New Tamil entertainment channel included in SuperSaver Malay/ Indian Pack at no extra charge

 

Singapore, 11 June 2009 -- Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) announced that mio TV’s first 24-hour General Entertainment Tamil language channel – Zee Tamil – will premiere tomorrow on Channel 32.

 

Promising entertainment for the whole family, Zee Tamil offers a variety of programmes for adults and kids alike, with blockbuster movies, news bulletins, top-rated serials, reality and game shows, sitcoms and lifestyle magazine shows. Zee Tamil has procured 40 per cent of Tamil films released in 2008.

 

“We are very pleased to be the first pay TV operator outside India to offer this great channel to our customers,” said Mr Low Ka Hoe, Director, IPTV Business, Singtel.  “We are confident that Zee Tamil’s diverse programming schedule and high-quality selection of content will soon win it many fans.”

 

“Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd stands for diverse entertainment and it is in this conquest that we are launching our Indian regional language offering Zee Tamil in Singapore.  We strive to be the channel for everyone, and it is through our diverse range of languages and entertainment genres that we reach out to people across Asia and world alike.  Singtel and Zee have had a strong association so an opportunity as lucrative as launching Zee Tamil on Singtel was bound to be imperative,” said Mr Tarun Mehra, Business Head Asia Pacific, Zee.  

 

This is the first time that Zee Tamil is available outside its home country, India. The channel will include top entertainment programmes that the Tamil-speaking population in Singapore will surely enjoy. For example, Kavithalaya Productions’ new mega-serial, ‘Sollathan Ninaikiraen,’ will be available on the channel.  Produced by Pushpa Kandaswamy, the screenplay for the serial was written by K. Balachander, who received the Padma Shri award in 1987 from the Indian Government in recognition of his contribution to the Arts.

 

The host of ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ - one of the most-watched programmes from the channel - Aditya Narayan is another big name to look out for. Loved by viewers and critics alike, he has swept all the Television-related awards, such as Global Indian Television Award: Face of The Year, Lions Gold Award: Best Anchor of a Television Program, Cinegoer's Award: Best Anchor of a Television Program and the list goes on.

 

The launch of this channel brings the number of Indian channels on mio TV up to five. The other channels are Eros Bollywood On Demand, Tamil Box Office, Zee Channel and Zee Muzic.

 

There are also two English-language channels from India – NDTV Good Times and NDTV 24x7 – available on mio TV.

 

How to Subscribe

Current mio TV subscribers can subscribe to Zee Tamil directly by using the mio TV on-screen interface or by contacting the Singtel Hotline at 1800 555 6000 from Monday to Saturday, 8.00am to 6.00pm.  For new subscribers, sign-ups for mio TV services are available at any Singtel Retail Store or at Singtel exclusive retailers.

 

The normal subscription rate is $6.42/month or $5.35/month on a 12-monthly basis. It is also available as part of the SuperSaver Malay/ Indian Pack.

 

About mio TV

mio TV is the innovative digital pay TV service offering from Singtel. Launched in July 2007, the service offers customers value and full flexibility to watch what they want, when they want.

 

Currently, mio TV offers a total of 61 channels, of which 19 are on-demand channels. Content on mio TV covers a wide range of genres and features Singapore’s largest range of video-on-demand titles and High Definition content.

 

Singtel is Asia’s leading communications group providing a comprehensive portfolio of services including voice and data solutions over fixed, wireless and Internet platforms, as well as infocomm technology and pay TV. Together with its regional partners, it serves over 249 million mobile customers in eight markets.

 

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PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS FOR JUNE & JULY

 

Adra Sakka

Monday – Thursday, 7.30pm

 

Adra Sakka is a brilliant adaptation of ‘Snakes and Ladders’ - an age-old game that has been played by most families in the country – specially created for television viewing.

