Top Ten Anchors- Tamil 2008

2008 is a special year for Tamil Television. It saw the almost complete consolidation of Television business in the state by the ruling party clan, which fought intensively among themselves for most of the year, but towards the end, realizing the benefits of togetherness paved way for a monopoly. The year saw the starting of many Channels in Tamil- Zee TV, Vasant TV,  Kalaignar Seithigal, Kalaignar isai aruvi. Jaya Max and Jaya news were started in December 2007 and so were more or less 2008 channels. The ruling clan  have taken over Distribution of Tamil Films for the state also and are also planning production. Raj TV has also started Film production and distribution. So 2008 is the year we can say when the TV has started taking over films and has become the undisputed boss of entertainment in Tamilnadu.

If you see any magazine stall or a pan shop in Tamilnadu , you will notice countless varieties of magazines and vernacular newspapers being hung in all directions. And it is a common sight to see the same person buying more than two similar or competing weeklies or daily. The man who buys Kumudam reporter would buy a Junior Viketan and a Nakeeran . But most who buy Thuglak will not buy another. A person who will ask for dinakaran will not go empty handed if it is sold out, he will look for the others. Tamilians like plenty and variety. That is why in spite of so many channels , there is really a space for all. However by means of a modulated TRP measuring system there is an artificial  perception  created that the viewer ship is limited to just a couple of channels and the rest are just stand by's. The marketers and the advertisement companies know it by understanding their results of past advertisements, however some channels have been able to get a far better bargain in advertisement rates by announcing aloud a fictitious rating. This is not Tamilnadu specific but more here for the influence of Television is at its peak now.


 We took a small sample. fourteen from Chennai, ten each from Coimbatore, Trichi, Madurai, Thanjavur and five from Sivakasi and five from Salem, 2 from Tirunelveli and 3 from Nagercoil, 4 from Nagapattinam, 7 from Cuddalore and 3 from Sirkali.  Total 83 people.  We then briefed them our aim through telecon and direct and then in some cases also saw their viewing habits for a day. Questions were asked after seeking opinions and then by giving some weightage by logic and on basis of our own judgement we have some results on the top ten from Chennai television. The sample size may be small but is representative not only by region but also by caste and religion, by chance.  More explanation on our methodology and sample will be in coming week.


Top Ten anchors - Tamil 2008

The following list of 35 anchors were shortlisted. All 83 were asked to choose any twenty from this , not necessarily in order. On basis of the results collected the top fifteen was shortlisted. then again this list was sent to all 83 and they were asked to select the top eight in order. Based on this results and with additional value added by CTV, the final top ten was chosen, in order.

List of 35 
Anu hassan, chinmayi, sanjeev & Keerthi, usha, ramya, divyadarshini, priyadarshini, Yugendran & Malini, sethu, bosskey, gopinath, abhishek, makkal karthika, kushboo, visu, revathi, KS Raja, mimicry senthil, bhasker raj, Aishwarya, aathithyan, mamathi chari, Vijay adhiraj, James Vasanthan, SP Balasubramaniam, Balaji, Anandha Kannan, suhasini, Meera vasudevan, Rose,swarnamalia, charmili, Pandiyarajan  & G S Pradeep, Devadarshini and Chetan.

The top fifteen shortlisted as per above mentioned method are as follows, in random order
Anu hassan, chinmayi, sanjeev& Keerthi, usha, ramya, Sethu, Gopinath, vijay Adhiraj, mimicry senthil, KS Raja, Rose venkatesan, Divyadarshini & Deepak, Yugendran and Malini, Anandha Kannan and Balaji. There were some surprise inclusions and a few surprise exclusions too.

We noticed that  because we gave  a list of 34, some of the names appeared here  and also most of the names in the list of final shortlist were anchors who are still visible and whose programs are a hit even now, that is 2009 January. The recall of a popular anchor of a yester year by whatever method, we understand will be influenced by these considerations. Many Stalwarts like Kushboo, Visu and SPB did not feature in the fifteen mainly because their programs are for a very long period and may be the voters thought not to club them with amateurs.  Vijay TV's hold on anchor run programs is evident from the final list for most of their anchors find a place. Mamathi Chari and Pandiarajan's absence in the list was mainly because of us.  We felt she was absent most of the year and only came by end of the year for a program which is yet to establish a niche.

And the winners are

10. Vijay Athiraj - His position in ten for 2008 is not justified for he dominated the year by being present in almost all channels as the prime host. He was also the most sought for host in many felicitatory functions shown live in television. However he being absent in the Television for the past three months may have pushed him back. Still, even though not anchoring any program now, he has found a place and that may be because of his multitude of programs in 2008.

9. Yugendran and Malini - 2008 was busy for them as anchors. This real life pair were hosts for Isai kudumbam and also in some of Airtel super singer. They also hosted Ghana kuyil Pattu.

8. Anantha Kannan - Again his ranking does not truly reveal his popularity, as the recall may be only because of his popularity. He is at present not visible in Television except  Sun Music. He hosted Jodi Porutham which was a hit mainly because of its prizes. He is right now acting in a film as a hero.

7. V.Balaji - The famous voice of 92.8 FM and now a part of Hello FM[cluster head],  Balaji is a familiar face in the Television. 2008 has been a good year for him. His performance in poi solla porom a class film was applauded. He hosts Little Master and Raagamalika in Jaya Tv. He is also part of Paadum Office and is a compere for many independent activities.

6.  Rose Venketasen - Hostess of Ippadikku Rose. Her strength is her weakness. She is different, not only by gender, mannerisms and voice but also by her approach to hosting. This creates curiosity and her selection of topics and conduct is commendable. She of course needs to bring in some more freshness and ingenuity in her program for being in limelight for 2009.

5. Ramya - Hostess of Ungalil aru adutha prabudeva now and earlier Kallakka povathu aru. She has her own style. Sometimes jarring and self indulgent, but she has a space. She is an ambitious hostess who is bold and has the charm to carry the show.

4. DivyaDarshini & Deepak and Sanjeev & Keerthi- DD and Deepak are hosting Boys vs Girls now. The faces of the popular program Jodi number one are still popular. Chirpy, bubbly , jovial and inspiring. Their presentation is commendable. Sanjeev speaks the fastest Tamil. He along with Keerthi add lots of value for the already very popular Maanada Myulada. They however surprisingly do not host any other program.

3. Chinmayi- She was selected the best hostess of 2008 by Anandha Viketan. She has been part of Airtel super Singer right from the beginning and has  announced recently that she was quitting. She is an accomplished dubbing artiste, an accoladed singer and a Radio Jockey. A bundle of Talent, her first song in Kannathil mutha mital is still very fresh in everyone's memory. Hope she changes her mind and comes back to hosting.

2. Sethu - His mimicry has become the talk of 2008. He was hosting kallakka povathu aru and then Ari giri assemblky. He is the most popular face of Isai aruvi too. One of the very few who are seen in both Kalaignar and Jaya TV.

1. Anu Hassan and Gopinath - Gopinath is unbeatable and may be for many years continue to be the number one. His command over the language, his oratory skills, analytical ability and the charm and grace makes him the perfect host. He is the main face of Vijay TV. he compered  Neeya Naana, Nadanthathu enna, Vijay awards. He has written books on personality development and has started an academu for communication called Taalk shop academy of communication.

2008 was Anu's year among females. She continues coffee with Anu,in Vijay TV, twenty twenty in Jaya TV and also acts in a serial in Kalaignar TV. She is a popular actress in Tamil films and is also a dubbing artiste.  She is a Management postgraduate from Bits Pilani

More on the top tens 2008 in coming week.