Politically neutral, sparing none

BY B.P. Sanjay| IN Regional Media | 09/09/2012

Owned by education entrepreneurs, Puthiya Thalaimurai wants to show that there is a clear space for an unbiased news channel in Tamil Nadu,

says B P SANJAY

Puthiya Thalaimurai (PT) recently celebrated one year of its launch. Amidst a plethora of television channels, a one-year-old channel could be ignored. However, in a state that enjoys a very high degree of ownership of television sets and highest number of C&S homes, PT’s entry seems to have upset the clout of other channels including the pervasive SUN TV.

The New Generation Media Group that owns PT channel started a weekly magazine in 2009 called ‘Puthiya Thalaimurai’ and then launched an education magazine named Karka Kasadara (Learn Properly), which provides information on personality development, entrance examinations, etc, for students. In August 2011 it launched PT television channel.

RP. Satynarayana, MD, PT stated in a media interview that the channel aimed primarily at the youth will not align with any political party: “We started this channel because there was not a single channel in Tamil Nadu that gave what the people wanted. Every channel had their own political interests and they showed only what they wanted. Hence, our channel is unique as we do not support any political interests; we believe in just one thing – delivering neutral and credible news. We also believe in having everything live and nothing recorded as we believe recorded shows are edited and shown only according to the channel’s interest.”

According to a cross section of elite who have expressed their views about the channel, it seems to have kept up its promise. Media planners buoyed by the ratings for the channel endorse that the channel has been good from the advertisers’ point of view as well.

The political ambience in the state with the AIADMK coming to power broke the stranglehold of the SUN group over cable distribution and provided another platform for new channels such as PT. The magazine’s formula of not depending too much on the staple fare of cinema and politics has been translated as a guideline for the channel with its intention to focus on “real issues.”

Shyam, VP, (marketing), PT, feels that: "There is a clear space for an unbiased news channel in Tamil Nadu. We will position our channel, in line with international standards, and at the same time, keeping up with our tagline Unmai Udannukudan (news as truth). While we are marketing heavily across both the English and Tamil print media platforms, on television, we are promoting the channel aggressively on STAR Vijay and Zee Tamil."

The PT management intends to get a slice of the Rs 100 crore ad pie for the news genre. Despite having scored over other channels with regard to TRPs, the editorial view is that it is not guided by it. A Forbes write up on the channel in June 2012 quoted P Kalisam, the creative head of PT: “We are a diverse set here, let’s do what we are passionate about, let’s have the faith that what works for us will work for our audience.”

This seems to have worked as a cursory check on PT with the faculty in a university revealing that the channel indeed was making a difference in its approach and content with regard to news and current affairs programming. Their approach as the faculty describes: “politically neutral with regard to spare none approach, programmes on socially useful scientific discoveries and achievements of ordinary people.”

These are early days to conclusively comment on its popularity or TRP-based number one status. Its ad support is encouraging and the management feels it will break even in one or two years. It is now made available on competing DTH platforms such as Tata Sky. The SRM group that owns PT is heavily into the education sector and may synergise its strengths in the sector to carve out a niche in the news, current affairs and knowledge area. While the public sector DD struggles to balance its coverage in a contending political climate, PT in the private sector may have to work harder to sustain its claimed political neutrality.

With impending parliamentary elections and state elections much later, it will be interesting to see how PT will roll out its future programming in a highly surcharged politically conscious state. With two major Dravidian political opponents having their own television channels albeit wide apart in their respective popularity, PT may be providing a sneak opportunity to the viewers to look for a third dimension.

Its recent initiatives include citizen journalism programmes. The channel aired a slew of programmes as part of the anniversary specials under the title Mudhal Aandil, Mudhal Idattil (Number 1 in the first year) These included a special debate on Tamil journalism with noted media persons in the State.

With plans to go international, aimed at the Tamil Diaspora and also launch a English channel, PT intends to be a major player in the Indian media scene by exhorting the legendary Walt Disney dictum of “Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Consistency.”

Prof. Sanjay is a faculty member (on leave) @the Department of Communication, University of Hyderabad.