 

The game show helps to instill the value of an even-minded approach to life’s ups and downs through an extremely fun-filled and festive atmosphere. Various other elements have been included to achieve the best in visual entertainment. These include numerous one-minute games and a sensational group of glamorous cheerleading girls. There are prizes to be won in various levels of the game and everyone walks away with enough satisfaction even if they are not able to reach the peak.

 

D For Dance

Friday – Sunday, 9.30pm

 

D for Dance is the exclusive TV platform for kids to exhibit their dancing skills to the world. This is a show which brings undiscovered kid dancers spanning across the entire state into the limelight. There are rounds where the kids also dance with their parents and close friends.

 

The show has two well-known judges in Ms.Gayathri Raghuram, daughter of the renowned Choreographer Master Raghuram and the slick looking Ms.Tejashri. Apart from these two dancing beauties, for each and every thematic round, there is a celebrity judge.

 

Anjaraipetti

Monday – Friday, 4pm

Repeats on Saturday, 3pm

 

Anjaraipetti stands out among the rest of the cooking shows just by the sheer variety it presents. With lots of elements like public cooking, instant cooking, tips, celebrity cooking, food tasting, apartment contests, Anjaraipetti has all the ingredients to tantalise the taste buds.

 

Pattiyal - The Countdown

Monday – Sunday, 8am

Repeats on Sunday, 12.30pm & Monday 6.30pm

 

Pattiyal is a weekly countdown of the top 10 movies and more. Each week, there is a special pick for the week, Tanglish Corner looks into the recent Hollywood dubs in Tamil, and the Zee Tamil Banner lists the movies as they rank.

 

10/10

Monday – Sunday, 9.00am

 

10/10 (Pathukku Pathu) is a travelogue show with a special song countdown. The anchor, Ms. Shrithika, hosts the show in ten enticing escapades, each followed by a song, with detailed facts on each location and its tourism value.

 

Chennai-24

Monday – Sunday, 8.30am

 

This is the one-stop shop for those who want to keep abreast of the latest Kollywood happenings. Film poojas, new launches, audio releases, press meets, shooting spots, behind-the-scenes…you name it, Chennai-24 has got it.

 

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge

Monday & Tuesday 11pm (Starts 22 June)

 

Music is beyond words and languages. All differences merge and all parallels narrow when child prodigies from all South Indian states assemble to battle in The Chennai Silks Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Sageetha Mahayudham.

 

On 22 June, Zee Tamil will kickstart the stunningly refreshing music reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2009. The channel has roped in 15 of the most happening playback singers to provide high voltage entertainment. These phenomenal singers have travelled to a select few towns in search of their capable partners, and also groom and prepare them for the stressful competition ahead. They will pair up with the contestants, perform duets and travel with them till the judges think otherwise. This show promises to be the grandest reality show that Tamil television viewers have ever seen.

 

Sollathan Ninaikiraen

Monday – Thursday, 9.30pm

Repeats Mondays – Thursdays, 4.30pm & 12.30am

 

In a nutshell, Sollathan Ninaikkiraen deals with the blend of emotions each one of us carries and lives with. Director K. Balachander believes that it need not be the single emotion of love alone which takes us to a state of conflicting emotions. Between son and father or daughter and mother there are, indeed, many thoughts and feelings which lead to this.

 

Viewers will surely identify with the characters in “Sollathaan Ninaikkiraen” and become a part of the plot. Besides numerous talented, handpicked artistes, Ravi Raghavendar of ‘Sahana’ fame and Kavya give life to the characters etched in the creative minds of the evergreen veteran. Karthik sings the title song to which Rajesh Vaidya has rendered music.

 

Nambinal Nambungal

Monday – Thursday, 12midnight

Repeats Sundays, 10.30pm

 

Nambinal Nambungal is the Tamil version of ‘Believe It or Not’. People say that there are too many puzzles in human life, but can we say they are untrue just because we do not have any clue about them? Zee Tamil bring these mysteries into your home through this show.

 

Ramani vs Ramani

Monday – Thursday, 10.30pm

Repeats Mondays – Thursdays, 10am