Alka Saxena, Head Programming Zee News

Perspective on News channels

Breaking news is important for a news channel but then news cannot be manufactured when it's not happening. There's a positive side to it and a negative, because sometimes the war of breaking news can lead to half baked news. So, when news channels are not in breaking news mode, efforts are being made to get into the `infotainment mode'.

As far as Zee news is concerned we've always tried some formats which are very popular with audiences - like Khana Khazana, Aap ki Adalat and India's Most wanted.

Softer programming on news channel can definitely prove to be entertaining as well as enriching; as long as it's not fiction.

Apart from the regular TG; the new mantra is also to target the younger audiences and women. And some shows like Kaal, Kapaal Mahakaal always figure in the top 50 shows among Hindi news channels.

Channel Offerings

Frame 3 is like a Page 3 of a newspaper. If page 3 of a newspaper can be so popular why cannot a programme on TV be so?

Raahi Matwale - Is a travel show covering dream destinations. A highly interactive show where we get viewers to share their home video from destination across the world.

Kaal Kapaal Mahakaal

The word Kaal stands for death, Kapaal stands for Skull and Mahakaal stands for Lord Shiva's avatar, representing end of life. The nomenclature captures the imagery and associations around the mystiques and catches the popular imagination signifying the scope and contents in the program. The series will bring to fore the various beliefs, practices, purposes and rituals carried out by members of various sects in an unprecedented visual account, captured up close.

The show has got real high viewership. An off-beat show which looks at folklore, to stories, to books and rituals. The show also has an in-depth account of the life and practices of various sects like Aghoris, Naath, Shakyas who practice peculiar customs and stories around them which are sometimes quite eerie.

Total Tandurasti - A health show that looks at lifestyle diseases and goes in details about the causes, cure and case studies.

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