News Broadcasting
Fromer E! boss Jarl Mohn joins MobiTV
MUMBAI: In a move that signals the potential of the mobile television category, Jarl Mohn aka Lee Masters has joined the board of directors of Idetic, the company that created MobiTV, the world’s leading television network for mobile phones.
In addition, Mohn has made a financial investment in the company and will become a senior advisor to the MobiTV management team, lending his expertise across content, distribution and technology to help shape the company’s future, states an official release.
“Having created and led some of the media business’ most recognized brands and companies from inception to launch, Jarl is a true visionary in the entertainment space, and we are honored to have him as a thought partner and investor,” said Idetic chairman & CEO Phillip Alvelda. “We look forward to tapping his insights and experience to expand our content offerings and deliver the best mobile television experience.”
“MobiTV is a significant investment opportunity, as they have earned a leadership position in a category that is experiencing a faster distribution trajectory than that of radio and even cable television did at inception,” said Mohn. “I am enthusiastic about contributing to the company beyond traditional board involvement, and working with the team to realize the business’ potential.”
Jarl Mohn was founding president of Liberty Digital, a publicly traded subsidiary of Liberty Media Group involved in interactive television, cable television networks, and Internet enterprises. He served as its Chief Executive Officer from June 1999 to March 2002. Prior to founding Liberty Digital, he was president and CEO of E! Entertainment Television where he also founded E! Online through a joint venture with CNET. From 1986 to 1989, Mohn was executive vice president and general manager of MTV and VH1. He began his professional life with a 20-year career in radio, the official statement added.
MobiTV recently increased its channel line-up with popular programming including Major League Baseball, Fox News and The Weather Channel. Also, MobiTV has expanded internationally with carriers in the United Kingdom, Canada and Latin America. Leveraging the new 3G wireless data networks, MobiTV delivers a high quality television experience offering a wide range of content and an intuitive graphical user interface.
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.
