News Broadcasting
India has some way to go on animation, special effects front – ICT 2002
One of themes at ICT 2002 was India as the new international hub for animation.
Pointing to the scale of the business, CEO UTV Net Solutions Biren Ghose said the worldwide animation industry is worth $ 2 billion, excluding merchandising. Of this the Asian market is worth $ 300 million with India making up only $ 3-7 million, he said. He said that China has original content and has got into mass animation production.
Ghose spoke of four growth codes:
1. Skill sets must grow in a creative manner – Pre production involves formatting and conceptualization by international clients. Then there is actual production and this is followed by post production which is done elsewhere.
2. Have world class processors – A liberal economy means that cost and output must be effective. It is no use utlising the best software if the process involved is not cost effective.
3. Branding and positioning – He gave the example of what Nasscom is doing for the IT industry. If Indian animation is to reach $ 50-100 million levels then marketing efforts have to be upscaled.
4. Hybrid content creation capability – Animation in India at the moment is vertically focussed. It needs to be able to broadbase.
According to AK Madhavan, senior V-P international business, Crest Communication, for a while now Asia has basically been providing services, which he termed as sweat. Now there is a shift happening and so intellectual capabilities can be tapped.
During the session on special effects Maya Entertainment’s Ketan Mehta noted that over the past four to five years, films and tele serials have increasingly been using special effects. According to Mehta, big budget films spend Rs 20-30 million on special effects which constitute about 20 per cent of the content. Smaller budget films spend the same amount but animation constitutes about half the content. Then there are films which use special effects only for the credit sequences.
Mehta expects digital cinema to happen in India and China sooner than in any other part of the globe. With computer animation and digital applications increasingly becoming a part of the special effects department goals need to be identified, he said.
As far as work in this area is concerned the U.S. accounts for 48 per cent and Europe 21 per cent of the business. As far as sectors are concerned film, television and broadcast account for 42 per cent of jobs done, the gaming industry takes up 31 per cent and the Internet swallows a mere 15 per cent.
Mehta identified the lack of bandwidth as a major hindrance to the development of the industry. High bandwidth will allow foreign clients in America or Europe to monitor the work being done in India, he said. India has the cost advantage at the moment but this will not last long as the costs are rising. So quality has become paramount in importance, he said.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
