ITV

Tag: Hansraj Saxena

  • Sun enters newspaper space with Dinakaran acquisition

    Sun enters newspaper space with Dinakaran acquisition

    MUMBAI: Kalanithi Maran’s Sun Network has bought out Tamil publication giant Dinakaran. With this deal, Maran, who enjoys prominence in television and FM radio, has now entered the newspaper market.

    Confirming the development to indiantelevision.com, Sun TV vice-president (programmes) Hansraj Saxena says, “This is a 100 per cent buy out. We are planning to relaunch Dinakaran in a big manner. This will be Sun’s stepping stone into the newspaper space.”

    The deal between Maran and Kumaran was signed yesterday (16 June). As per the deal, all the Dinakaran group publications now will move to Sun. Presently, Dinakaran is the third largest daily in Tamil.

    The Dinakaran group of publications, owned by K Kumaran, has the flagship daily Dinakaran, eveningers Mali Murasu and Tamizh Murasu under its umbrella. Apart from this, the publication behemoth also has three weeklies Yogalatchumi, Velai Vazhikatti and Vaniga Ulagam.

    Sun Network already has a Tamil magazine Kungumum, which has risen on the stands like the proverbial phoenix. Kungumum was the most significant mover over the last three years among the magazines and stood in the fourth position as per the NRS 2005 findings. Kungumum’s readership in 2003 was 765,000 and it ranked 81st in the NRS 2003 survey. Since then the magazine has increased its viewership manifold. At present the magazine’s viewership stands at 5,571,000.

  • SUN TV GOING STRONG; N0 CUT IN AD RATES

    SUN TV GOING STRONG; N0 CUT IN AD RATES

    The market has been awash with the canard that with the arrival of the AIADMK in the corridors of power in Tamil Nadu, Sun TV is wilting. Rumours that the Sun Network has slashed its rates fearing rivalry from the Jayalalitha-backed Jaya TV, have been doing the rounds of ad agencies. In fact, even indiantelevision.com inadvertently fell prey to one such rumour and was led to believe that the network was doing away with its categories and clubbing all its spot sales under one general category with spots being priced at Rs 10,000 for 10 seconds.

    But that is totally untrue and the facts are that Sun TV is going strong. And it fears no competition from any rivals, be they Jaya TV or any other channels, says its vice-president (programmes) Hansraj Saxena. He adds that Sun TV is run as a professional organisation; there is no issue of politics.

     

    “We have done best when the AIADMK has been occupying the hot seat. We launched in 1992 at a time when it was in power,” says Saxena.

     

    According to the new Sun TV rate card, the categories of Super Double A Plus, Super A Plus, A+ and A continue and there has been no drop in ad rates.

     

    In fact, analysts expect the Sun Network to notch up an even better showing this year as the channels within the group gain from strength to strength with viewers hooking on more. Projections are that the Sun Network as a whole will chalk up revenues of close to RS 300 plus crore in the coming year. The Sun will surely continue to shine.