News Broadcasting
Adult fare ban: guarded response from channels
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court’s order issued yesterday restraining TV channels from telecasting adult movies or programmes without prior permission of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has been greeted cautiously by the TV industry. Some of the channels remained non-committal when queried about their next step.
AXN programming head Rohit Bhandari said the channel would continue with its present schedule since it hasn’t received the court order yet.
“We will continue with our present schedule. We are not going to take any show off as of now since the court order hasn’t reached us yet. We will plan our future moves only after having a look at the ruling. Adhering to the present guidelines we have been telecasting adult programmes in the late-night time band (11:00 pm – 6:00 pm) only,” said Bhandari.
Zee TV business head Abhijit Saxena reserved his comments saying the channel had yet to receive the order. Star TV and Sun TV officials were unavailable for comment.
The issue has come up following a ruling delivered yesterday on a PIL filed by a Mumbai resident. Chief Justice DS Bhandari and Justice DY Chandrachud has issued an order restraining channels, among which are Star TV, Sony TV, Zee TV, Udaya TV, AXN TV and Sun Network’s Surya TV, from telecasting adult movies and programmes without prior permission of the CBFC. The court has also asked the channels to file affidavits stating how many adult movies were shown during the last three months with timing details.
In the light of the ban, some of the movies Star Movies has lined up for September might raise a few eyebrows, not so much the selection as the timing. The channel is premiering The Guru on 4 September at 9 pm. On 25 September it scheduled to telecast the Jennifer Aniston starrer The Good Girl at 9 pm. The Angelina Jolie starrer Mojave Moon is scheduled for a 7:05 pm airing on 19 September. Another Jolie starrer Original Sin is slotted at 6:50 pm on 26 September.
In the late-night time band AXN has been telecasting adult shows Hot and Wild, Celebrities Uncensored and Bikini Destinations. HBO has the adult show Sex and the City for the late night viewer segment and Zee English is set to premiere Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Calendar 2000-2004 on 5 September.
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.
