News Broadcasting
Channels to end year with film fare
MUMBAI: For those destined to spend New Year’s eve at home in front of the telly, mainstream channels have readied a line up of filmi fare. Prime Bollywood acquisitions figure high on the agenda, as does the usual song-n-dance routine.
Soap stars to reign supreme on Star
Star Plus and Balaji Entertainment have chalked out a starry New Year’s Eve Special for their viewers . Hosted by popular actor Aman Verma, the special will showcase stars of superhit soaps-Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi in an atmosphere full of fun and frolic. For the first time ever -Tulsi, Parvati, Prerna, Shaina, Pallavi, Ramola, Komolika, Mihir, Om, Anurag, Kunal (characters from various Balaji serials) will come together under one roof, to ring in the New Year, states an official release. The special will air on 31 December at 11 pm.
Star Gold, the Hindi movie channel that recently revamped its programming strategy by airing Hollywood Blockbusters dubbed in Hindi, will herald 2003 with the dubbed version of the millennium blockbuster Titanic. which will be aired on 31 December at 7:00 PM
For all the ‘James Bond’ fans, Star Movies will unfurl some interesting Bond documentaries like Now Pay Attention 007 at 7:00 pm and Top Ten Bond films at 8:00 pm.The World Is Not Enough will premiere at 9:00 pm and Bond girls forever, at 11:00 pm on 31 December, with a repeat at midnight.
Star World will celebrate the new year by showing two specials -VHI Divas Live and American Bandstand: 50th Anniversary Celebration. While the former is slated to be one of the most memorable musical events with Divas from all genres such as Celine Dion, Cher, Sakira, The Dixie Chicks performing at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, followed by spectacular performances from Anastacia and Stevie Nicks, the latter will include live performances and exclusive clips that salute the legendary music show’s ground breaking contributions to popular music history. There will be live performances by superstars like Micheal Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Alanis Morrisseltte, Kiss, Cher and more.
‘Come to the Party’ hosted by Sony
While Star Plus’ New Year Special centers around the television artists alone, Sony has included popular Bollywood stars as well. The channel’s recently unveiled year-end theme, ‘Come to the Party’, will beckon the New Year with three hours of film and music based shows on two consecutive days starting 29 December. The New Year Special includes Bollywood Ke Superstars, featuring stars like Saif Ali Khan, Govinda, Sonali Kulkarni, Preeti Jhangiani and Kashmira Shah. The show airs 8:00 pm on 29 December. The Band of Boys, Meet Brothers, Vinod Rathod and Jaspinder Narula will perform while Saif will engage in some candid conversation with Simone ‘Heena’ Singh. The event will be hosted by Suchitra Krishnamurthy.
On 30 December, the channel will show a special edition of Boogie Woogie Jalwa, set in an Hawaaian backdrop and interspersed with big names from the world of Indi pop – Daler Mehndi, Kamal Khan, Sukhwinder, Sunidhi Chauhan and Mahalakshmi along with film personalities Pooja Batra, Rani Rajlaxmi, Ganesh Acharya to name a few. Artistes from the hit soaps on the channel including Kkusum, Kutumb and Meri Biwi Wonderful will also be making an appearance on the show, states an official release.
Finally ,New Year’s eve will showcase Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, the channel’s second biggest acquisition this year after Lagaan. It will premiere on 31 December at 8 pm.
The film will be introduced in a unique manner with the film’s stars talking about their special experiences during the making of the film.
While Zee TV is yet to go public with its plans for the year end, Zee Cinema will air Gadar Ek Prem Katha at 8 pm. The blockbuster, aired earlier on Zee on 15 August, had helped the channel top the ratings stakes for the week.
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.
