News Broadcasting
Digital media summit in the US next week
MUMBAI: A Digital Media Summit organised by iHollywood Forum takes place next week in the US. The event in California from 7-8 June 2005 will look at the business opportunities in using digital technologies that create, deliver and distribute content.
The summit will see experts talking about how content creators and service providers can make money from all areas of digital home entertainment including and cable services, video on demand, music, streaming, online gaming, home networking, home theatre, set top boxes, interactive television and subscription services such as MusicNet, Pressplay, Movies.com and Movielink.
Topics that will be dealt with will include: dueling digital music strategies from Apple, Yahoo! Microsoft, Real and Napster; the telcoms invasion of cable operators’ television space; the explosion of HDTV; the emergence of anytime, anywhere programming on TV and portable devices; wireless and mobile programming, the latest trends in interactive games, subscription vs. downloadable content models, home networking, peer-to-peer, digital asset management, digital rights management.
The speakers include CBS Television, senior VP, strategic planning and interactive ventures Daviod Katz, Fox Sports senior VP Ross Levinsohn, Microsoft, Director, Technical Policy Andy Moss, Google director video Jennifer Feikin and Reuters VP mobile and emerging media Stephen Smyth.
One breakout session exmaines the The Mobile Content Explosion. Mobile entertainment may finally be coming of age as a consistent and reliable source of revenue for carriers, product developers and aggregators of content. The speakers evaluate the opportunities in mobile video and imaging, messaging, music, gaming, mobile communities, music and other areas of interest. Can the wireless business avoid the retrenchment and consolidation that followed emergence of other breakthrough technologies?
Another session is called Digital World of Sports. Loyal sports fans are ready to pay for digital content delivered by VOD, video games, broadband, streaming, iTV and wireless. Sports executives discuss their plans for bringing digital sports into the home and on the go.
The movie format war is discused in the session DVDs: Still the Crown Jewels? Ten years into a spectacular sales run, the DVD business is morphing. Games, soundtracks, web links and other interactive extras are now a must. Consumers are starting to buy new players that let them watch movies in multiple rooms or slice out objectionable content. A high-definition format war looms between HD DVD and Blu Ray. Video-on-demand, recordable DVDs, PVRs and piracy could hurt sales.
The conference will also look at how interactive marketing is getting real. Internet advertising now represents more than two per cent of the ad spend for the Fortune 500 companies. Entertainment and publishing companies, with their highly visible properties, are well-positioned to cash in. This session takes a look at how companies are creating and cashing in on ads, promotions and sponsorship online and in emerging media such as mobile, iTV and games.
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
