News Broadcasting
DD may advance DTH plans to Feb to coincide with Union Budget
NEW DELHI: India’s pubcaster Doordarshan, which has got government permission to start a KU-band direct-to-home television service in India, may advance the launch date to February end to coincide with the annual Union Budget presentation.
According to government sources, Prasar Bharati is exploring possibilities whether DD’s DTH service can be launched around 28 February, the date when normally the government of the day presents the Union Budget.
This is being done by Prasar Bharati, which oversees the functioning of DD and All India Radio, to take the live telecast of the Budget presentation proceedings to those areas of the country where cable and terrestrial television have failed to penetrate.
Prasar Bharati is an autonomous body, modelled on the lines of the British Broadcasting Corporation, but depends largely on government grants to carry out its role of a public service broadcaster.
The two-hour Budget speech and pre and post-Budget programmes are widely and avidly watched by Indians, especially the various industries, for its economic impact.
In recent years, apart from DD, private satellite channels have relied on the Budget-related programmes, including the live telecast of the finance minister’s speech, to mop up additional revenue from advertising.
Earlier in an interview, Prasar Bharati chief executive K.S. Sarma had told indiantelevision.com that DD’s DTH service, to be beamed through an Insat satellite, would be launched around April.
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.
