News Broadcasting
B4U Movies targets 31 July as go pay day at Rs 8.90 per subscriber
One more channel readies to take the pay mode plunge. The difference this time being that it will be the first pay channel to be offered as an independent offering and not part of any bouquet.
B4U Movies begins a dual illumination feed from 15 July, with plans to be fully encrypted by 31 July. “All the technical parameters are in place. But keeping in mind last minute hold-ups, it still may take till end-August for the full rollout, B4U Worldwide CEO Ravi Gupta said. B4U is using the Smart-card from Nagravision as the encryption module.
Queried as to the subscription price, Gupta said it would be Rs 8.90 per month. B4U is offering 15 per cent discount on its subscription rate to cable operators making advance payments or quarterly payments.
Where B4U Music will be different from the others is that it will be the only pay channel that is not offered as part of a bouquet. When it was put to Gupta that this would likely prove disadvantageous, he had this to say: “Yes, but that’s a short term way of looking at it. The reason to go it alone is because of the price sensitivity of the market. We believe that especially in the non-metro markets there are operators for whom single channel option like B4U are worth going for.”
“I do not want to tie up with anyone at the present juncture. I want to keep my options open. I prefer to wait for a time where I am able to offer my channel non-exclusively to all the bouquets. And we will be constantly tracking developments. Being independent allows us the freedom to take a call on it when we feel it is advantageous for us,” Gupta said.
Whether Gupta is correct in his reasoning will be known soon enough anyway.
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.
