Author: Swati Das
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: May 29, 2011
URL: http://dailypioneer.com/341963/Jaya-Sun-stroke-for-Marans.html
They had monopolised the cable television
scene in Tamil Nadu and most of the south since the skies opened up in the
nineties. But today, the Maran clan seems to be threatened by the AIADMK's
promise of the Government taking over the cable television sector.
In a Press briefing on May 24, Tamil Nadu
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had asked journalists to await the Governor's
address in the Assembly on June 3 for a policy decision. However, her simple
confirmation that her party's manifesto promise would be fulfilled is perhaps
giving jitters to the Maran family, which holds a huge interest in the Sun
TV Network group and the Sumangali Cable Vision (SCV) - which monopolised
the distribution system in the State.
Kalanidhi Maran - who is head of the Sun TV
group and manages a multi-million dollar business - and his brother, Union
Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran, are now hard pressed to save their business,
even as Jayalalithaa has confirmed that her Government would revive the Arasu
Cable TV Corporation.
Arasu had been introduced in 2008 by the erstwhile
DMK Government to negate the monopoly of the Sun group.
The Jayalalithaa Government's expected takeover
of cable television would benefit 12 million watchers, as cable costs are
likely to be cut 50 per cent to 70 per cent per month. This will subsequently
bring down revenue generated annually by distributors - from an estimated
Rs 1,400 crore to less than Rs 500 crore. The SCV, according to market sources,
has over 80 per cent market share.
The prospect of Arasu Cable revival and a
change in cable television policy is expected to herald more competition for
SCV and the Sun Network and also strengthen the Jaya TV network by setting
up other platforms. The only rival for SCV was Hathway Cables but that too
shut shop in 2009.
Now, Jaya TV is likely to come up with more
channels. The expected change gives hope to other private operators and perhaps
there will be scope for channels without political bias.
The Maran brothers, grandnephews of former
Chief Minister and DMK chief M Karunanidhi, had fallen out with their uncle
and the Karunanidhi family in 2007. It was then, in order to cut the monopoly
of the brothers, that the Karunanidhi Government introduced the corporation.
But with the two sides calling a truce just
before the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, plans for Arasu Cable were put on the
backburner, allegedly to save the Marans' business interests.
Until the feud happened, the Sun group was
considered a DMK channel. The feud followed Kalanidhi's efforts to buy back
shares that the DMK's first family had in the group and be free from the party's
hold over the group.
Differences came out in the open after the
group's Tamil daily, Dinakaran, published an opinion poll giving greater percentage
of support to Karunanidhi's son and former Deputy Chief Minister MK Stalin,
and Dayanidhi than Madurai strongman MK Alagiri (Union Chemicals Minister)
and Kanimozhi (Rajya Sabha MP). The split saw the Sun group, which used to
avoid coverage of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa before, take up a neutral posture.
After the Marans reunited with the Karunanidhi
family, Kalanidhi ensured that the truce did not jeopardise neutrality of
his media house. Kalaignar TV - started by the Karunanidhi family following
the split - became the official mouthpiece of the DMK.
However, the bitter campaign before 2011 Assembly
election saw the Sun group enhancing coverage of the DMK's campaign. The extra
mileage given to Karunanidhi and the DMK meant abandoning its neutral stance,
though it continued to cover AIADMK campaign.
On May 13, when it became clear that the AIADMK
would reach a simple majority mark on its own, Sun Network's neutrality returned.
The political fallout of the DMK in the election immediately reflected on
Sun TV Network's share prices in the stock market, which fell.
Sources claim that the Marans do not want
to antagonise any Government, either at the State or Centre, more so the latter.
They are known to be close to the Congress and they need their support to
safeguard their business.
Incidentally, Sun Pictures too has been playing
a big role in the film industry, releasing 19 films in the past year, including
Rajnikant's Endhiran/Robot.
Together with Sun Pictures, those from Karunanidhi
family - Red Giant of Udayanidhi Stalin (MK Stalin's son) and Cloud Nine of
Dayanidhi Alagiri (MK Alagiri's son) - have been monopolising the film industry.
Many films produced by other companies have allegedly been kept on hold.
The Jayalalithaa Government is also expected
to clamp down on this monopoly. Her party had got strong backing from the
film industry during the election.
With these eventualities seeming only too
likely, the Marans' Sun may just be on the wane.
