News Broadcasting
Zee open offer for ETC opens
Zee Telefilms’ open offer for 20 per cent additional stake in ETC Networks at Rs. 31.52 per share opens today.
This follows the Zee’s acquisition in February of a 48.38 per cent of ETC promoters’ stake. In its offer letter Zee had said: “The acquisition of majority stake in ETC Networks will enable Zee Telefilms to have undisputed market leadership in the music and Punjabi segments besides providing access to the ETC library.”
Meanwhile, the Subhash Chandra broadcaster clarified yesterday that its recent offer to acquire a major stake in Telugu animation major Padmalaya Telefilms would remain at Rs. 148.50 per share. Zee said that it would not increase the offer price for acquiring 20 per cent in Padamalaya Telefilms. Zee’s clarification came in response to queries raised after PTL’s ruling price reportedly touched Rs. 153.25 on Monday. The scrip is currently trading at Rs 149.
Zee’s open offer for 20 per cent more of PTL is expected to open on 5 May. The offers comes on the heels of newly acquired Zee subsidiary Padmalaya Enterprises acquiring a 34 per cent stake in PTL.
News Broadcasting
Times Network to air JVC Exit Poll across 5 regions on April 29
Four-hour broadcast spans states and Puducherry with data-led analysis
MUMBAI: Times Network is set to roll out what it calls one of its most expansive election programming efforts yet, culminating in the JVC Exit Poll on 29 April, with a multi-hour broadcast spanning key poll-bound regions.
The exit poll will air across Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, beginning at 5pm and 4pm respectively. Co-powered by Vedanta and Jindal Stainless, the programming aims to combine on-ground reportage with data-driven projections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
The network has deployed over 50 journalists across these regions, gathering voter sentiment and local insights in the run-up to polling. The effort builds on its ongoing election formats such as Election Yatra and Election Premier League, which have tracked campaign narratives and community-level issues.
In parallel, Times Now Navbharat has focused on constituency-level reporting in West Bengal through its Jan Gan ka Mann series, capturing voter opinions across diverse segments.
The coverage has also featured interviews with prominent political leaders. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan have appeared on the network’s election specials. From Tamil Nadu, voices including deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran, BJP leader K Annamalai and NTK’s Seeman have also featured in discussions.
On the day of the exit poll, the network’s primetime anchors, including Navika Kumar, Zakka Jacob and Sumit Awasthi, will lead the coverage. They will be joined by a panel of political analysts, psephologists and senior journalists offering real-time insights and interpretation of trends.
The programming will integrate grassroots reportage with analytics from the JVC Exit Poll, aiming to give viewers an early sense of electoral outcomes ahead of the official results on 4 May.
With its combined English and Hindi broadcast reach, Times Network is positioning this effort as a comprehensive look at voter sentiment, blending field reporting, data and debate to decode what could lie ahead when the final mandate is revealed.
