The Hindu Business Line : Splash to spruce up content

CHENNAI-BASED kids TV channel Splash is all set to spruce up its content and packaging. The channel, which is to be merged under the Mayajaal Entertainment banner soon, plans to launch 12 new shows in the coming six months. Also on the cards are two all-India events as part of its promotion activities.

Around 60 per cent of the new content will be entertainment-based while edutainment and infotainment will make up the rest.

Some of the new shows include Amazing world of visual effects, What's the time wolf and the Learn Japanese and Learn Karate modules, which are part of the channel's `Learn' series. Splash will invest about Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 for a half-hour slot.

According to distribution figures, the channel is currently available in 15 million homes in the country. It hopes to double this number in the next six months. Ms Nirmala Narendranath, Head of Programming, Splash, a Pentamedia group company, says, "We plan to first consolidate our position in the South and then focus more on other cities such as Delhi and Mumbai."

Apart from the in-house and locally produced shows, Splash plans to source content from Europe and the US. The channel is considering proposals from around 12 producers and production houses, which had offered content at a TV industry meet in Cannes on April 8. "We will buy about eight shows and 25 movies at a budget of $400-$450 per half-hour slots after we finalise the list," says Ms Narendranath.

The channel, which has the first right of refusal for Pentamedia films will be vigorously negotiating to obtain the TV telecast rights for the company's animated film, Buddha. The movie is expected to hit the theatres in three months.

June will be a busy month for Splash, as it will be setting up an operations base in Mumbai, equipped with mini studios and shooting floors.

As part of its marketing blitz, the channel will organise an all-India cricket tournament for children under the age of 17. "Discussions are on with a Mumbai-based company and hopefully the tournament will take off in June," says Ms Narendranath.

In what the channel claims to be the first of its kind, Splash plans to conduct a talent hunt to form the country's first "kids music band". But Ms Narendranath hastens to add that the idea was still in the "nascent stage".

Splash is looking to enter into Asian programming and format syndication in future. It will also launch two animated characters `Cutie' and `Smartie' as its channel mascots. Ms Narendranath hopes the mascots will give Splash greater visibility if they become household names.

On the infrastructure front, Splash's Rs 3-crore teleport in Kelambakkam, near Chennai, is slowly taking shape. Replete with transponders, earth stations and facilities for beaming five channels at a time, the port will start operations by June as soon as the Mayajaal merger comes through.

Pentamedia's subsidiaries Intelevision (which runs Splash), Media Dreams and Kris Srikkanth Sports Entertainment are to be merged with Mayajaal.

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