MUMBAI: CNN International has won a 2010 Asian Television Award in the ?Best Documentary Program (30 minutes or Less)? category for its show ?Eco Solutions-Saving Sumatra?. Produced in the network?s regional headquarters in Hong Kong, the show investigated the true cost of palm oil, a product used in everything from soap to chocolate and one that fuels a multi-billion dollar industry. Eco Solutions visited the Indonesian island of Sumatra to find out about the forces causing widespread deforestation.

Anchored by CNN?s correspondent Arwa Damon and produced by Constance Cheng, the program traced the changes in the Kampar Peninsula from one of the world?s most biodiverse virgin rainforests to a lifeless plain. With over 85% of Sumatra?s forests already being depleted, Greenpeace and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimate that the remaining 15% are also being depleted at an alarming rate, equalling 50 football fields a day.

?This prestigious award is a testament to CNN?s unflagging commitment to quality investigative journalism and the tenacity, diligence and dedication of our journalists? said Ellana Lee, managing editor CNN International Asia Pacific.

With reports every Monday and a monthly show, Eco Solutions takes you around the world to meet people with solutions to preserve the planet.

CNN is the world‘s leading global 24-hour news network and one of the world?s most respected and trusted sources for news and information. The CNN brand is available to two billion people via 18 CNN branded TV, internet and mobile services produced by CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System Inc and a Time Warner company. CNN International is the international directorate of CNN Worldwide and distributes news via 14 services in seven different languages. CNN International can be seen in more than 260 million households and hotel rooms in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, including more than 38 million across the Asia Pacific region and online at www.cnn.com/international.

MUMBAI: TIMES NOW, India‘s No.1 24-hour English news channel, has announced ‘The Foodie Awards‘. The award celebrates The Foodie‘s journey over the last 5 years and aims to honour the best cuisine and establishments across the country. The award ceremony will be held on February 13, 2011 in Mumbai.

‘TIMES NOW Foodie Awards‘ will felicitate patrons of Indian food & beverage industry whose delicacies have raised the standard of Indian cuisine and taken it to a different level. The awards will be conferred basis an Expert Jury Panel comprising of prominent names from the Food & Beverage Industry and Acclaimed Food Critics from India including Chef Joy Bhattacharya (Executive Chef - Trident), Rashmi Uday Singh (Food Critic and Writer), Anjan Chatterjee (Restauranter) and Kunal Vijayakar (The Foodie).
The award categories are as follows:-

*Best Cross Border Cuisine *Best Beverages *Best Experimental Cuisine *Best Coastal Food *Best Bakery *Best Street Food *Most Authentic Cuisine *Best Indian Fine Dining *Best International Cuisine *Best Foodie Celeb *The Legendary Award *Lifetime Achievement Award

On this occasion Arnab Goswami, Editor-in-chief, TIMES NOW said, "India, as a nation is rich in its cultural heritage, and food is an integral part of Indian culture. TIMES NOW‘s show The Foodie has traveled the length and breadth of the country in search of the best food. These awards are a celebration of this journey; a celebration of the most delicious food in India. The Foodie Awards in due course aims to be the gold standard in the Food & Beverage Industry."

MUMBAI: At a time when every stock market news brings a tremor and there is a scam or a swing happening every other trading day, the promise of ‘wealth for all‘ from *Shriram Insight*, made by METAL Communications, is a refreshing take on the basic of wealth creation - that everybody should get a chance to participate in it. The TVC, that broke recently, builds on the thought of democratisation of wealth - wealth is no longer the right or the legacy of the wealthy but something that every one in the new India can aspire to achieve.

The film opens on a day in the life of venerable astrologer Pandit Rameshwar Sharma. A humorously sung jingle explains the Pandit‘s predicament as he discovers that his clients don‘t need his services anymore. In fact, they are all taking important financial decisions without consulting him, as was the norm before. His epiphany happens when he sees an erstwhile customer at a Shriram Insight outlet. Looking at the lines on his own hand he realises that now with Shriram Insight, everyone has a money line or ‘dhan rekha‘ on his palm.

The insight came from the aeon old belief in palmistry - in a nation full of fatalistic believers, the one question that often popped up was the money line (dhan rekha). This too, when there was no money line in palmistry.

