News Broadcasting
Media Mogul Uday Shankar officially launches Upendrra Rai’s Bharat Express
Mumbai: Media veteran Uday Shankar has officially launched Upendrra Rai’s highly anticipated national Hindi news channel, Bharat Express amidst much fanfare at a dazzling ceremony organised at Hotel Andaz by Hyatt in New Delhi on 1 February 2023. The channel launch was attended by senior political leaders, Bollywood celebrities, sports icons and business luminaries namely minister for I&B and youth affairs & sports Anurag Thakur, minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, MoS home affairs Nityanand Rai, MoS fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying Sanjeev Balyan, former chief election commissioner of India Sunil Arora and Dr Kumar Vishwas. Bollywood singer B Praak also dazzled the audience with his impromptu performance.
Speaking at the launch Shankar said, “I wish Upendrra all the best at the launch of his media venture and congratulate the entire team of Bharat Express on a successful launch. Having known Upendrra for so many years, I am assured that Bharat Express will demonstrate paramount journalistic ethics when seeking and delivering news”
Extending his gratitude, CMD and editor-in-chief Upendrra Rai commented, “Uday Shankar has continued to inspire me through years and I am privileged to have him officially launch Bharat Express today. The channel will continue to reflect our core ethos of “Satya, Sahas and Samarpan” in the pursuit of bold and direct journalism. Given the quickly changing market dynamics, Bharat Express is well-equipped to deliver relevant news content to the evolving discerning news viewer”
Bharat Express will have a pan-India presence and is available across all major DTH and Cable Networks, namely, Tata Play – 535, Dish TV – 671, D2H – 753 and Airtel DTH.
Bharat Express CEO Varun Kohli said, “The launch has created a lot of hype and anticipation among viewers and advertisers alike. We are aiming to be a leader in the news space with an improved viewer engagement across our TV and digital platforms.
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.
