ITV

Tag: Great Britain

  • Try time for India as GMR backs Rugby Premier League debut

    Try time for India as GMR backs Rugby Premier League debut

     MUMBAI: Rugby’s big break in India just got a power-packed boost courtesy GMR Group. One of India’s largest conglomerates has scrummed down with Rugby India to become the title partner of the inaugural Rugby Premier League (RPL), a first-of-its-kind franchise-based Rugby 7s tournament set to kick off in Mumbai on June 15, with the final scheduled for 29 June 2025.

    Organised in collaboration with GMR Sports, the league promises to be a landmark moment for Indian rugby. The action will unfold at Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex), featuring six founding franchises and a mix of global and homegrown talent.

    The GMR Rugby Premier League (GMR RPL) will welcome players from rugby powerhouses like New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Fiji, Argentina, Great Britain, Ireland, USA, and Spain, along with 18 international athletes from Canada, Hong Kong, and Germany. On the home front, 30 Indian players were picked from a competitive auction pool of 71, putting the spotlight on the country’s emerging talent.

    GMR’s entry as title sponsor is no token gesture. With a strong track record in nurturing sport be it cricket with the Delhi Capitals, kabaddi, or grassroots initiatives the group’s involvement signals a serious intent to grow rugby’s footprint in India.

    Calling it a “very important opening season,” Rugby India president Rahul Bose hailed the partnership as one rooted in “mutual belief and optimism.” He added, “We are confident this partnership will stand the test of time.”

    For Indian rugby, this isn’t just a league, it’s a leap. And with GMR’s backing, the sport finally looks set to convert potential into points. Let the rucks and tries begin.

  • Parents place high value on originality of kids shows in the UK: study

    Parents place high value on originality of kids shows in the UK: study

    MUMBAI: According to the results of a YouGov poll, parents in Great Britain place a high value on originally produced, children’s programming and like to watch their favourite children’s programmes with their own children.

    The poll, commissioned by Pact – the trade association for independent producers – was conducted amongst a sample of 2551 adults across the UK.

    Other key findings of the survey include the following:

    • 66 per cent of parents believe original children’s programming provides families with shared cultural experiences

    • 70 per cent believe that original UK children’s programmes contribute to the UK’s cultural identity

    • 73 per cent agree that original UK produced children’s programmes encourage children to read and play imaginatively

    • 73 per cent agreed that original UK children’s programming is even more important in the age of multi-channel television

    • Just 21 per cent agree that programmes from countries like Japan and the US are just as high quality and family friendly as children’s programmes produced in the UK.

    These findings come at a critical time for the UK children’s programming industry. Over recent years there has been a steady decline in the level of new UK children’s programming shown on commercially funded public service broadcasters (ITV, Channel 4 and Five).

    ITV stopped commissioning new UK children’s programmes 12 months ago. It has continued with this policy despite Ofcom’s ruling that it is not allowed to cut the amount of children’s hours it broadcasts each week. Furthermore, it has also recently cut the total number of children’s hours to just two per week, despite Ofcom’s ruling.

    Pact also understands that Five’s commissioning of new UK programmes for older kids (outside the so-called pre-school genre) is under severe pressure.

    Historically the UK’s broadcasters have been renowned the world over for funding and broadcasting imaginative, high-quality and family-friendly programming.

    Successful contemporary shows made by the commercial broadcasters include:

    * My Life As A Popat: nominated for a Commission for Racial Equality award (ITV)
    * My Parents Are Aliens: deals with contemporary family values (ITV)
    * Fifi And The Flowertots: promotes the environment and health (Channel Five)
    * Peppa Pig: celebrates the warmth and humour of family life (Nick Jr)
    * A Different Life: teaches about children with unusual lives – from having rare disabilities to living in the South African bush (Five)
    * Art Attack: encourages kids to experiment (ITV)
    * Michaela’s Wild Challenge: explores nature and the environment (Five)
    * Brainiac: promotes science as fun (Sky1)