News Broadcasting
USTA’s new deal with CBS for US Open
NEW YORK: The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and CBS Sports have announced a landmark broadcast television partnership that includes an extension of CBS Sports’ America rights to the US Open through 2006. In addition the USTA has an option to extend the deal for an additional two years (2007-2008).
In India the event airs every August on Star Sports. The partnership includes live coverage on select weekends of the proposed US Open Series. This is a series of summer professional tennis events that will lead into the final Grand Slam of the year. The Series is tentatively scheduled to launch with select tournaments next year, with expansion planned in 2005. Overall, the new deal provides for over 60 hours of programming devoted to the US Open, other summer tournaments, and special USTA programming each year.
The broad-reaching deal also includes increased on-air support of the US Open and the sport of tennis, during the months leading up to and including the US Open. The new deal includes 48 hours of US Open television coverage each year, including six days of coverage over two weekends; the continuation of the primetime Women’s Singles Final; a late-night highlights show. In addition there will also be a telecast of Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day; a US Open preview show leading into the tournament; and four episodes of Topspin.
This is the USTA’s youth-targeted tennis television program to be aired on Saturdays during the summer months. As of now the US Open’s schedule remains similar to recent years. An official release informs that last year USA Network signed a six-year agreement for cable broadcast rights for the US Open, for weekday coverage of the event. CBS’ partnership with the US Open stretches for 35 years.
USTA professional tennis chief executive Arlen Kantarian added, “We consider our CBS partnership to be one of the strongest in sports. We continue to create innovative television concepts to grow the game – – from the Women’s Prime Time Final to the proposed US Open Series. This new deal sets the stage for a consistent television viewing platform for tennis throughout the summer. We look forward to continuing our discussions with the WTA, the ATP and tournament owners to now make this concept a reality.”
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.
