News Broadcasting
“Communications Convergence” conference on 13-14 Dec
MUMBAI: The first international conference on Communications Convergence : The Multi-Billion Indian Opportunity takes place on 13-14 December at The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. Hinduja TMT will be main sponsor at this event organised by The Indian Merchants’ Chamber.
The two-day conference will bring together top authorities in each field of Voice, Internet, Convergence and Data Services and engage the luminaries from the industries, the investors and the government.
At the legislative level, the convergence bill looks to be in limbo but there is a huge amount happening in the IT and telecom space, especially as regards the IT-enabled services business. The conference will provide a forum where the relevant issues will be addressed.
According to the IMC, Union minister for parliamentary affairs, communication and IT Pramod Mahajan will address the valedictory session of the two-day conference on 14 December. Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and minister for finance & planning Jayantrao Patil will be the chief guest and guest of honour respectively, for the luncheon session on 14 December.
The sessions run from 9:30 am to 6 pm on a daily basis. While the developed world has been seeing slower growth and problems in the telecom industry, Asia (particularly China and India) has seen scorching growth in the last decade. This growth is expected to continue in India, with the accelerated demand for telecom and converged services.
The Indian telecommunications industry has seen a revolution in recent times with deregulation, convergence, new spectrum allocation, new technologies, mergers and acquisitions, and new market entrants altering the wire-line, wireless, cable, satellite and ISPs landscape.
The changes have been driven by large investments, both by Indian companies and overseas telecom companies and institutional investors, spurred by the investor-friendly environment provided by the Government.
It is estimated by the IMC that India will need a huge investment of US $60 billion by 2005 in the telecom sector to keep up with the planned increase in teledensity. The reasoning is that the business opportunity offered by this new wave in India has tremendous potential and needs to be explored and tapped by investments, both Indian and foreign. In spite of all this, there has been very little information available on the specifics of this investment opportunity. The conference organised by IMC aims to identify and focus on the following:
– Business segments as defined by the regulatory framework & their prospects
– Legal and financial framework for investments
– Current competitive scene and investment climate.
Also on the table, is a series of tutorials on relevant topics of Convergence, which could provide the requisite background information to interested businessmen and enable them to take make further progress in the field.
According to the IMC, the speaker lineup at the Conference includes :
CEO Hinduja TMT – R. Mohan
Co-Chairman Hinduja TMT India – Ramkrishan P. Hinduja
Chairman, TRAI – M S Verma
Chairman, World Tel, UK (Video Conferencing) – Sam Pitroda
MD, net2phone Western Europe – Bryan Rowe
Regional Director-Asia of Aon (UK), an associate of Global Insurance Services (Mumbai) – David Hill
MD, NEC Singapore – Noel Hon Chia Chun
VP- Asia Pacific, Polycom (USA) – Leo M Cortjens
Chairman, Dishnet DSL Ltd. – Dr. Vijay Bhatkar.
In addition like any other International Conference there will be four tutorial sessions, to be conducted by experts in their own right on 12 December. These sessions will focus on several business and technical aspects.
The sponsors for the event include Hutchison Max Telecom, Hinduja Group India,, Bharti Enterprises, IDFC, Global Insurance Services, Aon (UK), Global Tele and Tellabs India.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
