MUMBAI: It‘s worked its magic. Big Magic, the general entertainment channel (GEC) for the core Hindi heartland of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Madhya Pradesh (MP), Bihar and Jharkhand – from the stable of Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd (RBNL) has signed a distribution deal with Airtel Digital TV, the DTH service arm of the leading telecom operator Bharti Airtel.

Airtel Digital has 375 channels and services including 17 HD channels and six interactive services. With this strategic agreement, Big Magic will now have access to the 8.1 million customer base that Airtel boasts of (as on March 2013).

RBNL‘s carriage deal with Airtel for Big Magic, makes it the second Indian DTH operator to carry the channel, apart from Reliance Digtial TV.  Viewers can now tune into Big Magic on their Airtel Digital TV on channel no 631 from today. The channel airs a mix of  locally relevant entertainment, including drama, crime, socio-mytho, game shows and talent shows.

Says  RBNL CEO Tarun Katyal: �As a broadcaster, we’d like to reach maximum audience and we are glad to be associated with Airtel.�

Adds a media observer: "The deal is significant as Airtel has a sizable subscriber base in the markets that Big Magic is targeting. The expectation obviously is that the extra audience will lead to extra advertising revenues."