MUMBAI: The riveting tale of the matches between the two cricketing powerhouses, Australia and New Zealand, always creates a unique thrill and excitement for cricket fans. MAX, India?s Premium Hindi Movies and Special Events channel brings this excitement to viewers LIVE.

Beginning 26th February, the Australia Vs New Zealand series comprising of two T20 matches, five ODIs and two test matches is being played at some of the best known stadiums like Seddon Park, Eden Park, Westpac Stadium and others that are the pride of New Zealand. Two of the ODIs are scheduled to be played at Auckland?s Eden Park stadium which is New Zealand?s biggest sporting venue. The series promises a nail biting excitement and fun for cricket fans and is being brought LIVE to Indian viewers on MAX.

EVP and Business Head of MAX, Sneha Rajani commented about this special event on their channel. ?Given the excitement that accompanies Australia and New Zealand matches, we are delighted to provide LIVE coverage of this series to our viewers. The audience will be in for a veritable feast, watching these titans of the game battle it out for victory only on MAX, the ultimate destination for cricket and entertainment?.
 

MUMBAI: TIMES NOW, the number 1, English news channel has put together a power packed programming line up for the upcoming Union Budget 2010 on February 26.

The power packed programming includes extensive discussions and relevant analysis on the Union Budget by the most powerful heavyweights from the Industry, Government and Market Experts. The channel‘s budget programming line-up also includes special debates and chat shows, discussing the expectation from the Budget and its comprehensive analysis from the who‘s who of the industry along with Editor-in-Chief, TIMES NOW, Arnab Goswami, Economic and Policy expert and renowned columnist Swaminathan Aiyer, known economist and columnist Omkar Goswami, and Editor-Politics and Economy TIMES NOW, Navika Kumar,

Mr Arnab Goswami, Editor-in-Chief said, "TIMES NOW has delivered excellent programming till date and has always been associated with in-depth analysis of the Budget. This time as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presents the first Budget of the decade, a thorough analysis with the panel of experts and the who‘s who of India Inc. and Politics will follow to give the viewers ‘The Big Picture For India‘. The focus of the Budget programming as always, will remain its impact on the viewers in their day to day lives".

Mr. Sandeep Sharma, Sr. Vice President, Marketing & Sales, TIMES NOW & ET NOW elaborates further, "The viewer for the last four years has shown great trust in TIMES NOW‘s news programming and the viewer traction peaks during big news events. In line with viewer expectation, TIMES NOW has arranged a host of special programming and initiatives to ensure the viewers get extensive analysis of the Budget 2010.
The same is being strongly supported by key marketing initiatives including print ads, OOH and digital initiatives. The Budget sponsorship on the channel is sold out with a power packed client list sponsoring the Budget on Times Now".

Some of TIMES NOW‘s power packed Budget Programming highlights are:

Swaminomics: Featuring expert Swaminathan Aiyer and Omkar Goswami in conversation with the top corporate honchos Sunil Mittal, Anand Mahindra and others.

Budget Speech and Analysis: Live telecast of the Finance Ministers speech followed by its comprehensive analysis.

The Big Draw: Arnab Goswami, Swaminathan Aiyer and Omkar Goswami in discussion with distinguished guests and experts from politics, corporate heads and industrialists.

So stay tuned to TIMES NOW to get extensive coverage of the Big Budget 2010!

MUMBAI: The ?Zee Rishtey Awards 2010? was an evening to remember as all those associated with Zee TV and the Indian television industry came together to celebrate the event with great passion. To be telecast on February 28th at 8 pm, ?Zee Rishtey Awards 2010? will witness some of the most amazing performances, a dazzling red carpet and the appreciation of outstanding talent.

Nitin Vaidya, COO ZEEL & Business Head Zee TV said, ?Each of the Zee TV shows brings in a unique flavor from different parts of the country and this has created an ultimate bond with the viewers. The idea of ?Zee Rishtey Awards 2010? is to celebrate these diverse flavors on one platform. By acknowledging the viewers? choices, we want to thank them for their active participation and love towards Zee TV. It was heart warming to see so many of our senior & new generation artistes and associates coming forward to share our enthusiasm.?

