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Sun TV to increase ad rates after two years
MUMBAI: For almost two years Sun TV Network had left its advertising rates untouched as the market stayed sluggish. But effective 1 January, the southern broadcasting major will up its rates as it forecasts a 20 per cent jump in advertising revenues for the full-fiscal.
For its Tamil channels, the ad rates will go up between 9-33 per cent. The increase in ad rates will be across Sun TV, KTV, Sun Music, Sun News, Chutti and Adhitya.
“We are looking at an ad revenue of Rs 6.9 billion for FY‘10, up 20 per cent from the previous year. The last time we had an ad hike was in February 2008. The downturn prevented us from going for a rate hike in FY‘09,” a source in the company tells Indiantelevision.com.
Sun is accordingly increasing the slot fees (broadcast fees) received from the content producers.
The changes in ad rates for other general entertainment channels of Sun TV Network – Gemini (Telugu), Udaya (Kannada) and Surya (Malayalam) – will be announced by the company within a fortnight.
So how does Sun TV‘s rate hike impact the market? “The market was working at a discounted rate. Sun was not selling at their required premium. With the market leader upping rates, it will be good for everybody,” says Star India president (South) Jagdish Kumar.
Shares of Sun TV closed Tuesday at Rs 337, up 1.16 per cent.
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Lego brings Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Vinicius together
Campaign clocks 314 million views ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 buzz.
MUMBAI: Four legends, one frame and not a single tackle in sight. Lego has pulled off a crossover few thought possible, uniting Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a single campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 only this time, they’re building dreams brick by brick.
Titled “Everyone wants a piece”, the campaign features the quartet assembling a Lego version of the World Cup trophy, before placing miniature versions of themselves atop it, a playful nod to football’s ultimate prize. Shared widely across social media, the ad carries a pointed disclaimer: it is not AI-generated, a subtle but telling signal in an era where even reality is often questioned.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign has already crossed 314 million views on Instagram across the players’ accounts, with fans hailing it as a rare, almost nostalgic moment particularly for the reunion of Messi and Ronaldo, whose last shared campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup became one of the platform’s most-liked posts.
Beyond the film, Lego is extending the play with exclusive, player-themed sets tied to each of the four stars, part of a broader football-led programme designed to ride the global momentum building towards 2026. The idea, as echoed by the players themselves, leans into the parallels between football and play experimentation, creativity, failure, and triumph.
Messi described the sets as a way to bring on-pitch moments into an imaginative, hands-on world, while Ronaldo called the transformation into a Lego figure a rare honour, blending sport with storytelling. Vinícius, meanwhile, struck a more personal note, recalling childhood moments of building with Lego and framing creativity as a universal language that transcends borders.
The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and featuring an expanded 48-team format, global anticipation is already building. Argentina, led by Messi, will enter as defending champions, adding another layer of intrigue.
For Lego, the campaign does more than celebrate football, it taps into its mythology. Because when icons become figurines and rivalries turn into play, the beautiful game finds a new kind of pitch. one built, quite literally, by hand.
