News Broadcasting
Raj seeks its place in the ‘Sun’ with three channels
CHENNAI: The lucrative southern market where Kalinidhi Maran’s Sun is shining brightly is all set to see competition. Come 23 May Raj Network will launch a Telugu channel Visa TV.
The Rs 100 million Visa TV will be owned by an independent company, Visa Television Network. Visa TV will be the sixth player to enter the Telugu market. Besides Suns channels Gemini and Teja you have ETV, MAA and Doordharshan.
The launch of news channels is happening thick and fast and the south is no exception. Raj will also launch a 24-hours news channel and music channel.
Raj Television CEO Rajeev Nambiar has been quoted in a report saying, “All the three new channels will be free while our two existing channels Raj TV and Raj Digital Plus will go pay for Rs. 12”.
Let’s now scrutinise the financial aspects of the plans. Raj Television’s MD M Raajhendhran has been quoted saying that they will involve a capex of Rs 420 million. The source of funds will come mainly out of internal accruals and some borrowings from the State Bank of India
Raj’s revenue is Rs 400 million and Nambiar is clearly hoping for increases in both ad and subscription revenue with the two channels going pay. Of course CAS will weed out the filler channels and those too weak to stand on their own two feet. Therefore a big question mark hovers over the extent to which Raj is able to enhance subscription revenue in its home state. It is lagging behind the competition in terms of quality of transmission and programmes. Nambiar however maintains that transmission is a problem only in Tamil Nadu. “In other markets the picture clarity is quite good,” he said. Nambiar is hopeful of clocking a turnover of Rs 1.2 billion this fiscal.
The Tamil channel ad market is worth Rs 3 billion. Sun and national broadcaster Doordarshan garnering nearly Rs 2 billion. This leaves Raj’s two channels, Jaya TV, Star Vijay and Tamizhan TV fighting for the remaining Rs 1 billion.
On the distribution front Nambiar has been quoted as saying that the total declarations by the cable ops and multi-system operators (MSO) in Tamil Nadu are around 3.5 million and in Chennai it would be around 1.5 million. He maintains that the situation is healthy even if Raj gets one-third of the above numbers.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
