GECs
Nat Geo acquires Katrina footage from storm chaser Mike Theiss
MUMBAI: National Geographic Digital Media (formerly National Geographic Film Library) in the US has acquired the global rights to veteran storm chaser Mike Theiss’ widely publicized footage of Hurricane Katrina.
Millions of eyes were glued to Theiss’ images on their television screens. Now this footage will be forever preserved for history, science and future disaster preparation in National Geographic’s film archive.
Specialising in capturing extreme weather on video, Theiss had documented the wild fury of 13 previous hurricanes before Katrina. He has battled blinding rain, ferocious winds and catastrophic flooding to catch the stormy rages on film, narrowly missing being struck by lightning to shoot storm surges, horizontal rain, toppling trees and projectile debris. His work has brought the reality of monster storms home to viewers worldwide.
National Geographic Digital Media executive VP Matthew White says, “Theiss’ Katrina footage is real… raw and intense. It demonstrates the reality of the storm’s complexity. It’s a perfect addition to our collection.”
To view some footage, one can go to video.msn.com and search for “Extreme Katrina” under National Geographic.
National Geographic Digital Media distributes digital content globally to the education, mobile, videogame, stock footage and broadband markets, and through nationalgeographic.com. Digital Media is responsible for National Geographic’s archive and repository for all film and videotape material produced by National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F).
It also represents footage from National Film Board of Canada, World Bank, ZDF Enterprises, WPA Film Library, ABC Australia and the White House Historical Association in select territories. Its fully catalogued, searchable database is available online at www.ngtlibrary.com.
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.
