News Broadcasting
BBC receives award for dedication to environment
MUMBAI: After the turmoil that went on within the BBC regarding the Iraq dossier there is finally some positive news. The broadcaster has announced that it was presented with an international award in recognition of its commitment to environmental issues around the world.
The biennial Zayed International Prize for the Environment was established four years ago in recognition of the achievements of the UAE’s President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
An official release states that for over three decades Sheikh Zayed has advocated sustainable development policies. His strategies – including the planting of 100 million trees are considered to have made the UAE a much greener country. In its citation the jury said that it considered that the BBC “stands apart for its commitment, breadth of coverage, and dedication to addressing global, regional and national environmental concerns”.
It singled out Earth Report, which has aired on BBC World since 1997. The television programme has “not only shocked and entertained but brought about real change by inspiring businesses, NGOs [non-governmental organisations and governments to adopt more environmentally friendly technologies, lifestyles and policies”. The programme is produced by Robert Lamb and TVE.
The jury also recognised the work of BBC World Service radio which broadcasts to at least 150 million regular listeners in 43 languages and BBC News Online, which receives more than 206 million page impressions per month at the website www.bbcnews.com.
In addition, the citation praised BBC staff for implementing initiatives that are making their workplaces more environmentally friendly. “The BBC has also demonstrated its commitment to environmental issues at home through the organisation’s own sustainable development strategy aimed at reducing energy consumption and waste in its day-to-day operations.”
The prize money of $500,000, will be donated to the BBC World Service Trust.BBC World Service Trust director Stephen King added, “The Trust is an important part of the BBC’s work. This prize will make a big contribution to helping us continue our work, bringing benefit to communities in the developing world.”
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to air live counting day coverage for five state election results on May 4
The channel is rolling out its biggest election coverage machinery yet for results day on 4th May
NOIDA: The votes have been cast. Now comes the reckoning. CNN-News18 is pulling out all the stops for results day on 4th May, when counting begins across five battleground states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry — in what promises to be one of the most closely watched electoral verdicts in recent memory.
The channel’s coverage, titled Battle for the States: The Verdict, kicks off at 7am and runs through the day across linear TV, connected television and YouTube. It is the culmination of CNN-News18’s multi-format editorial initiative, Battle for the States, which has tracked the polls from the beginning under the theme Road to Power.
At the operational heart of the coverage will be the Live Results Hub, the channel’s central command centre built to collate, verify and process real-time data flowing in from reporters stationed at counting centres across constituencies. The hub combines newsroom intelligence, analytics and on-the-ground reporting to deliver what the channel promises will be the fastest and most accurate results coverage in English news.
Leading the on-air charge will be primetime anchors Rahul Shivshankar, Anand Narasimhan, Aman Sharma, Nabila Jamal and Shivani Gupta. They will be joined by a wide panel of commentators including author Chetan Bhagat; GVL Narasimha Rao, senior leader of the BJP; Smita Prakash, editor of ANI; activist Saira Shah Halim; political analyst Sumanth C Raman; Abhijit Iyer Mitra, senior fellow at IPCS; Amitabh Tiwari, founder of VoteVibe; columnist Abhijit Majumdar; Nalin Mehta, managing editor of MoneyControl; political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla; senior journalist Subir Bhaumik; and political analyst Manojit Mandal.
Shivshankar, who serves as editorial affairs director at CNN-News18, set out the stakes plainly. “Counting day is one of the most watched events in the electoral cycle, where speed and credibility are tested in real time,” he said. “Battle for the States: The Verdict is built on that promise, combining ground reporting, sharp analysis and cutting-edge election technology to give viewers the clearest and fastest route to the verdict. On May 4, CNN-News18 will once again be the nation’s most trusted channel to witness democracy in action.”
Smriti Mehra, chief executive of English and Business News at Network18, framed the coverage in broader terms. “Elections are defining national events, and audiences turn to brands they trust in moments that matter,” she said. “CNN-News18 has consistently led from the front in every election coverage, and this special programming reflects the scale of our ambition and editorial strength.”
The channel has form here. It claims to have been India’s most preferred English news destination for election results for the past 20 years, covering everything from the 2024 general elections to the Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and BMC polls on the back of what it calls an “Always First, Always Right” record. Five states, one day, and a nation waiting for answers. The clock starts at 7am on 4th May.
