NEW DELHI: With three new satellite TV ventures with political affiliations, including one from DMK's first family, ready to go on air, the channel war in Tamil Nadu is set to intensify.

The three channels ready to be launched are Kalaingar TV owned by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's family, Mega TV of senior Congress leader and former Union minister K V Thangabalu and Congress MLA Vasanthakumar's Vasanth TV.

Mega TV and Kalaingar TV are set to be launched on August 20 and September 15 respectively. With this, all major political parties in Tamil Nadu will have a satellite TV channel.

Already, the main opposition AIADMK has Jaya TV named after its leader Jayalalithaa, while Makkal TV has been functioning as the mouthpiece of the PMK and its founder Ramadoss since its launch in 2006.

"This trend is neither healthy nor competitive. There is no point in political parties or their leaders starting satellite channels. None of these ventures can be commercially successful," veteran journalist and political analyst Cho Ramaswamy told.

"All these channels will use the powerful medium just to air the views of a particular person or a party. They will try to thrust their views and opinions on viewers."

Vasanthakumar, who is also managing director of Vasanth & Co, one of the largest retail chains in the state, said: "Vasanth TV will be launched with the blessings of Congress President Sonia Gandhi."