Zee TV, which has among the largest number of Indian channels being telecast in foreign languages in different countries, is shortly launching a channel in France.

Zee founder and Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) Member of Parliament Subhash Chandra told indiantelevision.com that the group, which had recently launched a channel in Germany, Zee One Germany, is aiming to launch in France to expand reach and target the Indian programme loving French and people of South Asian origin.

“The French channel could be launched within six months or so,” he added without giving a fixed time frame or outlining whether the channel may also at some point of time carry original French content.

Zee, which through a plethora of TV channels (some of which are dubbed in local languages in various countries) was already reaching 200 million viewers overseas, aims “to increase that reach to 500 million”. Speaking on the sidelines of the SATCAB meet organized here by the All India Dish Antenna Aavishkaar Sangh here yesterday, Chandra said that France was until now receiving the channel launched by the group for the United Kingdom.

Zee at present has channels in foreign languages running in UAE/KSA (Arab), Russia, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Africa/Mauritius, the Caribbean, United States, Canada and Brazil.

According to Chandra, content from Hollywood dominates the world and it earns 65 per cent from overseas markets, while only 35 per cent from within the US market. “India with its content of feature films and appealing television programmes can also make a mark overseas,” he added.

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