 | |
| Programming | |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | Malayalam |
| Picture format | 576i (SDTV) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Janam Multimedia Limited |
| Sister channels | Tamil Janam |
| History | |
| Launched | 19 April 2015; 9 years ago (2015-04-19) |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
Janam TV is an IndianMalayalam languagenews channel owned byJanam Multimedia Limited. It was launched on 19 April 2015. The channel is headquartered inThrissur,Kerala.
In 2012, a promoter group consisting of Indian andnon-resident Indian businessperson had applied for permission to launch Janam TV. The clearance for the launch continued to be delayed by theMinistry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) for two years. According to the COO Rajesh Pillai, the channel was flagged due to connections between the promoters group with theRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and theBharatiya Janata Party, a claim that Pillai himself denied.[1]
In 2014, the rulingUnited Progressive Alliance government was dislodged from power and the Bharatiya Janata Party ledNational Democratic Alliance formed a new government.[2] The I&B Minister,Prakash Javadekar took up the cause for issuing clearance for the channel. TheMinistry of Home Affairs granted the I&B Ministry with a report which acknowledged the connections but dismissed any concerns over adversity with the company or its promoters group.[1]
It was reported that the Bharatiya Janata Party was attempting to raise the authorised capital of₹50 crore (equivalent to₹80 crore or US$9.1 million in 2023) for the company.[3] Janam Multimedia Limited was the company which would operate the channel and the film directorPriyadarshan was appointed as the chairman of its board of directors.[4] In February 2015, theUnited Arab Emirates basedchartered accountant and the director of the proposed channel, U. S. Krishnakumar issued a statement that the capital had been raised and Priyadarshan denied that the company had any political backing while stating that the channel was owned by 5,000 shareholders who had made investments in the company. The channel went on air from 19 April 2015 onwards,[5] and was endorsed by the Kerala state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party.[6]
Among notable events in its news coverage, the channel promoted the idea that the Hadiya case was a result ofLove Jihad,[4] aconspiracy theory developed by proponents ofHindutva.[7] During the protests over the2017 Unnao rape case and theKathua rape case, it ran uninterrupted coverage of a "hoax hartal" in Kerala which depicted a violenthartal (transl. general strike) by Muslim organisations.[8]
The channel took a hardline stance against theentry of women to Sabarimala.[4] It ran continuous programming of the development around the dispute at theSabarimala temple,[9] claiming that only it showed the "truth" about the events.[4] Its coverage presented an alternate reality on the events at the site of the temple.[10] In one of its reports, it falsely reported that women were entering the temple with blood stained sanitary napkins and trying to throw them at the idol.[11][12] The canard was picked up by a number of other websites and eventually referred to by the then I&B Minister,Smriti Irani as desecration of a sacred site.[10]
According to the data on television rating points of theBroadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the channel became the second most popular news channel in the state,[13][9] during the period between 3 and 9 November 2018.[14] The rise in ratings of the channel was commended by the official Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh magazineOrganiser, which published an article stating that Janam TV would bring electoral gains for the Bharatiya Janata Party in upcoming election in Kerala and that it signaled a growing acceptance for Hindutva in the state. According to former representative and media criticSebastian Paul, the popularity was a temporary phenomenon and that the data itself was questionable due to the methodology used by BARC.[4]
In 2020, BARC became the primary subject of aratings manipulation case. During this period, theWhatsApp conversations of the CEO were leaked where it was revealed that he had discussed the ratings of Janam TV with his COO at the time of the Sabarimala dispute. The CEO in the conversation had also claimed that thePrime Minister's Office had taken note of the rise in popularity.[15]
Tamil Janam is aTamil-language news channel owned byMarudham Multimedia Limited (owner ofTamil Janam TV). It is launched in 2024. It's available on Tata Play channel no 1570[citation needed]. Janam is also planning to launch inKannada,Telugu and other South Indian languages soon. A latest technology studio is under construction and expected to meet the future technology upgradation in the home theatre and television experience.
| Name | Language | Launched Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janam TV | Malayalam | 19 April 2015 | |
| Tamil Janam | Tamil | 8 April 2024 |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)https://www.keralatv.in/janam-tv/