SUN AIMS FOR THE SKY FOR NEWS, WHILE JAIN GETS BUSINESS LIKE

The news segment is about to receive a shot in the arm. Following in the footsteps of Star, Zee, DD, and Jain, the Sun Network has announced plans to launch four news channels in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam within the next six months. The first of these is deadlined for launch next month with a 24 hour telecast and will be in Tamil and English.

Promoter Kalanidhi Maran has pumped in money into satellite news gathering equipment and a team of journalists across the country - both full time and stringers. Sun News will provide local news to viewers apart from interactive shows and reactions from lay people all over the country in their mother tongue. Four SNGs have been installed in Delhi, Hyderabad,Bangalore and Thiruvanthapuram. More are to follow.

Meanwhile the BJP-supported Jain TV has flagged off its business news service. The new programming block will air seven hours of business news daily. According to Jain TV Chairman Dr J.K. Jain, its goal is to make stock markets more transparent. What differentiates his business service from the rest is the presence of astrologers along with economists and business gurus. Both will sit together to forecast the future of the Indian economy and the stockmarkets.