News Broadcasting
Cable TV Show kicks off in Kolkata; Pakistan special invitee
MUMBAI: The Cable TV Show 2005, organised by the Kolkata-based Cable TV Equipments Traders & Manufacturers Association (CTMA), commenced today. The three-day annual event expects participation from cable operators, traders, manufacturers, channel partners, distributors, broadcasters and MSOs from across India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.
For the first time, a six-member delegation of the Pakistani Cable TV Association Pakistan Electronic Media Association (PEMA) is participating in the event as a special invitee. “We look forward to establish strong business ties with Pakistan cable industry which is currently dominated by China,” says CTMA secretary Sanjay Mansukhani.
According to an official release, the focus of the show is to expand the business opportunities and links with other Saarc countries especially Pakistan. The show attracts a large number of manufacturers of repute from India and abroad from the field of satellite broadcasting and local hardware manufacturers.
Products and services of over 45 international vendors, representing USA, Europe, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Dubai, Korea and Saarc countries, are showcased at the Cable TV Show. Nearly 45 international participants from USA, UK, Canada, Germany, China, Belgium, Hong Kong, Dubai, Taiwan, Spain and Korea, will participate in the show through their dealer networks. Top representatives of some of the leading broadcasting companies, MSOs and cable companies will attend the show, the release states.
CTMA demands industry status for cable sector
“The cable TV industry in India, in terms of annual subscription revenue, is over Rs 120 billion which is much bigger than the film industry that has been granted industry status by the government. We hereby appeal to the government to consider extending `industry status’ to the cable sector,” says CTMA Exhibition Committee chairman Pawan Jajodia.
The cable TV industry is facing many problems due to increased competition and lack of level playing field especially in matters of taxation, adds Mansukhani. “The cable TV sector is facing competition from Direct to Home (DTH) segment which offers limited services while the cable TV sector provides a bouquet of value-added services to the end-users through the last mile link. It is essential that the cable industry gets industry status so that it can be corporatised and remains competitive,” Mansukhani says.
CTMA will appeal to the Government on issues such as, granting of industry status to the cable industry, streamline the existing tax structure, expedite the regulatory mechanism in this sector and facilitate and foster greater business ties with other countries.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
