News Broadcasting
ATN to launch Republic TV in Canada
Canada: Republic TV, India’s leading English-language news channel has announced its foray into the North American continent by way of having its linear programming content aired nationally in Canada on a 24 hour licensed Canadian news service of ASIAN TELEVISION NETWORK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED (ATN) (TSXV-SAT).
Founded by stalwart journalist Arnab Goswami, Republic TV is the newest entrant to the English news space in India. Breaking records with 52 per cent market share (*Source: BARC Market:- India TG: NCCS AB Male 22+ Period: Wk 19'2017 (06 th – 12 th May'18) Time Band:-0200- 2600) in its first week of broadcast it is now the de-facto leader in the genre.
Republic TV has a diverse schedule of shows including The Debate which airs every day except Saturday, from 9-11pm, and a weekly interview show, Nation Wants to Know – both hosted by Editor-in- Chief Arnab Goswami, alongside news shows focusing on the biggest news incident of
the day, called ‘Burning Question’ among others. Additional shows include Patriot, with Major Gaurav Arya, where viewers are taken into the barracks of the armed forces and R. Glitz, which showcases the latest news from Bollywood, among others.
Asian Television Network (ATN) is one of Canada’s Pioneer Multi-Cultural Broadcasters and is a long established Canadian Media company that has grown in stature along with the fast expanding ethnic population in Canada. ATN has a state of the art Digital broadcast center with multiple studios, several non-linear edit suites; multiple camera crews with a special emphasis on local Canadian programming and is currently one of the largest producers of multicultural content in Canada. ATN operates a South Asian Radio Service on Satellite Radio across The United States and Canada. Some ATN content is also available on any Bell mobile phone that supports video.
Republic TV, President of Distribution & International Revenues, Priya Mukherjee said: “Since our inception last year, Republic TV has strived towards widening the reach of our cutting-edge content. While we successfully executed the reach of Republic TV across all households in the fragmented Indian cable distribution ecosystem during the first six months of the channel, & MENA in November 2017, our foray into North America with ATN is a big step for us. We are very happy to be increasing our footprint and we hope to soon expand our reach all over the world.”
Commenting on the launch, Dr. Shan Chandrasekar, founder, President & CEO of Asian Television Network said, “We are excited to have Republic TV’s High Quality Programming available through ATN’s Canadian Licensed Platforms. Since Republic TV’s launch in India, it has had a large share of voice in the Indian news space. With their compelling Content, we hope to reach the large South Asian diaspora in this part of the globe and make the network more holistic.”
Republic TV CEO, Vikas Khanchandani, said: “North America contributes a huge faction of the digital viewership of Republic. With such high demand, we are heartened that the Canadian market will soon be able to consume the channel directly on their TV screens and that Priya and her team will be offering advertisers, the most impactful news media platform to discerning audiences in the region.”
Republic TV Founder & Editor-in- Chief, Arnab Goswami, said: We are delighted to bring Republic TV to North America, through ATN. We will also look to create original content in
cooperation with ATN, specific to the market in due course to provide content on issues specific to the large Indian diaspora. “
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
