MUMBAI: Viacom 18-owned general entertainment channel Colors has entered into a long-term broadcast agreement with Times Group for its coveted beauty pageant Femina Miss India.

Sony Entertainment Television, the GEC from the Multi Screen Media group, was the incumbent broadcast partner for the event, which completed its 50 years recently.

According to a Colors spokeswoman, Femina Miss India 2013 will be telecast live for the first time in the annual event?s history. The GEC broadcaster will also have the right to sell on-air sponsorship.

The title sponsor of the event has also changed hands with Pond?s jumping in as the title sponsor to replace Pantaloons that was the title sponsor for almost five years beginning 2007. Incidentally, Pond?s was the title sponsor of the beauty pageant for almost three years prior to Pantaloons.

Along with the broadcaster and title sponsor, the logo of the event has also undergone a change and will have a new sound track too. PC Jewellers, contemporary and traditional jewellery maker, has joined hands with Ponds Femina Miss India 2013 as the Crown & Jewellery Partner.

Commenting on the acquisition, Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, "We are excited to showcase Femina Miss India?s 50 year milestone journey on Colors as we see a perfect synergy between both brands and audiences. Colors? is synonymous with content that is different and inspiring and therefore, we are happy to welcome Femina Miss India in our bouquet of unique event offerings. As our core audience is the woman, we hope the progressive imagery resonates and inspires them."

Hindustan Unilever VP Skincare Arun Srinivas said, "Pond?s, an iconic beauty brand, has been offering every Indian woman a reason to look and feel beautiful for many decades now. Femina Miss India, the renowned beauty pageant platform, celebrates Indian beauty delivering recognition to beautiful women and helping many others live their dreams through these inspirational role models."

To ensure national representation at the pageant and to encourage participation of contestants from across India in its 50th year, auditions and selections will be initiated from all regions across India, with seven City Pageants being held in Pune, Goa, Indore, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chandigarh & Delhi which will ultimately culminate into the grand Finale in Mumbai.

The winner of the city pageants will get a lifetime opportunity to fast track to the finals at the grand finale of Pond?s Femina Miss India 2013.