MAM
Media execs applaud change in venue of ATF, AFMC
MUMBAI: Buyers to the Asia Television Forum (ATF) and Asia Film Market and Conference (AFMC) 2004 exhibition that is scheduled to be held soon, have welcomed the change in venue from Sentosa Island to the much larger Shangri-La Hotel in Mainland Singapore.
Reed Exhibitions, the organiser of ATF and AFMC, recently announced that it is moving the 2004 edition of ATF and AFMC from Sentosa Island to Shangri-La Singapore on Mainland Singapore, the events first re-location since its inception in 2000.
With 103 participating companies and over 2,600 participants from 35 countries attending the 3-day event at Rasa Sentosa on Sentosa Island last year, a larger and more accessible venue was necessary to facilitate the upbeat growth of the show and the introduction of new show highlights.
The flagship property for the award winning Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts group, the Shangri-La Singapore hotel houses over 20 function rooms fully equipped with communication lines and the necessary support facilities for audio-visual requirements.
The recent announcement of the setting up of Lucasfilm Animation Singapore, a digital animation studio designed to produce digital animated content, including films, television and games for global audiences, has attracted much interest from many key buyers around Asia.
The upcoming ATF and AFMC events will see an increase of 25 per cent in sellers. The 2004 edition will also experience an increase in buyer attendance from groups like India’s Sony Entertainment Television and Discovery Communications, Thailand’s Kantana Group and M.O.M. International Co. Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Media of Medias Plc and Indonesia’s PT. Broadband Multimedia Tbk.
Many buyers acknowledge the practicality of being on Mainland Singapore and appreciate the move. “We definitely welcome the move as it comes with much convenience and flexibility. With its close proximity to Orchard Road, it’ll be now much more convenient for us to organize our meetings and evening activities. We also like the fact that we need not rush to leave the island at any specific time,” said Associated Broadcasting Company vice president Victorino Vianzon.
The sellers have also recognised that efficiency will be increased with the move to Mainland Singapore. “The change in location will provide more varieties and opportunities to the event,” said CBS Broadcast International MD Yuet-Fung Ho.
It’s fantastic holding ATF in the city. It facilitates the participants to run a hectic-free schedule. I am sure both buyers and sellers will enjoy this wonderful arrangement. Agogo International Ltd director programming May To. The view from Sentosa will be sorely missed but accessibility and practicality will no doubt be considerably increased, Indigo sales manager Emma Collin, aptly sums up.
“We are much encouraged to learn that the move from Sentosa Island to Mainland Singapore has garnered such positive feedback and responses from both our buyers and sellers. We believe the move will serve our customers well. They will benefit from both the convenience of being on Mainland Singapore and the flexibility being near Orchard Road and all its facilities,” said Reed Exhibitions president Ed Ng.
Asia Television Forum and Asia Film Market and Conference, will be held from 1 – 3 December 2004, and are the anchor events for Asia Media Festival 2004. An event organised by Reed Exhibitions and hosted by MDA, the fortnight-long Festival will showcase a host of trade and public events in print, broadcasting, film, publishing, digital media and online media.
Some of the events, which will be held during the festival includes Asia Television Forum, Media Financing Forum, Asia Animation Summit and Conference, Asian Television Awards, Promax & BDA Asia, Asia Animation SuperPitch, Asia Television SuperPitch and Scriptwriting workshops. There will be also special showcases on Animation, iTV and Locations.
MAM
Raghu Rai passes away at 83, leaves behind iconic legacy
Padma Shri-winning photographer documented history across 5 decades.
MUMBAI: The lens may have stilled, but the stories it captured will never fade. Raghu Rai, one of India’s most celebrated photojournalists, passed away on April 26, 2026, at the age of 83. He breathed his last at a private hospital in New Delhi after battling cancer and age-related health issues.
His son, Nitin Rai, revealed that Rai had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, which later spread to the stomach and, more recently, the brain. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his health had declined in recent months.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Rai entered photography in his early twenties, inspired by his elder brother, photographer S. Paul. Beginning his career in the mid-1960s, he went on to build a body of work that spanned more than five decades, contributing to global publications such as Time, Life, GEO, Le Figaro, The New York Times, Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire.
His global recognition took a decisive leap in 1977 when legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to join Magnum Photos, placing him among the world’s most respected visual storytellers.
Rai’s lens chronicled both power and poignancy. He photographed towering figures such as Indira Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Bal Thackeray, Satyajit Ray and Mother Teresa, while also documenting defining moments like the Bhopal gas tragedy later captured in his book Exposure: A Corporate Crime.
Over the years, he published more than 18 books, building an archive that blended journalism with artistry. His contributions were recognised early when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh War and refugee crisis. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the United States for his work in National Geographic, and in 2009, he was honoured with the Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Rai is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites will be held at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday.
With his passing, Indian photojournalism loses not just a pioneer, but a patient observer of history, one frame at a time.
