News Broadcasting
Bangladesh’s Ekushey TV faces closure over allegation of irregular licensing
Bangladesh’s first private television channel and only independent station Ekushey Television, better known as ETV, is teetering on the brink of closure.
On a charge made by individuals supporting the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party that the station did not win its license fairly during the regime of the earlier government, the court has granted it a five week reprieve to make a last ditch appeal. If ETV fails to convince the court that the license was not obtained unfairly during the Awami League’s rule, the channel may well have to shut shop, leaving several hundred employees in the lurch.
The legal action that has lasted several months, resulted in the Supreme Court rejecting ETV’s leave to appeal petition and upholding the high court division verdict issued on 27 March that the licensing agreement between the government and ETV was illegal. The plaintiffs had said that ETV failed to fill in the correct documentation at the time of getting its permit ahead of rival bids and had secured its license by assuring favours to those in power at the time.
Three years ago, the channel commenced broadcast as both a terrestrial and a satellite channel. In 2000, a petition was filed against it by members sympathetic to the governing coalition led by the BNP. It questioned the manner in which ETV topped the list of parties when international bids were invited for setting up a private television channel in the country in 1998.
Lawyers for the station, which is backed by the American banking firm Citicorp, have argued that if the licensing process is found to be defective, it can be replaced by another. Citicorp has invested over 100 million Tk in the venture.
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.
