News Broadcasting
SET aims for No. 1 perch on subscription revenues
Sony Entertainment Television has set itself an ambitious agenda for the year ahead on the distribution front. By the end of this fiscal, it aims to become the number one network as far as subscription revenues are concerned.
This the brief that Shantonu Aditya, SET’s senior vice-president franchise channels & distribution has before him. Says Aditya: “One of the objectives for the year ahead is to set benchmarks and standards for ourselves. To be the Number 1 network. This doesn’t mean just subscription revenue collections. It includes customer care and the institution of systems and processes which bring a high level of professionalism into the way we function. We are investing a lot in training our people as well in building relationships with our affiliates.”
While Aditya was not willing to offer any revenue targets, SET will at least have to cross what Star India is expected to take in this year at the current network subscription rate of Rs 40.50, which according to industry sources is about Rs 2500 million.
Obviously it helps that SET has bagged the telecast rights to all ICC designated one day international cricket, including the next two cricket World Cups over the next six years which is what will be the pivot on which the drive forward will be executed. Then there is the “quality package” that is the “One Alliance” – what the distribution joint venture between SET and Discovery is called. The JV is identical to the one that Zee Telefilms and Turner India formed last December as far as the stake breakup is concerned. Sony has a 74 per cent stake and Discovery holds 26 per in the JV.
Aditya, who is also president of the Sony Discovery JV, elaborated on the “One Alliance” subscription packages on offer thus:
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UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
