Music and Youth
ETC Networks’ channels to remain free-to-air
MUMBAI: ETC Networks’ channels etc Music and etc Channel Punjabi will remain free-to-air post 14 July 2003.
According to a press release, the company has made the announcement in response to the circulars issued by the information and broadcasting ministry inquiring about the status of the channels under the flagship of ETC Networks Ltd. On the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the ETC Networks scrip opened the day at Rs 53.25 and dropped 4.41 per cent to end the day at Rs 50.90.
ETC Networks Ltd CEO Jagjit Singh Kohli was quoted as saying in the release: “As a market leader, to be fair to its viewers and to provide them with non stop entertainment both the channels will continue to be free-to-air. As an FTA channel, we plan to further strengthen our reach and connectivity with the viewers.”
The release claims that both the channels have maintained their position as market leaders in their respective genre. The release quotes TAM research for the period of 4 May to 31 June 2003 and in the 15+ time period, etc music has the market share of 45 per cent; while MTV is 16 per cent; Channel [V] is nine per cent, B4U is 10 per cent; CMM is eight per cent and Zee Music is 15 per cent.
Similarly, for the week ending 24 May, ETC Channel Punjabi had a channel share of 57 per cent among Punjabi channels while competitor Balle Balle was lagging far behind at 24 per cent (Source TAM, C&S, age 4+).
ETC Channel Punjabi business head Rabindra Narayan was quoted as saying in the release: “Our aim is to take Punjabi music, culture and entertainment to every home and every television set and for this goal to be achieved, it is imperative that our channel remains free to air.”
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
