GECs
etc network completes a year as part of Zee
MUMBAI: etc networks recently completed one year of its association with the Zee family.
To mark the occasion different religious groups offered prayers to commemorate the network’s belief of Aakhir Dil Hai Hindustani.
Founder Chairman of Zee, Subhash Chandra offers flowers on 2 April at a function held to mark the first anniversary of etc’s becoming a part of the Zee Network.
According to a release, etc (music) and etc Punjabi have done extremely well in their respective genres.
The release states that during the 52 weeks from January 2002 to December 2002 etc (music) continued to maintain its market leadership with an average of 38 per cent market share among the music channels in India (Source TAM; age 4+). Also, besides the lead in the 4+ age group, etc is the leader in 15+ age group SEC ABC, the release adds.
During the same time period of 52 weeks, etc Punjabi claims to have dominated its market by taking 58 per cent market share among all Punjabi channels, the release informs.
Some of the new shows launched on etc Music include Baaps Of Bollywood- a show dedicated to veteran film artistes, Pandey Pillai 2- a musical comedy, On Air- a film based show, Sun-N-Dance, Gagar Mein Sagar – a show on parallel healing and Bhakti Sutra- show on Art Of Living by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Citing reasons for etc Channel Punjabi’s growing popularity the release states that the channel has been associated with some of the biggest and most successful Punjabi music events like Aaja Nach Le, Highway Hungama, Bhatinda Blast, Chak de Phatte, Dhol Beat and the recently held three day musical extravaganza in Delhi, Punjabi Mela 2003. Another first for the channel was the live telecast of the recently held Aayi Baisakhi event .
etc has also started extending its reach in the overseas markets, informs the release. In UK, Zee UK has launched a separate channel called Alpha etc Punjabi wherein Gurbani and etc programmes form a major part of the programming content.
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.
