MUMBAI: "Not a vehicle for sensationalism, but a platform to provide constructive solutions."
That is the USP that the Sahara Group's western India-specific news channel Sahara Samay Mumbai is pitching ahead of its "final" official launch date of 26 September.
Headed by Rajiv K Bajaj, former president of the Hinduja owned IN Network and editor of The Daily tabloid, the Channel will cover the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and parts of Goa with specific focus on the city of Mumbai.
Under the channel's scanner will be everything from traffic information to sales to the latest prices of household goods including commodities, vegetables and the rest with a comparison of what is selling at what price in which market across Mumbai. Sahara Samay Mumbai will feature shows that will deal with issues at a micro-level and pick up issues, identify problems and provide actual solutions on TV, says a company release.
"The USP of Sahara Samay Mumbai is complete and total identification with the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra and parts of Gujarat and later Goa. My idea is to convert a city tabloid into television," Bajaj is quoted in the release as saying. "A total of 32 bulletins (including updates) interspersed with local programming that includes talk shows, events, music, product launches, campus color and investigative in depth programs will provide the channel that extra edge required to take over eyeball time in the city and elsewhere. The way I see it there is every possibility that Sahara Samay Mumbai might just have as much appeal in the rest of the country as it definitely will in the Mumbai, Maharashtra and Gujarat region itself. The logic for the channel is very simple. This is because not only Mumbai but the entire country, and indeed the entire Indian diaspora in the rest of the world has this great fascination for everything and anything to do with Mumbai's rich and famous, with Bollywood, with Mumbai's fashion world, its dance bars, discos, night clubs, beach parties and the like," says Bajaj. 
The FPC includes special weekend programmes including special women related talk shows, Ganeshotsav Awards, Durga Pooja, Navratri, Christmas celebrations, Goa Carnival, Miss Mumbai, Miss Pune, and so on. Also included are special shows for school children including Inter School Sports, Inter School Festivals, Inter Ward Sports Tournaments, The Kanga League etc.
As reported earlier on indiantelevision.com, also on the anvil is coverage of traditional Indian sports like kabbadi, kho-kho, wrestling and bullock cart racing. The competition will begin at the village level and then go right upto the state level with the main event being held in Mumbai.
Sahara Samay Mumbai is the third news channel after Sahara Samay Rashtriya (launched 28 March 2003) and Sahara Samay Uttar Pradesh from the Subrato Roy promoted media house.

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