Arnab's lift-off message on the launch of the republicworld app

READY FOR THE DIGITAL LIFT-OFF

It's November 6, 2017. How six months have flown!

6 months back, we launched Republic TV. From our first week, India welcomed us with open arms. You gave us so much support, so much feedback, so much acceptance and so much genuine participation. You joined our journey to create a new media in India, and every minute I tell myself how blessed I am. How blessed we all are to have you with us. To be honest, we were still fixing things on the day we launched. But we met as a team and realised that we just needed to be on-air. So we switched the button and went live. We jumped. And you made us fly.

If I can use the rocket analogy, today we have blasted off from our digital launchpad

Today, we are the Number 1 news channel. Not perfect, not even close. But my team has the passion, the hunger for news and the perennial drive. We ask the questions of a new India in the language of New India.

One day, not far from now, we will connect the world.

If I can use the rocket analogy, today we have blasted off from our digital launchpad with the launch of our app. It's the world’s lightest. Our data centre in Bangalore and our content pros in Mumbai have been working on every tech detail and have produced an app that weighs just 3.6 MB on your mobile device. When we started, we were thrilled that our developmental app weighed 4.7 MB and as we went on with more innovations, we have reached a figure of 3.6 MB -- that is amazing. It means you don't delete pictures and video, or other apps to install ours. It means that whatever your smartphone, Republic World will fit brilliantly in your world.

I don't know when the second stage will be. And we are nowhere close to being in orbit. But I know that Digital+TV is the future.

This is the start. I don't know when the second stage will be. And we are nowhere close to being in orbit. But I know that Digital+TV is the future. That's where we will go. Virtual Reality. Vertical Videos. Live Digital News programming. A zippy interactive newsroom built in the heart of an old mill in the centre of Mumbai. One day, not far from now, we will connect the world. Thrusting us into into the furture universe will be even bigger and better engines. This is a beautiful journey. I welcome you to join us again. It's going to be exciting.

Let's go!

Arnab