MUMBAI:Close on the heels of Star's Vijay TV, which claims to have inched past number two Tamil channel KTV, another regional player, Raj TV, is also sprucing up.

The channel will sport a new logo from 14 October and a new signature tune, along with a set of new programming initiatives. The Raj Television Network is also planning to invest an estimated Rs 1000 million in launching a Telugu channel in March 2003, for which talks are on with venture capitalists. Cinevistaas, AVM and Telephoto Entertainment are among those that are slated to produce new shows for the revamped Raj TV, say media reports.

The channel, that already has over 2000 films in its library is planning to air recent, popular films, a set of which it has acquired recently. While Sun TV has already risen on American screens from this month and Vijay caters to a Tamil block on a UK Sinhalese channel, Raj is also looking to get a toehold in the overseas markets in the UK and US.

The new Telugu channel will however be a news based channel aimed at the rural population as well as women in Andhra Pradesh. Sun's Gemini and Eenadu's ETV are the current top contenders in the satellite channel stakes in the state. The new channel will have a new logo, a new name and a fresh infusion of manpower, say reports.

Raj TV, which has teleport facilities in Chennai, will uplink the new channel from the same facility.