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Zone Vision, Jupiter form JV to launch Reality TV in Japan
MUMBAI: Zone Vision Enterprises has entered into a joint venture agreement with Jupiter Programming to launch a 24-hour Reality TV channel in Japan.
The channel will be broadcast in Japanese and launches in February 2005. The announcement was made by Zone Vision Enterprises chairman and president Chris Wronski and Jupiter Programming representative director, COO and EVP Jack Matthews.
“This is tremendous step in our worldwide expansion efforts for Reality TV,” said Wronski. “We’ve made great strides throughout Asia in the past year and have always felt this channel would do well in Japan. By teaming with Jupiter, we will have the ability to reach cable and satellite subscribers across the country and become the source for reality programming in Japan.”
Under the terms of the deal, the JV sees the formation of a new company, Reality TV Japan Co. Ltd., which will be based in Tokyo. Zone Vision and Jupiter Programming will each have a 50 per cent stake in the company.
“We are very excited to be partnering with Zone Vision to bring Reality TV to Japan for the first time,” said Matthews. “There are no other channels and few sources on Japanese television for reality programming so we feel we will be a stand-out on the digital television landscape in this country.”
The JV has acquired the existing channel BB Factory, a gaming and computer channel from Softbank and Yahoo. As a result, when Reality TV launches this coming February, it will be available on Sky Perfect DTH platforms and be distributed by JPC to cable and broadband platforms throughout Japan.
“The fact that we were able to negotiate the acquisition of pre-existing channel space really made this an exceptional deal for us,” noted Zone Vision senior vice president, legal and business development Tanya Gugenheim. “We are entering this exciting new market at the right time and with the added benefit of a strong local partner and extensive carriage. It’s really an ideal situation for us and we are very confident about the channel’s future in Japan.”
The new Reality TV channel will originate out of Tokyo and be distributed on a single, dedicated feed for Japan. Programming will include content from Zone Vision’s vast library of reality series and specials. All programming will be dubbed in Japanese for local audiences.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
