ITV

Category: Television

  • Red FM’s South Side Story returns with an Onam special and a riot of rhythm, rasam and rock

    Red FM’s South Side Story returns with an Onam special and a riot of rhythm, rasam and rock

    MUMBAI: Red Fm is bringing the beats and flavours of Southern India to the capital with the seventh edition of its flagship cultural carnival, South Side Story. Scheduled for 30 and 31 August at the KD Jadhav Wrestling Stadium in Delhi, this Onam Special promises a weekend soaked in music, masala and meaningful art.

    This year’s lineup reads like a playlist that slaps – expect explosive performances from Avial, The Raghu Dixit Project, Thaikkudam Bridge, Sooraj Santhosh Live, Job Kurian, Wild Wild Women, Shobana, TM Krishna, Aattam Kalasamithi and more. Genres will collide, and traditions will remix with rebellion – from folk-rock and indie pop to rap and classical.

    But Red Fm isn’t stopping at just sound. In the run-up to the event, Delhiites will get a taste of the South’s literary soul through tie-ups with DC Books and Kerala Literature Festival. Think book readings, cultural conversations, and indie film screenings. And yes, there’s sadhya — a 20-dish Onam feast that’s as photogenic as it is flavour-packed.

    Art installations, cultural showcases and pre-event pop-ups are set to take over the city — all reinforcing Red Fm’s identity as more than just a radio network. It’s now a cultural catalyst, bridging South India’s deep-rooted tradition with a modern, metropolitan pulse.

    Tickets start at Rs 499 on Skillbox.

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  • NBA and Skechers spotlight Indian hoop dreams in Hoop Nation Season 2

    NBA and Skechers spotlight Indian hoop dreams in Hoop Nation Season 2

    MUMBAI: When basketball meets bars, stories soar beyond the court. The NBA, in collaboration with Skechers, has launched the second season of its lyrical docuseries Hoop Nation, a four-part chronicle of resilience, rhythm and real-life hoop dreams from the far corners of India. Streaming now on NBA India’s Youtube channel, Hoop Nation Season 2 weaves slam dunks with sick beats, profiling underrepresented basketball voices from Kashmir to Kerala, Kolkata to Mumbai all with an assist from India’s rising hip-hop stars. This season is presented by Skechers, whose performance-driven basketball shoes make a prominent on-court cameo.

    The episodes spotlight:

    .  Ishrat Akhter, an international wheelchair basketball player from Baramulla, Kashmir

    .  Deepak P. Babu, a devoted fan and mentor from Alappuzha, Kerala

    .  The Lao family, a father-daughter duo championing basketball in Kolkata’s Indo-Chinese community

    .  Farooque Shaikh, a Nagpada-based coach shaping Mumbai’s next generation of ballers

    And who’s soundtracking their journeys? Straight Outta Srinagar, ThirumaLi, EPR Iyer and QK hip-hop artists whose original verses narrate these ballers’ lives with lyrical punchlines and sonic swagger.

    “Hoop Nation Season 2 embodies the spirit of basketball in India, a game that unites, inspires and drives change,” said NBA India Country HeadRajah Chaudhry. “Skechers shares our mission of taking the game deeper into India’s cultural and sporting fabric.”

    Skechers CEO of South Asia Rahul Vira added, “This isn’t just about footwear; it’s about fuelling the fire in every Indian baller. With Hoop Nation and the ACG Jr. NBA program, we’re enabling both inspiration and access.”

    The Skechers x NBA partnership also powered the ACG Jr. NBA India’s largest school basketball initiative. The 3v3 format tournament touched 4,000 plus players across 500 plus schools last year, with Skechers as official kit partner.

    From court-side storytelling to grassroots development, the initiative underscores a first-of-its-kind collaboration in the region, one that puts culture, community and comfort at the centre of the game.

    Whether you’re vibing to SOS’s Kashmiri verses or QK’s Mumbai flow, Hoop Nation 2 brings more than basketball, it brings belonging. And in the process, it reaffirms that sport, like music, hits different when it tells the stories that matter.

