News Broadcasting
Riot to develop entertainment programming for US tween boys
MUMBAI: Talk about targeted programming. Riot Media, a recently launched company based in New York, will develop, produce and market multi-platform entertainment programming and media products for tween boys..
The company has also announced the formation of Riot Consulting, which will provide strategy and expertise to other organisations seeking to reach the tween market. The announcements were made by the company’s CEO Jay Gissen..
He was quoted in a company release saying, “With 15 million boys aged eight-13 spending $18 billion annually on their own and influencing an additional $145 billion in spending, many companies have devoted considerable time and resources marketing individual products to them.
“Yet no one has been able to successfully create an integrated brand that delivers content for multiple platforms simultaneously. We will fill this market niche in a way that our target audience will embrace and make their own.”.
Riot’s content will include live action and animated television , a comic book, a monthly magazine and books; home video programming, collectible game and trading cards; toys, electronic games, action figures and other licensed products; and an interactive website with an e-commerce element. The first products are expected to be available next year.
Meanwhile Riot Consulting will provide strategic analysis, contribute content, develop branding and serve in an advisory capacity to companies that are targetting the tween market.
Reflecting the importance of this market Riot Consulting claims that it has already been retained by TV Guide. Riot Consulting is working with TV Guide to help the publication reach younger, wider audiences through advertising, advertorials, cable and satellite providers and special interest publications.
Gissen added, “Having studied this market exhaustively, we know precisely what this demographic likes and wants and we know how to reach them. We are exceptionally well positioned to take our expertise and leverage it in both our proprietary products and consulting businesses.”
All Riot’s content stems from a central, core story that draws on the universal theme of the battle between good and evil with villains and underdog heroes. The Riot story is set in a fictional, small American city that is threatened when an evil circus arrives. Determined to drive the locals insane and steal their mental powers, the members of the circus — nasty clowns, disgusting freaks, scary daredevils and wild animal acts set up shop and begin implementing their diabolical plan.
Faced with this threat, the town’s boys rally and fight back – aided by a very special chimp who escapes from the circus and helps the boys in their desperate fight. As the true hero of the story, Riot the Chimp is the mascot of the entire Riot brand and will be featured prominently in all materials and products.
Gissen said, “The Riot storyline is everything tween boys love — action-packed, irreverent, humorous, gross, scary and zany — but we never cross the line. We will be edgy but safe. Parents won’t have to worry that our content will be inappropriate in any way.”
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.
