News Broadcasting
US women’s network Oxygen is following an unconventional path
MUMBAI: US women’s network Oxygen is looking to innovate with its most ambitious development slate to date for 2007
The network is collaborating with producers such as Lynda Obst, Working Title Television, Lionsgate Television, Escape Artists, September Films, Lovespell, Fox TV Studios, and New Line Television for a diverse mix of comedy and reality series and original films.
Projects that have gone to pilot for the network include Once More With Feeling The reality series takes peoples big announcements and turns them into Broadway caliber musical productions.
Capitol Hill Girls is a docu-soap that focusses on the lives of young women working on Capitol Hill. Tease is a competition reality series in which world renowned hair stylists compete against talented challengers.
Other projects in development include the animated series Angry Little Girls from Hollywood actress Jennifer Love Hewitt. Then there is a single camera comedy series Bastards! from Fox TV Studios, an hour long series of Robin Hudson Mysteries from Lynda Obst, limited drama series Serial from Lionsgate and original film MK Ultra.
In addition to these new projects, Oxygen is gearing up for a premiere packed summer of new original programming. In June, the channel premieres The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, a reality series that chronicles the exploits of Americas Over the Top Supermodel, Janice Dickinson, as she launches her own modeling agency.
Banshee is a movie starring Taryn Manning in the title role as a car thief on the run from a killer whose car she has stolen. In July, Oxygen premieres MoNiques F.A.T. Chance; the second annual beauty competition for plus sized women. In August comes a reality series Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty and there’s Fight Girls, a reality movie that features the countrys best female fighters as they train to compete with the toughest women on earth in a battle for the Muay Thai World Championship.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
