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{{Short description|24-hour Telugu news channel}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = TV9 Telugu
| logo = TV9TeluguLogo.jpg
| logo_size = 200px
| logo_alt = TV9
| founder = Ravi Prakash<ref name=BS>{{Cite web |last=Reddy |first=B. Dasarath |date=2016-09-27 |title=Zee Group likely to acquire TV9 |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/zee-group-likely-to-acquire-tv9-116092600867_1.html |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=[[Business Standard]] |language=en}}</ref> [[Srini Raju]]
| launch_date = {{launch date and age|1 February 2004|paren=yes}}
| owner = My Home Group, Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited (MEIL)<ref>{{Cite web |title=About us - TV9 Network |url=https://tv9.com/about.html |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=TV9}}</ref>
| parent = Associated Broadcasting Company Pvt Ltd
| area =
| network = TV9 Network
| country = [[India]]
| language = [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| headquarters = [[Hyderabad]], [[Telangana]], [[India]]
| key_people = [[Rajinikanth Vellalacheruvu]] (Managing Editor)
| sister_channels = [[TV9 Bangla]] [[TV9 Kannada]] [[TV9 Gujarati]] [[TV9 Marathi]] [[TV9 Bharatvarsh]]
| website = {{URL|https://tv9telugu.com/|TV9 Telugu}} {{URL|http://www.tv9.com/|TV9}}
}}

'''TV9 Telugu''' (formerly '''TV9''') is an Indian [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-language 24-hour [[News broadcasting|news channel]] focusing on the states of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Telangana]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=TV9 Network - Broadcast |url=https://tv9.com/broadcast.html |access-date=2021-06-29 |website=TV9 Network}}</ref> It formally launched on 1 February 2004 with a 15-day trial run before the formal launch.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=26 February 2004 |title=Telugu tackled; TV9 keen on Kannada news channel next |url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/feb/feb238.htm |access-date=16 October 2022 |website=Indiantelevision.com}}</ref> It is headquartered in [[Hyderabad]]. Along with its rival [[ETV2 (India)|ETV2]] (now [[ETV Andhra Pradesh]]), it is the oldest 24-hour news channel in Telugu.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=BS/><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=14 June 2004 |title=Five's not a crowd for Telugu news channels |url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/special/y2k4/telugu_news.htm |access-date=16 October 2022 |website=Indiantelevision.com}}</ref>

The founding CEO was Ravi Prakash who served in the role till May 2019.<ref name="BS" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2019-05-11 |title='Attempt to control independent media': Sacked TV9 CEO Ravi Prakash alleges conspiracy |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/attempt-control-independent-media-sacked-tv9-ceo-Kasipally-Chaitanya-Raj-alleges-conspiracy-101623 |website=[[The News Minute]]}}</ref> The channel was founded with seed capital from serial entrepreneur [[Srini Raju]]’s iLabs Ventures.<ref name=":2" /> Srini Raju exited the company in August 2018 by selling his 80% stake to a group of investors including promoters of My Home Group and Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited (MEIL).<ref name=":2" />

[[Rajinikanth Vellalacheruvu]] is the current Managing Editor of the channel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quint |first=The |date=2020-03-10 |title='Loved His Daughter': Telugu Channels Condone Honour Killing |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/telugu-tv-channels-people-twitter-sympathise-maruthi-rao-suicide-amrutha-paranay |access-date=2021-06-29 |website=TheQuint |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== History ==
TV9 was launched as a 24-hour [[News broadcasting|news channel]] in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] with its headquarters in [[Hyderabad]]. It formally launched on 1 February 2004 with a 15-day trial run before the formal launch.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> It is promoted by Associated Broadcasting Company Pvt. Ltd (ABCL).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Associated Broadcasting Company Private Limited - Company, directors and contact details |url=https://www.zaubacorp.com/company/ASSOCIATED-BROADCASTING-COMPANY-PRIVATE-LIMITED/U92200TG2003PTC040966 |access-date=2021-06-29 |website=Zauba Corp}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Dr. Paramveer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ncg7EAAAQBAJ&dq=etv2+renamed+telugu+channel&pg=PA199 |title=Indian Silver Screen |publisher=K. K. Publications |year=2021 |pages=301 |language=en}}</ref> ABCL was backed by serial investor [[Srini Raju]]’s iLabs Ventures with seed capital.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last1=Chandramouli |first1=Rajesh |date=27 August 2018 |title=Srini Raju exits TV9 Network |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/srini-raju-exits-tv9-network/articleshow/65564843.cms |access-date=2021-06-29 |website=[[The Times of India]] |language=en}}</ref> It was reported that TV9 received {{Indian Rupee}}15 [[crore]] funding from Srini Raju‘s iLabs and Chennai-based Unify Wealth Management.<ref name=":4" />

The founding CEO Ravi Prakash mentioned that they launched TV9 as a news channel targeting the youth and women. By June 2014, TV9 had 125 reporters across India.<ref name=":4" /> The 2004 [[2004 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election|Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections]] and the [[2004 Indian general election|Indian general elections]] helped TV9 and its rival ETV2 to become established in the market.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 August 2005 |title=Telugu TV Market: The Undercurrents |url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/special/y2k5/telugu2.htm |access-date=16 October 2022 |website=Indiantelevision.com}}</ref>

