News Broadcasting
IDPL launches 7+ premium digital channels on Samsung TV Plus India
Mumbai: IndiaDotcom Digital Private Ltd. (IDPL), rolled out its 7+ premium digital channels on Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service. With this move, the widespread viewers of Zee News, WION, Zee Business, Zee24 Kalak, Zee 24 TAAS, ZEE 24 GHANTA will be able to watch their prime-time news shows on Samsung Smart TV Plus in India.
The shift to streaming coupled with the appeal of free streaming TV has seen viewership in FAST services grow across the globe. Connected TVs (CTVs) are the ultimate device for that big-screen co-viewing experience, and locally Kantar estimates that Smart TV adoption in India will grow to 36M devices by the end of this year. Connected TV ad spending is also projected to jump 14.4 per cent this year, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). That’s more than double IAB’s projected 5.9 per cent growth in overall ad spending. With a huge headroom for growth, the CTV space is expected to attract more attention from advertisers to earn consumers’ and other stakeholders’ trust.
IDPL will bring together premium news content both live and on-demand from several digital channels including; Zee News, WION, Zee Business, Zee24 Kalak, Zee 24 TAAS, ZEE24 KALAK. This original programming will extend and grow IDPL audiences to Samsung TV Plus India viewers.
Emphasizing on the market demand, IDPL CEO Devadas Krishnan said, “Providing a customized program content package as per the market demand has always been the top priority of our company. In order to ensure viewers don’t miss their most-liked news shows across 7+ digital channels, our team took up the initiative of making it available to Connected TV who are tech-savvy and consume content as per their convenience.
This will further boost advertisers and brand’s engagement in terms of branding, open doors to video ads delivered via a streaming service during different time slots of news shows running across the digital channels.”
“We are thrilled to partner with IDPL and welcome the Zee channels to our platform,” said Samsung TV Plus India head business development Kunal Mehta. “Samsung TV Plus is committed to providing its viewers with a wide range of content, and this partnership with IDPL is a testament to that commitment. We look forward to a successful partnership with them.”
This partnership is expected to provide viewers with a seamless TV viewing experience and access to a wide range of content. Samsung TV Plus is one of the leading FAST streaming services in India, and it instead is poised to extend its reach and provide its content to a broader range of viewers.
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.
