Sun TV (India) explained

Sun TV
Sister Channels:See List of channels owned by Sun TV Network
Launch Date:[1]
(HDTV)
Picture Format:1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 576i for the SDTV feed)
Network:Sun TV Network
Country:India
Language:Tamil
Area:Worldwide
Headquarters:Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Owner:SUN Group
Website:

Sun TV is an Indian Tamil-language general entertainment pay television channel owned by Sun TV Network. It was launched on 14 April 1993. It is the flagship channel of the Chennai-based media conglomerate Sun Group's Sun TV Network. It was founded and is owned by Kalanithi Maran.[2]

It started airing on open network (Antenna) on 14 July 2002 at the time of "Majunu" Tamil movie premiering. Then it was removed from this open network on 2005. It was also removed from free on 9 November 2007. Sun TV launched its HD version on 11 December 2011.[3]

Since its inception, the channel consistently remains the top rated Tamil channel and one of the top rated Indian television channel.[4] [5] [6]

History

Sun TV is the flagship channel of Sun TV Network which started on the Tamil New Year, 14 April 1993.[7] [8] [9]

It 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.

In 1995, it signed an agreement with ST Teleport in Singapore to provide uplink.[10]

Sun TV was listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange on 24 April 2006 upon raising $133 million.[11] It is the most viewed Tamil television channel in the world with syndicated broadcasts in several countries such as the United States, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Qatar, Hong Kong, Europe (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands and Ireland) and other countries.[12]

Programming

See main article: List of programs broadcast by Sun TV (India).

Scandal

On 8 December 2013, the Little India Riot broke out at Singapore. On 9 December 2013, Sun TV made a false news report on the riot saying that the deceased was pushed out of the bus by the driver, as well as attacked by locals. Lim Thuan Kuan, Singapore's High Commissioner to India, protest against the false report. As a result, Sun TV issued a correction the following day and apologized for the error.[13]

Awards

Sun TV also hosts numerous film-industry–related events in Tamil Nadu and the Sun Kudumbam Awards ceremony biannually.[14]

Sister channels

KTV

See main article: article and KTV (India). KTV is an Indian Tamil language movie pay television channel owned by Sun TV Network, broadcasting Tamil language films. It was launched on 22 October 2001.[15]

Sun Music

Sun Music is India's first Tamil language music pay television channel owned by Sun TV Network. It was launched on 5 September 2004. Its HD counterpart was launched on 11 December 2011.[16]

Chutti TV

Chutti TV is an Indian Tamil language kids pay television channel from the Sun TV Network in India. The target audience are children aged between 3 and 17. It was launched on 29 April 2007, making it Sun TV Network's first ever television channel for kids.[17]

Adithya TV

Adithya TV is an Indian Tamil language comedy pay television channel owned by Sun TV Network in India. It was launched on 8 February 2009.

Sun News

Sun News is an Indian Tamil language news pay television channel owned by Sun TV Network, headquartered at Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was launched on 7 May 2000.

Sun Life

Sun Life is an Indian Tamil language classic movie pay television channel owned by Sun TV Network, which broadcasts classic movies. It was launched in 2013.

Notes and References

  1. News: Sun TV Network Ltd. . The Economic Times. 28 November 2015.
  2. Web site: Menon. Jaya. Karunanidhi wife pulls out stake in Sun TV. The Indian Express. 8 November 2005.
  3. Web site: Sun TV HD launched. 28 November 2015. bseindia.com.
  4. Web site: The amazing rise of Sun TV. Rediff.com.
  5. News: Sun group bets big on second channel to take on competition. The Hindu. 22 October 2018. Vijayakumar. Sanjay. Kandavel. Sangeetha.
  6. Web site: WEEK 44 - DATA: Week 44: Saturday, 30th October 2021 To Friday, 5th November 2021. live. 16 November 2021. Broadcast Audience Research Council. https://web.archive.org/web/20211116174716/https://www.barcindia.co.in/data-insights. 16 November 2021.
  7. News: Sun TV history. Economic Times. 28 November 2015.
  8. News: Strong Signal . Forbes . 30 November 2009 . 8 August 2010 . Naazneen . Karmali.
  9. Web site: Rediff India Abroad, April 28, 2006 – Kalanithi Maran: A 'Sunshine' story, by Sanjiv Shankaran and S. Bridget Leena in New Delhi . Rediff.com . 24 January 2012.
  10. News: ST Teleport to double number of satellites as demand grows . 9 February 2024 . The Straits Times . 28 April 1995.
  11. News: Bharatan . Shilpa . Variety.com, Monday, April 24, 2006, 6:36pm PT – Sun TV shines on Exchange . Variety . 27 March 2006 . 24 January 2012.
  12. Web site: Ram. Arun. Karunanidhis pull out of Sun TV. Daily News and Analysis. 7 November 2005.
  13. News: Ramesh . S . 11 December 2013 . Sun TV apologises for incorrect news report on Little India riot . Channel NewsAsia . live . 11 December 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131214004913/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/sun-tv-says-correct/918866.html . 14 December 2013.
  14. Web site: Sharma. Kishore. Karunanidhi pull out of Sun TV. Televisionpoint.com . 8 November 2005.
  15. Web site: Pande. Shamni. Sun Network flexes muscles; to launch KTV channel on October 22. afaqs.com. agencyfaqs!. 4 April 2014.
  16. Web site: BSEINDIA. www.bseindia.com.
  17. News: Chutti TV airs the first motion capture game show in Tamil. The Times of India. June 2015 . en. 2019-08-17.