News Broadcasting
Brand New Australia Channel to launch in Asia
MUMBAI: Australian News Channel and Lightning International has announced the launch of Australia Channel, which will have Australian news, business and sport, backed by the resources of Sky News Australia, a joint venture of Australia’s free to air networks Seven and Nine, and BSkyB.
Available from 1 November 2014, the channel will deliver 24/7 coverage of news, business and sport, directly from Australia’s state capitals and beyond, to audiences across Asia and around the globe.
Speaking during the annual CASBAA Convention, Australian News Channel CEO Angelos Frangopoulos commented, “Our production centres across Australia are committed to produce high-quality news, business, weather and sports programming in real-time for our viewers to Australia Channel. We are excited to be working with James Ross and the team at Lightning International to deliver the channel to partner operators across Asia and beyond.”
Former CNN anchor Stan Grant will get together with many other notable Australian news anchors to deliver coverage from Australia’s Parliament in Canberra, the commercial centres of Sydney and Melbourne, the Australian Stock Exchange, and the nation’s most famous sporting venues.
The new service will include comprehensive coverage and updates of Australia’s favourite sports including AFL and NRL, national and international cricket and horse-racing spectaculars such as the annual Melbourne Cup.
Lightning International CEO James Ross added, “Angelos and his experienced news and production teams have a vast experience of producing channels customised specifically for their audiences, as well as delivering timely content, in a fresh and exciting way. We are looking forward to a long relationship with this fantastic new channel, which has great opportunities ahead of it.”
The channel will be distributed by content distributor and consultancy Lightning International, based in Hong Kong. Depending on territory, Australia Channel will be available as either a premium channel, or formatted for a broader audience.
Australia Channel will be aimed at Australian Expats and a wider audience of those interested in Australia and may be located across North Asia, South East Asia, the Pacific Islands and the Indian sub-continent.
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.
