Event Coverage
Radio Canada and Fox International Channels content sales sign output agreement
CANNES: CBC/Radio-Canada French Services executive vice president Louis Lalande and FOX International Channels (FIC) chief operating officer and National Geographic channels International chief executive officer Ward Platt have announced that they have signed an output agreement that will expose FIC content sales library of National Geographic productions to more viewers, including Canadian teachers and students.
Radio-Canada has acquired over one hundred hours of National Geographic documentaries to be broadcast on the ICI Explora channel starting in January 2015. Also in January 2015, ICI Explora will introduce a new slot in prime-time exclusively devoted to National Geographic productions, starting with six documentaries on big cats. Radio-Canada has indicated its interest in a variety of documentaries and series currently in production to expand the programming line-up of Découverte,La semaine verte, Zone doc and Les Grands Reportages on ICI RDI.
The partners have also signed an agreement, which allows Curio.ca, Radio-Canada’s education platform – to air 200 hours of National Geographic documentaries previously acquired and aired on ICI Explora as well as additional hours secured specifically for Curio.ca. This collaboration enables teaching institutions and libraries throughout Canada who subscribe to Curio.ca to access National Geographic’s outstanding factual content.
Curio.ca is a new web portal that allows instructors at all levels – elementary, secondary and postsecondary to stream highly relevant video and audio content in classrooms to support their teaching. Content is organised into seven main subject categories – arts, business, education, health, history and geography, science, and social sciences. The portal, which features over 4000 news stories, documentaries and series, is currently accessible to over two million Canadian students.
Speaking about the deal Lalande said “It’s perfectly consistent with our multi-platform and multi-screen approach whereby we try to offer our audiences the best of worldwide productions. This is a great example of the kind of collaboration intended by A space for us all, the strategic plan unveiled by CBC/Radio-Canada in June that will help us better meet the expectations of Canadians.”
“This expanding partnership with Radio-Canada presents the perfect opportunity to introduce French-speaking Canadian audiences and a new generation of bright minds to inspiring, high-quality programming that encapsulates the core of the National Geographic brand,” commented Platt.
In addition to the extensive acquired hours, Radio-Canada and National Geographic Channels International will pursue the development and co-production of stories that will resonate for both partners including a project focused on the Arctic.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