    Catch the docuseries now on the NBA India Youtube channel and follow for more behind-the-scenes action and product drops. Because whether it’s a crossover or a cross-rhyme, India’s hoop dreams are dribbling in style.
     

  • APOS 2025: JioStar reboots Indian storytelling: bold themes, small-town creators, and a Gen Z gold rush

    APOS 2025: JioStar reboots Indian storytelling: bold themes, small-town creators, and a Gen Z gold rush

    Bali: India’s entertainment juggernaut JioStar is rewriting the playbook for streaming success. Speaking  on Day one with MPA founder & executive director Vivek Couto at the Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) in Bali, president, general entertainment Alok Jain and head of cluster – entertainment (south) Krishnan Kutty laid out a turbocharged strategy rooted in youth, cultural authenticity, and fearless innovation.

    Kutty didn’t mince words. “Streamers haven’t done enough for Gen Z,” he said, announcing plans to ramp up youth programming in the south by seven to ten times. “Today’s boldness isn’t about spectacle — it’s about challenging societal norms. But we’re not in California. This has to be rooted in India.”

    Jain backed it up with numbers and narrative. Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar, a 19-episode romantic drama with 50-minute episodes and a debut director, shattered expectations. “The audience embraced it because it felt fresh, not because of familiar faces,” he said. “Innovation isn’t just a tactic — it’s our baseline.”

    The pair’s APOS session, titled Inside the next wave of Indian storytelling, was a no-holds-barred manifesto for resetting the country’s content economy. “We’re not here to gatekeep,” said Jain. “Today’s creators are format-agnostic — moving from Instagram Reels to primetime drama to long-form docu. We want to build a creative ecosystem where they grow across mediums.”

    Kutty spotlighted small-town storytellers as the engine of this shift. “We’re backing young creators from Tirunelveli to Kochi who bring lived-in authenticity. Eighty per cent of our Malayalam content consumption comes from outside Kerala. Great stories transcend language and geography — that’s our sweet spot.”

    The duo also called out industry dysfunction. “Streaming has broken the economic model,” Kutty said. 
    “Producers have become B2B vendors serving platforms, not audiences. Talent and production costs have soared. We need a reset.”

    On the theatrical front, Jain was blunt. “Three-hour films don’t cut it in an age of 15-second videos. People only show up at cinemas for something really worth their time. Theatres need to reinvent — on price, experience, everything.”

    India’s scale, youth and appetite for change were central to JioStar’s bullish outlook. With over 300M subscribers on JioHotstar and 800M viewers across its TV network, JioStar sits atop 320,000  hours of content in 22 languages. “The only common thread?” said Jain. “Emotional truth. That’s what travels.”

    From microdramas to macro themes like justice and aspiration, the message from JioStar is clear: in a country bursting with creators, languages, and formats, the only limit is imagination.

  • CNN-News18 gears up for Defence Town Hall on 28 June

    CNN-News18 gears up for Defence Town Hall on 28 June

    MUMBAI: When the nation salutes its sentinels, it’s only fitting that the spotlight shines bright. CNN-News18 Town Hall is reporting for duty this Saturday, 28 June, with a power-packed Defence Edition that promises to march straight into the heart of India’s strategic pulse. Themed ‘Borders to Business – The Strength of Bharat’, the special programming pays tribute to India’s defence forces while diving deep into the evolving landscape of national security, self-reliance, and indigenous defence production. In true Town Hall style, expect sharp questions, sharper minds, and a salute to grit that goes beyond just rhetoric.

    Airing from 3 pm across CNN-News18 TV, CTV, and Youtube, the event brings together top brass from the armed forces, leading defence scientists, and private sector innovators creating a rare, all-hands-on-deck moment for India’s military narrative.

    Kicking things off, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, chief of integrated defence staff, will explore ‘The Age of Modern Warfare’, highlighting how battlefields are evolving and how India must respond. defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh follows with ‘Forging India’s Defence Independence’, outlining the government’s roadmap to self-reliance.

