MAM
Raj targets global audiences with new design positioning
MUMBAI: Chennai-based Raj Television Network has made an effort to break away from the typical regional look and feel that most Tamil channels possess when it comes to channel design. The new design change it has unveiled on 5 June is an attempt to project a more globally accepted appearance.
The move is part of the network’s strategy to strengthen its hold on the Tamil-speaking diaspora spread all over the world. The network has a global expansion plan in mind as well.
“The change in the design strategy is part of the network’s plans to tap more global audiences. Currently we are available in the Europe. We have just made an entry in Sri Lanka on the Direct-to-Home (DTH) platform. Raj has plans to enter Latin America and North America in the next phase,” says Raj TV executive vice-president, programming and production, V Chandrasekaar.
Raj Network channels Raj TV and Raj Digital Plus were launched in Sri Lanka on the country’s only DTH platform CBNSat last week, with an eye on the country’s significant Tamil population.
“The attempt is to change that regional feeling. We wanted to give it an internationally accepted look. We wanted the new design to match the channel’s quality content, adds G Raja Ganapathy, who heads RMG David Chennai, the agency that handles the network’s creative account.
Apart from launching new logos, the network has introduced fresh animation, graphics, promos, break-bumpers and music for its channels Raj TV, Raj Digital Plus, Raj Musix and Vissa TV. The Network has used contemporary colours to project a fresh look. The way programming transitions were conveyed has also undergone a change.
“All the network channels have got new logos now. The interface designs have also been re-worked. We have also got a freshly composed music,” says Chandrasekaar.
When queried whether the network’s core audience would accept the design change, Ganapathy said the core elements hadn’t been disturbed. “Everything cannot change. We have made sure that our loyal viewers are able to relate to this new look.”
Ganapathy adds that the process is not over. “This is just the first step. Or we can say, this is the beginning of a new look. At least a year will take for the network to complete the process. What is in store is, a lot of fresh programming initiatives that will change the face of the channel,” he says.
Sony shows CID and Aahat in Raj TV
An interesting development on the programming front is that Sony Entertainment Television’s popular shows Aahat and CID taking their Tamil avtars on Raj TV from today. While Aahat, renamed in Tamil as Osai, is slotted for 10:05 pm, CID is placed in the 9:30 pm slot. Both the shows will air Monday to Thursday. A Raj TV executive refused to comment when queried whether more such associations were being considered.
Elaborating further on the programming activities, Chandrasekaar says Raj TV has now revamped its afternoon band by packing it with four soaps which are re-runs. “Earlier there were no soaps in this band. Now we are bringing some of the highly successful soaps Raj TV has in its library in this time band. We have plans to launch fresh programming here in the near future,” says Chandrasekaar.
Brands
From mega bills to spontaneous dates: Swiggy Dineout Valentine’s report
From mega bills to last-minute plans, India celebrated love with flair
MUMBAI: Valentine’s Day 2026 was a feast for the senses and wallets alike, according to Swiggy Dineout. India’s on-demand dining platform revealed how the nation celebrated romance with big gestures, lively nights out, and plenty of spontaneous bookings.
Metropolitan hubs continued to rule the roost with Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad seeing the most reservations. Emerging cities aren’t far behind, with Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Chandigarh joining the party. Growth was particularly striking in Surat (up 180 per cent), Vadodara (155 per cent) and Bhubaneswar (145.5 per cent) compared with the previous Saturday.
Mumbai stole the headlines with a single customer splashing out Rs 130,155 – the highest bill in the country. The city also hosted the largest single group booking, with 30 diners coming together to celebrate in style. Most Valentine’s transactions took place between 10pm and 11pm, proving love, and hunger, strike late.
Mumbai stole the spotlight with a mega-spender whose bill made everyone else blush, while savvy diners were cashing in on discounts, including a Pune customer saving 60% and another in Bengaluru saving 50 per cent. Fine dining was on fire, with bookings up 121 per cent year-on-year, though pubs, bars, and lounges remained the crowd favourites, accounting for 30.6 per cent of all reservations. Last-minute romance was the order of the day, with 66 per cent of diners booking within two hours of heading out. Together, India saved over Rs 6 crore, proving that love can be grand, yet thrifty.
Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi led the premium dining rush, showing a growing appetite for curated, high-end experiences. Meanwhile, spontaneous bookings reinforced modern lifestyles, where convenience and instant gratification rule the day.
Whether it was big spends, huge groups, or a last-minute romantic dash, Valentine’s Day 2026 proved love and dining go hand in hand – and sometimes, they go all out.
