News Broadcasting
FCC restarts clock for News Corp-DirecTV review
WASHINGTON: The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) resumed its informal 180-day clock for reviewing News Corp Ltd’s plan to acquire control of US satellite television provider DirecTV, on Monday (17 November).
On 10 October, FCC had put its review on hold to seek additional information from News Corp and DirecTV’s parent Hughes Electronics Corp, as well as to conduct additional consultations with anti-trust enforcers at the US Justice Department.
News Corp had proposed acquiring for $6.6 billion a 34 per cent controlling stake in Hughes, giving it access to DirecTV’s distribution platform.
FCC Chairman Michael Powell had concerns about the deal that may require the companies to accept additional conditions to win the agency’s approval, a source familiar with the issue had said previously.
However, yesterday, Kenneth Ferree, the FCC official heading up the review, said in a letter to the companies, “The additional information sought has been submitted and we also have substantially completed our discussions with the Department of Justice.”
According to media reports, there are 30 days left on the review clock, which is not binding. Ferree has said in the past that he hopes to complete work on the deal by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, DirecTV has reported that it recently crossed the 12 million customer mark, a milestone reached after nine years in the business.
Another top satellite TV provider Dish Network stated that in its third quarter earnings it added about 285,000 net subscribers during the three-month period. Dish Network had approximately 9.085 million subscribers on September 30, the parent company EchoStar Communications Corp. said.
In October, the FCC had rejected a proposed $ 18.5 billion merger between EchoStar and Hughes.
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.
