Broadbandindia Magazine

The channel will be the first to get launched from  Mathurbhumi group followed by Mathurbhumi News, a news channel.

T here had been a time when the television viewers in Kerala had to stick on to one channel to get them entertained. But years later, with the popularity of visual media, there developed a culture called – Media Culture. Currently the number of malayalam channels has rose to around 20 which includes entertainment, news and channels based on religious views. Mathrubhumi Kappa TV channel launch date is set for October 2012. Being one of the top print media in Kerala, Mathrubhumi is all set to launch two channels; Mathurbhumi Kappa – an entertainment channel and Mathurbhumi News- a news channel. The Kerala-based media house is all set to launch a news channel and a speciality channel in the coming months.

Kappa TV channel will be the first to get launched which will be followed by Mathurbhumi News. Titled as ‘Kappa’, the channel will be a complete entertainer focusing on an array of programmes including music, lifestyle and lot more. The channel aims to give a tough competition to those entertainment channels like Asianet, Surya TV and Mazhavil Manorama which are now on the top run to clinch the hearts of the viewers.  Kappa, which is to be launched first, will carry a mix of music, lifestyle and trivia. NDTV has helped Mathrubhumi set up the two channels. Talking to media, Shreyams Kumar, director, Mathrubhumi, says, “At the moment, system integration is going on for both the channels and soon, test runs will start. The test signals are on for the news channel, which will be launched second in the next couple of months after the speciality channel.” The group is yet to reveal the logo of the two channels.

Kerala is likely to see the launch of about 10 channels in the next one year.  According to those familiar with the TV space of Kerala, the channels in the pipeline include names like Kaumudy TV (by Kerala Kaumudi) and Raj News Malayalam (test runs are on for both the channels), Media One, scheduled to be launched soon this year, Zee Malayalam, Asianet Chiri, Janapriya TV and Kairali Arabia, apart from the two channels by Mathrubhumi.

Mathurbhumi News

Mathurbhumi News Channel has already roped some of the leading media personalities from other channels to give a blossom look. After the launch of the channel which is expected to happen in November, this news channel aims to rise up the ladder giving a close competition to other news channels like Asianet News, Manorama News, India Vision, Reporter TV and People TV. Mathurbhumi News will be free-to–air(FTA), while discussions are on with Cable & DTH providers to reach the channels to other parts of the world where there are large malayalee communities. Mathrubhumi News will face competition from Indiavision, a Malayalam news channel from Indiavision Satellite Communications; Asianet News from Asianet; People TV from Kairali; Reporter TV from Indo-Asian News channel and Manorama News, the channel from its arch rival in the print domain, Malayala Manorama.