"We wanted to leverage the insight of the ‘money line‘. Even though there was no money line, people fervently believed in it and felt that wealth was more linked with fate than achievement. Our promise was simple - with *Shriram Insight*, everyone gets prosperity, the so called money line", says Trilokjit Sengupta, Creative Director.

The business is led by Viplav Deshpande, Group Account Manager and Niranjan Sawant, Account Executive. The Creative team for the film includes Senior Copywriter Hayden Scott and Creative Director Trilokjit Sengupta. Directed by Siddharth Sikand and produced by *METAL* Productions, the film is shot on location in Calcutta and stars Rajesh Vivek (of Swades fame) as the confused and perhaps, out-of-business astrologer. The media mix will include TV as the lead medium with digital and integrated web communication.
 

MUMBAI: The much awaited Bloomberg UTV | Autocar India Awards 2011 concluded amidst great fanfare today. It was time once again for the stalwarts of the Indian automobile industry to take centre stage. The Bloomberg UTV | Autocar India Awards 2011 presented by HDFC Bank set the benchmark as an exceptional evening in the calendar of events for the year with some of the most prominent personalities from the Automobile, Finance and Entertainment Industry gracing the event.

The grandeur of the evening was further enhanced when Silver Screen Diva and critically acclaimed actress Vidya Balan presented the award for the Best Car & Bike of the Year to Ford Figo and Honda CB Twister respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Deepak Lamba, Business Head - Bloomberg UTV, said ?The automobile industry plays a significant role in the economic growth of our country. The Bloomberg UTV |Autocar India Awards is an endeavour to honor those who with their unmatched excellence and dedication have contributed to bringing the industry to where it is today. We congratulate all the winners and look forward to some more exciting and award winning work next year.?

The awards have been associated with unrivaled credibility due to its rigorous selection procedure and its distinguished jury, which ensured that the most deserving cars and bikes were declared winners in their respective categories. This year was the jury led by Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor, Autocar India and foremost auto enthusiast in the country; Shapur Kotwal, Deputy Editor, Autocar India; Renuka Kirpalani; Editor, The Autocar Show; Narain Karthikeyan, India?s foremost racing driver; Dilip Chhabria, India?s leading Car Designer; Manwendra Singh, India?s leading Automobile Historian; Dilip Rogger, Ace Motorcycle Racer; Rishad Cooper, Two-wheeler Editor, Autocar India and Kartikeya Singhee, Deputy Editor, Autocar Show.

MUMBAI: SPE Networks ? Asia (SPENA), home to pay-TV channel brands including AXN, AXN Beyond, Animax, Sony Entertainment Television, ONE and subscription video-on-demand channels PIX and PIX Thriller, has appointed a new head of communications to its Singapore-based head office.

Ben Tan joined the company as Associate Director of Communications, with effect from 3rd January 2011, replacing outgoing head of communications, Priscilla Yip. He is responsible for media relations and internal communications and reports directly to Ricky Ow, Senior Vice President & General Manager of SPENA.

The regional role will cover SPENA?s markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Tan brings with him more than 13 years of experience as a business correspondent and editor in London and Singapore with major news organizations such as Thomson Reuters, Dow Jones Newswires and MediaCorp, where he was Executive Editor of general news at MediaCorp?s Newshub multimedia operation.

Said Ow, ?Ben is a welcome addition to our senior team. His extensive experience as a business journalist and editor, coupled with his solid news sense and interest in social media, will help drive SPENA?s communications strategy to engage our viewers and other stakeholders more deeply.

MUMBAI: Tata Sky will show four mega blockbusters - Guzaarish, Golmaal 3, Peepli Live and Ramayana on its pay-per-view (PPV) service, ‘SHOWCASE‘.

The super hit movie, Golmaal 3 is currently live on Tata Sky while Peepli Live would showcase on 07th January, followed by Guzaarish and Ramayana which would be available from 08th January, 2011.

All Tata Sky subscribers can now order and enjoy the best movies of 2010 starring major superstars with their entire family without any advertisement interruption from the cozy comfort of their home.

These sensational movies on ‘SHOWCASE‘ will offer all subscribers the complete movie experience that they can watch and enjoy multiple times with their loved ones.

To order any of these movies on "SHOWCASE", subscribers just need to press the "SHOWCASE" button on their remote and follow the instructions. Or, simply send an SMS by sending SC <SPACE> <EVENT CODE> to 56633.