News Broadcasting
MTV, Sony Marketing launch multimedia request show
MUMBAI : This is an initiative which promises to take visual, audio creativity of music buffs to a level previously unseen on the telly. MTV Asia and Sony Marketing Asia Pacific have announced a new 15 minute interactive show MTV Start.. It commences from 6 January in India and Southeast Asia and runs till 23 June.
Viewers have to send custom made requests using audio or visual media. A chain creation process is involved which goes like this. A fan starts the request by using a medium like a photo, audio clip, email. Then his friend adds creative inputs in order to spruce up the offering. The chain process ends when the finished product goes back to the first person. He sends it in for scrutiny. Requests chosen will be broadcast as well as posted on an online gallery at the MTV start microsite.
The judging criteria are :
1. Display of creative juices at work
2. How well connected is the submission
3. Concept layering. This will examine how many people were involved and what each brought to the table.
4. There must also be an absolute element in making the different strands come together.
To give an example a group of friends decide on the theme Beautiful Day. They then send images of what such a day means to each of them. The selector combines them and submits the entry. The programmes air at 8:15 pm.
Prizes up for grabs include Sony products like the walkman and digital still camera. Log on to www.mtvasia.com for guidelines, tips and materials to make the presentations more attractive.
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. 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.
