News Broadcasting
BBC News invests in VR documentary series
MUMBAI: Hotly tipped as one of the digital trends to look out for in 2018, virtual reality (VR) has made significant steps towards becoming a more integrated offering from BBC News. The BBC is investing in bringing its award-winning journalism to audiences seeking new experiences by launching a VR documentary series.
Produced by BBC News and the BBC VR Hub, Damming the Nile comprises a two-part VR documentary, a half-hour programme on BBC World News and a radio documentary on BBC World Service, as well as video and text on BBC.com. BBC VR Hub is a studio spearheading the VR production at the BBC and exploring how VR can create real audience impact.
With VR at the heart of the production, the documentary follows BBC Africa Correspondent, Alastair Leithead, on a captivating journey along the Nile, exploring the politics and potential impact of Ethiopia’s $4.7 billion hydroelectric dam. Audiences are put in a correspondent’s shoes – through Ethiopia and Sudan, coming to an end at the mouth of the river Nile in Egypt – provoking an unmatched, emotional experience.
To support the viewing of Damming the Nile, the BBC has launched an app on the Oculus Store, where Samsung Gear VR users can access an array of BBC VR content across news, factual and entertainment.
BBC News digital development director James Montgomery said, “We’re committed to looking at ways in which to engage audiences with news, and – for the right project – VR can be an impactful and memorable way of doing our journalism. As an international broadcaster, it’s important for us to develop our storytelling and editing expertise to keep abreast of these rapidly improving technologies.”
Leithead said, “Damming the Nile is a fascinating series exploring the geopolitical struggle for regional power and influence surrounding the world’s longest river. It shows that virtual reality can be used to give a new perspective on world affairs and engage new audiences with world-class BBC News reporting. There’s nothing more exciting than taking the audience on an immersive journey with you.”
The VR series allows audiences to fly high above the river Nile and its waterfalls, explore ancient Sudanese pyramids and take in the spectacular views of Egyptian temples from a hot air balloon before coming back down to earth in chaotic Cairo. Damming the Nile allows audiences to gain a whole new perspective on the conflict surrounding the world’s longest river.
Damming the Nile will be available on the BBC VR Oculus app, bbc.com, BBC News Facebook and BBC News YouTube from 21 February.
News Broadcasting
Business Today MindRush returns to Mumbai, spotlight on India’s edge in a fractured world
Policymakers and corporate heavyweights gather to map supply chains, energy security and markets
MUMBAI: As fault lines widen across global trade and geopolitics, Business Today is doubling down on India’s moment. The 14th edition of Business Today MindRush & Best CEOs Awards lands in Mumbai on March 28, pitching India’s strategic edge at the centre of a fragmenting world.
The day-long summit, presented by PwC, will bring together a tight mix of policymakers, industry leaders and market voices to decode shifting supply chains, maritime strategy, defence priorities, energy security and capital markets—sectors now deeply entangled with geopolitics.
M Nagaraju, secretary, department of financial services, ministry of finance, will headline the event, setting the tone for discussions that aim to track how India is repositioning itself amid disrupted trade routes and volatile energy dynamics.
The speaker slate reads like a cross-section of India Inc’s command centre. Krishna Swaminathan will zero in on sea lanes and supply chains, while Prashant Ruia is set to push the case for self-reliance in oil and gas. Ashish Chauhan will weigh in on capital markets at a pivotal juncture, as a panel featuring Vibha Padalkar, Sanjiv Mehta, Amish Mehta and Sanjeev Krishan debates navigating economic uncertainty.
Leadership under pressure will be another running theme. Madhavkrishna Singhania, Sharvil Patel, Karan Bhagat and Anurag Choudhary will unpack how businesses are steering through disruption. Arun Alagappan will turn the spotlight on fertilisers, Arundhati Bhattacharya will reflect on leadership transitions, while Anish Shah and S Vellayan will outline blueprints for building future-ready conglomerates.
The event will close with Aroon Purie setting the broader editorial lens, before the Best CEOs Awards recognise standout corporate leadership across sectors.
At a time when the global order looks increasingly splintered, MindRush 2026 is positioning itself as more than a conference—it is a signal that India intends not just to navigate the churn, but to shape it.
