News Broadcasting
Hungama TV on programme commissioning spree
MUMBAI: Programming overdrive! That is what Hungama is calling its latest venture.
UTV’s to be launched channel Hungama TV has given commissioning letters to 16 production houses for 27 pilots of original programming.
In a company press release, Hungama TV COO Purnendu Bose offered, “With more than eight hours of original programming everyday, our intent is to be armed with a strong line-up of programs across all genres that appeal to all sub segments within our target group. So, even when the research identifies some of the strong and not so strong programs, we will be ready with another round of winning ideas.”
Amongst the 16 production houses that Hungama has commissioned are Eagle Films, Garima, Contiloe, Picasso, Edit 2, Sphere, Rose, Inhouse, Media Track and UTV productions.
UTV’s in-house production company is naturally, going to be the major content provider.
As unique as it sounds, Hungama TV has been researching each and every programming idea, whether live action or animation, with the core target of 4-15 years in all key TRP markets. That apart, the channel is also in the process of establishing the proposed governing council of the 15 member kids board of directors for the channel. The move, as the channel heads claim, further reinforces the seriousness with which they are taking their kids’ opinions.
The Ronnie Screwvala promoted United Home Entertainment’s kids channel aims at becoming a channel of, for and by the kids, adds the release.
News Broadcasting
Book Cricket gets a digital century on News18 amid T20 fever
Nostalgic classroom game revamped in English, Hindi plus Telugu on web and app.
MUMBAI: When the T20 World Cup fever hits fever pitch, News18 decides to flip the script straight back to the classroom. The digital news platform has revived the timeless schoolyard favourite Book Cricket as an interactive online game, perfectly timed to ride the cricket wave gripping fans across the globe. The reimagined Book Cricket ditches textbooks for smartphones, blending old-school nostalgia with modern gameplay. Once a sneaky recess pastime played by flicking book pages to score runs, the digital version now offers seamless fun for anyone craving a quick cricket fix between overs.
Available in English, Hindi and Telugu (with more languages planned across News18’s network), the game sits within the platform’s fast-growing gaming portfolio of over 20 titles, all built in-house. It joins event-driven hits like ‘Kursi Catcher’ and ‘Result Rewind’ during the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections, plus festive specials such as ‘Durga’s Astras’ for Durga Puja and ‘Mouse Modak’ for Ganesh Chaturthi.
News18 Digital CEO Mitul Sangani said, “Gaming is a key pillar of our engagement strategy. At News18, we uniquely combine our newsroom agility with immersive gaming experiences. By blending credible content with interactive formats, we are creating meaningful engagement in an era defined by shrinking attention spans and evolving consumption habits.”
Select titles have expanded beyond News18.com to CNBC-TV18.com and Firstpost.com, reflecting the network’s push to deepen user interaction across platforms. The Book Cricket game is live now at https://www.news18.com/games/book-cricket/.
In a tournament where every boundary counts, News18’s digital Book Cricket proves the simplest games can still deliver the biggest smiles no syllabus required, just pure cricket joy one page-flip at a time.
