News Broadcasting
DD seeks legal recourse against ‘illegal telecaast’
NEW DELHI: India’s pubcaster Prasar Bharati has threatened to take legal action against unauthorised use of its sports-related software by private satellite channels. Most satellite channels however today defended themselves, saying they were acting well within their rights of telecast.
Delivering the keynote address at a round-table here on ‘Intellectual Property Rights for Broadcasters and Performers’ Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma had earlier said the case would be filed in the courts within next two-three days. He stressed the need for a change in mindset about copyright in India, where it enjoys a scant regard.
Prasar Bharati’s latest move assumes significance in the light of several private TV channels making unauthorised use of the India- Australia-New Zealand tri-series cricket footage, for which Doordarshan has exclusive terrestrial and satellite rights.
Sarma’s contended that it has been observed that several news and current affairs channels are using the DD footage, exceeding the normal 45 seconds to one-minute limit, in their programmes, and earning money through sponsorship.
Doordarshan has rights to all Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) organised cricket matches in India upto September 2003. Prasar Bharati has already released caution notice advertisements in leading newspapers across India, against pirating of its cricket software.
When indiantelevision.com team contacted some private satellite channels, the response was cautiously defensive.
According to a spokesperson for ESPN, “We have the rights for (airing) the highlights of the tri-series. We understand the value of acquisition of software and don’t breach any copyright laws on the sports channels.”
Sahara Samay and Aaj Tak, however, were not available for comments. “We don’t have the rights for airing the highlights, but we show the clippings during our bulletins, taking care to keep well within the 45 seconds time limit,” says Star News brand manager Keertan Adyanthaya.
A spokesperson for Zee News on the other hand said that “every footage of the triseries we use is paid for.”
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
