News Broadcasting
BBC launches online film network in the UK
MUMBAI: BBC Film Network (bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork) – the interactive showcase for new British short film-making talent has been launched as a full service with new features and a new generation of films including the online premiere of Joe Penhall’s The Undertaker starring Rhys Ifans.
The UK pubcaster says that BBC Film Network had launched as a trial in January 2005 to promote new British filmmakers and has been growing ever since – with 50,000 unique users in September and the most popular films receiving 1,200 viewings a week. An ever-expanding library of short films is available online, allowing new film-makers and film fans to view g new work, create online profiles and share information with the creative community.
The site already hosts more than 150 high-quality short films and has more than 3,000 registered members. Three new films are featured every week – from traditional drama and documentaries to cutting edge animation and music promos – adding to a growing catalogue showcasing the work of the UK’s best new film talent. The site launched in collaboration with the UK Film Council, and includes a number of shorts funded through their digital short scheme.
Since then, BBC says that its film network has developed links with a large range of partners from within the industry and is currently working with: short distributors Dazzle, Short Circuit and onedotzero; events like Brief Encounters, London and Edinburgh Film Festivals; other organisations like the British Council and Shooting People; as well as record labels such as Warp.
The site acts as a shop window for the industry with each partner curating selections of films showcased on site. Film Network also accepts direct submissions from film-makers and 46 of the showcased films have been submitted directly through the website. The new improved site, which launched at the London Film Festival, will include new features like audience charts of the highest rated films, an improved film catalogue and more sophisticated profile pages, plus, a panel of industry of experts giving online feedback.
There will also be a new magazine section, launching at the end of November. It will include interviews, profiles and masterclasses with established film-makers, and programmes of themed shorts and other features around the art of film-making that inspire discussion and debate amongst the site’s regular users. Later this year the site will also trial rights-managed, hi-res downloads which will allow audiences to watch the very best shorts full screen in near-DVD quality.
bbc.co.uk interactive executive Gerard O’Malley said, “With BBC Film Network you get for the first time a real overview of what is happening at this level in the film industry and a sense of a real body of work. I hope that future successful film-makers will look back on the Film Network as a real turning point in their careers. I hope too that the wider audience will continue to develop a taste for the short film.”
A senior producer Matt Walton said: “It’s surprising how quickly the site has become established within the world of short films. Everyone you speak to is very positive about the BBC providing this kind of service. We hope now to push the site further and help to develop a wider audience for up and coming British film-makers. As part of Europe’s biggest content website we should be in a position to do that. If more people get to see some of the great, interesting work that’s being produced but rarely seen, then we’re doing our job.”
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.
