GECs
Cableready is exclusive title holder of New York Times Television Library
MUMBAI: International production and distribution company Cableready has picked up the international rights to more than 100 hours of additional programming from New York Times Television. With the new acquisitions, Cableready has the exclusive international distributor of the entire Television library, with rights to nearly 300 hours of programming.
“New York Times Television is synonymous with depth and quality… to be asked to represent their entire library is a privilege and honor,” says Cableready president and CEO Gary Lico.
The hour-long programs acquired by Cableready first aired on various Discovery networks and Showtime in the US, include two installments of Thomas L Friedman Reporting, featuring the noted New York Times columnist and best-selling author. The Friedman programs include: Straddling The Fence, an exploration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with reporting from the West Bank and Searching For The Roots of 9/11, an in-depth look at the source of Muslim rage towards the US and the West, informs an official release.
Meanwhile, Cableready has also acquired a number of current affairs specials reported by award-winning journalist Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Terror’s Children, an exploration of the post-war realities of the lives of Afghani refugee children living in Pakistan, Reinventing The Taliban?, which examines Islamic fundamentalism and its effects on the Pakistani government since last year’s elections and Women Of The Holy Kingdom, which focuses on the internal debate about the role of women in an increasingly progressive Saudi Arabia.
The programmes includes 35 half-hour episodes of celebrity chef and kitchen confidential author Tony Bourdain’s culinary travel series, A Cook’s Tour and 29 one-hour historical and current affairs programmes.
Other documentaries in the package acquired by Cableready span subjects ranging from racial hatred to the rise and fall of Saddam Hussein, including: The Real CIA: Enemies, Secrets and Spies – an inside look at one of the world’s most secretive intelligence units, The Real Saddam, which documents how Hussein acquired, used and ultimately lost his powerful grip on Iraq and Brotherhood of Hate, which follows one family’s legacy of racial hate, handed down from one generation to the next.
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.
