News Broadcasting
ViaSat reports record Q3 sales
ViaSat has reported record sales and earnings for its third quarter of fiscal year 2002, ended 31 December, 2001. ViaSat claims to produce advanced digital satellite telecommunications and wireless signal processing equipment for commercial and government markets. It claims to be a market leader in Ka-band satellite systems, from user terminals to large gateways for both geosynchronous and low earth orbit systems. It has field offices in India, China, Boston, the United Kingdom, Australia.
Sales for the quarter were $50.1 million compared to $43.1 million for the comparable quarter last year, a 16.2 per cent increase. Net income, which includes the effects of acquisition charges, for the third quarter of fiscal year 2002 decreased 11 per cent to $2.4 million compared to net income of $2.7 million for the third quarter of the prior year. Sales increased 24.3 per cent to $148.4 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2001, compared to $119.4 million in sales for the same period last year.
Business Highlights include:
1. ViaSat reached agreement and subsequently completed the acquisition of US Monolithics (USM) for approximately $30 million in cash and stock. USM is a designer of proprietary gallium arsenide millimeter wave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) with strong capabilities in the packaging and integration of subsystems including power amplifiers, block upconverters and entire transceivers, especially in complex high-frequency applications. USM is expected to improve ViaSat’s margins on existing product lines, as well as on large broadband opportunities that ViaSat is pursuing.
2. Although selected in February 2001, this quarter ViaSat received an order from Boeing for the development and initial production quantities of the receive and transmit subsystem for the Connexion by Boeing broadband Internet and data communication service. Also during the quarter, ViaSat delivered initial production units to the venture, in support of two-way broadband demonstrations for their customers, including private aircraft owners and agencies of the United States government.
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
