MUMBAI: After the Walt Disney Company, Time Warner Inc’s Turner Broadcasting System Inc. is now planning to make animation films and has launched its animation theatrical business in India.
The company, which already airs channels like CNN, CNN-IBN, HBO, Cartoon Network and POGO in India, is also planning to launch a Hollywood movies and series channel in association with Warner Bros.
Turner will be establishing a new multi-million dollar business unit to develop and produce animated films and expand its output of original live action television series. This will be Turner’s maiden venture of its kind internationally.
Meanwhile, Turner’s partnership with sister company, Warner Bros, will combine the company’s expertise in building and operating branded media environments in India. The channel will bring the best of award winning Hollywood entertainment to TV in India. It is the first collaboration of its kind in the region for the company.
Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific president Steve Marcopoto said, "We believe expanding the scope of our activities and the breadth of our core channel offerings are strategic imperatives in India today. These initiatives will further bolster our considerable presence in an exciting market that is fast becoming our largest in the region."
In December 2007, it formed a joint venture with Alva Brothers’ production house Miditech to launch a Hindi entertainment channel and other genres and language channels. In addition, Turner also holds 29 per cent stake in Miditech, which continues to function as a separate production house.
"Our recent investment in Miditech and our Hindi GEC partnership with the Alva Brothers, together with today’s announcements illustrate the accelerated pace of our company’s activities in India and our long term view of the market’s compelling potential," Marcopoto added.
Turner’s investments come at a time when parent company Time Warner is putting greater emphasis on developing its businesses internationally with India as a priority market.
