News Broadcasting
Zee expands South presence with Zee Kannada launch
BANGALORE: Zee Group launched its much anticipated Kannada channel Zee Kannada on 11 May. The 24-hour channel hit the airwaves at 5 am.
In an official release, Zee South said the new channel was slated to capture the needs, moods, sentiments and aspirations of Kannadigas. Zee Kannada is the second south Indian language channel that Zee is launching after Zee Telugu, which was launched in May 2005.
Says ZTL director Punit Goenka, “It’s a real delight to be in Bangalore, Zee Kannada is a tribute to the spirit of “Kannadigas”. As Karnataka happens to be the gateway of South India, it will be our constant endeavor to make it the most admired channel in South. We promise to deliver you best service and quality programs throughout our transmission and aspire to be the number one Kannada channel within an year.”
Zee was seen promoting the launch through outdoor advertising and direct contact programs with viewers across Karnataka. Kannadigara Kanmani will be the tagline for Zee Kannada.
Speaking on the initiative, Zee South channels head Ajay Kumar offers, “The Southern region has always been our priority. Launch of Zee Kannada is in continuance with our Zee South initiative. This is the first time in the television history that a channel, whose programs are fine tuned as per the viewer’s feedback, is launched.”
Zee Kannada business head Venkat Giridhar adds, “Zee Kannada is a dream come true for us .We are highly grateful to the viewers across Karnataka whose feedback has been of immense help in deciding on the content and quality of our programmes. We are sure that our people of Karnataka will be proud to see the channel of their choice.”
News Broadcasting
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.
