GECs
Zee signs on Megamagic for distribution in Pakistan
Zee Telefilms has appointed Mega Magic, a group company of the WorldCall Telecommunications Group, to provide legal distribution of Zee TV to be broadcast in Pakistan.
Mega Magic was appointed the sole distributor and seller of decoders and cards for the Zee TV after it went pay from 10 June.
A senior company official confirmed the decoders would cost 19,000 Pakistani rupees and the charges per house connection would be Rs 24 for a seven-channel package (Zee TV, Zee English, Zee Music, Zee MGM, Zee Cinema, Zee News and UTN – set to become Alpha Urdu).
Queried as to how the cable industry was organised in Pakistan, the official said the problems broadcasters faced were very similar to those in India. The industry is unregulated, disorganised and underdeclaration of subscribers is rampant, the official said.
There were also plans for a separate channel at some stage dedicated to Pakistan which would involve the development of local programming content, but this was still in the ideas stage, the official said.
Zee television currently offers a package of 14 channels which are marketed internationally and covers Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and Australia.
ALPHA GUJARATI, ALPHA BANGLA EXIT AUSTRALIA: Zee’s Alpha Gujarati and Alpha Bangla have gone off air in Australia, probably due to poor response from subscribers. The two channels have been replaced by Zee group channel Asianet Bharati (soon to become Alpha Tamil), the official said. In Australia, Asianet Bharati is distributed through Prakasham Tamil TV Service of the Tamil Media Group.
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.
