June is the month where Deepam TV, Ayngaran TV, IBC Tamil Radio and TBC London in Europe are celebrating their birthday. All channels have evolved in different ways, and let's see how it is going these channels today.

Deepam TV:
Deepam TV was started on 11-06-2000 as the second Tamil TV-channel in Europe after TRT Tamil Ozhi, which was started in 1997. Sun TV has been a great help for the success of Deepam TV. First Sun TV programmes were telecasted on TV Asia in Europe. TV Asia was started in 1993 and telecasted programmes in Hindi, Urdu, Tamil etc., but the channel was later transformed into the now wellknown Zee TV brand, and Sun TV programmes where later available through TRT Tamil Ozhi.
Deepam TV managed to get an agreement with Sun TV, and when TRT Tamil Ozhi faced some problems with the economy and in the mangement, Deepam TV managed to grow with success and attract subscribers with new movies, Sun TV programmes and quality programmes.
After Sun TV launched in Europe independently Deepam TV started to show programmes from Vijay TV, Raj TV and Jaya TV - and latest Polimer TV. Today both Vijay TV and Jaya TV have launched in Europe, and the success of Deepam TV has fallen since.
Today the channel is e.g. telecasting some old episodes of Vijay TV's Kalakkapovathu Yaaru, Jaya TV's Raagamaalika, Sun TV's Kalasam teleserial. The subscription has dropped a lot in price, and the quality of the programmes also a little bit.
It will be interesting to see how Deepam TV will manage the future with great competitors like Sun TV Network, Kalaignar TV Network and Vijay TV.

Ayngaran TV:
Ayngaran-Kalaignar TV was started in June 2008, and the company is running successful with the launch of their second channel, Ayngaran-Jaya TV (earlier known as Cee(I)TV Tamil - South For You). The company is also preparing a launch of a movie channel in Europe.

IBC Tamil Radio:
IBC Tamil Radio was launched on 09-06-1997 as the second 24 H Tamil radio in Europe after TRT Tamil Oli Radio, which was launched on 14-01-1997. IBC Tamil Radio was a voice of Eelam Tamils - and especially regarded as a voice of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Europe. In 2000 it was merged with TRT from Paris. After the defeat of LTTE in 2009, the channel faced some problems in the mangement, and the presenters from IBC have now splitted up in three groups - now running IBC Tamil Radio (Sathy Media), ILC Tamil (by A. C. Tharcicious), and Thamizhamutham Radio (by S.K. Rajan).
IBC Tamil was earlier focused on politics, but now the channel has become a more Colombo-style channel with focus on music and entertainment, and the channel has also launched on DAB in greater London area. It has also managed to launch a sister-station called IBC Asia on DAB radio for North Indians in London.

TBC London:
TBC London was launched on 16-06-1998 after a split in IBC Tamil Radio. TBC London is known for its anti-LTTE/Tamileelam propaganda and as a voice of Tamil betrayers among Eelam Tamils working with the Sri Lankan Government. It has been hated by many Tamils in UK & Europe and the owner of the radio, V. Ramaraj, has also been in jail in Swiss for some years ago. There have also been some splits in TBC which led to ETBC Radio (later known as Sangamam Radio), and TBC as UBC Tamil Radio. Later the channel changed its name back to London TBC. Today the channel has appointed some new presenters and trying to attract people.

Media Asia wishes these channels a happy birthday and good luck :-)

- MEDIA ASIA