Event Coverage
The 7th Indian News Television Summit a roaring success
NOIDA: The 7th Indian News Television Summit that was held at The Radisson in Noida, was a huge success with some of the big names in the industry attending the conference.
The day began with a keynote by India TV chairman and editor in chief and the News Broadcasters Association president Rajat Sharma wherein he spoke about the changing face of news and how content as well as ad sales is under pressure and for things to improve, the industry has to get together and find solutions.
He lamented on the horror of having to pay huge carriage fees along with the burden of the ad cap which the NBA is vociferously fighting. According to him, the TV news industry has changed in the last three years with more responsibility having crept into the veins of channels.
This was followed by a one on one with ITV Network MD Kartikeya Sharma wherein he discussed about why he got into the news business, the aim of his news network and its future roadmap to being the biggest news company in the country.
The first session saw NDTV Group CEO Vikram Chandra, TV Today CEO Ashish Bagga, IBN18 CEO Avinash Kaul, Focus News Network group CEO Neeraj Sanan and Doordarshan ADG news Mayank Agrawal speak on the various modes of revenue generation through traditional and digital mediums. Executives highlighted that it was too soon to depend heavily on the digital medium for revenue which will work as a compliment to television but not replace it.
This was followed by a keynote from GroupM south Asia CEO CVL Srinivas who highlighted what brands were looking for in news networks and how the genre is growing year on year. According to Srinivas, news broadcasters need to keep in mind a few things for the future-co creating socially responsible agendas with brands, invest more in digital, new metrics such as consumer sentiment, social buzz, social impact, viewers’ profile and getting into big data.
Following this was a discussion on finding innovative ways for revenue generation that saw Zee Sangam national sales head Harsha Vardhan Dwivedi, India TV senior VP and country head ad sales Sudipto Chowdhuri, CNN-IBN and IBN7 national revenue head Vishal Bhatnagar, IPG Mediabrands CEO initiatives Anamika Mehta and Times Television Network senior VP and business head for branded content Hemant Arora.
An informative presentation by Amagi co-founder KA Srinivasan enlightened the audience about utilising geo-targetting to increase revenue for various channels of a network and also more focused reach for a brand.
The day concluded with an editorial session that discussed how much editors are willing to allow ad sales to interfere with content for higher revenue. ITV Network editor in chief Deepak Chaurasia, senior columnist QW Naqvi and Mi Marathi consultant Nikhil Wagle discussed on how much an editor can mix with the ad sales team and how much of interference by them is acceptable.
With the belief that the discussions between the various stakeholders of the industry will propel better returns for the community as a whole, we look forward to the Indian News Television Summit 2015.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
