News Broadcasting
ESS signal back at most Hathway headends
MUMBAI: After a ten-day war of words in which accusations flew back and forth, sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports today morning switched on its signal to cable MSO Hathway Datacom “in nearly all” areas.
According to ESS director affiliate sales Rajesh Kaul, the feed to Hathway was reactivated after the Rajan Raheja-promoted MSO (in which Star India officially has a 26 per cent stake) “paid up a chunk of dues owed to it.” The remaining chunk is to be paid within the next two days, Kaul said, while refusing to discuss the terms under which agreement had been reached. Kaul pointed out that while the signal was back on in most areas, “Nasik was still a problem.”
According to the information available with indiantelevision.com, however, the deal was reached after Hathway accepted a partial increase in its declared subscriber base.
Hathway, meanwhile, issued a statement earlier in the day which read, “ESPN Star Sports have switched on the signals in parts of Hathway’s network where it was switched off earlier, on 1st July 2004 before the Euro 2004 Semi Final match. The matter has been resolved between the two parties.”
News Broadcasting
UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
