GECs
MTV Intl creative president Brent Hansen calls it a day
MUMBAI: MTV Intl creative president Brent Hansen who is also the chief editor has put in his papers.
He spent 15 years at MTV, which was recently spun off from CBS. MTV Intl vice chairman Bill Roedy will fill in for Hansen on an interim basis.
He said, “With nearly two decades at MTV Networks, I’ve decided this is the right time in the company’s history for me to resign and move on. I am proud to have played a key strategic and creative role in the growth of the company’s international business over that time.
“I have led and challenged the company to further its core values. I’m particularly pleased to have helped encourage cultural exchange through music, which continues to be of huge personal and professional interest to me, in tapping into common interests and, hopefully, offering something new as well as the familiar.”
As the head of MTV’s European operations, Hansen spearheaded the broadcaster’s growth in Europe for the past 15 years. He is recognised as the architect of MTV Europe’s localisation strategy, which began in the late 1980s and saw MTV launching dedicated operations in all key European markets.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
