News Broadcasting
Sony third player to apply for DTH licence?
The momentum among private players to enter the DTH broadcast arena appears to be building, if reports circulating in the industry are to be believed.
After Star India (through the Mumbai based Space TV) and Subhash Chandra’s ASC Enterprises Ltd (Agrani), the latest to put in an application for a DTH licence is Sony Entertainment Television, strong rumours in the industry indicate.
When contacted, SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta said he had no comment to offer on this turn of events. Reports of Sony’s application come close on the heels of the one put in by Agrani on 24 June.
Agrani’s was the second application for a DTH licence after the News Corp-backed Space TV put in its own proposal in April. However, the government rejected the application because Space TV put in a number of riders, one of which was that the 20 per cent FDI cap should be lifted.
News Broadcasting
Parikshit Luthra exits CNBC-TV18 after 20-year run
Former bureau chief to take brief pause before next role
NEW DELHI: Senior journalist Parikshit Luthra has signed off from CNBC-TV18, marking 28 February 2026 as his final day and closing nearly two decades with Network18 Media & Investments Limited, including eight years at the business news channel.
During his tenure, Luthra interviewed prominent business leaders and Union ministers, reporting on economic policy, corporate strategy, the automobile sector and financial markets. His coverage spanned key inflection points in India’s economic narrative.
He also led new programming formats such as Newscentre, Global Eye and Global Lens, shows that examined politics and foreign policy through an economic prism, reflecting the channel’s push towards globally linked business reporting.
In a LinkedIn post, Luthra said his final weeks were spent covering the Union Budget, the India AI Summit, India’s trade agreements with the US and EU, and the group’s flagship Rising Bharat Summit 2026. He added that he continued anchoring until his last day and briefly met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his closing assignments.
Luthra joined CNBC-TV18 in June 2018 as assistant editor, later rising to senior editor and chief of bureau, a position he held for over two years. Before that, he worked with Republic TV and CNN-News18.
He said he plans to take a short break before embarking on his next professional chapter.
