News Broadcasting
MTV network India setting up a new team
MUMBAI: MTV Networks India has announced a line up of new appointments and promoted some senior executives to bolster its team.
Ranjan Narayan has joined as MTV Networks India finance team head while Sonia Chowdhry is going to head Nick programming. Sameer Mazgaonkar will head Nick all India ad sales.
MTV Networks’ vice presidents, Cyrus Oshidar (content & creative) and Sanjev Hiremath (licensing & merchandising), are promoted as senior vice presidents. Sales team head south Vijay Subramaniam is elevated as group account director, MTV – ad sales, west and south.
Narayan, who will head the finance function at MTV Network is a former Star News executive. Armed with a decade- long experience in all aspects of finance and accounting, Narayan was a part of the senior management team that launched Star News, says a company release.
Chowdhry joins the network after a stint with BBC World Service Trust. With over ten years of experience in media and programming, Chowdhry’s specific responsibility will be to create new local content for Nick, adds the release.
Mazgaonkar, former B4U head of sales, will take charge of Nick’s all India ad sales, as group account director. His previous experience includes stints with Cartoon Network and ESPN, among others.
While Oshidar is promoted as senior vice president, creative and content, Hiremath is elevated as senior vice president, network development, South Asia (licensing and merchandising).
MTV sales team South head, Subramaniam will be relocating to Mumbai as group account director, MTV – ad sales, West and South.
Announcing the new developments, MTV Networks India, managing director, Alex Kuruvilla said, “The backbone of MTV has always been it’s people. We have hired the best in the business and have promoted key people who have helped guide MTV to the number I position it enjoys today.”
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. AICC’s Praveen Chakravarty weighs ‘Power Sharing vs Principles’, while former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan joins the fray. 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.
