News Broadcasting
UTV Toons bags award at Asian Technical and Creative Awards
MUMBAI: UTV Toons’ animation series Meena in the City has bagged the runner up award in the Asian Technical and Creative Awards 2002 in the Best 2D Animation category.
Meena in the City revolves around Meena, a girl child born in India, who suffers on account of gender inequality. The series, made for UNICEF, has been telecast in several countries in Asia and elsewhere, according to UTV Toons business development manager Jyotirmoy Saha. Meena won the award for the characterization, attention to detail, style and finesse, says Saha.
The five year old wing of UTV Software, UTV Toons ranks among the region’s top animation outsourcing destinations for both Flash and Traditional animation, with a repertoire of clients from Europe, North America and Asia. The animation production house currently has four projects on hand, three of them for North American clients.
Among UTV Toons’ other projects, Jo Kilat for TV12 has earlier been awarded the best children’s TV programme in Bahasa Malaysia. The series depicts the adventures of 12 year old Jo Kilat and his friends. Another series made for Unicef, Sara, highlights problems of teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, which are burning issues in South Africa.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
