Raj Television Network is fundamentally a family-run vault of South Indian screen culture that has spent three decades turning a single Tamil channel into a 14-channel network across five languages - its recurring approach is to own a deep library of retro and classic content, produce much of what it airs in-house, and distribute it everywhere from cable to a proprietary OTT app. The company began in 1983 as a video cassette lending library and electronics shop before launching India’s second Tamil satellite channel in 1994, and it still operates as a tightly held promoter-group business with no subsidiaries.
Business segments
A single integrated broadcasting engine that earns from advertising and subscription fees, supported by an in-house content factory and a small film-rights trading desk - all reported as one ‘Media and Entertainment’ unit.
1. Satellite broadcasting: the flagship engine that reaches over 95 million homes
Fourteen channels in five languages earn money the way all television does - advertisers pay for audiences, and cable and DTH operators pay for the signal.
- A multi-language, multi-genre bouquet - the network carries 14 channels and holds 14 broadcasting licences across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi, spanning general entertainment, movies, music, news, and comedy, with a kids’ channel in the pipeline.
- Paid by advertisers and platforms - revenue comes from advertising (air-time charges and slot sales) and from subscription fees billed to cable and DTH operators based on the number of subscriber points at contracted rates; two channels launched in April 2024 were converted to pay channels in July 2024, with Raj Nagaichuvai priced at ₹1.5 per subscriber and Raj Pariwar at ₹0.75.
- Distribution is nationwide and cross-border - the signal travels through a network of cable and DTH platforms across India and reaches viewers in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and more than 172 countries, with one international channel dedicated to non-Indian audiences in their native languages.
- Infrastructure is owned, not rented - the company operates its own uplinking station and exclusive transponder facility, giving it control over transmission rather than depending entirely on third-party teleport operators.
2. Content production and library: the vault that feeds the channels
Over 100,000 hours of owned programming - much of it self-produced - gives the network a cost advantage and a unique pull with audiences who want retro and classic films.
- Self-produced content builds an IP moat - in-house production lets the company retain complete rights to its shows and films, so it can re-air and re-license them without paying recurring licence fees.
- A library that spans generations - the catalogue of more than 100,000 hours leans heavily on evergreen and classic movies, which creates a “unique cultural connect” and draws audiences looking for retro Tamil cinema that newer platforms often lack.
- Studios, a music label, and a movie unit under one roof - the company houses an in-house TV studio, a film production and distribution arm, and its own music label, which means it can produce a variety of formats without outsourcing the entire pipeline.
- Content acquisition fills the gaps - alongside its own productions, the company spends on acquiring movie and music rights for broadcast, digital, and international use, and has bought and resold film rights when market conditions were favourable.
3. Digital and OTT: the direct-to-consumer bet
A subscription video-on-demand app, launched in 2022, puts the library directly on phones and smart TVs - priced at as little as one rupee a day.
- A low-cost, library-first app - RAJ DIGITAL TV offers over 1,000 Tamil movies, music videos, TV shows, and live channels in four South Indian languages, with subscription plans that start at a monthly ₹29 and top out at ₹299 per year.
- Built on a partner’s rails - the platform runs on AIRTEL IQ as the technology and backend partner, so the company did not have to build streaming infrastructure from scratch.
- A hybrid cable-plus-streaming box - the company also offers a hybrid Digital Cable TV and OTT service, letting customers access content at home through a single device rather than switching between cable and a separate streaming stick.
Group structure and partners
A standalone, promoter-held company with no subsidiaries - the four founding brothers run the business and sit on the board alongside one spouse.
- The promoter group consists of the four brothers - M. Raajhendhran (Chairman & Managing Director), M. Rajaratnam, M. Ravindran, and M. Ragunathan (all Whole-Time Directors) - and Mrs. R. Vijayalakshmi, spouse of Mr. M. Ravindran, who serves as a Non-Executive Director.
- The company has no subsidiaries, joint ventures, or associates; it does not prepare consolidated accounts.
- The OTT platform’s technology partner is AIRTEL IQ, which provides the backend for RAJ DIGITAL TV.
- The company is listed on both NSE and BSE, with a paid-up equity share capital of ₹25.95 crore divided into 5.19 crore shares of ₹5 each as of March 2025.