While the most loved couple Dev ?Radhika (Avinash & Rubina) of Choti Bahu mesmerized the audiences with their sensuous dance act, Laali - Shekhar (Ratan & Abhishek) of Agle Janam Mohe Bitiyann hi Kijo performed on peppy Bollywood blockbusters. Manav- Archana (Sushant & Ankita) of Pavitra Rishta set the stage ablaze with their medley act that demanded a series of costume-changes. Laali (Ratan) along with Suresh Menon, Loha Singh (Sudesh Berry) and Sulochana (Savita Prabhune) had the audiences in splits with their hilarious gags.

The performances also included 12/ 24 Karol Bagh?s sisters along with Simmi-Abhi (Smriti & Yash) and Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli?s Karan?Abha (Karan & Suhasi) paying a special tribute to Sooraj Barjatya?s Rajshri productions. The wonder kids ? Dhairya and Afsha were given a special award for being the youngest host on television. The excitement didn?t stop here?all the actors were high on anxiety as the awards in different categories like Favorite Bahu, Favorite Beti, Favorite Khalnayika and many more were announced.

Catch all this and much more of ?Zee Rishtey Awards 2010? on Sunday, February 28th at 8 pm, only on Zee TV!

MUMBAI: Following the worldwide success of the Red Bull Street Style Football initiative, UTV Action partners with Red Bull to get the same adrenaline rush for India. Keeping the freestyle masterminds on their toes, its time to get up, get back on it and get practicing; as the Red Bull Street Style is back to blow your minds. For all those backyard enthusiasts out there, this is your chance to fame on the freestyle football scene.

In 2008, 45 countries from all four corners of the globe took on the challenge by sending the winners of their respective National Finals to the World Finals in Brazil, the spiritual home of the Beautiful Game. For 2009/10 Red Bull Street Style in association with UTV Action is set to step up the levels as they gear to give India a chance in the final showdown in South Africa coming up in April 2010.

Red Bull Street Style India qualification will kick of in Mumbai at the Carter Road Promenade on the 19th of February and on the 20th of February at the DLF Promenade - The Hub in Delhi and at St. Joseph‘s High in Bangalore. If you are beyond the bounds of these cities you can participate by uploading your video on the web site www.redbullstreetstyle.com. The selected ones from this 3 city tour and the online process will show-off their skills at the Carter Road Promenade in Mumbai, on the 27th of February in the finals. The Winner will represent India, at South Africa, Red Bull Street Style World Final in April 2010.

Commenting on this venture, UTV Action Head Sameer Ganapathy said, "We are extremely pleased to tie up with Red Bull for their Street Freestyle Football event. This event has enjoyed tremendous success abroad and I‘m sure it will be well received here. Street Style Football is a very fast paced activity and suits the ideology of UTV Action very well. Our strategy is to involve the channel in every action pact innovation and we are adhering to our commitments with all the thrill and action based ventures on-air and ground."
 

MUMBAI: Harper?s BAZAAR, the world?s oldest fashion magazine with 29 international editions, successfully completed one year in India. Harper?s BAZAAR India raises a toast to THE MOST influential element for Fashion in India -?Bollywood?. In a casting coup, BAZAAR?s first anniversary cover has brought together two of India?s most stylish actors ? the suave and charming Hrithik Roshan and the beautiful Katrina Kaif. The cover couple, with their unmatched sense of personal style; were unarguably the perfect choice for this special issue.

Style-wise, Harper?s BAZAAR India?s tribute to Bollywood can be seen in its visually spectacular fashion shoots with stunning faces from the film industry and insights from iconic celebrity contributors like Karan Johar, Lara Dutta and Manish Arora. The magazine features a never-seen-before interpretation of India?s influence on the world of fashion by leading luxury brands such as Bulgari, Dior, Armani, Ferragamo, Louis Vuitton, Oscar de la Renta, and Tod?s, among others.

BAZAAR?s anniversary issue boasts of numerous marketing innovations. The magazine continues to engage its readers with ingenious novelties that range from the taller format of the magazine to the glittering masthead.

Harper?s BAZAAR India has created a loyal following among readers in India through its well researched and artistically laid out articles on fashion, lifestyle, celebrities and of course personal style! Having successfully found the right balance between India-inspired content, features, and visual appeal, the magazine has steadily grown to become one of the most loved fashion magazines in the country. 

Pleased with the accomplishment of BAZAAR in India, Duncan Edwards, President and CEO of Hearst Magazines International said, ?I?m proud of the fact that in one year, Harper?s BAZAAR India has been able to firmly establish itself on the fashion landscape in the country. India has emerged as one of the most promising markets for us and our ability to adapt editorial concepts locally enables us to feed a growing demand for quality magazines.?