    The soul of the event may just lie in the stirring session titled ‘From Sindoor to Seema’, where Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari and three fellow women officers recount frontline experiences from Operation Sindoor, offering a ground-level view into courage under pressure.

    It’s not all uniforms and medals the Town Hall also shines a light on India’s burgeoning private defence sector. Names like Lt. Gen Vinod G. Khandare (Retd.), Sudhir Mishra (ex-CEO, Brahmos Aerospace), B.K. Das (DG, DRDO), Maj Gen Vishal Saxena (Retd.), Smit Shah (Drone Federation of India), Maj Gen Indrabalan (R), Military Technology Advisor, Amber Wings and  Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Retd.) will decode what it takes to make ‘Made in India, Made for World’ more than just a slogan.

    As Network18 CEO of English & Business News Smriti Mehra puts it, “We’re not just telling stories, we’re bringing alive India’s defence resurgence with the experts who’ve shaped it.”

    CNN-News18 managing editor, Zakka Jacob added, “Operation Sindoor showcased India’s readiness and resolve. This Town Hall will honour that courage and spark the conversations India needs as national security and aatmanirbharta become central to our growth.”

    From warzone learnings to workshop innovations, this edition captures it all from the borders to the boardrooms.

    So, ready your remotes and set your reminders because when the channel says “attention”, the nation will be watching.

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  • Zee UK blazes ahead with bold bets, beats rivals at their own game

    Zee UK blazes ahead with bold bets, beats rivals at their own game

    LONDON: Zee Entertainment UK isn’t just keeping up with the times—it’s running laps around its rivals. While other broadcasters are stuck in planning mode, Zee is executing at full throttle across platforms, markets and formats, setting a relentless pace for innovation in south Asian media.

    Zee Cinema has been clocking consistently high monthly reach in the UK, overtaking legacy players like Star Utsav. But resting on its laurels? 

    It’s not Zee’s style. 

    “Success is not a destination, it is a catalyst for the next leap forward,” said Zee TV territory head for the UK and Europe Parul Goel. His team is reshaping the game, not just playing it.

    Zee’s forward thinking approach has made it a model for others globally. From launching Zee One in Germany to pioneering Fast channels in France and the UK, Zee is rolling out initiatives that others are still workshopping. It was first to bring an Indian GEC—&TV—to the Fast ecosystem, and the first to dub Indian content in German, with Shah Rukh Khan himself launching it.

    It’s also made bolder plays outside the box: launching Europe’s first-ever cricket Fast pop-up channel with live ILT20 season 3 coverage, pulling off a multi-platform crossover of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and Rewind: Queens of the 90s at Wembley Arena, and rolling out contextual advertising in the UK to boost engagement and brand ROI.
    With a 30-year head start, Zee’s legacy is already studded with milestones—like the UK’s first South Asian film awards in 2005 (ZCA), exclusive stage productions like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge at Manchester Opera House, and a track record of being the first sponsor behind major Bollywood concerts.

    Now it’s breaking new ground in streaming. Z5 has introduced the first-ever south Asian SVoD tier with ads in the UK and Europe, aggressively priced for reach. Behind the scenes, AI-led content workflows for Fast have helped Zee cut costs while maintaining its hallmark production quality.

    Even industry peers, in marking Zee’s 30th anniversary, have admitted there’s simply no one better at pushing boundaries. 

    As Goel puts it: “Zee has always been a network of firsts not just in India, but across global markets. While others prepare, we deliver. We’re not just adapting to change, we are leading it.” These words echo through every bold step the network takes.

    As the media landscape continues to evolve, Zee UK remains committed to doing what it has always done best: leading with purpose, innovating with conviction, and delivering with consistency.

    With strategy in its veins and speed as its weapon, Zee UK isn’t just a player in the south Asian broadcasting space. It’s writing the future.

