MUMBAI: People in the UK are more concerned with the portrayal of age on TV than on other platforms. Age is considered much less of an issue on radio, as participants could not readily tell the age of contributors and would choose a radio station that reflects their needs and interests.

Younger people are most concerned with how they are portrayed on TV, and many feel they are portrayed negatively. This view was also shared by some older people.

The Creative Diversity Network (CDN) has published the findings of its research in portrayal of age in the media, ?Serving All Ages?. The research was commissioned by the BBC as current chair of the CDN.

The CDN is a partnership of media companies made up of ITV, Channel 4, Sky, S4/C, Pact, MTV, Media Trust, Turner and Bafta, which exists to improve diversity across the industry.

The key findings are:

- Older people are less concerned with portrayal on TV, but some expressed a feeling of invisibility. This was particularly the case for middle aged and older women and more so in some genres (news and factual) than others

- Audiences wanted television in particular to reflect reality and wanted to avoid stereotyping and see a focus on accurate portrayal of all ages

- Industry experts focused on the need to find imaginative and creative ways to challenge existing stereotypes without being formulaic and stressed the importance of tracking and reviewing progress

BBC DG and CDN chair Mark Thompson said, ?There are lessons here for the BBC and the rest of Britain?s broadcasters. It is young people who are most concerned with the way they are portrayed and we need to look at this. But we should also note the concern, expressed by older people generally, about the need for greater visibility for older women. While of course there are many older women presenters and actors across our airwaves, this is something that needs to be addressed.?

NEW DELHI: MTV Hero Roadies season 9 is commencing from 7 January.

MTV India EVP and business head Aditya Swamy said, "Roadies has become much more than a TV show? it?s a phenomenon. Such a wide cross section of people follow Roadies, across every possible screen that it just goes to show that there is a Roadie in every one of us. A lucky few will get to live out the dream?Will dreams come true or turn into nightmares...The battle begins for Everything or Nothing?"

Raghu Ram, the producer of Roadies added, "It?s amazing to see how youngsters travel from different parts of the country and queue up for the auditions. The levels of energy and fervour displayed are phenomenal and inspiring. This year we come back with a different dose of edgy, limitless Roadies madness."

This season also introduces "Everything or Nothing" as a motto to thrive on and contestants will participate in each task with vigour and valour to earn their spot in the series.

The auditions for the show, to be aired every Saturday at 7 pm, will be flagged off from Delhi. The search to pick the deserving participants will then move to Pune making a stop in Kolkata. Then the Roadies bus will halt in Chandigarh and Hyderabad.