Ten channels to be rechristened Sony Ten

Sony Entertainment Channel India is in the process of revamping its sports bouquet, which includes the newly-acquired Ten group channels integration and rebranding with name Sony. The revamp plan also includes the launch of the first dedicated Hindi sports channel of Sony banner.

The rebranding, however, will not kill the Ten branding. The Ten group channels will now become Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 1 HD, Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 3, Sony Ten Cricket, Sony Ten Sports and Sony Golf HD. Sony has also retained the ESPN branding as the channel was rechristened Sony ESPN post acquisition.

Sony Ten 3 will be the dedicated Hindi sports channel of the Sony bouquet. The programming team is working on content creation, which will go on air immediately after the revamp announcement on July 18, Tuesday. The talent will primarily be driven by cricket.

Indian Premier League Hindi broadcast from Sony Six is being repackaged for the dedicated Hindi sports channel. The Hindi content is also being created from the Sri Lanka cricket archive, which Sony has acquired with Ten Sports acquisition.

Sony Ten 3 will also have Hindi programming on other sports, including the WWE. The broadcaster has in the month of May also recorded its NBA content in Hindi, which was then reported by InsideSport.

Read: NBA-Sony target Hindi speaking audience

Sony Ten 3 will have its first live cricket broadcast with India’s forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka. The seven-week tour includes three Tests, five one-day internatiolas and the one-off T-20 international.

Last year in September, SPN had acquired Ten Sports for Rs. 2,600 crore from Zee. Earlier this year, competition watchdog Competition Commission of India had cleared Sony Pictures Networks’ proposed purchase of Ten Sports.