After launching three new channels this year, Discovery India, the top non-fictional channel in the country, is now launching the most ambitious show of the network, LIFE. In an exclusive interview with FE’s Avik Das, Discovery Network’s Asia-Pacific senior vice-president and general manager (India) Rahul Johri talks about the network’s new technological moves, content focus and diversification into various Indian languages. Edited excerpts:

What was the basic idea behind launching a High Definition channel, especially when the rest of the eco-system of content creation and distribution has yet to develop?

Discovery has always been at the forefront of technology, specially the HD revolution. We were the first company to launch a 24-hour channel in the US as well as Asia. We really believe our content is very much suited for HD. After all, that’s the future.

Besides, the platform is gradually is shaping up. Consumers have started getting HD TVs. The only missing gap now is the distribution system. DTH, however, has started playing an important role in this regard. The Commonwealth Games will be telecast in HD. That’s the time when viewers will have a great exposure to HD.

By when can we expect these two channels on the digital and analog platform?

By the first week of June, we expect these channels will be broadcast on both these platforms.

We have seen a lot of Indianisation of Discovery in the recent past. What is the idea behind the move?

Earlier, the channel was doing very well, whereas now it’s doing phenomenally well.

Our biggest vehicle for localization, of course, has been language. With the introduction of Hindi and Tamil versions of our programmes, we have succeeded in increasing our viewership to a very great extent. At present, we have 118 million cumulative viewership across India.

Is there any other nation where you have more than one regional language voiceover?

We run in 36 different languages across the world.

India is an exception as there are a number of local languages. This is not the case with other countries. But yes , in China we do have the channel running in all the Mandarine dialects.

Do you have any plans to launch vernacular feeds for the rest of your network?

Definitely. We are evaluating the situation. As the channels hit a size and a critical mass, we will start developing contents in a second language. We expect Discovery Science to do very well. Probably, that can have vernacular feeds after Discovery and Animal Planet.

Is the brand entering into entertainment segment in a big way with prime time shows like Living With A Superstar? Also, does that in any way tamper the original proposition of the brand?

We are in television. We will try and cover each and every topic available. But there is a Discovery way of dealing with them. As far as the proposition is concerned, Discovery has always and will stick to its core values.

Is there any separate investment allocated for developing local content in India?

Basically, if you sense an opportunity, the investment will flow in. It’s not that we allocate any amount that has to be spent on something. It’s more opportunity-driven. If the right idea is there, investments will automatically come to implement it.

Tell us something about the new show, LIFE on Discovery.

It’s an epic series. It can be seen as a successor to Planet Earth. As many as 30 production teams with 70 cameramen used 150 filming strips to shoot for 3,200 days across 52 countries to see the Discovery flag fly at its highest.

With the voiceover of Sir David Attenborough, this 10-part series will show 130 stories from wide frontiers of revelation that will prove human beings are lower down the order as far as fight for survival, ingenuity and instincts are concerned.

After watching an octopus perish without food to save its eggs or frogs from Costa Rican forest climb about half a mile up and down the huge trees carrying tadpoles on their backs to save the new-borns’ life, one can’t but revert to the same conclusion that humans are lower down the order.