Hindi News channel Jia to launch in India
Rebecca Hawkes | 04-10-2013
Jia News, the latest Hindi TV news station to hit India's airwaves, is set to launch on 5 October.
Founded and funded by chairman Rohan Jagdale, the channel will be based in Noida, with 16 bureaus, reports Indiantelevision.com. Offices are being set up in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharasthra, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. However, news from the south of India will be provided in partnership with ANI.
Jia will reportedly comprise 60% current affairs content, with an equal split on sports and entertainment content. Madhulika Jagdale, Rohan's wife, is channel director, with Joy Sebastian channel head and Ashish Mishra chief editor. In total, 150 staff will man the operation, with a chief executive yet to be appointed.
Jia News will initially only be available on cable TV networks, with a projected reach of up to 15 million viewers.