Kalaignar TV starts

The DMK leadership backed Kalaignar TV, a Tamil satellite channel, began beaming its programmes from Saturday, the 99th birth anniversary of DMK founder late C N Annadurai and also 'Ganesh Chaturthi' day.

DMK patriarch and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, the brain behind the channel named 'Kalaignar,' as he is fondly called by his followers, in a message, said everybody was saying that all projects inaugurated by him had become a runaway success.

"But the promoters of some projects, which have become a huge success, have distanced themselves from me,' he said in an obvious reference to the Maran brothers, whose SUN-TV has become a household name in the state. The brothers had distanced themselves from the DMK due to problems between the families of Karunanidhi and the late Murasoli Maran.

In a bid to attract viewers, the channel had signed up leading film personalities like K Balachander, Bharathiraja, Kushboo and A V M Saravanan to provide programme content.

In another bid to outshine the SUN-TV newscast, the channel has drawn newspersons from the SUN group and timed its newscast half an hour ahead of SUN.

It has also got the telecast rights of the latest Tamil films like 'Mozhi', a small budget but runaway success, the high cost Rajinikant starrer 'Sivaji' and another huge hit 'Imsaiarasan'.

The inaugural day feast for viewers was telecast of 'Mozhi' and 'Imsaiarasan'.