ETC Networks Ltd. is one of the leading television networks in India that owns two channels - ETC Hindi and ETC Channel Punjabi. Mr. Jagjit Singh Kohli, Mr. Yogesh Radhakrishnan and Mr. Yogesh Shah who are the pioneers of Indian cable television industry promoted both the channels. ETC Networks Ltd. is a listed company with Bombay Stock Exchange with Zee Telefilms holding 54.42% of its shares. It was listen with the Bombay Stock Exchange in the year 2000.
Claiming to be India`s number 1 music channel, ETC was launched on August 26th, 1999 as a 24-hour Indian Music Channel with the punch line "Aakhir Dil Hai Hindustani". Within six months of its release the channel was rated as the best music channel in the nation.
The main mission of this channel is to provide the best content to its viewers. ETC has constantly strived to provide wholesome family entertainment. The channel added a show on astrology, which has become very popular and successful. To increase interactivity with the viewers channel has added Road Shows and SMS services. Films and Indi Pop music still remains the heart of the channel and constitutes 95% of the programming.
ETC Networks Ltd. is only the second broadcasting network to break even in its first year of operations.
ETC Channel became the first channel to associate itself with films from big banner to telecast their exclusive promos and contests on the channel. And though every other music channel is attempting to follow its footsteps, etc retains its uniqueness.
Kahani Kismat Ki on ETC, is the first ever program of any non mainline satellite channel to be featured as one of the Top Five programs on INTAM rating. This is also the first ever-astrological program to have completed over one thousand episodes. ETC is the first channel ever to organize and telecast a Fusion Music show to promote world peace and also to start SMS facilities for most of its programmes in order to go interactive with the family viewers of the channel. To cater to the channel`s spirit of `Akhir Dil Hai Hindustani`, etc had brought in shows with anchors like Ustaad Zakir Hussain and top leading Hasya Kavi performing on the channel. Focus is also on live Indian events like the nine-day Navratri Dandiya. Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain has debuted on television with ETC`s show Taal. To capture the very spirit of India, etc has come out with Essence of India, which is an extensive series of Fillers shot all over the country right from Kashmir to Andaman and ETC Paathshala to get the rest of the country acquainted with regional slang. Recently ETC is exploiting the channel content through the net and audience interactivity and is trying to build regional as well as international interactivity.
On May 7, 2007 ETC launched a new show called B BIZ, with the popular film critic Taran Adarsh. This is the first time ever that a Deferred LIVE TV show will air all the Current Bollywood trade information like Distribution Figures, transactions, box office figures, movie reviews, casting coups, unknown facts, trade reports, speculations, theatre reports, forthcoming movies, release dates, etc from Mon-Fri at 8.30 pm. The show also provides complete overseas collection reports and has live telephonic conversation with producers, distributors, directors, etc and also has them as guests for special episodes. This show is intended to be the one stop shop for all trade related facts from the world of Hindi Cinema for the entire industry. The show and the channel would be supported with a 24 hr scroll that would flash all activities and developments in the entertainment industry as and when they happen.
