MUMBAI: Shri Adhikari Brothers’ company Broadcast Initiatives Ltd is all set to launch a Bhojpuri channel in Q4 2007. The company, which concluded its maiden IPO in the month of February, already has two channels Janmat (news and current affairs channel) and a Marathi general entertainment channel called Mi Marathi, in the subsidiary of the company Sri Adhikari Brothers Media Ltd.

The move into the Bhojpuri television language space comes at a time when the Bhojpuri movie market is at its peak. According to the PricewaterHouseCoopers – FICCI entertainment and media industry report, of the total 1,090 films produced in India last year, 76 were made in the Bhojpuri language and that is only poised to grow.

“Bhojpuri market is developing as a very strong regional market and the enormous success of the Bhojpuri cinema can be duplicated in the television arena through a concentrated effort in specialised content for that market. The group is known for many media initiatives in the past and with regional markets growing at a rapid pace accounting for more than 24 per cent of the total television advertising pie, there is a concentrated effort by the group to target these markets by launching the Bhojpuri channel and an already launched Marathi entertainment channel Mi Marathi,” said the company’s vice chairman and MD Markand Adhikari.

Most of the regional markets have at an average six-seven regional language channels and the company’s foray into the Bhojpuri market will give that market its first regional language channel.

According to an offical statement, after the maiden IPO of the company, Broadcast Initiatives Ltd is investing hugely in the latest equipment and technology for the news channel Janmat and the revamped avatar will be visible in the month of July.

“Being a dialect of Hindi we are confident of grabbing good market share in Bhojpuri market and will be completely equipped to take first mover advantage,” Adhikari added.