News Broadcasting
Zee gets shareholders’ nod for Asianet acquisition
An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders gave Zee Telefilms chairman Subhash Chandra and the company the go-ahead to acquire 61 per cent equity of Asianet Communications, which runs the Malayalam channel of the same name.
The cost: Rs 2,550 million plus a Rs 1,000 million as a non-compete cash consideration. Zee Telefilms will issue 2.7 million shares to Asianet promoter Dr Raji Menon (amounting to 0.66 per cent of Zee Telefilms’ capital). The non-compete clause forbids Asianet from launching any regional language channels over the next five years.
Zee Telefilms additionally has the option to buy another 12 per cent of Asianet’s equity within the next three years if needed. Asianet notched up revenues of Rs 186 million (financial year: 1998), Rs 254 million (1999) and (Rs 355 million: expected for 2000). Its corresponding profit after tax is: Rs 23 million, 30 million, and Rs 69 million respectively.
“Asianet has a good 75 per cent of the Malayalam market,” said Chandra. “Additionally, it will launch Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu channels. The Kannada channel should launch by 21 May. We are buying into the whole story and not just Asianet Malayalam.”
News Broadcasting
WITT Summit 2026 concludes in New Delhi
Babar Azam’s comical diving attempt goes viral as league introduces anti-dew measures.
MUMBAI: The WITT Summit just wrapped up with enough big ideas to fill a policy playbook because when India’s leaders, thinkers and icons gather under one roof, even the conversations hit sixes. The eighth edition of TV9 Network’s flagship What India Thinks Today (WITT) Summit 2026 concluded on Saturday after two days of dynamic discussions at its New Delhi venue. India’s largest multi-domain public policy and culture summit brought together political leaders, policymakers, sports icons, artists and technology innovators to examine the forces shaping contemporary India and its global standing.
Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address on the theme “India and the World” for the third consecutive year. In a wide-ranging speech, he addressed the ongoing conflict in West Asia, calling for restraint and compassion while highlighting India’s continued development trajectory despite global turmoil.
The summit featured candid conversations with state leaders. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy articulated a people-first governance model and contrasted it with other development approaches. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declared that Left-wing extremism had been effectively eliminated in his state and highlighted preparations for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended his government’s record, citing the closure of 19 toll plazas and creation of the Sadak Suraksha Force. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed confidence in Congress prospects in Assam and addressed recent allegations against him.
On geopolitics and national security, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia outlined India’s ambition to become a builder of trusted digital infrastructure for the world, citing the rapid 5G rollout and village-level 4G connectivity.
Cricket received significant attention. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praised player freedom and trust as hallmarks of great leadership and named MS Dhoni as the greatest captain due to his World Cup successes. India women’s team bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi credited the BCCI and Women’s Premier League for building a pipeline of world-class talent behind the team’s recent ODI World Cup triumph.
The summit also hosted the inaugural AI² Awards 2026, celebrating the convergence of human creativity and machine intelligence in storytelling and content creation. Poet and kathavachak Kumar Vishwas delivered a nuanced take on India’s concept of Dharma and criticised the recent arrest of an 80-year-old Shankaracharya. Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan and storyteller Neelesh Misra reflected on changing music trends and artistic responsibility in the wake of a recent controversy involving Nora Fatehi.
In a country where conversations often run as deep as the Ganges, the WITT Summit proved once again that when leaders, thinkers and storytellers come together, the real winner is public discourse lively, layered and refreshingly unafraid to tackle the big questions shaping India’s tomorrow.
