News Broadcasting
Bruce Dunlop mulls setting up shop in India
NEW DELHI: Bruce Dunlop & Associates (BDA), a broadcast design service company, is weighing the option of setting up an Indian office. The move follows after the company tasted limited success with the likes of Jagran group and TV Today Network.
In India to oversee work relating to the on-air looks of Jagran TV Ltds proposed news channel, Channel 7, BDA business director Gillian Samuels, told Indiantelevision.com,India is a dynamic market (for TV channels) and we are hoping to grab some more meaningful business here.
According to Samuels, the company is looking at a few options of having a presence in India, which may include having direct or indirect representatives through collaboration with a local entity.
Though fairly aggressive in the Asia-Pacific region, India has been a tough nut to crack for BDA. Apart from the Channel 7 assignment, BDAs London office is doing a project for TV Today Network that manages Aaj Tak and Headlines Today. At one time, BDA unsuccessfully pitched for a channel account of Star Network in India.
BDA provides a range of promotion and design services to broadcasters and advertisers worldwide. As a creative agency, it offers a one-stop solution for clients, producing quality work in the field of TV channel branding, broadcast design, commercials, sponsorship, promotions, print and radio.
Commenting on the Channel 7 project, Samuels said that the brief was to come up with an on-air identity that would be unique and different from the plethora of news channels in India, even while not deviating from the philosophy of the proposed channel — to provide clean and multi-hued information.
It was important for us and Jagran that Indian clichés are avoided,Samuels said. She added, Thats why even Indian symbols have not been used for the logo of the channel.
Admitting that globally news TV is a competitive market — something that is true in India too — Samuels said that it was necessary for design companies like theirs to get the attitude of the channel right.The Jagran job needed us to create a unique ‘7 that we have done after studying the looks of other news channels,she added.
Though Jagran is not forthcoming enough to give a sneak preview of the logo and the looks that one would see when the channel goes on air some time in March, the logo does uses the blue and red colour liberally with a dash of saffron too.
Internationally blue colour is associated with serious and conservative, while red lends vibrancy. So we have combined three colours to create a dynamic product,Samuels informed.
On the issue of brand identity, Samuels, whos from BDAs Australia office, felt that the on-air looks of news channels in India presented a cluttered look,with news tickers `flying all over and: sometimes even coming at the viewers face. BDA also feels that the ticker used by NDTV is enormous, while Zee News has more advertising related information on their ticker rather than hard news, which could be a result of some business decision.
However, Samuels did agree that it is imperative to change the looks from time to time to avoid boredom setting in. It tends to get boring if you as a viewer are watching the same thing for a long period of time. Globally, TV channels change their looks almost every two year. It helps to keep peoples interest alive, but theres no substitute to good content,she added.
An award winning global agency, BDA was founded in 1999 and its clients include Hallmark, Discovery Networks, Ford, Sky Italia, ITV and Disney.
BDA chairman Bruce Dunlop has launched and managed some significant promotional and creative services for broadcasters and advertisers worldwide, including transforming the promotions department at the Rupert Murdoch-controlled BSkyB, launching Sky multi-channels and overseeing the branding of ITV 1 and ITV2. He is also the first non-American to been inducted into the Promax International Hall of Fame in 1997 “for the contribution he continues to make to the business”.
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.
