News Broadcasting
ARG Outlier Media writes to TRAI, accuses News18 India of flouting landing page directive
MUMBAI: ARG Outlier Media Asianet News, which owns channels like Republic TV, Republic Bharat among others, has accused TV18 Broadcast Ltd of flouting Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) 3 December 2018 directive to broadcasters and distribution platform operators (DPO).
A letter, reviewed by Indiantelevision.com, written by ARG Outlier Media earlier this month states that ‘TV18 Broadcast started its channel News18 India as a landing page on Hathway Digital’, exhorting the regulator to take action against the violator.
In December last year, TRAI had directed all distributors of TV channels and broadcasters to restrain, with immediate effect, from placing registered television channels, whose TV rating is released by ratings agency, on the landing page or the boot-up screen.
The reason behind this order, according to TRAI, was to protect the interest of service providers and consumers while ensuring “orderly growth of the sector”.
Though the TRAI diktat came into effect immediately, the sector regulator allowed some breather to stakeholders to become fully compliant by 31 March 2019 by making necessary changes in agreements that may have been already signed. However, distributors and TV channels had been asked to report to the regulator with updates within seven days.
Last month, TV18 Broadcast had written to TRAI about Republic Bharat being placed outside the Hindi news genre to drive up viewership.
“The action of placing ‘Republic Bharat’ of ARG Outlier Media outside its relevant genre is also a violation of authority’s broadcasting regulation as framed by the Authority (specially, sub-regulations 2 of regulation 18 of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017) and as such, impermissible,” TV18 said, requesting TRAI to investigate the matter and take appropriate action against all those violating the regulations.
TV18 said that the channel was being placed in other genres to allow it to “illegally garner higher BARC ratings and increase viewership”.
“As such, by placing Republic Bharat in non-Hindi news genres, an unfair and undue advantage is being given to ‘Republic Bharat’ when compared with its competing channels that continue to be listed in correct / Hindi news genre,” TV18 said in its complaint to the TRAI.
It is believed that competing Hindi news channels like Aaj Tak and India TV were the other complainants.
“In view of above, we humbly request Authority to kindly take cognisance of this complaint and investigate into the matter rather, in terms of applicable laws, take stem action against all those who may be / have been involved in listing of Republic Bharat outside its genre so as to deprecate such malpractices in future,” TV18 had stated.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
