News Broadcasting
DD’s news correspondent freeze
NEW DELHI: Is state-owned broadcaster DD saddled with an ageing news correspondent network? If one goes by information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni’s admission in parliament, then this probably is true. She said that no appointments of news correspondents had been made in Doordarshan since the first selection of 51 persons to the posts of news correspondents, assistant news correspondents, and assistant news editors in 1988.
She added that a proposal for appointment of a principal television correspondent and two special news correspondents in Doordarshan and Recruitments Rules in this regard are pending before the finance and personnel ministries respectively.
Thus, the recruitment was made 15 years before the creation of Doordarshan News in 2003, and Prasar Bharati sources told indiantelevision.com that some persons have been appointed as
‘artists’ from time to time apart from Indian Information Service officers being sent on deputation to DD News. These sources said that at present, Doordarshan has two TV news correspondents, three assistant news correspondents, and 12 TV news correspondents deputed to
various regional kendras.
The 18 TV news correspondents, 27 TV assistant news correspondents, and six TV assistant news editors appointed in 1988 as artists were in May 1993 declared as government servants from the date of their appointment.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni also denied that the Ministry had furnished any undertaking about acceptance of the Joshi Committee of 1985 that had suggested creation of a separate cadre of news correspondents for the pubcaster.
When the Central Administrative Tribunal in Hyderabad had in November 2000 on a petition filed by one correspondent directed Prasar Bharati to induct the applicant in the Indian Broadcasting (Programming) Service, the Government had challenged this decision in the Hyderabad High Court and obtained a stay in April 2001 and the matter was still pending and therefore, sub judice.
The Government, however, claimed that assured career progression had been given to all eligible officers. Meanwhile, it is learnt that subsequent to the Joshi Committee report of 1985, the Urmila Gupta Committee had also recommended creation of a separate cadre for news correspondents. It had opposed the merger of news cadre into the Indian Broadcasting (Programming) Service. This service provides for programme management cadre and programme production cadre in All India
Radio and Doordarshan.
Earlier in February this year, a parliamentary committee in a strongly-worded report regretted that no recruitment has been made in the Indian Broadcasting (Programme) Service, started in 1990, to train a separate cadre of employees for All India Radio and Doordarshan.
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. AICC’s Praveen Chakravarty weighs ‘Power Sharing vs Principles’, while former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan joins the fray. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
