News Broadcasting
CNN’s Terror on Tape series bags UK honour
MUMBAI: CNN’s Terror on Tape series has bagged the UK Royal Television Society’s (RTS) International News Journalism Award. The series, which unveiled Al Qaeda from a cache of training tapes discovered by CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson and his team in Afghanistan, was originally broadcast on CNN in August 2002.
The weeklong series detailed the expertise, resources and resolve of the Al Qaeda movement, revealed painstakingly by Robertson, over several weeks tracking the tapes in Afghanistan, working with sources he had cultivated during his years of reporting from the country since 1996.
Experts have told CNN that these tapes delivered new insights into the training methods of Al Qaeda, showing how the clandestine network prepares for various operations, including assassination, kidnapping and urban combat. Additionally, many of the documents and manuals included instructions on how to hijack and blow up airplanes, how to build bombs and how to explode trains, ships and other modes of transportation.
Also involved in the production of the series were Mark Phillips, Ingrid Arnesen, Mike Boettcher, Maria Fleet, Richard Griffiths, Fuzz Hogan and Henry Schuster. The judges described Terror on Tape as a “genuine scoop,” praising Mr. Robertson’s “meticulous research combined with careful, straightforward story-telling,” and said that it made a “genuine contribution to the understanding of the Al Qaeda network.”
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
