News Broadcasting
Times expected to launch two TV channels in ‘phase 1’
MUMBAI: The country’s most influential press publication, The Times of India Group, looks to have more or less finalised the channels with which it will make its entry into the television business.
Present indications are that the Times will be launching two channels either in tandem or spaced apart by just a few months. Lifestyle and entertainment channel Zoom and a “secular” spiritual channel are what will be coming off the Times Television’s blocks in the initial phase, it has been confirmed to indiantelevision.com.
Lifestyle, events, music, fashion and of course the film world, will all form part of the content that goes into Zoom.
Times is tentatively targeting August / September for the launch of the channel(s), as per presently available information.
Queried as to what was the thinking behind the selection of the title Zoom for the lifestyle channel, Times Group managing director Vineet Jain told indiantelevision.com that the word association was with photography. Zooming in on the lifestyle and entertainment world is what the channel aims to do. The name selection is Jain’s. It was Jain who chose the title Mirchi for the group’s radio FM venture as well.
As for the name of the spiritual channel, according to information available with indiantelevision.com, though there are some names being debated, nothing has been finalised as yet.
To a question from indiantelevision.com about the buzz in the industry that the spiritual channel would primarily be focussed on the “Art of Living Foundation” and its “guru” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Jain categorically ruled it out. Jain, terming the spiritual channel a “secular” one, said all faiths would be represented on it.
Jain was speaking to indiantelevision.com on Thursday on the sidelines of a media briefing announcing the signing of a formal agreement by the Times Group and BBC Magazines (a division of BBC Worldwide) to set up a 50:50 joint venture company to publish magazines in India.
Meanwhile, there are two more channels on the drawing board which have, however, been put on the backburner for the present – a business news channel and a music channel. Industry sources say it will take at least another year for the business channel to launch. When queried about it, Jain would not be drawn into a comment on what time lines, if any, had been set for the two channels’ launches. He did say, however, that no firm decision had been made as to which might launch earlier – the business channel or the music channel.
The obvious advantage that the music channel offers is that it would cost far less to get up and running. As far as content is concerned, there are the Times Music titles that can be promoted. Of course, it is also a fact that Times Music, which is heavily into devotional music, could as well or possibly even better be leveraged on the spiritual channel.
If and when the business channel launches, the clear synergy that one expects would be leveraged is The Economic Times brand for both content and marketing.
News Broadcasting
WITT Summit 2026 concludes in New Delhi
Babar Azam’s comical diving attempt goes viral as league introduces anti-dew measures.
MUMBAI: The WITT Summit just wrapped up with enough big ideas to fill a policy playbook because when India’s leaders, thinkers and icons gather under one roof, even the conversations hit sixes. The eighth edition of TV9 Network’s flagship What India Thinks Today (WITT) Summit 2026 concluded on Saturday after two days of dynamic discussions at its New Delhi venue. India’s largest multi-domain public policy and culture summit brought together political leaders, policymakers, sports icons, artists and technology innovators to examine the forces shaping contemporary India and its global standing.
Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address on the theme “India and the World” for the third consecutive year. In a wide-ranging speech, he addressed the ongoing conflict in West Asia, calling for restraint and compassion while highlighting India’s continued development trajectory despite global turmoil.
The summit featured candid conversations with state leaders. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy articulated a people-first governance model and contrasted it with other development approaches. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declared that Left-wing extremism had been effectively eliminated in his state and highlighted preparations for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended his government’s record, citing the closure of 19 toll plazas and creation of the Sadak Suraksha Force. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed confidence in Congress prospects in Assam and addressed recent allegations against him.
On geopolitics and national security, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia outlined India’s ambition to become a builder of trusted digital infrastructure for the world, citing the rapid 5G rollout and village-level 4G connectivity.
Cricket received significant attention. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praised player freedom and trust as hallmarks of great leadership and named MS Dhoni as the greatest captain due to his World Cup successes. India women’s team bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi credited the BCCI and Women’s Premier League for building a pipeline of world-class talent behind the team’s recent ODI World Cup triumph.
The summit also hosted the inaugural AI² Awards 2026, celebrating the convergence of human creativity and machine intelligence in storytelling and content creation. Poet and kathavachak Kumar Vishwas delivered a nuanced take on India’s concept of Dharma and criticised the recent arrest of an 80-year-old Shankaracharya. Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan and storyteller Neelesh Misra reflected on changing music trends and artistic responsibility in the wake of a recent controversy involving Nora Fatehi.
In a country where conversations often run as deep as the Ganges, the WITT Summit proved once again that when leaders, thinkers and storytellers come together, the real winner is public discourse lively, layered and refreshingly unafraid to tackle the big questions shaping India’s tomorrow.
