News Broadcasting
Sahara corp comm head Prriya Raj quits
MUMBAI: Sahara Media & Entertainment Network Vice President (Publicity, Promotions and PR) Prriya Raj has put in his papers citing ‘personal reasons’.
Raj, also a well-known management cartoonist, had been with Sahara from early 2001. He was instrumental in injecting the launch of Haqeeqat and Draupadi in May 2001 with creative and media innovation as well as sustaining the same with the newsletter Sampark, DMs, posters, flyers, road shows, promotions, PR and interactive website to build the brand Sahara TV. He was also behind the much talked about tongue-in-cheek campaigns of news programmes of Sahara TV namely Chunav Sangram and Budget Mahapuran.
He was nominated for the award of PR executive of the year at the Indian Telly Awards 2002 by Indiantelevision.com.
An MBA topper from Allahabad University, Raj has earlier worked with S. Kumars as a Publicity Officer, Mitra Prakashan as All India Advertising Manager, ad agencies Mudra as Account Director and R K Swamy / BBDO as Director Client Services. He also co-promoted Momentum as India’s first fee-based ad agency and worked with www.123india.com as an advisor.
He has two books to his credit – ‘Under The Pyramid’ (IBH / 1998) and ‘Counter Point’ (BPI/1999). He also contributes a regular weekly management cartoon column ‘Out Of The Box’ in the Hindu.
While he is yet to firm up his future plans, Raj says his stint at Sahara has given him valuable insights into the entertainment business. “This has surely added a new dimension to my overall experience,” he says.
About his future plans, he says : “I have not yet firmed up my plans. I need to first take a break, think afresh with a new perspective and then look at the available opportunities to finalise my next course of action.”
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
