Amrita channel to go on air with 'values'

[Guest guest]

Two items from today's Kerala page of

www.newindpress.com

 

I wouldn't mind viewing the Amrita channel, even if

it;s only in Malayalam, but I don't think my local

cable provider would carry it.

 

Keval

 

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Saturday September 20 2003 00:00 IST

 

Amrita channel to go on air with `values'

 

KOCHI: A new TV channel, promising to provide

``wholesome programmes with a strong emphasis on

values and culture,'' is being launched as part of the

celebrations to commemorate the 50th birthday of Mata

Amritanandamayi.

 

The channel, named 'Amrita', will be inaugurated by

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravishankar

Prasad on September 24.

 

'Amrita' will be the latest in a string of new

television channels that are being launched in recent

times.

 

Some time ago, the Church-backed Jeevan TV came on

air, followed by Indiavision, primarily a news

channel. There are around half a dozen private

television channels in Malayalam, in addition to

Doordarshan.

 

SMC Pillai, CEO of Amrita Enterprises Ltd, told this

website's newspaper on Friday that though the channel

would be officially launched now, it would go on air

only after some more months. ``We hope that by January

we can start telecasting,'' he said.

 

The channel contents will be strictly value-based,

aimed at stemming the ``fast erosion in values among

the youth,'' according to the CEO. Though the

programming is still at a nascent stage, the promoters

say these will focus on Indian culture, arts,

literature, classical music and dance. Of course,

there will be news, too.

 

``But our reportage will be different. We only wish to

present what is happening worldwide, without offering

our opinion or comments,'' Pillai said.

 

Malayalam film-maker Shyamaprasad has been appointed

president, programming. The editorial team is not yet

finalised. Though the channel is at present

headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, it is considering

Kochi and the capital city as the permanent base for

uplinking. ``It all depends on which one works out

better,'' officials said.

 

The channel, which hopes to start beaming on the

wide-beam broadcast to ensure that the programmes

reach Europe and West Asia too, will be exclusively in

Malayalam in the beginning. However, there are

long-term plans of diversifying into other languages

later, for wider audience. ``We are still to work out

the distribution tie-ups overseas,'' Pillai said.

 

The promoters refused to divulge details of the

investment involved or the advertising revenue they

hoped to earn from the enterprise.

 

How does the channel hope to attract viewership from a

generation that is getting rapidly westernised in

outlook and attire? Won't competition from other

channels, which have programmes more in sync with the

thinking and aspirations of the youth, snare away

viewers?

 

``There is a way of putting across a message,'' said

Swami Abhayamritachaitanya of the Amrita Math.

 

Pillai said the programmes would be made in a way that

is appealing. ``We'll have a lot of health and

environment shows, for instance, as well as telefilms.

And, though the target audience is the youth, the

lakhs of Amma devotees worldwide will naturally

provide a regular viewership base,'' he said.

 

 

 

Saturday September 20 2003 00:00 IST

 

Over 600 artists to participate in global fete

 

PTI

 

KOCHI: Over 600 artists from all over the globe will

participate in the four-day 50th birthday celebrations

of Mata Amritanandamayi to be inaugurated by deputy

Prime Minister L K Advani here on Sept 24.

 

President A P J Abdul Kalam would preside over a

business leaders meeting on September 26.

 

Among the highlights would be the special morning

ragas performed by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia in the

early hours of Sept 25 and 26, the organisers said.

 

Traditional dances from Japan, Ireland, China, Mexico,

Peru, native America and Australia, besides Flamenco

dancers from Spain, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast of

Africa and Irish singers will enthral the audience

during the four-day celebrations.

 

A painting exhibition, titled 'colours of compassion'

on the life and teachings of the Mata, will feature

works from 128 artists from India and aboard.

 

Meanwhile, preparations are in full swing at the

Jawaharlal Nehru international stadium, where the

celebrations will be held.

 

With more than one lakh devotees excepted, the police

and the organisers will have their hands full.

 

Preparations to provide 12 lakh free meals over the

four days are nearing completion, the organisers said.

One lakh people are expected at each meal. Twenty

tonnes of rice, 20,000 litres of sambar and 15 tonnes

of curry and 1.5 lakh papads would be needed to

provide lunch each day, they said.