The Hindu Business Line : CNBC Awaaz to launch new talent show

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Chennai Feb. 23 As TV news professionals and anchors rapidly join the ranks of celebrities with their own set of starry-eyed fans, CNBC Awaaz is launching a talent show called Khud Par Karo Yakeen to spot women with a flair for news presentation.

Research by Procter & Gamble, the manufacturer of show sponsor Pantene, had revealed that news on TV is one of the most aspirational careers. CNBC's own experience also bears that out, all the more so in non-metro cities and towns, Ms Priyanka Tiku, Senior Manager (Marketing), CNBC Awaaz, told Business Line. This show would attempt to unearth talent from these places and make access to the media field easier, she added.

Ms Tiku said the show, in association with Pantene, will train the winner in all aspects of news presentation, including grooming, for six months and have her do a show with the Pantene brand ambassador Sushmita Sen. The grand prize will be the offer of a job with the TV18 group of companies, Ms Tiku said, adding that absorbing the winner into the group would, however, depend on various factors.

The process of selecting the winner will be filmed in six episodes, starting with 150 contestants drawn from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Lucknow and Chandigarh. It will capture the participants' evolution from amateur contender to well-prepared competitor. A jury comprising a senior print journalist, veteran CNBC news professional and other experts will test knowledge, skill, confidence, flair and talent. "It's a more intelligent effort than just an anchor hunt," Ms Tiku said.