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Satellite rights stirs up TV market

Satellite rights stirs up TV market

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Satellite rights stirs up TV market

By -

TNN

Updated: Jan 15, 2017, 05:14 IST

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It is no secret that the satellite rights market in Tamil Nadu is closely tied with the political situation in the state. Still, the recent flurry of activity in this often predictable market has come as a blessing for the Tamil film industry.
An industry insider, on condition of anonymity, explains, ��Today, the competition between the leading TV channels in bagging the satellite rights of new films has become so intense that we have channels procuring the rights of high-profile films months before their release. This has been the situation in Bollywood for the last three years where currently TV rights go for as high as Rs 40 crore (which was the price paid by a leading channel for Hrithik��s Agneepath). This kind of demand for Tamil films is good news for producers as they will have a guaranteed additional revenue stream.��

The scenario earlier was that producers either sold the TV rights to the channel that was being run by the party in power. However, it was Vijay TV, which stirred the market a bit when it bought the rights of the then-hot Eeram for over Rs 1 crore. While this channel has been buying films (both big and small) frequently during the past two years, its biggest acquisition happened early this year when it got Nanban for a whopping amount. And, now, the channel has bagged the upcoming Vijay film Thuppakki for a record price that is rumoured to be in nine figures.
While Sun TV looks at big productions, Kalaignar TV, which was a big player during the last five years, seems to be targeting small films. The latter has flicks like Paiyya, Sivaji and Manmadhan Ambu and award-winners like Pasanga and Azhagarsamiyin Kuthirai in their library. ��We always get the rights of films that have released and done well,�� maintains Florent C Pereira, General Manager, of the channel.

Meanwhile, Jaya TV, which was lying low over the past few years, has now become an active player in this market. The channel has got the exclusive rights for Rajinikanth��s Kochadaiyaan, Suriya��s Maattraan and Jiiva��s Neethaane En Ponvasantham, all of which are still under production. Says V Santhanam, the channel��s General Manager-Admin, ��We select movies only based on their quality. We have a team to see films and it submits a report. We are keen on acquiring films with big stars.��

When quizzed on the cost incurred for the rights of the biggies, all he��s willing to say is, ��It is the producers who fix the price. We only negotiate and arrive at a mutually agreeable figure.��

However, a few producers whom CT spoke to revealed that this rush to bag films by Tamil TV channels has pushed up the price of satellite rights by at least 10 per cent. Today, a small film featuring unknown actors gets a minimum of Rs 10 lakh for its satellite rights while star-driven films go for anywhere between Rs 5 to Rs 10 crore.

And The TV Rights Go To...

Jaya TV �� Kochadaiyaan, Maattrraan, Neethaane En Ponvasantham

Vijay TV �� Nanban, Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi, Thuppakki

Sun TV �� Billa II, Naan Ee

Kalaignar TV �� Manmadhan Ambu, Paiyya, Leelai

Zee Tamil �� Vettai Mannan

End of the article