Television in Tamil language

The first Tamil television channels Sun TV and DD Podhigai[4][5] launched on 14 April 1993 in India. Businessmen Kalanithi Maran[6] established the first Tamil language TV station Sun TV which started broadcasting on 14 April 1993,[7] started off with a four-and-a-half hour programming per day on a time-sharing agreement with ATN. However, in January 1997 it became 24 hours programming channel. Sun TV Network recently launched a DTH service and its channels are now available in several countries outside India.

On 14 October 1994, Raj TV[8] was launched by Rajendran. And became the second most popular channel in Tamil in the early 2000s. The same year another channel called Golden Eagle Communication was launched by N. P. V. Ramasamy Udayar,[9][10] which was later acquired by Star India in 2001 took over the channel and rebranded as Star Vijay.[11]

On 22 August 1999, Jaya TV was launched in respect of the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa.

The most recent channels and networks in the Tamil-based Indian broadcasting industry include Jaya TV, Kalaignar TV,[12][13] Zee Tamil,[14] Polimer TV,[15] Colors Tamil,[16] Vendhar TV,[17] Makkal TV and Puthuyugam TV.[18] Currently, the major four cable general entertainment channels that dominate the TRP rivalry are Sun TV, Star Vijay, Zee Tamil, Kalaignar TV, and Colors Tamil.

Singapore Television Twelve split the former Channel 12 on 1 September 1995, with the existing channel being replaced by Prime 12, including Tamil-language programming on its schedule. The first Singapore Tamils channel Vasantham Central was launched on 30 January 2000. It was founded and is owned by MediaCorp. On 19 October 2008 when Vasantham Central relaunched as Vasantham TV.[19]

The first Tamil Malaysians channel was Astro Vaanavil.[20] It was launched on 1 June 1996 and created by Astro. The second general entertainment channel was Astro Vinmeen HD. It was launched on 18 October 2013. The co-owned by Southeast Asia's second richest man, Ananda Krishnan, and Astro Malaysia Holdings.[21][22]

The Sri Lankan Tamils channel was in the early 2000s. On 20 October 1998, Shakthi TV was launched by Capital Maharaja.[23] And became as the first most popular channel in Sri Lanka.

The first France-based Tamil language satellite television channel Tamil Television Network was launched in June 1997. Its main audience was Sri Lankan Tamils living in Europe, the Middle East, and Australia.[24] It was the first Tamil-language TV station outside India. The channel ceased broadcasting on 2 May 2007 when Globecast stopped relaying the channel.[25]

The first Canadian-based Tamil language channel Tamil One was launched on 6 September 2001. Its main audience was Sri Lankan Tamils. The second entertainment channel was Tamil Vision International based in Toronto, Ontario. It was launched on 7 September 2001. It is the largest Tamil media outlet in North America.

The third entertainment channel was Tamil Entertainment Television officially launched on December 13, 2012, on Bell Fibe TV. It is the first 24-hour Tamil channel in North America to broadcast in HD.

IBC Tamil Television was launched in April 2015 at a ceremonial event in London.[26] It was the second Tamil channel in the United Kingdom after Deepam TV. The channel was launched with over 1500 people. Deepam TV was launched in June 2000. The channel broadcasts 24 hours a day from its studios in Hayes.

In 2015, the company announced that it invested £2 million in state-of-the-art digital studio equipment. The channel now produces nearly all its video content in HD through its studios in the UK, India, and Sri Lanka.

The first Australian-Tamil-based Television channel Sigaram TV was launched in the early 2000s. In September 2006 due to Sigaram's bankruptcy. Tharisanam TV acquired the existing subscribers from Sigaram TV.[27] In Europe for a short period of time during mid-2008 Tharisanam TV's name was changed to Thendral TV due change of management.[28] However, in Australia, the channel continued to operate as Tharisanam TV.

In October 2008 the channel changed its name to Global Tamil Vision.[29] Today Global Tamil Vision is one of the largest Tamil TV networks in the world.