News Broadcasting
Sony ready to don World Cup Network look
The World Cup Network (not the Fifa World Cup, please note. We are talking cricket here) is what Sony Entertainment now calls itself.
Post-acquisition of the India cable and satellite cricket telecast rights for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) tournaments until 2007, including the 2003 and 2007 cricket World Cups, that is.
Some reflection of that is about to become visible on sister channels SET and MAX within the next ten days or so. The first week of July (1 July is the tentative date) will see the first phase of Sonys efforts to spin off as much as it can out of the expensive property (at a reported $255 million thats some serious money) it has bought for itself, says Rajat Jain, executive V-P, SET MAX.
As Jain puts it, the lead up to the World Cup in March 2003 is being divided essentially into two phases – the first phase will see the rollout of short form programming across the network while the second phase will see long form programmes (mainly half-hour shows).
The programming, while being cricket oriented, will also have lighter elements to it, Jain says without elaborating. What the viewer will get to see in larger and larger doses in the coming months across the network are programme vignettes covering team, player, country profiles, big rivalries, classic duels, greatest games, etc. For each of these categories, 15 to 20 vignettes are being prepared, Jain said.
The test run as it were for Sonys World Cup plans will be provided by the ICC Champions Trophy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, that kicks off 12 September. Also known as the mini-World Cup, the tournament features all the test playing nations and will provide some clues as to how far Sony is successful in broadbasing its cricket tale.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
