GECs
DOORDARSHAN RECORDS ALL TIME HIGH REVENUES; MULLS JVs WITH PRIVATE PLAYERS
The national broadcaster Doordarshan’s commercial and advertising revenues have soared to an all time high of Rs 6.1 billion for the financial year 1999-2000 as against last year’s Rs 4.14 billion. Above all, the revenue projection for the forthcoming year is Rs 7.75 billion due to the decision of Prasar Bharati to hike ad rates.
Telecast of cricket matches contributed Rs 1.6 billion to the kitty while Prasar Bharati procured revenues of Rs 900 million from All India Radio (AIR). Plans are on the anvil for a new FM channel for news.
For the year 2000-2001, the Prasar Bharati Corporation is getting a whopping grant of Rs 11,330 million from the government, which implies that it will finally enjoy the long-awaited financial autonomy. Of the Rs 11,330 million, Rs 9,630 million is grant-in-aid, while the remaining Rs 1,700 million is in the form of a loan. The corporation has received its first installment of the grant — a sum of Rs 1,880 million to meet its expenses for the first two month of the new financial year. The grant will be used to run All India Radio and Doordarshan. Rs 5,500 million of the Rs 11,330 million is to be spent on salaries for its huge roll of 40,000 employees.
DD has shrugged off its shyness and is mulling joint ventures and strategic partnerships with international broadcasters and players including BBC, CNN, AOL-Time Warner, NHK and Sony. Prasar Bharati has decided to digitalise the signals for DD and AIR. The ventures with the foreign players will be in the areas of transfer of technology for digitalisation and programming exchange.
DD has appointed Modi Entertainment Network (MEN) for monitoring technical and distribution issues. It will keep a tab on cable operators whether they deliver DD on the prime band or not.
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.
