News Broadcasting
CNBC distribution team in place
MUMBAI: CNBC TV18 has set up a distribution team to take care of the positioning of all its channels, an indications of the hot battle broadcasters are engaged in to occupy prime slots on cable networks.
The task of the 17-member dedicated team, many of whom have been poached from NDTV India, will involve negotiating and paying “placement fees” to cable operators. Piyush Goyal is at the head while three regional managers have been appointed to take care of the north and east, west and south.
Though Zee-Turner distributes the CNBC TV18 bouquet of channels, the internal team will focus on the band positioning of the channels. Continuous interaction with cable operators and mapping of the placement of the channels will form part of the affiliate management responsibility.
The CNBC TV18 team will also take care of the channels to be launched by Broadcast News, a newly floated Rajdeep Sardesai-Sameer Manchanda venture backed and funded by Raghav Bahl’s TV 18. Sources say CNBC’s focus is to pay largely for S-band positions on cable networks.
NDTV also has an internal team to maintain relationship with affiliates, despite being distributed by SET-Discovery’s One Alliance. The company has made payments to cable operators for grabbing prime band positions on many networks across the country.
It is not only news channels that are creating and expanding their distribution teams, even though they have struck alliances with platforms for distribution of their channels. Sources say The Walt Disney Company (India) is also planning to expand its internal team. Though distributed by Star India, Disney had set up a dedicated team with a head and regional managers to monitor the carriage of its channels.
Even distribution platform Zee-Turner has created a special team within the organisation to deal with band placement of channels. “With more channels competing within the same genre and cable networks lacking bandwidth, placement is hardly available and become important. Distribution companies, who were earlier focussing on sales, are realising that they need to change,” says a senior executive of a leading distribution company.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
