MUMBAI: Finally the launch date of the proposed national capital region (NCR) channel from the Aroon Purie-promoted TV Today Network has been firmed up (at least targeted). The company has zeroed in on 29 May as the date for the channel's debut.

This has been confirmed to indiantelevision.com by senior sources from within the company.

Targeting Delhi as well as the neighbouring satellite towns of Faridabad and Gurgaon in Haryana and Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, the fourth sibling from the stable will encompass various local issues of the regions aimed at attracting Hindi speaking audiences.

While the sources refused to divulge any details on the programming front, offering only that while the channel would be a different product from market leader Aaj Tak, nonetheless it would maintain the essence of its established sibling.

As reported earlier, the uplinking clearance for Delhi Aaj Tak came through last year. The channel's tag line is 'Delhi Aaj Tak': aapka sehar, aap tak (Delhi Aaj Tak: your city, up close), it will be beamed off Insat 2E.

The other news channels from the TV Today stable are however, likely to shift their beaming base from Insat-2E to Pas-10.

Last year, the network has launched its second Hindi news channel Tez tracing the format of English sibling Headlines Today (pacy news format). The channel focuses on quick delivery of news.

What needs to be seen is whether the company will also consider in its offering, other metro-centric products?

The NCR region already has a few existing players including Sahara NCR, S1 and Total TV servicing the viewers’ news appetite. Meanwhile, NDTV is also proposing a new product to service the metros, including Delhi.