Turner, Warner to launch English entertainment channel WB

Turner and Warner Bros. Entertainment have announced plans to launch a new 24-hour English language entertainment channel WB in India.

WB, scheduled to be rolled out on March 15, will showcase programming licensed from Warner Bros. International Television Distribution (WBITD) and will include motion pictures and hit television series. The channel will be distributed by Zee-Turner and will be available on both DTH and C&S platforms. WB targets the upscale, affluent Indian audience looking for “Hollywood’s best” around the clock.

Primetime viewing on WB will include franchises such as: WB Platinum that will showcase channel premieres; WB Nitro which will feature actions hits; WB Triple Play which will showcase “must-see” movies; WB Cinematheque which will show classic English movies while WB Premieres will offer a mix of comedy and drama series.

Siddharth Jain, vice president and deputy general manager – distribution and business operations, South Asia, Turner International India Private Limited (TIIPL), said, “Our tag line – Now That’s Hollywood! – encapsulates and highlights our edge, positioning and programming. The channel will bring the best of award- winning Hollywood entertainment to TV sets in India, slickly packaged.”

www.itsonWB.com will complement the linear TV offering. The website will have detailed information on all movies and TV series, including video trailers, cast information, plot summaries, image galleries and schedules, as well as daily updates on the latest showbiz news from around the globe, etc.

To further engage the target audience, the site will also have user-generated movie and TV show reviews, ratings, discussion boards and entertainment-based polls.