The market has been awash with the canard that with the arrival of the AIADMK in the corridors of power in Tamil Nadu, Sun TV is wilting. Rumours that the Sun Network has slashed its rates fearing rivalry from the Jayalalitha-backed Jaya TV, have been doing the rounds of ad agencies. In fact, even indiantelevision.com inadvertently fell prey to one such rumour and was led to believe that the network was doing away with its categories and clubbing all its spot sales under one general category with spots being priced at Rs 10,000 for 10 seconds.

But that is totally untrue and the facts are that Sun TV is going strong. And it fears no competition from any rivals, be they Jaya TV or any other channels, says its vice-president (programmes) Hansraj Saxena. He adds that Sun TV is run as a professional organisation; there is no issue of politics.

"We have done best when the AIADMK has been occupying the hot seat. We launched in 1992 at a time when it was in power," says Saxena.

According to the new Sun TV rate card, the categories of Super Double A Plus, Super A Plus, A+ and A continue and there has been no drop in ad rates.

In fact, analysts expect the Sun Network to notch up an even better showing this year as the channels within the group gain from strength to strength with viewers hooking on more. Projections are that the Sun Network as a whole will chalk up revenues of close to RS 300 plus crore in the coming year. The Sun will surely continue to shine.