cable networks like Maurya, Den and Darsh besides being available on Reliance Digital TV.

MUMBAI: Reliance Broadcast Network (RBNL) has announced the second edition of its ?Big Kannada Entertainment Awards? which will be held sometime in January.

The broadcast company has got Suvarna TV on board as the official television partner.

The first edition of the award had aired on ETV Kannada.

?Big Kannada Entertainment Awards? recognise talent from across Karnataka in various fields. There are 13 unique categories of awards this year including film, music, dance, and sports.

The ?Big Kannada Entertainment Awards? will be adjudged based on popular votes cast by listeners and by a panel of jury comprising of actor, artist, theatre personality and Member of Parliament - Dr. B Jayashree and Kannada actor Srinath.

It will honour the performers and entertainers from the state, some of the categories of awards include Big Most Entertaining Actor (Male and Female), Big Most Entertaining Music Director, Big Most Entertaining Singer (Male and Female), Big Most Entertaining TV Actor (Male and Female), Big Most Entertaining TV Actor of the decade (Male and Female), and more.

The company spokesperson said, "After the resounding success of the first edition of BIG Kannada Entertainment Awards, we?re very glad to announce that the second edition will be held this year. These performers make us laugh and cry, happy and sad and some of them make the country proud at the international level, these awards are a tribute to all of those people and a token of gratitude and appreciation from us on behalf of all our listeners."