Television in the Tamil language dates back to the 1990s.

The largest TV channels are Sun TV, Star Vijay, Raj TV, Jaya TV, Kalaignar TV, and Zee Tamil. Most of the major television studios are located in Chennai Tamil Nadu. As of 2022, there are more than 50 channels in Tamil language, this is the largest television industry of the country after the Hindi language's one.[1][2]

Important genres of television shows include serials, news programs, variety shows, game shows, Movies, and documentaries. Most Indian-Tamil television programs are available on satellite and multicultural channels in foreign countries (Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Europe, the Middle East and Australia). The first private channel was Sun TV from India.[3]

History

The first Tamil language small-screen programming began in the early 1960s in Singapore and 1980s in India. It started off broadcasting from 7.15 pm to 11.15 pm every day, showing programmes in Singapore's four official languages (Tamil, Malay, Chinese, and English). Tamil programming was originally shown on Channel 8 from its launch on 23 November 1963 until 1 September 1995. In India was only one national channel, the government-owned Doordarshan. It started off broadcasting showing programmes in Indian languages in the 1980s.

The 2000s were the golden years for the Tamil language's television industry. Growth was phenomenal in every dimension.

Television by Country

India

The first Tamil television channels Sun TV and DD Podhigai[4][5] launched on 14 April 1993 in India. Businessmen Kalanithi Maran[6] established the first Tamil language TV station Sun TV which started broadcasting on 14 April 1993,[7] started off with a four-and-a-half hour programming per day on a time-sharing agreement with ATN. However, in January 1997 it became 24 hours programming channel. Sun TV Network recently launched a DTH service and its channels are now available in several countries outside India.

On 14 October 1994, Raj TV[8] was launched by Rajendran. And became the second most popular channel in Tamil in the early 2000s. The same year another channel called Golden Eagle Communication was launched by N. P. V. Ramasamy Udayar,[9][10] which was later acquired by Star India in 2001 took over the channel and rebranded as Star Vijay.[11]

On 22 August 1999, Jaya TV was launched in respect of the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa.

The most recent channels and networks in the Tamil-based Indian broadcasting industry include Jaya TV, Kalaignar TV,[12][13] Zee Tamil,[14] Polimer TV,[15] Colors Tamil,[16] Vendhar TV,[17] Makkal TV and Puthuyugam TV.[18] Currently, the major four cable general entertainment channels that dominate the TRP rivalry are Sun TV, Star Vijay, Zee Tamil, Kalaignar TV, and Colors Tamil.

Singapore

Singapore Television Twelve split the former Channel 12 on 1 September 1995, with the existing channel being replaced by Prime 12, including Tamil-language programming on its schedule. The first Singapore Tamils channel Vasantham Central was launched on 30 January 2000. It was founded and is owned by MediaCorp. On 19 October 2008 when Vasantham Central relaunched as Vasantham TV.[19]

Malaysia

The first Tamil Malaysians channel was Astro Vaanavil.[20] It was launched on 1 June 1996 and created by Astro. The second general entertainment channel was Astro Vinmeen HD. It was launched on 18 October 2013. The co-owned by Southeast Asia's second richest man, Ananda Krishnan, and Astro Malaysia Holdings.[21][22]

Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan Tamils channel was in the early 2000s. On 20 October 1998, Shakthi TV was launched by Capital Maharaja.[23] And became as the first most popular channel in Sri Lanka.

France

The first France-based Tamil language satellite television channel Tamil Television Network was launched in June 1997. Its main audience was Sri Lankan Tamils living in Europe, the Middle East, and Australia.[24] It was the first Tamil-language TV station outside India. The channel ceased broadcasting on 2 May 2007 when Globecast stopped relaying the channel.[25]

Canada

The first Canadian-based Tamil language channel Tamil One was launched on 6 September 2001. Its main audience was Sri Lankan Tamils. The second entertainment channel was Tamil Vision International based in Toronto, Ontario. It was launched on 7 September 2001. It is the largest Tamil media outlet in North America.

The third entertainment channel was Tamil Entertainment Television officially launched on December 13, 2012, on Bell Fibe TV. It is the first 24-hour Tamil channel in North America to broadcast in HD.

United Kingdom

IBC Tamil Television was launched in April 2015 at a ceremonial event in London.[26] It was the second Tamil channel in the United Kingdom after Deepam TV. The channel was launched with over 1500 people. Deepam TV was launched in June 2000. The channel broadcasts 24 hours a day from its studios in Hayes.

In 2015, the company announced that it invested £2 million in state-of-the-art digital studio equipment. The channel now produces nearly all its video content in HD through its studios in the UK, India, and Sri Lanka.

Australia

The first Australian-Tamil-based Television channel Sigaram TV was launched in the early 2000s. In September 2006 due to Sigaram's bankruptcy. Tharisanam TV acquired the existing subscribers from Sigaram TV.[27] In Europe for a short period of time during mid-2008 Tharisanam TV's name was changed to Thendral TV due change of management.[28] However, in Australia, the channel continued to operate as Tharisanam TV.

