News Broadcasting
Ark Trust to honour Discovery founder Hendricks
The Ark Trust, an American non-profit animal protection organisation and presenter of the annual Genesis Awards, will salute the award-winning John S Hendricks, founder, chairman and CEO of Discovery Communications.
He is being recognised for his pioneering commitment to high quality documentary programming that celebrates the animal world.
The gala ceremony will take place at the International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton on 16 March.
An official release states that the Genesis Awards honours outstanding individuals from the major news and entertainment media for spotlighting animal issues with courage, creativity and integrity. Hendricks will get its coveted Guest of Honor distinction.
The release informs that since Discovery Channel’s inception in 1982, Hendricks has been the driving force behind DCI’s dramatic growth to a global operation that covers 155 countries with over 650 million subscribers. Its current stable of networks now encompasses 33 distinctive programming networks, representing 14 entertainment brands, which include The Learning Channel (TLC), Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids, and a family of digital channels.
DCI’s other properties consist of discovery.com and 170 Discovery Channel retail stores. As one of the leading visionaries in the media industry, Hendricks has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including a previous Genesis Award for The Discovery Channel in 1991. Among his other awards are a Primetime Emmy and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences highest honour, the Governors Award.
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.
