News Broadcasting
Turner to launch tween channel Pogo
NEW DELHI: Turner International is now eyeing the tween of India.
After the hugely successful Cartoon Network, Turner now plans to launch a new channel, POGO, from 1 January 2004. The 24-hour channel, hosted on the Zee Turner platform and to be beamed off the PAS 10 satellite, will feature live action, drama and series, it was announced at a media conference today.
The USP of the channel, however, will be feature films that will be regularly aired and will differentiate it from existing channels for kids, notably sister channel Cartoon Network and rival Nickelodeon.
There will be special documentaries, comedies and like shows, providing what the channel calls ‘complete multi genre entertainment package for kids.’ POGO, in all likelihood, will target the age group that Cartoon Network misses – the tween who has grown out of Scooby Doo and Tom and Jerry.
Unlike Cartoon Network, however, Pogo will not be exclusively animation, and will cater to an audience that’s ready for edutainment.
Ian Diamond, the Singapore-based senior vice president and general manager, Turner Entertainment Networks Asia, Inc., said, “Pogo will change the dimensions of how kids watch television. There will be a sense of ownership for the kids.”
Turner’s efforts at wooing kids to the telly have thus far met with more than a modicum of success. Meticulous research that pointed to an unmet demand from toddlers and their mothers led Cartoon Network to launch a special three hour daily band Tiny TV in January 2003, a move that paid instant dividends.
It’s now upto Pogo to prove its potential.
News Broadcasting
BBC to cut up to 2,000 jobs in biggest overhaul in 15 years
Cost pressures and leadership change drive major workforce reduction plan
LONDON: BBC has unveiled plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs, roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, in what marks its biggest downsizing in 15 years.
The announcement was made during an all-staff meeting led by interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies, as the broadcaster moves to tackle mounting financial pressures and reshape its operations.
Between 1,800 and 2,000 roles are expected to be eliminated from a workforce of around 21,500. The cuts form part of a broader plan to save £500 million over the next two years, aimed at offsetting rising costs, stagnating licence fee income and weaker commercial revenues.
In a communication to staff, BBC interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said, “I know this creates real uncertainty, but we wanted to be open about the challenge,” acknowledging the impact the move would have across the organisation.
The restructuring comes at a time of leadership transition. Former director-general Tim Davie stepped down earlier this month, with Matt Brittin, a former Google executive, set to take over the role on May 18, 2026.
While some cost-cutting measures are being implemented immediately, the majority of the structural changes are expected to roll out over the next few years, with full savings targeted by the 2027–2028 financial year.
The broadcaster had earlier signalled its intent to reduce its cost base by around 10 per cent over a three-year period, warning of “difficult choices” as it adapts to shifting economic realities and audience expectations.
With operating costs hovering around £6 billion annually, the BBC’s latest move underscores the scale of the financial challenge it faces, as it balances public service commitments with the need for long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
