News Broadcasting
Broadcasters moot Rs 25 as FTA package price at CAS meet
NEW DELHI: It was back to the slang match ways for broadcasters and cable operators yesterday at the meeting of the task force on conditional access systems. The suggestion from the broadcasters that the monthly subscription fee for the basic tier of channels should be Rs 25 drew a heated response from the cable fraternity.
ESPN Software India MD Manu Sawhney, who spoke on behalf of the broadcasters at the meeting chaired by I&B ministry joint secretary Rakesh Mohan, set the cat among the pigeons with his remarks on what should be the pricing for free to air (FTA) channel package.
Furious cable operators, meanwhile, retorted that they would accept such a pricing if brodcasters were will to drop their base rate for ad spots to Rs 20.
The acrimonious meeting, which went on for over three hours, also witnessed some grandstanding by the cable fraternity who threatened to go on strike if the FTA pricing was not kept in the Rs 150 range. Mohan, however, said that a finance ministry report on what the FTA price should be had suggested Rs 40 to Rs 50 as being reasonable. That fits in with the information available with indiantelevision (and reported earlier) that a Rs 70 to Rs 80 range for the FTA price was what the government was thinking of adopting. It needs noting here that the government is proposing a Rs 30 per subscriber flat service tax which is how the total adds up to that mentioned above.
Mohan, however, accepted a plea by the cable ops to revisit the issue and examine it again.
Await more details in a report that follows soon…
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.
