Republic Media Network has forayed in to Kannada News space with the announcement of Republic Kannada launch following the strategic asset purchase agreement with Anand Sankeshwar owned VRL News Media through which Republic Media Network has acquired the entire broadcast news division of the later. Republic Kannada will be a fully-owned channel of the Republic Media Network and will be on-air very soon.
The acquisition comes alongside a complete asset purchase of the broadcast news section of VRL Media, which runs the popular news channel Digvijaya News. The figure of the deal remains undisclosed. A statement issued by Republic Medis stated that Republic Kannada will have 300 professionals, including over 100 on-ground journalists, who are deployed across all 31 districts of Karnataka, an additional stringer base of over 500 journalists, 73 cutting-edge in-house news production tools, an expansive newsroom, multiple studio spaces that span over a buzzing 28,000-square-foot facility in the heart of Bengaluru.
Republic Kannada will be the 4th channel added to Republic Media Network’s growing bouquet of broadcast operations over the last 6 years..
Sounding the entry of Republic into Kannada news, Founder & Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, “Republic Media Network is young and restless. We want to break through all language barriers and reach the people of India as widely and as quickly as we can. So, for the very first time, this Network has chosen to grow inorganically. Anand and Vijay Sankeshwar of the iconic VRL Group are people who we deeply respect and admire. We share the same Core values of Nationalism and Integrity. It is a privilege for us to welcome this valued channel they created with so much love in the Republic Media Network.”
Goswami said, “I have great respect for the Sankeshwar family and, for me, this is not just a business acquisition by the Republic Media Network but also a culmination of a great friendship with Anand Sankeshwar and respect for his father Vijay Sankeshwar Sir.”
On the rapid and landmark expansion of his Network in just 6 years, Goswami said, “Republic Media Network is making history in every project it undertakes. We are destined to be the largest media organisation in India and by reaching approximately 438 million Indians on television alone we have achieved our target. However, we have a long way to go and our teams are working relentlessly to get there. The most important aspect of our growth is that it makes us the largest journalist owned and run news organisation in the world today. This is the most significant part of who we are and why the Republic Media Network is a household name across the country today.”
Anand Sankeshwar, MD, VRL Media Pvt Ltd said, “Arnab is a visionary and he’s taking the Republic Media Network in the right direction. I am confident and 100% sure he will take our channel in the right direction. Arnab started the Republic journey in 2017. And in a short span of 6 years, has grown the network to an unassailable height. As Dighvijay 24×7 News channel becomes Republic Kannada, I am happy to hand it over to him and the Republic Media Network.”
On the association with Arnab Goswami’s Republic, Sankeshwar said, “Arnab is an out-of-the-box thinker. He’s very innovative in thinking and he’s even setting up a massive state-of-the-art studio in Noida. The Republic Media Network is building next age studios and it’s mighty impressive. Arnab is a friend to me from many years. He’s a friend first. He even promoted a film on my father’s journey when I visited his studios in Mumbai. He’s like an elder brother and we share a special relationship. We hope takes the Dighvijay News channel to the next level via Republic Kannada. The Debate show hosted by Arnab is one of the most watched shows. He garners over 50% of the viewership in the English News genre. There’s something special about Arnab, the journalist, the debater that I admire. He’s extremely popular.”
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