GECs
NGC joins hands with IAF for its next ‘Mission’ property
NEW DELHI: It’s another mission and this time it’s with the Indian Air Force for the national geographic Channel (NGC).
NGC today announced an alliance with the Indian Air Force to launch its new India based programming initiative for 2005 —‘Nat Geo Mission Udaan’ that will take Indian viewers deep into the country’s air force.
This initiative is the channel’s latest move to further expand its appeal and entrench its new positioning `Think Again’ with its viewers and advertisers.
“Once again National Geographic Channel presents a first in Indian television history. For the first time ever Indian audiences will get a unique glimpse into the life and science behind military aviation in India with ‘Nat Geo Mission Udaan-inside the Indian Air Force’ presented in association with the Indian Air Force,” NGC MD Zubin J. Gandevia.
According to Gandevia, “Nat Geo Mission Udaan arises out of our ongoing effort at broad basing the channel’s appeal and producing programmes that are locally relevant, more topical and more relatable.”
Nat Geo Mission Udaan is a representation of National Geographic Channel’s evolution as a channel based on its new positioning of Think Again… to continuously stay relevant to its viewers by reaching out and providing answers and insights to questions about life around them.
The series will take audiences inside the Indian Air Force, the
fourth-largest air force in the world, and introduce them to the IAF’s history, the legends and heroes, its squadrons of aircrafts and technologies behind them, impeccable training standards, culture, traditions and lifestyle.
“Nat Geo Mission Udaan is a window into the Indian Air Force… a glimpse into the lives of a team of elite professionals who epitomize integrity, service above self, and excellence” said Air Chief Marshal S. P. Tyagi PVSM AVSM VM ADC, adding, “It gives me great pleasure to associate with National Geographic Channel to bring to you an inside look into the Indian Air Force”.
Apart from an inside look at the Air Force, Nat Geo Mission Udaan is the channel’s second wholly India based programming initiative after the hugely successful Mission Everest, which will directly involve viewers with an on ground outreach, added Dilshad Master, s VP, content and communication, NGC India..
On ground selections will be held in October, in the three main cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to give thousands of Indians a chance to be one of five people who will get a once in a lifetime opportunity of getting inside the Indian Air Force.
The channel plans to synergise its strengths on-air, online and on-ground to create a strong interactive local connect with its target audience.
National Geographic Channel will also target advertisers with products and brands that are synonymous with the spirit of the channel, which will offer them an ideal platform to associate with an enduring property over an extended period of time.
This renewed synergy between the channel, viewer and advertiser through Nat Geo Mission Udaan will give the channel the opportunity to engage viewers more strongly and drive longer-term relationships and extended associations with key advertisers.
National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) invites viewers to re-think the way they see television – and the world – with smart, innovative programming. A business enterprise owned by National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F), FOX Entertainment Group and the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), NGCI contributes to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education.
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.
