News Broadcasting
Mythos help Creative Eye do better in Q3
Divinity, unlike human frailty is more consistent at producing tangible results, at least for television production houses.
Ask Creative Eye. The production house that has an assembly line of mythologicals in its stable, has posted an 83 per cent increase in its net sales for the quarter just ended over the previous quarter. While the company’s income from operations does not compare favourably with figures of the same period last year (Q3 2001 stands at Rs 61.1 million as against Q3 2000 net sales of Rs 157.9 million), the revenues are better than those in Q2 2001 which stood at Rs 33 million. The company claims that net profit after tax is up by 156 per cent over the previous quarter; the figure of Rs 9.2 million is however, much lower than Rs 14.5 million reported for the same quarter last year.
The better performance of the quarter can probably be attributed to the production house’s lessening dependence on Doordarshan and its perceptible shift to the satellite channels. The company, that came out with an IPO in late 2000, posted net sales of Rs 33.4 million in the second quarter of 2000.
After its second quarter results, company officials had said that Creative Eye would spend Rs 30 million to upgrade and add to the additional facilities of its existing studios. Plans are in the pipeline to invest Rs 20 million to set up another studio.
The cost of software has gone up from Rs 28.4 million to Rs 38.2 million over the previous quarter, but the figures are nowhere close to the Rs 135.1 million incurred on software in Q3 2000.
The company currently has Shree Ganesh on Sony, Jap Tap Vratt on Star, Om Namo Naaraayan on Sahara, Jai Santoshi Ma on Zee, Om Namah Shivay (Tamil) on Star Vijay and Jaane Anjaane on DD1. It has also been commissioned to make Nav Graha Shakkti for the still-to-be-launched Mak TV and Kya Beti Paraya Dhan Hai for ETV Hindi.
The company has announced that it has already utilised Rs 110 million of the Rs 252.2 million raised during the IPO and has invested the balance in fixed deposits with nationalised banks.
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.
