News Broadcasting
MTV readies Nickelodeon push
Nickelodeon, the neglected child of the Viacom family in India, looks to be finally getting the attention it has craved for long.
Nick will see some major programming and marketing initiatives within the next three weeks, says MTV India managing director Alex Kuruvilla. Barely two months after being taken up by the Zee-Turner bouquet for distribution, the kids’ channel’s viewership has increased from 5.5 million to eight million, according to Kuruvilla.
An upbeat Kuruvilla, who says says the network undertook some qualitative research in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore recently to assess Nick’s reach found that 80 to 90 per cent of children, exposed to just two weeks to Nickelodeon, shifted to it from other kids’ channels. MTV India distribution head Sanjeev Hiremath says that Nick’s channel positioning too will be rejigged in the coming two to three months.
“In the first phase, we focussed on distribution. In the next, we will take up channel positioning”, Hiremath says.
In the US, Nick commands a powerful audience with its mix of toon and reality programming. In India, however, the channel has failed to generate mass interest thus far, even as rival Cartoon Network surged ahead in popularity. While Nickelodeon suffered from a lack of viewership when it was bundled with the Zee bouquet, the distribution tie up with Warner seems to have given Nick the much needed push. In the 14 months it has been around in India in its present avatar, Nick was unable to match the numero uno position it commands in the US and was labouring on with a viewership of barely two million, admits Kuruvilla.
With it getting noticed, however, Nick is sprucing up its programming. Nick Masala, the two-hour Hindi block is already drawing in viewers although Kuruvilla maintains there is no urgency for localisation on the channel. Its two-hour block on Zee is also drawing ratings of around 0.4, he says. Kuruvilla is also bullish about ad revenues for Nick, which he sees picking up after the increased viewership figures.
MTV meanwhile, is seriously pursuing its plan of going digital within the next three to six months, says Kuruvilla. Cross promotions for Nick have already picked up on MTV and will see a spurt in the coming days with prime properties like Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius becoming a highlight of Nick’s programming. While MTV itself is undecided on whether it will continue to remain independent or will join a bouquet, Nick too “is keeping its options open,” says Kuruvilla. The channel will also look at locally created animation programmes in the medium term, he adds.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
