GECs
Network18 announces new organisation structure with 3 clusters
MUMBAI: Network18 has announced a recasting of its major cluster groups in order to exploit better efficiencies and achieve faster growth.
It will have just three clusters. The English & business cluster includes CNN-News18, CNBC-TV18, Awaaz and Bajaar, CNBC HD Prime & News18 International. The Hindi cluster includes News18 India & News18 Hindi regional channels (UP/UK, MP/CG, Rajasthan, Bihar/JK, Urdu & Himachal-Punjab-Haryana) while the languages cluster includes all News18 regional channels minus Hindi—TN, Kerala, Kannada, Odisha, Bengal, Assam/NE, Gujarat & News18-Lokmat.
Three key appointments have been made to bolster each cluster and drive it to the next level of operational excellence. Basant Dhawan joins as CEO of the English/business cluster. An engineer and an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, Dhawan joins Network18 from Star India where he spent the last four years in a variety of roles. His last role was national agency business head for entertainment sales in Star India. Dhawan will be based in Mumbai.
The CEO of the Hindi cluster is Mayank Jain, who will lead the fast-growing News18 India and the cluster of other news channels across various Hindi speaking states. Jain, who will be based in New Delhi has joined Network18 from Star India's entertainment division. He is an INSEAD alumnus, and has experience in a raft of sectors ranging from telecom and FMCG to financial services across geographies.
Karan Abhishek Singh has joined as CEO for languages cluster, also from Star India where he managed integrated sales for television and digital. His last role involved heading pan-India agency relationships. Singh will be based in Bengaluru. He is an alumnus of NMIMS, Mumbai, and has worked in organisations as varied as PepsiCo, Nokia, Godrej Sara Lee, HLL and GE.
All three will report to Network18 COO Avinash Kaul.
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.
