Hungama TV is an Indian pay television channel aimed at children, mainly showcasing Japanese and Indian animated series. It was launched on 26 September 2004.[3] Currently it is owned Star India, a subsidiary of Disney India.
History
UTV and Ronnie Screwvala formed United Home Entertainment with 51% and 49% ownership interests, respectively. The company was formed to launch an Indian kids channel. It hired TAG for channel packaging. Chief Operating Officer Purnendu Bose was hired and was expected to hire 100 employees for the channel. Rs 100 crore was the expected initial investment with expectations of break even in three years. In September, 2004, Hungama TV started broadcasting as the first domestic kids channel in India.[4]
In March, 2005, one of the UTV founders, Zarina Mehta became Hungama's head of programming. In early 2006, Mehta was promoted to chief operating officer of the channel.[5]
In July, 2006, Disney India acquired a controlling stake in Hungama TV from UTV Software Communications while also taking a 14.9% share in UTV.[6] In 2006, Disney acquired Hungama TV from UTV.[7]
The channel started with both live-action and animated programming but, following the success of Doraemon, gradually shifted its focus to solely animated programming.[8][9] In 2013, Hungama started adding original Indian series as a part of a localisation strategy.[10]
Programming
Controversy
A Hindi dub of the Shin Chan anime started airing on Hungama TV on June 19, 2006, and it gained up to 60% of the channel's market share.[11] There were complaints from parents over the main character's behaviour and the attitudes exhibited towards elders on the show, both of which were seen as a negative influence on children. The show was banned from Indian television in 2008 but soon after it started airing again on Hungama TV.[12]
References
- ↑ "Star India launches Disney Kids Pack with new campaign - Exchange4media". Indian Advertising Media & Marketing News – exchange4media.
- ↑ "D2H Channel List with Numbers - DishTV". www.dishtv.in. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ↑ "UTV Launches Hungama TV". The Financial Express. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ↑ Bansal, Shuchi (9 April 2004). "Hungama TV to fight for ad share". Business Standard India. New Delhi. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ↑ Adesara, Hetal (27 May 2006). "Hungama TV COO Zarina Mehta". Indian Television. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ↑ Leahy, Joe; Sundeep Tucker (13 September 2006). "Disney switches on to Hindi market". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ↑ Sinha, Ashish (18 June 2008). "UTV investment is long-term play". Business Standard. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ↑ "Hungama TV banking on movies, four driver shows". 21 September 2004. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ↑ "Hungama TV to focus on animation now". 28 September 2005. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ↑ "Hungama TV gets new look, plans to add local shows | TelevisionPost.com". Television Post. Mumbai. 10 October 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ↑ "Shin Chan on Hungama TV - Disney India". corporate.disney.in. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ↑ "India bans telecasting of Shin Chan". www.merinews.com. Retrieved 9 December 2017.