News Broadcasting
CNN International goes ‘beyond borders’, adorns new logo
MUMBAI: As part of its two-year network expansion plan, CNN International has unveiled a new logo, backed with refreshed channel sound and graphics and a new tagline that says “go beyond borders”.
This is for the first time that the network slogan has undergone a chnge since 2001. Formerly, the network’s slogan was “be the first to know”.
It is pertinent to note here that the new brand positioning is launching simultaneous to the premiere of the network’s flagship property, Amanpour.
According to the network, “go beyond borders” is an articulation of CNN International’s shared values and commitment to delivering intelligent news in a connected world. The tagline was put together by CNN’s in-house global marketing and creative teams in conjunction with the Boston-based agency Tooth+Nail.
Said CNN International EVP and managing director Tony Maddox, “Our viewers go beyond borders every day, seeking out intelligent newsgathering on multiple platforms and this tagline will speak directly to their aspirations.”
Meanwhile, as part of its repositioning spree, CNN International will launch a new programming slate with a total of eight new shows by year-end.
“2009 has been a defining year for CNN International, with the introduction of an ambitious new programming line-up following on from an expansion of our newsgathering operation as we put original content and multiple perspectives at the heart of our output. A new tagline is the logical next step to cement our brand promise for today’s news consumers,” Maddox added.
News Broadcasting
Rajesh Sundaram joins NDTV Profit as senior editor, assignment
The 32-year newsroom veteran has launched channels on three continents and covered everything from 9/11 to South African television
MUMBAI: NDTV Profit has bolstered its newsroom with a hire who has done rather more than most. Rajesh Sundaram, a journalist with over three decades of editorial, managerial and consultative experience across India and international markets, joins as senior editor, assignment, tasked with sharpening the network’s newsgathering and real-time response.
Sundaram’s career reads like a tour of Indian media’s most formative moments. He began at Businessworld in 1994, moved to Zee News as bureau chief across Mumbai and Chennai, then joined NDTV in 2002 as part of its political bureau during a particularly febrile period in Indian politics. A stint as India correspondent for Al Jazeera International followed, where he covered key geopolitical developments and got his first serious taste of the global newsroom.
What sets Sundaram apart, however, is his serial channel-launching habit. At NewsX, he helped get the operation off the ground. At Headlines Today, part of the India Today Group, he served as editor. At News Nation, he helped launch the Hindi news channel and its digital ecosystem. He then crossed continents to lead the launch of ANN7 in South Africa as editor-in-chief, overseeing both television and digital. Back in India, he launched Tamil news channels News7 Tamil and Cauvery News, and later served as principal consultant for the launch of Marathi channel Lokshahi. Most recently, he helped build and lead the Press Trust of India’s video service and content studio, before stints consulting for Business Today and The Himalayan Times.
Rahul Kanwal, chief executive and editor-in-chief of NDTV, left little doubt about what Sundaram is expected to deliver. “The assignment desk is where a newsroom’s intent becomes action,” he said. “Rajesh brings a rare combination of field experience and leadership in building news operations at scale.”
Sundaram has reported from across India and the world, covering elections, civil conflicts, the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 US presidential election.
At NDTV Profit, he will lead the assignment desk, driving editorial coordination and real-time response across markets and breaking developments. For a business news network sharpening its focus on speed and multi-platform delivery, it has hired a man who has built newsrooms from scratch on three continents. The assignment desk is in good hands.
