BIG CBS Prime Gears Up for Indian Launch

MUMBAI: The joint venture between Reliance Broadcast Network and CBS Studios International is set to launch the first of three planned general-entertainment networks for the Indian market next month, featuring, among other shows, The Defenders and Blue Bloods.

BIG CBS Prime will draw from CBS’s program library. Highlights of the slate include The Defenders, Blue Bloods, NCIS, Survivor: Nicaragua, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Rachael Ray, Judge Judy, Frasier, The Insider and Entertainment Tonight, airing 12 hours after the U.S. broadcast, and The Late Show with David Letterman, 24 hours after the U.S. broadcast. The selections are aimed at targeting English-speaking 18- to 34-year-old Indians.

Aparnaa Pande, business head at BIG CBS Networks, commented, “We are very proud to be changing the way English entertainment is consumed in India with the launch of BIG CBS Prime. With a fabulous lineup of the best shows from the U.S., and our promise of delivering the freshest, hottest and latest programming exclusively on the channel, we are confident of attracting the right mix of eyeballs. The programming will offer unmatched and unparalleled entertainment to audiences in India, as we grow the English television entertainment space.”