News Broadcasting
Orange, Endemol bring ringtone chart to UK telly
MUMBAI: Orange and Endemol are teaming up to produce a network ITV series called Orange Playlist, according to reports appearing in a section of the European media.
Orange has struck a deal with ITV1 and the production company behind Big Brother, Endemol, to screen the music chart of mobile ringtones. The weekly show – Orange Playlist – will be paid for in part by the France Telecom-parented mobile operator and would be coming to UK TV screens from the end of next month.
The show will air in a late-night slot from 23 September and is scheduled to run for six months. Each episode will feature an interview with a celebrity on five songs they have chosen in five predefined categories: the past, the present, the future, a dedication and the celebrity’s all-time favourite track.
The relevant music videos will be played around their choices and the format will also include a run-down of the top fives in the singles, download and ringtones charts.
The show aims at a younger audience and viewers will be encouraged to send texts and picture messages to the programme with the best appearing on screen.
The Orange Playlist isn’t the first attempt to capitalise on music’s success – ringtone sales now beat CD single sales – in new media formats. Virgin and Napster announced last week they would be offering an online music chart, to hit the market just days before the Beeb’s own download offering.
The emergence of new ringtone and music download charts confirms the rising importance of these media, which are growing rapidly at the expense of CD sales.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