In October 2008 the channel changed its name to Global Tamil Vision.[29] Today Global Tamil Vision is one of the largest Tamil TV networks in the world.

Streaming Service (OTT)

Online video streaming, also known as Over-the-top (OTT) services like Hotstar, Sun NXT, ZEE5, Amazon Prime Video, Mediacorp, MX Player, and others, gained popularity among Tamil People after 2020 because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. It created a threat to the Tamil television industry.[30]

Channels by Country

General Entertainment

Channel Launch Owner Country
Sun TV 14 April 1993 Sun TV Network India
Raj TV 14 October 1994 Raj Television Network
Star Vijay 24 November 1994 Disney Star
Jaya TV 22 August 1999 Jaya TV Network
Makkal TV 6 September 2006 Makkal Tholai Thodarpu Kuzhumam Ltd
Kalaignar TV 15 September 2007 Kalaignar TV Private Limited
Mega TV 19 November 2007 Mega TV Network
Vasanth TV 5 May 2008 Vasanth & Co Group
Zee Tamil 12 October 2008 Zee Entertainment Enterprises
Captain TV 14 April 2010 Captain Media
Polimer TV 2009 Polimer Media Private Limited
Super TV 2011 Unknown
Puthuyugam TV 23 October 2013 SRM Group
Vendhar TV 24 August 2014
Vaanavil TV 14 February 2016 Unknown
Colors Tamil 19 February 2018 Viacom18
Blacksheep TV 15 January 2023 Kalaignar TV Private Limited
M Nadu TV 15 January 2023 TN Networks private limited

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The amazing rise of Sun TV". Rediff.com.
  2. ↑ Vijayakumar, Sanjay; Kandavel, Sangeetha (22 October 2018). "Sun group bets big on second channel to take on competition". The Hindu.
  3. ↑ "Sun TV history". Economic Times. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "About the Kendra". Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  5. ↑ "Regional Language Satellite Service". Doordarshan. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  6. ↑ Menon, Jaya (8 November 2005). "Karunanidhi wife pulls out stake in Sun TV". The Indian Express.
  7. ↑ "Rediff India Abroad, April 28, 2006 – Kalanithi Maran: A 'Sunshine' story, by Sanjiv Shankaran and S. Bridget Leena in New Delhi". Rediff.com. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  8. ↑ "The Economic Times". indiatimes.com.
  9. ↑ "From Booze To News". Outlook India.
  10. ↑ "Why UTV bought Vijay TV". Indian Television.
  11. ↑ "Star India buys out UTV's stake in Vijay TV". The Economic Times.
  12. ↑ "Kalaignar TV set to attract viewers with new launches". www.afaqs.com. 29 October 2009.
  13. ↑ "TV series on DMK patriarch Karunanidhi's life from Nov 2". www.hindustantimes.com. 31 October 2019.
  14. ↑ "Zee launches Tamil channel". financialexpress.com. 12 October 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  15. ↑ "The battle for original Tamil TV content". The Times of India. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  16. ↑ "Viacom18 enters Tamil market with launch of Colors Tamil". The Economic Times. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  17. ↑ "Vendhar TV begins". cinema.dinamalar.com. 25 August 2014.
  18. ↑ "Puthuyugam spruces up prime time". The Times of India. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  19. ↑ Wong, Alicia (1 March 2008). "Dedicated Indian and kids TV channels". Today (retrieved from NLB). Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  20. ↑ Sankaran, Chitra; Pillai, Shanthini (2011). "Transnational Tamil television and diasporic imaginings". International Journal of Cultural Studies. 14 (3): 277–289. doi:10.1177/1367877910391867. S2CID 145197401.
  21. ↑ "Singtel TV : Channels & On Demand : Channels : CH626 Astro Vinmeen HD". Archived from the original on 12 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "Astro debuts S.E.A.'s first 24-hour Tamil HD channel | OnScreenAsia.com". Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  23. ↑ "Shakthi TV". Dialog. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  24. ↑ Anbarasan, Ethirajan (February 2000). "Sri Lankan expats find a guardian angel". UNESCO Courier. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  25. ↑ "France suspends TTN broadcast". TamilNet. 2 May 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  26. ↑ "Asian Television Network – Canada – Multicultural – South Asian TV – ATN IBC Tamil". Asiantelevision.com. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  27. ↑ "Tharisanam TV Channel 1 Commences on THAI PONGAL DAY in Australia and Newzealand". Tamil Sydney. 12 December 2006. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  28. ↑ "Breaking News: The LTTE TV Tharishanam goes off the air from today onwards". Asian Tribune. 22 June 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  29. ↑ "Television Broadcast Licensing Update October 2008". Licensing updates. Ofcom. Archived from the original on 2 May 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  30. ↑ Puthiyakath, Hashim Hamza; Goswami, Manash Pratim (6 May 2021). "Is Over the Top Video Platform the Game Changer over Traditional TV Channels in India? A Niche Analysis". Asia Pacific Media Educator. 31: 133–150. doi:10.1177/1326365X211009639. ISSN 1326-365X. S2CID 235405617.
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