Campaign India Team
Mar 06, 2009

Sony acquires Channel 8 in India

Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has made a foray into the Bengali-language TV segment with the acquisition of Channel 8, the only Bengali-language film channel in India.  The channel will be under the management of SPTI’s international networks group.Andy Kaplan, SPTI’s president, international networks said, “We are excited by the prospects of Channel 8 and the revenue potential for us in the Bengal region.  We look forward to providing even more high-quality Bengali-language programming in the region.”

Sony acquires Channel 8 in India

Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has made a foray into the Bengali-language TV segment with the acquisition of Channel 8, the only Bengali-language film channel in India.  The channel will be under the management of SPTI’s international networks group.

Andy Kaplan, SPTI’s president, international networks said, “We are excited by the prospects of Channel 8 and the revenue potential for us in the Bengal region.  We look forward to providing even more high-quality Bengali-language programming in the region.”

Channel 8, also known as Bangla Entertainment (BEPL), was launched in March 2008 and is based in Kolkata.  It originally started as a free-to-air service and will be converted to pay shortly. Channel 8 is currently available throughout West Bengal, Tripura and some parts of Assam and Orissa.

Channel 8 joins SPTI’s extensive television network business in India, Multi Screen Media Private Ltd, which includes the Hindi-language channels Sony Entertainment Television (SET), SET MAX, SAB and English-language SET PIX.  SPTI’s AXN and ANIMAX channels also air in India. 

Source:
Campaign India

Related Articles

Just Published

1 day ago

No internet, no problem: AI dials up Bharat

Centerfruit’s tongue-twisting Voice AI campaign proves rural India doesn’t need screens to engage—just smart tech with local soul.

1 day ago

Magna forecasts a 7.7% increase in India’s adex for ...

With no elections or cricket highs, India’s INR 1371 billion adex proves that digital muscle, data depth, and media shifts are driving real momentum.

2 days ago

WPP global comms boss Chris Wade steps down

Former Ogilvy UK CEO Michael Frohlich will replace Wade, who leaves the holding company after 13 years.

2 days ago

Cookies crumble, privacy prevails: Marketing’s new ...

The era of lazy personalisation is over. Epsilon senior vice president for analytics believes that marketers must now trade third-party tracking for first-party trust, clean data, and cultural transparency—or risk fading into irrelevance.