Arnab Goswami’s new channel, Republic, is set to launch soon, and the test broadcast for the channel has started on many DTH networks. With red and yellow branding, the channel looks different from the English news channels currently on air. However, like his former channel Times Now, Arnab’s Republic too has a large amount of screen space dedicated to text, going by the test run screen.
The screen on the test broadcast has logos on all four corners - a red ‘R.’ on the top left and bottom right, and ‘Republic.’ on the top right and bottom left. The tagline - ‘We are your voice’ - is placed below one of the logos.
The test broadcast went live last week, and is currently on air on all major DTH networks, according to a Republic insider.
While Republic has been promoting itself on different platforms ahead of its launch, other channels have been preparing to counter the new entrant. While India Today has portrayed senior anchor Anjana Om Kashyap as their answer to Arnab Goswami, Arnab’s old channel, Times Now, is reportedly preparing to launch a slew of new shows. At CNN News18, the entire primetime band is being revamped, according to sources.
In November 2016, Arnab Goswami quit as Editor-in-Chief and President, News, of Times Now and ET Now, and around one month later, he announced his new venture, Republic.
Since then, the senior journalist has been on a public-meeting and promo spree for Republic, with his latest ads targeting political leaders and the public, and promising everyone that he will be back soon.
Republic has been branded as an ‘independent’ and ‘unbiased’ media outlet, claims which have been questioned as one of the investors in the channel is Rajya Sabha MP and Kerala NDA vice-chairman Rajeev Chandrasekhar.