News Broadcasting
B4U Movies targets 31 July as go pay day at Rs 8.90 per subscriber
One more channel readies to take the pay mode plunge. The difference this time being that it will be the first pay channel to be offered as an independent offering and not part of any bouquet.
B4U Movies begins a dual illumination feed from 15 July, with plans to be fully encrypted by 31 July. “All the technical parameters are in place. But keeping in mind last minute hold-ups, it still may take till end-August for the full rollout, B4U Worldwide CEO Ravi Gupta said. B4U is using the Smart-card from Nagravision as the encryption module.
Queried as to the subscription price, Gupta said it would be Rs 8.90 per month. B4U is offering 15 per cent discount on its subscription rate to cable operators making advance payments or quarterly payments.
Where B4U Music will be different from the others is that it will be the only pay channel that is not offered as part of a bouquet. When it was put to Gupta that this would likely prove disadvantageous, he had this to say: “Yes, but that’s a short term way of looking at it. The reason to go it alone is because of the price sensitivity of the market. We believe that especially in the non-metro markets there are operators for whom single channel option like B4U are worth going for.”
“I do not want to tie up with anyone at the present juncture. I want to keep my options open. I prefer to wait for a time where I am able to offer my channel non-exclusively to all the bouquets. And we will be constantly tracking developments. Being independent allows us the freedom to take a call on it when we feel it is advantageous for us,” Gupta said.
Whether Gupta is correct in his reasoning will be known soon enough anyway.
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.
