Network 18 Signs MoU with Commits under its Media Institute Initiative (MII)

• Umesh Upadhyay, President News, Network18 & Ranita Hirji, Dean, Commits Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication signed the MoU at Expressions 2015.

• Chief Guest Bharat Ratna Professor CNR Rao delivered the keynote address

CNN-IBN and IBN7, India’s leading General News channels signed the second MOU under their unique Media Institute Initiative (MII). Under MII Network 18 engages with top media schools across the country and abroad through a structured and collaborative approach. The MII endeavor will aim to deepen the media education industry and further elevate the engagement in the media space through seminars, internships, guest lectures and other interventions for sectoral capability enhancement.

Mr. Umesh Upadhyay (President News - Network 18) signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Commits

Under this exclusive initiative, Network18 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Commits Institute of Journalism & Mass Communication, Bengaluru at EXPRESSIONS 2015, the annual summit of the media school. Commits is the first media college from South India to collaborate with India’s leading news network. The MoU was signed between Shri Umesh Upadhyay, President News, Network18 and Ms Ranita Hirji, Dean, Commits Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication on February 3^rd, 2015 in Bengaluru.

The signed memorandum of understanding between Network 18 and Commits by Mr. Umesh Upadhyay (President News - Network 18) and Ms. Ranita Hirji (Dean of Commits)

Chief Guest at EXPRESSIONS 2015 Bharat Ratna Professor CNR Rao delivered the keynote address.

Addressing a huge gathering of students, Barat Ratna Professor CNR RAO said, “The success of society depends on success of individuals. One of the most important factors to succeed is to eliminate ‘self’ and be generous to society. This selfishness and envy kills one’s professional performance and causes a deviation from the three mantras of success – Doggedness, Determination and Tenacity.”

Commenting on this unique initiative, Umesh Upadhyay, President, News, Network 18 said, “Media Institute Initiative is an attempt to bridge the gap between the newsroom and the academic world with the purpose of enriching journalism. The classroom and newsroom have to integrate to evolve better media professionals and ultimately offer a better media service for good of the society.” He said, “Network 18-COMMITS MoU would help promote local talent and offer it national and global exposure.” Radhakrishnan Nair, Managing Editor, CNN-IBN was a special invitee at the event.”

Elated over the association, Ranita Hirji, Dean, Commits Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication said, “We are glad that Network18 has decided to partner with us. At the same time it is a huge responsibility for us because we have to work much harder to honor the faith instilled upon us. The MoU offers an impetus to keep innovating and improving our teaching skills and methodologies.”

About TV18

The Network18 Group is a media and entertainment company with interests in television, internet, films, e-commerce, magazines, mobile content and allied businesses. Through its subsidiary ‘TV18 Broadcast Ltd.’ [BSE: 532800, NSE: TV18BRDCST], the group operates news channels - CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC-TV18 Prime HD, CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat (a Marathi regional news channel in partnership with the Lokmat group). TV18 also operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18, which houses a portfolio of popular entertainment channels – Colors, Colors HD,MTV, SONIC, Comedy Central, VH1, Nick. Nick Jr. and Nick Teen - and Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the group’s filmed entertainment business. TV18 has also forayed into the Indian factual entertainment space through A+E Networks | TV18 (a joint venture between A+E Networks and TV18 Broadcast) and operates HistoryTV18. TV18 and Viacom18 have also formed a strategic joint venture called IndiaCast, a multi-platform ‘content asset monetization’ entity mandated to drive domestic and international channels distribution, placement services and content syndication for the bouquet of channels from TV18, Viacom18 and other broadcasters.

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