GECs
Sony goes pay Saturday at Rs 12 sticker price
Tomorrow Sony Entertainment Television joins Star India and Zee TV as a completely pay-driven bouquet with its flagship channel becoming fully encrypted.
The channel will be available at a sticker price of Rs 12 while the whole bouquet of Sony Entertainment, Set Max, AXN and CNBC India will cost Rs 22, Shantonu Aditya, senior vice-president, franchise channels & distribution, says. In the two main metros Delhi and Mumbai the price has been fixed at Rs 12 but the rate is lower in the smaller centres, Aditya revealed.
Aditya said a total of 10,000 set top boxes would be rolled out across the country over the next 15 days. Four thousand set tops had been distributed so far, with another 2,000 expected to be in place by 3 September, Aditya said.
Sony uses the more expensive Scientific Atlanta box that will put back the cable operator by Rs 12,000 initially and with a balance of Rs 8,000 to be paid after six months. Sony is subsidising the box to the tune of Rs 15,000 with the actual cost being Rs 35,000, Aditya said.
Queried as to how cable operators would respond, Aditya said most had signed on to the new dispensation.
While Sony’s going pay has been on the cards for some time, how the move will impact on its viewership at a time when it has been losing cachet with audiences will be watched closely.
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.
