News Broadcasting
BBC shortlists three bidders for HR services
MUMBAI: UK pubcaster,BBC has announced a shortlist of bidders selected to the final round in the procurement process for the partial outsourcing of HR Services for the corporation. The three companies that have madeit to the third stage of the bidding process are Accenture, Capita and Xchanging. The three finalists were chosen because of their strategic and service delivery capability.
The bids received from the long listed bidders were of high quality and through a rigorous EU procurement process conducted by BBC’s evaluation team.BBC People director ,Stephen Dando said, “We have been impressed by the quality of the bids and all three bidders deserve to have reached the shortlist stage. We look forward to working with them more closely over the next few months and, as our timetable to complete the process is on track, we envisage announcing the winning bidder early in the New Year.”
Final negotiations are expected to take place at the end of this year and the contract with the successful supplier is due to become operational from spring 2006. The procurement process follows an internal review which proposed that a number of services should be outsourced. The review team identified this as one of the measures to help put extra resources into programmes as part of BBC’s radical plans to transform the organisation into a simpler and more creative digital broadcaster.
The areas where BBC is looking for a supplier to undertake are recruitment, remuneration, development, HR administration services, relocation, occupational health services and disability access services. The preference is to award one contract for all of the services, however BBC will award more than one contract where it is deemed commercially advantageous to do so, or where this is necessary to achieve the required service standards.
Hewitt Associates declined to respond to the Request for Proposal on the grounds that our outsourcing proposal does not fit with Hewitt Associates’ outsourcing approach.
BBC says that its staff and unions are being kept fully informed during the process. BBC People was formed in 2001, bringing together for the first time the vast majority of BBC’s functional HR specialists. The division supports the whole employment process. It supports BBC staff, casuals and some freelances based within multiple UK locations and internationally, and deals with the significant ‘churn’ associated with new hires/leavers.
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.
