News Broadcasting
Hungama ‘Captain Hunt’ heats up
MUMBAI: Who thought our kids are so eager to run a TV channel? Hungama, UTV’s much awaited kids’ channel has received 100,000 plus entries from kids across India.
UTV had made an open invitation to the Indian kids, to create their own television channel through participation in the Hungama TV Captains Hunt! The big hunt is on to select TV captains, 20 of India’s brightest kids, who will eventually run the channel.
Hungama TV COO Purnendu Bose said, “We are pleasantly surprised that we have more than a lakh kids wanting to run our channel, we wish we would accommodate all of them. The response for the hunt only goes to show how the kids have been wanting to run their own channel, after all Hungama TV is for the Indian Kids, by the Indian Kids.”
The hunt was kicked off on 28 June and till 27 July, had received an overwhelming response of 1,05,571 entries across 25 cities making the hunt the largest in terms of numbers of entries received for any talent hunt in India, informed an official release.
Mumbai leads the pack with a total of 25,825 entries followed quite closely by Delhi with 24,550. Pune 12,546, Ahmedabad 8,215, Bangalore 7,800 are the other high response cities. Entries have also been flowing in from other cities like Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Allahabad, Indore etc. through mail. The city level auditions in Mumbai, Bangalore will be held on Saturday, 31 July followed by Indore, Pune, Ahmedabad on Sunday, 1 August. The second leg of the auditions will be held on Saturday 7 August in Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata and concluding on Sunday 8 August in Jaipur and Ludhiana, added the release.
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.