As of December 2011, Srini Raju’s iLabs and other investors held 80 percent stake in ABCL, while CEO Ravi Prakash and other management team held 20 percent stake.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iLabs exit from Associated Broadcasting Company likely next month: Srini Raju |url=https://m.economictimes.com/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=The Economic Times |language=en}}</ref> In September 2016, it was reported that [[Essel Group|Zee Group]] would likely buy a majority stake in ABCL.<ref name=BS/>

=== TV9 Network ===
Over a period of time, the parent company launched news channels in other [[Languages of India|Indian languages]]. Its sister channels include [[TV9 Kannada]] (in the state of [[Karnataka]]),<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=12 August 2008 |title=The battle for eyeballs |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/the-battle-for-eyeballs/articleshow/3353928.cms |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=[[The Times of India]] |language=en}}</ref> [[TV9 Marathi]] (in the state of [[Maharashtra]]), [[TV9 Gujarati]] (in the state of [[Gujarat]]),<ref name=":5" /> [[TV9 Bharatvarsh]] ([[Hindi]] news channel),<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 March 2019 |title=TV9's Hindi news channel TV9 Bharatvarsh to be launched today |url=https://www.exchange4media.com/media-tv-news/tv9s-hindi-news-channel-tv9-bharatvarsh-to-be-launched-on-march-30-95713.html |access-date=2021-04-11 |website=Exchange4media |language=en}}</ref> [[TV9 Bangla]] (in the state of [[West Bengal]]).<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 January 2021 |title=TV9 Network launches 24x7 Bengali news channel TV9 Bangla |url=https://www.exchange4media.com/industry-briefing-news/tv9-network-launches-24x7-bengali-news-channel-tv9-bangla-110260.html |access-date=2021-03-04 |website=Exchange4media |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> After the launch of other language channels, TV9 was renamed as TV9 Telugu.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:middle;"
!Channel
!Language
!Type
!Genre
|-
|TV9 Bharatvarsh
|Hendi
| rowspan="6" |Regional
| rowspan="6" |News
|-
|TV9 Telugu
|Telugu
|-
|TV9 Kannada
|Kannada
|-
|TV9 Bangla
|Bangla
|-
|TV9 Gujarati
|Gujarati
|-
|TV9 Marathi
|Marathi
|}

=== Change of ownership ===
In August 2018, a group of investors including promoters of My Home Group and Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) picked up the nearly 80% stake held by Srini Raju in Associated Broadcasting Company Ltd (ABCL) which owns TV9 Telugu and its sister channels.<ref name=":2" /> From 2004 till 2018, the investor had pumped in close to {{Indian Rupee}}200 [[crore]] in tranches into the company. The company was valued at {{Indian Rupee}}456 crore for the transaction. It marked the exit of Srini Raju from the company.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=K. V. Kurmanath |last2=M. Somasekar |date=2018-08-22 |title=Srini Raju's investment firms to exit news-channel operator TV9 |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/srini-raju-to-exit-from-tv9/article24751919.ece |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=[[Business Line]] |language=en}}</ref>

In April 2019, Srini Raju agreed to pay {{Indian Rupee}}65 crore to SAIF Partners (now Elevation Capital), who were also the investors in the company (ABCL). It was also reported that film actor [[Sivaji (Telugu actor)|Sivaji]] who had previously bought around 9% of ABCL from founder CEO Ravi Prakash had raised objections to the sale of 80% equity to My Home Group and Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Limited (MEIL).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sukumar |first=C. R. |title=TV9 deal: Srini Raju agrees to pay Rs 65 crore to SAIF Fund |work=[[The Economic Times]] |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/tv9-deal-srini-raju-agrees-to-pay-rs-65-crore-to-saif-fund/articleshow/69108139.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2022-10-16}}</ref>

=== Ouster of Ravi Prakash ===
Ravi Prakash served as its CEO from founding till May 2019 when he was sacked due to accusations of forgery.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 May 2019 |title=Ravi Prakash Removed As CEO Of TV9 News Channel Over Forgery Charges |url=https://www.ndtv.com/hyderabad-news/ravi-prakash-removed-as-ceo-of-tv9-news-channel-over-forgery-charges-2035981 |access-date=2022-10-17 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref> Ravi Prakash later alleged that after the company's takeover its editorial and operational independence had been compromised. He also noted that he was kept in the dark about the involvement of Jupally Rameswar Rao of My Home Group among the investor group, to whom he would have never sold his company to. Ravi Prakash alleged that the closeness of Rameswar Rao to Telangana Chief Minister [[K. Chandrashekar Rao|K. Chandrasekhar Rao]] has eroded the unbiasedness of TV9 and that the channel is now being used to further the agenda of [[Bharat Rashtra Samithi|Telangana Rashtra Samiti]] government and Chandrasekhar Rao.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-15 |title=Battle for TV9: Founder Ravi Prakash says businessman staged coup, wants editorial control |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/battle-tv9-founder-ravi-prakash-says-businessman-staged-coup-wants-editorial-control-101798 |access-date=2022-10-17 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref>
https://tv9telugu.com/tag/tv9-telugu-managing-editor-rajinikanth
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

#
{{Television news in India}}
{{Telugu Language Television}}
{{TV9 Group}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tv9 Telugu}}
[[Category:2004 establishments in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2004]]
[[Category:Telugu-language television channels]]
[[Category:TV9 Group]]
[[Category:Television stations in Hyderabad]]
[[Category:24-hour television news channels in India]]

{{India-tv-stub}}

TV9 Telugu - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article