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First interactive TV producers’ forum next month
LONDON: This is an event that will bring interactive broadcast professionals under one roof. The American Film Institute (AFI), BBC and BAFTA will organise the first of its kind forum INTERACTION ’03: A Transatlantic Producers’ Forum
The forum will be held at the BAFTA headquarters in London on 1 April, one week after the MIP-TV and MILIA trade shows are held in Cannes.
INTERACTION ’03 will encourage interactive television producers from both sides of the Atlantic to exchange insights into the achievements and challenges of creating in this relatively new medium. Producers from public service and commercial television in the UK and North America have been invited to lead discussions focused on particular programme types and methods.
An official release says that AFI, BBC and BAFTA will work to bridge the gap that still exists in the worldwide television marketplace. AFI associate director and founder of AFI’s Enhanced Television Workshop Nick DeMartino has been quoted as saying: “AFI has featured pioneering producers from across the world in its annual overview of the interactive television field in Los Angeles for many years. We want to heighten the learning curve, and encourage the leaders in America to recognise that interactive TV is not a distant future medium, but a lively contemporary production experience in millions of UK homes and hundreds of editing suites in Great Britain.”
Interestingly, a Deloitte & Touche Survey conducted last month states that contrary to the hype during the boom of the 1990s, the mood for the importance of interactive programming has cooled.
Approximately 57 per cent of the 1000 respondents in the US consisting of content providers (32 per cent), software providers (six per cent), telecommunications operators (three per cent), network technicians (two per cent), MSOs felt that interactive programming and content on television would not be very important over the next three years.
BBC Training and Development and founding member of BAFTA’s Interactive Entertainment Committee Frank Boyd said, “Interactive TV is transforming the way BBC and other UK production organisations are dealing with all types of programming. As our country makes this historic transition, we can only benefit by seeing examples from our American cousins.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
