News Broadcasting
BBC websites claim 180 m. impressions due to Iraq conflict
LONDON: News organisations are seeing a spurt in the take up of services offered not just on air, but also online on account of the ongoing Iraq conflict. A case in point is the BBC World Service which claims that its international sites have attracted 180 million page impressions this month – more than 80 million of them in the last eight days.
Its programme Talking Point, through which listeners can quiz world leaders, has received more than 160,000 emails commenting on the war. The BBC Hindi version of Talking Point, Aapki Baat BBC Ke Saath, invited listeners to question the former Indian Prime Minister I K Gurjal on 23 March. The programme received over 100 requests from people wanting to participate and 40 emails, six of them from the Gulf region.
In order to gain further perspective from the Arab world, BBC Arabic launched its own version of the show Nuqtat Hewar. The first programme took 93 calls in the first hour.
With mobile talk gaining rapidly across the globe, it is not surprising that text messaging from mobile phones have increased substantially over the course of the past few days. BBC World Service editors and producers are using the feedback to inform programme making and to create new programme opportunities for people to interact.
Text messages to the English service have gone up ten-fold since 18 March with around 6,000 messages sent to date. A few days ago, BBC Somali launched a text messaging facility and claims to have received nearly 800 views on the war in Iraq.
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.
