Kolkata: Media Content and Communications Services India Pvt Limited (MCCS), a joint venture between ABP TV and Star Group, today (Nov23, 2004) announced its plans to launch the country's first 24-hour News channel in Bengali and indicated that it might launch similar channel in other regional languages in the coming days.

"We have already applied for permission with the Government of India to launch the Bengali channel, the name of which would be decided based on feedback from viewers in the State," CEO and Editor of Star News Uday Shankar told newspersons. Viewers could suggest the name by SMS to 7827.

The exclusive 24-hour news and information channel will be headquartered in Kolkata with an extensive bureau network across the rest of West Bengal and India and will be launched as soon as Government permission was received, he said.

Equipped with a strong technical and editorial team with Suman Chattopadhyaya, who was executive editor of Ananda Bazaar Patrika, as executive producer, the channel will cover local, national and international news in Bengali, Shankar said.

Managing Director of ABP Aniruddah Lahiri said, ABP was the oldest and most respected journalistic brand in Eastern India.

"In keeping pace with the times, we need to strengthen our bond with the audience through the electronic medium of communication and journalism."

"The proposed channel will be a tribute to people of Bengal and its culture," he said.

To a query, Lahiri said MCCS would explore opportunity to launch similar channels in other Indian languages. "We will have to see. Lets get some experience."