ACK Media mulls entertainment channel launch

[Metropolitanjury]

ACK Media, the owner of Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle comic brands, is planning to launch a general entertainment channel (GEC) as part of its gambit to turn itself into an integrated media company.

For funding this initiative, the company may announce an initial public offering (IPO) in the next 12-18 months. A project like this typically requires an investment of around Rs 100 crore.

Samir Patil, CEO and founder, ACK Media, said the positioning of ACK’s new channel will be different. “We will not compete with other general entertainment channels,” he said.

A media analyst said currently there was a glut in the GEC space. “However, such a scenario may not continue for long. Some consolidation is bound to happen in this space and ACK could leverage on it.”

As a precursor to the GEC launch, the company is planning to develop television software for animation and non-fiction programmes. The content will be primarily derived from Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle. The idea is to be an independent content creator for TV and hold the intellectual property rights (IPRs) for these.

Currently, channels usually commission a programme and hold the IPRs.

Sometimes, production houses also create the content and sell to a channel with the latter taking the IPR rights as well.

“In a third model, we aim to jointly own the revenue streams and IPRs. We are in talks with various channels for this,” Patil said. He also said that since content creation was expensive, it is useful to have a co-producer.

ACK is also in the process of expanding its sales channels for its comic brands Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle and Karadi Tales. The company will soon unveil a website on Amar Chitra Katha. The company had acquired Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle brands from India Book House last year. Earlier this year, it had acquired Karadi Tales from a Chennai-based audio-visual content creator.

The company’s online plans also include launching sites on gaming, edutainment, social networking, culture and parenting. In the mobile space, ACK is negotiating with service providers to launch games, wallpapers and SMS-based content.

By Ms.Bobby Aanand, Metropolitan Jury