  • “We have invested more than $500 million dollars in sport over the past 15 years, and this is apart from rights acquisition costs” – Sanjog Gupta

    “We have invested more than $500 million dollars in sport over the past 15 years, and this is apart from rights acquisition costs” – Sanjog Gupta

    Sanjog Gupta, the man steering live experiences and the sports juggernaut at JioStar, finds himself squarely in the spotlight. Fresh off helming the eighteenth edition of the IPL — a relentless, high-octane ride that shattered records in viewership, fan engagement, and tech wizardry — Gupta is already plotting the next innings.
    In a crackling fireside chat with MPA’s Vivek Couto at APOS in Bali this morning, the sharp-suited sports boss laid out JioStar’s grand vision: why giving away the IPL for free wasn’t madness but method, how technology is rewriting the fan playbook, and why the network isn’t just broadcasting sport — it’s reinventing it.

    Here’s the man behind the masterstroke, unfiltered and in full flow.

    On IPL 2025’s impact on Indian sports
    India’s growing influence in sport is nothing but a reflection of India’s growing significance on the global stage, driven by a strong consumption-oriented economy. This IPL, not only have we reached a billion viewers across platforms, we have also managed to make this IPL the most monetised edition of the event and also the most monetised sporting event ever in India across advertising and subscription revenue.

     On what Star and JioStar have invested in sport
    Over the last decade and a half, Star and now JioStar has actually been the biggest private investor in Indian sport and in Indian media and entertainment. Largely with the mission to build what we believe can be a media and entertainment economy, but more than that, a media consumption economy, which is much larger in scale to anything that could have been imagined. While numbers around acquisition prices for sports rights tend to be thrown around a lot, what at times gets missed is the sheer investment that a network such as ours has made to grow those properties by way of marketing, by way of production, by way of investment in technology and that over the last decade and a half exceeds 500 million dollars. That is outside of what we paid for the acquisition of rights.
     
    On sport fuelling the wider JioStar network
    We believe sports serves as a recruitment funnel to bring in viewers and fans at scale, who then can be taken on a journey on a platform which could entail a live event, a Hindi entertainment show, or it could entail one of our new originals which is marketed on the back of a big sporting event and a recent example of that is the returning season of Criminal Justice which benefited significantly by launching in the last week of IPL.”

    On the freemium IPL strategy and changing viewer habits
    Our mission wasn’t to incrementally change the landscape, it was to completely shift the way consumers perceive paying for content and also over a period of time, attribute value to the entertainment needs they have. The subscribers are on the platform and not just on IPL and it started with an interesting hybrid subscription strategy, which allowed everyone to come onto the platform free. So it’s not pay at the gate, we’re not trying to keep people out and having them pay before they can consume. The model is based on real life example of how you shop, which is you go into a mall or a store, you sample enough and more of what you may want to look at and then choose to pay for deeper engagement, which in that case is purchase of an item.

    On whether cricket will remain the network’s sole focus
    We don’t want to be a single content or be known for a single content genre and that applies to sport as well. We have looked to grow English Premier League significantly over the last five years. In fact, over the last five years the viewership for English Premier League across our platforms has grown almost three and a half X (3.5x). Largely on the back of localisation efforts where we’ve taken Premier League deeper into the Indian sports ecosystem than ever before by producing it in languages meant for regions which have affinity for football. At the other end of the spectrum, you have a sport like kabaddi which is a sport that goes back thousands of years and is a part of India’s history but also it’s a part of India’s recreation where kids grow up playing it as a game. We’ve professionalized it and continue to invest in it to build it as India’s second most favorite sport. It already is the second biggest league in the country but but our objective with it is for the sport itself to grow and become a year-long proposition instead of being a two to three-month league.

    On building hyper-personalised sports journeys
    Our premise around sport is don’t look to serve many fans as one but look to serve almost each fan as many and what that means is every fan at different points of time and on different devices and in different modes of consumption will consume your content differently. So can you create infinite hyper-personalized journeys for each and every fan instead of serving one streaming experience to all and that’s the core tenet of the platform.”

