Print media

Newspaper publishing started in Chennai with the launch of a weekly, The Madras Courier, in 1785. It was followed by the weeklies The Madras Gazzette and The Government Gazzette in 1795. The Spectator, founded in 1836, was the first English newspaper in Chennai to be owned by an Indian and became the city's first daily newspaper in 1853. The first Tamil newspaper, Swadesamitran, was launched in 1899.

Chennai has six major print media groups that publish about eight major newspapers and magazines. The major English dailies are The Times of India

The Times of India

The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...

, The Hindu

The Hindu

The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...

, The New Indian Express

The New Indian Express

The New Indian Express is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper published by the Express Publications. It was founded in 1932 as the Indian Express, under the ownership of Chennai-based P. Varadarajulu Naidu. In 1991, following the death of the then owner Ramnath Goenka, the Goenka...

and The Deccan Chronicle

The Deccan Chronicle

Deccan Chronicle is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. It is published in Hyderabad, India by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited. The newspaper's name derives from the originating place, the Deccan regions of India. Supplements are "TV Guide", "Sunday Chronicle", "Chennai Chronicle", and...

evening dailies, The Trinity Mirror and The News Today

The News Today

The News Today is an English evening daily newspaper in Chennai, India. It is published from Chennai every evening since 1982.-External links:*...

. As of 2004, The Hindu was the city's most read English newspaper, with a daily circulation of 267,349 copies. The major business dailies published from the city are The Economic Times

The Economic Times

The Economic Times is an English-language Indian daily newspaper published by the Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.. The Economic Times was started in 1961. It is the most popular and widely read financial daily in India, read by more than 8 lakh people...

, The Hindu Business Line, Business Standard

Business Standard

Business Standard is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published by Business Standard Ltd in two languages, English and Hindi...

, and The Financial Express

Financial Express

The Financial Express is an Indian English-language business newspaper. It is published by the Indian Express group since 1961. The FE specialises in India and international business and financial news....

. The major Tamil dailies include the Dina Thanthi

Dina Thanthi

Dina Thanthi a.K.a "Daily Thanthi" is a reputed daily Tamil newspaper in Tirunelveli, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Erode, Dindigul, Trichy, Salem, Nagercoil, Cuddalore, Vellore, Pondicherry and Thanjavur. It is owned by Mr.B. Sivanthi Aditanar. It was founded by S. P...

, Dinakaran

Dinakaran

Dinakaran is a Tamil daily newspaper distributed in India. , Dinakaran is the largest Tamil daily newspaper in terms of net paid circulation, which was 1,235,220...

, Dina Mani

Dina Mani

Dina Mani is daily Tamil newspaper printed and published from Chennai, Coimbatore, Vellore, Trichy, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Dharmapuri, Bangalore, and New Delhi in India. The newspaper was established in 1933 and owned by The New Indian Express Group.The first edition came in 1934 september 11...

, Dina Malar

Dina Malar

Dinamalar or "Daily Malar" is a daily newspaper in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Pondicherry, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Trichy, Erode, Vellore and Tamil Nadu, India. Dinamalar was founded by T. V. Ramasubbaiyer. T. V...

, Tamizh Ossai, Tamil Murasu

Tamil Murasu

Tamil Murasu is a Singapore based Tamil language newspaper. Launched in 1935 by Thamizhavel G. Sarangapani, Tamil Murasu is Singapore's only Tamil language newspaper...

,[theekkathir] Makkal Kural

Makkal Kural

Makkal Kural is a Tamil daily newspaper, started in 1973 by M. Shanmugavel.This evening paper was famous for its explosive stand against Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rule in Tamil Nadu at that time. The firebrand editorials of Shanmugavel and TRR were historic at that time. On seeing the popularity...

and Malai Malar

Malai Malar

Malai Malar is daily evening Tamil newspaper in Chennai, Salem and Coimbatore, India. It is owned by Daily Thanti group. It was founded by S. P. Adithanar in 1977 at Coimbatore and the current director is Sivandhi Adithanar....

