News Broadcasting
UTV hopes kids channel creates Hungama
MUMBAI: Ronnie Screwvalas UTV Software Communications, which is launching a kids channel through its recently floated subsidiary United Home Entertainment (UHE), has finally homed in on a name Hungama.
Detailing the funds route for Hungama, Screwvala said UHE proposed to raise Rs 750 million through private placement for which Lazard India had been appointed as fund managers. The remaining Rs 250 million would be equally shared between Screwvala himself and UTV (Rs 125 million each). Screwvala holds a majority 51 per cent stake in UHE while UTV holds the remaining 49 per cent equity.
Screwvala said UHE was on target as far as its proposed August launch of Hungama was concerned. Contentwise, the channel would be 90 per cent live action and only 10 per cent animation, Screwvala said.
As far as the distribution platform is concerned, UTV is talking to three players – Star, Sony and ESPN Star Sports. These three happen to be the same platforms that Disney is in talks with as well. The difference with Disney, however, is that it is in talks with Zee-Turner too. Information available with indiantelevision.com indicates that Disney will finalise its distribution partner by July.
As for Hungama, there are three distinct prime time bands that have been identified. The 9 am to 11 am slot is targeted at two-and-a-half to five-year-olds, the 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm band for 4 to 8-year-olds and the 4 pm to 7:30 pm slot for 8 to 16-year-olds.
Queried as to what would constitute the pre-schooler segment, he said it would be mainly muppet and puppet-based shows that would keep in mind educational requirements as well.
Screwvala says UHE finally settled on Hungama after shortlisting eight names. The name came up tops through polling among a sample group of 3,800 kids and 1,200 mothers from across 15 cities (13 Hindi-speaking, Hyderabad and Chennai).
Detailing the pre-launch promotional plans for Hungama, Screwvala said a 15-city roadshow would kick off end-May for a Hungama board hunt. One kid from each city would be chosen as a member of the board of the channel and would be responsible for routing feedback from their individual cities as to how kids were responding to the channel. Screwvala stressed that this was not some gimmick but what the kids had to say would be taken very seriously, so much so that every quarter the kids would represent their cities at the hungama board meeting.
The chosen 15 would have their own websites through which they would be interacting with other kids.
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.