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  • NDTV India’s ‘Creators Manch’ brings together India’s finest minds for a cultural crescendo

    NDTV India’s ‘Creators Manch’ brings together India’s finest minds for a cultural crescendo

    MUMBAI: In a world drowning in content, NDTV India’s ‘Creators Manch’ is cutting through the noise with meaning, memory and melody. The inaugural edition of this cultural gathering is set to unfold in the capital today, bringing together some of India’s most loved creators—across generations and genres—for a day-long celebration of creativity in all its avatars.

    From literary giants Javed Akhtar and Kumar Vishwas, to cinematic minds like Imtiaz Ali and bestselling authors like Chetan Bhagat, the stage is set for a stellar convergence. Joining them are powerhouse voices such as Anvita Dutt, Jaya Kishori, Satya Vyas, Aditi Maheshwari, Arpana Caur, and Milee Ashwarya, as well as poets, editors, artists and cultural custodians who together form the beating heart of contemporary Indian expression.

    Held at a time when content is currency and creativity is power, Creators Manch promises more than panels—it’s a platform where verses clash with virality, and tradition dances with technology.

    Over 16 sessions, the event dives deep into themes like poetry in public life, storytelling in the digital age, and art in an algorithmic world. Expect one-on-one interviews, passionate panels, writing workshops, live performances and a grand finale featuring Kabir Café, whose soulful fusion of mystic poetry and modern rhythms promises to end the evening on a transcendent note.

    “Creators Manch is a platform built not just to showcase creativity, but to honour the people behind it – those who express the spirit of the times and gently shape its future,” said NDTV CEO and editor-in-chief, Rahul Kanwal.

    In an age of scrolls and soundbites, Creators Manch stands out for its depth, dialogue and daring. It’s not just a celebration—it’s a cultural intervention.

    (If you are an Anime fan and love Anime like Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Dan Da Dan and Slime, Buy your favourite Anime merchandise on AnimeOriginals.com.)

  • News18 Odia gears up for divine drive with all-out coverage of Puri Rath Yatra 2025

    News18 Odia gears up for divine drive with all-out coverage of Puri Rath Yatra 2025

    MUMBAI: If Odisha has a beating heart, it thunders along the Grand Road of Puri every year as Lord Jagannath’s chariot rolls forward. This time, News18 Odia is hitching its cameras to the axle of faith with a sweeping 15-day coverage of the Puri Rath Yatra 2025, promising a devotional deep dive from every spiritual, cultural and visual angle.

    Starting 27 June, the channel will beam live coverage of key rituals straight from the city of Puri, including the highly anticipated Rath Yatra and its return procession, Bahuda Yatra, slated for 5 July. Beyond the headline events, viewers can also tune into a documentary-style series, Badadande Bije Jagannath, airing between 27 June and 5 July. The show will offer behind-the-scenes glimpses, exclusive interviews with seers and scholars, and never-before-seen festival preparations.

    News18 Odia is also focusing on locations beyond Puri with special features on Kantilo Nilamadhab, Patali Srikhetra, and Chatiabata. These segments aim to offer both context and spiritual depth, connecting the dots between mythology and the lived experiences of pilgrims.

    “News18 Odia’s Rath Yatra 2025 coverage is more than a telecast—it is a heartfelt cultural tribute and a spiritual journey reaching millions of homes across Odisha and beyond”, the channel said.

    The broadcast, blending real-time devotion with editorial insight, is co-powered by Madhukunj Agarbatti, Evergreen Tea, Santanu English Medium School, and Nippo Swooper. The list of Special Partners includes Dynapar QPS Plus, Scan Steels Ltd, TBW Combook, Hari Plast, IMFA, Akash Education, TVS Raider, and Muthoot Finance. Associate Sponsors supporting the initiative are Ganesh Group of Institutions, Sri Sri University, Keshari Chatua, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan, Hi-Tech Medical College, Mountain Breeze, Tetrahedron, Nabakalebara Movie, and Airtel.

    The all-day live coverage of Rath Yatra will begin on 27 June, capturing every moment of the divine spectacle for homes across the state and nation.

