Music and Youth
MTV takes over College Television Network in US
NEW YORK: MTV Networks is poised to purchase the College Television Network (CTN) from the CTN Media Group, an acquisition that will enable MTV to tap the 750 American college campuses where CTN is available.
CTN, based in New York, is the largest television network dedicated exclusively to serving college students. According to a press release, it reaches 8.2 million students each week, by way of its satellite broadcast feed to televisions located primarily in public spaces on the largest American college campuses, as well as direct distribution into dorm room cable systems on almost 150 college campuses.
Elaborating on MTV’s plans, the release states that CTN will continue to offer programmes designed specifically to meet the demands of college students. The emphasis would be on a unique blend of music, news, sports and college-specific programming. In addition, it will continue to create new music and other college-themed events and bring them to college students across the US.
MTV has also formed partnerships with CBS News and CBS Sports (also owned by Viacom Inc.) to provide news and sports programming specifically for college students, says the release.
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
