History TV18, a joint venture between A+E Networks and TV18, is launching its eighth regional-language feed, this time in Urdu.
In another major move, the factual entertainment channel has readied a local show to air for the first time. Titled The Greatest Indian, the show will be in conjunction with CNN IBN and BBC Worldwide from whom the format rights have been bought. The initiative is on the lines of the greatest Briton where people vote for whom they think is their greatest Indian.

Facing multiple challenges, Kalanithi Maran's firm is trying hard to hold on to its leadership position by adding new channels and exploring options to boost ad revenue.

On the day of Sun TV Network Ltd's annual general meeting in September, chairman and managing director Kalanithi Maran didn't look happy. He didn't have reason to: the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), headed by J. Jayalalithaa, had swept to power in state elections, thrashing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the party headed by Maran's grand uncle M. Karunanidhi. The mercurial new chief minister, who has her own channel, Jaya TV (owned by associates), had earlier that month revived plans for a state-owned cable television company, entering a business that was until then dominated by the Maran-controlled Sumangali Cable Vision.

9X Media, which operates Bollywood music channel 9XM, is gearing up to launch another Hindi music channel, 9X Jalwa, on 25 February.

9X Jalwa, touted as a "timeless Bollywood music channel", will follow the same business model of playing back-to-back Bollywood music with humour-led character's interstitials and trivia-based slate-shows.

The new channel, with a tagline Koi Shaq, will air songs from the mid-sixties till 2000.

Sahara One, which has just launched a horror band at 11 pm, is now gearing up to strengthen its primetime fiction line up.

The channel has signed on Rajshri Productions to produce another fiction show, Jhilmil Sitaaron Ka Aangan Hoga, at 9 pm band starting 27 February.

Earlier, Rajshri had produced family drama Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki for Sahara One.