News Headline
New Australian TV studio Dreamchaser aims to showcase Australian content to the world
Mumbai: In a bid to create local Australian content that can travel globally, former Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks and Endemol Shine Australia co-founder Carl Fennessy have announced the launch of Dreamchaser.
It is being positioned as being Australia’s first full-service production and distribution studio based in Sydney, Australia. Marks and Fennessy will serve as joint CEOs.
The new studio will provide a home for Dreamchaser to partner with established and emerging creators to develop programming slates, cultivate distinctive creative identities and bring the next generation of Australian stories to the world.
Backed by global content studio Endeavor Content, Dreamchaser will establish a collection of creative partnerships across the scripted, factual and entertainment genres under one portfolio, with a focus on driving global projects out of the Australian market.
Marks and Fennessy said, “We’re seeing an explosion of global demand for premium content from new and traditional television platforms that shows no sign of slowing. At the same time Australian creatives are at the forefront of many of the biggest shows in the world. There has never been a greater opportunity for global content to be developed and sold from this market. With Endeavor Content’s strategic partnership, Dreamchaser will be a unique home for our creative partners to realise all of their ambitions and for content commissioners to have confidence that Dreamchaser will be the Australian studio where those ambitions can be delivered,”
Endeavor Content’s Co-CEOs Chris Rice and Graham Taylor said, “We are excited for Hugh and Carl to bring their combined industry expertise to launch Dreamchaser, harnessing Australia’s flourishing creative and production communities.”
“With Dreamchaser, Australia solidifies its standing as a major global destination for best-in-class content, bringing next-level storytelling from new and established voices from the continent to export there and to the world beyond.”
Joining Marks and Fennessy are a management team including COO Sara Horn, CFO Megan Rees-Williams and head development Monique Keller.
Marks and Fennessy added, “We’re grateful to the amazing and highly experienced team that have agreed to go on this journey with us. “Their expertise and proven track record will help achieve Dreamchaser’s ambition of taking Australian creatives and their stories to the world.”
In the coming months, Dreamchaser will announce a number of new projects, as well as first-look and multi-title picture deals with Australian creatives.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
