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
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.
