News Broadcasting
Blink again! BBC scribe reads news in sari
LONDON: A BBC newsreader wearing a sari? True.
A regional newsreader has become the first British journalist to wear a sari during a bulletin.
Sharuna Sagar, 29, who usually reads the morning news on BBC Midlands Today, decided to try the ethnic Indian dress when she had more time to get ready on the late shift.
She said: “When I go to India I see the newsreaders in saris and they look fantastic and professional. As a British Asian I’m part of both cultures and would like to reflect that.”
Sharuna added: “Normally there isn’t time to put one on as I get up at 4 a.m.
“It takes 15 minutes and I really need someone to help me. Like a bow tie, you have to get it right.
“But when I knew I was going to do the late news I asked my boss, acting editor Dave Hart, and he said ‘yes’ before I could even finish my sentence.”
Sharuna, whose family roots are in Hyderabad, works on BBC Midlands Today based at Pebble Mill in Birmingham.
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.
