Jeevan TV set for July launch

The Malayalam TV channel war is getting a new dimension with yet another entrant joining the fray shortly. The Jeevan Telecasting Corporation Ltd, better known as Jeevan TV, is the latest to target the Keralites' drawing rooms, with operations scheduled to commence on July 14.

Jeevan TV, which has a strong presence of the Catholic Church, with the Archbishop of Thrissur Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhi being the chairman of the company, is kicking off operations with an initial investment of Rs250 million.

Jeevan, which will offer competition to the existing Asianet, Surya, Kairali and Doordarshan channels in Malayalam, will beam 24-hour programmes from its two studios set up at Palarivattom in Kochi. Officials of the company said the programme mix will have news, musicals, talk shows and discussions among others.

In a unique experiment, Jeevan TV is planning to set up Jeevan Clubs, which are grass-root level societies of Jeevan TV viewers. Ordinary investors will get to own Jeevan TV shares that are priced at Rs1,000 each, through the Jeevan Clubs by investing in a group.

Dispelling doubts whether the channel will only run Church-related programmes, Jeevan TV managing director P.C. Cyriac said Jeevan would be run as a commercial channel and will not be under the control of the Church.

The channel, however, will not accept liquor advertisements as a matter of principle, officials said.