News Broadcasting
Bangalore cable ops meet CM; state-wide blackout averted
BANGALORE: The impasse between the cable operators and the Karnataka state government run power utility Bangalore Electric Supply Company (Bescom) seems to have broken, at least for the present. It finally took a brief meeting late Saturday evening with chief minister N Dharam Singh to break the ice.
The CM has agreed to hear out the cable operators’ grievances in a more extensive meeting tomorrow. As things stand, the dispute, which yesterday threatened to blow up and engulf the entire state with a blanking out of all cable TV screens has had a cooling off, at least for now.
Irate cable operators had threatened to go on a state wide strike if Bescom did not stop indiscriminate cable cutting, the orders for which were issued following the death last Monday of 7-year-old city boy Anish when he came in contact with a loosely hanging live wire. Cable operators in a rare show of unity had gone on strike following the action by Bescom and had blanked TV screens across Bangalore since Thursday.
A failed meeting on Friday with power minister HD Revanna did nothing to soothe the angry cable operators, who resorted to slogan shouting when Revanna abruptly terminiated the meeting.
A spokesman from the Zee Network, meanwhile has informed that the Civil Court at Bangalore has passed an ex-parte injunction preventing Bescom from cutting/dismantling/removing cables of Zee Interactive Multi-Media Ltd. The next hearing is scheduled for 2 August.
During a telecom, Jagdish of The Karnataka Cable TV Chambers of Commerce said most MSO’s had obtained stay orders against Bescom restraining it from cutting cables. According to Jagdish, all MSO’s had restarted transmission, but normalcy may be possible only after all the ‘cut’ cables are restored.
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.
