21 April 2008

Zee TV to make its presence in Russia


To cash in on the immense popularity of Indian movies and serials in the former Communist nation, Zee TV, a leading entertainment channel of India, is scheduled to launch its satellite and cable service in Russia by the end of this year.
“Zee TV will be the first foreign television company to operate directly in the Russian market rather than dealing through a distributor, despite a requirement that the controlling stake in foreign TV broadcasters belong to a Russian resident,” business daily Kommersant said. With an initial investment of about $7 millions, the Zee plans to air Bollywood movies and programmes about India to be made and dubbed into Russian at its studios in Mumbai.
The Zee TV is trying to forge an alliance with Sistema Mass Media (SMM), a leading player in Russian TV market, according to reports. SMM Deputy General Director Artyom Kudryavtsev confirmed the negotiations were underway for interaction as the Zee was trying to obtain a broadcasting license for a 24-hour channel.

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