MUMBAI: The Malayalam channel space is becoming increasingly crowded. After Jeevan TV, which is all set to go on air from 1 August, it will be the turn of India Vision TV to launch on 17 August. 

India Vision TV is promoted by Kerala state Public Works Department minister Dr MK Muneer and has its head office in Kochi, from where the channel would be uplinked. 

With Asianet, Surya, Doordarshan and Kairali channels already operating in the state, the two new kids on the block are going to find it quite tough (to put it mildly) to mop up any advertising revenue.

Among the four channels already on air, Kairali is desperately short of funds. Even Asianet, which had first mover advantage in the private channel space, has had to go in for a major course correction to counter the threat of the Sun Network's Surya channel.