Gemini TV is an Indian

Telugu language Telugu (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken by Telugu people predominantly living in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it is also the official language. It is the most widely spoken member of the Dravidian language fami ...

general entertainment

pay television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription business model, subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichan ...

channel. It was launched on 9 February 1995 by Gemini Group, owned by A. Manohar Prasad (grandson of

L. V. Prasad Akkineni Laxmi Vara Prasada Rao (17 January 1907 – 22 June 1994), known professionally as L. V. Prasad, was an Indian film director, producer, actor, and businessman. He was one of the pioneers of Indian cinema and is the recipient of the Dad ...

), in association with

Sun TV Network Sun TV Network is an Indian mass media company headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is a part of Sun Group and is one of Asia's largest TV networks. Established on 14 April 1992 by Kalanithi Maran, it owns a variety of television c ...

. In 1996-97, Sun TV Network acquired a controlling interest in the channel. Gemini TV is the first

satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...

TV channel in Telugu. The channel's programming consists of Telugu-language serials, films, film-based programs and game shows alongside some reality shows. The channel's HD feed, Gemini TV HD was launched on 11 December 2011.

History

Gemini TV was launched on 9 February 1995. It is founded by Gemini Group of Hyderabad (run by A. Manohar Prasad, grandson of

), in association with

. In 1996-97, Sun TV Network acquired a controlling interest in the channel. Gemini TV is the first

TV channel in Telugu. Gemini TV began with only a four-hour service via a Rimsat satellite uplinked from

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

. Later it expanded its broadcast time to 12 hours a day. By May 2000, Gemini was considered as a strong number two to the leader

ETV ETV may stand for: Television * e.tv, a South African terrestrial television channel * Educational Television (Hong Kong), a television series * Educational television, the use of television in education * Enhanced TV, an interactive television ap ...

. The Sun Group started working in the television business through three companies of which Gemini Television Private Limited broadcast Telugu language channels, while Sun Television Private Limited and Uday Television Private Limited broadcast Tamil and Kannada language channels respectively. In November 2006,

Kalanithi Maran Kalanithi Murasoli Maran is an Indian billionaire media mogul who is the chairman and founder of the Sun Group. He owns television channels, newspapers, weeklies, FM radio stations, DTH services, a cricket team (Sunrisers Hyderabad), and a mov ...

merged Gemini TV Ltd with

Ltd along with Udaya TV Ltd for the IPO listing of Sun TV Network. Sun18 Network18 Group has 50% dealing distribution with Sun TV Network, which led them to make Sun18. In July 2010, with the creation of Sun18, Sun TV Network became responsible for the South Indian market, while Network18 was responsible for the North Indian market. Within a few years, Sun TV Network began distributing its channels as its own companies, while Viacom18 distributed its tracks through a single company named IndiaCast Media Distribution Private Limited.

Market

By May 2000, Gemini was considered as a strong number two to the leader

. From early 2000s, Gemini remained the market leader until 2016. But in 2017-18, Gemini TV slipped to third or fourth positions, due to heavy competition from

Zee Telugu Zee Telugu is an Indian Telugu-language general entertainment pay television channel in India. It was launched on 12 September 2004 as ''Alpha Telugu'' and was rebranded as ''Zee Telugu'' on 18 May 2005. The channel is owned by Zee Entertainmen ...

and especially

Star Maa Star Maa (formerly Maa TV) is an Indian Telugu language general entertainment pay television channel owned by Disney Star, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company India. The channel telecasts Telugu language programmes such as serials, reality ...

. This situation further worsened during the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 and Gemini TV lost most of its market share. But sometimes it did regain its majority share, but it was not constant.

, its parent company tried to regain its lost viewership by introducing some new

reality shows Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...

. But it was only a partial success. As of September 2022, it still has not regained its lost viewership, with its situation worsening.

Sister Channels in Telugu

Gemini Movies Gemini Movies (previously known as Teja TV) is an Indian Telugu language pay television channel focused on movies. It is a part of the Sun TV Network Sun TV Network is an Indian mass media company headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India ...

Gemini Comedy Sun TV Network is an Indian mass media company headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is a part of Sun Group and is one of Asia's largest TV networks. Established on 14 April 1992 by Kalanithi Maran, it owns a variety of television c ...

* Gemini Life *

Gemini Music Sun TV Network is an Indian mass media company headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is a part of Sun Group and is one of Asia's largest TV networks. Established on 14 April 1992 by Kalanithi Maran, it owns a variety of television c ...

Kushi TV Kushi TV is an Indian kids television channel in TeluguEnglish Language part of Sun TV Network. It was launched on 9 April 2009 and broadcasts cartoons and kids programmes in Telugu & English. Initially, it was a free-to-air channel, but was lat ...

Gemini News Gemini may refer to: Space * Gemini (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac ** Gemini in Chinese astronomy * Project Gemini, the second U.S. crewed spaceflight program * Gemini Observatory, consisting of telescopes in the Norther ...

(defunct)

Programming

Notes

References

External links

GEMINI TV Official Site
{{Telugu Language Television Telugu-language television channels Television channels and stations established in 1995 1995 establishments in Andhra Pradesh Sun Group Television stations in Hyderabad