News Broadcasting
BBC Worldwide, MEASAT sign agreement for BBC Prime in Asia
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide and a unit of MEASAT Global Berhad, owner and operator of the MEASAT satellite network, announced an agreement for using MEASAT to broadcast BBC Worldwide’s international entertainment channel BBC Prime into Asia.
The channel is a specially developed version of BBC Worldwide’s international entertainment channel of the same name currently available in Europe, Middle East and Africa and will start broadcasting on 1 December, 2004. The announcement was made at the CASBAA convention in Hong Kong.
BBC Prime will bring the best of BBC entertainment to viewers in Asia, with a varied mix of comedy, drama, life style, talk shows, game shows, music and documentaries. Through the MEASAT-1 satellite, BBC Prime will be offered to TV platforms across the South East and East Asian regions. The channel will be transferred to the MEASAT-3 satellite after launch in mid-2005. The bandwidth has sufficient capacity to accommodate BBC Prime’s plans to provide subtitling for major markets.
BBC Worldwide EMEIA director of channels Wayne Dunsford said, “With MEASAT, we have found a strong and reliable partner to lay the foundation for the roll-out of BBC Prime into Asia and we look forward to a long and successful cooperation.”
MEASAT vice president sales and marketing Paul Brown-Kenyon said, “We are delighted to be able to support BBC Worldwide on this channel. MEASAT-1 provides an excellent distribution platform for BBC Prime across East and South East Asia. It also allows for seamless migration to MEASAT-3 in 2005, a satellite which will reach over 70 per cent of the world’s population through a single beam.”
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.
