News Broadcasting
Government ‘still compiling data’ on news channels uplink norms deadline
NEW DELHI: After the stridency, comes the leniency. The deadline to comply with uplink norms for news channels has come and gone, but the government is silent on the issue.
On Friday, a senior government official said that it’s still not clear whether everybody has complied with the regulation that stipulated that by 30 September all news channels uplinking from India were to restructure and bring down their foreign holding to the permissible limit of 26 per cent.
“Data is still being compiled,” the official said, evading a direct reply whether the likes of Zee News and CNBC TV18 have complied with the uplink norms.
Though Zee News was hived off from Zee Telefilms into a separate company, which had majority Indian investment, mid-September, information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy few days later had expressed ignorance of any restructuring in Zee News or CNBC TV 18.
Reddy had then maintained that the 30 September deadline would be strictly followed. On being contacted, an executive of Zee News Pvt. Ltd reiterated that compliance of government norms has been completed and the company had “not heard” anything new from the I&B ministry after the deadline.
Though CNBC TV 18 was not available for comments, industry sources claimed that the restructuring process is complete. It is expected to be on the lines of restructuring done by Zee News that is based on calculating the foreign holding in news companies on a pro rata basis, which makes the whole thing complicated.
“The complication cannot be helped as government norms are such,” a source close to the TV 18 CNBC restructuring told Indiantelevision.com.
On 16 September, Zee Telefilms had informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that it has decided to hive off its news business into a separate company, Zee News Pvt Ltd, which will have scaled down foreign holding.
In Zee News Pvt Ltd, Jayaneer Capital Private Ltd will hold 40 per cent and Churu Trading Company Private Ltd 25 per cent equity stake, while Zee Telefilms’ equity stake is 35 per cent, which works out under a complex formula to about 20 per cent of foreign holding to comply with the 26 per cent cap.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
