The capital costs to start a TV station are not much these days. About Rs. 250 crores are needed in all, and the equipment used to broadcast and edit is getting cheaper every year. The large outdoor broadcast vans (OBVs) are gone and are replaced by hand-held devices with multiple SIM cards that can transmit the content to the studio as efficiently.

The running costs can be curtailed further by being clear about what the content is intended to achieve. Some TV networks used to employ up to 1000 staff. However, these days the primary offering of the channels is opinion and not reportage. Citizen journalists also contribute material. A channel can be run with a smaller staff. Content can be solicited from the viewers.

The important time band is 8-11 pm. The rest of the day can have any content. An anchor during prime time can do journalism which is polite questioning or take a personal position and opinion. A news channel has become appointment viewing just as sports match and serials are.