News Broadcasting
Delhi HC accepts Prasar Bharatis plea for clean feed of sports signals
NEW DELHI: Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Pradeep Nandrajog of the Delhi High Court have said that any channel telecasting a live television broadcast of sporting events of national importance must share the same with national broadcaster Doordarshan without any commercials.
Upholding Prasar Bharati’s view, the Court made the observations while dismissing ESPN’s plea seeking a direction to Prasar Bharati not to insist on the live signal of international cricket matches of India without any commercials. “We find no merit in the writ petition which we dismiss but without any order as to costs.”
Prasar Bharati had on 6 April told ESPN that “it is not in a position to share the live signals which are not clean” and insisted that the channel provide the feed of the matches without any commercials.
Filing a petition before the High Court, ESPN had claimed to be the exclusive distributor of cricket matches of national importance. Furthermore, it said as a matter of practice it had offered the live signals of several matches with commercials as mandated by the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act 2007 and relevant rules, but the pubcaster had imposed a condition relating to clean feed.
Seeking the court’s intervention, the channel had said, “Refusal of the respondent to accept the feed has resulted in a stalemate or impasse which may deprive millions of viewers of watching the international cricket tournaments.”
ESPN had argued that it did not have control over the “Commercial inserts” that were attached to the feed received by it from the event organisers. ESPN had further argued that its “obligation under the law was to share the live broadcast signal as it was received” by it from the sporting event organiser; and since the feed received by it contain certain advertisements by the organiser of the sporting event, their obligation were limited to share the signal as it is.
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.
