News Broadcasting
MEN hits back, says FTV defied Indian court
MUMBAI: Modi Entertainment Network, after an apparently failed attempt to patch up matters with Fashion TV, Paris, has issued a statement today claiming that the fashion channel has refused to recognise Indian courts and hitting out at FTV for breaching contract conditions.
Referring to the 19 May Delhi High Court order restraining FTV from entering into any third party agreements for distribution, advertising, merchandising and licensing rights and directing it to re-encrypt the channel’s signal, MEN says that Fashion TV continues to violate the court’s edict.
“Further, any Indian company or group of companies cannot get into any business arrangement with Fashion TV Paris directly for business purposes in India and SAARC region without the written consent of the Modi Group, and nor can Fashion TV Paris get into any business arrangement in India and the SAARC region without a consent from the Modi Group.
Any such business arrangement will be in direct violation of the Delhi High Court Order,” claims MEN. Fashion TV has, in the last two months tied up with the Worldwide Channel for ad sales.
According to the statement, Modis and Fashion TV Paris got into a long-term arrangement not just for distribution, but as broadcast partners. MEN, says the statement, holds sole and exclusive rights for marketing, ad-sales, advertising, merchandising and licensing, including all copyrights for the region. The agreement does not allow Fashion TV Paris to get into any third party agreements without consent from the Modi Group and all agreements of any kind in India and the SAARC Region for Fashion TV have be entered into through or with the Modi Group.
Fashion TV on the other hand, has slammed MEN for going ahead with the setting up of the Fashion Bars without authorisation from the channels. An aggrieved MEN now claims that although Fashion TV India is the largest operation and the highest revenue generator for Fashion TV on distribution revenues as well as ad sales compared to any other office of Fashion TV worldwide, the channel did not recognise its contributin. ‘On the Merchandising front too, the Fashion Bar was launched successfully in Bangalore and two others have been signed up and are under construction in less than a years time. The Modi Group has built a high equity for the Fashion TV brand in the region within a short span of two years, the only lasting relationship Fashion TV has ever had in India or elsewhere. Both the previous relationships Fashion TV had in India didn’t last for long,’ the statement says.
As part of the agreement, the Modi Group says it paid a fixed amount as deposit to be returned without any conditions within 18 months of getting into the agreement. Besides, Modis also paid a minimum guarantee on a monthly basis to Fashion TV Paris, which the Modi Group paid on time and without any default. However, Fashion TV Paris failed to honour their commitment of returning the fixed amount and after several reminders the Modi Group was left with no choice but to stop payment of the minimum guarantee and press for refund of the fixed amount, says the statement.
The channel, says MEN, paid no attention to its repeated requests and threatened to terminate the contract if the minimum guarantee for April 2003 wasn’t cleared. In reality, says MEN, the channel owed the Modi Group the money and breached their contract by de-crypting the signal of Fashion TV making it “free-to-air”.
After the failure of talks to resolve the dispute, FTV Paris did not refund the fixed amount as per the agreement, failed to re-encrypt the channel keeping it free-to-air, announced the same on their website inviting cable operators thus making the Modi Group lose distribution revenues from cable operators for both present and past collections and got into an agreement with Worldwide Channel to solicit advertisements, which is against the agreement between the two parties, says the statement.
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.
