GECs
Nigel Robbins replaces Frank Brown as MTV Networks Asia-Pacific president
MUMBAI: MTV Networks International has promoted its Australia head Nigel Robbins to the position of MTV Networks Asia-Pacific president.
Robbins replaces Frank Brown, who announced he was quitting in September. Robbins is currently MTV Networks Australia managing director. A replacement for Robbins in Australia has not yet been announced.
Based out of Singapore, Robbins will be responsible for driving the growth of MTV, Nickelodeon and VH1 in the Asia-Pacific, as well as developing new brands and businesses in the region.
In addition, it was announced today that effective immediately, MTV Networks Japan will operate as a separate division to MTV Networks Asia-Pacific, recognising the unique nature and importance of this key market.
MTVN Japan executive vice-president and managing director Peter Bullard will continue to lead the Japanese operations, which include managing MTVNI’s interest in its MTV Japan joint venture, as well as its digital media brand Flux and Nickelodeon’s channel, licensing and syndication businesses.
Robbins and Bullard will report to MTVN vice-chairman and MTV Networks International president Bill Roedy.
Robbins is credited with leading MTV to market leadership in Australia, launching Vh1 and is also on the board of Nickelodeon.
Robbins has spent 12 years with MTVN in the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on both the creative and commercial realms. Prior to his Australian assignment he ran the MTV Japan joint venture, and was in charge of content and creative at MTV Japan.
Prior to that he had a pan-regional role as MTV Networks Asia senior vice president, creative and content and was based in Singapore and Hong Kong.
For the last few months he has also been leading MTVN India, acting as interim managing director (after the departure of Alex Kuruvilla) until newly appointed MD Amit Jain takes charge in January.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
