News Broadcasting
Santa, are you listening?
It’s the season to be jolly. It’s that time of the year when children are told to be on their best behaviour so that Santa Claus showers them with candy, toys and gifts the night before Christmas. However, it isn’t just kids who are busy making merry and wishing that the portly old man with the white beard brings them a sack full of goodies. Grown-ups across ages continue to believe in the sanctity of Father Christmas. A day before Christmas eve, indiantelevision.com asked people associated with the film, television and cable industry what they would most wish for from Santa. Read on to know what they said…
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This Christmas, I would like Santa to gift me a regulation, which will ensure that all government – both state and central – levies are removed. Also, I would like that post digitisation, the revenue share for broadcasters, multi-system operators and local cable operators should be 1/3rd each. Shaji Mathews, COO, GTPL, Hathway |
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I would like carriage fees to be wiped out, subscription revenues to be as per world norms and till such time as that doesn’t happen, for there to be no ad cap. Narayan Rao, executive vice chairperson NDTV and president NBA |
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We want Santa to bring reduction of taxes by the government which currently range between 35 and 40 per cent (note: exemption of Entertainment Tax). Anil Khera, CEO, Videocon D2H |
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This Christmas, I would like clients to use a lot more of video conferencing facilities to enable less travel, more productivity and less fuel usage. As an industry, we need to look at options which not only help us but the world as a whole too. Nandini Dias, CEO, Lodestar UM |
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I want Santa to come with a magic wand this Christmas with a click of which, the marketing of my films is taken care of! I want to concentrate on making good content and don’t want to bother about how the content will reach its buyers/target audience. Santa sir, we are creative souls and not bankers/financiers who have to keep bothering about marketing cost more than telling our stories – please kuchh karo. Yusuf Shaikh, head – distribution, acquisition and IPR management, Percept Picture Company, Percept Limited |
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Rajinikanth once said, ‘If I say it once, I have said it a million times’. So, if I take care of one wish, it will take care of million wishes. I want Santa to be there with me every single day and not once a year. If he will be with me 365 days, he will give me gifts every single day. Divya Radhakrishnan, managing director, Helios Media |
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Christmas is a time to party. I have two wishes from Santa this year, one on a professional level which is that Santa should give some sanity to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), so that they can force the multi-system operators to introduce packaging and complete the process of digital addressability. Also, I would want Santa to gift me tickets to Disneyland, so that I can take my five-year-old daughter there. Sudhish Kumar, executive director , Sagar E Tachnologies |
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I would like better rates from advertisers and inventory from TRAI. Ashok Venkatramani, CEO, MCCS |
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Too many cases of people in the industry engaging in unfair means. Those who indulge in piracy are not nice. Santa should take them to the North Pole and bury them in ice! So be Good and may Santa visit everyone with good fortune, health and happiness…! Pankaj Krishna, founder and CEO, Chrome Data Analytics & Media |
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I wish Santa could give me some professionals at the top level to help upgrade Doordarshan. Jawhar Sircar, CEO, Prasar Bharati |
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. AICC’s Praveen Chakravarty weighs ‘Power Sharing vs Principles’, while former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan joins the fray. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
