News Broadcasting
BBC to revert India programming back to weekdays slot
BBC World, which had shifted its India-specific programming to the weekend slot following the events of 11 September, is switching back to the old schedule from next month.
Come 1 January, 2002, the crucial 10 PM time slot will again air India-sourced programmes that have an interesting mix of the old and the new in Commando!, Face to Face, Mastermind India, Question Time India, Islam UK and India Business Report.
The icing on the cake is the eagerly awaited Commando which kicks off on the 1st and will air every Tuesday at 10 PM It deals with the rigorous training that the Indian army goes through. The 13-part series follows commissioned officers who train at the Commando Training School in Karnataka. The course will last for a month and a half.
Over 39 days real life conditions will be simulated so that participants get a feel of real life war. Miditech Television has produced the show which will have repeats on Saturday at 10 PM and on Sunday at noon.
The fourth series of Mastermind India, the intellectual quiz show hosted by the inimitable Siddharth Basu will air every Thursday from 3 January with repeats on Sunday at 10 in the morning and will run for 21 weeks .
Face To Face hosted by Karan Thapar will air every Wednesday from 2 January. The show will be repeated on Sunday at 1 PM
On Friday Question Time India hosted by NDTV’s Prannoy Roy puts political honchos in the firing line. On Sunday at 11 in the morning viewers can catch up on the latest developments in the country’s business and financial circuit in India Business Report. The show will repeat at 10 PM
BBC World will also introduce new shows on Monday which will focus on NRI’s living in Britain. From 7 January the channel will premier a new series Islam UK. The seven part programme looks at Muslims living in Britain and how they adapt to the environment. It will scrutinise the misconceptions British citizens have about Islam. This becomes all the more important in light of the 11 September events.
In February the channel will start East which scrutinises three Asian women who have made a mark in the beauty business. It also follows three sisters who escaped being forced into marriage in Pakistan. Then in March the channel is showcasing Bindi Millionaires. The subject matter is three British women who appear in Sunday Times Rich list.
Quoting market research agency AC Nielsen’s TAM data, BBC World asserts that in the period from 9 September to 6 October it extended its lead position among the international news channels. Channel share touched 52 per cent followed by CNN at 38 per cent and CNBC India 10 per cent – C&S, SEC A and those above 25 years of age in the top nine cities. BBC claims to be available in 11 million homes in India.
News Broadcasting
UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
