News Broadcasting
Experience five days of Onam joy with News18 Kerala’s celebration lineup!
Mumbai: As the vibrant festival of Kerala’s culture and heritage, Onam, approaches, News18 Kerala is all set to present a unique array of Onam-themed programs. With the aim of providing a profoundly enriching cultural spectacle, the channel has meticulously curated a special line-up. The festivities will be showcased from 25 to 29 August, exclusively on News18 Kerala. Commencing on 25 August, the program ‘Natt Onam’ will cast a spotlight on the cultural rituals and observances of Onam in various villages across Kerala. Another program will feature Onam festivities from 5 colleges within the state. Anchors from News18 Kerala will visit colleges to participate in students’ Onam celebrations, including activities like Pooviliyonam which is onam farming, Thiruvathira performances, and even flash mobs. The renowned talk show “Onam Band Show” will feature some of the distinguished bands hailing from Kerala, followed by an impressive performance.
An interesting Onam Pattonam session which will play the Onam special. Furthermore, the channel will present a captivating game show titled ‘Reel Life v/s Real Live,’ spotlighting four couples from social media reels, and welcoming guests from various corners of Kerala. There will be many special shows and activities like Poochantham a special Onam flower market, Azhakinte Onam which is Handloon Onam, Sakhavinte Onam an E P Jayarajan interview, Chamanjonam – A celebration with LGBTQIA+ community, and many more to make the festivities special. In addition to these, there will be a special telecast of a ritualistic ceremony at the Aranmula Temple, where the illustrious 63-item feast is served. Notably, the channel will also cover the celebrated Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to air live counting day coverage for five state election results on May 4
The channel is rolling out its biggest election coverage machinery yet for results day on 4th May
NOIDA: The votes have been cast. Now comes the reckoning. CNN-News18 is pulling out all the stops for results day on 4th May, when counting begins across five battleground states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry — in what promises to be one of the most closely watched electoral verdicts in recent memory.
The channel’s coverage, titled Battle for the States: The Verdict, kicks off at 7am and runs through the day across linear TV, connected television and YouTube. It is the culmination of CNN-News18’s multi-format editorial initiative, Battle for the States, which has tracked the polls from the beginning under the theme Road to Power.
At the operational heart of the coverage will be the Live Results Hub, the channel’s central command centre built to collate, verify and process real-time data flowing in from reporters stationed at counting centres across constituencies. The hub combines newsroom intelligence, analytics and on-the-ground reporting to deliver what the channel promises will be the fastest and most accurate results coverage in English news.
Leading the on-air charge will be primetime anchors Rahul Shivshankar, Anand Narasimhan, Aman Sharma, Nabila Jamal and Shivani Gupta. They will be joined by a wide panel of commentators including author Chetan Bhagat; GVL Narasimha Rao, senior leader of the BJP; Smita Prakash, editor of ANI; activist Saira Shah Halim; political analyst Sumanth C Raman; Abhijit Iyer Mitra, senior fellow at IPCS; Amitabh Tiwari, founder of VoteVibe; columnist Abhijit Majumdar; Nalin Mehta, managing editor of MoneyControl; political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla; senior journalist Subir Bhaumik; and political analyst Manojit Mandal.
Shivshankar, who serves as editorial affairs director at CNN-News18, set out the stakes plainly. “Counting day is one of the most watched events in the electoral cycle, where speed and credibility are tested in real time,” he said. “Battle for the States: The Verdict is built on that promise, combining ground reporting, sharp analysis and cutting-edge election technology to give viewers the clearest and fastest route to the verdict. On May 4, CNN-News18 will once again be the nation’s most trusted channel to witness democracy in action.”
Smriti Mehra, chief executive of English and Business News at Network18, framed the coverage in broader terms. “Elections are defining national events, and audiences turn to brands they trust in moments that matter,” she said. “CNN-News18 has consistently led from the front in every election coverage, and this special programming reflects the scale of our ambition and editorial strength.”
The channel has form here. It claims to have been India’s most preferred English news destination for election results for the past 20 years, covering everything from the 2024 general elections to the Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and BMC polls on the back of what it calls an “Always First, Always Right” record. Five states, one day, and a nation waiting for answers. The clock starts at 7am on 4th May.
