MAM
Fiction helps Colors to shrink gap with Star Plus
MUMBAI: After a long time, Star Plus and Colors, the top two channels of the Hindi general entertainment genre, are in close fight.
As per Tam data for the week ended 26 March, the gap between the two is just 19 GRPs (gross rating points). And this time it‘s not movies or special events but fiction shows that have taken Colors nearer to the genre leader.
During the week under review, Colors gained 15 GRPs to close the week at 272 GRPs, while Star Plus lost 13 GRPs to take its tally to 291 GRPs.
Colors’ 10 pm show Uttaran (5.9 TVR) and 8.30 pm show Laagi Tujhse Lagan (5.6 TVR) became the top rated shows for the week, occupying first and second space in the charts; they displaced Zee TV’s Pavitra Rishta (5.2 TVR) and Star Plus’ Saathiya Saath Nibhana (5 TVR).
Meanwhile, Zee TV and Sony Entertainment Television lost maximum GRPs during the week (21 and 24 respectively), but continued to retain their third and fourth positions with 186 and 159 GRPs respectively.
Sab saw no change and remained with 136 GRPs on fifth place, while Imagine TV did add eight GRPs to close the week with 81 points.
Star One closed the week with 30 GRPs, down six points from last week, while Sahara One lost two points to end with 25 GRPs.
Brands
MEASAT names John Loke CTO to lead AI, multi-orbit growth strategy
Returning executive to steer innovation and satellite tech roadmap
KUALA LUMPUR: MEASAT Global Berhad has appointed John Loke as its chief technology officer, tasking the returning executive with steering its next phase of innovation and growth.
In his new role, Loke will lead the company’s digital evolution and regional strategy, with a focus on AI-led solutions and multi-orbit satellite capabilities. He will also oversee key divisions spanning satellite and network engineering, operations, and IT and digital transformation, while handling the technical side of satellite and launch procurement.
The appointment marks a homecoming of sorts. Loke previously spent a decade at MEASAT in senior leadership roles, including vice president of network engineering and operations and customer engineering. During that time, he played a key role in delivering major initiatives such as MEASAT-3a, MEASAT-3b and the CONNECTme service, strengthening the company’s position in the region.
Most recently, he served as CTO at a Singapore-based satellite operator, where he led the rollout of high-speed broadband services across the Asia-Pacific market. Earlier in his career, Loke was part of the pioneering team at Singapore Telecommunications Ltd that launched the ST-1 satellite operation.
With deep institutional knowledge and a broad regional lens, Loke’s return comes at a time when satellite players are rethinking strategy amid rapid technological change. His mandate is clear: align innovation with growth and ensure MEASAT stays firmly in orbit in an increasingly competitive spacetech landscape.
