News Broadcasting
‘Sesame Street’ to launch in Northern Ireland
MUMBAI: The American Ireland Fund has forged a partnership with Sesame Workshop to bring an adaptation of Sesame Street to Northern Ireland as a means of promoting the values of tolerance, acceptance and understanding among children.
Working in partnership with Sesame Workshop, the AIF has pledged significant financial support to enable the creation of a localised version of Sesame Street programming which is slated to begin airing in early 2007. The initiative will consist of 26 episodes to broadcast over an 18-month period that promote the values of respect, tolerance and understanding. Elements of the shows will be created in Northern Ireland. In addition to the series, an educational outreach initiative will also be developed for use in schools to reinforce the show’s important messages to children in the region.
“We are proud to be a prime supporter of this historic initiative aimed at bringing values of tolerance and understanding to the children of Northern Ireland. All children deserve a chance to learn and grow, to understand the world and each other. Shockingly, research has revealed that Northern Ireland children as young as three years old have begun developing sectarian beliefs. The need to counteract this was the impetus for our commitment to this initiative,” said AIF vice president Kieran McLoughlin.
Sesame Workshop co-founder and chairman of the executive committee Joan Ganz Cooney said, “We are so pleased with this commitment from the American Ireland Fund which will enable this worthwhile program to move forward. All of us at Sesame Workshop are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring the children of Northern Ireland a program that will encourage mutual respect, understanding and appreciation within their community, which we hope will resonate for many years to come.”
The series will encourage children to develop the skills to challenge ignorance, dispel stereotypes and champion diversity. The program will also serve as a valuable resource for children, parents and educators by:
Contributing to a “Shared Future” in Northern Ireland.
Presenting to children positive images of themselves and others.
Imparting the values of mutual respect, understanding and the appreciation of diversity to counter negative stereotypes that attempt to dehumanize the “other.”
Helping the early childhood community in Northern Ireland achieve its strategic goals.
As with all of the Workshop’s local adaptations, this program will truly reflect the issues of the region. The program will encourage a shared society in which people make choices that are not bound by historical divisions and where there is respect and tolerance for cultural diversity. Sesame Workshop will partner with local organisations to help bring the program to the youngest audience and develop an education plan focused on topics related to diversity and acceptance: racism, sectarianism, gender, and respecting people with disabilities.
Senior executives from Sesame Workshop traveled to Northern Ireland to meet with representatives of the public and private sectors, including broadcasters, government ministries, and educational organisations to bring this project to fruition. A broadcast partner is expected to be finalised shortly. This project follows on the success of several other Sesame Street initiatives designed to bring educational values to children in over 25 countries around the world including Israel, Palestine, Kosovo and South Africa.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
