"We have already applied for permission with the government of India to launch the Bengali channel, the name of which would be decided based on feedback from viewers in the state," CEO and editor of Star News, Uday Shankar said.
Viewers can suggest names for the new channel by sending a SMS to 7827.
The exclusive 24-hour news and information channel will be headquartered in Kolkata with an extensive bureau network across the rest of West Bengal and India and will be launched as soon as government permission is received, he said.
Equipped with a strong technical and editorial team with Suman Chattopadhyaya, who was executive editor of Ananda Bazar Patrika, as executive producer, the channel will cover local, national and international news in Bengali, Shankar said. Managing director of ABP Aniruddah Lahiri said ABP was the oldest and most respected journalistic brand in eastern India.
"In keeping pace with the times, we need to strengthen our bond with the audience through the electronic medium of communication and journalism. The proposed channel will be a tribute to people of Bengal and its culture," he said.
Lahiri said MCCS would explore opportunity to launch similar channels in other Indian languages. "We will have to see... Let's get some experience."