News Broadcasting
GroupM ESP to explore opportunities in Eastern India
National: 2nd August 2013: GroupM ESP (Entertainment & Sports Partnerships), a specialist business unit of GroupM operating inthe field of Entertainment, Sports & Live, Celebrities and Content withexpertise in building clients businesses through strategic consulting and creative ideation, conducted a summit in Kolkata. Top brands like Emami, Manyavar, Linc Pens, Spencer’s Retail and Century Plyboards were amongst the attendees who were taken through the non-traditional media approaches and offerings by GroupM ESP
With the recent impact of 10+2 luring on traditional TV advertising, GroupM ESP presented strategic insights on leveraging brands and their positioning through integration across entertainment, sports & live events, celebrity associations etc. The ideas shared in the summit were to introduce THE POWER OF INTERACTIVE MEDIA OVER INTERRUPTIVE MEDIA. With a paradigm shift in the way media is consumed, the summit focused on content’s movement from AIRING TO SHARING!
The summit received an overwhelming response. While GroupM clients like Century Plyboards, Spencer’s Retail, Berger Paints, Microsec Capital and Dey’s Medical attended the summit; non-GroupM clients like Emami, Linc Pen & Plastics, Manyavar, Concast ISPAT, Eveready Industries, Khadim’s, Shree Cements and SRMB Steel also graced the occasion. The summit focused on the key areas of interest like activations and experiential marketing, celebrity procurement, in-film branding and brand integrations within live events like IIFA, SIIMA, GIMA etc. The industry experts from GroupM like GroupM ESP, Dialogue Factory, and GroupM Interaction presented their credentials in the summit.
“With media landscape in a state of constant flux, we at GroupM ESP truly believe in the adage ‘Where Advertising Can’t, Content Can’. The underlying thought of this summit was to interact and present the opportunities available beyond the realms of traditional advertising to clients outside a ‘Mumbai’ or a ‘Delhi’. The icing on the cake was the overwhelming response that we received from the clients which reinstates our belief in the strength of non-traditional media” said Vinit Karnik-National Director- Sports and Live GroupM ESP
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. AICC’s Praveen Chakravarty weighs ‘Power Sharing vs Principles’, while former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan joins the fray. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
