Sun TV starts dirty tricks after Star Vijay takes lead

TRAI and I&B ministry on complaint from Star Vijay has send notice about unfair practices from the Sun Network . Sun TV for the first time has been beaten by a channel and that is Star Vijay . Week 24 saw Star Vijay GRP reach 772 and Sun was 749 across Chennai- Pondicherry. Sun network which controls cable operator SCV and OTT Sun Direct immediately pushed Star Vijay to lower LCN band and making it lower on cables so that viewers would have to reset favourites and those without these settings will have to go down manually to get Star Vijay. Star Vijay after getting BARC ratings advertised on digital platforms about beating market leader in Tamil Nadu. Sun TV officials have not responded to the notices or to request from Star Vijay. Sun Tv officials maintain that this jump is temporary and limited to Chennai region and outside they are the market leaders. For the BJP led Central ministry, the complaint from Disney India that owns Star Vijay, is a god send. It had been trying to end the cable operations of SCV or at least limit it. Late Jayalalitha revived Arasu cable of State Government to take on SCV owned by Kal Cables, subsidiary of Sun Network. To a certain extent, SCV growth and monopoly was limited. In urban areas and especially in Chennai, Tata Play the DTH operator has the largest numbers and followed by Airtel.

Sun has Sun Direct the DTH platform and when Tata Play entered Chennai market, the I&B ministry was with Dhayanidhi Maran of DMK. Facing many resistance from DMK, Tata took up the issue with Prime Minister office and got it resolved. Among the Tamil news channels, Sun News which initially climbed after DMK came to power, has now dipped as it cannot take an offensive stance, DMK first family owned Kalaignar TV is a lower position. Interestingly, Kalaignar TV was started after Sun TV and sister concern Dinakaran the daily newspaper rated M K Alagiri then Union Minister as poor performer. It led to assault on newspaper office and resulted in death of few employees. Later on the Kalaignar TV was involved in the 2G scam. To limit cable operations of SCV, DMK ministry started Arasu cable Corporation to end the monopoly. After the Murasoli family smoked the peace pipe with Karunanidhi family. Arasu became dormant and then took a new avatar when Jayalalithaa came back to power.