News Broadcasting
Fastway Transmissions launches a new android TV set top box
Mumbai: Fastway Transmissions, a subsidiary of the Jujhar group and a cable network provider in India, has launched a Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio enabled android TV based hybrid and OTT set-top box, the FW+ ultra 4K STB. Plans start at Rs 699.
Powered by Netplus Broadband, the internet arm of Fastway Transmissions, the set-top box will be preloaded with a bundled plan that offers access to ultra-high-definition (UHD) content and is affordably priced. Access to unlimited internet, premium OTT content, and free voice calls will be included in the bundle plans. The hybrid cable box can also be used to pair linear TV with playback services in HDR quality.
The Fastway STB provides users with access to Prime Video, YouTube, and Google Play through direct links and a remote with a single click. The STB is equipped with features, including Dolby Vision, Dolby Audio, HDMI 2.1, dual band, bluetooth, USB3.0, micro SDXC (expandable up to 1TB), and a built-in chromecast.
According to a report, the worldwide set-top box market is anticipated to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than four per cent in terms of volume from 2021 to 2028. Rising internet and broadband penetration, as well as increased preference for high-quality channels and on-demand video services in 4K HDR, are expected to drive this market’s growth.
The consumers of today, the company said, are seeking premium entertainment experiences. To cater to this evolving demand and to ensure customer delight, the set-top box comes equipped with Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio.
Jujhar Group chairman S. Gurdeep Singh said, “This is a very significant step towards delivering comprehensive services to our existing as well as potential user base. With the launch of this exciting new product with Dolby vision and Dolby audio technology, we want to target a substantial share of users in the tier one and tier two regions of the country. The subscribers will be able to enjoy the ultra-smart hub with an easy-to-use interface through play store services. Further, users can also customise their smart boxes using the apps that can be downloaded from the play store.
“As android TV grows in popularity, the number of monthly active users is on a significant rise, indicating an increase in popularity and trust for the company. We are looking forward to utilising our extensive broadband and cable network experience to deliver a premium OTT viewing experience.”
Dolby Laboratories’ senior director of commercial partnerships, India, Middle East and Africa Karan Grover said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Fastway Transmissions to deliver a premium entertainment experience to consumers across streaming and cable networks. At Dolby, it is our constant pursuit to elevate the audio-visual entertainment quotient for our audience and make sure they are immersed completely in a life-like experience. Fastway subscribers will be able to experience their favourite entertainment like never before in Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio with Fastways new set-top box.”
News Broadcasting
Senior media executive Madhu Soman exits Zee Media
Former Reuters and Bloomberg leader says he leaves with “no regrets” after brief stint at WION and Zee Business
NOIDA: Madhu Soman, a veteran of global newsrooms and media sales floors, has stepped away from Zee Media Corporation after a short stint steering business strategy for WION and Zee Business.
In a reflective LinkedIn note marking his departure, Soman said his time within the network’s corridors was always likely to be brief. “Some chapters close faster than expected,” he wrote, signalling the end of a nearly two-year spell in which he oversaw both editorial partnerships and commercial strategy.
Soman joined Zee Media in 2022 after more than a decade abroad with Reuters and Bloomberg, returning to India to take on the role of chief business officer for WION and Zee Business. His mandate was ambitious: bridge the newsroom and the revenue desk while expanding digital and broadcast reach.
During the stint, Zee Business reached break-even for the first time since its launch in 2005, while WION refreshed programming and strengthened its digital footprint across platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.
But Soman suggested the cultural fit proved uneasy. Describing himself as a “cultural misfit”, he hinted at deeper tensions between editorial instincts shaped in global newsrooms and the realities of India’s television news ecosystem.
Before joining Zee, Soman spent more than seven years at Bloomberg in Hong Kong as head of broadcast sales for Asia-Pacific, expanding the company’s news syndication business across several markets. Earlier, he held senior editorial roles at Reuters, overseeing online strategy in India and managing Reuters Video Services from London.
His career began in television and wire reporting, including a stint with ANI during the 1999 Kargil conflict, before moving into digital publishing as India’s internet media landscape took shape.
Now, after nearly three decades in broadcast and digital media, Soman is leaving Delhi NCR and returning to his hometown, Trivandrum.
Exhausted, he admits. But unbowed. And with one quiet line that sums up the journey: he didn’t sell his soul — because some things, after all, are not for sale.
