News Broadcasting
Bharat Express brings back Varun Kohli as group chief executive
NOIDA: In the media industry, boomerang hires are increasingly common. But when a news channel rehires the executive who built it from scratch, it signals ambition rather than desperation.
Bharat Express has brought back Varun Kohli as director and group chief executive, marking his return to an organisation he helped launch in January 2023. Kohli, who spent just over a year at Bharat Express before joining Times Network as chief operating officer, is being tasked with expanding the channel’s reach and deepening its impact in India’s competitive news broadcasting market.
During his first stint, Kohli shaped the channel’s editorial and business strategy, built its core team and established its operational framework. His move to Times Network in 2024 saw him oversee critical operations across a larger network. Now, armed with that broader experience, he returns to accelerate Bharat Express’s growth trajectory.
“During his first innings, Varun played a foundational role in successfully launching the channel and positioning Bharat Express as a credible voice in Indian news media,” said Bharat Express chairman, managing director & editor in chief Upendrra Rai. “With his return, we are confident that his deep industry experience and visionary approach will help us accelerate our growth and take the channel to new heights.”
Kohli brings three decades of media experience, having held leadership roles at ITV Network, Deccan Chronicle Holdings, Network18, Bennett Coleman & Co., HT Media and Amar Ujala Prakashan. He is known for launching and turning around media brands, with a reputation for driving revenue growth and building high-performance teams.
The appointment positions Bharat Express for its next phase of expansion, with Kohli’s return bringing both institutional knowledge and fresh strategic insights gained from his time at one of India’s largest broadcasting networks.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