. Neighbourhood newspapers such as The Annanagar Times and The Adyar Times cater to particular localities. Magazines published from Chennai include Ananda Vikatan

Ananda Vikatan

Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த விகடன் is the leading Tamil language weekly magazine published from Chennai, India. It is part of the Vikatan group which also publishes Junior Vikatan , Chutti Vikatan , Aval Vikatan , Naanayam Vikatan , Sakthi Vikatan , Motor Vikatan and Pasumai Vikatan Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த...

, Kumudam

Kumudam

Kumudam is a Tamil language weekly magazines published in Chennai, India. The group also publishes other Tamil magazines including Kumudam Reporter, Kumudam Snehidi, Kumudam Bhakti, Kumudam Jothidam, Kumudam Theeranadhi. At the sametime kumudam group started a telugu spiritual magazine called...

, Kalki, Kungumam

Kungumam

Kungumam is a Tamil weekly magazine published in Chennai, India. It is owned by Kalanidhi Maran's Sun Network. According to the Kungumam emerged as the top-selling Tamil weekly magazine overtaking historical market leaders like Kumudam and Ananda Vikatan. Also, is the second best selling...

, Swathi (Telugu magazine), Frontline and Sportstar

Sportstar

Sportstar is a weekly sports magazine published in India by the publishers of The Hindu. Its headquarters is in Chennai. The magazine covers sports in India. It also has an extended and lengthy coverage of cricket, the unofficial national sport of India...

and thaimman.

Television

Doordarshan

DoorDarshan

Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...

 runs three terrestrial television

Terrestrial television

Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...

 channels DD CHENNAI

DD Chennai

DD Chennai formerly known as DD Madras is a state owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Chennai.-History:Doordarshan Kendra Chennai was inaugurated on August 15, 1975...

 (DD-1), DD NEWS (DD-2) & DD Podhigai and one satellite television

Satellite television

Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...

 channel, Podhigai TV

Podhigai TV

DD Podhigai is Doordarshan's Tamil language regional channel. It is broadcast both terrestrially and via satellite.-History:Doordarshan Kendra Chennai's Regional satellite Network, DD-5, was launched on 15 April 1993. This service is viewed in India and some parts of the world...

, from its Chennai centre, which was set up in 1974. Private Tamil satellite television networks like Sun TV

Sun TV (India)

Sun TV is a regional Indian cable television station. It is the flagship channel of the Chennai-based Sun Network. It was founded and currently owned by Kalanidhi Maran. It was the first fully privately owned television channel in India when it emerged in 1992...

, Raj TV

Raj Network

Raj Network is a South Indian satellite television network and is based in Chennai, India. The Raj Television Network was started in 1994 to provide wholesome entertainment for the entire family. The Network runs a number of serials, chat shows and game shows...

, Star

STAR TV (Asia)

Satellite Television Asian Region is an Asian TV service owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.In 2009, News Corporation restructured STAR Asia into four units – STAR India, STAR Greater China, STAR Select and Fox International Channels....

 Vijay, Jaya TV

Jaya TV

Jaya TV is one of the major Tamil language satellite television channels based in Chennai, India. Jaya TV is one of the early Tamil channels to entertain the Tamil audiences spread across Globe....

, Makkal TV and Kalaignar TV thamizhan TV broadcast out of Chennai. The Sun Network

Sun Network

Sun TV Network is an Indian media company based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, part of Kal Media Services, Sun Group. It has been named as Asia's most profitable media corporations and the largest TV network. Established on April 14, 1993, it created and owns a variety of television channels and...

, a Rs. 4,395 crore public firm, is based in the city and is the country's second-largest broadcasting company, in terms of viewership share. Some of its TV shows have generated the highest television rating points in the country. In addition to owning 19 TV channels in all major South Indian languages, the group owns FM radio stations in over eleven cities and some Tamil

Tamil language

Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...

 magazines and newspapers. SCV

SCV

SCV can refer to:* Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, a Division I Drum Corps International drum corps based in Santa Clara, California.* Santa Clarita Valley* Sodalitium Christianae Vitae* Several complex variables* Small colony variants...

 is the major cable TV service providers. Direct-to-home (DTH

Direct broadcast satellite

Direct broadcast satellite is a term used to refer to satellite television broadcasts intended for home reception.A designation broader than DBS would be direct-to-home signals, or DTH. This has initially distinguished the transmissions directly intended for home viewers from cable television...

