News Broadcasting
BBC launches 2005 News Sponsorship Scheme
MUMBAI: The BBC has launched its News Sponsorship Scheme for 2005 in the UK. The scheme, now in its fifth year awards 15 students on the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) accredited courses, full funding for their postgraduate diplomas in broadcast journalism, plus bursaries to help with living expenses during their course.
Each student is also allocated a senior BBC journalist as a mentor, and is offered up to five weeks paid work experience and training in an area of network news. One place on the scheme is dedicated to Christopher Price, the late BBC Three presenter. Price fronted the entertainment news programme Liquid News following a career in BBC local radio, Radio Five Live and News 24, before his death in 2002 at the age of 34. This sponsored student will receive at least one of their work placements with BBC Three News.
The News Sponsorship Scheme is aimed at attracting new and diverse talent into BBC News around the UK, while enabling students to fund their postgraduate course. BBC News director Helen Boaden, says, “BBC News should serve every community across the UK. To do that well, we need staff from a very wide range of backgrounds and experience.” Scheme director Daniell Morrisey said, “The scheme has successfully kick-started the careers of many spiring journalists. Many of its former students have remained with the BBC joining one of our national or regional newsrooms.”
Christine Liu is one of the successful applicants from 2004. She said: “The most important thing to note is that the BBC is not looking for one particular type of person. My first degree is in physics – other people have backgrounds as diverse as finance and anthropology. A few have worked before while others, like me, came straight from university. The one thing we all have in common is a passion for journalism.”
Debbie Jackson is another of last year’s successful applicants. She said: “The News Sponsorship Scheme changed my life. Having worked for a few years and previously worked in print journalism I really wanted to have a go at broadcast journalism and start a new career. Gaining the confidence and experience from the scheme made the big jump into leaving work and going back to college much easier.”
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 launches weekend show Health Matters to decode health trends
New show aims to cut through viral wellness fads with expert-backed advice
MUMBAI: In an age where viral reels often double up as lifestyle advice, CNN-News18 is launching a weekend show aimed at separating health facts from fashionable myths.
Titled News18 Health Matters, the half-hour programme will premiere on 14 March 2026 and position itself as a reliable guide through the maze of wellness trends, internet remedies and quick-fix health advice that increasingly shape everyday decisions.
India is in the midst of a major health transition. Lifestyle diseases are striking earlier, stress and sleep deprivation have become routine, and health choices are often influenced by trending content rather than medical evidence. The new show leans into this reality with a simple premise: trending does not always mean true.
Anchored by Hem Kaur Saroya and Himani Chandna, the programme will air every Saturday at 8:30 am and 5:30 pm and on Sundays at 10:30 am. Episodes will also be available on the channel’s YouTube platform.
Each instalment will tackle everyday health concerns that are increasingly entering mainstream conversations. Topics range from the rise of heart attacks among people under 40 and the growing reliance on protein supplements, to the rush toward weight-loss drugs and the widespread overuse of painkillers. The show will also examine issues such as screen addiction, chronic sleep loss, stress-related disorders and the rising prevalence of thyroid conditions, diabetes and hypertension.
Speaking about the launch, Rahul Shivshankar said the show aims to bring clarity to a space crowded with misinformation.
“With Health Matters, CNN-News18 aims to cut through the noise and empower viewers with clear, expert-led conversations grounded in science and medical evidence. At a time when viral trends increasingly influence lifestyle choices, it is important to distinguish between what is trending and what is truly beneficial for long-term health,” he said.
Echoing the sentiment, Smriti Mehra said the programme reflects the channel’s commitment to responsible and relevant programming.
“With growing public interest in wellness and preventive health, Health Matters strengthens CNN-News18’s focus on issues that affect everyday life. In an increasingly crowded information space, credible and verified health conversations have never been more important,” she said.
With Health Matters, CNN-News18 is betting that viewers want more than bite-sized advice and viral fixes. The show promises something rarer in the age of algorithm-driven wellness tips: calm, credible conversations that help people make better health choices.
