GECs
CNN gets pat on the back at annual OPC awards
MUMBAI: CNN has just added another feather to its cap. At the Overseas Press Club’s (OPC) 64th annual awards held a few days ago in New York, the broadcaster won two awards including one for its investigation into Al Qaeda.
A highlight of the OPC ceremony was ABC-TV’s Ted Koppel leading a candle-lighting ceremony honouring journalists killed there. Former US secretary of state Henry A. Kissinger was the principle speaker.
CNN correspondent Nic Robertson got The David Kaplan Award for best TV spot news reporting from abroad for the five part Terror on Tape series. Using sources and contacts developed after years of reporting in Afghanistan Robertson unearthed a trove of al Qaeda training tapes that showed in detail how recruits were schooled in assassinations, kidnappings, the 9/11 airplane highjackings, explosives, and germ warfare.
The content included a video of Osama bin Laden with his forces. Anti-terrorism experts said that the discovery provided valuable insight into the inner workings of Al Qaeda.
CNN Productions got The Edward R. Murrow Award for Best TV interpretation or documentary on international affairs -House of War: The Uprising at Mazar-e Sharif.. The report dealt with a battle during the war in Afghanistan when Taliban prisoners had the guts to stage a bloody uprising at Mazar-e Sharif.
Indian coverage also got recognised. The Eric And Amy Burger Award for best international reporting in the broadcast media dealing with human rights went to NBC News’ show Dateline. Its documentary Slaves to Fashion? exposed child slavery across India’s silk industry.
Dateline’s year long investigation shows the harsh lives of very young children sold by their parents into bonded labour. The documentary follows the silk production and supply chain from silkworm markets, to boiling and weaving sweatshops, through auction centers, fabric manufacturers and the middlemen and suppliers to leading US department stores. The focus rests on how difficult it is to say with any certainty whether the silk so widely available in America is or is not produced by child slaves.
As far as the print medium was concerned, the Wall Street Journal was recognised for its series of articles Inside Al Qaeda. It won The Hal Boyle Award for Best newspaper or wire service reporting from abroad. The articles were recognised for enterprising reporting, penetrating analysis, and storytelling. The reporters travelled around the world to pursue every possible lead in portraying the most in-depth picture to date of the inner workings of Al Qaeda.
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.
