News Broadcasting
Awaaz gets into over-drive mode, lines up five shows
MUMBAI: Consumer business news channel Awaaz, CNBC TV18’s new sibling, is going into over-drive with some new programming initiatives. The channel has lined up a total of five shows that will be unleashed in the course of this month.
Keeping in line with the basic positioning of the channel, the shows to be launched will help viewers make better decisions on investing, saving and spending wisely. Apart from that, with shows touching on genres like health and fitness and the entertainment industry; the newly launched channel also hopes to widen its viewership base, apart from being more interactive.
To begin with, the channel has lined up Glamour Bazaar (3 April at 12.30 pm) a weekly show that offers updates on the entertainment business. Segments in the show include Filmi Karobar (the business of film making in India), Filmi Chaat (Bollywood snippets) and Ek Mulaqat (a one – to – one with a Bollywood bigwig).
The second week will see the launch of two shows, Parda Faash and Tax Guru. A weekly show, Parda Faash (Saturdays 10.30 am) will track economic/corporate crime and violation of consumer rights. The show will have hard-hitting stories that will be followed by a discussion aimed at helping consumers / investors to fight back. The other show Tax Guru will have tax expert Subhas Lakhotia answering call-in queries by viewers.
Towards the end of the month, the channel will have Jiyo Zindagi, a weekly health and lifestyle show with inputs from leading experts in the medical profession and Chalti Ka Nam Gadi, a weekly guide to the world of automobiles, from buying guides to availability of after sales services available in the two, three and four wheeler industry.
Explaining the thought behind the shows, Awaaz marketing head Ajay Chacko says, “We hope to reach out to newer audiences with these shows. The aim is also to capture the women TG as well as the younger non-metro audiences with shows like Jiyo Zindagi. Then, shows like Glamour Bazaar give an inside view of the working of the entertainment industry which is definitely a value add for consumers.”
As of now, the three-month old channel broadly focuses on programs related to personal finance and markets, guidance on careers, education and consumer based programming which will help them make more intelligent choices.
Shedding further light on the channel’s programming, Awaaz editor Sanjay Pugalia says, “The aim is to address the needs of the consumer. Apart from this, the overall treatment of the shows is very interactive.”
News Broadcasting
India Today Group debuts AI anchor ‘Sutra’ at AI Impact Summit 2026
Sutra aims to simplify live policy debates using sovereign AI models
NEW DELHI: India Today Group has unveiled Sutra, an AI-driven news anchor designed to deliver real-time, contextual reporting, marking the group’s latest push to integrate artificial intelligence into mainstream journalism.
The AI anchor was introduced at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi and developed in collaboration with BharatGen, with the initiative showcased by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
India Today Group said Sutra is built to navigate complex policy discussions and fast-moving developments by synthesising information into concise, accessible insights, aimed at narrowing the gap between high-level debates and public understanding. The AI anchor was used to surface live takeaways from key sessions at the summit.
India Today Group chief AI officer Nilanjan Das, said the project was focused on clarity and accessibility without diluting editorial rigour. He added that working with BharatGen aligned the group’s AI ambitions with India’s broader push towards sovereign technology capabilities.
BharatGen CEO Rishi Bal, said the partnership reflected a shift from basic automation towards deeper contextual intelligence in media. He emphasised the importance of indigenous, multimodal AI models capable of understanding Indian languages, regional dialects and cultural nuance, particularly as AI-driven news formats gain traction.
The launch positions India Today Group among the first major Indian media houses to deploy an AI anchor backed by home-grown technology, underscoring a growing convergence between journalism, public policy and sovereign AI infrastructure.
