News Broadcasting
Zee MGM aims to ride high on movie festival power
MUMBAI: It’s changing all right. Zee MGM is shedding is relaxed attitude and gearing up for action to push the channel. Be it in terms of programming, promotions or marketing.
The channel claims to have garnered more share than other movie channels during its Bond movies festival from 3 October 2003 till 24 October 2003. While during one of the movies in the Jim Carrey movie festival 12 November to 26 November, the channel shares were more than its contemporaries. Besides the cross-channel promotions the channel also made its presence felt in the on ground promotions.
Keeping up with the competition, the channel makes it a point to select class A and class AB movies. Apart from that, movies on popular demand are also selected. Zee’s movie arm aims to bolster it with good promotion and right publicity. According to the channel sources, during the airing of one of the Bond movies the channel chase shot up to 2.07 percent as compared HBO 0.62 per cent and Star Movie 0.32 per cent in Mumbai. Even in the capital Delhi, the channel shares were 1.41 per cent, as for the competition it was 0.94 per cent for HBO and 0.16 per cent for Star Movie.
With the 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm being the prime time for the channel, it has divided the time band into slots specific to every month including Romantic Mondays, viewers choice Tuesday Zee MGM Select, The great Money chase on Wednesdays, Total action Thursdays, Bond Special on Saturday and Weekend Blockbusters on Sunday.
The special flavour of the month includes the Oscar awarded movies. While the channel has remained tightlipped, but industry sources claim that there is lot of action scheduled to happen in the coming month.
With the channel having picked up a list of movie including the new releases Serendipity, Confessions of a dangerous mind and Chicago, the festive offering on the channel is Chicago on 25 December at 9:00 pm as a Christmas special.
But how has it affected the channels? According to the channel sources the number of the brands to endorse the movies has definitely risen. While brands like Britannia, LG, Samsung, Nokia, Hutch, Mahindra and Mahindra continue to be on board, the channel has got Asian Paints, Fiat, Honda, Airtel, Panasonic, Addidas, Mc Donald, Parryware, and BPCL.
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.
