News Broadcasting
BBC gears up for cricket World Cup
LONDON: The BBC will be in South Africa to bring extensive, live coverage from the ICC Cricket World Cup, the world’s biggest cricket tournament, across radio and online.
The BBC is gearing up for the event with live coverage on Radio 4 LW and Five Live Sports Extra. BBC Radio Five Live will carry regular scores, updates and reports, and the BBC’s Asian Network will keep listeners up-to-date with the four Asian sides taking part.
Test Match Special on Radio 4 LW (198LW) and digital Five Live Sports Extra not only has ball-by-ball coverage of all of England’s World Cup games but also live coverage of other leading matches, including the opening match on 9 February between South Africa and West Indies.
Jonathan Agnew and the Test Match Special team of Henry Blofeld, Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Simon Mann, Jim Maxwell, Tony Cozier and Jonny Saunders will be joined by fellow Englishmen Vic Marks, Angus Fraser and Mike Selvey. There will also be a multi-national feel as the team are joined by Viv Richards from the West Indies, Australian Jeff Thomson, Andrew Hudson from South Africa and Zimbabweans Andy Pycroft and Alistair Campbell.
On BBC Radio Five Live BBC cricket correspondents Jonathan Agnew, Pat Murphy, Jonny Saunders, Mark Pougatch and John Murray will report with all scores, news, issues and reaction around the World Cup. Five Live will not just cover England’s progress in the tournament. Rahul Tandon and Sumant Bhatia will follow India and Pakistan respectively and be the first with team news from the two camps. Former West Indian fast bowler Ian Bishop will bring the latest from the Caribbean side.
BBCi’s cricket website – www.bbc.co.uk/cricket – will have up-to-the-minute reports from all 54 World Cup games, so cricket fans at their desks can catch up with the action throughout the day. There will be match reports, expert analysis and interviews with key players, plus a fantasy game where fans can win tickets to see England in action and a chance to pit your wits against WG Grace in the fun game Sticky Wicket.
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
