Republic acquires VRL’s Kannada broadcast news business, announces Republic Kannada

Republic Media Network has announced Republic Kannada.

Republic’s entry into the Kannada news market comes on the back of the strategic asset purchase agreement through which Republic Media Network has acquired the entire broadcast news division of media conglomerate VRL News Media. Republic Kannada will be a fully-owned channel of the Republic Media Network and will be on-air very soon, stated a press release.

The acquisition comes alongside a complete asset purchase of the broadcast news section of VRL Media, the figure of which remains undisclosed. VRL Media runs news channel Digvijaya News.

“This major asset acquisition of the broadcast business of VRL News Media brings with it significantly large properties and assets. Republic Kannada will have 300 professionals, including over 100 on-ground journalists, who are deployed across all 31 districts of Karnataka, an additional stringer base of over 500 journalists, 73 cutting-edge in-house news production tools, an expansive newsroom, multiple studio spaces that span over a buzzing 28,000-square-foot facility in the heart of Bengaluru,” read a press release.

On the acquisition, Republic Founder & Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami said, "Republic Media Network is young and restless. We want to break through all language barriers and reach the people of India as widely and as quickly as we can. So, for the very first time, this Network has chosen to grow inorganically. Anand and Vijay Sankeshwar of the iconic VRL Group are people who we deeply respect and admire. We share the same Core values of Nationalism and  Integrity. It is a privilege for us to welcome this valued channel they created with so much love in the Republic Media Network.”

Goswami said, “I have great respect for the Sankeshwar family and, for me,  this is not just a business acquisition by the Republic Media Network but also a culmination of a great friendship with Anand Sankeshwar and respect for his father Vijay Sankeshwar Sir.”

Anand Sankeshwar, MD, VRL Media Pvt Ltd said, “Arnab is a visionary and he’s taking the Republic Media Network in the right direction. I am confident and 100% sure he will take our channel in the right direction. Arnab started the Republic journey in 2017. And in a short span of 6 years, has grown the network to an unassailable height. As Dighvijay 24x7 News channel becomes Republic Kannada, I am happy to hand it over to him and the Republic Media Network.”

Republic Kannada will have the tagline ‘ನಿಮ್ಮ ಧ್ವನಿ’ (Nimma Dhwani’ or ‘Your Voice’).

On the tagline of Republic Kannada, Goswami said, “Republic Kannada will change the news media landscape in Karnataka. We will be, as always, the voice of the people, ‘Nimma Dhwani’ and work to represent the aspirations of the people of this great state.”

Republic Kannada’s launch slogan will be ‘ ನೇರ ಮಾತು ಕಣ್ಣಲ್ಲಿ ಕಣ್ಣಿಟ್ಟು’ ('Nera Maathu, Kannalli Kannittu' or ‘Straight-Talk, Eye-to-Eye’).