List of Kannada-language television channels

Below is the list of current satellite television channels in Kannada language, a Dravidian language widely spoken in the South Indian state of Karnataka. Apart from those in the below list, many other Kannada channels exist that are limited to certain cities or districts, run by local cable TV operators.


State government-owned channels

Channel Launch Video Audio Owner Notes
DD Chandana 1994 SD Stereo | 2.0 Doordarshan, Prasar Bharati Official channel of the State Government of Karnataka

General entertainment

Channel Launch Video Audio Owner Notes
Udaya TV 1994 SD+HD Stereo | 2.0 Sun TV Network First Kannada satellite channel to go on air[1]
Colors Kannada 2000 JioStar (formerly ETV Network) Launched as ETV Kannada, re-branded in March 2015[2]
Zee Kannada 2006 Zee Entertainment Enterprises First Mainstream satellite channel in Kannada. [3]
Star Suvarna 2007 Asianet Star Communications, a subsidiary of JioStar (formerly Star India) Launched as Suvarna; re-branded as Star Suvarna in July 2016
Colors Super 2016 SD JioStar Second Kannada GEC from Viacom 18;[4] launched in July 2016
Siri Kannada 2018 Goldenmen Studios

Defunct entertainment channels

Channel Launch Defunct Video Audio Owner Notes
Kasthuri TV 2007 2023 SD Stereo | 2.0 Kasthuri Medias Pvt ltd Kasthuri TV is the first Kannada family entertainment TV channel in Kannada, promoted by a Kannadiga[5]
Kalki Kannada 2015 2017 White Horse Network Services 24X7 GEC channel in Kannada
Dum TV Kannada 2020 2021 Enterr10 Television Network It is a first of its kind Kannada TV channel dedicated to dubbed content

Movies

Channel Launch Video Audio Owner Notes
Udaya Movies 2000 SD Stereo | 2.0 Sun TV Network Formerly known as Ushe TV. First movie channel in Kannada. Its HD version is launching post NTO 2.0.
Star Suvarna Plus 2013 JioStar Second Kannada GEC from Asianet; known as Suvarna Plus till July 2016
Colors Kannada Cinema 2018 First regional movie channel from Viacom 18
Public Movies Writemen Media Third channel from Writemen Media
Zee Picchar 2020 Zee Entertainment Enterprises 24x7 Kannada Movie Channel from Zee Entertainment Enterprises[6]

Music

Channel Launch Video Audio Owner Headquarters Notes
Udaya Music 2006 SD Stereo | 2.0 Sun TV Network Chennai, Tamil Nadu Formerly known as Udaya 2 / U2
Raj Musix Kannada 2009 Raj Television Network First venture from Raj Television in Kannada
Public Music 2014 Writemen Media Bengaluru, Karnataka Second venture from the company after Public TV

Comedy

Channel Launch Video Audio Owner Notes
Udaya Comedy 2009 SD Stereo | 2.0 Sun TV Network Launched initially as Sun Direct exclusive channel

Kids

Channel Launch Video Audio Owner Notes
Chintu TV 2009 SD Stereo | 2.0 Sun TV Network Launched initially as Sun Direct exclusive channel
Nickelodeon 2018 JioStar Kannada feed was launched in September 2018
Nickelodeon Sonic
Discovery Kids 2019 Warner Bros. Discovery India Kannada feed was launched in 2019
ETV Bal Bharat 2021 ETV Network launched in April 2021
Sony Yay Sony Pictures Networks India Kannada feed was launched in 2021
Pogo 2022 Warner Bros. Discovery India Kannada feed was launched in 2022
Cartoon Network 2023 Warner Bros. Discovery India Kannada feed was launched in 2023

Infotainment & lifestyle

Channel Launch Video Audio Owner Notes
Saral Jeevan 2016 SD Stereo | 2.0 CG Parivar Global Vision Claimed to be first Kannada infotainment channel[7]
Ayush TV 2017 Kamadhenu Telefilms Claimed to be Kannada's first wellness and lifestyle channel
Discovery Channel 2019 Warner Bros. Discovery India Kannada feed was launched in 2019
National Geographic 2021 JioStar Kannada feed was launched in 2021

Spiritual

Channel Launch Video Audio Owner Notes
Sri Sankara TV 2008 SD Stereo | 2.0 Kamadhenu Telefilms Hindu devotional channel with Kannada & Tamil feed
Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel 2 Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams Trust Hindu devotional channel with Kannada & Tamil feed

Sports

Channel Genre Launch Video Audio Owner Notes
Star Sports 1 Kannada Sports 2018 SD Stereo | 2.0 JioStar First sports channel in Kannada; launched on December 29, 2018

News

Channel Launch Video Audio Owner Notes
TV9 Kannada 2006 SD Stereo | 2.0 ABCL Broadcasting First 24X7 news channel in Kannada
Asianet Suvarna News 2008 Asianet News Network Known as Suvarna News 24X7 till January 2016[8]
Kasthuri News 24 2011 Kasthuri Medias Pvt ltd Second venture from the company Kasthuri Medias after Kasthuri TV
Public TV 2012 Writemen Media First channel from Writemen Media
BTV News 2014 Eaglesight Telemedia and Btvkannada Pvt Ltd
News 18 Kannada ETV Network & Network 18 Known as ETV News Kannada till September 2017
Raj News Kannada Raj Television Network Second venture from the company after Raj Musix Kannada
Prajaa TV Kannada 2015 Samparka Infomedia
Republic Kannada 2017 Republic Media Network(Formerly VRL Media) Formerly Digvijaya news 24×7
TV5 Kannada Rana Broadcasting Kannada channel from TV5 group
Power TV 2018 Powersmart Media(OPC)
News 1st 2020 Olecom Media
Vistara News 2022 Vistara Media Private Limited Vistara News was launched in November 2022
Zee Kannada News 2023 Zee Media Launched on 10 April 2023 (as a TV channel)

Defunct news channels

Channel Launch Defunct Video Audio Owner Notes
Udaya News 2000 2019 SD Stereo | 2.0 Sun TV Network First Kannada news channel; was also known as Udaya Varthegalu
Samaya News 2010 2018 RSM Broadcasters Known as Samaya 24X7 till 2013
Janasri News 2011 Yash Broadcasting Industries
NewsX Kannada 2018 2019 ITV Network First regional venture for South India by ITV Network

High-definition

There are currently four High-Definition channels in Kannada.

Channel Genre Launch Broadcast Video Audio Owner
Colors Kannada HD GEC 3 May 2016 Own Schedule Full HD Stereo | 2.0 JioStar
Udaya TV HD 6 March 2017 Simulcast Dolby Digital | 5.1 Sun Network
Star Suvarna HD 16 July 2017 Own Schedule Dolby Digital Plus | 7.1 JioStar
Zee Kannada HD 3 November 2018 Own Schedule Stereo | 2.0 Zee Entertainment Enterprises

See also

References

  1. ^ "SunNetwork – TV Channel". www.sunnetwork.in.
  2. ^ "COLORS KANNADA – ABOUT". www.colorskannada.com.
  3. ^ "Zee Kannada – ZEE KANNADA HD – Kannada Entertainment Online – Updates & More – ZEE5". Zee Kannada.
  4. ^ "Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd".
  5. ^ "Karnataka's first home-grown channel Kasthuri TV goes on air - Exchange4media".
  6. ^ "Zee Picchar Kannada".
  7. ^ "Kannada infotainment channel Saral Jeevan to launch on 19 February". 15 February 2016.
  8. ^ Ltd, Suvarna News Network Pvt. "SuvarnaNews". Suvarna News. Retrieved 13 July 2016.