News Broadcasting
Zee hikes stake in Asianet to 61 per cent
Zee Telefilms’ Limited (ZTL) has decided to hike its stake in Asianet Communications to 61 per cent, according to Business Standard. The board has passed a resolution to this effect on 14 April. The company had earlier decided to acquire 51 per cent stake in the south Indian television powerhouse.
In consideration, ZTL will pay Rs 1 billion to Asianet Communications’ promoters for a ‘non-compete’ clause under which no promoter will be allowed to start any competing business. The 61 per cent stake would have a consideration of ZTL stocks worth ARs 2.55 billion.
Asianet promoter Raji Menon will come on ZTL board while Subhash Chandra will be on the board of Asianet Communications.
The newest acquisition by ZTL will give the media powerhouse a greater stand in the southern market where it lacked much presence and also access to Asianet’s cable networks in Kerla. Besides this, it will have access Asianet’s library of 4,000 hours of original programming and 1,200 movie titles which Zee will use for international broadcast.
ZTL will now claim a presence in all 22 million C&S homes.
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.