) is available via DD Direct Plus

DD Direct Plus

DD Direct+ is an Indian free-to-air digital satellite television owned by Doordarshan. Which provides digital video and audio programming to households and businesses in India. It offers a satellite alternative to the free-view service on digital terrestrial television, with a broadly similar...

, Dish TV

Dish TV

Dish TV India Limited is an Indian company engaged in the business of providing direct-to-home satellite television service, which includes teleport service, customer support and transponder space leasing. Dishtv is a division of Zee Network Enterprise . It uses MPEG-2 digital compression...

, Tata Sky

Tata Sky

TATA Sky is a direct broadcast satellite television provider in India, using MPEG-2 digital compression technology, transmitting using INSAT 4A at 83.0°E....

, Sun Direct DTH

Sun Direct DTH

Sun Direct is an Indian direct broadcast satellite service provider. Its satellite service, launched on 2005, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in India. Sun Direct uses MPEG-4 digital compression technology, transmitting on INSAT 4B at 93.5°E. and MEASAT-3 at 91.5°E...

, BIG TV

BIG TV

Reliance Digital TV is one of the largest Indian pay TV providers, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to commercial and residential customers in India. It uses MPEG-4 digital compression technology,...

, Airtel Digital TV

Airtel digital TV

Airtel digital TV is an Indian direct broadcast satellite service provider owned and operated by Bharti Airtel. Its satellite service, launched on 2008, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in India. It uses MPEG-4 digital compression with DVB-S2 technology, transmitting...

 and Videocon d2h

Videocon d2h

Videocon d2h is one of the largest Indian pay TV provider, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to commercial and residential customers in India...

. Chennai is the first city in India to have implemented the Conditional Access System for cable television.

Radio

Radio broadcasting started from the radio station at the Rippon Buildings complex, founded in 1930 and was then shifted to All India Radio

All India Radio

All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...

 in 1938. The city has two AM

Amplitude modulation

Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...

 and ten FM

Frequency modulation

In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...

 radio stations, operated by Anna University

Anna University

Anna University was a premier technical university in Tamil Nadu, India. Anna University was formed on September 4, 1978, as a unitary university that integrated four technical institutions in the city of Chennai , including the College of Engineering, Guindy, Alagappa College of Technology,...

, All India Radio

All India Radio

All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...

 and private broadcasters. The FM radio stations

No.	Radio Station name	Frequency
1.	All India Radio Chennai (AIR Chennai) Akashvani Chennai 720 kHz	783 kHz, 1017 kHz, 4920 kHz, 7160 kHz 101.4 MHz, 102.3 MHz
2.	Anna FM (Anna University, Chennai) 720 kHz	90.4 MHz
3.	Loyola FM (Loyola College, Chennai) 720 kHz	90.8 MHz
4.	Radio City 720 kHz	91.1 MHz
5.	M.O.P. FM (Mop Vaishnav College, Chennai) 720 kHz	91.2 MHz
6.	Aahaa FM	91.9 MHz
7.	Big 92.7 FM (Big 92.7, Chennai) 720 kHz	92.7 MHz
8.	Suryan FM Suryan FM 93.5 Sun TV Network owns two Radio brands: Suryan FM in Tamil Nadu and for other territories Red FM. Sun is one of the largest Radio broadcasters in India....  (Suryan FM, SunTV Network) 720 kHz	93.5 MHz
9.	Radio One FM	94.3 MHz
10.	Radio Mirchi Radio Mirchi Radio Mirchi is a nationwide network of private FM radio stations in India. It is owned by the Entertainment Network India Ltd , which is one of the subsidiaries of The Times Group....	98.3 MHz
11.	Rainbow FM	101.4 MHz
12.	Gold FM	102.3 MHz
13.	Gyan Vani FM	104.2 MHz
14.	Chennai Live 104.8 FM, Muthoot Group	104.8 MHz
15.	Hello FM, Malar Publications	106.4 MHz

Kollywood

The Tamil Film Industry

Tamil cinema

Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...

, based in Kodambakkam area of Chennai is the second most popular branch of Indian cinema

Cinema of India

The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...

. The word Kollywood is a portmanteau of Kodambakkam and Hollywood. The AVM Studios located in this area is the oldest surviving studio in India.