MTV Networks India today announced a tie-up with The One Alliance for distributing MTV, India’s leading music and youth channel and Nickelodeon, the children’s channel. Each channel, already encrypted, would be made available for a price of Rs 3 to subscribers.
The agreement was signed today by MTV Networks India MD Alex Kuruvilla; Set India CEO Kunal Dasgupta and Discovery Communications India MD Deepak Shourie. The deal ends almost a year of speculation on an alliance between the two. There has been talk in the industry for several months about which platform MTV may choose to associate with and a music channel and a kids’ channel that One Alliance would try to bring into its kitty.
“This strategic alliance further strengthens The One Alliance’s position as the leading bouquet,” said Dasgupta.
According to MTV Networks India Vice President-Network Development, South Asia Sanjev Hiremath, the talks with the One Alliance were in progress for a long time, but the environment to clinch the deal became favourable only now.
The addition of MTV and Nickelodeon complements the diverse mix of programming choices offered by The One Alliance bouquet, which currently comprises eight channels – Set, Max, AXN, HBO, Discovery, Animal Planet, NDTV India and NDTV 24×7.
The One Alliance president Shantonu Aditya says,”We are very proud to be associated with the best of channels. With the addition of MTV and Nick, the bouquet is now complete.”
“The One Alliance has proved to be the best distribution platform in the country and we believe that the reach of MTV and Nickelodeon will increase tremendously after joining the Alliance. MTV Networks India is proud to announce this partnership with The One Alliance,” said Kuruvilla.
“The music and children’s programming will strengthen the offerings of The One Alliance”, said Shourie.
Last year, The One Alliance added movie channel HBO and the Prannoy Roy promoted news channels – NDTV India and NDTV 24×7 to its bouquet.