News Broadcasting
Express buys out 10% of Mid-Day
MUMBAI: It is a deal that may have been struck at the right time. The Indian Express has bought 10 per cent equity in Mid-Day Multimedia Ltd for Rs 255.4 million, ahead of the launch of Hindustan Times in Mumbai.
The promoters of Mid-day ( through companies Ferari Investments and Trading and Meridian Holding and Leasing) on Thursday intimated the company that they have agreed to sell 4256628 shares of the company at a price of Rs 60 per share to The Indian Express. The post transaction holding of the promoters would be 53.6 per cent.
Earlier, the Times of India had shown interest in acquiring stake in Mid-Day which runs the popular city tabloid, but negotiations fell through over price. Subsequently, a group company of Bennett, Coleman and Co Ltd (publisher of the Times of India) picked up a 7.5 per cent equity stake in Mid-Day from the open market.
The recent transaction could set the ground for exploring areas of mutual co-operation as both Indian Express and Mid-Day face stiff threat from emerging competition. In a turf that has been dominated by the Times of India Group, there are other print publications planning entry. The buzz is that Zee in partnership with Dainik Bhaskar is eyeing a newspaper launch in Mumbai; so is The Hindu, if the rumours are to be believed.
Incidentally, The Indian Express is planning to raise an initial public offering (IPO) to meet its fund requirements.
News Broadcasting
News18 India to air Sabse Bada Dangal on 4 May counting day
Channel promises fastest results, live trends and analysis across five states.
MUMBAI: Ballots will do the talking and screens will do the shouting. As counting day approaches for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, News18 India is gearing up for an all-day broadcast of its flagship election show, Sabse Bada Dangal, on 4 May from 6 am onwards. The Hindi news channel plans to deliver continuous, real-time updates as votes are tallied, combining live counting data with on-ground reporting and studio analysis. With political fortunes set to shift through the day, the coverage will track every swing, surge and surprise as trends turn into results.
The broadcast will feature a mix of senior political leaders, analysts and experts, offering instant reactions and decoding the evolving electoral picture. Expect heated debates, quick takes and detailed breakdowns as the numbers settle across all five states.
For News18 India, counting day has long been a high-visibility moment. The network is banking on its reporting reach, editorial bandwidth and technology-driven coverage to stay ahead in what is often a fiercely competitive news cycle.
With multiple battlegrounds and shifting narratives, the day promises both drama and data in equal measure. And if all goes to plan, Sabse Bada Dangal will once again turn the counting of votes into prime-time spectacle.
