GECs
Discovery to roll out HD service in Japan, Canada by year end
MUMBAI: Discovery Intl will launch its Discovery HD service in Japan and Canada by the end of the year.
Discovery HD, which is the company’s first 24-hour high-definition network in Asia, will launch on the J:COM digital platform in Japan on 14 December. The service will reach an initial subscriber base of 500,000 homes.
In Canada, the regulatory body CRTC has approved a joint venture application between CTV Specialty Television and Discovery Communications for Discovery HD. The network is expected to launch as a 24-hour digital service by the end of the year.
Discovery Networks had first launched Discovery HD internationally as a branded programming block in South Korea in February 2005, and also recently announced the launch of Discovery HD in Germany and Austria in November 2005.
Discovery Intl president Dawn L. McCall says, “With Discovery HD set to launch in Europe, Asia and Canada by the end of 2005, Discovery Networks is now the leading provider of high-definition networks in the world. The universal relevance and appeal of the Discovery brand combined with the company’s extensive library of visually compelling high-definition content makes Discovery HD the ultimate television-viewing experience.”
Discovery HD will offer content from Discovery’s library of more than 1,000 hours of high-definition programming representing 25 television brands. Content will include Atlas. This is a series of 30 two-hour specials.
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.
