News Broadcasting
Sony BBC Earth partners with ‘Mood Indigo’
MUMBAI: Sony BBC Earth, post its partnership with Lil Flea in early December 2019 to celebrate everything ‘Earth’, has partnered with Asia’s largest college cultural festival ‘Mood Indigo’ to enable the 4-day gala event for becoming India’s first zero waste college festival. This was a pioneering step by the leading college festival which sees a crowd of over 143K people each year and helping it achieve this incredible feat, was India’s most loved factual entertainment channel – Sony BBC Earth.
Sony BBC Earth, from 26 – 29 December, as the ‘Earth Partner’ urged the attendees to responsibly dispose the waste and be more aware of their plastic footprint and its long-lasting impact. Festival goers were confronted with eye-opening and thought-provoking facts, across the campus, like ‘it takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to decompose’ and ‘by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fishes’ to make visitors think about their own plastic footprint and inspire a positive behavioral change. Eventually, 4500 kgs of waste collected was responsibly managed by ‘Mood Indigo’ and Sony BBC Earth, making it India’s first zero waste college festival.
Rooted in the philosophy of ‘Feel Alive’, Sony BBC Earth has stuck to its brand promise of bringing forth grand visual spectacle, positive insightful storytelling and a new perspective to knowledge and entertainment. Extending this philosophy on-ground by forging partnerships with various institutions and festivals, the channel is hoping to inspire thought-provoking conversations and influence people to be more ‘Earth’ conscious.
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.
