GECs
The History Channel special ‘Ape to Man’ wins top nod from National Academies
MUMBAI:Ape to Man, the two-hour special that premiered on the History Channel in August 2005 is set to receive the top prize from the National Academies in the category of TV/Radio.
The History Channel is one of the cable television networks featuring original, non-fiction specials and series that bring history to life across multiple platforms.
The National Academies award recognises excellence in reporting and communicating science, engineering and medicine to the general public. The winners will be honoured during a ceremony on 9 Nov at the Academies’ Arnold and Mabel Beckman center in Irvine, Calif. , asserts an official release.
The production team for Ape to Man is a recipient for works published or broadcast in 2005, among a field of 252 print, radio, and broadcast entries. They are: director Nic Young, producer Anna Thomson and executive producer Bill Locke.
The award is given for The History Channel and Lion Television’s Ape to Man, an accurate overview of human evolution made accessible to broad audiences.
Previously Ape to Man won the Emmy award for outstanding achievement in a craft: writing (writer: Nic Young). Ape to Man executive producer for The History Channel is Marc Etkind, adds the release.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
