News Broadcasting
Star gears up for MIPCOM
MIPCOM is where the ‘stars’ align for business. And so it is that Star India will be participating for the eighth consecutive time at MIPCOM this year, armed to its teeth with content including Hindi and regional programs.
There’s no undermining how important MIPCOM is, even for an established entity such as Star India, whose programs have takers not only in India but all over the world. Star India vice president Ashutosh Mordekar puts it well saying: “MIPCOM is the biggest aggregation of content buyers and sellers across the globe. It provides a platform to showcase our content to buyers across the world.”
Ashutosh Mordekar believes the market provides an opportunity to meet and transact with new as well as existing clients
Mordekar also believes the market provides an opportunity to meet and transact with new as well as existing clients.
Star will be focussing on markets like Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and CIS region and Central Asia.
Coming to what’s new from the Star stable, Mordekar says: “Star is showcasing the epic Mahabharat which is the most expensive show coming from India. The show is already garnering interest across Asia and Europe, and buyers have already indicated their interest.”
Explaining why Indian content is very well accepted in global markets, he reasons: “The world is currently opening up to Indian content in a big way. Indian content is at present just breaking out. We are at the end of stage one, where the content has been sampled in various countries through initial foothold deals and the success of these shows has created a huge interest in fresh content coming from India.”
While it is generally felt that the production value of Indian content has gone up in recent times, is it really up-to-speed with international standards? “Yes! The last couple of years have seen a huge leap in the production value of our shows. Be it HD, Dolby 5.1 Sound etc. – the production values today are comparable to the best in the world,” quips Mordekar.
About the platforms the network plans to target at MIPCOM, he says: “We are going to be in discussions for exploiting our content on IPTV, mobile, VOD (Voice on demand) or free-to-air platforms.”
Optimistic about the results of participation, Mordekar is looking forward to this year’s fest.
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.
