Reliance Preps New Network for ‘Core Hindi Heartland’

MUMBAI: Reliance Broadcast Network is entering India’s general-entertainment space with BIG Magic, a new channel launching April 4 that intends to appeal to the "core Hindi heartland," built around comedy and Bollywood.

The service promises to deliver synergies with Reliance’s popular radio brand 92.7 BIG FM. Big Magic marks the company’s foray into local-language entertainment, following its partnership with CBS Studios International for BIG CBS Prime, BIG CBS Love and BIG CBS Spark and its pending pact with RTL Group for new English-language channels.

The target demo of the "Hindi heartland" covers the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. Programming will focus on comedy and Bollywood, plus music blocks. It will be distributed on cable operators across the target states, reaching about 10 million homes.

"The Hindi heartland represents 30 percent of India’s population and by far the most attractive and lucrative market for advertisers," said Tarun Katial, the CEO of Reliance Broadcast Network. “This underserviced market offers an excellent opportunity to offer audiences entertainment that is tailored to meet their preferences. BIG Magic will quickly build a strong platform on the back of an excellent programming mix and leveraging our BIG FM’s brand lineage to help fortify its position rapidly.”