News Broadcasting
Times Global Broadcasting sets up distribution team
MUMBAI: With the launch date drawing nearer, Times Global Broadcasting Co Ltd, the joint venture news broadcasting company of The Times of India Group and Reuters, has inducted key executives to manage the distribution of its English news channel.
Times Global Broadcasting V-P and business head Partho Dasgupta confirmed the following appointments to indiantelevision.com:
Deepak Agarwal has joined Times Global Broadcasting as DGM affiliate network, west zone. He will be based in Mumbai. Agarwal had a long association with MTV Networks and Times of India Group. Agarwal was instrumental in launching channels such as religious channel Sanskar and the southern-music channel SS Music.
Managing the north and east is Tapas Roy who has joined as DGM affiliate network, North. Roy is an import from Sahara India Media & Entertainment’s (SIME). He was previously associated with SitiCable and has also had stints with BBC World and Star India.
Ramesh N, yet another distribution professional from MTV Networks, would be based out of Bangalore, to take charge of the distribution business of the south market as group manager affiliate network. Ramesh has worked with the Zee Turner Group and MEN-ESPN.
The company is likely to inducted few more in due course of time.
Earlier this quarter, Reuters acquired 26 per cent equity stake in The Times Global Broadcasting Co Ltd. The industry media observers signify that the promoters wish to have a global presence with the proposed news channel.
To begin with, industry sources indicated, the yet-to-be named news channel would first spread its wings to South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries before embarking on further international expansion. Dasgupta would, however, offer no comment in this regard.
Meanwhile, in a bid to capitalize on the equity of the Times brand, one of the names being toyed with for the channel is Times Global, informed sources aver. According to sources, Times has received the green-signal for its uplinking licence and is eyeing a mid-September launch for the channel.
News Broadcasting
India Today Group debuts AI anchor ‘Sutra’ at AI Impact Summit 2026
Sutra aims to simplify live policy debates using sovereign AI models
NEW DELHI: India Today Group has unveiled Sutra, an AI-driven news anchor designed to deliver real-time, contextual reporting, marking the group’s latest push to integrate artificial intelligence into mainstream journalism.
The AI anchor was introduced at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi and developed in collaboration with BharatGen, with the initiative showcased by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
India Today Group said Sutra is built to navigate complex policy discussions and fast-moving developments by synthesising information into concise, accessible insights, aimed at narrowing the gap between high-level debates and public understanding. The AI anchor was used to surface live takeaways from key sessions at the summit.
India Today Group chief AI officer Nilanjan Das, said the project was focused on clarity and accessibility without diluting editorial rigour. He added that working with BharatGen aligned the group’s AI ambitions with India’s broader push towards sovereign technology capabilities.
BharatGen CEO Rishi Bal, said the partnership reflected a shift from basic automation towards deeper contextual intelligence in media. He emphasised the importance of indigenous, multimodal AI models capable of understanding Indian languages, regional dialects and cultural nuance, particularly as AI-driven news formats gain traction.
The launch positions India Today Group among the first major Indian media houses to deploy an AI anchor backed by home-grown technology, underscoring a growing convergence between journalism, public policy and sovereign AI infrastructure.
