GECs
‘SMS UR way 2 Stardom’ through ETC
Mumbai October 3, 2005: You have stars in your eyes? You would rather to be inside the television screen rather then in your drawing room watching it? You want your share of glamour and limelight?? You want to anchor a show on TV? Then what are you waiting for? Pick up your mobile phones and get started. Just remember to SMS it to 7575 because ETC has decided to get its viewers out of their drawing rooms and on their Television Screen in its popular song request programme ‘Show My Song – SMS 7575’. And this slice of fame will come to the viewer of ETC without going through the pains of so many selection rounds.
The winning popular programme ‘SMS 7575 – Show My Song’ now has a special segment called “the SMS of the Day” wherein in every episode a special message will be selected and the sender will be spoken to on the telephone during the show. And it only keeps getting better. If the same person’s message is selected a SECOND TIME as “the SMS of the Day” IN THE SAME MONTH then the viewer will be called on the set as a special guest to co- host the show with our pretty teen singer host Akriit Kakar.
Rules of this are very simple. All the viewer needs to do is type “ETC SMS”, then leave a space, type their request with name of the film and SMS it to 7575 along with their name and number. This song can be their favorite number or they can dedicate it to their loved ones or a friend. They may even send a joke. Viewers can add some witty, mushy, silly, creative or topical message to the request that is unique and outstanding.
In this procedure, decision / selection of ETC shall be final and binding on the contestants. Criterion for selecting the winner for the day rests solely with ETC Networks Ltd. as per the pre-decided rules and regulations.
As the pioneer Bollywood centric channel, ETC had always taken pride in taking Bollywood into the drawing rooms of its viewers. Now ETC is bringing the viewer into the television sets.
ETC is a music based entertainment channel with music dominating more than 98% of the programming content. In all India markets, ETC enjoys the largest reach amongst all the music channels. ETC is watched by more then 35 million households.
For more information contact:
Neelam Gupta
Corporate Communication
ETC Networks Ltd,
Tel: 022 – 26732033-7
GECs
‘I wasn’t enjoying it’: Why ex-Colors CEO Raj Nayak quit at his peak
Former TV and media executive says happiness, not hierarchy, defines leadership
MUMBAI: Former television executive Raj Nayak, once among the most powerful figures in Indian broadcasting, has offered a candid reflection on leadership, ambition and the decision to step away at the height of his career.
Speaking on the ThinkRight Podcast, Nayak dismissed corporate titles as hollow constructs, arguing that designations are often mistaken for identity. Leadership, he said, has little to do with hierarchy and everything to do with character.
Despite holding senior roles across Star TV, NDTV and Colors, Nayak described his career as largely unplanned. He said progress came not from strategy but from effort, adding that his only constant was giving each role his full commitment.
One of the most formative moments, he recalled, came in 2001 when he quit his job and spent nine months fighting a non-compete case in the Mumbai High Court. The sudden loss of structure and support, he said, exposed how dependent he had become on corporate machinery.
That period also shaped his public persona. The nickname “Raj Cheerful”, later adopted across social media, became a defining trait within the industry, with actors such as Hrithik Roshan embracing it as part of his identity. Over time, Nayak said, the label evolved from an affectation into a lived philosophy.
Nayak also addressed his decision to leave his role at the peak of his influence, a move he described as deeply counter-cultural in corporate India. From the outside, he said, everything appeared perfect. Internally, it was not. After months of unease, a conversation with his family proved decisive, pushing him to act on values he often spoke about publicly.
“People don’t quit jobs at their peak… I was doing everything perfect… but I knew I was not enjoying it,” he added.
Reflecting on success, Nayak argued that power and visibility offer no assurance of fulfilment. Happiness, he said, is a more reliable measure. Overcoming fear and greed, he added, remains the hardest test of leadership and of life.
