News Broadcasting
BBC launches corporate responsibility report
MUMBAI: The BBC has launched its first corporate responsibility report, Living Public Value in the UK.
The report describes how the BBC adds public value through serving its audiences responsibly both on-air and off-air. From Children in Need to pan-BBC initiatives such as Fat Nation, the BBC connects with people throughout the UK to help enrich their lives.
BBC D-G Mark Thompson said, “The BBC’s founders believed that broadcasting could make the world a better place. Public intervention would ensure that its astonishing creative power – to enrich individuals with knowledge, culture and information about their world, to build more cohesive communities, to engage the people of the UK and the whole globe in a new conversation about who we are and where we are going – would be put to work to the sole benefit of the public.”
Following the pilot project, iCan will be rolled out in the UK. In partnership with do-it.org a key part of the new service will be a portal for people who want to volunteer. The BBC will also develop a pan-BBC policy on human rights in recognition that it operates in countries ith oppressive regimes. The policy will aim to make explicit and reinforce the value of reporting from these countries as well as set the standards to ensure that the BBC itself does not infringe good practice.
Furthermore the BBC will finalise standards for managing its supply chain relationships. Working closely with its commercial divisions, a comprehensive policy will be drawn up addressing ethical purchasing decisions, setting minimum standards for the BBC’s suppliers and developing a process to monitor best practice.
Thompson added, “We have recently set out a demanding vision for the BBC’s future in Building Public Value. Our values commit us to serve the public interest by being a responsible corporate citizen. This report tells some of the story of how the BBC and its people – day in, day out – are building public value through serving people and acting responsibly through long-held initiatives, programme-linked activities and corporate actions – all of which are integral to our core purpose of enriching people’s lives.”
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.
