GECs
Bhutan’s BBS TV expands operations
MUMBAI: The Bhutan government has expanded the reach of its BBS Television by linking it to Insat 4A. The service is now provided through the cable service and those without cable connections can download the transmission with a dish and a receiver.
The International Telecommunication Union has aided the uplinking facility with US $ 300,000, while the Government of India has agreed to give BBSC the satellite transport hiring charges for three years, amounting to about Nu. 18 million. According to media reports, a total of 35 countries in Asia and the Middle East have confirmed that they are receiving BBS TV live transmission.
Speaking at the launch, BBSC MD Mingbo Dukpa expressed his hopes that the channel expansion would effectively fight the foreign TV channel invasion. “Today there are over 40 foreign channels available, inundating us with numerous foreign programmes, advertisement and news. With its nation-wide reach BBS TV can now counter the so-called audio-visual invasion by foreign channels,” he said.
Viewers in Kanglung and Yonphula in Trashigang, Yadi and Drametse in Mongar, Paro, Phuentsholing and Thimphu will also be able to catch the transmission on Yagi antenna through a terrestrial transmitter. BBSC, reportedly, plans to reinstall these terrestrial transmitters in remote areas that do not have cable television.
BBS television was launched on 2 June 1999, with a one-hour broadcast in Thimphu. It was merged with the radio in the initial phase.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
