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Raj TV launches 24-hour Kannada music channel; plans to launch a Kannada GEC soon
With Raj Musix Kannada, the group steps into Karnataka and plans other channels for the region
Tamil Nadu’s regional broadcaster, Raj Television Network, has forayed into Karnataka, with the music channel, Raj Musix (Kannada). The music channel is currently on test mode and will be formally launched after the IPL.
This is the group’s second music channel after Raj Musix (Tamil), which was launched last year. The group plans to launch music channels in Telegu and Malayalam as well. The company plans to invest Rs 4 crore in the four music channels, which will collectively be called Raj Musix.
Talking to afaqs! about the group’s plans for Karnataka, Suresh Iyer, chief executive officer, Raj TV says, “The Kannada market is now maturing. Therefore, we thought that this was the right time to step into the region.”
He adds that the group plans to launch a host of channels, including news and general entertainment channels in the region. After gaining a foothold in the Kannada market, the group plans to start a GEC, “as it is Raj TV's forte and money lies in GECs, as compared to channels in other genres,” adds Iyer.
“There is a lot of scope for focussed channels in the region. With the constant enhancement in content quality, vernacular channels are increasingly gaining acceptance amongst the youth, who, till some time back, were skewed towards English channels. The perception that youth don't want to be associated with local content is fast changing. We aim to be present in all the four states of South,” says Iyer.
The company officials are hopeful that distribution will not pose a problem for the music channel in Karnataka. “Though finding space on the cable is very difficult in the region, distribution will be our biggest advantage,” says Iyer.
Raj Musix will include phone-in shows, SMS requests and celebrity chat shows. The 24-hour music channel will target the youth as well as music lovers. The group is hopeful that the Kannada music channel will break even in three years, and hopes to earn Rs 50 lakh per month as advertisement revenues.
The group is also relaunching its Tamil GEC, called Vissa TV. “Today, people don't want to watch never-ending soaps; they want crisper content. We want to change the scenario of the region by bringing in reality television in the prime time band. So, all our focus is on repositioning Vissa TV,” adds Iyer.