News Broadcasting
West Bengal to spruce up animation biz
MUMBAI: Seems like animation is the industry of future. Joining the animation bandwagon is West Bengal. The state that has been thus far striving to project itself as a preferred destination for IT firms is now eyeing animation.
The industry hopes to establish the animation business by capitalising on its pool of low-cost skilled professionals.
In a bid to turn itself into a hub for outsourcing animation projects by local as well as overseas companies, the state government will be setting up a state-of-the-art animation academy as the first of a series of measures.
“Animation is certainly going to be a focus area for us in the coming years. We believe we have all the requirements to emerge as the animation outsourcing hub,” said West Bengal IT minister Manabendra Mukherjee.
“We already have a huge base of creative professionals and now many technology companies are setting up their centres in the state,” Mukherjee, in the Indian capital to take part in an IT industry seminar, told IANS.
“I think we will be in an ideal position to offer animation services to companies all across the world if we merge the creativity aspect with the advancements in the field of IT. The animation academy is just a first step towards this.”
The West Bengal Electronics Industry Development Corporation Ltd (WEBEL), the government-owned nodal IT and electronics industry body, has tied up with the Kerala-based production house Toonz Animation India to set up the academy.
Likely to be unveiled in May, the academy, the first of its kind in the state, is being set up with an investment of Rs 10 million, said Mukherjee, adding all financial requirements would be met by the state government.
“We have tied up with Toonz Animation for academic requirements. They will help in framing the course curriculum and recruiting international faculty members comprising veterans from the animation industry,” he said.
Mukherjee said “Toonz will also use its industry linkages for placing students with animation studios in India and overseas. The academy will offer a one-year diploma and a six-month certificate course to around 100 students in the first year.”
Set up with an investment of $7 million in 1999, Toonz Animation has emerged as one of the leading players in the nascent Indian animation market.
Besides focusing on developing its own cartoon animation, skits, serials and full-length feature films for the export market, Toonz also has a co-production deal with Britain-based Tree House Production for a fun animation series.
The proposed academy is coming up at a time when India is emerging as a potential player in animation software supply, with the convergence of talent and low production costs.
According to an animation industry study report, Indian animation production costs are the lowest, as compared to production rates in the US, Canada, South Korea and the Philippines – the major global centres for animation production.
While the rates for production of a half-hour television animation programme would be around $250,000-400,000 in the US and Canada, it is in the region of $60,000 in India, the report says.
The total animation production by Indian companies is expected to rise from $600 million in 2001 to $1.5 billion by 2005, while the total global animation production would touch $51.7 billion.
The animation market in India today is characterised by the presence of multiple players including Crest Communications, UTV Toons, Pentamedia Graphics, Padmalaya Telefilms, Moving Pictures and Toonz Animation.
The animation studios are catering to the requirements of segments such as feature films, television programmes, advertisements and computer games.
“We expect the success of the animation academy will on its own draw a large number of Indian and overseas animation production houses to West Bengal and enthuse them to step up their development centres in the state,” said Mukherjee.
The communist-ruled state, long seen as an industrialist’s bane with labour unrest and poor infrastructure, plans to go all out to roll out a red carpet to animation firms by harping on its competitive advantages.
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.
