News Broadcasting
ABC counting on ‘Millionaire’ show to bring back the magic
MUMBAI: A struggling ABC is looking to a new format of the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire to shore up the ratings and help it compete with the other three US broadcast networks – NBC, CBS and Fox.
The new show Super Millionaire will air in February as a series of five episodes. Regis Philbin returns as the host and Michael Davies will serve as the executive producer. Celador, the UK company which created Who Wants to be a Millionaire, has overseen the development of the new format.
In India the local version of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire; Kaun Banega Crorepati changed the face of Indian television in 2000. It catapulted the Murdoch broadcaster Star Plus to the number one slot.
As with the original, ten finalists will compete against each other in the fastest finger round to answer one question. The winner then attempts to navigate 15 multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty on a broad range of topics. The difference is that one can win a maximum of $10 million instead of just $1 million. 10 million is equal to one crore and so it could be the case that ABC is taking a leaf out of Star’s book.
Explaining the rationale behind the show ABC Entertainment Television Group chairman Lloyd Braun said, “For months, we have been carefully monitoring the environment to determine if the time is right for a new, totally amped up version of Millionaire broadcast in its original, event-like form. We think this is the time.”
“Celador’s Millionaire is perhaps the greatest game show format ever devised. In the US, Regis Philbin made this the most successful prime time game show of all time, and now, Meredith Vieira hosts a fantastically successful, five day a week version of the game. With its new lifelines, music, graphics and zeros, Super Millionaire will take the format to a whole new level. We are currently gearing up for the tremendous demand we expect from regular Americans wanting their chance at the $10 million top prize,” he added.
A company release adds that Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, hosted by Meredith Vieira, currently airs in syndication across the US. A Reuters report adds that in 2000 Millionaire averaged 28 million viewers a show. As was the case with Star Plus the show catapulted ABC from third to a decisive first-place finish in one season. The crucial difference though is that while Star Plus’ other shows like Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhie Bahu Thi helped the broadcaster strengthen its number one slot ABC’s shows have not fared well in the ratings.
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.