  • APOS 2025: MPA and JioStar release report on how IPL scored new records

    APOS 2025: MPA and JioStar release report on how IPL scored new records

    BALI: At the APOS summit in Bali, JioStar dropped its much-anticipated report titled TATA IPL 2025: A Year of Firsts—and it reads like a victory lap for both the broadcaster and the billion-plus fans who tuned in. Produced in partnership with Media Partners Asia (MPA), the report reveals how IPL 2025 turned into a fan-first, tech-powered juggernaut that smashed records, redefined storytelling, and blurred the lines between sport, spectacle, and screen.

    JioStar’s digital reach alone crossed 652 million, while Star Sports pulled in 537 million viewers, pushing total reach to a record-shattering 1.19 billion. Women accounted for 47 per cent of TV audiences—marking a seismic shift in cricket’s traditional demographic. The IPL final alone drew 426 million fans, with JioHotstar peaking at 55.2 million concurrent users and soaring to 300 million subscribers.

    “TATA IPL 2025 was a season where the lines between sport, storytelling, and shared experiences truly blurred. It wasn’t just about broadcasting matches – it was where creativity, culture and commerce converged, with fan connections at the heart of it all,” said JioStar chief executive of sports and live experiences Sanjog Gupta. “ At JioStar, we set out to make every screen feel personal, every interaction meaningful, and every moment unforgettable. From deep consumer journeys to a rich spectrum of viewing experiences, this was a celebration of fandom in all its forms. The real success of the IPL isn’t measured in numbers, but in the moments that moved millions.”

    JioStar delivered 840 billion minutes of cricket watch-time, riding on innovations like MaxView 3.0 (a TikTok-style vertical experience), 360° VR streaming, and voice-assisted search on connected TVs. Over 44 per cent of mobile viewers played along live with the ‘Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan’ game, while AI-powered highlights and live expert commentary translations made the sport more accessible than ever.

    Regional viewership surged with Telugu up 87 per cent, Tamil up 52 per cent, and Kannada up 65 per cent—showing that cricket’s heart beats strong beyond the metros. Accessibility also hit new highs with Indian Sign Language interpretation and audio descriptive commentary for the visually impaired.

    Advertisers swarmed the platform, with over 425 brands onboard—including 270 first-timers across 40 categories. Nielsen-measured ROI, play-along games, and AI-personalised ads helped deliver what marketers crave: measurable impact at scale.

    JioStar’s IPL 2025 wasn’t just a tournament—it was a case study in what the future of sports broadcasting could look like: immersive, inclusive, interactive, and insanely watchable.

  • NDTV gets alive and kicking with new events vertical

    NDTV gets alive and kicking with new events vertical

    MUMBAI: In a bold foray into the live entertainment business, New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) on Tuesday said its board has approved the launch of a new vertical titled NDTV Alive, aimed at capitalising on India’s booming events market. From ticketed spectacles to high-octane public experiences, the Adani-owned broadcaster is stepping beyond the newsroom and into the arena. The company announced this through a regulatory filing with the Bombay stock exchange earlier today. 

    To steer this fresh initiative, NDTV has brought in media veteran Rahul Kumar Shaw as chief experience officer. Shaw, who has clocked over three decades across heavyweights such as Star India, Zee Entertainment, SET India, and TV Today Network, joins with immediate effect and will also serve as senior management personnel.
    NDTV Alive will focus on experiential formats, a strategic move the company claims will “diversify revenue” and solidify its entertainment footprint. Investments will vary depending on artist fees, production costs, marketing, ticketing, and insurance – but the ambition is unmistakable.

    Shaw previously headed Stage AajTak, the experiential arm of TV Today, and is known for orchestrating immersive formats across TV, radio, and sport. A commerce graduate from Calcutta University, he is expected to bring his flair for content-meets-commerce to the new vertical.

    While NDTV has not disclosed a fixed capital infusion, insiders say the venture signals a wider push under the Adani umbrella to reimagine legacy media assets for a more interactive age.