MUMBAI: International entertainment channel VH1 will be seen in a new avatar in the coming days. Apart from a heavier dose of Hollywood and international entertainment, the channel also plans to promote Indian talent in a big way – all of it aimed at taking the brand to the next level.
Beginning this May, several new shows would be aired on VH1 as a part of its scale-up – the programming would be a mix of international reality shows, fresh entertainment, infotainment news, international music all packaged with a new tagline â€?Vh1 – Get with it’!
Speaking on the channel’s new avataar, Vh1 India Associate General Manager Ferzad Palia says it’s taking the brand to the next level, “A lot of research has gone into this. According to the feedback we received, we got many requests for more of music and lifestyle shows that we aired. We had observed that Indian viewers received very less of Hollywood and international entertainment. This scale-up will see international content, Fashion, Reality, Sport and Celeb Lifestyle all in near real time. It’s just about taking our brand to the next level.”
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The scale-up would be done in phases and the new content will be ready for airing in the coming four to eight weeks. Starting from 11 May (22:30 hrs), the channel will air the three time Emmy award winning animated television comedy series South Park. And from from May 18 (23:00 hrs), there are a number of shows lined up – like â€?Paris Hilton’s My New BFF’ where fourteen tabloid-ready girls and two flamboyant guys will compete for the position of Hollywood’s no.1 queen diva’s best friend forever in the hit new reality show. Second comes reality series â€?From G’s to Gents’! 14 gangsters aka â€?G’s’ who are willing to change their lives and become true gentlemen are put up in a posh mansion known as the Gentleman’s Club. Another addition is a show produced by Ashton Kutcher & Jason Goldberg called â€?ROOM 401′! named after the room Harry Houdini (one of the Greatest Escapologists in History) died in at Detroit’s Grace Hospital in 1926, ROOM 401 takes unaware victims into the center of mini horror movies that play out live! Whereas The show â€?Making the band 4′! has P.Diddy bringing together winners of the previous seasons for a U.S tour. There’s also a fast paced half hour show â€?The Daily 10′ meant for international passions, fashions, trends and latest news
The channel will start promoting this new avatar in coming days. On being asked about the investment behind the revamp, Palia says, “Though I cannot talk about numbers, I can say it’s a sizeable investment. One will see many developements in the coming 18-24 months – We want to be known as a platform with multiple channels, so we are also focusing on the the digital and the internet space.”
From the past few years, Vh1 has been flying down international artistes, however, along with that, the channel is now looking forward to aggressively promote indian musicians on international stage. “After the sucess of Slumdog Millionaire, the western audience is looking for Indian talent and we want to explore that,” Palia says
With all the infotainment and reality shows, does that mean the channel has cut down on music content? Palia clarifies, “We haven’t cut down on the music content at all. In fact, we are strengthinging music with the scale up. The scale-up applies to all the sections in our programming- music and lifestyle.” Henceforth, shows like hip-hustle and playlist are being programmed for a daily. As part of Rayban Vh1 Global Music Xpress, this time its Karl Wolf hitting the Indian shores for a four city tour.
