News Broadcasting
NDS dismisses Echostar lawsuit claims as baseless
LONDON: The litigation between News Corp’s NDS and Canal Plus may have been resolved earlier this year but Rupert Murdoch still has a fight on his hands.
A Bloomberg report states that last week EchoStar Communications, which is the second-largest US satellite-television provider, sued News Corp’s NDS Group.
EchoStar claims that NDS employees hacked into its systems and illegally deciphered coding for the “smart cards” that give customers access to programming. Like the above mentioned Canal Plus suit, this one also accuses NDS of indulging in conspiracy, misappropriation of trade secrets and racketeering. The extent of the allegations could allow a court to triple any damages that Echostar is seeking.
NDS has countered by describing the allegations as baseless and nothing more than an attempt by a competitor to cause harm. NDS has noted the repetition in the suit adding that if Echostar had a solid foundation on which to build the case, it would have brought up the matter earlier.
There could be a reason for Echostar’s delay in filing a suit. Ever since September 2002, EchoStar had been looking to join the fight against NDS by joining the Canal Plus lawsuit. However, when the dispute came to a close with Murdoch’s acquisition of Vivendi’s Italian pay TV unit Telepiu, Echostar decided to file a suit of its own.
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.
