News Broadcasting
FremantleMedia takes the ‘The IT Crowd’ online & mobile
MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW) has partnered with UK’s Channel 4 to provide exclusive content for mobile and online platforms for the new comedy series, The IT Crowd.
For the first time in Channel 4’s history, UK-based internet users can now watch full-length episodes of The IT Crowd one week before transmission by logging on to http://www.channel4.com/itcrowd.
Fans will also be able to download clips, outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage to their mobile phones via Channel 4’s mobile portal, which can be accessed simply by texting “Mobile” to 83188. Content has been edited and encoded for both online and mobile delivery by Mobile Interactive Group, the global multimedia mobile services provider.
FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide UK vice president licensing Dom Wheeler said, “This is a first in the history of Channel 4 and a very important step for taklbackTHAMES and FremantleMedia. New media platforms are an increasingly important way for consumers to interact with our programmes and we look forward to working with Channel 4 on many more of our hit shows in the future.”
The IT Crowd is the latest highly-anticipated comedy offering from talkbackTHAMES, one of the UK production companies owned by FremantleMedia. Written and directed by Graham Linehan and produced by Ash Atalla, The IT Crowd is about an IT department – Roy (Chris O’Dowd), Jen (Katherine Parkinson) and Moss (Richard Ayoade) – who work in the basement of Reynholm Industries while their beautiful colleagues work upstairs in modern, sophisticated surroundings. Filmed in front of a live studio audience, The IT Crowd is a surreal look at the underclass of a company.
The IT Crowd premiered with a double bill on Channel 4 last Friday attracting 1.8 million viewers. Fremantle International Distribution, the distribution arm of FremantleMedia, will be distributing The IT Crowd worldwide and will launch the new comedy at MIPTV 2006, where it will feature within an exciting slate of programming.
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.
