News Broadcasting
BBC’s interactive mystery adventure for website
MUMBAI: The search for a pop star albeit a missing one goes online! This is an initiative that BBC is hoping will give its online broadband content a boost. BBC interactive Drama & Entertainment (iD&E) has commissioned Jamie Kane, an interactive mystery for teenagers
The show uses video, mobile and artificial intelligence to immerse its target audience in the world of a missing pop star. The project is scheduled to appear on bbc.co.uk early next year.
The script has been written by author, Matt Beaumont and centres on the mystery disappearance of fictional pop star, Jamie Kane played by stage actor Simon Bailey
The BBC claims that Jamie Kane is more complex than an traditional online game and more interactive than any linear drama. The catch is that only by immersing themselves in the fictional world of Jamie Kane and his fan club will players be able to solve the mystery.
Production is currently underway in London. BBC has looked to exploit the full potential of the web by squirreling away clues on fictional websites and offering artificial intelligence conversations, created by Creative Virtual, specialists in chatbot technology.
Daily updates via email and mobile phone messages, if they choose to sign up for the experience, will help users with the search for their pop idol.
By solving a number of hidden puzzles, commissioned from BIMA-award-winning online games agency, Preloaded, players receive new clues to help them in the search. Each game is designed to test a player’s powers of observation, memory and logic.
Jamie Kane combines artificial intelligence to generate messages from other ‘fans’ on the trail of the pop star, and video footage to create an authentic fan site. Ii will include mock performances and media interviews from the fictional performer, amongst them a Top of the Pops one-to-one with presenter Fearne Cotton.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
