Romedy Now

About Romedy Now

Romedy Now is an English-language movie and entertainment channel from Times Network, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Launched on 22 September 2013, the channel is dedicated to romantic comedies, broadcasting Hollywood rom-com films and shows under the tagline "Love Laugh Live". Operated by Bennett Coleman & Co. Limited's broadcast arm, Romedy Now carved a distinctive niche as television's home for feel-good romantic comedy. In 2015, BARC India data credited the channel with a 58 percent share of English GEC viewing, reflecting its dominance of its niche. Its programming has included beloved sitcoms such as Friends and 2 Broke Girls alongside The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The high-definition feed, Romedy Now HD, was closed on 1 August 2021 and replaced by Times Now Navbharat HD, while the standard-definition channel continues to broadcast. The channel's Valentine's Day marathons rank among its most popular annual events, celebrating romantic comedies with themed programming that draws the genre's loyal fans. Its single-genre clarity has kept the brand distinctive in Times Network's portfolio.

History

Romedy Now was launched on 22 September 2013 by Times Network, the broadcast arm of Bennett Coleman & Co. Limited (The Times Group). The channel's debut introduced a novel proposition to Indian television: an entire channel devoted to romantic comedies, the feel-good genre spanning Hollywood films and sitcoms. The launch gave Times Network an English entertainment outlet distinct from the drama-led positioning of Star World and Zee Café.

The channel's early years were marked by strong performance: 2015 BARC data credited Romedy Now with 58 percent of English GEC viewing, an extraordinary share reflecting how completely the channel owned its rom-com niche. On 1 August 2021, the network closed the Romedy Now HD feed, replacing it with Times Now Navbharat HD, the high-definition version of its Hindi news channel, while the SD channel continued. The channel has continued to broadcast its romantic comedy schedule since.

Ownership and Corporate Structure

Romedy Now is owned and operated by Times Network, the television broadcasting division of Bennett Coleman & Co. Limited, India's largest media conglomerate and publisher of The Times of India. The network's portfolio spans English news (Times Now), business news (ET Now), Hindi news (Times Now Navbharat), entertainment (Zoom) and movies, with Romedy Now as its English rom-com specialist.

Within the network, Romedy Now occupies a unique entertainment niche, complementing the news-led channels with feel-good programming. The Times Group's media scale supports the channel's content acquisition and distribution.

Programming

Romedy Now's schedule is devoted to romantic comedies: Hollywood rom-com films form the backbone, supplemented by romantic sitcoms and light entertainment shows. The channel has aired beloved series including Friends, the iconic 1990s sitcom, and 2 Broke Girls, alongside The Ellen DeGeneres Show's daytime talk format. Its film library spans the classic and contemporary rom-coms that define the genre, from 1990s favourites to modern romantic comedies.

The channel's programming is organised around the "Love Laugh Live" promise: love stories, laughter and feel-good living. Themed marathons around Valentine's Day and festive periods celebrate the genre, and the channel's presentation emphasises warmth, humour and romance.

Brand Identity and Tagline

Romedy Now broadcasts under the tagline "Love Laugh Live", a three-word distillation of its romantic comedy proposition. The channel name itself blends "romance" and "comedy", stating its genre focus plainly. The on-air packaging uses warm, romantic visuals, pinks, reds and soft tones, positioning the channel as television's cosiest destination.

The brand's single-genre clarity has been its strength: viewers know exactly what to expect, a contrast to generalist English channels mixing dramas, thrillers and reality. The rom-com focus gives the channel a distinctive voice in Times Network's portfolio.

Broadcast Language and Audience

Romedy Now broadcasts in English, targeting urban viewers who love romantic comedies, with a particular appeal to young women and family audiences seeking light entertainment. The channel's audience includes the English-speaking metro viewers who form the core of the English entertainment market, drawn by the comfort-viewing appeal of familiar rom-coms.

The channel's 58 percent English GEC share in 2015 demonstrated its ability to dominate its niche, attracting viewers who might not watch darker English dramas but love romantic comedies. Its feel-good positioning broadens the English entertainment audience beyond the typical young-male skew of action-oriented channels.

Reach and Distribution

Romedy Now is distributed through cable and DTH platforms across India's urban markets as part of Times Network's bouquet, reaching English-entertainment viewers in the metros and large towns. The channel's SD feed continues on major DTH platforms following the 2021 HD closure.

The channel's films and shows also reach viewers through the network's digital properties. Its bouquet inclusion ensures carriage across Times Network's distribution footprint.

The HD Closure

On 1 August 2021, Times Network closed the Romedy Now HD feed, replacing it with Times Now Navbharat HD. The move reflected the network's prioritisation of its Hindi news expansion: the HD slot was redeployed to serve the high-definition version of Times Now Navbharat, the Hindi news channel, which the network was building as a major national player. The SD Romedy Now channel continued unaffected.

The HD closure illustrated the trade-offs broadcasters face in allocating transponder capacity: the network judged that a Hindi news HD feed would deliver greater strategic value than an English rom-com HD simulcast. The SD channel's continuation preserved the rom-com brand for its linear audience.

Digital Presence

Romedy Now's films and shows are promoted through Times Network's digital properties, and romantic comedy content finds engaged audiences on social media, where the genre's quotable moments and nostalgic appeal drive sharing. The channel's Valentine's Day programming generates digital conversation.

The network's streaming assets carry entertainment content to online viewers, complementing the linear channel's schedule. The rom-com genre's comfort-viewing appeal translates well to digital clip culture.

Milestones

The launch of Romedy Now on 22 September 2013 created Indian television's first dedicated romantic comedy channel, a genre innovation in the English entertainment space. The channel's 2015 achievement of a 58 percent English GEC share, per BARC India, marked its commercial peak and validated the single-genre strategy.

The 1 August 2021 HD closure and replacement by Times Now Navbharat HD marked a strategic inflection, while the SD channel's continuation preserved the brand. The channel's decade-plus run demonstrates the durability of its rom-com niche. In an English entertainment market reshaped by streaming, where generalist channels struggled, Romedy Now's single-genre clarity gave it a defensible position: viewers seeking comfort-viewing romantic comedies knew exactly where to find them.

Sister Channels and Network Context

Romedy Now is part of Times Network, whose channels include Times Now (English news), ET Now (business news), Times Now Navbharat (Hindi news), Zoom (entertainment) and MN+ (English movies). The network is the broadcast arm of Bennett Coleman & Co. Limited, publisher of The Times of India and The Economic Times.

Within this portfolio, Romedy Now is the feel-good entertainment specialist, balancing the news-heavy network with romantic comedy. Its niche complements MN+'s broader English movie offering.

Headquarters and Operations

Romedy Now is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, operating from Times Network's broadcast facilities. The channel's operations include rom-com film and series acquisition, scheduling, English-language presentation and packaging, and transmission as part of the network's bouquet.

The channel's commercial operations target advertisers seeking the rom-com audience, including lifestyle, fashion and entertainment brands. Its programming teams curate the library into themed slots and seasonal celebrations of the genre.