GECs
Czech TV plugs into the future with LiveU powered IP OB revolution
MUMBAI: When live TV goes off script, Czech Television has decided its OB vans should be the last things to drop the signal. In a sweeping tech overhaul that puts IP at the heart of its broadcast muscle, the national public broadcaster has rolled out one of Europe’s largest LiveU-powered live production deployments, turning 10 Outside Broadcast vans into fully connected, mobile studios capable of exchanging live feeds across cities.
For decades, Czech TV depended on satellite links and landlines reliable but costly, inflexible, and, increasingly, outpaced by modern live-production demands. Now equipped with LiveU’s LU810 fixed encoders and servers, each OB van gains bonded IP connectivity, enabling seamless live contribution, return video feeds, and inter-van connectivity, a capability rare at this scale in Europe.
What makes this project stand out is its multi-point connectivity architecture. The OB vans can now talk not only to the master control room (MCR) in Prague, but to each other swapping feeds on the fly from football pitches, ice hockey arenas, or even triathlon routes, wherever they are deployed. For lower-tier sports, breaking news and sprawling multi-location coverage, this creates a flexible, decentralised production grid.
“This project represents a major step forward for Czech Television,” said Czech TV head of the OB department Antonin Svach, noting that bonded IP frees them from the constraints of “costly satellite and not available landlines.” With the upgraded fleet, he added, the broadcaster can deliver live coverage of “any sport, at every level” with instant connectivity and fluid control-room routing.
LiveU, already a long-standing partner for Czech TV’s field newsgathering units, now becomes embedded deeper into the broadcaster’s production DNA. “Czech TV has achieved a new level of production agility,” said LiveU regional sales director Dariusz Grudzień calling the transformation “truly unique in size and scale.”
The project was engineered and implemented alongside Smart Informatics, which supported the workflow redesign from the 2023 proof-of-concept through to full deployment. “We worked side by side with Czech TV to create a future-ready solution,” said Tomas Vesely, noting the hybrid IP-first production model is built to adapt to virtually any scenario.
With this upgrade, Czech Television is signalling a clear shift: the future of broadcasting is mobile, IP-driven and unshackled from traditional infrastructure. And thanks to its new IP-powered OB fleet, that future is already rolling on the roads of the Czech Republic antenna down, signal rock-solid.
GECs
Aparna Ramachandran joins Zee as EVP and head of network digital
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has appointed Aparna Ramachandran as EVP and head of network digital, signalling a sharper focus on strengthening its digital and streaming ecosystem.
Ramachandran joins Zee from Balaji Telefilms, where she served as head of digital originals, leading content strategy and production for the company’s digital platforms. She announced the move on LinkedIn, marking a new chapter in her career spanning more than 15 years across media, entertainment and technology.
Her professional journey includes senior roles at Viacom18 Media, Viu, FremantleMedia, Miditech, BigSynergy, BBC Worldwide, CNBC-TV18 and Bloomberg UTV. She began her career in 2005 as a software engineer at Infosys before transitioning into media and digital content leadership.
With experience across streaming media, broadcast television, content development, digital strategy, project management and video production, Ramachandran is expected to play a key role in shaping Zee’s network-wide digital growth and content innovation.
GECs
Zee TV launches on Samsung TV Plus with live German subtitles
London: Zee Entertainment has launched its flagship Zee TV as a live FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, marking a first for South Asian television in Europe with round-the-clock live German subtitles.
The move takes Zee TV beyond its core diaspora audience and into the German-speaking mainstream, offering dramas, reality shows and family entertainment without subscriptions or language barriers. For FAST platforms, it sets a new benchmark in accessibility and scale.
Amit Goenka, president, international and digital businesses at Zee Entertainment, said the launch marked a turning point in the company’s global strategy.
“Zee TV Germany is a flagship launch and a defining moment in our journey to make entertainment truly borderless. By going live on Samsung TV Plus with 24/7 German subtitles, we are breaking language barriers and setting a new international benchmark for FAST streaming,” he said, adding that the partnership reflects Zee’s ambition to lead the FAST revolution through innovation and technology.
The rollout builds on the strong regional presence of Zee One and Zee5, both of which have cultivated loyal audiences across the DACH markets. The live FAST model now closes long-standing access gaps, particularly for younger diaspora viewers and first-time German-speaking audiences.
Samsung TV Plus said the partnership deepens its content portfolio in the region. Benedict Frey, country lead DACH and Benelux at Samsung TV Plus, said the addition strengthens its South Asian offering while widening appeal.
“Launching flagship Zee TV on Samsung TV Plus brings even more premium South Asian entertainment to our customers. Making this content available with live German subtitles is a meaningful step in serving diverse audiences and enriching the viewing experience,” he said.
Samsung TV Plus is Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming service, offering hundreds of live channels and on-demand titles across Samsung TVs, Galaxy devices and smart monitors.
Zee already commands a strong digital following across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with social platforms engaging hundreds of thousands of viewers. The live FAST launch is expected to amplify reach and drive appointment viewing at scale.
Zee TV is now available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus in Germany on channel 4210. With this launch, Zee TV Germany becomes the group’s ninth channel in Europe.
The signal is clear: FAST has gone mainstream—and Zee has arrived early, translated and ready to scale.
GECs
Sri Adhikari Brothers officially rebrands itself as Aqylon Nexus
MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network has formally adopted a new corporate identity, rechristening itself Aqylon Nexus Limited after receiving clearance from the ministry of corporate affairs.
The company has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that the MCA has approved the change of name, with effect from January 23, 2026. The update was disclosed in compliance with Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.
Confirming the approval, the company said the ministry had cleared the transition from Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Limited to Aqylon Nexus Limited following the necessary regulatory process.
Aqylon Nexus said it has begun the formal exercise of replacing the old name across statutory filings and regulatory records. The broadcaster added that it is coordinating with relevant authorities and departments to complete the transition.
Under Section 12 of the Companies Act, 2013, the MCA has directed the company to continue displaying its former name alongside the new one for a period of two years.
Founded in 1994 and based in Mumbai, the company has been a long-standing presence in India’s television and content ecosystem. The rebrand reflects a repositioning effort as the media and entertainment sector undergoes rapid consolidation and structural change.
The legacy name remains on paper—for now. The business, however, is clearly turning the page.
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