UTV to launch 3 new channels in Q4

Excerpts from CNBC-TV18's exclusive interview with Ronnie Screwvala:

Q; Could you break up the performance this quarter - between the movies business, the broadcast business that you are currently not operating; but the gaming side of the business as well?

A: Out of the Rs 123 crore in the Q3, about Rs 85 crore is coming from movies, about Rs 26 crore from television and about Rs 13 crore from our interactive and gaming business.

Q: What's your capex requirement for your broadcast business?

A: I wouldn't call it capex but our peak cash flow and investments in the broadcasting for our 4 channels plus, is about Rs 450 to Rs 500 crore over the next 3 years - not immediately.

Q: The Board of the company is meeting next week to decide on the stake sale on the broadcast business. How much are you looking to offer on the first tranche?

A: At this point I'm not offering any confirmation - I have also been hearing some tickers and reading some news about the Board meeting next week. As I said, we have been in this space. But I think we would do what is right for the company; so when we are ready to announce will be announcing that.

Q: Any new projects we can expect this quarter?

A: This coming quarter is going to be quite dynamic. We are launching 3 channels; our World Movie channel launches next week and a Hindi movie channel launches three weeks after that and our English Business News Channel launches in March. We have got a large offering in movie with Jodha Akbar, followed by Race in March.  

Q: What about gaming because you have been making acquisition in that field, how you are looking at ramping up revenues there and what are you targeting in terms of contribution from that segment?

A: The contribution is going to be substantial this year and I think it will be almost in Rs 90 crore topline for the gaming, which was hardly there a year before. A bulk of that is coming from the Ignition acquisition in UK and a bulk of that is coming from our publishing and reversioning of rights for international market.