GECs
Asia Television Forum kicks off tomorrow in Singapore
The Asia Television Forum (ATF), Asia-Pacific’s largest TV programming market, opens its second presentation tomorrow at Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort, Singapore. The ATF – open to registered buyers and sellers only – will run till 7 December and will also debut Asia Animation, Asia’s first exhibition dedicated to animation as well as a one-day top-level industry summit involving government participation from the region.
The full-day ATF summit will discuss the strategic direction of the Asia-Pacific TV industry and the major trends expected to shape business across the region in the year ahead, an official release said. Areas of discussion range from financing and content creation for a new environment to regulations and government involvement. The summit is organised by Television Asia, which will also present nine conference sessions during the three-day market. The conference track will address technological trends such as digital animation and special effects for the new media, which will complement the exhibition.
Among those making presentations at the conference are AK Madhavan, senior V-P international business, Crest Communication Ltd and Nandini Vaidyanathan, COO, UTV Toons.
ASIA ANIMATION: Asia Animation 2001, Asia’s first ever exhibition dedicated to animation, will take place in conjunction with the ATF.
Asia Animation will provide a technical and creative showcase for an international pool of creators, producers and distributors. This is in line with the rising popularity of programmes employing animation techniques. Asia Animation will serve as a showcase for the technology that lies behind animation programmes, many of which will be transacted at the ATF.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
