Mickey Mouse to India, speaking Telugu
, 12.17.04, 4:57 PM ET
United Press International
BOMBAY, Dec 17, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- U.S. entertainment giant Walt Disney has started its first two television channels in India, the BBC reported Friday.
It is the company's first venture into a market estimated to offer more than 100 million children below 10 years of age.
The multi-genre Disney channel and the animation-led Toon Disney are being broadcast in three regional Indian languages.
While a morning slot on Disney targets pre-school children with education-based entertainment programs, older children and adults will be offered Disney films like "The Lion King" and "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids."
"For the first time, 24-hour Tamil and Telugu language kids channels are being launched. There will be programs with Indian interactivity, interviews and Indian concepts," said Raja Jain, managing director of Walt Disney Television International (India). "There will be lots of original programming."
Indian children spend only 10 percent of their television viewing time watching kids' channels.
Copyright 2004 by United Press International.
, 12.17.04, 4:57 PM ET
United Press International
BOMBAY, Dec 17, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- U.S. entertainment giant Walt Disney has started its first two television channels in India, the BBC reported Friday.
It is the company's first venture into a market estimated to offer more than 100 million children below 10 years of age.
The multi-genre Disney channel and the animation-led Toon Disney are being broadcast in three regional Indian languages.
While a morning slot on Disney targets pre-school children with education-based entertainment programs, older children and adults will be offered Disney films like "The Lion King" and "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids."
"For the first time, 24-hour Tamil and Telugu language kids channels are being launched. There will be programs with Indian interactivity, interviews and Indian concepts," said Raja Jain, managing director of Walt Disney Television International (India). "There will be lots of original programming."
Indian children spend only 10 percent of their television viewing time watching kids' channels.
Copyright 2004 by United Press International.
