News Broadcasting
Apurva Chandra talks about credibility of social media, RPD and direct-to-broadcast: CII The Big Picture Summit 2022
Mumbai: At the Big Picture Summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on 16 & 17 November, among the many dignitaries that were in attendance and spoke on various topics, the ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) secretary Apurva Chandra was also present.
On his recent visit to the Global Media Congress in Abu Dhabi, he made some observations and spoke about the same. He raised his concern (as well as the concern of many) with regard to the fact that the use of social media is on the rise and traditional media is on the decline.
“The use of social media is increasing – that is how the consumption of media now takes place. And within that too, there is the short video format, which has become more popular. In fact, I was surprised to learn that youngsters now turn to TikTok for search and not Google anymore – TikTok has now become a more popular search engine as compared to Google because nowadays short videos are available for anything and everything,” he stated.
Chandra elucidated that now there is an issue of credibility. “For people of our age, the credibility of the media is paramount. Achieving credibility in social media will be the challenge. The media authorities will also have to consider that viewers’ tastes are changing towards shorter and shorter versions.”
He went on to reveal that the next big thing that MIB is working on is direct-to-mobile broadcast. A pilot study by IIT Kanpur and Sankhya Labs on direct-to-mobile broadcasting that had been undertaken in Bengaluru has been successful; a similar pilot study will be launched soon in Noida or someplace near Delhi.
He added, “There are 20 crore households, 60 crore smartphone users, and 80 crore broadband users. Once we start direct-to-mobile broadcasting, the reach of the TV media would be much higher.”
Additionally, Chandra mentioned that they are also working on the issue of TRP ratings.
“The reverse path data (RPD) pilot has also been successful; the report has been submitted. We will now take it forward on integrating more and more RPD. The major concern was that the number of households involved in Barc ratings is very low and it should be increased. Once RPD is implemented, the TRP will become much larger,” he assured.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
