New Delhi, November 26, 2009: In its fourth year, CNN-IBN Indian of the Year ‘09 includes a host of distinguished names in its list of nominees in the Category of Entertainment. The entertainers who have brought in a fresh wave with their imagination and their innovative ideas and have turned life a little more delightful for billions of Indians in the process are a part of Entertainment category nominees for the biggest and the most credible awards in the Indian media. The nominees include the personalities who have created new paradigms with their thinking, inspired countless Indians and never shied away from giving their best. To choose these nominees, IBN18’s editorial team went through a stringent ratifying process and finally short listed six entertainers who have left an indelible mark with the depth of their vision, their innovative thinking and dedication to provide quality entertainment to the viewers.

These nominees, who were the unanimous choice of the jury, together define a brand new India – one which is upbeat, resurgent and dynamic. The nominees for CNN-IBN Indian of the Year ‘09 in the category of Entertainment are:

• COLORS: For consistent leadership in it's very first year of existence and re-writing the rules of entertainment television.
• A R RAHMAN: For winning the Oscar and proving he is one of India's biggest influences on world music.
• RANBIR KAPOOR: For achieving the tag of being one of the most bankable young stars with two consecutive hits.
• KATRINA KAIF: For being the most consistent and reliable hit machine in one of Bollywood's worst year.
• PRINCE GROUP OF ORISSA: For scripting a remarkable story of casual labourers in remote Orissa turning into acclaimed TV stars.
• AMITABH BACHCHAN: For being 68, yet daring to play a 13-year-old in Paa, for producing a regional film like Vihir and entertaining India for 40 years.

Viewers and citizens can cast their votes for their favourite sports nominee by logging on to www.indianoftheyear.com - a specially created micro site for the awards. Can also vote through SMS by typing IOTY to 51818 and can call through IVRS on 5051818 and on 1255518(for MTNL mobile, BSNL mobile & landline users). Voting closes on 11th December mid night.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, IBN18 Network said, “One of our key objectives and driving forces behind these awards has been to try and make them as credible as possible. The procedure undertaken for selecting and short listing the nominees for CNN-IBN Indian of the Year ‘09 awards underlines complete transparency. We look forward to honouring and awarding the achievers”.

About Network 18
Network18 [BSE: 532798,NSE: Network18] is one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, print, internet, filmed entertainment, mobile content and allied businesses. Through its holding in Television Eighteen India Ltd (TV18) [BSE: 532299, NSE: TV-18], Network18 operates India’s leading business news television channels, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz. It also runs one of India’s largest Internet players - Web18, as well as one of India’s leading real time financial information and news terminals - Newswire18. TV18 has recently expanded into print with Infomedia18, a newly formed entity following the acquisition of Infomedia, India's leading player in the special interest publishing and printing operations space.TV18 has also announced collaboration with Forbes media for the launch of a business magazine in India. Through its holding in ibn18 Broadcast Ltd (ibn18) [BSE: 532800,NSE: ibn18], Network18 operates in the general news and entertainment space with leading general news channels CNN-IBN and IBN7 and has launched IBN Lokmat, a Marathi news channel in partnership with the Lokmat group. ibn18 also operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18 which houses the MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon channels in India - as also Studio18, the Group’s filmed entertainment operation and has launched ‘Colors’, a Hindi general entertainment channel. Additionally, Network18 holds the Group’s online & on-air home shopping venture, Homeshop18 and its full spectrum events management venture, E18.

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