Visiting India on the occasion of the first anniversary celebrations of Harper?s BAZAAR India, Kim St Clair Bodden, Vice President and Executive Director of Hearst Magazines International said ?We are extremely proud to see that in merely one year, the magazine has found its way into homes and boutiques across India. With the success of the magazine, we renew our commitment to our readers that we will continue not only to evolve as a brand but also deliver challenging and relevant content. Our ability to develop editorial concepts that appeal to local sensibilities enables us to fulfill the growing demand for International titles in India.?

Sharing her insights on the first anniversary of the magazine in India, Mala Sekhri, Chief Operating Officer, Lifestyle Group, India Today Group said, ?It has been a significant year for us. We strive to grow the magazine to fulfill its global vision to become the ultimate style guide for each and every sophisticated and elegant woman in India.?

Sujata Assomull, Editor, Harper?s BAZAAR India said ?It has been a year of fabulous style for us. Real style has always been the mantra of Harper?s Bazaar, working closely with Indian and international luxury brands and designers, we are all about fashion that works for you. This is why we chose Bollywood as the theme for our first anniversary issue. Bollywood has become the international style face of India and there is no question that in India fashion comes from the reel and not the ramp.?

The issue will be unveiled on February 23rd at a glittering ?Inspiration Bollywood? evening held at Lap, New Delhi.
 

MUMBAI: NDTV announces the prestigious Indian of the Year 2009 to honour those exceptional Indians who have shown promise and excellence in their respective fields and have done India proud. This year as NDTV completes 21 years, the awards also salute icons of change for the past 21 years. The award considered to be one of the most prestigious civilian honour in the country, will be presented on February 24, 2010, at Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi in the presence of India?s who?s who.

The award, which is now into its fifth successful year, will acknowledge achievers in their respective fields, be it politics, business, sports or entertainment.

The award categories and nominations are as follows:

Politics? 1) M Karunanidhi; 2) P Chidambaram; 3) Naveen Patnaik; 4) Nitish Kumar; 5) Rahul Gandhi
Male Entertainers- 1) Kamal Haasan; 2) Salman Khan; 3) Anurag Kashyap; 4) Shahid Kapoor; 5) Ranbir Kapoor
Female Entertainers- 1) Priyanka Chopra; 2) Katrina Kaif; 3) Kareena Kapoor; 4) Deepika Padukone; 5) Sonam Kapoor
Sports? 1) Sachin Tendulkar; 2) Saina Nehwal; 3) Vijender Singh; 4) Leander Paes; 5) Pankaj Advani
Business? 1) Anand Mahindra; 2) Kumar Mangalam Birla; 3) Shikha Sharma; 4) The Reddy Sisters; 5) Malvinder Singh; 6) Rajiv Bajaj

Announcing the awards, Dr. Prannoy Roy, Chairman, NDTV, said, ?As India drives the resurgence of world economy, NDTV Indian of the Year recognizes the eminent visionaries, political leaders, sports personalities and entertainers who have not just strengthened the foundation of our society but have also helped build the Brand India.?

This year?s awards jury comprises eminent personalities from all walks of life such as- Naina Lal Kidwai (Country Head, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation India); Shabana Azmi (Actress and Social Activist); Aruna Roy (Political and Social Activist) Vishwanathan Anand (International Chess Champion); Fali Sam Nariman (Indian Constitution Expert and Senior Advocate); Dr Prannoy Roy (Chairman NDTV) and Sonia Varma Singh (Senior Managing Editor-NDTV 24x7).
The winners of ?NDTV Indian of the Year? are chosen through a rigorous, multi-layered process. The organisation?s editorial board commences the process by short listing nominees in each category from those sent in by the viewers and surfers. After making the nominees public, citizen votes are invited through SMS and

website. The winners are jointly chosen by the jurors and citizen participation. The results are validated by Ernst & Young.

Valuable support for ?NDTV Indian of the Year 2009? has come from presenting sponsors LIC.

Winners of ?NDTV Indian of the Year 2008‘ in various categories have been: Mumbai Bravehearts, those who fought to save the lives of hundreds of innocent people in the 9/11 terror attacks; Shiela Dixit; Abhinav Bindra; Aamir Khan; Deepak Parekh and G. Madhavan Nair & ISRO Moon Team.