Channel of women, by women, for everyone

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) It is a 24-hour news and infotainment channel of the women, by the women, for everyone. This International Women's Day March 8 a new channel, manned mostly by women, with women-centric programming, will be launched.

Focus TV, a channel aimed at empowering women in all spheres of life, will be Asia's first women based channel, its officials said.

'Focus TV will capture and celebrate the strengths and accomplishments of women, not just nationally but globally. We will make an honest effort to highlight all issues pertaining to women with the sole purpose that through our channel, women will gain confidence, will become aware of their rights and will know that they are not alone in their fight for justice,' Neelanjana Banerjee, deputy managing editor, Focus TV, told IANS.

According to Banerjee, in India where women have been worshipped and revered, they have also been oppressed, suppressed, violated and exploited.

She said: 'Equality between men and women continues to remain a utopian dream. However, things are changing, in this century women are once again playing an important role as contributors, as partners and as participants in every field.'

The channel is part of the North-East TV group that runs NE TV, NE Bangla and NE Hi-fi.

Women make up over 90 percent of its staff.

When asked what will make the channel different, Devileena, a reporter with Focus TV, said: 'This is a totally new concept - a women's channel. Liberation is still a fake thing for women in India. Since media is a very important vehicle, I'm sure through our channel we can help women in various ways. We'll focus on the core issues relating to us.'

The channel will be telecast both in Hindi and English on leading DTH platforms and cable television networks. News on the channel will encompass a plethora of women-based shows.

However, the officials maintain that though the content will be largely women oriented, the channel is meant for everyone.

'Our biggest challenge is to cover each report from the perspective of women. But I want to assure that this is a channel by women but for the whole world,' said Anubhuti Kaul, its output head.

'We are not saying that because 90 percent of our staff are women, men can't watch it. Our effort will be to carry the whole world with us,' she added.

But other channels too have women related content; how will Focus TV be different?

'Other channels too have shows for women, but it's all scattered in different channels. With Focus, it is all under one roof,' said Banerjee.

'It is a channel where you are getting everything from a woman's point of view. Be it news, be it programming, it is all in one place. And it is something like a forum. It will not remain just a channel,' answered Banerjee.

Copyright  IANS

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