NEW DELHI: As part of its ambitious program for integrating the various media
to aid its education initiative, Zee Interactive Learning Systems will launch
Zee Livewires, the VSAT-based centers of learning that would enable real-time
interaction between students and teachers.
President and CEO of Zee Interactive Learning Systems Uma Ganesh said,
"The aim of these centers is to bring to the students the best talent
available in teaching." The program envisages the setting up of such
centers in 50 locations across the country during this financial year. Most of
these centers would be set up through the franchisee route, where the network
will be set up by Zee, and the VSAT equipment at the receiving end will be
installed by the franchisee. The company is in the process of finalizing its
franchisees and expects the centers to be operational by the end of June or the
beginning of July.
Zee Livewire is the result of the group’s efforts towards maximizing its
resources to bring about this convergence in education. First, it had
concentrated on setting up education centers across the country and building up
the brand, Zed Careers.
Now the company is focusing on integrating the various media in furthering
its education program. It plans to launch an education portal, Zeelearn.com, and
a 24-hour TV channel called Z TV, which will focus on providing education-based
programs. The education portal will be horizontal, targeting the youth, the
older generation, women and the corporate sector. The TV channel would aim at
providing education, which would not necessarily be academic in nature but about
life in general. The programs would be both informative and entertaining.
The company plans to invest Rs 100 crore in expansion this year. Most of the
funds will go towards its portal and the new channel. Over the next five years,
Zee expects these two streams to yield a revenue of Rs 500 crore.
Speaking about the portal initiative Ganesh said, "It’s not just
distance learning we are aiming at. It’s the kind of courses we shall provide.
For instance, we have found that courses on being a detective are hard to come
by. Interaction with security agencies has revealed that it is difficult to find
trained people for this job. So we aim to focus on such niche slots."