News Broadcasting
BBC’s new production fund for the UK
MUMBAI: Three UK production companies will be the first to benefit from a new BBC fund.
They are Twofour Productions, Pier Productions and Multi Media Arts. They had applied for the £100,000 You Don’t Need To Live In London fund.
The fund aims to boost regional production in the UK unearthing talent which would benefit hugely from a cash injection. The announcement followed a tough selection process which attracted applicants from throughout the UK. They had never previously produced network entertainment.
The above mentioned companies will be mentored by BBC Entertainment senior commissioning executive Alan Brown. They will develop and shape their ideas over the course of a year. Twofour Productions has made mostly leisure/lifestyle programmes with recent credits including Gardens Through Time (BBC Two), Accidents Can Happen (BBC One), The City Gardener (Channel 4).
Pier Productions was selected on the basis of its strong track record in radio production in drama, factual and comedy. Multi Media Arts makes factual and factual entertainment shows such as Reality Bites, Powerhouse and The Blizzard of Odd.
BBC Entertainment commissioning controller Jane Lush said, “We were all impressed by the quality of the applicants and the final decision was a hard one. Twofour Productions, Pier Productions and Multi Media Arts demonstrated creativity coupled with very promising ideas and I look forward to seeing our relationships develop over the next few months.”
News Broadcasting
WITT Summit 2026 concludes in New Delhi
Babar Azam’s comical diving attempt goes viral as league introduces anti-dew measures.
MUMBAI: The WITT Summit just wrapped up with enough big ideas to fill a policy playbook because when India’s leaders, thinkers and icons gather under one roof, even the conversations hit sixes. The eighth edition of TV9 Network’s flagship What India Thinks Today (WITT) Summit 2026 concluded on Saturday after two days of dynamic discussions at its New Delhi venue. India’s largest multi-domain public policy and culture summit brought together political leaders, policymakers, sports icons, artists and technology innovators to examine the forces shaping contemporary India and its global standing.
Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address on the theme “India and the World” for the third consecutive year. In a wide-ranging speech, he addressed the ongoing conflict in West Asia, calling for restraint and compassion while highlighting India’s continued development trajectory despite global turmoil.
The summit featured candid conversations with state leaders. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy articulated a people-first governance model and contrasted it with other development approaches. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declared that Left-wing extremism had been effectively eliminated in his state and highlighted preparations for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended his government’s record, citing the closure of 19 toll plazas and creation of the Sadak Suraksha Force. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed confidence in Congress prospects in Assam and addressed recent allegations against him.
On geopolitics and national security, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia outlined India’s ambition to become a builder of trusted digital infrastructure for the world, citing the rapid 5G rollout and village-level 4G connectivity.
Cricket received significant attention. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praised player freedom and trust as hallmarks of great leadership and named MS Dhoni as the greatest captain due to his World Cup successes. India women’s team bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi credited the BCCI and Women’s Premier League for building a pipeline of world-class talent behind the team’s recent ODI World Cup triumph.
The summit also hosted the inaugural AI² Awards 2026, celebrating the convergence of human creativity and machine intelligence in storytelling and content creation. Poet and kathavachak Kumar Vishwas delivered a nuanced take on India’s concept of Dharma and criticised the recent arrest of an 80-year-old Shankaracharya. Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan and storyteller Neelesh Misra reflected on changing music trends and artistic responsibility in the wake of a recent controversy involving Nora Fatehi.
In a country where conversations often run as deep as the Ganges, the WITT Summit proved once again that when leaders, thinkers and storytellers come together, the real winner is public discourse lively, layered and refreshingly unafraid to tackle the big questions shaping India’s tomorrow.
