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MUMBAI, April 25 (Reuters) – India’s Sun TV Network Ltd. said on Wednesday it will launch a children’s channel on April 29 as it seeks to tap a fast-growing segment in the world’s third-largest cable television market.
Chutti TV, for kids aged 2 to 14 years, will combine regional and international programming, Sun TV said in a statement. It did not disclose financial details.
Chennai-based Sun is a regional language broadcaster with a direct-to-home satellite operation in which Malaysia’s Astro All-Asia Networks Plc recently took 20 percent.
Time Warner’s Cartoon Network is the leader in the child entertainment segment.
Walt Disney Co. last year bought Hungama, a Hindi-language kids channel, from India’s UTV Software Communications Ltd. for $30.5 million. Disney also broadcasts Disney Channel and Toon Disney/Jetix in India.
India had 71 million television homes in 2006, and is forecast to become the top pay television market in Asia-Pacific by 2015, according to estimates by Media Partners Asia.