GECs
American Music Awards donated to The Museum of Broadcast Communications
MUMBAI: US veteran television producer-director Al Schwartz has donated his collection of American Music Awards shows to The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) in Chicago.
The collection will be accessible to the public in the archives of the new $21-million media museum that will be completed later this year.
MBC founder and president Bruce DuMont says, “The American Music Awards are always one of television’s highest rated awards shows because of the top-tier talent that performs and because of the quickness of the production. We are pleased to accept this remarkable collection of music television to our collection”.
The MBC is one of only three broadcast museums in the US. Its new 70,000-square-foot facility will enable the museum to accommodate an increased number of school groups and extend its educational outreach.
The new facility will include exhibition galleries detailing radio and television history in America, including specific exhibits on comedy, drama and music as well as six other genres. It will also include a media-equipped education center for orientation and teaching, a 500-seat center for screenings and lectures, a gift shop and working television and radio studios.
The American Music Awards were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to honour achievements in popular music and the recording business. The awards salute the entire spectrum of music, from country-western to soul as well as hard rock, and traditional. Schwartz, a former executive VP of Dick Clark Productions, has produced and directed 30 of the 33 broadcasts to date.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
