Another lifestyle channel, and it is all about food. What more will the TVwallahs dish out next year?

Malayasian media group Astro All Asia Networks is launching ‘FoodFood’, a full-fledged TV channel that will dish out programmes about what we eat and drink, round the clock. While the company has been involved in the media in India for some years, this will be the first venture in which it has a controlling stake. The channel will go on air in the first quarter of 2011.

Astro has an 80% stake in the venture with Turmeric Vision (TVPL), owned by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor and wife Alyona, that will run up the channel. The company plans to distribute ‘FoodFood’ widely, like a general entertainment channel (GEC), through both analog and digital platforms. The initial investment is a stupendous Rs122 crore.

Astro is no stranger in the Indian market. The group has stakes in many ventures, like Sun Direct—the DTH venture with the Sun group—Red FM and NDTV Good Times. It has said that it is also interested in the regional space and is open to acquisitions.

Astro’s new venture may seem strange, as the lifestyle channel of NDTV in which it has a 49% stake also has food-related programming. Raghavendra Madhav, executive director of Astro’s India wing, believes that the market is big enough for many players, though he did not say how profitable it would be to compete with one of their other joint ventures.

“The market is huge and has space for many players. ‘FoodFood’ will concentrate largely on food. It is also the first Indian channel that’s entirely shot in high definition. The content will be produced and packaged in India, making the shows relevant to the Indian audience,” Mr Madhav said.

When asked the business rationale for an exclusive food channel, he explained, “Food today is what news was five years back. People could consume news through the print medium till it expanded its reach via the digital or electronic route. Today the news channels are booming. Each channel has its own distinct features and target audience, and there is space for more. We see food going the similar route.”

But despite the apparent suggestion of a boom, news channels are not really an encouraging example. With a couple of exceptions, nearly all the news channels have been struggling to maintain business in a highly competitive market. Many news and business channels are performing badly and are reeling under market pressure.

While Astro is enthusiastic about food being the “new thing”, it’s unlikely that ‘FoodFood’ will fare better than other lifestyle channels. For one, who would be so excited to view food 24x7? In mild doses, cookery shows may interest a handful, but round the clock would be difficult to digest. Mr Madhav said he would ensure that all other entertainment programmes and reality shows on the ‘FoodFood’ channel would keep viewers hooked.

‘FoodFood’ is a bilingual channel that will target the urban middle class viewers. According to financial analysts, a restricted niche viewership might not be enough for a good performance. An analyst said, “It is definitely banking on a specific audience, but it will be difficult for it to break even soon.”

Besides, there are other food channels that are also preparing for launch, from ZEE and Real Lifestyle Network. Very few foreign investors have notched up decent returns on their investments in television channels. So, despite the brilliance of Sanjeev Kapoor, there is a slim chance that a 24x7 food channel will deliver appetizing returns. — Sukti Sarma