India says Hello! to high life with new magazine

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Hello!, the global celebrity news magazine, launched its first issue in India on Tuesday, promising to pamper readers with a steady coverage of the champagne and caviar lives of celebrities and royalty.

Bigger stacks of glossy magazines are hitting the newsstands in India as an increasing number of foreign titles launch here, but tough ownership rules and low advertising yields are keeping a lid on profits.

Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Seventeen, Maxim, Time Out and OK! and others are already on the stands, with more in the wings.

Launching with an exclusive set of photographs and news about the recent marriage of British actress

Elizabeth Hurley to Indian businessman Arun Nayar, Hello! publishers say readers could expect steady, exclusive peeks into the private lives of celebrities, royalty, sports stars and corporate chiefs.

"Hello! is the big daddy of the fine life," said Ruchika Mehta, the editor of the monthly's Indian edition.

"The larger-than-life romances, the 'bling' homes, the to-die-for fashion and class, the 'giga-gorgeous' women and men, all packaged into a high gloss monthly."

India's large number of English speakers, rising disposable incomes and greater media penetration have attracted such names as Pearson Plc, Independent News & Media Plc, Hearst and Conde Nast Publications.

Others, including Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN, Germany's Bertelsmann AG and Rodale are also keen to launch.

But foreign media firms have been slow to make big investments, opting instead for small stakes or licensing deals in a fragmented market dominated by regional-language titles and family-owned firms that are reluctant to cede editorial control.

India allows 100 percent foreign ownership in non-news titles, but has a 26 percent ceiling in news publications.

Most Indians identify celebrities with Bollywood film stars, but Hello! says it hopes to change the perception by focusing on industrialists, socialites and leaders in diverse fields. About 80 percent of the content will be on Indian celebrities.

"Our magazine is going to be a visually strong family read which is why it is going to focus on the family moments of the supercelebs," Mehta said.

The glossy aimed at high-income-group readers aged 20-55 will have an initial print run of 50,000 copies.